Road Tested: RunSafe App

February 2, 2015 by Jennifer

Okay, not to be too macabre (this is tough for me, trust), and I don’t want to freak you out, but do you guys like horror movies? Because I don’t. At all. I have nightmares about ending up in a pit and being told to rub the lotion in or get the hose again. When left to my imagination, I conjure up all sorts of horrifying scenarios about what could happen to me as I go about my daily business. Exactly none of them have a happy ending. Why watch a horror movie when your brain makes you worry that you’ll be staring in one any moment? (HAPPY MONDAY, by the way. I promise this post is about to get a lot more cheerful.)

This is my brain on my imagination.

All that being said, my fear of possible doom hasn’t kept me from running alone outdoors, but it has kept me from fully enjoying those runs. Can you relate?

I thought so.

Maybe you can relate to this, too. Sometimes you feel vulnerable when you run, especially if you’re running with your child. Or you find that you’re often running alone, or in the dark, or in secluded areas around careless morotists. Maybe you’ve been injured and you needed to alert a loved one and get help quickly. Perhaps you’ve noticed something suspicious, or there’s wildlife on the trail, and you’d like to alert others. Wouldn’t it be nice if there were an app for that?

Well guess what?!

Enter Runsafe! I’m seriously SO EXCITED to tell you guys about this app because it has set me free of my obsessive fears. Not only does RunSafe track my runs with the same great features many popular fitness apps use, but it also has unique safety features that I love. Features like a panic button. Yes, a panic button, which alerts your numero uno contact when you press it to get help stat!

RunSafe tracks several activities with GPS, and calculates distance, altitude, time, speed/pace, and calories. It displays real time stats, creates splits and intensity graphs, and maps your routes. You can rate, annotate, and share your workouts on social media. It does all the things you want and expect a fitness app to do.

Those features are fantastic, but that’s not even the best part. I really love this app because it gives me a sense of security when I’m working on my fitness goals. I can focus a little more on my breathing or my pace, and spend a little less effort looking over my shoulder. The little extra peace of mind this app gives me and my family is priceless.

With the free version, the Runsafe app does all of the above and sends text and email alerts to your contacts, creates an Alert Profile for you which displays vital info like a photo of you, your height, weight, age, gender, and, if/when you hit the panic button, your last known location. When you hit the panic button, it’s game on! The app sends an alert to all of your contacts, initiates a loud siren and strobe light to attract attention, activates the microphone to record several minutes of sound that your contacts can access, and activates your Alert Profile so that contacts can mobilize a response.

The premium features let you notify a designated contact if you’re not back when you should be. Your contacts can also see your workout in real time, and you can set automatic alerts.

NO JOKE. I really love this. It’s like an Amber alert for active people!

Many of the features of the app are free for users, which really punches home the message that the RunSafe folks are all about the safety and not so much about the profit. They were nice enough to set up an account for us to try their premium service for three months free. After that, you can continue with the premium features for $4.99 a month, or drop back to the free features (which are pretty amazing by themselves). Click the logo to check out the giveaway and run safer, everyone! #safetyissexy

Click here to sign up!

Have you wished for this type of app to exist? Have you ever felt in danger on a run? Do you own pepper spray, mace or are you in possession of kick-ass martial arts skillz? LET’S GET REAL, YO.

Chick Chat: Vaseline Intensive Repair Lotion

November 19, 2014 by scootadoot

Mer: I’m not sure what’s been happening to my skin in the past year or so. Maybe it’s age. Maybe it’s weather fluctuations. All I know is that I’ve developed itchy, dry skin and it’s agonizing enough that I visited the dermatologist.

Since September I’ve been on prescription strength cream medication; however it’s something that the dermatologist recommended using only during “flair ups” because it thins the skin. Um, say what? I don’t want thin skin!

For daily use, she said that I should find something over the counter that worked well. Luckily, at that time, I received the Vaseline intensive care lotion from Influenster and I’ve been slathering myself with it non-stop. Sounds awesome, huh? Well, it is. It’s been working really well and I’ve been less itchy! Which is good because I don’t want to have to use the prescription strength cream unless absolutely necessary.

