Category: Product Review

Flipping for Luvo

Disclaimer: I received Flipped Bowls from Luvo 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!

Food! My second favorite subject after running!

Except, real talk- I can’t cook. And I am lazy, I eat out way more than I should because by the time I get home from work I just don’t want to do anything else. As for lunches? I usually only get 45 minutes and sometimes that doesn’t happen uninterrupted. I like my lunch to be something that is easily prepped, easily cleaned and I can eat quickly. Anything that fits my issues doesn’t necessarily mean it’s healthy. I’m the first to admit I need help.

When I read about the new Flipped Bowls– where 1/3 of the protein comes from plants- that Luvo was rolling out, I was intrigued. Pasta, chicken meatballs and good mix of veggies? I could get behind that. Plus, the convenience factor was so up my alley.

So I went online on a Monday, placed my order and by Friday, a big white box showed up at work. Everything was nice and frozen, in fact the dry ice was so cold I almost burned my hands. 😛 Which would not be the first time I’ve burned myself with ice so maybe it’s just me.

So what did I get?

Chicken Meatballs in Creamy Pesto Sauce
Chicken Meatballs in Stroganoff Sauce
Chicken Meatballs in Garlic Wine Sauce
Chicken Meatballs in Tomato Basil Sauce

Beef Stroganoff (my mother’s recipe) is actually my favorite meal ever so I really high hopes for that meal but it also had really standards to measure up to.😛

I loaded them all into the work freezer and planned for some healthy lunches the following weeks. So what did I think?

Like I said, the Chicken Meatballs in Stroganoff Sauce was my prime choice- in fact I ordered more of that one with high hopes and just paid extra. I followed the directions on the back and less than 5 minutes later, I had a steaming bowl of pasta and veggies in front of me. I liked the taste of the sauce, the chicken meatballs had a good kick to them and I was eating kale! The only downsides were that I realized I needed to add about 15 seconds to the cook time for the noodles and Luvo adds legit mushrooms to their Stroganoff. *My mother does not- I hate mushrooms! So I was eating around those. 😛

Next up was the Chicken Meatballs in Tomato Basil Sauce. Holy, yumminess. And my 5 year old palate didn’t have to avoid any ingredients. I adjusted the microwave time and the whole wheat penne pasta noodles were perfect. Plus I was still eating veggies!

The Chicken Meatballs in Garlic Wine Sauce is pretty good too but like I had to avoid the mushrooms in the Stroganoff, I have to avoid the white beans. I did mention I have the taste buds of a 5 year old right? As for the Chicken Meatballs in Creamy Pesto Sauce?? Well, those juvenile taste buds are too scared to try it. I’ve eaten everything else-only have 1 left of the Tomato Basil, which makes me sad- but I can’t bring myself to push that far out of my comfort zone yet. Why am I writing this review before eating it? Well… I am hoping for some good old online encouragement to make me branch out. So…help?!

Overall, I am definitely ordering more. The Chicken Meatballs in Tomato Basil Sauce ended up being my favorite which made me glad that I had ordered more of those as well. I loved that I could pop one in the microwave, go the restroom and get a few things done while my lunch was preparing itself. Plus, I was getting protein and more veggies than usual.

Now, there were a few downsides– Mushrooms. Sorry, I hate mushrooms so to me that’s a downside, but I’ll keep eating around them. Lastly, I never received an email notification that my order had shipped so I had no idea when it was coming. As I was having these meals shipped to work, that could have been problematic as there is no one there to receive packages on Saturdays or Sundays. I was surprised when they showed up on that Friday- glad but surprised. Right now the Flipped Bowls are only available to order online but I am hoping that they will soon be in stores too. That said, shipping is very reasonable.

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Carry All the Things

Disclaimer: I received a Gear Vest from Orange Mud 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 always carry a lot when I run but I am very particular about how I carry it. Then there are times that I feel like I am running with enough supplies for an ultra when it may just be 10-13 miles. Which is funny considering I rarely fuel but I carry it! So with that being said, I need someway to carry everything right?

Enter Orange Mud’s Gear Vest.

“] Gear Vest

Look at all the pockets!!!

3 on each side plus the bladder on the back? Score! Once I had it, I couldn’t wait to take it on a test run. And then a few more runs. Every run since it came in the mail has been with the Gear Vest. So I have plenty of thoughts.

Perks–

The front pockets are huge! My giant Iphone fits with no fears of it falling out.
If not carrying a bottle, I can fit a key, pepper spray, Buff, chapstick, and Honey Stinger chews in the other large pocket with room to spare.
My inhaler fits perfectly in one of the shoulder pockets.
The 1L bladder is a good size, not too big and not too small for those hot runs.
The bladder is much easier to wash than other bladders I have used- it is also dishwasher safe.
The pack seems very sturdily made- which holds true across all my Orange Mud packs- this is my third.
It fits a 600ML water bottle perfectly and the pepper spray fits in a trash pocket when I carry a flask.
I love that there are color options- like the white!
I have a tendency to stretch by bending at the waist and touching the ground- nothing falls out!!

