3 Reviews: Training, GU and tights...

I know this post is a tad bit late, but here it is anyway...

Last week my training plan required me to do a sprint session consisting of 1200m, 1000m, 800m, 600m and 400m, with 200m rest intervals. Sadly i did not complete this session. I did, however, get in a 7km run, an 11km tempo run, a spin class and an 18km LSD run. The spin class was a killer but I loved it.

After my 18km run

This week, week four or marathon training, will be a little interrupted with a 4 day trip away, but as long as I can get in my 3 run sessions I will be a happy camper.

I need to complete a speed session of 5 x 1k repeats, a 9k tempo run and a long run of 17km... Not too bad. So far I have done none of them but I will head out for my speed repeats this evening.

New things review...

Last week I tried two new things...
1. TIGHTS!! I have always been a shorts girl, never tights. I think I have never liked the look of my thunder thighs in tights, thus have worn looser fitting shorts. But it was time to get over that...

Being winter and all, I have begun to suffer from 'cold burn thigh syndrome'. Ok, so I totally made that up, but it's when it's so cold out your thighs go red and get that cold burn feeling on the outside. So I thought I would try tights.

I had some rebel sports vouchers and they had a HUGE sale so it only made sense. I got these NIKE ones:

Here they are in this pic and the pic above (although a little hard to see). They are great. Plain black with two pockets, aka saddle bags (can you see the slight bulge on my left leg - that's GU, I promise, or is it cellulite??). One with a zip and a waterproof layer of fabric which I put my phone in. The other a nice deep one for some gels or your teddy bear, or whatever fun things you take with you on a run.

I think I have been converted to tights - there was no cold burn thigh syndrome going on wearing those bad boys. I still love my shorts but the tights really are great for the cooler weather and those early morning runs.

2. GU chomps

Blueberry and pomegranate flavour... YUM!

I had never tried these before, I have always used drinks such as powerade or gels to fuel my long runs. I know I am only in the shorter distances of long runs at the moment but I wanted to try some different types of fuels early and see which one I want to use for my marathon in November.

What I loved about the GU chomps...

• They are delicious - like a lolly (candy) with electrolytes and vitamins
• They are easier to carry than gels or drinks
• They are not sticky and hard to consume like a gel

The downsides:

• The GU chomps don't contain caffeine (well some do but not the range they have at rebels, or the ones I tried).
• They are a lot more expensive than gels and drinks

You also still need to wash them down with water as they are very sweet and will dry out your mouth if you don't.
All in all though I loved them and will consider them for my fuel for the upcoming marathon.
View more products by GU here.

How was your week of training?

Are you a shorts or tights person? 

What fuel do you use for your long runs? Any recommendations?

Shock Absorber Bra Review....

I mentioned on here a little while ago that I had won a Shock Absorber Bra thanks to this fantastic shop, and I just recently got it. I have worn it three times for runs already this week and I LOVE it! I can't believe there is a sports bra out there this good and I only just found out about it!

This is the bra I have, the N109

Since having my bubba, who is now 15 weeks old, my breasts have gotten 3 cup sizes bigger... I know right! WHAT!?! So when I got back into running I was wearing two bras, and even wondering if I needed a third sometimes. Then I got this and just in the one bra, NOTHING MOVES!! And even better, it doesn't squash everything down to make you look like a boy, you still have boobs AND they don't move.

This particular bra that I have got from this brand is their maximum support bra, so great for running and high impact sports. I also wear it for hockey.

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I have had a few big-breasted friends say to me that they can't run because of their boobs... Well ladies, let me introduce you to SHOCK ABSORBER. Now there are no more excuses... Unless both of your legs fall off.

Here are the pros and cons of the bra in bullet points, because I am nerdy like that:


Pros:

• It has super soft and wide padded straps, as well as a padded area where the clasps are so no rubbing or chaffing on your back. 
• It has a good firm band so you won't get any under boob slippage 
• It comes up high enough so your boobs don't bounce out the top.
• It comes in black, white and beige
• It's made from high performance, moisture wicking and breathable fabric
• It has maximum 3 dimensional support
• It's good for boobs of ALL sizes - sizes go right up to 18G
• There's no underwire to give you chaffing

Cons:

• I just actually can't think of any... Apart from that because of the thicker straps I wouldn't wear it under a racer back style singlet, but I don't wear those for running anyway so there you go!

