Tag Archives: TREBR

Recovery: The Running Event Product Reviews

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Disclaimer: I received items from Addaday, Arcanum, and Nuun from The Running Event 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! No further compensation was given and as always, all opinions are my own. 

Ahhh, recovery days. It’s a time for my muscles and body to relax and to recharge in both the physical and mental sense.

Once upon a time (aka when I first started running in nearly 8 years ago) I didn’t embrace the recovery mindset as much as I should have and I wound up with overuse injuries and overall fatigue. I’ve learned from my past mistakes and now I love recovery days as much as I do a good sweat.

In fact, I’m using the time between Christmas and New Years to settle deep into the recovery. Sure I’ve been working out but the balance is finally resetting. It’s the first time in at least a month I haven’t had to be at least three places at once and I’m taking full advantage of this down time. I’ll say it again, ahhh!

I received a few products at The Running Event that I’ve been using to aid my recovery. Read on to learn about each!

Arcanum

Sarco Breeze 4 oz: $40, Sarco Freeze 42.5: $35, The Quill: $50

I’ll be frank with you, I knew next to nothing in regards to activated hemp/CBD oil before meeting Arcanum representative and fitness professional, Lindsay Minz, at TRE Influencer Day.

Through Lindsay’s presentation, I learned the different uses and benefits for each of the products we were given and I’ve been putting them to the test since returning home from Austin a month ago.

The Sarco Freeze soothes sore muscles when I’ve been a little too overzealous at the gym. It occasionally happens! Additionally, this month has been full of wrapping presents and that means sitting on the floor, stretching, twisting, and generally doing things the “difficult” way instead of the easy/smart way. The Sarco Freeze is my go-to to help ease my aching back.

(Yes, I feel old when I complain about my aching back.)

The Sarco Breeze is not only a sports massage oil but also a moisturizer. Lindsay shared that she uses it on her face and it’s helped her skin significantly. This intrigued me and I don’t have any set skin care regiment so I went for it – applying it before bed every night. I’ve been really pleased.

No make up, no filter!

A few years ago I was bit in the face by a dog and I’ve been using Sarco Breeze on my entire face but paying special attention to my scars. It’s helped break up some of the scar tissue, so that’s an added bonus.

Finally, I’ve been using The Quill which is a gel pen that releases just the right amount of activated hemp through the skin. Applied to the wrist or anywhere there is thin skin, it helps with recovery and boosting your system with natural ingredients. This assists in regulating inflammation.

All of the Arcanum products have a very light, mild scent. I’m learning more about CBD every day so if anyone is knowledgeable and would like to share information with me, please comment!

Addaday

Type C Massage Roller: $42

Addaday Type C Massage Roller is touted as a “runners favorite massage roller” and after just one month of use, I can see why.

I’ve been using this roller after tough gym sessions, especially on my lower body to help with recovery and muscle soreness. This roller has the small red gear that helps is good for shins and calves while the larger grey/blue ones are good at helping with lactic acid buildup.

This particular Addaday roller is a little over 18″ long, which makes in easy to pack in a bag for traveling. I love my huge foam roller but it’s not very easy to transport.

When it comes to using the roller it’s definitely a “hurts so good” mentality – sometimes rolling hurts more than the actual muscle soreness but it also assists in healing faster. Pairing this the products from Arcanum has taken me to the next level in terms of fast recovery. When you’re not able to get a massage, the roller is a fantastic substitute.

Nuun

Nuun tubes: $7 each, Nuun hydration bottle: $7

We here at Scoot a Doot are not new to Nuun Hydration, in fact I think we first reviewed it way back in 2013.

I use it during my workouts for hydration because Nuun helps you absorb fluids and nutrients faster and contains the optimal blend of electrolytes. In addition to that, I’ve also been dipping into my abundant Nuun supply on recovery days.

Nuun Vitamins are a newer product that provides 11 vitamins and minerals and are good for any day of the week. I capital L-O-V-E the Blueberry Pomegranate flavor!

Nuun Immunity I was excited for the opportunity to try this one after reading Ashley’s review in September. Nuun that gives my immune system a boost? Absolutely, sign me up.

I was raving about it to my husband and then (wouldn’t you know it) he got sick with a gross stomach bug that’s making the rounds in this area. My blueberry tangerine Nuun Immunity quickly became his because, without going into too much detail, it was literally all he could stomach for a few days.

At the suggestion of the Nuun folks at TRE, I tried the orange citrus Immunity with hot water, making a “Nuun tea.” Not something I would have ever thought to do but it was tasty and really nice now that the weather here in New Jersey is chilly.

I hope that your days are filled with relaxing and recovery, especially now that the holidays are winding down. Just a few more days until New Years and I’m sure I’m not alone in saying that I can’t wait for 2019 to arrive. I’ll be back on Monday with a review for Zwift’s Running Pod.

In the meanwhile, be sure to swing by Jenn’s 2019 goal post – she plans to do 52 hikes next year! Ash just had a great first Girls on the Run season! Kyle has been busy with her move across the country (gulp!) but I’m sure we’ll get a life update once she’s settled. 

