Stride Box Review - December 2020

 

I recently resubscribed to StrideBox after 6 months. I thought I was getting tired of the items, but I missed  them and when I received a coupon code I jumped at the chance to start up again. The cost is only $19.95, this includes the tax and shipping. Pretty good deal for what you get. 

Stride box always includes a guide detailing everything in your box. With prices and websites to buy those that you really like. 

One of the best things in my December box was a Mini foot roller by Roller.Fitness.

                           

If you suffer from Plantar fasciitis like I do, this is a game changer. I keep mind under my desk and roll my feet over it while at work. In no time at all my muscle stiffness is gone. 

 Roller.Fitness retail for $12.99 per roller.

JimmyBar Immunity Bar - Citrus Burst

Unlike hard granola bars, which I really don't care for, this bar is soft and easy to bite into. The orange and cherry flavors are easy to detect, however the remaining ingredients are not as pronounced. Overall it has a really nice flavor and does not have the texture of sawdust similar to some protein bars. 

JimmyBars are $29.99 for 12 Bars

Untapped Salted Cocoa Syrup

This was surprisingly a hit to my tasty palette. When first opened the Cocoa aroma was very strong. Almost as thick as real maple syrup and has more of a salted carmel taste than cocoa. As far as syrup goes it's great. 

Untapped syrup retail for $9.95 for 5 packets

Dr. Price's Electrolyte Mix

The directions say to mix with 16oz of water. I was concerned such a small packet of powder would get watered down, however the tropical fruit taste was still quite strong and very yummy. Unlike many vitamins drinks it left no medicining after taste. 

Visit DrPrice website to purchase, they retail at $21.00 for 30 packets

Capsiva Pain Relief Gel

This was probably my least favorite item in the box. When I first opened it, it had a rubbing alcohol smell. This was strange since alcohol is not one of the ingredients. The gel is clear and absorbs quickly, this is when the aloe fragrance shows up. Not a bad thing! It's not sticky and does not leave your hands greasy. There was no burning or itching either. I, however did not feel any relief from my muscle soreness.  

Overall I enjoyed the majority of the selections and can't wait for my next box. Check out my YouTube review video just click here!

Sparkle Skirts make Every Run Better!

2020 has been a hard year for me as all but one race this year has been either being cancelled or postponed. My motivation to get out there and run is at an all-time low. 

 

As many of you know, I love to dress up in costume for races, especially runDisney races. It’s been a long time since I bought any new running apparel, but after listening to the Holiday wish list episode of my favorite running podcast, Runners without Limits, I knew it was time to get some new skirts to help motivate me to keep training.  Heather and Jen talked about some of the new items that Sparkle Athletic has on their website. Check them out at https://sparkleathletic.com/

 

 

There was so much more in my shopping, however with the holidays quickly approaching I narrowed it down to just the necessities. Here’s what I ordered:

 

Ugly Sweater / Holiday lights

This year I am doing several Christmas virtual races. When I saw these gorgeous holiday themed skirts, I could resist.

 

     

Beer run

Every year we run the Oktoberfest half marathon in Leavenworth Washington. As with most of my races, this too was cancelled. Hopefully next October I’ll be able to wear this adorable beer skirt. 

 

 

 

 

For the Love of Paws/and visor

In the coming weeks I’ll be launching a new YouTube video series called ‘Real life with a Husky Pup’ featuring Baxter our Siberian husky pup. This puppy print skirt with matching visor are going to be perfect for our daily walks. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            

 

 

 

 

 

 

They are light weight and come in any color you can imagine. The skirts don’t include running shorts, which I actually like for a couple of reasons.

 

1.     I wash my running shorts every time I run because I sweat a lot while running. The skirt don’t get dirty that quickly. If they were attached, they too would end up in the wash and potentially wear out faster.