Two thumbs up, Vaseline. Keeping you!

Vic: My husband usually buys the hand lotion in our house. Backwards? Yes. But he loves to shop at warehouse stores and who am I to deny him that pleasure? (especially when said store is packed on a Saturday afternoon.)

We’ve used just about everything – Jergens, Aveeno, Lubriderm and yes, Vaseline. He gets what’s on sale, which is fine by me. And he (almost) always picks fragrance-free lotion.

Huzzah – I don’t wanna smell like a blooming lavender pickleberry or a peppermint-doused evergreen. I just want moisturized skin.

I’ve been using the Vaseline Intensive Repair lotion for a few weeks now and I’m loving it.

When I first applied it, I knew it was different straight away. The lotion feels thicker than what I’m used to using. My skin feels soft and hydrated. And….it’s fragrance-free.

Confession: I hid my bottle in our guest room to make sure it would stay out of hubby’s hands. To date, it has worked. But that may change after this post.

Bec: Confession time. I have a BIT of a lotion habit. I have a lot of different lotions around the house. When I was younger, it wasn’t something I needed, just something I liked. But hey, just one of the many joys of aging? Drying up like a prune. SIGH. So, after every shower, I lotion up like crazy. If I don’t, my calves will be tight and sooooo itchy, and that is no fun.

I definitely have some favorites, and I actually like the scented ones, but I’m always open to trying new products. So when I got the email from Influenster about the Vaseline Intensive Repair lotion Voxbox, I was ALL in.

This lotion is really thick, and creamy, both pluses in lotion. And they don’t leave me feeling greasy, which is a major deal breaker. It’s hard to speak to the ‘repair’ effectiveness of the product, since this is a bit early in the season for me to start having really dry skin. But, from a preventative angle, it’s totally getting the job done. The lack of fragrance is actually the only downside for me, I would have preferred a light scent. Not necessarily blooming lavender pickleberry (Vic, you always make me laugh), but something. Still, if it continues to work as well as it has been, I promise you won’t hear any complaints from me.

Mer, Vic and Bec received the Vaseline Vox Box from Influenster to test and review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are our own.

All I do is WIN – WIN Detergent review and giveaway

October 20, 2014 by Meridith

Dear Workout Clothes,

No offense but you stink.

No Love,

Meridith

If you ask me what I’m doing, chances are that about 85% of the time, I’ll give you the same answer: LAUNDRY.

Friends, I do laundry more than I do basically anything else. If I’m not doing laundry, then I’m probably not at home. I wish I were kidding. But I’m not. The other Chicks can back me up on this (you know, if you need verification) because every single email that we exchange includes my laundry woes.

Lately, I’ve been pretty frustrated because while I’m constantly doing laundry, I haven’t felt like my workout clothes have been getting particularly clean. They seem to hold on to the stench of sweat, no matter what. Lovely, it is not. So when Fit Approach gave ambassadors a chance to check out WIN detergent, I was stoked!

Welcome to my lair, WIN.

So what’s the difference between the regular (blue) bottle and WIN GREEN? Both are good to use on technical apparel and are geared toward sports/workout clothes. The GREEN is hypoallergenic and dye-free, as well as fragrance free. That means that all of my husband’s and my workout clothes as well as my (sensitive skin) kiddo’s soccer uniform were thrown in there together. Additionally, I had some towels in there because, well, we were running low!

I’ve been using WIN detergent since the start of October. The verdict? I’ve been really pleased! The funk of my workout clothes has dissipated and I no longer feel like I smell bad BEFORE I start working out, which is always a positive.

The regular detergent gives the clothes a nice scent and while the GREEN doesn’t have a scent, I think that it’s cleaning my clothes and not masking odors.

I’ll continue using WIN and since it’s available through Amazon I don’t even need to leave my house to get it. Which is great, considering I always have laundry to do.

Want a chance to try WIN detergent? Well, I’m so glad to hear you do! We’ve got a bottle of the regular detergent and the GREEN up for grabs for one lucky reader. Don’t wait to wait to try WIN? Use the discount code WINGIVE1 for $1 off your purchase on Amazon. Cool? Cool!

