This post was sponsored by Rockay Socks and contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. I was recently given a pair of Rockay Socks to review. I had never heard of the brand before, but I'm so glad that they reached out. There are many things I love about them, but the thing that excites me most is their goal of creating great products while helping the environment. The socks I were sent are 66% Polyamide, 30% Organic Merino Wool, and 4% Elastane. The combination of materials provides for a comfortable sock that is warm and sweat wicking. I admit that I have not had a chance to run long distances in them yet (thanks to my heel), but I've worn them for walking and day to day wear and they are super comfortable. The socks … [Read more...]
Runner Gifts for the Off Season
Disclaimer: Amazon links are affiliate links. Some products I was given for free. It's that time of year. No, not the holiday season. The off season. Most big fall races are done and it's not yet time to start training for the next big race. Most runners use this time to give their body a break and do some cross training. So, here's the perfect list of gifts to help a runner make the most of some down time. Runner Gifts for the Off Season by mcmmama on Polyvore Amazon.com : j/fit Dead Weight Slam Ball - 15 lb : Exercise Balls :... / Amazon.com : Bosu Balance Trainer, Pink : Balance Boards : Sports &... / Amazon.com : Concept2 Model D Indoor Rowing Machine (Light Gray) with... / Amazon.com : TRX Training - … [Read more...]
Controlling the chaos: a work in progress
Hi, I'm MCM Mama and I own way too much a lot just the right amount of skirts. And the perfect number of running shoes (if I were to run multiple times a day every day.) And medals? I have a few of those as well. I also live in a small house with closets big enough to hold about 3 outfits. Since today's topic on Tuesdays on the Run is how you organize your running related items, I'll share how I don't end up on the show "Hoarders". How exactly do I actually manage to keep things neat. Well, I organized my running shoes and clothes a couple of years ago and it's actually stuck! Then: Now: OK, maybe I needed to add another level of shoe storage... Despite a teeny tiny house, I have most of my running related items … [Read more...]
RaceHer July Subscription Box Reveal and Review
Thank you to RaceHer for giving me the RaceHer July box to review. Right before I headed out on my racing adventures, I had a lovely gift arrive in the mail. I'd been sent the very first month's subscription box from RaceHer to check out and share with you all. The timing was perfect as some of the items were perfect for taking with me. First off, what exactly is the RaceHer subscription box? The RaceHer Box is the ONLY running subscription box just for women runners. Everything inside is designed to help a lady runner feel motivated, empowered and have more fun running! RaceHer boxes are available on a bi-monthly basis and cost $35 each month. Each box will contain an assortment of gear and goodies - usually 2-3 … [Read more...]
Gear to keep you warm when it’s cold outside
I love winter running. I am not a fan of heat and humidity, so I'd much rather run in all the layers than sweat through a 100* run. We haven't had too many days so far this year to pull out the big guns, but since the topic for today's Tuesdays on the Run is "cold weather gear", I thought I'd share some that I expect to use yet this winter. I, of course, have some old favorites that I've written about before, but here are some new things that I've recently gotten. Skirt Sports Toasty Collection Skirt Sports recently came out with a "Toasty" collection. This collection has a variety of items for the cold weather runner. I have to admit that somehow I own them all. I know. My favorite so far is the Toasty tights. They have wind … [Read more...]
My Perennial Running Favorites
Do you have clothing items you reach for over and over again? Or a favorite pot that you cook in more often than all the others combined? Or a comfy blanket that gets chosen again and again? I think we are all tend to favor certain things over others and I know that for me, this includes running items. Since today's topic for Friday Five 2.0 is "things you'd buy again", I thought I'd share the five things I tend to reach for all.the.time. Garmin watch - I currently have the Garmin 220 and love it. It has amazing battery life and is simple to set up and use. I know that there are a lot more advanced Garmins out there, but I simply need to know how far I went and how long it took me to run each mile. Happy Girl skirts - I love … [Read more...]
