Running Gear & Goodies


Here is a handy list of all of the gear and products I am currently using.  I will be working over the next few weeks to write individual reviews on the new shoes, gear, and nutritional goodies and will include links as I write them.  In the meantime here is a list with a short summary of how I feel about the product.
(Disclaimer: Products were purchased with my own money and I am not obligated to give a good review, all opinions are my own)

Shoes:

Altra Intuition 1

Saucony Kinvara 4

Saucony Ride 6

Saucony Xodus 3

Socks:

PRO Compression Marathon Socks: The only complaint I have about these socks is that they are a bit big even though I ordered the recommended size.  As far as performance and quality they seem to be holding up well and I would order them again...just in a size smaller then suggested since I like a little more compression during runs and recovery.

Clothes:

Under Armour Heat Gear Ribbed Tank: Just a basic tank top that I wear alone or as a base layer under a tech tee/long sleeve shirt.  However unlike most running shirts, this tank is long enough for me to feel comfortable in.

Brooks PR Mesh Skort: The best skort I have found so far.  The compression shorts underneath are long enough and have what appears to be "rubber" band around the bottom to prevent them from riding up.  The skirt itself is longer then most running skirts I had tried so I felt "covered".  There is a small pocket on the compression shorts and a secure zipper pocket on the back of the waste band.  My only complaint is that I wish they had a drawstring in the waist band because after several months of consistent wear and a bit of weight loss anytime the skort seemed to fall down.

Brooks Infiniti Short Tights: These are great shorts, they have a drawstring unlike the Skort which makes them pretty close to perfect since they also have the "rubber" band around the bottom to prevent the legs from moving.

Oiselle Roga Shorts: I wanted to love these shorts, I mean it seemed everyone else that tried them did, and the company is pretty amazing and so supportive of women runners.  However, even after ordering a size larger then what I normally wear, they were still on the smaller side and rode up when I was running.  They are super cute and the fabric is very comfy but just not my thing and I wear them more to lounge in then run in.  Eventually I may try an even bigger size or the Oiselle Distance shorts.

SmartWool PhD HyFi Pants: These are my latest purchase and a serious splurge.  I have worn them only twice at the time of this review so I will be sure to update.  They were both warm and breathable during the 2 runs (26 degrees/8 miles and 32 degrees/6 miles).  I was a little worried they would chaff  because the inside felt a bit "scratchy" but I didn't have any issues and they seem to get softer with each wash/wear. They do not have a drawstring waistband so I am a bit worried they will start to sag like my Brooks Skorts but maybe not.  My favorite part of the pants is the drawstring near the ankles to "seal" the bottom and keep th heat inside...Instant genie pants!

SmartWool Arm Sleeves: These have been one of the best additions to my collection because they are truly all weather arm sleeves. I have worn them in the summer to help wick mositure away to prevent getting the chills.  In the fall they keep me warm enough without having to break out winter gear and in the winter they are a thin but warm layer.

Misc C9 Running Apparel from Target: I have several pieces of apparel from Target's C9 collection.  It is what it is as far as running apparel, I have never had a problem with the quality of the tech tees, sports bras or shorts. The tights however I am not yet convinced they will make it for more then one season since they do not really hold shape after just a few runs.

GOODS Detroit: They have become my local go to spot for cute after race wear including my new "Run Michigan" Hoodie in Navy & Orange!  They have a bunch of cute MI tees as well since not everyone wears a hoodie in August after a run.

Accessories:

Victory Sportdesign Bear II Ultra Bag: Ok this bag is all sorts of AWESOME! I had heard about the bag on UltraRunner Podcast and finally checked it out.  I would recommend this bag to any runner that wants to keep his/her running stuff organized.  The interior pockets and the clear sleeves give me plenty of places to store headlamps, pepper spray, my reflective vest, fuel, extra batteries, a pharmacy of over the counter meds like Benadryl, Tylenol, Tums and Cortizone Cream, KT tape, headbands, arm sleeves, gloves and anything thing else I "may" need.  I can see why this has become a popular drop bag for ultrarunners because it is easy to find anything you need quickly and be in/out of an aid station.

Jenny Collection Ultra Vesta - Ultimate Direction

Amphipod RunLite 4 Hydration Belt: along with the Snappod add on.  I like that the bottles are movable and removable, they can also be turned sideways.  The pouch is big enough to carry my iPhone (in an otterbox case) and there is a small mesh pocket to hold my car key.  In the summer I used 2-4 bottles depending on the length or the run and now only have the pouch on since I do not drink as much in the winter time.  When all 4 bottles are on the belt and full there is a small bit of bounce but nothing that was to distracting.  By the end of the longer runs when the bottles were empty it was significantly less.  I did sew some reflective ribbon on the non-stretchy part for night running and it hasn't effected performance at all.

Amphipod Hydraform Handheld LITE w/ Pocket

Camelbak

Simple Hydration Bottle

Black Diamond Headlamp

Yurbuds Inspire: Great earbuds that are specific to you/your size. These are the only ear buds that I can use and do not fall out.   Before finding these I was wearing some old school headphones from the 90's!  The other thing I really like is that they allow for surrounding noise which is essential for running outside.

Endorphin Warrior

Road ID

Alex and Ani

Believe I Am Training Journal

Nutritional Goodies:

Picky Bars: Dairy Free & Gluten Free but totally delicious! These are our new go to "bars".  I have found that they are perfect for before, during or after a run, the fact that they were invented by some amazing athletes you may have heard of like Lauren Fleshman, Jesse Thomas & Steph Rothstein may have something to do with how well they help performance and curb hunger.  We had been ordering them from REI but recently joined the Picky Club which is an auto shipment of 18 bars since the kids and I all eat them it's just best to keep them in the house.

Tailwind Nutrition

Island Boost: Not really a gu or a gel, more like a liquid but acts as a great replacement and super easy on my stomach.  The best part is that you do not need to take it with water like many other gus/gels which always left me feeling a bit "bloated".  I prefer them ice cold or slushie consistency, I feel that is when the flavors taste their best, however they are not that bad hot when they have been in a shorts pocket for 10 miles. 

Honeystinger Chews

Justin's Nut Butter

My favorite "sports" beverage: Currently I really enjoy the taste of Nuun products.  I normally will rehydrate with Nuun after running, unless I am heading out for 8+ miles then I carry some with me.  Current favorite flavors are the Tropical or Lemon Tea/Lemonade combo during the day.  The kids prefer tropical or grape when they get to have some too.

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