We’re sharing the love from our BOCO Gear Grab Bags of Awesome with TWO BOCO Gear awesome giveaways! We love this company so much and can’t wait to share the love with two lucky winners who will score two hats each.
Check out the Vlogs and leave a comment here on this post to enter by Friday, May 24, 2019. We’ll notify winners over the weekend so be sure your comment is linked to your email! US residents only.
Giveaway One from Mer’s Grab Bag of Awesome
Giveaway two from Jenn’s GBOA
Disclaimer: I received a bottle of Win Detergent 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!
Oh, laundry. My constant nemisis.
It’s neverending and as long as there is a day that ends with -y, I have laundry to do.
When BibRave said that we were teaming up with Win Detergent, I decided to jump in on the campaign.
My family is an active one and we generate a metric ton laundry.
My husband goes to the gym 3 times a week, my older son is a runner, and my younger son does karate. Oh yes, and I happen to contribute too.
We sweat a lot, and now that it’s warm out, the smell that comes along with that sweat is that much worse.
Regular detergents don’t work as well as Win does because of chemistry. Personally, I’m not as well versed in chemistry as I am in doing laundry so I’m going to let the folks at Win explain.
The fundamental difference between WIN and other detergents is that WIN contains ingredients that separate the oils from the synthetic fibers. Just like pulling that static electricity balloon off the wall, WIN breaks the bond between the oil and the fibers.
Once the oils have been freed from the fibers, special detergent molecules called Surfactants go to work. Surfactants are common – all soaps contain surfactants. WIN has chosen its surfactants specifically to get the oils out of synthetics while leaving your gear functioning and feeling great. Just like you wouldn’t wash your pots and pans with shampoo or wash your hair with dish soap, we’ve chosen the right surfactants to wash synthetic clothing fibers.
Surfactants are two-sided molecules. One side is hydrophobic (repels water), so it grabs onto the oils. The other side is hydrophilic, so it grabs onto the water in the wash. When the water goes down the drain, so do the oils. And with them, the bacteria.
Because WIN removes the oils from your apparel, the wicking properties of the fabric are restored to almost brand new. Not only does your gear smell better, it works better. And because it works better and smells better, WIN users keep their gear longer.
Join me in my laundry room! Don’t worry, I won’t put you to work.
So the obvious question is: Does it work? In this case it’s a good thing that we DON’T have smell-o-vision because you would NOT want to smell our laundry beforehand.
Thankfully, our duds are fresh-as-a-daisy after washing so the next time you see me, feel free to give a sniff.
Want to try it out yourself? Hop on over to Amazon and use code WIN4RAVE at checkout to get 20% off any WIN Products!
See what my fellow BRPs have to say:
Becky – Ken (and his VLOG) – Corey – Lisa – Thanh – Jonathan
Sometimes, it’s hard to believe Scoot A Doot has been going strong for six years. It’s fun to take a look back over all our posts and remember the race destination or recipe that inspired us to share a post with you. It’s also fun to take a look at the stats and see which ones are the most popular over time. Today, I thought I’d share a look at our most popular posts. The top five posts on our blog cover everything from food to costumes to inspiring a positive body image in our kids.
Far and away our most popular ever post is retired Chick Victoria’s comparison of the Color Run and the Color Vibe races. When theme races were in their heyday, everyone wanted to know which of these two packed the biggest colorful punch. Vic dishes on her experiences at both, and reading this brought back memories of my own Color Run. We all need a little nostalgia sometimes.
When Meridith and I ran the BOLDERBoulder together in 2015, we knew we needed special costumes befitting the 3rd largest road race in America. Going with the whole rock theme, we settled on Wilma and Betty from the Flintstones. I decided it was the perfect chance to try making a running skirt with a pocket, and an even better opportunity to document the whole process so you can make one, too.
Ready for a nap. And beer. Maybe beer, then nap.
