Shoe Review: Skora Tempo

Last month, Kyle and Cam were called upon to serve the running community. Their mission? To test run the new Skora Tempo – a beautiful, bright, natural-running shoe that touts “connection + cushioning.” Kyle began marathon training in her pair. Cam ran Ragnar Wasatch Back. These are their stories.

Kyle

Upon receiving my Tempos in the mail, I immediately tore into the package and stuck the suckers on my feet. I’ve had a love affair with minimalist shoes since I started distance running three years ago and though I’ve moved away from them during my last two marathon cycles, I was excited to welcome them back on to my feet. I’d never run in a pair of Skora shoes before, but I’ve only read good things about them, so I was really looking forward to putting some miles on them.

IMG_0745The first thing I noticed about these shoes was how wide the toe box is – in my excitement to try them on, I didn’t put on socks and they felt really too big in the toe box. But, after putting on a pair of socks, they felt a lot more snug. I loved the lacing – it’s anatomically designed to fit the natural curve of your feet and it allows for a “second skin” like feel.

I took them out for a short test run that day and I was in love. That zero-drop is my jam, tho. Knowing my feet and how they handle long distances, though, I know that these shoes will probably be designated as middle distance kicks – no longer than 13.1 in these babies, because otherwise my feet and knees will be a bit unhappy.

As I tested the Tempos out, I wore them to the gym for my other workouts. The great thing about zero-drop shoes? They make GREAT lifting shoes. These are no exception. You’ve got plenty of cush to make your joints happy, but you’re also totally connected to the ground, which gives you a strong base to lift from. Usually I lift in my New Balance Minimus, the soles of which are made of the same material as the Vibram Five Fingers. I love those shoes, but I’ve been looking for something different and Skora, you’ve come through!

I’ve got a 9-miler on the docket for this weekend and I’m looking forward to another run in the Tempos. I’m still getting used to minimalist running again, but I love how light and unencumbered my feet feel in these shoes. I’m excited to see what my splits look like – even if it’s just in my head, I feel faster when I run in these, and that’s always a good thing!

Cam 

So you guys know how I feel about Skora, right?  I’m pretty much their biggest fan.  I’ve had nothing but shoe problems since I began running around 5 years ago.  I’ve tried them all and Skora is where my heart is.  It’s a very committed relationship.  Given the opportunity to try out their new model, I was like a kid in a candy store…or a runner in a shoe store? I don’t know, I was thrilled.

My first wear...with socks.

My first wear…with socks.

Skora generally are made to be worn without socks.  They have this “no sew” construction so you don’t feel all the seams and junk on the top of your foot.  The Core is what I’ve worn in the past and just before trying these, I invested in a pair of the Forms.  I like that they’re made from genuine leather.  They’re soft and mold to your foot.  These are a zero drop shoe, meaning they have a 0mm differential between the heel and toe.  The Forms I’ve been running in weigh a whopping 6.8 oz and have a 13 mm sole.  The Tempo are a little lighter at 6 oz but they have considerably more padding at 22 mm.  Socks not needed!!!  These shoes are super light, super airy, and super comfy.  Plus, they look awesome and reflective, which is must for us night runners.

The first thing I noticed is that they have a bit of an arch, probably undetectable for normal feet but my flat feet noticed immediately.  The gave me a bit of soreness in the heel and arch initially, which I haven’t experienced with the Form.  Once I’d given them a solid 10 miles, though, they entire shoe was undetectable.  And because of the mesh upper, I could feel the breeze on my toes.

I’ve been wearing them for cross training, also.  Like Kyle mentioned, they have a huge toe box.  Mine were a bit big in the length, even though I ordered my normal size 10. I felt like the material buckled around my toe a bit with lateral movement. If I were to order these again, I’d probably size down a half size.  The box is big enough, you don’t have to worry about your toes rubbing against the shoe so sizing up is unnecessary.

At this point, I was already very please with my these new shoes, but I wanted to put them to the real test: Ragnar.  Would I still love these shoes after three runs over two days and 15+ miles?

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On our way to Utah!

