Category: BibRave

Sunny in San Diego

Disclaimer: I received an entry into Rock n Roll San Diego 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’m going to San Diego!!!!  Woo hoo!

I wanted to run Rock n Roll San Diego last year but just couldn’t make it work with my schedule or my pocketbook.  I didn’t plan ahead very well.  😛   But I kept it a secret pipe dream until about 1 week before the race.  Then I knew I had to give it up.  Ha!


This year I like to think I’m planning a little better (fingers crossed)!   On June 4, I get to run the half marathon at Rock n Roll San Diego!   I’m super stoked!  And maybe I get to meet some people for real too- Chelsea of thedancingrunner.com will be there, Mai at ifijustbreathe.wordpress.com will be there and Helly of hellyontherun.com too!  Now they are all much speedier than I am but you never know when you might see someone right??   ( I can’t link any of their sites because that feature keeps crashing my computer.  Thanks WordPress.)

I might make a little vacation out of it, not sure yet.  I’m dragging my mom along with me (thanks mom!) and I’m not sure how much time I may have off.  We’ve been wanting to see the zoo.  I also have a Great Uncle down in that area that I haven’t seen in forever.    Now if I could just figure out where to stay.  Seriously, if anyone has any hotel tips, help a girl out!  Most of the ones I’ve found are literally in the middle of the marathon course.   Or $300 a night.     I’ve been stuck on the wrong side of a marathon roadblock before, I don’t really want to do it again.

Want to come run with me?  Use code BIBRAVE15 to save on registration.

Any tips for San Diego?

Ever run this race before?

 

Light It Up

Disclaimer: I received Knuckle Lights 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!

My town has a lack of street lights and sidewalks.  The sidewalks that it does have tend to be very uneven and of abnormal heights.  Seriously- the city was actually sued at one point due to this.   Throw in the occasional mountain lion sighting and cranky dogs and I had plenty of reasons to not run at night.    All of which I embraced wholeheartedly but I really, really dislike the treadmill so something had to change during these dark winter months.   I ventured on one evening run last winter with a flashlight to guide my way.  Not bad but not great.    I tried again this winter.  Again not bad but not great.  Also I kept accidentally hitting the setting for the emergency flash on the flashlight.  Oops.


Enter Knuckle Lights.   These pint size puppies pack a punch!   They come with a charge right out of the box and I was unprepared for how bright they would be.  I saw stars for a few moments after I pointed the first one right at my face.  Oops.    Ok, so they blinded me in close quarters but how would they work on the run?


Freakin’ awesome!  My first time running with them didn’t end in full darkness so while I thought they helped cars see me in the twilight, I didn’t really feel like it was a good test of them.  My next run with them was after work and returning home so in complete darkness.   I geared up and set out for my run.  I was surprised just turning on one of the lights, I felt like I could see everything so much better, what would two do?  Holy crap, the night lit up.  Not only could I see the ground and the bushes and everything around me, I knew cars could see me.  In fact I was worried I might blind an oncoming driver!   Now, granted I haven’t asked one to stop to get their opinion.  😛


In fact I love the lights so much that I did something I thought would never be possible.  I ran after work in work town.   I always considered that route to be off limits in the dark- not anymore!    Now I didn’t go all the way into the state park because I do want to do a daylight check for downed trees thanks to all our recent rain but I got pretty close.  Yay for more running options!!

Now for some technical jargon from the website-

 

  • 2 LIGHTS PER SET: The 2 units are held comfortably on your hands with soft silicone straps. The straps are easily adjusted to fit any size hand and even over gloves. The units connect together magnetically so they can easily be stored when not in use. The units are super lightweight at less than 3 ounces each.
  • 280 TOTAL LUMENS: Each unit is 140 Lumens on high power, so you get a super bright 280 Lumens combined. The LED pattern is a WIDE FLOOD BEAM, so it puts out light in all directions, providing a steady, even light in front of you that does not bounce around, even with your arms moving.
  • 3 POWER SETTINGS: High, Low and Blinking.
  • BATTERY LIFE PER CHARGE: 4 Hours on High Power | 8 Hours on Low Power | 14 Hours on Blinking.