Retired Chick Bec was a nut butter nut, and got everyone excited to try Buff Butter. The company is now called Buff Bake, and Bec gushed over three of the four flavors she tried. To quote her, “If you haven’t heard of Buff Bake’s butters, it is a line of high quality nut butters with added whey protein. Depending on the flavor, you’ll also see things like hemp, chia and flax seeds and organic coconut palm sugar. And, it comes in awesome flavors like Snickerdoodle Almond Butter and Cinnamon Raisin Peanut Butter, just to name a couple.”
once upon a time, Meridith had a MAJOR problem with headbands. Her thick goregous hair (trust me, I’ve braided it) could not be contained by just any headband. She gave Sweaty Bands a run way back in 2013 and she was a big fan. I later bought one at a RunDisney expo and loved mine, too. Skeptical? See for yourself in Mer’s review!
One of my favorite posts is from retired Chick Cam, and some insight she gained into the mind of her then eight year old daughter. If you’re a parent, especially of girls, this post will speak to you. Even if you aren’t a mom, you’ll remember being easily manipulated by society’s expectations of what’s healthy and beautiful. It’s a reminder to jump off that bandwagon.
We are the champions!
With nearly one thousand posts on the site, there’s quite the archive to browse through. I hope you find a few more things that speak to you. Be well, friends!
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!
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!
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!
Disclaimer: I received free entry to the Scooby-Doo Virtual Race Series 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!
A big hello from me and a big WOOF from Gemma! We completed our Scoobtober 10k throughout the month of October and earned our virtual race bling!
Our race swag arrived promptly on November 1st and we were both excited to check out what we got. I might have been slightly more excited than Gemma, who’s to say?
Human swag! The bag is a great material and the medals SPIN!
I’ve got some other great opportunities coming up through BibRave too, which I’m really excited about! That’s right, I’ve already got some races on my calendar for 2019. I love a good plan.
You’ll see me wearing my BibRave orange and representing at these races in 2019.
April 6th is the Philadelphia Hot Chocolate race and I’ll be returning for a second year at the 5k! Ana and I ran this race together in 2018 and we are returning again, along with her sister.
If you plan to join us in Philly, use code “BRHCPhilly” for a free phone armband like mine!
Toward the end of April, I’ll be doing the New Jersey Marathon 5k! This will be my first time participating in my home state event and the 5k is on Saturday, which means I can do it and be home in time for Sunday’s Healthy Kids Running Series event on Sunday – I have to think about these things as race coordinator.
I’ve heard great things about this event and I can’t wait to personally check it out! Want to join me? Use code “NJMBIBRAVE19” for $5 off any distance (5K, Half Marathon, Marathon, Marathon Relay).
The BibRave fun doesn’t stop there and I’ve got some good stuff in the works for the next couple of months so stay tuned!
Also, if you have considered becoming a BibRavePro, applications are open now through November 14th. If you have any questions, feel free to give a shout in the comments or on Twitter.
Disclaimer: I received Nuun Immunity 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!
As a teacher staying healthy is pretty much key to do, well, anything. I was really excited when BibRave offered the new Nuun product Nuun Immunity to try! I try all kinds of things to keep me healthy (like crossing my fingers and using hand sanitizer abundantly) during the school year and I was stoked to try this.
I was a little wary of the flavors at first, I’ll be honest. My favorite Nuun is the strawberry lemonade, so that’s normally all I buy. When the citrus and blueberry tangerine showed up, I wasn’t so sure! I tried the citrus first and was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. It reminded me of the lemon-lime flavor I’ve tried before. It took a while before I mustered up the courage for blueberry tangerine, though. I’m not a huge fan of blueberry for reasons I’m not sure about. It grew on me, though. I even tossed it to a co-worker who said she was feeling a little icky last week and she liked it. So, two thumbs up here!
I’m also at the end of my marathon training (AW YEAH IT’S TAPER TIME) and have been drinking Nuun Immunity the day before my long runs and during my long runs to keep me hydrated. I’ve found myself feeling great during most of my runs, even in the South Florida heat. Some of the days are just sweltering and the extra boost from nuun definitely helped get me through some challenging miles.
For the most part, I’ve felt strong and healthy! I can’t say that I’m always one hundred percent because teaching is like bathing in germs, but I’m grateful for the extra boost that Nuun Immunity has given me! And I’ll be taking it to Chicago with me, so stay tuned!