Click the pic to enter!

Thank you Fit Approach for the hook up! Other than the two bottles of detergent and the prize, no other compensation was given. All opinions (and laundry) are completely my own.

Road Tested: Manitoba Harvest’s Hemp Pro 70

September 10, 2014 by Meridith

Back in February, we adopted our dog, Gemma. She came from the streets of Philadelphia and I swore that she was going to have the best life in our home. We feed her food that we get at a specialty natural pet food store, give her only the best treats, and occasionally she gets free range, organic eggs. Um, I’m pretty sure she eats better than I do!

Now, I’m not a vegan but I do try to be cognizant of what I put in my body. Therefore when I heard from Fit Approach that Manitoba Harvest was looking for some folks to try out their hemp protein powder, I jumped at the opportunity.

Oh, do go on!

I’m a morning gym goer, so my need/want for protein powder is usually in the form of smoothies. Prior to this, I solely went on taste. I tried a few protein powders that were… well, in a word, TERRIBLE. Chalky, powdery, strong-flavored (and NOT in a good way).

I finally found a protein powder that was right up my alley and it’s worked well for me but I’m always interested in trying new things, especially when they are better for me! Plant based protein with four ingredients? I’m down!

Since I was trying new things, I decided to try a couple of new smoothie recipes from the Manitoba Harvest website. I was sent two packets of Hemp Pro 70: chocolate and vanilla.

Now, before I continue, let me say that I’m definitely more of a vanilla fan than a chocolate when it comes to protein powder. That being said, I figured that I would start with the chocolate to give it a fair shot and not let any previous biases cloud my judgement.

The recipes on the website call for one serving of the protein powder but since I was given a half serving in the sample, the recipes below are adjusted accordingly. If you click through to their site, you can see the recipes.

Okay, chocolate, get your game face on!

Berry-Choco Smoothie

3/4 cup organic blueberries
.5 Manitoba Harvest organic hemp protein powder chocolate
1/2 chocolate almond milk (I used original unsweetened almond milk, as I didn’t have chocolate almond milk. I also upped it to a cup because it was too thick to drink.)

Combine in a blender and serve!

My thoughts? Well, sadly, I am still not a huge chocolate protein powder fan. I’m not sure if it’s the recipe (although I do love blueberries) or what I didn’t exactly adore about this smoothie, but I wasn’t crazy about it. The Manitoba Harvest folks suggest that their hemp products have a nutty taste but I felt like it was more earth-y.

Gemma was definitely begging for some but no can do, pup; no chocolate for dogs!

However, with the knowledge that I usually favor the flavor of vanilla protein powder, I was looking forward to powering on the following day.

Into the blender you go!

Vanilla Berry Banana Shake

1/2 cup organic strawberries
1/2 organic banana
.5 serving of Manitoba Harvest organic hemp protein vanilla
1/2 cup of organic vanilla almond milk (Again, I used original unsweetened almond milk. And again, I upped the amount to a cup.)
1/4 cup of ice (which basically equals a cube)

Combine and blend ingredients in blender. Serve. Enjoy!

Hello, my pretty!

Now THIS? This was total and complete love at first taste. And second. And third. Sometimes I save smoothies to share with my husband but not this time. (Too bad, so sad, Dude!) (Don’t fret – Gemma got the other half of the banana.)

Additionally, what’s pretty rad about this protein is that it’s water soluble. So you can throw it into water, almond milk, milk milk (if you’re an animal product type), coconut water and bam – it’s ready to go. Sign me up for a big canister of vanilla!

If you’d like to give the Manitoba Harvest Hemp Pro 70 products a whirl, here’s a coupon code! You can get 20% off the #pro70 vanilla and chocolate flavors with the code: sweatpinkpro70

Or, you can try your hand at winning a case of Manitoba Harvest Hemp Pro 70 – share a picture on Instagram or Twitter showing your hemp love! Make sure you tag @manitobaharvest and hashtag #pro70 so that they see what’cha got! Contest ends 9/30.