2.     I am very picky about the running shorts I wear, that makes these running skirts perfect for me, since I can pair my favorite skirt with my favorite shorts…. That is a perfect world. The ones I love love love are from iGlowrunning, she makes the best compression shorts and capris. If you are looking for great shorts that do not ride up and have deep pockets here is the link to her website on etsy https://www.etsy.com/shop/iGlowRunning.

 

Sparkle Athletic also have fun themed skirts, and they are coming up with new patterns all the time. Their website also gives you ideas on how to mix and match their other products to create really cute running outfits. 

 

The skirts are really well made and fit very comfortably and since you wear them low on your hips, they stay in place – no riding up.

 

Their skirts run $26.00 to $42.00 and in my opinion worth every penny. When you order online they are delivered super-fast and that may be because they are based in California, I live in Washington. Doesn’t have far to travel, I usually get mine in a couple of days. You can find them at many running expos which is great because you can try them on for size and the girls are super friendly and helpful. 

 

There’s not one skirt that I’ve ordered that I haven’t been 100% delighted with. You need to check them out. I will leave their website in the description below. 

 

 

Check out my YouTube unboxing of these items. Just click here

BibBoards are better than Safety Pins ALWAYS!

On my Youtube channel today I talk about saving your running shirts by using BibBoards rather than safety pins to secure your race bibs. 

For years I’ve poked holes and snagged my nice tech shirts using safety pins. When I received a pair of BibBoards at a runDisney event in my swag bag I was a little skeptical but once I tried them I never went back to the pins. 

They are so easy to put on. Just snap apart your BibBoards and push the front piece (the one with the stud) through the hole of your race bib. Then snap the back piece onto the stud from the inside of your shirt , securing the bib and shirt in between the two pieces of your BibBoard. 

 

To remove them, just snap the two pieces apart. They might leave an indent in your shirt, but this has always washed out in the laundry.

  

And if you are wondering like I was, if they are really strong – well they ARE! I tugged so hard that the bib torn loose leaving the four BibBoards still secure on my shirt. 

  

Their website is full of design options or you can create your own custom design. Check out BibBoards website HERE!

Check out my YouTube Video Click Here! to see me reviewing these amazing fasteners. 

Win Sports Detergent Review

As a runner and a mother of a young adult male runner, the one article of running clothes that never seems to regain its “freshness” is our socks (especially those of the young adult male in my house).

I have tried many laundry detergents in the hopes of eliminating the smelling odor of active feet, only to have them come out of the wash still holding that post run fragrance. When I heard other runners raving about Win Sports Detergent I was excited and skeptical to try this new product. The product claims: WIN Sports Detergent removes sweat, oils, bacteria, and salts from active wear and workout clothing, so it feels and smells fresh as new. 

Not available in stores in my area, I purchased a bottle of Win Free & Clear from Amazon for $10.95. You can also purchase on their website at windetergent.com. 

When my bottle arrived in the mail, I grabbed our running apparel that I had been saving all week and headed for the laundry room. I normally wash all my clothes with cold water, however the bottle suggests hot or warm. I decided on the warm setting. The first thing I noticed when I opened the bottle is it had absolutely no scent, which is different for me since I always buy fragrant scented laundry soap. I poured the recommended amount in, tossed in the socks with our running shorts and shirts, closed the lid and prayed for a miracle.  

Forty minutes later, the spin cycle ended and that familiar three tone chime notified me that the wash cycle was now complete. I reached in and pulled out a sock and tentatively brought it close to my nose for the sniff test. To my dismay there was still a lingering foot odor. But I must say it was much less pungent than it normally is. This is success in my book. BUT WAIT!!!! once those little guys dried, there was not a hint of odor remaining. I believe a tear may have formed in my eyes. The tech running shirts came out amazing right out of the washer and the underarm sniff test scored an A+. The shirts were like brand new! 

I am in complete amazement with this product and can't believe it worked better than I ever imagined. I am always so happy to find a product that can live up to its bold claims and Win Detergent YOU DO!