Check out www.nuunlife.com and use HYDRATEBIBPRO for 20% off! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I received the Amphipod PureRun™ Minimalist Hydration Vest 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!
Hello, hello! I am happy to report that I am feeling much better since my last post where I had to forgo running my favorite race, the April Fools Half Marathon in Atlantic City. Thank you to everyone who checked in on me and made sure that I was doing okay. Thankfully, patience and time healed my neck and I’m back to running once more!
I don’t know if I should blame the everlasting winter or the fact that I was in a cast for a large chunk of it, but the siren song of summer races had me whipping out my credit card and throwing myself against the registration rocks. Which means that I’ll be sweating it out during the upcoming summer months because I plan to train (outside even) in the heat. Remind me I said that.
As such, hydration will be key! I was happy to opt-in for the new Amphipod PureRun™ Minimalist Hydration Vest through the BibRave Pro program.
Sharp and lightweight
What do runner’s like? (Besides running, of course.) POCKETS. This vest has them, in spades! Roomy with plenty of space of my phone, interval timer, car key, and fuel (aka – snacks). The vest comes with two 12oz bottles, one of which I fill with a sport drink and the other with water.
There is also a space in the back of the vest for a bladder and a clip to hold the hydration tube. I have not used a bladder with mine yet, but I do appreciate that the option is there.
I really appreciate that Amphipod provides two sizes! Going by this chart vest size 1 would have fit, however, I opted for size 2. In the past I had another vest that was great, except that it pulled too snugly across my chest, which was uncomfortable. Not a problem with the Amphipod PureRun™ Minimalist Hydration Vest! In fact, both my son and I were both able to switch it back and forth between us and it easily adjusted to us.
In addition to the front clasps being adjustable, the side are as well. This means that you can fit it exactly to your body and there won’t be any movement. This means no chafing!
My friend, Charlie, is training for Broad Street so we’ve been trying to get together at least once a week so that she feels confident next week. We met up at a favorite local park to put in some miles. Usually we stick to the paved area but this time we ventured through the trails, which was a first for us at this location.
One thing that I noticed was that my watch band occasionally hooked onto the flask cord because I tend to keep my arms at a ninety degree angle and swing them while running. The next time that I use it, I’m going to try to adjust that cord so that doesn’t happen again or maybe loop it around the top of the flask.
Other than that small issue, the vest worked perfectly. It was really nice to not have a hand-held bottle (my standard go-to) and it was so light, living up to its minimalist name. Additionally, the things that I had in the pockets stayed put and I didn’t shift at all. If you’re looking to invest in a hydration vest, I definitely recommend this one. And if you live close by and want to try it before you buy it, feel free to swing by!
I can’t wait to use it for races over the summer. Big plans for the Amphipod PureRun™ Minimalist Hydration Vest!
Follow them on social:
Instagram @AmphipodRunning
Twitter @Amphipod
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/amphipod/
Want to check out more reviews from my fellow BRPs?
Andrea
Barb
Alastair
Bradford
Renee
Angie
Mai
Kevin
Logan
Amy
Whitney
Disclaimer: I am promoting Athlinks 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!
Oh hello there! I’m giving the blogging/typing forum a go because I now have a soft cast on my arm. Hooray!
I’m waiting to get an MRI for my wrist and hopefully get some more answers on how we’re going to proceed from there from my doctor. It seems like a big waiting game at this point and while I’m usually a fairly patient person, it’s difficult for me to be so in this situation because:
With all this free time on my hands (*cymbal crash*) I’ve had more than ample time to play on my computer and long for the days of working out and normalcy. I have my old standbys that I’ve been visiting but thanks to BibRave alerting me to Athlinks, now I have a new-to-me site in the rotation!
Athlinks is an all encompassing site for runners, cyclists, swimming and more. Users are able to create accounts, claim their race results (they had 49 listed races for me!), join upcoming events, follow their friends, and even see who their “rivals” are among their friends (those who have raced the same race as you). Spoiler: if we are rivals, you’ve probably won!
Anyone who knows me knows that I’m not a competitive racer, in fact, I’m more than happy just to be out there and getting it done by any means possible.