Talk to me about smoothies, because I love them so. Any suggestions for chocolate protein powder recipes that I can try? (I really like the chocolate and peanut butter combo.) How about vanilla? Have you ever tried Hemp Pro 70?

Fit Approach and Manitoba Harvest provided the me with the opportunity to taste and review. All opinions are my own.

Road tested: PRO Compression socks

July 30, 2014 by vfreile

Anyone who follows the scoot chicks knows we love to run — and we love to look and feel good when we run.

Last year, I came across a coupon code for PRO Compression socks and decided to give them a whirl. It was love at first wear.

Styling with pals Brandi and Sean after the 2013 Broad Street Run

Now I use them regularly – for long runs, to recover after long runs even when at the office, a party or doing yardwork.

PRO Compression is a California-based company makes socks for endurance athletes, to be used before, during or after exercise such as running or golf. The idea is for enhanced blood flow in your lower extremities. And THAT feels fantastic!

Racing in my purple PRO Compression socks in the spring

The company offers four running styles – Marathon (my fave), PC Racer, PR Runner and Trainer Low – in a variety of colors. For folks who prefer calf sleeves or love arm sleeves, PRO Compression has those too!

And – this is a big things for me – the socks are made in the USA!

Thanks to a partnership with Fit Approach, I had the chance to test run and review a pair of marathon socks. I already knew I loved them – hi, I have six pairs and wear them regularly. But I jumped at the chance to test run a brand new pair and share my thoughts with you all.

Meet my newest pair of PRO Compression socks – and they are white!

I’ve worn this pair a few times now – mostly on long runs as I’m ramping up my training for my fall marathon. Like my other pairs, they look and feel great. While running, my legs don’t feel strained when I wear them, which makes for a far more comfortable long distance run.

And look! My legs weren’t tired at the end of this hill 8-miler last week, in part because of the socks. So I sped up at the end of the run. Success!

I also wear the socks for recovery, which means I lounge around the house – or spa (riiiiight) with them on. I’ve worn them to work under my pants and to the store, with shorts, because I totally rock that look.

These compression socks promote circulation in your legs by pushing fluid up from your feet toward your knees. In other words, the sock helps reduce swelling and inflammation while also providing support to muscles and tendons.

Other features I love about these socks – there’s arch support with compression, a wide cuff at the top to make sure my calf fits in, they’re moisture-wicking (so, so important) and I’ve never had blisters from wearing them.

If you’ve not checked out PRO Compression socks or sleeves I have a discount code for you – “PINK” Will save your 40% on your entire purchase. That’s a sweet deal!

Want to #KeepItTight with @PROCompression! Use code PINK for 40% OFF your entire purchase http://t.co/KcxHdtL8eJ @fitapproach #sweatpink

— Victoria Freile (@vfreile) July 30, 2014

Have your tried compression socks or sleeves? What do you think of them? What’s your go-to brand?

I was provided one free pair of marathon socks by PRO Compression so I could use and review them. My opinions and words are entirely my own.

Road Tested: Cheribundi

July 8, 2014 by vfreile

I’m all over fruit juices from upstate New York farms.

Flavored apple juice from Red Jacket Orchards in Geneva, Ontario County – I buy it every time I see it.

Freshly-squeezed Wegmans orange juice? Can’t get enough of it.

So when Cheribundi approached me about trying a sample of the tart cherry juice, I was all over it.

I love cherries, therefore I would love cherry juice, I thought. And I was right.

The juice is tart but refreshing, and the Geneva, New York-based growers boast there are 50 freshly-picked cherries in each bottle.

Lately, I’ve been hearing all about “superfoods,” which are foods supposedly beneficial to your health – like kale, broccoli, berries and lentils. Cherries, of course, are among them.

Cheribundi calls their cherries a “superfruit” since each is packed with phytonutrients, melatonin and vitamins including vitamin A, potassium, iron and calcium.

The original tart cherry juice (my favorite) is 90% pressed tart cherries and 10% apple juice, which sweetens the drink instead of sugar. Yep, that’s no added water or sugar.

Cheribundi teamed with food scientists at Cornell University (ahh, Ithaca, my old home) and researched the benefits of tart cherries, and also created a gentle juicing process to maintain cherries’ levels of melatonin, vitamins, nutrients and other antioxidants.

