Friday Faves

March 21, 20141 Comment

Another month of my favorite things is here! It turns out that most of these are running related this month, but that’s ok. Hopefully you’ll find one of these items to be something you can’t live without, and they’ll be on your favorites list too!

Picky Bars – I finally hopped on the Picky Bars train and I’m so glad I did. I’ve been a long time lover of Clif Bars, but sometimes they don’t agree with my stomach. I tried Picky Bars and have yet to have any issues while running. New long run fuel? I think so.

House of Cards – After hearing all the buzz about House of Cards, we decided to sit down and test out a few episodes. This quickly turned into watching as much as we could in our free time….hello binge Nextflix! I didn’t expect to like House of Cards, but I can’t get enough. I’m also a big fan of the parody, House of Carbs….mmmmm pasta.

Oiselle Lux Side Zip Top – Just as soft as the original Lux long sleeve, the Side Zip is perfect for layering in the cold. I wish I would have gotten this sooner to enjoy the frigid temps!

Oiselle Charcoal Joggings – I’ll admit, I’ve been a big fan of the Asics Thermopolis LT Tights for as long as I could remember. But I’ve worn them a bit thin, and I needed something else to add into rotation. I tried the charcoal joggings and it was love at first run. They’ve been warm enough to deal with our crazy winter and they fit like a glove.

Nuun of the month: Cucumber Mint – Call me crazy, but I love cucumber chunks in my water. So when I tried Nuun’s Cucumber Mint U Natural Hydration, I instantly felt I was sipping water on a hot summer day. It may sound like an odd combination, but it’s so refreshing and may be come my summer drink of choice. U Natural Hydration is all natural flavored with vitamins and essential electrolytes, the perfect drink tablet to keep you going all day long. The U Natural Hydration flavors are often over looked with Nuun, but I have yet to find one that I don’t like.

Well there’s my favorites for this month. I have a feeling that April’s will be extra special….

Friday Faves

February 21, 2014March 18, 20143 Comments

Another month, and another round of my favorite items. Even though I spent most of the time traveling, I actually used almost all of these items while I was on the road, which is why they quickly became favorites!

Oiselle French Fleece Runfinity Scarf- This scarf is beyond warm! Imagine your favorite fleece hoodie wrapped around your neck. Yep, pure comfort! With our negative and single digit temperatures we’ve been having, this scarf became a necessity whenever I went outside.

-FlightView App– My life revolved around this app the last few weeks. The perfect travel companion, FlightApp has become my favorite flight tracker app to use. It actually keeps everything up to date and includes real airport sounds to alert you of your flight status. Clearly, that’s why it’s my favorite.

Available on iTunes

-Duolingo App- I’ve finally started on my German! After testing out many apps, Duolingo quickly became my favorite. Without knowing the basics, I was quickly able to catch on and understand phrases and every day words. With over 51 skills available for each language, Duolingo is definitely helping me learn German at the pace I want without getting completely confused.

Progress

–Oiselle Randies– Fun sayings and bright colors, what more could you want in a pair of underwear? I saw the original Rundies a few years ago, and couldn’t pass up the chance to get the Randies. Underwear or no underwear under your spandex, there is no debate when it comes to these. With minimal visible panty line, these Randies keep your bun warm in the winter and cool in the heat.

-Nuun of the month- Fruit Punch! I’ve been taking a tablet of Nuun Fruit Punch after every workout and I feel completely refreshed. The taste isn’t over powering like so many other fruit punch flavored sport drinks, which is why I can stomach it after any kind of workout. Right now, all orders are shipping for free from Nuun, but it expires tonight, so stock up today!

Nuun Fruit Punch

Those are my Friday Faves for this month. What are you currently crushing on?

FlipBelt Review & Giveaway

August 15, 2013August 15, 201323 Comments

One of the hardest things for me to find has always been a place to store my phone, gels and keys. My arms are too skinny for an arm band and my hips aren’t wide enough to keep most race belts in place. Sounds like a difficult problem, right? Trust me, it is. For the longest time I struggled with having to hold everything, my phone got super sweaty and my gels way too warm. All of this changed when I found the FlipBelt at the Platte River Expo in Denver. The bright colors instantly attracted me to the booth and the more I learned, the more I loved it. I tried it out the next day at the Platte River Half Marathon and from that moment on, I was hooked.