However, prior to the arm injury, I did set the goal of a faster 5k time for 2018. Once I’m able to get back to training, I do still want to accomplish that goal. You’re able to share goal times for upcoming events; these were set before I was hurt.
The 22 minute race is a two miler, for the record. I don’t want anyone thinking that I’m getting overly ambitious!
The gang over at Athlinks is very responsive, which is always appreciated. I was having an issue adding myself to the Start List (aka participant) for the 2018 Philadelphia Hot Chocolate 5k, which I’m running representing the BibRave team, because I was only able to find the 15k distance. After shooting them a quick note, less than 20 minutes later I heard back with an answer to my request for help.
I love being able to access all of my races in one spot. While I claimed my races, it was a walk down memory lane with races dating all the way back to when I first started running in 2011. It’s interesting to see how my races been, especially when looking at times on the same course and whether I was using the race for proof of time or just having a good time with friends.
This was one of my favorite days/races! 2017 AC April Fools half
Athlinks has an app too, however I’m trying not to add more apps to my phone so I haven’t used it. Sticking with the website on the computer for now but I’ve read fellow BibRave Pro reviews that say it’s easy to use and comprehensive.
I’m looking forward to adding more results throughout 2018 and checking back to see if I’m able to hit the goals I’ve set. Fingers crossed!
Are you on Athlinks? If you’d like to hook up over there, here’s the link to my profile.
Disclaimer: I received a Garmin Forerunner 935®Multisport GPS Watch from Garmin 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!
Little known fact about me: when it comes to transporting things, I like to make things as difficult as possible for myself.
No, no, really. I do. It’s very hard for me to condense. My husband always laments that I’m the least efficient when it comes to packing.
This applies to running too. I have… a lot of things. An iPod. My iPhone. A FitBit. An interval timer. Headphones. Watch. Gels. Belt. Hydration vest. You name it, I probably have it somewhere on my person.
Or… well, I did.
After six years of running, I’ve realized the error of my ways. When I’m running I should carry the least amount as possible, not the most; I’ve been trying to par down my running gear. While these things are all extremely useful unto themselves, there’s gear that can pull double, even triple duty!
Cue the Garmin Forerunner 935®️!
Since getting the watch last month, there hasn’t been a day that’s gone by that I’ve not worn it. I don’t wear it to sleep (but I could, and perhaps should) because it has sleep tracking.
The Garmin Forerunner 935® has so many features that if I were to include them all, I’d be writing a novel that rivals War and Peace in length.
As such, I’m going to share the top three features that I use and as blog posts go up, I’ll be sharing links at the end of this post to other BibRave Pros blogs so you can read their highlights too.
The Garmin acts as my step counter, so the first thing I shed was the FitBit One. My FitBit hadn’t been working well recently. And since I’m trying to par down, making the decision to switch over to the Garmin was an easy one.
My goal is to hit 10,000 steps every day and I do check on this number throughout the day (more than I care to admit). I’m a stay at home mom so on the days that I don’t have a run scheduled, I use the step counter to keep me honest and motivated throughout the day.
Additionally, the Forerunner 935® has a move alert. If I’ve been sedentary for too long, a vibration reminds me to get up and move!
I’ve also said goodbye to the interval timer that I used to clip to my belt because I can just use the one on my Garmin! You can easily set the intervals for distance, time, or open (which means open-ended intervals).
I’m a fan of the Galloway method for longer races, meaning that I use set intervals to pace myself throughout a workout or race.
One of the main reasoned I used a separate interval timer was that it allowed me to change my intervals mid-race. This is slightly more challenging using the Garmin.
For example: Occasionally I begin a run or race at 2 minutes/walk 1 minute and decide that I’d like to switch to a run 1 minute/walk 1 minute. Changing intervals run on the Garmin breaks a run into segments, rather than a continual overall distance.
However, I feel like I’ve gotten better over the past few years about gauging what type of timing I’ll need on a particular day so I’ll continue to use the Forerunner 935® for this feature. The interval timer is getting moved to the back of the running drawer.
Speaking of moving, the third feature that I’m loving on the Garmin Forerunner 935® is its wrist based heart rate monitor. This is a new to me feature; my old watch had a chest strap heart rate monitor, which I rarely used.