I am not a Skirt Sports Hoarder
As I prepare to head to the Skirt Sports mothership AKA their store in Boulder on Friday, today's topic for Tuesdays on the Run seems more than a little bit appropriate. What are we chatting about? Race Gear: Are you a hoarder or a minimalist? Do you need everything in every color or do you keep as few things around as possible? I admit, I have a few skirts. Ok, more than a few. But I contend that I'm not a hoarder. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a hoarder as "one who hoards or stores up, esp. money." And to hoard as "To amass and put away (anything valuable) for preservation, security, or future use". See? No hoarding here! I use all the skirts that I own. I mean, sure, I have enough skirts to wear one a day for at least a … [Read more...]
Dressing for function and fashion
Today on Tuesdays on the Run, our topic is running gear and where to get it. You all know my love for Skirt Sports and it's pretty obvious that most of my running dollars get spent directly on their site. (Don't forget you can get 20% off with code MCM20.) I did, however, share with you how you can get older prints (yes, I do still have a few prints that I'm hoping to get my hands on.) I also generally get my shoes directly through my relationship with Altra, with the occasional extra pair being bought at Road Runner Sports as they are my only local store that carries them. So, where do I get the rest of my stuff??? Target, Kohl's, and Old Navy. That's right. I'm pretty much addicted to the Target C9 half zips. I'm … [Read more...]
A tale of many surfaces – Altra Lone Peak Review
Do you have some running items that you love so much you'd buy them again? Or maybe you actually bought more than one because you were afraid that they'd stop making it. (Or like me, you bought more than one because you couldn't find the one you had.) That's our topic for Tuesdays on the Run this week: Oldies but Goodies. I have a few items like that - my Skirt Sports Happy Girl skirts, my Brooks Essential Run Nightlife Jacket (I actually regularly consider buying another color of this), my Amphipod handheld water bottle (I have actually replaced this 3 times and now have 2 of them...) But instead I need to rave about a new item I received recently: the Altra Lone Peak NeoShell shoes. Source: Altra Lone Peak NeoShell I'm not a … [Read more...]
Brooks Nightlife Essential Run Jacket review
You may have noticed a bright yellow jacket in many of my race pictures over the last two years. My Brooks Nightlife Essential Run Jacket is perhaps my most frequently used piece of running gear. I first encountered this jacket when my mom lent me hers at the last minute for the trip to the Dust Bowl Series. I was not planning to take a jacket, but the weather predictions indicated cooler weather than I was expecting, plus, umm, the Dust Bowl was named because of the huge windy dust storms in the 30s. So, yeah, cool to cold and windy. … [Read more...]
HipS-Sister Review
I work part-time as a reference librarian at a public library. As most of you know, the reference desk of the public library is, well, a very public place. Because I am a substitute, I don't have a desk in the restricted area of the library plus I like to keep my phone with me. I'm not allowed to use it when I'm working, but I'm the primary contact for my children and Beer Geek is often unreachable, so I need to be able to hear my phone if there is an emergency. I found this really limited my outfits for work because I had to have pockets. Enter HipS-Sister! HipS-Sister is a band you wear around your hips that has pockets for your cell phone, keys, and credit cards. It's incredibly stretchy and comes in two widths - 5" or 7". The … [Read more...]
Yaktrax Review
Virginia is a Southern state. We don't get a huge amount of snow each year, but most years we get *some* snow. (Some years we get walloped, but that's a topic for another post...) I have an older pair of Yaktrax Run that I think was sent to me to review. Maybe. Probably. Who knows... Anyways, I've had them for a couple of years and every time I need them, I'm so happy to have them. 'Cause, even with a treadmill in the basement, sometimes I just need to run outside. (Yes, I realize it wasn't that long ago when I stated I wasn't bada$$ enough to run outside in the cold weather. Sometimes you just have to.) According to the company: The Yaktrax Run is an ice traction device anatomically designed for use with running shoes. … [Read more...]