I’ve had terrible issues with my ankles, so I wrapped and wore compression socks for my first run.  These shoes did fabulous. I had no foot pain, which is my main issue when I run.  Granted, I have to apply a lot of topical pain relief to my ankle before I run, but my arches felt great.  My second run, I ditched the socks and felt the wind between my toes.

Go Ragnar!  Gearing up for my last run...sockless.

Go Ragnar! Gearing up for my last run…sockless.

My last run was 4.1 miles downhill.  And when I say downhill, I mean like 2000 ft elevation loss.  I ended up getting huge blisters on the inside arches of both feet and a pretty sore achilles.  The extra space in the toe from the shoe being a little big may have had something to do with this.  However, I didn’t have knee pain, which I anticipated given this downhill and I didn’t lose a toenail, which happens every Ragnar.  I can’t be sure if the blisters were because of the shoe or just a casualty of Ragnar.  Historically, by my third leg, I can barely walk, my knee caps feel like they’re about to pop, and ankles are the size of grapefruits.  I’d definitely rather just have a couple blisters!

Sometimes when I run, I also dance.

Sometimes when I run, I also dance.

Overall, I really like these shoes.  I think they’d be fantastic for someone with more of an arch and the cushion is just unbeatable.  I don’t know what they’re using in the soles, but seriously, it’s like marshmallows.  I still like my Form the best, but I’ll be adding these to my list of reasons why Skora holds my heart.

Katie K Activewear Review

This is going to be part product review, part just me telling you about a totally kickass company. Cool? Cool.

I’ve been fortunate enough in my blogging life to try out some incredible products, and asked to share my opinion on them. And if you know me, you know I love sharing my opinion. (That’s a nice way of saying I’m mouthy.)

So, when I was selected to be a brand ambassador for Taffy Activewear last year, I was stoked. Taffy is this totally adorable line of plus-sized activewear. It’s functional, trendy and well made. Saying yes was a total no brainer. After I’d been a Taffy Ambassador for a couple of months, I started noticing another name in plus-sized activewear around Twitter – Katie K Activewear.

I did a little peeking around (meaning I went straight to the website and started shopping) and realized that Katie K and Taffy were sister companies, both founded by the awesome Katie Kozloff. You can read Katie’s full story here, but in short, when Katie was a personal trainer, she often heard from her plus size clients that they had trouble finding stylish workout wear. And she didn’t just listen, she acted, creating a plus size women’s active line in Taffy, and later, an all inclusive sized line in Katie K.

Basically, Katie is awesome. I love representing this fantastic, female owned business, and I’m thrilled to help spread the word about this brand and show the world how I #definebrave.

Okay, let’s get down to it. The CLOTHES.

This might be the cutest I've ever looked for a workout!

This might be the cutest I’ve ever looked for a workout!

For me, activewear needs to be three things; functional, comfortable and cute. Katie K is all of these things. The products are incredibly well made, and vary from pieces that are geared toward performance, like the Signature Capri, to pieces that can easily take you from the gym to running errands.

The latter is a little more my style, and along those lines, I can tell you I am fully in love with the Signature Walking Pant. They’re comfortable enough to wear for a brisk walk or a Zumba class, but they totally work for a run to the mall, too. My fave.

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Post Color Run, covered in glitter and Katie K.

The best parts of Katie K products are in the details. The peek-a-boo opening on the Signature Open Back Tee had me channeling my inner Lynn Stone in the Color Run parking lot. (If you get that reference, you get massive cool points and we should probably hang out). And the Signature Cowl is pretty enough to rock on date night. Add to all that, the entire line features bright colors like coral, yellow and vivid blue.

Color!

Color!

And for my plus sized ladies, if you want to see the items for you? It’s all of them. The entire store comes in sizes Small-3X. So, if you’re looking for something ALL your friends can wear to a race, you can totally find it here. It’s awesome.

I’m pretty much gushing at this point, I know. I’m just so in love with this company. And because they’re so great, they let me offer you guys 15% off your purchase and free shipping when you use my Ambassador Code (BEC15).

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I really hope you ladies will check out Katie K!

P.S. Today is the last day to enter our giveaway for a free entry to Diva Dash. Don’t forget to check it out!