This brand of bra is perhaps a bit of a higher price range than what you may normally spend (it is for me anyway), but it is totally worth it, trust me! A good sports bra and good running shoes are things you do NOT want to skimp on, especially if you run a lot or play a high impact sport.

You can go to Shock Absorber's site here or Ruun's site here to find out more about the Shock Absorber bras and have a look at their product range. And please ladies, look after your boobs and get yo self a SHOCK ABSORBER! That is unless you want to be able to tuck your boobs into your socks by the time you are 60... That is all :)

P.S. All opinions and comments on this product here are purely my own thoughts and views.

Essentials for Running Part Two...

About a year ago I did this post about running essentials and now I have part two.As a runner there are certain things that are really important to have, I believe, to get the most out of your running and for it to be more enjoyable. And now, after becoming a mother and having a few changes in my body, my essentials have somewhat changed. So here's my new list of what I think are essentials for running and they are applicable for anyone, not just Mums:

1. A really good sports bra... Some bras are just for sports, some are just for the bedroom and some are just for women (or men) over 70...

This bra is for the bedroom... Not running!
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If you are boobalicious like I am now, thanks to being a Mumma, you need a really good sports bra (or two or three all worn at once) so you are not running with your boobs around your knees... Not a good look and not very comfortable. Thanks to the wonderful people at Ruun for giving me this fantastic Shock Absorber bra, I will no longer have to tuck my boobs into my waistband whilst running. 

No, that's not me but she's pretty much my twin...

2. Always good sports shoes. This goes without saying. These shoes are for fun, not running (unless you are Cinderella running from the ball):

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I love me a good asics shoe but you need to know what works for you. Do some research about under and over pronation and find out whether you need stability shoes, cushioned shoes or whatever... Or go to a specialist and get your feet fitted for the perfect shoe. Multo importante!

3. A good training plan... You can't expect to just get out for a few casual runs and then do a marathon after... But if you can, stop reading this blog, you make me sick! You need something to follow, a plan suited to your needs and abilities. I love the 'Run Less Run Faster' training plans which you can read all about here. It is low mileage but that's what I love about it. Each to their own.

4. Look good, Feel good. This is my motto with everything and it also goes for exercising. If you wear frumpy clothes, you're going to feel like a frump, it's as simple as that.

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Labelled clothes, such as Nike and Adidas can be expensive, but save up to get yourself even just one nice outfit and you will feel the whole package. Cheaper versions of the clothes without the labels can look just as good and be half the price also, as well as doing what they are made to do. 

5. Because I am a bit of a control freak - as in can't just walk out the door and go for a run - I need my watch with me so I know how fast I am running, how long I have been running, got to go, etc. If I don't know these things I go cray cray.

If you are a pimp you would probably wear a watch like this, however I am a very respectable person so I wear this... 

My shuffle and my watch - can't wait for that GPS watch thanks Tim :)

I do not have a GPS watch (yet - hint Tim), but still find that my digital watch with lap timer works just as well. I also use Map My Run to measure the distance of my runs, then I can get a good idea of my time per kms. Sometimes I take my Smart Phone (that I am too stupid to use) with me. I have Map my Run on there so it acts as a GPS but can be rather slow sometimes.

6. If you don't so much like running with your own thoughts, music can be a great way to get yourself away from yourself, if you get what I mean. In West Philadelphia (born and raised... you know the rest) back in the day, all the cool kids were doing this...

However, this is somewhat totes inappropes for running (unless you are going for some resistance training), thus I. LOVE. MY. IPOD. SHUFFLE! It's small, clips discreetly onto my waist band and it holds more than enough music for even the long runs, as well as has a good battery life. And I don't have to listen to my own thoughts for a while - they can sometimes be dangerous.

7. Now that I have a baby the buggy was the biggest deal for me. It was the one thing I was super fussy about and had to have a good one to run with. Although I really wanted this buggy:

It's called the 'Sub-4 jogging stroller' - It would totally get me my sub 4 marathon!