Quirks–

The trash pockets- don’t put a small body glide in one. It won’t stay in the pocket while running. It bounces out. I had to chase it down 3x before I moved up the other shoulder pocket. It fits perfectly so I really hoped it would work.
My back is fussy right now so the bladder comfortable as it is is too much for it. Flasks are how I carry water but unfortunately I can’t carry 2 flasks. If I do I have nowhere to put my phone. Let’s be real- my phone is the one thing I ALWAYS carry on any run.
The fit across my umm… chest. Ok, not to put it bluntly but I’m not small up top. Combine that with the fact that I am carrying more than a few extra pounds right now (it’s the truth, I know) and the pack and I were have some disagreements. I think I have it figured out now but I wish I could get the bottom chest strap under my ummmm chest but I can’t. I think that would solve my issues. So let’s see what happens if I lose a few pounds. I’ll let you know.🤞

Overall I really like the pack. I feel it works best for me for runs up to 10 miles or anything else supplemented with water. As the temps rise here, I will need to carry more than one soft flask. So I should probably keep doing those PT exercises for my back huh? Until then I’ll keep using the back pocket for a change of socks and some emergency cash. You never know when you might need one of those right?😀

Want your own? Use BRGV15 for %15 off!

How do you carry things on the run?

Add the Lime to the Coconut

Disclaimer: I was given Detach Coconut+ 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 would like to say that my hydration game is strong but if I am being honest it’s been a little lacking lately. That’s not a good thing heading into marathon training. Combine that with my tendency to run my long runs/ races fasted and I was open to suggestions.

However between my already picky taste buds and extremely temperamental stomach, trying new things doesn’t always goes so well. 😯 My concern with Detach did start with the taste- I am not the biggest fan of coconut water. However, this is my year of trying to push my boundaries (that post will go up someday) so I figured why not try it?

The bottles are an adorable, little 12oz size and I was pleasantly surprised by the taste. It’s called Ellie-Ade– named for creator’s wife as he created the drink as a way to ensure that she was properly hydrated throughout her work outs. You can barely taste the coconut flavor and instead it’s a very subtle lemony-lime flavor. More lime, I think. Whatever it is, I like it… and that’s coming from the person who drinks water, coffee and Diet Coke. Kind of bland over here. 😛

Ok, the healthy details-

Beta-alanine commonly found in trace amounts of legumes, seaweed has been shown to improve the muscles energy production at intensity and in some studies improving 800m times by ~10s for 1 time use and ~15s after cumulative use.
Citrulline commonly found in melons is a known vasodilator, improving Nitric Oxide levels in the body. This opens up your blood vessels and improves blood flow.
Theanine – commonly found in many teas especially white and green teas. Theanine is also known as a neurotropic as it impacts feelings of positivity and focus.
All of this with only 60 calories per bottle and NO “fake” sweeteners which leave a nasty after taste.
Last but not least light refreshing citrus flavor that you will love!
Instructions: Best to take 1 bottle 30m before workout and 1 bottle during exercise. Can be mixed with other drinks as well.

Now, I was sick while testing this and my stomach was having one of it’s flare periods -yay me- so I actually only drank it before one run. Everything was making me sick. So instead, I had it post run or in my daily lunch smoothie. That one run went well but then I got nervous when I started to get sick. You know, as I type this I realize I was never sick after drinking it even if I had been sick during the run or before lunch. Ok, maybe I should have written this sooner or paid more attention over the last few weeks. Excuse me, I need to go order another case to test my new theory.

Oh and this may have been my lunch one day when I was sick. #balance

One thing I loved is that even when I felt a headache coming on post long run, a bottle of Detach would knock it out. Thank you very much, Detach. 😊

Detach Coconut+ is available at their website or Amazon.

How do you hydrate?

Do you like coconut water?

For other thoughts on Detach, check out-

Amy— Meridith— Corey—Lindsey

Stepping it Up

Disclaimer: The WEAV Run app is currently free but I will be receiving a lifetime subscription in January 2018 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!

Google average running cadence and any number of sites and sources come back with 180 average steps per minute. Dig a little deeper and some will say 180 and above is usually elite runners and most everyday runners average between 160-170 steps per minute. Either way you dice it- I fall short. I usually average in the low 140’s, my two fastest half marathons this year didn’t even hit an average of 160. Ouch.

Knowing that it’s something I need to work on, Weav Run seemed right up my alley. Weav Run is a newer app on the market that is designed to use music to motivate your running tempo. Want to run 175 steps per minute? Weav Run can get you there. Weav Run has 2 options for setting the tempo- detecting the tempo based on your movement or letting you choose your own.