Road Tested: My Inspire Wear

As Meridith and I strolled along Pearl Street Mall checking out the BolderBOULDER Expo a few weeks back, we came across a pretty purple tent. Being purple, and being that purple is the best color in the world, we were immediately curious. As we got closer we could see the tent was full of cute tops and pants and bras and every good thing (in the way of athletic wear, anyway). Stewarding the tent was a very nice person named Debbie Pedersen. Debbie is the force behind My Inspire Wear, an athletic wear company with an agenda, and one that Meridith and I could easily get behind.

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In Debbie’s words, she is an entrepreneur that is committed to inspiring the world and giving back to non-profits that focus on breast cancer prevention. The apparel is made of bamboo fabric, which is extremely soft, breathable, moisture-wicking and eco-friendly. She says “My Inspire Wear wants to motivate you to be the best you can be! Inspirational products include tank tops, pants, skorts, headbands, water bottles, socks and even tees and briefs for the guys! If you know a breast cancer survivor, check out the zipper pocket sports bra, specifically designed for post-surgery. This bra is like no other on the market!”

Methinks Debbie is good people and My Inspire Wear is doing good work for the cancer community, for the planet, and for women. When Debbie gave us each a bra to take home and try out, we were stoked!  I think I can honestly say that they were a hit pretty much immediately. Here’s why.

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I love the Breathe bra that Debbie gave me. If she only knew how perfect it was for me because sometimes I really need a reminder to just take a moment and breathe. If I could, I would have chill pills on auto-refill. Luckily, I have yoga.

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Although I’m not as busty as some…scratch that. Although I’m not as busty as most women, it’s still a challenge for me to find supportive sports bras. For the most part, many I try are overkill for my A cups or are super flimsy and made for hanging around the gym but not working out in the gym. All looks and no substance.

The My Inspire Bra was just right for me, giving me enough support for running, cycling, and vinyasa flow yoga while still feeling light, cool and comfortable. I even wore it to work under my dress clothes. Bamboo is one of my favorite fabrics for its softness and moisture-wicking qualities, as well as its sustainability. And it’s still feminine and pretty!

This will likely be my go-to bra because it isn’t loaded with tight elastic or spandex that feels constrictive like most of my other sports bras, instead I’m just supported and happy and running freeeeeeee!

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The bra that I was given by Debbie to try is the “achieve” bra and I can say I definitely did just that!

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I have a few bamboo shirts and I truly love the soft, breathable material. However I wasn’t sure how a bra would stand up to my… um, my girls. I’ve been blessed with a larger chest (how’s that for looking on the bright side of life?) and I don’t want to hurt myself while working out. As such, I tend to lean toward things I know work for me – that includes bras, sneakers, food, and workouts.

In the interest of branching out I decided that June would be a time for me to try new things! I’ve taken the month off from running due to my plantar fasciitis but that doesn’t mean I have to sit still. We all know that’s impossible!

My “testing” of this bra was threefold. First, I slipped this bra on immediately after the Bolder Boulder race to hang out with Jenn and her family. Don’t worry, a shirt was involved too! It was so comfy (and I was so tired), I wound up sleeping in it that evening; that was awesome too.

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The comfort during two non-workout events spurred me on to give it a true test: a spin class. My dear friend Brandi teaches at the recently opened Upcycle, a really cool spin and yoga studio in my area. I’ve always wanted to check out spinning and I figured two birds, one stone!

What goes with a message bra? A message shirt, of course! Donning my Inspire bra and my Don’t Forget to be Awesome shirt, I arrived at the studio, ready to roll. Brandi made sure I knew how to set up my bike, assisting other newbies too, and then we were off, journeying through songs and tedious hills!

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For forty-five minutes, we jammed out to awesome music and I sweat all over the bike, the floor, my water bottle, and my bra and my shirt. From the seated position to standing from my saddle during the “hills”, my chest felt good and supported. I bopped up and down, the girls did not. Trust.

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You can see from this picture we took after the class, my shirt isn’t at all sweaty besides a bit under the armpits. Easy breezy! The bra, not the class. The class was a workout!

Did the bra “achieve”? You betcha! And so did I.