Because one isn’t enough

The FlipBelt is a no slip belt that is made of continuous fabric, allowing the belt to keep a tight hold on your body. There are four pocket openings that allow you to store multiple items, and they are secured once you flip the belt over.

Front before flip

Room for everything

Straight from the website, here are the specs:

o Multi-access pocket openings throughout belt

o Turn items & pocket access up/down/inside as convenient

o Flip to lock in items

o Reflective logo – 3M Quality Reflective

o Non-Bounce, Even Design

o No buckles to cause uncomfortable chafing

o Machine washable & Machine dryable

o Great for holding medication on the go. Inhalers, insulin pumps, Epipens, etc…

o EPA Certified, Odor Resistant, Pilling Resistant, Anti-Bacterial High Tech Poly Spandex Fabric

o Available in Black, Carbon, Hot Pink, Nuclear Yellow, Sky, Violet and limited edition colors (Royal Blue, Royal Red, Neon Punch, Yellow)

I wear my FlipBelt on runs over 5 miles and never once has it slipped on me. I can hold my iPhone, car keys, Sport Beans, Gu and salt tabs in it without it bouncing around or any pressure on my hips. I even grabbed up a few neon colors as a safety precaution so cars can see me coming on the back roads. Even better, the FlipBelt can go in the washer and dryer, which is great after those hot summer runs when everything is sweaty.

Fan of the FlipBelt, see also photo outtakes

Still no movement even when jumping

Want to win your own FlipBelt? You have four ways to enter:

Mandatory Entry:

Like Facebook.com/FlipBelt

and/or Follow Twitter.com/FlipBelt

Additional entries:

Follow me on Twitter

Tweet : I want to win a FlipBelt from @masher52 https://masher52.wordpress.com/2013/08/15/flipbelt-review-giveaway/

Leave a comment below for each entry you submit.

You have until 9:00pm EST on Thursday, August 22nd to enter. The winner will be randomly selected and notified on Friday, August 23rd.

If you can’t wait any longer and need to have a FlipBelt right now, then keep reading. FlipBelt has been generous enough to give a discount code worth 10% off your order. And if I were you, I’d use this to grab a few belts. Use the code “MasherRuns”

If you’d like even more information on the FlipBelt, including videos, a sizing chart, and the events schedule, check out their website.

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own. I gave my review of the FlipBelt in return for a discount code to share and for one lucky winner to win a FlipBelt.

Run Rave, Summer Runs

August 8, 2013April 2, 20142 Comments

I’ve spent a lot of time running this summer, which means I’ve had a lot of time to figure out which clothes and fuels work best for those long, hot runs. Even though summer will be winding down soon, I wanted to share what I’ve grown to love.

Oiselle Roga Shorts

Source

These shorts are absolutely perfect for those hot, sweaty long runs. The material doesn’t stick to you and keeps you cool whether it’s sweat or rain. Plus, with a pocket in the front and in the back, you have plenty of room to hold everything you need. These are my new go to shorts.

Nike G87 tank

I love this tank. It’s long enough that it doesn’t ride up during runs, but also light enough that it doesn’t weigh down when you start to sweat. Even better, no matter how many times you wash it, it doesn’t shrink or feel too tight when you put it back on. Permanent tank tan from this top, most definitely.

Honey Stinger waffles

Source

Colorado provides another product I’m in love with. Honey Stinger waffles are perfect to refuel with something light during the long run. The taste isn’t overpowering and they’re easy to chew mid run. They’re also organic, which is great for anyone who’s looking for healthier fueling foods. My favorite flavor? Lemon, of course!

ProCompression socks

Source

I’ve been a fan of ProCompression socks for quite some time. I always use them for my longer distance races and recovery post long runs. I can’t imagine how my legs would feel if I didn’t wear these. I love that they have a variety of colors and have a sale each month. I may or may not have at least 8 pairs. This month’s specialty sock is Royal Blue. Save 40% off at checkout with the code BLUE.

Road ID App

Source

I’m so thankful for my Road ID, and hope I never have to depend on it. I wear it every single time I run outside. But what happens if the band breaks or it gets lost? Road ID has now created an app for your smart phone. You can have all of your emergency information, and activate the function that allows your emergency contacts to track your run. Just another way of keeping you safe on the roads or trails.

So there you have it, just some of the latest products I’m liking. Some are perfect for summer, and some for all year long. Make sure to check them out, you never know, you may love them too!