Rather than take part in Cheribundi’s 7-day challenge, I decided to test the juice each time I returned from what I deemed my worst recent runs, hoping the juice would work its magic powers.

Presto. Each time I felt better. (Not to mention, my hubby was entertained as I repeatedly tried to squeeze every last drop from the bottle).

And there are several types of juices, teas and even smoothies.

The juice is meant to support restful sleep, promote a healthy inflammation response and is deemed “the Ultimate Antioxidant.”

Personally, I love the benefits, but I drink it because its natural, local and darn tasty. A win-win-win!

Plus, I love that the Cherry People are headed up by a man named Pear. (Steve Pear, CEO). Little things just make me smile.

Have you ever had cherry juice? Do you love all things tart and tasty? Have you been to the Finger Lakes, were farmers grow the cherries that becomes Cheribundi juice?

Cheribundi provided the cherry juice for me to taste and review. Opinions and (attempts at) wit are entirely my own.

Road Tested: Apera yoga bag

March 28, 2014 by vfreile

It’s been years since I had a decent gym bag.

I’ve looked for months, but typically just fell back on my old standbys, a reusable grocery bag or a tote bag given to me for participating in a friend’s wedding a few years back.

They work, but barely.

Don’t laugh, this was my old gym bag.

Then last month I discovered Apera, a Colorado-based company that launched mid-2012 and has a line of sports bags with antimicrobial product protection, which helps prevent growth of bacterial odors in and on the bag.

Apera generously offered me a yoga tote to check out and review for Scoot and I am smitten.

Yoga tote has a space just for your yoga mat. Photo by Apera

Not only is it cute, (hello, fuchsia!) but it’s incredibly versatile. I can use it as a gym bag, as an overnight bag and as a carry-on for one of my many race weekends. Happy dance!

It’s also got LOTS of deep pockets to store all sorts of goodies. And that means I can put my keys in one zippered pocket and my phone in another (and that, my friends, will avoid any possibility of them colliding and scratching the phone screen.)

Brought my bag to work with my gear for an evening run.

Sadly, I have not yet used it for yoga, as I am a sporadic yogi. Next week. I promise. Or not. We’ll see.

Each Apera bag also has the following:

Ventilated compartments: (note the mesh a top my bag) The bag’s breathable material allows for air flow, and in turn keeps everything inside dry and stink-free.

My bag is filled with Thursday’s workout gear, see the separate slot for my sneakers?

Wipeable linings: (and yes, I already spilled water in here. It cleaned up easily.)

A washable insert: (I’ve used it for my swimming goggles thus far.) It’s meant to help you separate your wet and dry gear and keep everything else in your bag from getting wet.

Pic by Apera, my goggles aren’t as sleek and my cap is pretty hideous

I also love to support small companies that have a meaningful mission.

And Apera does just that. For every three bags the company sells, they donate one bag to a Special Olympics athlete.

Want to win an Apera bag of your own? It’s your lucky day as Apera gives one bag away each month. All you have to do is sign up to receive to Apera’s newsletter via e-mail and you are automatically entered into their monthly drawing.

This month, the bag of choice is Apera’s sling tote, which retails at $109 and is next on my “must-have” list.

The sling tote

Subscribe by March 31 to be in the drawing for the Sling tote. The winner will be notified via email by Apera. Go to the Apera site to enter and scroll to the bottom of the screen and type in your email address. It’s that easy.

They also often offer deals. Currently, the entire blue line of Apera bags (any style Apera bag in blue!) are 40% OFF. Also, all of the duffel packs (any color) are 40% OFF. Happy shopping!

Note my cat lounging with my yoga tote. She’s trying to pose like it. HA!

Do you have a favorite gym bag? What sort of bag do you use? What are the pros and cons? I’ll get you started, I sometimes use a plastic grocery store bag. YUP.

Disclosure: I received one Apera yoga tote to review. All words and opinions are my own.