 

Another pleasant surprise, My Inspire Wear is affordable. *Gasp* I know. Their pants are under sixty bucks, and these bras? $19.99 folks.  That’s like, unheard of. Debbie is so fantastic that she even gave us a discount code, scoot10, to share with you guys. We highly recommend checking them out!

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We’re Coming for You, BolderBOULDER.

Now that the AC half is over for 2015 and I’ve recovered from the gruesome death of a flu that I caught on my way home from New England, I can look ahead to the next fun, fitness-y related things on the horizon. In other words, we here at Scoot a Doot have NEWS, people. And news is always fun, yes? Yes!

A few weeks back, we got an email from the sweet folks over at the BolderBOULDER asking if we wanted to blog about our race experience this year. Seeing as this is my hometown race and we’re almost the same age, (this is the 37th year of the race), there was no question I’d be running it. Blogging about it ‘officially’ was just icing!

The absolute best part of this event is the fact the Meridith is coming to run it with me. She’s never been to Colorado before, and when she saw this, she had questions.

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Mainly, “will I die?” Secondly, “we’re sticking together for this one, right?”

After much reassurance that she won’t pass out from the altitude, I promised her that the map was deceiving and the course wasn’t that bad. Then we talked about costumes because of course we were sticking together and we need to look cute doing it.

The other best thing about this year’s event is that the BolderBOULDER is sending over some nifty stuff from Skechers Performance, TomTom, and Helly Hansen for me to try out and tell you guys about. Here’s a sneak peak!

Skechers GoRun4

Skechers GoRun4

Then, as if that wasn’t awesome enough, I found out that in June I’ll be volunteering at Fitbloggin2015. We are super excited about this as I’ll get an opportunity to meet amazing and inspiring fellow bloggers as well as learn more about many topics driving and inspiring the fitness community now. Topics that I can learn about and come back and share with you all. Because sharing is good. And making new friends is the best! Plus, it’s in Denver this year, so I can go to the conference and still sleep in my bed. That’s my cake and I’m eating it.  Check out the topics and let’s talk about what speaks to you.

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So stay tuned because Scootadoot news never stops. Or something.

 

A Taste of Try the World

A couple of weeks ago, my friend Valerie of Valerie & Valise tweeted her vlog about her latest Try the World box.

She’s a travel guru and on any given weekend is traipsing about the globe visit fabulous places, taking beautiful pictures and eating amazing food. Needless to say, she inspires wanderlust in me on the regular.

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Anyways… she tweeted about this Try the World thing. Not being one to turn down a good subscription box, I decided I needed to check out this nonsense. Generally, I’m of the opinion that if Valerie endorses something, I’m probably going to like it. This has been true since I was about 13. Things haven’t changed much.

The gist behind Try the World? Discovering the world through food. Every two months, you get a box of gourmet food from a different country. Simple and delicious. It’s a little pricey ($39 a box for the subscription that auto-renews every two months), but you can cancel any time and for what you’re getting (and where it’s coming from) I can handle that cost every two months.

I decided I needed to try this magic out, because if I can’t travel places, then at least I can eat the food.

When my first box arrived, I greeted it with glee!

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Happiness is a box of treats from a foreign land

This is the Paris Box, and let me tell you, France is a wonderful place to start. Inside the box was a beautiful array of things that almost looked to pretty to eat. I didn’t let that stop me though, because I’m all about those snacks.

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There are seven items in the Paris box – six pictured here, and a mystery treat (that I ate and forgot to get a picture of. Sorry I’m not sorry). Some things look or sound familiar (dark chocolate in any language is fine by me) and some I recognized with a little help from my high school French classes. Thank goodness the box comes with a card that describes each item!

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What was in my box? Well, let’s take a look! The following descriptions are from the card… there’s no way I could describe food like this. My take on the food is in italics after. 

La Mere Poulard, sables – The famous restaurant and bakery namesd after its founder, La Mere Poulard, remains to this day a benchmark in French gastronomy for its variety, originality and light touch. With only five ingredients including salted butter from Brittany, these delightful cookies are loved by locals and visitors alike! These cookies were the bomb dot com. They are simple and don’t need any adornment – not too sweet but so, so yummy!