Weav Run works with the individual music files in order to give the runner the best listening experience possible. So instead of speeding up the entire song and getting that helium sounding effect, aspects of the background speed up while the lyrics remain pretty close to what you hear on the radio. It’s like your feet are the DJ.

The set up questions were more in depth than I anticipated- where do I keep my phone?- but took hardly anytime. Pushed a couple buttons and I was set to run. But I was kind of injured, boo. So, I adapted and hopped on the bike. I used the “I Know My Tempo” option, set it at 150 steps per minute and figured I would test it out that way. For once, my cadence on the bike was even! It also helped me really familiarize myself with the app.

But how was running?

I say my right leg is the troublemaker but what I really mean is that my right leg is the dead leg. The lazy leg, the leg that never seems to want to do any work. As a result I over compensate with my left and end up hurting. All previous attempts to focus on my form and bringing my leg around have ended in failure. I would succeed for a short time but end up with a headache from having to focus so hard. So I usually gave up.

With Weav Run, I didn’t even have to try, somehow my right leg just wanted to join the party. Something about the beat and the music working together and flipped a switch in my brain and both legs were on board and working together. I powered up a couple of hills in ways I never have- I felt kind of bad ass. 😛 Now, this isn’t saying it was all perfect- I have 2 left feet and no rhythm so I’d usually get off step at some point and have to work my way back but it’s awesome when I’m on point.

Since Vegas- I’ve been running less, a little sick and the air has been filled with smoke but the paces of my runs using Weav Run have all averaged about 30-45 seconds faster than they should be given my current state of fitness. And that’s with the walk breaks I’m still taking. Consider me a Believer. Which by the way is a song on the Weav playlist.

So-are there downsides?

I take walk breaks- it’s how I run these days. While the app adjusts to my pace and cadence pretty well, sometimes it has issues. When I slow down, it seems like only half of it slows down with with me and the other half is too fast. It eventually evens out but it’s kind of an odd 20 seconds or so.
The technology is new and while it is great that Weav Run is working directly with artists and music labels, the library currently only has 25 tracks.
This is a both a plus and a possible downside- As a BibRavePro, we were able to test some of the tracks that are coming in the future (you will be happy🙂) but all those tracks mean the app needs a little more space on your phone. As I write this, the app is using 2.25 GB on my phone. I have plenty of space on my phone but it something to keep in mind.
It’s currently only iPhone- ios compatible.

I look forward to many more runs with Weav Run and oddly more bike rides. I rode the bike more since downloading the app than I have in months. 😛

What are you waiting for? Go download Weav Run!

Want to read more? Check it out-

Brenda– Lindsey– Meridith

Get Your Boco On

Disclaimer: I received a Boco Gear 360º Visor 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!

If you’ve been reading a while or following on Instagram, you may have noticed how attached I am to my hats. That said, there are random times I don’t run with a hat even though I know I need one to keep the sun off my face. Ok…truth moment- those “hatless” times aren’t so random. Those are the days that I want to run but I also don’t want to wash my hair. 😜 Not gonna lie, I have my Slacker moments.

I’ve tried visors in the past but they’ve never survived my destructo girl tendencies. I think I’ve purchased 4 or 5 throughout the years. All various brands and the longest one lasted was about a month. I just kept destroying them. So I gave up.

hen I was offered a visor from Boco Gear. Given my track record, I was skeptical but I thought, sure why not? And it had the BibRave logo on it??? Bonus!

Boco Gear makes some pretty sweet hats and visors. You could own one and not even know it- they make a wide variety of custom gear for other brands and teams. Check your label- you may be surprised by what it says.

You guys, the visor is still alive!!! It’s been 3 months and I haven’t hurt it yet! It’s not like I’ve deliberately tried, but like I’ve said before I tend to toss things around in my car. I throw EVERYTHING fabric in the washing machine at some point. I shoved it into my carry on for Las Vegas and didn’t take time to pack it carefully- just shoved it in. It goes in my gym bag to work on days I plan on wearing it.

Little bit of visor info-

Lightweight wicking materials outside
Wicking internal sweatband to move sweat from your forehead
Soft brushed elastic back for comfort and fit
Relaxed fit front panel for a better performance and comfort
Black underside of the bill to reduce glare
Curved bill
Machine washable

<<
y only negative is something that I love about it as well, oops! I love that it has the elastic back and there’s no Velcro closure. However, while the elastic back it super comfortable and I never have to worry about the visor slipping off my oddly small head, it does fit rather snug. For someone as easily prone to headaches as I am, it may be a little too snug. I can only handle it for about 4-5 miles. But that’s about as far as I can push it with the lack of hair washing anyway and not covering my ears so I guess it kind of works out! 😛