1, 2, Meet Me Outside: The Running Event Product Reviews

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Disclaimer: I received items from Handful, CEP Compression, Brooks, and Vooray from The Running Event 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! No further compensation was given and as always, all opinions are my own. If something was given for review purposes, it will be disclosed.

Wearing all the gear in this review: Brooks LSD Jacket, Handful Bra and Leggings, Brooks Ghost 11 shoes, CEP socks (one of each!), and the Vooray backpack.

 Oh, the weather outside is frightful.

Actually, that’s not true. Other than a random snowstorm in November that we were not expecting and a teeny tiny bit this month, December has been fairly mild thus far here in New Jersey!

I don’t have a deep-seated hate for my treadmill by any means but I do have a bit of self (and husband)-diagnosed SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) so I’m happy to get outside as much as possible.

In my TRE Influencer Day post I mentioned that I’ll be trying out the products I received for review purposes and sharing my thoughts throughout the month. There were many; it really was the ultimate runner’s swag bag!

Over the past weeks I have been trying these products out and I’d say that they fit nicely into three categories of my fitness: Outside, Inside, and Recovery.

Obviously some of the products fit in more than one category, which I’ll mention as I go along. My Type A brain likes to break things down into bite-sized pieces when it comes to blog posts.

Since Mother Nature has been blessing us with the good vibes, let’s kick this party off with some of the products I’ve been using OUTSIDE.

Handful

The ladies at the Handful booth gave us the camo hat, and I love it because the orange matches so nicely with my BibRave orange! Y-Back Bra: $56.00, Squeeze Play Legging: $70.00

Let’s talk about bras, baby.

There are a lot of things that I’m open to trying but new bra brands are not usually one of them. Why? Well, let’s just say that I’m not lacking in the chest area. Years ago I found a bra that works for me so I’ve stuck with it.

However… Handful’s Y Back Bra is ah-mazing. I’m seriously mad at myself for not giving them a chance sooner. The material is so soft and I’m a fan ruching in the middle, giving a more defined shape.

Handful Squeeze Play Legging has been in my rotation since I got them! The high waist works well with my hips and I’ve worn them for running (both inside and outside). The folks at Handful have a love for ruching as seen on the top panel of the leggings in the back. The front of the panel has a pocket where I keep my car key.

I usually don’t put my workout gear in the dryer, to make it last longer. These are made from a light-weight spandex that dries incredibly fast.

I don’t have particularly long legs so the length is a bit long for me but it’s suggested on the website that the pant can be worn stirrup-like. In the picture above I cuffed them under so you can see my CEP Compression socks.

CEP Compression

CEP Compression Socks for Recovery: $50.00, Trail Merino Socks: $60.00

Before going to The Running Event, we supplied BibRave with our calf measurements so we could get the perfect fit for the CEP Compression socks.

I chose to wear the Trail Merino Socks during The Light Run. They’re warm and cozy and I like the cushioning on the bottom. Compression wise, they weren’t too tight and felt good on my calves; when I took them off after a few hours of wearing them I didn’t have ridges on my skin.

My trainer has been having us doing a lot of step ups on the box, skips, lunges; you name it, we’ve been doing it. I’ve been rocking the Compression Socks for Recovery after particular challenging workouts (read: all of them) and they’ve been a big help helping with soreness and quicker recovery.

I mean, if they’re good enough for Meb Keflezighi to wear during his Boston Marathon win, I suppose they’ll work for me!

Brooks

LSD Reflective Jacket: $105, Ghost 11 Shoes: $120

While CEP Compression and Handful are both new to me, Brooks has been on my radar for what feels like as long as I’ve been running. I own Brooks apparel and when I get shoes at my local running store (Mullica Hill Running Co.) the Ghost model is always a contender.

Supportive and comfortable, I wore them for the BibRave 3 mile run in Austin, on the plane, during The Light Run, and on the treadmill while checking out Zwift. They’ve been fantastic and I can see myself running happy with them for many miles.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BrXv6WVBeP5/

But, of course, Brooks is more than just shoes! Can we discuss the LSD jacket? This light-weight, reflective jacket is perfect. I layered it over a long sleeve during The Light Run and in 32 degree weather I was comfortable and cozy.

If you watch the time-lapse video above you can see how easy it folds up into a small pouch so that you’re able to shed a layer if you happen to be too warm AND there’s an arm band for easy carrying!

There are only two things that I could envision making it slightly more perfect – a hood and thumb-holes!

Vooray

ACE Backpack $39.99, Active Fanny Pack, Metal Glam $19.99

This little black backpack packs a huge punch! Packed away in there is everything that I reviewed in this very blog post and then some (including the Nuun bottle in the water bottle pocket, that review is to come).

I wore this backpack all around The Running Event, as did many others in the BibRave Pro group.

Group A for awwwww, yeah!

Since being home, I’ve been using it non-stop. If there’s one thing I love, it’s a lot of pockets and this one has a small laptop pocket inside the larger zipped area and an inside small zipper pocket with mesh, two side bottle pockets, and front pouch packet.

