Author Archives: Meridith

Race Recap: 2018 Philly 10k

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Anyone who has run a Philly race knows that people from this area do things with their whole heart.

They love their sports teams loudly (and um, might be a bit notorious for being jerks to the opposition).

They have feisty debates over what food is best and whose food is best.

And Philadelphians know how to throw a quality race. The Philly 10k is no exception. The 2018 race was its 5th year in existence and while I’ve always heard amazing things about it, it was my first year running.

The City Fit Girls know how to have a good time! I was at their fit retreat a week prior and saw many of the same faces again at the Philly 10k. I’ll be blogging about the retreat… eventually!

The main reason I haven’t registered during the past 4 years is that it’s always held at the end of August and I know that I’m not the best at running through the summer heat. Couple that with it being through South Philly and being bit outside of where I comfortably know my way around in the city, I’ve always sat this one out.

When registration opened earlier this year, my awesome friend and fellow mullet crew runner, Rachel, encouraged me to sign up. She’s one of my favorite people (to run with and just in general) so naturally, I did. And even when she got hurt and had to drop this race from her race card, she still encouraged me to run AND even found me a fellow City Fit Girl friend to run with.

She may be my meatball but we took our post-race selfie in front of Humpty’s Dumplings.

AND, THERE’S MORE! Since she was volunteering at the pre-race party/packet pickup, she was able to grab my race bag for me so I didn’t have to haul my cookies into the city twice! PLUS! She hosted me the night before the race, carried my stuff around with her, and made sure I was fed and happy the entire time!

Because she’s awesome like that.

The Philly 10k starts and ends on South Street and winds through a part of Philly that others don’t usually touch. Ah, South Street. I spent many of my college evenings there. I got my tongue pierced there. Went there with friends to get tattoos. I digress. Never in a million years when I was in college did I think I’d be running a 10k there, that is for sure.

Hooking up with Brooke, who lives locally, was a godsend. She gave me a running commentary (har har) of all the places we were passing and what was up ahead. Most of the streets were tree lined, which helped keep the sun from directly beating down on us.

The first corral started at 7:30am and it got hot quick. We started with 3:1 intervals until it got uncomfortable and then did whatever we felt like for the rest of the race.

Pat’s or Geno’s? Cheesesteak smells good, even at 8:30 in the morning.

It was warming up significantly as we plodded along. The water stops were run by different Philly running groups, all of whom were very enthusiastic and shouting out our names. Some were reading bibs but then I realized that I actually KNEW people too, which was super exciting.

Philly doesn’t want any runners dying from heatstroke on their watch so there were a few fire hydrants open, which I took advantage of.  Plus, there was a guy handing out water bottles. He wasn’t an official water station but he had a baby with him and looked legit so YOU KNOW I TOOK ONE.

(It was sealed, don’t worry.)

It was cold and wonderful and there was a coupon for Devil’s Den on it. (Which we didn’t go to but I WILL BECAUSE THEY GAVE ME ICE COLD WATER.)

Thank the Lord! Amen!

After a few more turns and a few more friend sightings, we were coming up along the home stretch.

Rachel was there, camera in hand, waiting for us to come down the way!

Oh look, I’m talking. Big shock, I know. photo: Rachel

Brooke warned me at the begin that when we turn onto South Street aka the Finish Line Street, we still a bit to run. Actually, you can hear her telling me that in this video at both the start line and then when we are running that last stretch!

After we crossed the finish, we got towels that had been dipped in ice water, water, and bananas. And you know what that means…

Brooke did not get the message that we were taking a banana phone picture until hers was half eaten. photo: Rachel

Instead of medals, the Philly 10k has a surprise giveaway at the end of the race. In the past it’s been a map of the course (twice), a pennant, and a reusable bag. This year it was a poster. At first I thought it was a map of the course with pictures from the past 5 years. It’s not. But whatever!

So, let’s recap the recap.

Race: hot but awesome
People along the race course: awesome
Rachel and Brooke: hot and awesome
Me: doing this race again in 2019

Have you ever done the Philly 10k? Next year maybe I’ll race it. Maybe I’ll train for it. MAYBE.

2018 Vacation Races Elk Double – 5k Recap

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For as long as Jenn has been running, she’s been talking about Vacation Races Elk Double. Taking place in Estes Park, Colorado, the 5k and half marathon races are close to her home and events that she holds near and dear to her heart.

Quite the opposite of Jenn, I live in New Jersey, which means that I run on mostly flat land.