Maison d’Armorine, salted butter caramels – This delectable recipe was born in the summer of 1946 when the French celebrated the return to leisure at the beach in Brittany. Maison d’Armorine makes these salted butter caramels using Breton butter and Brittany’s famous fleur de sel. For any French gourmand, each bite of these chewy caramels evokes childhood memories of seaside holidays. It’s caramel. You can’t go wrong. I’ve only had one, but it was TASTY.

Domaine des Vignes, whole grain mustard – The origin of mustard production in France dates back to the Roman Empire, who exported the mustard seeds to Gaul, centures BC. Vineyard Domaine des Vignes uses vinegar produced from its grapes as a base for the mustard. Enjoy this mustard with charcuterie, with roasted meat, or as a dip.  I tried this in a marinade with some roasted chicken last week. Serious flavor. Definitely excited to find more things to use this with!

Charles Antona, Corsican jam – Charles Antona is a Corsican brand whose secret lies in its ingredients. Each fruit is ordained with the scent of herbs from bushes that cover the island, and staying true to his grandmother’s recipes, Antona combines Mediterranean herbs and local fruit in his line of preserves. Mine was cherry. I tried a little on one of the sables cookies… I didn’t regret it. 

Celement Faugier, chestnut spread – This unique recipe was created by master confectioner Clement Faugier in 1885 and combines chestnuts picked in the Ardeche region with a delightful hint of vanilla. This delicious puree can be used alone as a dessert, enjoyed with cookies, used as a sweet topping for yogurt, or spread on toast, a croissant or fresh brioche. I totally put this on one of the cookies as well, and I’m newly obsessed with it. I want a croissant right now, because I’d slather this nonsense all over it. Chestnut spread. Who knew?

Flagrants Desirs, dark chocolate bar with raspberry – With this 72% cocoa chocolate, Flagrants Desirs continues the tradition of the greatest European master chocolatiers. They achieve this rich cocoa taste by using only real cocoa butter, unlike industrial chocolate producers that ofter use other vegetable fats. This fine selection of cocoa beans mixed with a delicate balance of fruity aroma is a perfect midpoint between milk and dark chocolate. I don’t even need to say anything else about this. Because that pretty much summed it up. Rich, dark, chocolaty deliciousness. More please.

The mystery treat? Two gummy candies – one pear-flavored, the other apricot. Both were very fruity, but in the natural way, not the fake candy fruit flavor way. The pear one tasted just like I was biting into a pear. Swearsies. Super yum. And not too sweet! I usually don’t enjoy candy that much because I don’t eat a lot of sugar and even a little can sometimes be too much. These were very good, and just enough sweetness to do the job.

I don’t get another box for another couple of months, but I’m excited to see what’s next! Try the World is a great way to travel the world on a budget – the world comes to you!

If you’re interested in Try the World, use my referral link: http://fbuy.me/bVMjQ and get $15 off your subscription!

Road Tested: RunSafe App

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.

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.Image (2)

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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.

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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

http://runsafe.me/partners/scootadoot

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

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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.

Race Recap: Chicago Marathon

FIRST SOLO SCOOT POST! BOOM!

Okay, now that I’ve gotten that out of my system, I’m ready to get started.

Last month, before officially joining the Scoot Chicks, I ran my second marathon in the Windy City. Chicago.

Chicago is my kind of town, let me tell you. I feel a kindred connection with the people of Chi-town. Probably because I spent the better part of the last 5 years living in the Midwest (Wisconsin, baby!) and Chicago just feels homey. I mean, their taste in football teams is questionable at best, but I have so many friends and family in and around the Chicago area, it felt like going home.

Going in to this race, I wasn’t feeling awesome about things. This summer had been incredibly busy and in the month before the marathon, I’d been traveling a lot and I felt my training had suffered. My last long long run was almost a month and a half before, while I was in Alaska visiting my family.

20 miles around Eklutna Lake? #AlaskaFTW

20 miles around Eklutna Lake? #AlaskaFTW

Running around Eklutna Lake was amazing and I’m so happy I was able to do 20 miles on my home turf. But once I got back to Virginia? Different story.

