Road ID – wrist ID pin-tuck style

Disclaimer: I received an Road ID wrist ID 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!

I have been wearing a Road ID since 2013, less than a year after I started running I made sure to purchase one. At the time I did not see too many runners wearing them but I wanted to be safe since I was running a lot on my own at dark o clock before work. I remember the first event I wore my Road ID ironically enough I did not even run it, I walked a Mercedes Benz Corporate Run 5k.

Since purchasing my first Road Id back in 2013, I purchased another one in 2014 to update the emergency call numbers and get an updated color. My original band was the silicone stretch band and I got it in black, when I updated I got it in a teal color and continued wearing that one (nonstop) till I received this new style. Another way to add a little flare to your wrist ID is to add a badge, they have a bunch of kinds and metal colors. You can see my previous band had a saturn badge, that is not currently available but maybe in the future they will bring it back and in a rose gold. Crossing my fingers, for that one 🙂

I wanted to branch out with my new Road ID and try out a different style so I selected a 13mm rose gold pin tuck wrist ID band. Usually I am not a gold wearing lady but I have lately been intrigued by the rose gold color so I went with it instead of my usual silver colored metals (or slate according to road ID). Right out of the box I could tell this band was more grown up and professional than the regular silicone band I had been previously using. It looks classy and is functional, I like my running gear to have both of those qualities! I was also looking at the leather buckle band but for ethical reasons (vegetarian/vegan) I passed but it did look nice, if there would be a faux leather band I may have selected that one.

I’m sure most users of Road ID just put it on when they are going for a run/ride but I wear mine all the time. I don’t want to forget to put it on plus something could happen anywhere, not just while I am running and I want the emergency personnel to know my info in case there is no one around that knows my name or info. I can imagine going to a grocery store and something bizarre happening and passing out and at least the workers/emts can contact someone from the two numbers listed while I am in an ambulance.

This is one piece of running gear that is a necessity in my opinion, especially while running on the road in crazy distracted driver territory, which is all of Miami! I know that some people may carry there license while running but I do not find it necessary as long as I am wearing my road ID. I haven’t ever had any issues of weakening silicone or turning of colors on the information plate of these either so they are super durable. I wear mine in pools and showers and is still looks new. After all this time of wearing it nonstop it has only came off once while I was sleeping since it is a pin tuck latch.

ROAD ID

Also while checking out at RoadID.com you have the option of making a donation to the 4 Paws for Ability charity which provides service dogs to children in need. How awesome is that? Donating to a great cause while getting a wrist ID to keep yourself safe while out.

Comment below with other ways you stay safe on the run and I will randomly select a comment and provide a $10 off code for one lucky reader to get their own Road ID!

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Orange Mud Transition & seat wrap -Version 2.0 – no more sweaty seats – a review

Disclaimer: I received an Orange Mud Transition seat wrap towel 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!

I don’t know about you but when I run long distances in training or short distance races I get very sweaty, this is Miami so pretty much everyone gets sweaty. Well, except for Phoebe who is cooled down in her running stroller while I do all the hard work of pushing her along for the race usually. So for almost as long as I have been running, I have kept a bath towel in my car for the post race/run drive home but now there is a product that is multi-use, the Orange Mud Transition Seat wrap towel. The problem that I always encounter with a regular bath towel over the seat is that it falls down constantly not protecting the back of your seat so you are constantly adjusting it while driving. This towel does not have this issue at all because it has a zippered headrest part that fits securely around the headrest to prevent all the slipping that normal towels will do. There are 10 colors to choose from, I choose red because it matched the exterior of my car but considered the black one as well since it would match my inte

I have been wanting to try out some Orange Mud products for awhile but just had not decided on which one to try, but this one is perfect for me and I can keep it in the back of my vehicle all the time (after being washed, of course). The other day we found another use for it when my toddler, Phoebe requested a blanket to keep warm while in her car seat, I threw her over the Orange Mud towel and she cuddled up in it. First way I used my new towel/seat wrap was after volunteering for a local 5k/10k I placed it on my car for the 40 minute drive home. That was a typical humid Miami race but with some sprinkles at the beginning, it was my first time volunteering at a race and it was a lot of fun, will definitely be doing it again in the near future!

This weekend I did a short but very rainy at the start and humid 5k and the towel was much needed for the drive home. I even was able to change my soaked in sweat & rain shorts from under it in a parking lot before driving home (sorry, no pics of this!). So not only does it save your seat from your sweaty (butt) body but you can change underneath it discreetly without any issues. I haven’t attempted to change tops under it but I do not anticipate that there will be any issues with that either. It is definitely something you want to keep in your race day bag!