It costs more than an arm and a leg - maybe my torso as well - so we opted for one that is just as running friendly, looks good and had pretty much all the things we wanted in a buggy (and was a bit more affordable).

Not to mention, Fletcher loves it too. I don't plan on doing my long runs with him so I don't really need the sub-4, although if you are reading this and want to buy it for us we would graciously accept your generosity and kindness :)
And what good is a buggy without a baby...

My gorgeous, happy wee boy x

 What are your running essentials? 

Are any of these things not on your list of essentials?

Packing and remembering...

Getting all excited for the up-and-coming race and it is my first 'big travel' race... Woop!

Today we are heading down to Rotorua, about a 5 hour drive, and run is on Saturday. Packing was successful last night - never want to forget anything important for a big race so had everything I need (and plenty more) laid out on the bed for double and triple checking (plus plenty more things not included in this photo).

Running essentials - including double ups - can never be too careful.

But before all of the race buzz begins, today my day started with the alarm sounding at 5am to get up and get to the ANZAC dawn parade. Time to remember the real heroes of our country and history before heading off on a big trip. Also time to remember the sacrifice Jesus made for us, just like all those very brave soldiers 97 years ago.

Field of remembrance

Me in the field - looking rather tired, yes, but alas... I was!

So now that I have begun my day I will quadruple check that I have all I need for Saturday's race, get in a hearty breakfast and then off we embark on a fun little road trip.

Marathon countdown: 3 more sleeps... Eek!

I put my new shoes on and suddenly everything's right!

NEW SHOES RULE!!! Soooo... Thanks to this awesome website I got myself some stylin' new pumped up kicks... YEOW!

As you can tell I rather enjoy a new pair of shoes. It's the simple things in life I tell ya. However, whoever said running is free obviously was a barefoot runner (and perhaps even a naked runner?!). Shoes are not cheap and when you are clocking up some serious (or not so serious) mileage you really do need to have a good pair, which means replacing them a bit more regularly than your wallet would probably like to. Thus the reason I love these new shoes so much - I had to save for them!

This is also the reason I love the aforementioned site - I got my shoes for approx $96 cheaper than they are here in stores.. But wait, there's more - they also included FREE postage - that's right - FREEEEEEEEE!! They did take 3 weeks to get here but if you want them earlier you can just pay a few extra bucks (or live in the UK where they come from), and Bob's your Uncle (or Aunty in some cases - awkward!).

I know you are dying to see them so here you are:

Thanks Asics for my super new GT-2170 running shoes. They are a dream. And sooo bright white they're like a black man's teeth (even on my pasty white legs which makes them look tanned!).

I thought my old running shoes weren't doing to badly, but when you look at this comparison you will see why I was in need of a new pair...

Yeesh! Talk about run down on The Run Down! It's recommended that you change your shoes every 800 kms and I may or may not have done slightly over that number... You decide :)

This brings me to my next part:

Wearing in new running shoes...

As I had to save for these shoes (and because I was stingy and opted for the free delivery) I ordered them a little later than I was hoping and they only just got here last week. I was hoping that I could chuck them on and they would feel like they were made for me and I would be able to run a million miles in them, however this is not the case.

Rule Number One in running: Shoes DO NEED TO BE WORN IN before a big event. You cannot and should not expect to be able to just throw on a new pair of shoes the morning of a race and be fine. Some shoes might give you blisters your first one, two, or three wears, they may rub in funny places, they may be too tight or you may need to adjust certain things.

My new shoes have not given me any blisters on the few runs I have worn them on, however they do cause my toes - particularly on my left foot which is my 'big' foot - to go numb and tingly. NOT what you want in a race! When they have stretched a bit more they will be perfect, but until then I can't go taking any risks in this weekend's marathon.

So me old faithfuls will have to do the trick! We've had some good times and this last run will just top it all off (cue tacky romance music from a Zac Effron love movie). And then what will be the fate of me old faithfuls you ask? They become my fishing shoes! Yes - that's right, they are great for getting around rocks in and walking along the beach. They might even get a bit of the old backyard action... Gardening, lawn mowing or just some casual slouching around - you name it, they're good for it!

What do you do with your old running shoes? And what is your favourite pair of kicks to pound the pavement in??

Happy running readers.

Marathon countdown: 5 sleeps to go!