And of course, in the days leading up to leaving for Chicago? I got a cold. Like, nasty sinuses-all-congested-can’t-breathe kind of cold. So, I said to myself, “self, buy thee some sudafed and DRINK ALL THE WATER.”

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Sudafed and other marathon-things organized neatly

Upon arriving in Chicago, I met up with one of my oldest and dearest friends, who accompanied me to the expo, where things were the smoothest I’ve ever seen any race expo run. Ever. Like, fancy ipads er’rywhere. Super fast. Super easy.

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I found a Paul!

I spent Saturday toodling around Chicago with college friends (reunions are the best, btdubs) and resting my legs so they could run all the miles and drinking all the water (because, sickness. and also hydration). That night, I laid out all of my race gear and hopped in bed at 9:30 – because when you have to be dressed and out the door by 5:15am, you go to sleep as early as possible.

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Beth and Catrina were marathon-supporting superstars

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Flat Kyle: Ready for 26.2

The race start was a bus and train ride away from where I was staying, so in typical Kyle fashion, I grabbed coffee to keep me company. Chicago has a pretty easy-to-navigate public transit system, and coming from DC where I ride the metro regularly, it was no big deal to figure out where I needed to be to get where I needed to go.

 

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All. Of. The. Coffee.

One thing about running in Chicago in the Fall: you never know what the weather is going to do. Having lived in the midwest, I know that mid-October could either be sweltering or snowing. Fortunately, race morning, temperatures were chilly, but perfect for running. To stay warm, I had on like, three layers (not sorry) and before I dropped my bag at gear check I was doing some sun salutations to loosen up and stay warm. The start corrals were super easy to navigate and once I ditched my stuff, I made my way into my corral and joined the other racers in the usual banter and bouncing around and huddling together to stay warm and loose.

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Chicago Skyline in all its glory at the start

I didn’t have to stand around too long, as the race officials got the corrals moving fairly quickly, and before I knew it, I was stripping off my throwaways and crossing the starting line. We were off through the streets of Chicago. That was probably one of my favorite things about this race, actually – the fact that the entire course is a tour of some of the best parts of the city. From Grant Park, through downtown, from Wrigley Field to White Sox stadium, we ran all over that town.

It was a beautiful day and Chicagoans were out in droves to cheer us on. Seriously. So many people. In most places, the crowds were two or three people deep. I don’t think there was any place along the course that was quiet – it was awesome.

The other amazing thing about this course? The fueling and water stations. Evenly dispersed, on both sides of the road, water and gatorade and in the last few miles, bananas, too. The volunteers were amazing and they kept us runners in good shape throughout the race.

Because I was running intervals for this race (5 minutes of running, 1 minute of walking), I felt really good throughout – the built in walk breaks were great and given that I was still dealing with the congestion from my cold, definitely helped me keep my pacing and breathing in check. It wasn’t until about mile 22 that I really started to feel tired… and I could tell that my body was kind of reaching “done-zo” phase – being sick and running that far means fatigue. I slowed my pace and adjusted my intervals and kept pushing.

Now, the majority of this course is flat – Chicago is lauded as being one of the fastest (that’s a relative term. Ahem.) marathons around. But, what they neglect to tell you is that the last two tenths of a mile are uphill. RUDE. “Oh sure, you just ran 26 miles, and the finish line is like… right there, but run up this hill first.”

YEAH OKAY.

But, you know what, by that point I was just so ready to be done that I powered up that hill and turned back in to Grant Park to cross the finish line like a boss. Or like a wobbly-legged little girl. Whatever. I finished and I shaved 15 minutes off of my previous marathon time. So that’s a win in my book.

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Another 26.2 done!

After the race, I hobbled my way to the meet up area and found Beth and Catrina who helped me sit down, helped me get back up and walked me back to the train. I’m so grateful for friends who join in the marathon fun, because truly, the experience is made that much better when there are people there to share in your accomplishments.

Chicago was an incredible race and I would definitely do it again – and hopefully without a cold so I can take more advantage of the storied speediness of this course.