Jenn’s first half was down at sea level at the Atlantic City April Fools Half, with yours truly. Her second? The Vacation Races Rocky Mountain Half.

They’re about as different as two races can be.

Top is the elevation in Atlantic City 1/2. Bottom is the elevation in Rocky Mountain 1/2. Yeahhhhh.

As you can imagine, it’s a bit difficult to train for a race at 7,500 feet when you live in New Jersey. But knowing that I have a base fitness level from going to the gym and the fact that we were doing these races to primarily be together and have fun, I wasn’t too concerned with the elevation.

After visiting Colorado in 2015 for the BolderBoulder and realizing that my family HAD to visit Colorado at some point, I made it my mission to get them there. After a few years of me (not so gently) mentioning it (every chance I got), we planned our week’s vacation there!

We arrived the week before the race which allowed us to get acclimated to the higher elevation. Trust me when I say that this is important! I didn’t really have time to adjust when I was there during BolderBoulder and I didn’t want to repeat that yucky feeling.

The whole week was incredible and to be quite honest, I was looking at houses so I never had to leave. Plus I was reunited with Jenn and her crew, which basically meant life was pretty amazing.

The 5k was on Friday night and some gnarly looking storm clouds were rolling in as we picked our race gear up at the expo. There was supposed to be s’mores but that got shut down early (or maybe they didn’t have them at all?). We did a little shopping and then headed over near the start line which was just a short walk away.

One of the things that I love about Vacation Races is when you do a double, they give you a choice of your additional swag item. I got the t-shirt and also a Elk Double hat, which I absolutely adore! Jenn already had the hat and the long sleeve shirt from previous years, so she opted for a mug this year.

Jenn’s brother in law was running and after seeing a picture of the medal, my older son Lucas decided he’d like to run. He is his mother’s child!

The 5k had numbered waves to begin but I’m not really sure how they were doled out. We ended up in the 3rd wave and knew that we planned to take things easy, especially given as there was a long hill immediately after crossing the start line.

After that hill, the 5k was mostly flat though so we took advantage of that as much as we could. The weather was feisty; a cold wind was blowing through and because of the mountains surrounding you and being near Lake Estes, the noise from the wind was intense. We did intervals as we made our way along the lakefront.

You could hear the finish line festivities as we circled the lake – so close yet so very far! Jenn warned me that it was that way during the half too, which is tough during mile 12 of a race.

With the winds whipping we were getting more worried that we might get caught in driving rains which we were really hoping to avoid. Keeping our heads down we kept trucking along and crossed the finish line before the rain hit.

Hooray!

Got our super awesome medals, race goody boxes, snapped a few pictures, and then we were out of there!

After an awesome Mexican dinner with an equally awesome Pina Colada (yes, that’s right, we did eat Mexican and drink before the half – easy breezy), I went back with my fam to the hotel to get some rest.

I was dealing with chafing, due to missing some spots during 5k prep. Not going to go into too much detail on that but let’s just say it was down yonder. OUCH.

Having a taste of what the course was going to be like the next day had me a slightly nervous. That first hill alone was a beast and I knew that there were only more to come the following day.

However I knew that with Jenn by my side, we’d have a great time, no matter how long it took! I’ll be back with more on the half marathon next time.

I Know What I’m Doing April 6, 2019… Do You?

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Disclaimer: I received free entry to the Hot Chocolate Philadelphia 5k race as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews! As always, all opinions are my own.

What time is it? It’s Hot Chocolate time! Okay, no. It’s not. But it IS time to start planning for 2019 and I’ve got my first race on the calendar for next year. You know I love planning.

So yes, come April 6th 2019 (that feels weird to type, by the way), I’ll be running the Allstate Hot Chocolate 5k again. This year’s race marked Ana’s first ever 5k and I’m 99.9% sure I have her convinced to join me again.

The swag alone is worth it! Check out the jackets for the 2018-2019 series.

And of course, every runner gets these oversized mugs filled to the brim with goodies. YUM!

If you run the 15k, you also get a medal! There’s no medal for the 5k but if you find me, we can run up the steps to the Philly Art Museum together, which is a prize in itself.

Convinced? Register here AND if you use the code BRHCPhilly when you register you’ll receive awesome EXTRA swag, the Hot Chocolate Armband for your phone/tunes.

Who’s done a Hot Chocolate Run before? I want to hear about it!

Road Tested: Karma Ring Co.

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Disclaimer: I received a Karma Ring to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews! All opinions are my own.