I think this seat wrap towel would be good for anyone really because you never know when you will need to protect your car seats or change quickly in a parking lot/in your car. From talking to running friends, they have sworn by this towel for years, I didn’t even know that it existed or I would’ve gotten one years ago when I first started running. Luckily I got a new car a year ago and haven’t sweated in these seats too much. Would’ve been very beneficial earlier this year when I was training the group in 5k distance and would have to drive home still a bit sweaty afterwards. But now I do not have to worry about that and am going to get another one for when my boyfriend runs races with me.

What’s even better is that I have a code for you to use to get 15% off of this towel or any Orange Mud product on their website: “OMTRX” Transition Seat Wrap Towel

Keep your car seats sweat free and change clothing ANYWHERE!

Want more info and to chat with other bibravepros? Joins us on twitter for Bibchat next Tuesday at 9pm est and use hashtag #bibchat

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Rockay Socks : A comfy review

I was contacted a little over a month ago by Rockay to review their socks in exchange for my honest opinion and here it is. I checked out the website and liked what I read, about how they are recycling plastics found in the ocean and turning it into fabric that they are using in making these socks. They are 66% Polyamide, 30% Organic Merino Wool, and 4% Elastane. Eventually they want to create a sock totally out of recycled plastics, I love this! I was a little unsure of the wool, thinking that it would be so heavy and make my feet sweat a lot but the coolest thing is that it does not and manages my foot sweat like a beast and keeps my feet dry and comfortable. And lately that is not happening with the other running socks, I have been choosing this pair more often than the others because after I finish running in these my feet are not squishing in my shoes and soggy.

The other day I did an accidental 10 miler on the streets when I was really thinking it would be an easy 5 mile day in search of a sports bottle I lost somewhere along the way. I did not realize till the end that my foot was still dry, despite all the miles and humidity in the air (I live in Miami, FL). It’s always a good thing to not have to peel off a sweaty sock from your foot at the end of a run. These socks are also cushioned which scared me a bit at first, I usually go for the non cushioned and super thin type socks for running because I always felt that the extra cushion would be too heavy and create a lot of sweat, not the case with these socks at all. I am considering doing all my long runs in these and running my next marathon in them, or maybe I need to get another pair soon 😉

They are a sock company created by runners for runners! I like the idea that the people creating a running sock for me is actually testing it out on runs and not just sitting in a room designing something they have no idea about. I am currently on a spending fast but as soon as that is over, I will be purchasing all the colors of these socks! I highly recommend these and will be purchasing more in the near future 🙂 They have a lifetime guarantee and seem to work in any weather situation, can’t say about cold weather just yet but in a few months I will be able to report back on that hopefully.

Check them out : Rockay

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UnderArmour HOVR Sonic NC

“Disclaimer: I received a pair of UnderArmour HOVR Sonics NC shoes 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!”

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So first thing is first, I really did not expect to ever own a pair of white running shoes but here we are and they are very white! The color aside I was not sure how I would like them. It did take a few runs before they felt broken in for me, which wasn’t too bad but I have been spoiled by some other running shoes that felt broken in out of the box. I think also it might have been my feet had to get used to the higher drop on these shoes. I am used to a 4 mm drop and these are 8 mm drop but after a couple of runs in these I didn’t even notice it.

These shoes are made with a lightweight fabric upper and lots of ventilation holes on the sides so they are perfect for warm climates like Miami. I have never felt my feet heating up in these shoes like other running shoes I sometimes wear. I do not like feeling sweat in the bottom of my shoes after a long humid run, worst feeling and good way to get some feet blisters, something I have definitely never encountered while wearing these shoes!

Responsive ride and neutral shoe so perfect for those who do not over pronate and are looking for something with some bounce but still want a firm running shoe. I will admit they felt heavy the first few runs in them, but that may have also been that sometimes I wear them for my 2nd run of the day and at that point my legs are pretty tired from early morning runs and working all day.

I would have brought them on my recent vacation but decided against in so that I could keep them white as long as possible. When running in Aruba white does not stay white for more than a few seconds, half of the roads I ran on were dirt so basically trail running most of the time. Dust is everywhere so I didn’t bring them with me but I did miss them which surprised me a bit.

At this point I have put in between 50-100 miles in these shoes and they are still remarkably clean but maybe that’s because I tend to not wear them on rainy days. Either way these shoes really have changed my mind about UnderArmour running shoes. So if you are looking for a quality running shoe with a low break in period of time, snatch these up.