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#swag

Fun aside? While I was tweeting about the marathon, Mizuno hooked me up with a pair of their new Wave Rider 18s. SO PUMPED. These kicks are carrying me through training right now and are amazing. I’m looking forward to taking down another 26.2 in these babies in Philadelphia at the end of the month. Money. So awesome.

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Biggest Loser Run Walk recap: Six Flags Great Adventure New Jersey

Also known as: that time I fell.

So, spoiler alert, I fell during this race. It was bound to happen; I’ve watched other people fall during races (wincing on their behalf) and knew it was only a matter of time before I was the one going BOOM.

It was my time and it was a spectacular fall. But man, I am so grateful because it could have been so much worse.

As always, I’m getting ahead of myself.

Let me set the stage: it was a cold, blustery day here in New Jersey on Sunday. The rain was non-stop the day prior and everything was still wet from the storm. And it was cold. So cold. Even though it was low 40s, the wind was relentless, making it feel much colder than that.

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Dude, Pooks and I piled on the layers and traveled the half hour from my parents house to Six Flags Great Adventure (fun fact: most other Six Flags parks are called “Six Flags” but we Jersey folk like to refer to ours as Great Adventure). I’d registered for the 10k and Pooks was doing the Kids Mile Fun Run!

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We’d driven up from our house the day prior to do packet pick-up and spent the evening in central Jersey. Once we arrived at the race site, we found that people were still registering and doing packet pick-up. I wish I had known that was an option, as I would have definitely done the morning of the race. Ah well, there’s always next time.

The race village was fairly small and looking around, it seemed like most people there were participating in the 5k, with a smattering of 10kers. We didn’t see many kids at first, but there were about 20 who participated in the Kids Fun Run when the time rolled around.

Dan and Jackie Evans, Biggest Loser season 5, were the event hosts and made everyone feel welcome. I heard them introduce Jenn Widder, also from season 5 and she discussed having a baby and weight loss after pregnancy. It sounds like she’s doing great!

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At the 8am, when the race was supposed to begin, many people were still getting their packets; in fact, the race start was pushed back 15 minutes to allow everyone to start at the same time. While I appreciate the sentiment of that, it was C-O-L-D and I was looking forward to moving.

Thankfully I had the company of Kim from Barking Mad About Running and her friend, Shannon, and that made the time pass more quickly! I’m so grateful that I was able to hook up with them at the start line – we stayed together throughout the race.

There were no official corrals. They asked that runners line up in the front, run/walkers in the middle, and walkers toward the back. It wasn’t an exact science but for the size of the race, it worked out well.

Huddle together for warmth!

Huddle together for warmth!

Dan, (whom you might remember is a musician) sang the Star Spangled Banner and then we were off!

Jackie and Pam Geil, Biggest Loser season 14, sent us on our way with high fives and cheers. I believe that Jay Jacobs was also there, but I missed seeing him because he was running the 5k. Good on ya, Jay!

Pam and Jackie were so motivational!

Pam and Jackie were so motivational!

My husband said that once everyone started the race, there were maybe 25 people hanging around, waiting for us to work our way through the park. Which just goes to show that people were doing this run/walk for themselves, which is always a wonderful thing to see.

The course wound its way through the Great Adventure parking lot and then into the park. A little less than a mile in, we found ourselves at a trail portion, which lead us past a lake and into the surrounding wooded area before wrapping us back around into the park and out to the village once more. The 10k race was a double loop of the 5k.

via the Biggest Loser Run Walk site

via the Biggest Loser Run Walk site

I have to admit that I didn’t really know too much about the course going into the race. I’d look at the map a day or two before, but other than seeing the names of a few of the coasters, I didn’t realize we’d be going off-road at all. Add the leaves and mud puddles (thanks to the rain) to the mix and it was definitely a slippery situation.

We started off running through the parking lot, chatting along the way. I grew up going to Great Adventure, but it’s bigger and even more coaster filled now!

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We entered the park near the carnival games and it was still “dressed up” for Halloween, complete with a fountain that sprayed RED water. Spooky!

The first mile past quickly and soon we were on the trail portion. It was gorgeous scenery and I was pleasantly surprised; this was not what I expected at all.