Road tested: Brooks running socks

November 5, 2013 by vfreile

A few weeks back, the fine folks of Kindrunner sent the chicks our long-awaited ambassador shirts. I’ve packed them up to bring them along to my girls this weekend in Florida!

As you may recall, the Scoot chicks announced earlier this year that we teamed up with New Jersey-based Kindrunner to spread the word about their online business.

I personally love their mission. I love that they aim to bring your used sneakers to those who need it most. AND they’re keeping countless pairs of used shoes from heading to the landfill. I am all about re-purposing and recycling, as are the chicks, so it was a perfect fit!

But there was an extra prize in the package – a super sweet pair of Brooks running socks!

What’s that? Kindrunner sells more than sneakers? Why YES! They sell all sorts of running accessories – handheld water bottles and hydration belts, fuel, watches, of course, running socks and sleeves and much more.

A few days after the package arrived, I popped the new socks on to test them out. Success!

You know when a pair of socks work for you and you know when they don’t. I walk – a lot, and I run even more. So yes, Solid running socks and shoes are vital tools of the trade.

I’ll be honest, I am not a Brooks fan and I’m pretty loyal to my current running sock choice….but I do like these socks. They fit comfortably, didn’t shift as I ran and allowed my feet to breathe as they warmed up. Two thumbs up!

My new socks with my Mizunos, purchased via Kindrunner

What sort of running socks are you partial to? Do you ever give other brands and styles a whirl? Tell us in the comments!

Road Tested: LaceLocker shoelace fasteners

October 3, 2013 by writeitdownjess

Shoelaces and I have a love/hate relationship. Actually, it’s more of a neutral/hate relationship: I don’t pay them any attention when they do what they’re supposed to do. But I hate when they decide to revolt and untie themselves. I am clumsy enough as it is; I don’t need my laces’ help in tripping, okay?

Needless to say, I was pretty stoked when Stash Sporting Goods reached out to us about trying their LaceLocker shoelace fasteners, which are designed to securely store your tied laces so that they don’t come loose or get dirty/wet.

The question was this: was it possible that I could actually get through an entire walk without having to find a safe spot to retie my shoes?

I took to the streets to find out. First, though, I had to get these little contraptions onto my sneaks. They looked a little daunting at first – insert this tab into this place, then fold and fold, etc. As I mentioned in my Fitbit review, I hate reading directions, but there are just four steps to get your laces locked into place so even direction-loathers like myself can deal with it.

Easy as 1, 2, 3, 4!

Ta-dah!

The process was ridiculously quick and easy, which I sincerely appreciate as both a mother and an eternal lazy person. Then! To the streets!

Bottom line is this: my shoelaces didn’t budge. Like, at all. I be-bopped (okay, fine, dragged myself) up and down some gnarly hills and my laces stayed locked. And while I might not use them for every single run, you can bet your sweet booty that I will use them for every single race. I definitely think LaceLocker fasteners are a must-have for every runner on race day, especially for those of you who are looking for your next PR. There’s not a chance you’ll have to stop to retie your laces.

Plus, how adorable is that name? They really ARE little tiny lockers for your laces!

Stash Sports were awesome enough to offer up a pair of LaceLockers to a lucky Scoot reader. To enter, click on the cute Rafflecopter pic below. The giveaway runs through 10/8!

Click the pic to enter!

Disclaimer: I received one pair of LaceLocker fastener for review. All words and opinions are my own. Giveaway prize donated by Stash Sporting Goods.

Road Tested: SKORA

September 24, 2013 by scootadoot

Earlier this month, we shared that Vic and Mer scored SKORA shoes to rack up the miles during our September training. Mer received the SKORA CORE, while Vic tested the FORM model. How did we fare? Read on!

Mer:

I’ve heard about minimalist shoes since before I actually started running. A friend of mine (hi Jen!) raved about her minimalist shoes and I have to admit that while I was intrigued, I was also scared as well. I’m a wee bit – what’s the word? – clumsy. Therefore, I’ve always been under the assumption that the more substantial the shoe, the better off I’d be. Au contraire, mon frère!