 

There a few things I wish were slightly different-

  • I like to run with pepper spray and have a free hand to grab it.  More often than not, I run with both Knuckle Lights in one hand.  They are super light weight so it’s not noticeable at all.
  • I run with a handheld water bottle so with my desire to keep a hand free for my pepper spray something has to lose and that is my water.  So far all my runs with the lights have been shorter and that has been fine but eventually I will need to figure something else out.
  • The order of the lights- Instead of High*Low*Flash, I wish it was Low*High*Flash.   Now, I have that preference because I start running at twilight or later so it gets darker as I run. I imagine that morning runners like the standard set up because it gets lighter the longer they run.

All in all, I love these little lights and wish I had them sooner.  I can see them lighting the way for my runs for a long time to come.  It almost makes me sad that the days are getting longer again.  Almost.

Want your own Knuckle Lights?  Use code “bibravepro” for 10% off your order.

Do you run in the dark? 

How do you light up your path? 

 

Shaking It Up

Disclaimer: I received Generation UCan Protein Powder 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’ve been looking for a good protein powder for about 6 months now.   With all of my dietary restrictions I fall back on smoothies for lunch quite often however just fruit and veggies isn’t always filling.   Sometimes I’m hangry within an hour and end up binge snacking on chips and fruit snacks which is never good.   I’ve been looking for a protein powder to add some healthy bulk to my smoothies.  If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen my posts about my orders from The Feed.  I’ve tried numerous samples of various brands from them and also tried numerous samples of the bigger brands that seem to have a cult like following with no luck.

People, there are some bad tasting powders out there!   Like running to the sink to spit it out no way I could choke this stuff down bad.  And this is coming from someone who has had to drink some truly nasty medicine over the years for my litany of tests for my stomach condition.   I thought I could choke down anything as long as I had a straw.  Not true.


When the opportunity arose to try Generation UCAN’s protein powder, I figured why not.  I had heard great things about both their hydration mix and their SuperStarch drink mix, which I still want to try since I fuel horribly for runs but that’s another story.

Now, one thing about the powder is that it is whey based, so dairy based.    If dairy is a problem for you, you may want to keep that in mind.   Technically, dairy is one of my 5 million restrictions.  😛     So why would I do that do myself?    I can tolerate dairy in moderation which I’ve learned means I can handle it in one meal a day.  Whey protein for the win!  Whereas I’ve learned soy and nuts are not my friends.

ucan-nutrition

ucan-info

Ok, but what about the important part, how does it taste and did it keep me full?  I received both Vanilla Cream and Chocolate to try.   I won’t lie, I was a little scared to try the vanilla- I had a previous experience with another vanilla protein powder that tasted like dirt no matter what I mixed it with.    Thankfully, I did not need to be concerned.   I blended the Vanilla Cream with some Kefir, spinach, pineapple and peaches.    The first couple sips were a stronger vanilla taste than I had expected but it was pretty good.   Better yet- no snacking!   Next day, the smoothie was even better and still no snacking.  Yay!  My stomach was also happy.


Now for the chocolate.   I like the taste of the chocolate but I haven’t found the right smoothie mix for it yet.    I love pineapple in my smoothies but I wasn’t the biggest fan of pineapple and chocolate.    Granted the strawberry kefir could have been throwing it off too.    I like smoothies because I admit that I don’t eat enough fruit and vegetables on their own but blending them up is a good way for me to stay on track.    By itself it is fine but it is going to take some more experimenting to figure a good smoothie mix for me.    While the taste combo of pineapple and chocolate may have been a little off, all the pluses of no hangry-ness and no stomach crankiness held.    Sweet!


After months of searching, I finally found a powder I want to reorder!  Surprisingly though, I think I am reordering the Vanilla Cream- it really grew on me!   I hope my NutriBullet is prepared for the workout it’s going to get next year.  😛

I also have a discount if you want to try it-BIBRAVE – 15% off all UCAN products.  I know I will be using it.  😉

What do you put in your smoothies?

Any special ingredients?