I’ve been keyed in on this data the past month. I’m always interested to see my resting heart rate compared to my heart rate when I’m doing HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) or running.
While this is a multi-sport watch, I haven’t had the opportunity to use it during a different type of workout yet. However, the fact that I can use it while swimming has piqued my interest! Without a doubt, I’ll be trying when we open our pool again in 2018.
I could go on and on about the other things that I love about this watch.
The long battery life is unparallel to any previous devices I’ve had. The texts/app alerts so I’m not constantly grabbing my phone are so convenient. The ability to change music directly from my wrist so I don’t have to constantly take my phone out of my belt is awesome.
The Forerunner 935® stops just short of cooking and serving my family Thanksgiving dinner. (Oh, how lovely that would be!)
I have everything I could ever want or need in one spot and that spot is the Garmin Forerunner 935®.
Reviews from other BibRave Pros:
Jenna
Mai
Gina
Brenda
Vanessa
Frank
Casey
Angie
Lindsey
Emily
Mark
Ryan
What are your must haves during a run? I’m a reformed pack-rat and I’m doing good with the paring down on items that come with me on long runs/races. Do you have any specific questions about the Garmin Forerunner 935®? Leave a comment and I’ll do my best to answer from personal experience and if I don’t know, I’ll ask around to my fellow BibRave Pros.
Wishing you a very happy Thanksgiving!
Disclaimer: I received an Eagle Creek Cargo Hauler Duffel 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!
When you think of Fall, what do you think about? For me it’s all about getting outside as much as possible – fall racing, fires in the fire pit, hikes, crunching through leaves, you name it!
That’s why I was excited to be picked to try the Eagle Creek Duffel through BibRave. Because while we’re running around, getting outside as much as possible, a do-all bag is key.
Check out how small the duffel is able to fold up! I love this not only makes storage easy but it’s also a great way to pack an extra bag if needed. When we go on vacation, we usually need an extra bag for the things we pick up along the way and having one that can be packed on the way there and then expand to a full duffel works out really well.
I thought the Eagle Creek Duffel would be great to bring to races, and it was.
My family joined me for the Run Inspired 10k in Delaware and I knew that I’d want to bring a change of clothes and (perhaps more importantly in the eyes of my husband) we needed to brings things to entertain my children while I was running. We packed everything in the duffel, with room to spare.
I was very grateful I had that change of clothes because it was lightly raining during the race and I was thoroughly soaked by the time I finished.
By the way, the bag did great in the misting rain. I had everything in the main compartment and it all remained dry. The bag is water repellent but just keep in mind that if it’s really raining hard, you’ll want to get your bag to a dry spot.
The bag is super lightweight, weighing less than 2 pounds total which does matter when you’re packing a ton of stuff in it! And that’s exactly what my 12 year old son, Lucas, did this past weekend.
He’s a 2nd class rank Boy Scout and this past weekend went on a camping trip to Annapolis. After he was wearing the bag around the house and looking at it with interest, I thought it would be a great way to really put this bag to the test.
This weekend was the first cold snap we’ve had, with temps down in the 20s overnight. For the camping trip, the 60L bag fit all of his clothes, from thermals to sweatshirts.
He had a great time sleeping in a tent, taking a tour of the Naval academy, and watching the Navy football game. Once he returned and after he got settled, I asked him what he thought of the duffel.
“It was great! You were able to stuff a lot of things in there and it fit a lot. If I couldn’t use it as a duffel bag, I could always sling it over my shoulder. The zippers worked great. I’d use it again if I got the chance.”
(And then he gave me the puppy dog eyes.) (Which I think means that it’s no longer MY bag, but OUR bag.)
A few of the other BibRave Pros have flown with the Eagle Creek Duffel 60L and they say that it’s the perfect size for a carry on, which is awesome too! I’m looking forward to taking it on future trips with me.
Check out reviews from my fellow BibRave Pros: Jenna – Mai – Laura – Fallon
Join us for the Eagle Creek Twitter #bibchat on Tuesday, November 21st at 9est! I’ll be there and it’s always an awesome time!
