Race Day Ready #5 for the ladies- Handful Sports Bra and many many more!

Anyone else been on the quest for the perfect sports bra?  Have you gotten to the point where money is (almost) no object because all you want is a sports bra that fits and functions properly and you don't care how much it costs?

Well, me too.

I am pretty sure I have at least fifteen different sports bras- no actually closer to twenty.  Almost every brand you can imagine.  I am glad to say that I have found ONE that is just right.

This is the perfect bra.
I was incredibly tempted to edit this photo.  But I won't. 

Handful sent me a bra to try.  I was very skeptical.  I am more about comfort, fit and function than I am about fashion when it comes to my running gear.  Many reviews boasted more about how great this bra looks, rather than how great it was to wear during a long sweaty run.  And lets face it, after a marathon, one can only look so uhm... great.  When I'm running, the only aesthetic issues (which equally double as comfort issues) I am concerned with are:

Do I have a wedgie?

Are my shorts riding up?

Is my bra TIGHT enough so that nothing is moving around, but not so tight that I look like I struggled to squeeze into it?

Altra Running WINNNER! Race Day Ready #4

Crossing the finish of the Runner's World Half Marathon in Bethlehem PA
in Altra Intuition 1.5.  I finished the 10k and the half alongside my husband.
(you can see my bright pink Armpocket too!)

Instead of taking until tomorrow or the next day to post this for fear of not having enough time to write a cute kitchy entry about the winner, I am just going to spit it out.  Mainly because I need to get on with the next giveaway and I'm experiencing a bit of a writer's block.  Oh and I'm flooded with work.  (In a good way!)

Jessica Messer!

You got it!  Congrats to you on your new pair of Altra Zero Drop Footwear!  May they take you across many more finish lines!  And thank you for sharing with us that you quit a bad habit (smoking) and picked up a good one!  You are a great example to many.  Keep at it for the love of the run!  I hope you continue to discover the healing that running provides- not only because it's good for you (physically) but because it brings you to a beautiful place where you learn to rely on your own heart, brain, breath, will, strength and spirit.  Please find my e-mail in the "about" tab and contact me.  I will connect you with the folks at Altra and they will get your size, address, etc. and send your shoes out to you!

A hint about our next giveaway:  It's for ladies only!  I'm going to gather up all my ladies only giveaway stuff and pile it into one generous giveaway.  This is a good one!  Coming up soon!  Oh, and our Runner's World Running Festival Race Review to follow that!  (My husband may chime in.  This was one of the best weekends of running we have had so far!)

Race Day Ready #4- Altra Zero Drop

Perfect perfect timing.

I'm not sure if anyone has noticed, but while training for the Runner's World Hat Trick and Marine Corps Marathon, I have not uttered a word about shin or foot pain.  I have not whined about more missing toe nails.  I have not had issues with my knees (I used to wear a patella strap) and I haven't been sidelined (at all) for any problems with my legs or feet.

A little tidbit about me: I HATE HATE HATE shoes.  I know- so outside the female stereotype.  I will base my daily shoe selection (if I must wear them) on how long I am going to be out and how long I can bear in whichever shoe I select.  I often walk into my home with arms full of groceries, and I take my shoes off before walking the small distance into the kitchen to put the groceries down.  Sometimes I'll take my shoes off on the boardwalk when I finish my run and walk the 4 blocks home barefoot.  Shoes feel binding and constrictive to me almost all the time.  Why a woman would feel fabulous in high heels that squeeze her foot and bind her toes together is something I will never understand.  I comprehend that they look nice, but comfort cannot be part of that equation.  I am usually a few steps behind most trends, therefore I have yet to master feeling simultaneously sexy and uncomfortable.  Tips and hints on figuring this one out would be much appreciated...

All of that said, I knew I was on the right track when I transitioned to zero drop shoes.  I absolutely love barefoot/minimal style shoes, but I was not down with the idea of training for a marathon in them.  Although I spend most of my time unshod, running barefoot is just not practical for me.  But FEELING as close to barefoot as possible while wearing shoes is something I have always fantasized about.