 

 

In the Buff

Disclaimer: I received a Merino Wool Buff® 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 admit I never quite understood how awesome a Buff® was until I had one, now I want more!   Can I have all the pretty colors?  Also, if you’re like me, the extent of your knowledge of Buff® was what you observed on Survivor over the years.    #facepalm

buff
buffusa.com
Ok, so a little knowledge from the website- the Original Buff® is a tubular,  multi functional piece of head wear.  The Merino Wool version I received is a wind-resistant and lightweight layer made with 100% merino wool, it also has natural moisture management and odor control properties.   It can be worn so many ways!!   Full disclosure- I’ve only mastered 2.  😛

Ok, my thoughts.   How have I run through winters without a Buff®?  My ears are kicking me!  My ears get so cranky in the cold!  I’ve never been able to keep them warm enough before and not cut off the circulation to my brain.   When I am not using it around my head to cover my ears, I love it around my neck.  I don’t think I would have made it across the Golden Gate Bridge without breathing through my Buff® during my last half.    I’ve become rather attached to it, it comes with me everywhere.  I realized it’s in my purse every day!   I’m looking forward to trying it at the gym.  I am hoping it solves my dilemma between a headband and a towel that I inevitably always forget.   😛

The only drawback I’ve encountered is that I must be overly sensitive.  I think it could be a little softer but I also find that’s something I am adjusting to the more I wear it.    From what I’ve read, this opinion seems to be isolated to just me.   Definitely not going to stop me from wearing it all winter long.  I think it’s going take the place of my trucker and keep my ears covered, nice and warm.

How do you stay warm on the run?

What is cold for you?

 

Racing Ahead

As rough as 2016 has been, I am still in denial that Thanksgiving is this week, more like tomorrow.  How is that possible?  It just can’t be!   That being said, I am looking forward to one part of 2017…

My race plans!!!!

I would say schedule but considering they’ve already hit a drastic snag due to well…life.   I had originally planned on running Surf City again on Super Bowl Sunday.  3rd try’s the charm right?  Plus running it 3 years in a row qualifies you for Legacy status, it’s the little things right?   But like I said 2016 has been rough and I will be attending a family memorial that weekend.

So with the need for something to look forward to, I took to the internet.  Man, there are a lot of cool races out there!  However, I am limited to those within driving distance.  😛  So, tentatively, I am looking at an early 2017 that might look something like this-


January-  Carlsbad Half Marathon

This one is coming up fast, I won’t lie.  I’m not registered for it yet.  It won’t be a race race but more of a super awesome long run with thousands of other people along for the ride.  The course looks amazing and I think it would be an awesome start to the year.   I want to see how the first few weeks of December running go first before I register.  I have a discount code for it and I would rather pay a little more than lose it all, you know?

February– Buzz Half Marathon

Keeping it local…and small.  So small, the race doesn’t even have a logo  😛  This race takes place entirely on a nearby army base and it always been in the back of my mind to run but Surf City is usually the week before, so this year is looking good!


March– Wine Country Half … or Livermore

More than likely Wine Country.  It’s small, it’s local and it’s one of my favorite races.  I’ve run it 5 times.  I broke my streak last year, boo, so I am looking forward to getting back out there.     I know this course extremely well and love it.  Even with the hill of death at mile 12.3.


May–  Destination Races Santa Barbara

I get to run this race with BibRave and I am so excited.  I have never heard a bad thing about any of the Destination Races.   Plus running near vineyards is kind of my jam and one of my favorite things to do.  I’ve also wanted to run a race in Santa Barbara but never been able to make it work.   Plus with the start in Santa Ynez and the finish in Solvang, it  makes me feel nostalgic.  My grandparents lived in Santa Ynez when I was growing up and it brings back memories of many family trips.   I am also thinking that May is perfect timing for a challenge race.   That G word is still a 4 letter word in my book but I am liking the idea of a challenge for 2017.  But more on that later.

Now that’s all to say I don’t do something crazy in April.   I won’t lie, I am having crazy thoughts about April but we’re going to let those percolate a little more.  😛

Do you have any plans for 2017 yet?

How far out do you plan races?  Register?