Also there is a connect version of this shoe, which basically means you can track your steps, pace, stride length, distance and cadence with the connect version using the map my run app. Pretty cool and that version of the shoe only costs $10 more dollars if you are into all the tech and like to run watch less but want to know all the stats.

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Shady Rays – Running sunglasses review

Disclaimer: I received an pair of Shady Rays 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!

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Let me start out by saying I had never heard of this brand before but I will definitely be keeping an eye on them since trying out these sunglasses. In the recent maybe 6 months to a year I have started wearing sunglasses while running on super sunny afternoon runs or when its very humid and the gnats are out. I remember reading once in Kara Goucher ‘s Running for Women book how she mentions to run wearing sunglasses to protect your eyes and prevent some of those eye wrinkles. I never really thought about it till recently and hardly have worn sunglasses while running before but then again I used to be an early morning runner, still am but nowadays on a treadmill so I didn’t really require sunglasses for too many runs. Now though I do a lot of running after work and its blazing hot and super sunny so it’s pretty much a requirement.

I picked a pair of the signature series called blackout polarized, figure I could use them for everyday sunglasses as well as running sunglasses. In fact as soon as I got them in the mail I immediately opened the box and wore them out driving my daughter to swim class. Later that day I got to test them on a run, now Miami running definitely requires a sunglasses that does not steam up because we run in extremely humid and hot conditions probably 10 months out of the year. These were perfect for humid running, no fogging up or bouncing/sliding while running. I have yet to be able to try them out in a race condition but I could see them doing really well with faster running paces, and I will get to try them out in a few weeks for that.

On the website it says: Our shades feature shatter-resistant (this is awesome for runners with small children who like to throw sunglasses on the ground often!), high-visibility Polarized lenses with durable construction that we stand behind with a Lifetime Craftsmanship Warranty and Free Replacements if Lost or Broken. So they will actually replace your lost or broken sunglasses for free, only pay for the shipping charge! That is not even the coolest thing about this company. With each purchase you provide 11 meals through Feeding America to fight hunger in America! Now that is amazing!

I got a chance to wear them for at least 100 miles of running at this point and they do not disappoint me one bit. As a bonus they work very well in keeping gnats out of your eyeballs during the humid after the rain runs as well, because no one wants to stop 30x to pick out the gnats during a run 🙂

Interested in trying these beauties out, use the code BIBRAVE for 50% off your order of 2 pair of Shady Rays, basically thats a BOGO (buy one get one free) kind of deal! I’m thinking about getting another pair myself, trying to decide which frame/lense combo I should get, they have a fun wooden looking design now too!

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Coros Pace : multi-sport gps watch review

“Disclaimer: I received a Coros Pace multi sport watch 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!”

Let me start by saying I used to just rely on an app on my phone while running to track my time/pace/distance until about 3 years ago after I had my daughter, then I got a well known but slightly outdated gps watch and started using it. Probably not a great idea to get a watch after coming back from 6 weeks off and on the track of losing baby weight. But at the time I just hit start and would run, I never even figured or learned about all the features until years later. Then I got my Coros pace watch and wow, what an amazing watch, it does so many things that amaze me. I know I am behind in the gps watch world but this watch is a smart gps watch, I can even see texts, fb messenger messages and the weather on this thing! Your workouts all sync immediately to your phone so no waiting to see your pace splits or average/max heart rate info after you finish, super fast compared to other gps watches out there.

When I received this watch I was expecting to get in more pool time and start swimming and aqua jogging but so far only got in one short swim while wearing it. I will say I was a little paranoid about putting it under water but then got over it quickly and it works great. I need to learn more swimming moves, maybe Phoebe will teach me since she’s in swimming class now when she advances more and maybe my parent’s pool will be fixed before summer is over to get in more swim time with this watch. But that is not the feature that I was really looking forward to.

I wanted to try this watch mainly because of its wrist based optical heart rate monitor, I have been reading a lot about low heart rate running lately and wanted to see where I was with that. Surprisingly I have found while using this watch that my heart rate is pretty low while even going at moderate pace and even during a 5k where I was pushing the stroller I did not go over 185. The only thing that kind of annoyed me was that during the final half mile of the 5k my heart rate monitor showed extremely low heart rate, which was not possible for my fast pace at the moment. It was due to the huge amount of sweat on my wrist at the moment during the race, after I dried it off a little bit it started to work properly again but it was a bit annoying in the middle of the race to get low readings. So I will say in sweaty swampy conditions the heart rate monitor sensor may be too saturated with sweat to give a proper reading. Although it does seem harder for me to say within the aerobic threshold zone while pushing the stroller for longer distances, especially on humid days (which is pretty much all the time here!). It is super cool to know these stats and work on staying within a certain heart rate zone and there is an option to put an alert so that I know where I am within the zone every few minutes while on the run. I took off the alert for my treadmill runs recently but still have it alerting me while I run on the roads.