I’m not sure if I shared this on the blog but my husband and I just recently celebrated our 15 year wedding anniversary in May! To celebrate we went to Disney for the weekend. ALONE.

It’s safe to say that after 21 years together in all, we are still each other’s biggest fan.

Which is why I wear my rings for practically everything. The only times I take my engagement ring and wedding band off are in the shower when I’m washing my hair (because I had an unfortunately earring incident with my hair, it’s a long story and I’m still not over the loss of my earring), or when I’m working out. Weights are rough on hands, not to mention jewelry!

It’s also why I was drawn to trying Karma Rings through the BibRave Pro program. At the risk of sounding cheesy, my solid relationship with Jay gives me comfort and strength and those are two things that I draw from while lifting weights and running.

However, Karma Rings aren’t just for those who are married! There is symbolism that is associated with each finger and on which hand you wear a ring.

I was able to try the Karma Ring Women’s Duo which has a base color of Pearl White and three changeable core colors of Blush Pink, Champagne Mauve, and Lavender.

A few facts from the Karma Ring Co.’s website:

  • Hypoallergenic – Even sensitive skin will love the specially formulated silicone used in every Karma Ring.
  • Non Porous – Doesn’t absorb germs, odors, and chemicals.
  • Ultra Durable – Wears like iron feels like silk
  • Non Conductive/Non Magnetic – Will not affect hand held mobile devices, Bluetooth technology, or magnetic strips on credit cards.

The core colors can be used to focus on goal setting or just whatever your preference is. My favorite color (besides orange) is purple so I usually tend to gravitate toward the Lavender.

Kettlebells and Karma Ring, no problem!

If you’re interested in getting a Karma Ring of your own, use discount code BIBRAVE33 which will save you 33%. Plus a percentage of each purchase goes toward Feed the Children.

This coming Tuesday, 7/31/18 is the Twitter #BibChat with @KarmaRingCo at 9pm EST and we always have a lot of fun! I’ll be traveling to Colorado tomorrow but I’m hoping to jump in for a bit!

A Day in the Life: Meridith

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5am, Tuesday morning, my phone alarm sounds. That’s obviously not my phone in the picture but my clock is usually the first thing. It’s GYM DAY!

After a quick shower, teeth brushing, hair in some sort of ponytail or bun, gym clothes thrown on (chosen the night before), and chugging a glass of water/getting my gym bottle ready, I’m out the door by 5:30. Efficient! It’s also a routine I’ve been doing every Tuesday/Thursday morning for the past 5 years so it’s habit at this point.

Great workout at the gym with my workout buddy and trainer. I’m walking on sunshine. And it feels like it because I’m also dripping with sweat. Literally, when I’m doing mountain climbers, plank rows, and whatnot the sweat slides down my nose and onto the floor. So cute! There are no pictures from the gym because it’s not that kind of gym.

I arrived home nearly two hours after I left and by now the entire house is awake. My older son has an obsession with biscuits and gravy since having a dehydrated version on his 63 mile Boy Scout canoeing trip so he’s making “the real thing” with my husband. My parents are flitting around (they live with us in the summer) and my younger son is squirreled away in his room.

Not wanting to give in to the temptation of eating biscuits and gravy after the gym, I take this girl for a walk instead.

When I return I have yogurt and hard boiled eggs. Yay me. And another shower because, ya know, I’m still looking like I jumped in the pool.

From there it’s the Mom Uber for my children. Deep breath. Are you ready for this?

I drive back to the gym with this kid at 9:10. Yes, the same gym I was at just an hour and a half prior. This is how we roll. Thankfully my dad volunteers to pick him up so that’s one less drive on my Mom Uber schedule. 

Gabe has karate twice a week so around 11:20 we leave for that. He’s working toward his blue belt testing, which is happening in a week!

We arrive home around 12:45 to have lunch with my husband, who comes home nearly each day to eat with us (the perks of working close by!). Lucas and my parents went out for lunch so it’s just the three of us until they roll back in and Jay heads out for work. (And leaves his phone on the counter.)

Gabe has his social skills friends group, so Mom Uber heads out the door yet again.

After dropping him off, I swing by to bring my husband his phone. Then I run home to get some work done for Healthy Kids Running Series and a few minutes of transcribing.

Lucas joins me for the trip back to get Gabe and by this time storm clouds are rolling in and the sky is looking ominous. The boys have hair cut appointments at 3:30 so we head straight there.