The outside is made from nylon, making it easy to keep clean and the adjustable straps are padded, making it comfy to wear.

The ACE backpack is versatile and I can tell you that I have a few family members that are already eyeing it up. I just might have to invest in a few more Vooray bags and with a price point of under $100, I won’t even feel a little guilty about it. The VooCrew also gifted us the Active Fanny Pack while we were visiting their booth.

I am loving trying these products out and sharing my thoughts on them with you! Let me know if you have any questions on what I’ve posted so far. And be sure to watch here for more reviews coming throughout December regarding Arcanum, Vuori, Addaday, Nuun, Incrediwear, Altra, and Zwift!

BibRave + The Running Event = A HECK OF A GOOD TIME

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Disclaimer: I received a travel and hotel stipend and swag from The Running Event 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! No further compensation was given and as always, all opinions are my own. If something was given for review purposes, it will be disclosed.

Picture this: You’re traveling solo to the new-to-you city of Austin, Texas. You get off the airplane and your eyes bounce around the airport, in search of the color orange.

The faces you’re looking for are ones you’ve never seen in person (save for a few, whom you’ve met previously at races); You know them from social media posts, Twitter chats, and the occasional conference call. You’ll be spending the next two days with these people and it’s a bit nerve-wracking.

And then there they are, beacons of light in orange, wearing their BibRave hats and shirts and huge smiles.

In that instant, you know that you’ve found your family.

As a BibRave Pro for the past two years, I’ve had so many awesome opportunities. However, I’ve got to say, this opportunity was the granddaddy of them all! A trip to Austin for The Running Event and the chance to meet 20 fellow BibRave Pros and 5 members of Team BibRave, the staff that includes Tim, Jessica, Julia, Andy, and Stephanie.

Once I received word that I’d been selected to go, it was a pinch me, I’m dreaming moment and that sentiment continued throughout the course of two day adventure!

We didn’t have anything “official” on the agenda until the Zwift Welcome Reception that evening but it’s clear to see that you can’t keep Pros apart. After arriving and meeting up with Kim, Chris, Brenda, and Mark, we took an Uber to our hotel. Once getting settled we decided to have lunch at Moonshine.

It started with four of us and after sending out a quick text to let everyone know where we were, we ended with 14!

From there a few of us branched off to take a quick tour of the city. I’d never been to Austin before but from the brief time we took walking around, I know that I must go back!

Don’t Mess with Texas or Casey, Mark, Chris, Gina, me, Tedrick, and Kim!

After our quick walk about town (and visit to Voodoo Doughnut, natch), we headed back to the hotels and got ready for the Zwift Welcome Reception.

Zwift is a virtual game that you use on the treadmill. For those attending the conference, our representation were the “chosen” four!

A run was set up with our other Pro friends and they all “met” up in the game at 5:45 for a 5k run. Cheering them on was so much fun. Give me a pompom and let me loose!

https://www.facebook.com/BibRaveReviews/videos/1979926558765309/?jazoest=265100119881117312172568411611897856798106117851018095847974735478107741086870108856699511011201225510267781035865100121100561051178276875011012012111982988297908710451102878565112534885111457911610711110995955349908445103

 

I was given a footpod from Zwift (the device that connects you to the virtual game) and we’ll be doing another BibRave virtual run on December 18th so I’ll be able to give you my full review on that in a couple of weeks.

Earlier in the week, Team BibRave announced the winners of The BibRave 100, a comprehensive list of the 100 best races in America, voted on by runners. Benjamin the lion is The BibRave 100 mascot and we were excited to see him in attendance! Of course my roomie, Kim, and I had to take a picture with the lion of the hour!

The welcome reception is also where we received an incredibly generous amount of SWAG from companies at The Running Event.

Holy moly, it was honestly like Hanukkah and Christmas morning all rolled into one. And maybe my birthday too.

My eye doesn’t know where to go first!

Following the reception we went for barbecue dinner and then finished up the evening at the Brooks Party. A good number of us wore the Brooks LSD Jacket that we’d just gotten and soon realized just how reflective it is.

Jessica, Kim, and myself

Can we say awesome? That’s a lot of reflection! Check out the picture above and see if you can spot the same jacket without the flash.

Due to the early morning wake up (3:30 for Kim and myself) we decided to head out early from the party. However, just before we left, we got to meet Des Linden, this year’s winner of the Boston Marathon. What a great way to wrap up day 1!

The following morning we were up before the sun, as we prepared for a 6:30am BibRave group run. It was such an awesome experience running around Austin in a big orange pack. I might sound a little bumpkin-y here but city running is certainly different than running here at home.

Thanks to Larry Castillo Photography for the amazing shots during the group run!

Kim and I even ended up twinning in our Skirt Sports Temper Tantrum print and BibRave shirts!

Team BibRave had a great spread of food set up for us after the run, which was so awesome and appreciated. We grabbed our bagels and ran back to the hotel room to grab a quick shower and get ready for TRE Influencer Day!

TRE Influencer Day was so epic, I covered it in a separate blog post. Click here to hop over!