When we discovered Altra Intuition 1.5, I was EXCITED by one statement I read:  That these shoes are SO comfortable that you won't feel the urge to kick them off of your feet as soon as you walk in after a run.  REALLY?

Armpocket Winner! (Race Day Ready #3)

Why yes, I am using this entry as a justifiable
reason to post a funny photo of myself.
But I'm wearing the Armpocket, see?

WE HAVE A WINNER!

Here's the ONE time I'm going to be a bit partial. This winner has been following my blog for a long time, and I have been following hers.  I LOVE that she is so genuine and real in her posts.  As far as runner blogs go, I enjoy reading about someone's journey/aspiration to a new goal or distance.

Michelle's blog was centered around her marathon training (based on the title) but of course, that's not the ONLY thing she wrote about. Michelle lets me glimpse into her life and her children and her passion for cooking.  Now that she has her first marathon behind her, she changed the name of her blog and continues to inspire me.  Take a look and follow her blog along with me!

So Michelle, you are the winner of the Armpocket!  Find my e-mail address in the "about" tab and I will give you details on how to redeem your prize!

For those that did not win, don't be bummed.  I have another giveaway coming.  I'm hoping I can squeeze them all in before the Marine Corps Marathon.  Don't forget to check out Armpocket at booth/space 810 at the Expo if you are running the Marine Corps Marathon too!

This weekend, I am running the Runner's World Festival and Half "Hat Trick" with my husband.  I am hoping to pace him to his half marathon PR.  I have to enjoy this while I can- I suspect that by this time next year I won't be able to keep up with him!  Here's a hint about my next giveaway: do you know who is sponsoring the Runner's World Festival and Half?  Take a look at my shoes..

Race Day Ready Giveaway #3- Armpocket

Do you run with:

Music?
Energy gels?
Sport beans?
Candy?
Chapstick?
Saltstick Caps?
Phone?
Snacks?
Money?

Where the heck do you put all this stuff?  And how do you keep it safe from sweat?  And how much effort goes toward fishing this stuff out?  I used to stash money in that little inside pocket of my shorts and I have grossed many a 7eleven cashier out by not only standing in line while my sweat drips down to their freshly mopped floor, but by handing them sopping-with-sweat money.

I have had a few different fuel belts and arm bands to carry things in.  Issues with comfort, sizing, durability, convenience, always arise.  Until we found this:

Winner! Salt Stick Caps and Bodyglide! (Race Day Ready #2)

Did ya win? Did ya? Did ya???

I am getting ready for my next race with a nice taper (yay, sort of) along with booking hotel reservations for the Runner's World Running Festival Hat Trick.  While I am excited to be part of an inaugural event, I know that it will get better and better every year and chances are, this will not be the best one they hold simply because, well, it's the first.  Shalane Flannigan will be there signing autographs and taking photos with fans!  I wonder if in a year or two they will have Meb Keflezighi or Geoff Mutai!!!  We are looking forward to it.  Here's a glimpse of the medals:

Race Day Ready 2: Saltstick Caps/Bodyglide Giveaway

A few weeks ago, I wrote this in response to someone's status update on facebook:

"If you want to get rid of negative energy, sweat. I mean gross pouring from everywhere down your arms from your pits, making your shirt stick to you, and pouring from your brow til the salt burns your eyes but you get used to it...glistening from your shoulders to your toes. Sweat til it stains your skin white with salt when it dries. Regularly. Quite cleansing. Nothing like it."

And I meant every word.

I don't know how it happened, but our culture seems turned off by sweat.  It is a normal, healthy, essential function, but we don't want to see it.  Well, not too much.  Glistening is nice.  But sweat soaked running shorts and droplets trickling down between your legs and making an audible pitter-patter sound when they hit the ground, well, not so much.  Dried salt flakes on your face and neck are not exactly what our culture considers to be sexy.