Thankfully we ride out the majority of the storms while they’re getting the haircuts. Get back home around 4:30. The perfect time for…

Folding laundry and watching The Bachelorette! That’s right, the entire day the washer and dryer have been running. Becca’s face accurately depicts my face regarding laundry.

Jay arrives home and we have DATE NIGHT planned! Honestly with the storms I was a little concerned we’d have to change our plans but he convinced me we’d be fine.

So it was off to the Philadelphia Zoo for their special event!

Jay and I have been to after hours events at the zoo before and we know they’re the best because the animals tend to be more active. With beers in hand we wandered around the exhibits and learned more about the animals. we are Zoo members but gladly paid extra for this opportunity!

Around 9pm (which is my usual bedtime, btw) we headed back to New Jersey and had a late dinner. I’m surprised I didn’t fall asleep in the crab dip. Very proud of myself!

We arrived home a little after 10pm, Jay set his alarm for a 3am conference call with the good folks in Germany, and we both passed out.

The end (of Tuesday, July 17th, 2018).

July StrideBox

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Every month I get a box of running goodies from the folks over at StrideBox! Getting mail is one of my favorite things – especially fun mail and not bills.

I love checking out all of the new-to-me things and also the tried and true ones which I know work for me. Here’s what’s in the July StrideBox…

Summer hydration essential – StrideBox water bottle

I have a collection of the stickers, love these!

Evoke Museli – good to mix with yogurt, milk, or cooked in the microwave.

bluerub natural lip balm

sticker from Miles & Pace

amino VITAL drink mix

Pure Clean Performance – Beet’ums sport chew

win – high performance sports detergent

nuun hydration – strawberry melon

The heat wave here has finally broke so I’m ready to get outside and MOVE! Have an awesome Monday!

Race Recap: Atlantic City Bungalow Beach 5 Miler

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I think I might have lost my mind.

As a rule, I don’t register for summer races. I just don’t. Occasionally I’ll do a July 4th run, if the urge hits but normally I am not a fan of summer racing.

AND YET… Just over a week ago I was in Atlantic City, running the Inaugural Bungalow Beach 5 Miler.

The Atlantic City Marathon Series hosts spring and fall events and I love participating in them. From my very second half marathon, the Inaugural April Fools Half in 2012 to their fall 10k I’ve done my fair share of Atlantic City races.

The Inaugural Bungalow Beach 5 Miler was the first summer event hosted by the race series and as soon as I heard about it, I knew that I’d be signing up. After all, the first 100 to sign up got this beach towel along with their early registration of $35 and you know I can’t pass up a deal like that!

As soon as the news of this race hit Facebook, I saw that many of my local friends were registered as well (the lure of a beach towel is great with NJ folks).

Along with the beach towel, other race swag included:

  • Custom Finisher Medals
  • Gender Specific Custom Tank for Female Participants and Custom T-Shirt for Male Participants
  • One FREE Beer at Bungalow Beach’s Post Race Party
  • Course Entertainment

There was a packet pickup the day before but also the morning of the race. I opted to do packet pickup race morning, saving myself toll and parking money. I parked in the Tropicana garage (cost $10).

I’m not sure if the tank option was listed when I registered because I ended up with a medium, which is what I usually get for the Atlantic City races but not if it’s a women’s cut. The tank is adorable, however it’s entirely see through and too small which is disappointing. I lost the race shirt lottery this go around.

However, they had shirts and towels for sale after the race. My friend purchased a men’s shirt and since they were priced at one for $15 or two for $20, she got one for me too (thanks Chrissy!).

Despite the recent sunny weather, the forecast for that morning was looking a bit on the dreary side with the potential for thunderstorms. I don’t mind running in the rain, but I didn’t know what they’d do if there was lightning. Thankfully Mother Nature was on our side this time and while it was overcast, that also meant that it wasn’t oppressively hot.

Run856 group picture – I ALWAYS miss these before races so I was excited to actually be in one!

Lifelong friend, Chrissy and I have done our fair share of Atlantic City running together. We do a lot of the races together and meet up to train there as well because it’s about an hour from each of us. We’d both not trained as much as we had planned for this race so we decided to stick together and just have fun.

I met Katie through Instagram originally and then she told me about the Sub-30 Club, we became friend friends (are you following this?) and finally met in person at this race! She said she’d like to stick with us through this race, which was awesome! We set the interval timer at 1:1 and lined up at the start.

Katie, Chrissy, and me – ready to run (we think!)