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At mile two there was a water and Gatorade station, along with a few HUGE muddy puddles. We squished a bit on the mud but I managed to stay upright there. I marveled over that fact… obviously that was a wee bit premature.

We were near the mile 5 marker (for the double loop). I’m not even sure what happened, exactly. All I know is that one minute, I was running and the next, my ankle was twisting and I was on the ground! I’m so glad that I didn’t take anyone else down with me because I came down HARD. It wasn’t a little fall. It was a heavy impact fall. There was no stopping or bracing myself. Timber!

I’m incredibly grateful for the woman who stopped to give me a hand up and for Kim and Shannon who walked with me until I reached the point where I felt comfortable running again. What I really loved about this race was the fellowship I felt with everyone else out there. People were friendly and supportive throughout the race. Like I said, it wasn’t a spectator type of event and everyone was doing this for themselves, but there was a family atmosphere from start to finish.

It would have probably been prettier had my ankle not been throbbing...

It would have probably been prettier had my ankle not been throbbing…

Now, I must admit, I went through a couple of trains of thought while I was evaluating my level of ability to continue the onto the 10k.

1. Got up, immediately knew I had messed up my ankle and possibly bruised my leg. Crap, I’ll just finish with the 5k. Thank goodness it’s a double loop.

2. No. No! I can run. I could TOTALLY do the 10k. “I’m doing the 10k!”

3. Just kidding. This really hurts. I need ice. Plus, I’ve run 3.1 miles today and I’ve got more races coming up. I’m finishing at the 5k.

A pic with my heroes!

A pic with my heroes!

After seeing monkeys in the safari area, we crossed the finish line. Pam welcomed everyone back with high fives and great spirit! That lady has spunk! Directly past the finish line we were handed our medals and there were tables set up with water, bagels and bananas for each person to grab.

I immediately sought out the medical tent to get ice. While doing that, I somehow lost Kim and Shannon but I know that I’ll being seeing them at races again in the future.

At the finish line, Dan was jamming out on his guitar and it was great to be able to relax and enjoy the music for a few moments.

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Once I was all patched up (at least for the moment) I wandered around with Pooks and Dude because we had some time in between the my finish and the start for the Kids Run. At the Solutions tent I was able to meet Christina, who I’d been emailing with in regards to the event, and she was absolutely lovely! It’s always great to put a face to a name.

I also found Jackie and chatted with her for a couple of minutes about the chilly weather, the race series, and about how awesome our sons are. Of course, we needed to get a group shot. Dan was a bit busy but we made it work.

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Pooks was a bit nervous leading up to the event but the day of, he was ready to go! At 9:45 the Kids Race was underway. The kids lined up at the start and took off. No timing chips, this was strictly FUN!

He's off!

He’s off!

Originally we had planned for him to shed the outer layer but with the weather being so chilly, he decided to channel his inner Rocky and kept the gray theme going. My husband went about a tenth of a mile onto the course to cheer for him as he ran out and back.

The kids ran the opposite direction on the course so they were able to see the monkeys too!

And then, just like that, they were on their way back to the finish. Pooks hadn’t done a mile in awhile so he was happy to get out there and stretch his legs, especially after being sick all last week.

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I was really grateful to be able to do this particular event with Pooks. We watch the Biggest Loser together and were so excited for the past month, leading up to the big day. While I wish we had warmer weather, and I certainly would have liked to have not fallen, I’m so glad that we got to experience this together!

Something that this race series does is provide FREE race pictures to participants. Um, how cool is that? They should be up on the website in a few days and I can’t wait to see them.

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Have you ever participated in the Biggest Loser Run Walk Event? Which one? And have you ever fallen or injured yourself during a race? Thankfully, my ankle is feeling a lot better now! Thank you for the well-wishes via social media! xo

The Biggest Loser Run Walk Race Series compensated entry for both my son and myself. No other compensation was given. All opinions and any spectacular falls are my own.

 

All I do is WIN – WIN Detergent review and giveaway

Dear Workout Clothes,

No offense but you stink.

No Love,

Meridith

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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!

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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!

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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!

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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.