Also very cool feature is basically alerting me to everything that my phone sends alerts for: texts, facebook messages, weather alerts, slack messages, whatsapp messages. And the range between where my phone is and my watch goes pretty far so I can use the bathroom at work and get alerts when I don’t even have my phone with me! I can even ignore a call that is coming in to my phone from a click of a button on the watch.

Recently at a party all my friends were checking their heart rates by strapping on my watch and we were trying to figure out why certain people had such heart rates. So not only for fitness, this watch is a party conversation piece/game, seems the males in the group had higher heart rates than the ladies. Sometimes I just randomly check my heart rate while at work by using this watch.

The data screens can be customized to show heart rate on top with overall moving time on bottom, or pace/time. or distance/pace and you can switch through the screens while on the run too! A neat thing that I have noticed is that when I pause my run, this happens when I run to the park with my daughter to play in the playground I can still monitor my heart rate and see my distance, time moving/time paused info on the watch. I kinda like watching my heart rate slowly return to low after stopping while she plays. Each time you hit your exercise goal for the day it awards you an Exercise Time Goal Achieved badge on the watch and on the phone app you will earn badges for distances achieved for each of the sports (running, swimming, cycling) which is pretty cool. Will be earning all those running badges soon enough as I have a fall marathon to start training for soon!

I haven’t gotten the chance to try the cycling feature on the watch yet, currently debating if I really need a bike or not. Miami is not a safe place to ride bike so I am pretty fearful of riding around here, maybe if I go on vacation I will try out the cycling feature.

This watch is made by a well known cycling helmet company and is well made and comparable to other well known gps watch brands currently on the market. They are still releasing a few firmware updates for the watch so every few weeks there is new features being added to the watch, can’t wait to see what new updates are in store for June. But as of right now, I am in love with this watch and will not be using any other GPS watch to track my running/swimming/cycling progress. I would never wear my other gps watch while not running but this one I almost never take it off. Plus the battery life is amazing so I hardly have to charge it. I have had this watch for about a month and have only charged it 2x since and have used it to run pretty much everyday and sometimes twice a day and I have still never ran the battery lower than 27%. According to the official site the watch battery lasts for 30 days in standard mode or 25 hrs in gps mode so sounds likes it would be perfect for even up to 100 mile runs! Not that I am ready for that just yet but maybe a 50 miler next year?

You can find out more about this watch here.

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Race Recap – Carnaval Miami 5k/10k – February 17, 2013

This was a very last minute idea, I think I probably signed up 2 weeks before this race. According to my half marathon training plan it says I should run at least one 10k. Crazily I’ve signed up for another 10k just before my half, but that’s a whole other story.

Race gear ready, minus one compression long sleeve that I later added.

I knew this would be a nice race because it ended on Virginia Key beach, and that’s always a sweet ending to a race. What I did not know was how the weather would get, I expected a 60-70 degrees as usual for an early morning. It was 40-50 degrees and in Miami that is considered practically snowing weather. I got to the race early so I could pick up my race shirt since I had only collected my race bib when I went to Footworks a few weeks earlier. Luckily I found parking closeby and once I got the shirt I threw it in my car and walked around a bit more. Everyone was trying to stay warm and the wind gusts did not help at all. It was so cold!

Gorgeous Sunrise

even the dj was freezing!

I met up with MariaJose, I had been friends with her on Twitter for a couple of weeks but we hadn’t met yet, so we lined up at the start together while chatting. And we were off, of course I started out way too quickly but slowed down and got into a good 8:30 rhythm. Before I knew it I was at the finish line, although because of some construction on one of the Key Biscayne bridges the distance wasn’t a full 10k, so it became a 6 mile race instead. I walked around after and gathered a banana and some snacks & waited for the results to be posted. I came in 4th place in my age group!! I was so happy, and went quickly to the finish line to wait for MariaJose. She arrived just as the kid’s race was about to begin, so she got to dodge all the kids lining up. It was a nice race, and with some interesting sights on the path. As soon as I left there I went to Jamba Juice, it had been awhile and I was thirsty for some fruits. The cashier was like “oh you are a runner!” all excitedly when she noticed my race bib still pinned on my shirt, that was probably the moment where I felt very very proud to be a runner.

Another silly finish line photo for me.

Jamba Juice post race goodness!

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