The course was what I’ve deemed: April Fools Half, lite. It’s actually very similar to what Chrissy and I do when we are running our training runs there, which made it comfortable for us.

I really loved the fundraising mission of this race:

In partnership with FACES 4 Autism, the Milton & Betty Katz JCC in Margate, NJ now offers Adaptive Swim Lessons, a specialized swim program designed to enhance the lives of children on the autism spectrum and to teach children with autism how to survive in the water.

The Adaptive Swim Lesson program includes individualized lessons based on each child’s level of ability with specially trained swim instructors. Additional pool support staff are often needed to help facilitate the lesson. 

Your support of the Bungalow Beach Run 5 will help provide funding for the additional resources needed to enable children on the autism spectrum participation in life – saving swim lessons.

Hollie (FueledbyLOLZ) heading back while we were still in mile 1!

After the singing of the National Anthem, we were off for our 5 mile jaunt. We fell into our 1:1 intervals and took it easy as we headed along the boardwalk. After the hotels and casinos it becomes more residential, with homes on one side and the beach/ocean on the other.

There was one portion of the race that kicked over onto the street (rather than staying on the boardwalk). I’m assuming this was for variety, it happens during the half course too. Thankfully we weren’t on the street too long because I’d rather run on the boards!

There was a radio station at the turns off and on the boardwalk but otherwise it was pretty quiet. The volunteers at each water station were very enthusiastic, as always, and since it’s an out and back they are plentiful.

The finish line was on the beach, making it a true BEACH RUN.

It was not easy. Beach running near the water with packed down sand is not easy. Beach running on wavy sand? Brutal!

When Chrissy, Katie, and I came around the corner a few choice words were said. I couldn’t help but laugh the entire time! Thankfully it was only about 100 yards until we crossed the finish line.

After we crossed the finish and got our medals there were tables set up with water, Gatorade, bananas, water ice, and other goodies. We grabbed a few and headed down near the water to take a few pictures and celebrate our 5 miles.

I absolutely LOVE the medal’s beach-y feel. Isn’t it awesome?

To wrap the race up right, there was a party at Bungalow Beach AC, which is where runners could get their free beer. This area was really cute and we got to cheer for all of race winners as they were announced.

All told, it was a great morning. Registering early helped keep the price low. I’ve used my new towel multiple times in the past week by my pool and I love all the perks that come along with running in Atlantic City. It’s always a race series that does it up right and I’m looking forward to returning for the 10k in October!

No races in July (look at me sticking to the no racing in summer rule…). In August I’ve got Vacation Races Elk Double, City Fit Girls Retreat, and the Philly 10k (just kidding about me sticking to the no racing in summer rule…).

Road Tested: Gatorade Endurance (NEW flavors!)

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Disclaimer: I received Gatorade Endurance Watermelon and Mango Energy Gels to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews! All opinions are my own.

Can we discuss this picture for a moment?

This was after an hour (and a half if you count the warm up) workout with my trainer. I go to the gym at 5:30 in the morning. One might think that you’re able to “beat the heat” by getting out that early in the day but it’s been high temps here in New Jersey so the heat has felt like it’s non-stop recently.

Usually my trainer isn’t one to embrace the use of air conditioning but I guess we all have our limits because the past few times I’ve been there, it’s been on (and to that I say, THANK GOODNESS). However, more times than not we are outside in the parking lot, doing HIIT (high-intensity interval training). Which explains the sweaty shirt/sweatier me up there.

It’s important to fuel well for these sessions, as well as runs. The last thing that I want to do before an early morning workout is eat much of anything. I try to make good dinner choices beforehand but fueling through the workouts is just as important.

Earlier this month I did NOT fuel properly and wound up bonking a little over halfway through my workout. I was not happy and my family got to hear all about it when I got home.

Enter Gatorade Endurance.

I received the Watermelon Gatorade Endurance Thirst Quencher Powder and Mango Energy Gels two weeks ago and I’ve been busy putting them to the test ever since.

Recently reformulated in 2017, I’m impressed that Gatorade listens to the feedback that endurance athletes provide when it comes to wants and needs of a product. Watermelon joins the flavors Lemon-Lime, Orange, and Cherry in the Endurance Formula line up.

The Watermelon flavor is light and fresh and exactly what I’m looking for during my workouts. It’s not the Sports Drink that you’re able to find at your local grocery store, rather it has 2 times the sodium and 3 times the potassium as the Sports Drink Gatorade which aids in distance training.