Let me take a moment to talk about the shoes themselves. The box is pretty. The shoes are prettier! They are super light-weight (apparently mine average 6.7 ounces). The width of the toe-box is something that really stood out to me because usually the front of my foot feels a bit confined. I really like how my toes are able to spread with each step; I feel like it helps improve my stride.

Hello, my light and airy pretty!

I committed to a running streak for the month of September for our Million Mile Run team; I also planned to give the month to testing out the SKORA shoes. I started with a couple of miles on the treadmill doing intervals. It was raining the first couple of days of the month so I figured it was the perfect time to see how the shoes felt on a flat and, well, monotonous surface.

The sole of the CORE shoes are 11mm, according to the handy dandy comparison chart, and I could actually feel the tread on my treadmill. Crazy, right? The sensation was different than what I was used to but during those first couple of interval runs, I felt really good and was itching to get outside!

The first day of school was midweek and once both of my boys were on their respective buses, I was ready to run. Being that it was the first test run outside with the SKORA, I decided to do an easy mile. Once I hit the turn around, I was feeling so good that I happily continued on, rounding out the run at 3 miles.

From there, it was on! I was blessed with good weather so my outdoor running streak was a go. The CORE shoes are good for “light trail running” and that’s good because I’m not lucky enough to live near many trails. However, when I ran the Electric Run DC, we went from paved road to gravel to grass to gravel to road. Not what I had expected but the COREs did great (and I had a blast!).

One thing I do wonder about is that the COREs feel a smidge big on my feet. I fluctuate between sizes 6.5 – 8, depending on the shoe. When it comes to running shoes, I usually go big with a size 8, since feet can swell during runs. However, I think I probably could have gone with a 7.5 with the CORE model.

With that knowledge, I will say that I’m a SKORA shoe convert. As you might have read, I’m currently waylaid by a quad injury but once I get the all-clear (fingers crossed!) from the orthopedist this week, I plan to return to running. And to my SKORA.

Vic:

When I first ripped open my box of SKORAS, I couldn’t believe how fun they looked. Super cute, right? I tried them on immediately… and was smitten.

Bad-ass girly camo!

I honestly was confused by minimalist shoes well before I heard of SKORA. I only ever pictured those hideous five-clawed contraptions that remind me of the awful water sandals from the mid-90s. You know what I mean, maybe you even had a pair. They were all the rage. *Shudder*

So I first tried my zero-drop FORMs at the end of a 5 mile run. My first few steps really threw me for a loop! My feet fell close to the ground. I thought I’d done something horribly wrong and would soon trip over my own feet. I kept expecting to land higher, and quickly adjusted my stride to avoid “missing” the pavement.

Alas, I did not fall! My feet carried me along and felt incredibly light as I ran. I tripped over nothing and felt like my feet were floating.

The FORM pair boasts a 13mm sole — 9mm if you remove the insole — and are meant for roads or trails. If you are a klutz like me, you want to avoid trail running in the FORMs because while you may feel light on your feet, you may also feel some rocks and roots.

On the road – where I typically run – I didn’t feel small rocks or anything amiss. Bonus points for you, SKORA! I also got lots of compliments from other runners and walkers on the road. Double kudos, SKORA!

The top portion of SKORA shoes are made of goatskin leather with a water-resistant coating and a soft feel (they actually feel grippy). The soles are tough rubber.

I noticed that when I ran in the shoes on a hot day my feet became rather warm. Apparently, the leather warms up, resulting in some rather sweaty feet. This might actually be a bonus in colder weather! Stay tuned.

Minimalist running shoes aren’t for everyone. You will likely have to adjust your running style and build slowly – by walking and running short distances first — or your feet may regret it. Don’t test them out while training for a big race. Wait until your training cycle is over, in case something goes awry.

Since I AM training for NYC Marathon, I only wore the shoes for short runs and walks. I’m a fan! They feel incredibly different than my usual shoes — Mizuno WaveRiders and Adidas Supernova. But different can be good. In my case, It was worth it! I look forward to logging more miles in my FORMs!

We each received a pair of SKORA shoes for review. No other compensation has been given. Our opinions and words are our own.

Scootadoot

fitness, food, friends, fun

Category Archives: Road Tested