The Mango Energy Gel has 20G of carbs which is helpful before a race (or training session) to get that extra boost of energy. The Mango joins the established flavors of Vanilla, Apple Pear, and Blackberry.

I was nervous to try this one because mouth feel and texture is a real thing and I’m never exactly sure what will work and what won’t. Thankfully it was not even an issue! Unlike gooey gels or sports blocks, the Gatorade Energy Gel is liquid and easy to take without a water chaser.

I used it before a training session and prior my most recent 5 mile race (more about that later this week!) and it helped carry me through both without any additional fueling.

Hydration and fuel is important any time of the year and I know I’ll be relying on Gatorade especially through the hot summer months!

Check out my fellow BibRave Pros thoughts about Gatorade Endurance by swinging by their blogs:

Lindsey
Karen
Lissa
Katy
Jessica
Kevin
Amy
Jenn
Vanessa
Ang
Joe
Eric
Amy
Mai
Ben
Brenda

What are your favorite ways to hydrate through the summer? 

OOFOS OOlala Recovery Sandals

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Disclaimer: I received OOFOS OOlala Sandal – Orange to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

The official start of summer is tomorrow but I’ve been in summer mode since the weather changed from dismal rain to sunny days.

I’ve always been a big fan of warm weather and summer time activities, but after a tough, long winter/spring filled with injuries and lots of precipitation, I’m loving this summer with all my heart (talk to me in September to see if I feel the same).

OOlala Project Pink Sandal

Late last summer I got my first pair of OOFOS OOlala sandals when BibRave teamed up with OOFOS to promote their Project Pink campaign. I’m happy to report that their initiative to raise money for breast cancer research is still going strong.

OOFOS donates $10 for each specific Project Pink pair sold. Additionally, 3% of all sales on shoes on their website go to Project Pink, breast cancer research.

I love my Project Pink Sandals so much, when the opportunity came through BibRave to try out the new Orange OOlala Sandals, I was quick to volunteer.

OOFOS, which is in its lucky 7th year, was created with recovery in mind. The folks behind OOFOS realized that while there were shoes on the market for exercise, there was also a need for a shoe that could absorb shock after the workout was over. OOFOS was born and through the past 7 years they’ve been rolling out more shoes, more options, and more colors.

Including my favorite… ORANGE!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BkDH-GjFMhY/?taken-by=scootadoot

These shoes are everything. When I’m not sneakers for running/workouts, I’m in OOFOS. After two bouts of plantar fasciitis I’m not willing to take any chances when it comes to my feet.

In fact, a friend at my gym is currently dealing with the dreaded PF, Knowing that pain, I feel incredibly bad for her. Waking up in the morning and dreading that first step. Hobbling around after sitting, especially in the evening. Stretching and massaging and rolling and being in near tears because of the constant pain – it all came back as she was talking about it.

My first question was, “Have you heard of OOFOS?”

And of course, I brought my snazzy orange OOFOS to the gym for her to check out. After oo’ing over them, she said she plans to get a pair.

OOFOS do take a bit of getting used to when you first begin wearing them. While the OOlala look like flip flops, I wouldn’t place them in that category. They cradle your feet, giving them support and absorb 37% more impact than traditional footwear foams. They make your feet and calves work different muscles, that’s something you don’t get with a regular shoe but I also think that’s what helps with recovery.

If I’m not wearing sneakers, you can find me wearing these the majority of the summer. I wear them poolside, walks with my dog, running errands… basically anywhere and everywhere!

Since slipping my feet into OOFOS last year, I haven’t dealt with any sort of foot pain at all. *Knocking on all the wooden surfaces in my house*

If you’d like to hear more of what my fellow BibRave Pros think about Women’s OOlala Orange and Men’s the OOriginal Sport Geo Orange, be sure to swing by their blogs and check them out! I’ll be adding more links as reviews are posted.

Brenda

Bradford

Deanne

Are you on Twitter? Next Tuesday’s Twitter #BibChat will be sponsored by @OOFOS! Never been to a #BibChat before? It’s easy: at 9pm the @BibRave account posts a question (every 10 minutes or so, so there’s ample time to respond and check out other answers/interact). There’s usually a fun giveaway involved from the sponsor too *wink, wink*. I’ll be there on the @scootadoot account so look for me and say hi!

Have to considered joining the BibRave Pro family? The BibRave Pro application process is open now through this Friday so if you’re interested, be sure to swing by and feel free to tell them I sent you. If you have any questions about being a Pro or about my OOFOS, which I’m always down to chat about, leave a comment.