by thinkmarsh | Sep 11, 2017 | fashion, product review, running, shoes
One of the great things about being a fitness blogger is the opportunity to try new products. This year, I was extremely lucky and received a few pairs of trainers (sneakers, for you Americans). Before the London Marathon, I was hesitant to try any new pairs of shoes before the race (#1 rule- never try anything new). After the marathon, I continued to attend track sessions with Advent Running and started incorporating more strength training in.
My last six pairs of running shoes have been Asics Nimbus 15’s and I am petrified of what to do when my last pair wear out. Good trainers can cost £100+ so there is a big financial risk and, of course, a possible injury risk. With a long-term history of Achilles tendinitis and more recently plantar fasciitis, I am always worried that changing shoes will cause me problems again.
Last year, in true American fashion, I met a Hoka One One rep on the Tube last year and discussed becoming an ambassador with him. I had heard good things about Hoka One One as they are very cushioned. Originally designed for ultra runners, the unique thick sole provided more protection than other shoes at the time. I was hoping the extra padding would give me a bit more bounce (rather than relying on my Achilles) and protect my joints with each step I take (yes, I am a heel-striker). The rep sent me a pair of Clifton 2’s to try out. Here is info about the Clifton 2’s for you shoe geeks out there:
Clifton 2
Weight- 203g
Where to wear them- Road (Hoka One One claims that there running shoes have 50% more cushioning that standard running shoes).
Preferred ride- Plush
Type of runner- Neutral
Drop- 5mm offset (24mm forefoot, 29mm heel)
Insides- 3mm Ortholite insole
It took a while to adjust to the shoes because they were elevated (due to thick insole). I took a few days to gradually break them in and get used to the motion of the shoe. It felt like I was rocking forward. I wore them to track, on local runs, and the Women’s Running Magazine 10K in Milton Keynes. They were comfortable enough that I started to wear them to work too (which I normally don’t do with my running shoes in order to save the miles for my marathon training). However, I was still stiff the day after runs. With a few pairs of Nimbus 15’s in my closet, I probably didn’t give the Clifton 2’s as much time to adjust to as I should of, but I was worried about aggravating my injuries.
This spring, Hoka One One sent me a snazzy pair of Hupanas. When I first looked at them, I could see the insoles were not as thick as the Clifton 2s. They seemed comfortable when I put them on for the photos. Here are their stats:
Hupana
179g
Road
Responsive
Neutral
5mm offset (19mm forefoot, 24mm heel)
Molded Ortholite sockliner
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| Top view of the Hupana |
Sadly, I have yet to run in the Hupanas. After the London Marathon though, my Achilles have gotten progressively worse. I took most of June and all of July off from running in the hopes that they would heal. But they never did. At the end of July, the osteopath diagnosed me with Achilles tendinopathy, rather than tendinitis (I am not too sure how they are different), and prescribed eccentric exercises to help me heal. It was a 12 week program but I only had 8 weeks until Chicago Marathon when I started.
When I tried on the Hupanas on for the photos, they were really comfy. I think that they are urban-sleek too, meaning you could wear them for day-to-day casual.
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| Huspana on top and Cliften 2’s on the bottom |
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| I really like the aesthetic design of this shoe. |
As I can’t tell you much about how the shoe feels when you run in them, I can try to explain what an offset or ‘drop’ is. I have heard this term from many of my running friends who take running much more seriously than I do. They know about running shoes like my dad knows about cars. Make, models, specifications, and availability. I am trying to learn what I can from these experienced runners so I can find the next pair of shoes that will allow me to run pain-free.
I spoke with a friend and fellow blogger, Steve Skinner, who works at The Running Works in London to learn more about these terms. He explained the offset/drop is the difference between heel height and forefoot height. If the offset is zero, the heel and the ball of the forefoot would be at exactly the same height off the ground. He added “The weight of a shoe is less important for someone running 5k a few times a week to stay healthy compared to someone racing regularly. However, if you are an efficient runner and light on your feet you might not need a huge amount of cushioning and/or support. A lightweight pair could be more comfortable and help you to run more efficiently/quicker.” You can tell from the stats above that the Clifton 2 has a 1/2 cm thicker sole than the Hupanas. This info is useful for people who have joint pain, run long distances, or prefer sprints on the track.
Steve made a good point saying if you have comfortable shoes to run in, you will want to run more. He recommends that every runner have a gait analysis to help you understand how you run and what you need in a shoe. With your perfect match, you can run more efficiently too.
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| Another view to compare the insoles |
As the saying goes, ‘give a girl the right pair of shoes, and she can conquer the world.’ That is what I am hoping for with my next pair of running shoes. After I complete the
Chicago Marathon next month, I will be half way through my
World Marathon Major quest and ready for more.
If you have run in a the Hupanas, let me know in the comments below how they felt. As soon as I can, I will update this post too.
by Mollie Millington | Jul 11, 2017 | cycling, fashion, product review, travel
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| Small portion of the food I plan to pack |
I cannot believe we are leaving for Paris (on our bikes) on Friday. When Elle, Sophie, and I planned this trip eight weeks ago, we had all these ideas for blog posts and link sharing…. and then training took over. These ladies have made extra effort to get high mileage in every week. I have joined in on as many long rides as I could, but have been sharing my time with weekend working, races, and marathon training. I can’t believe there are only a few days left before we get on our bikes and go.
Our Whatsapp chats have ranged from what to pack to what of we gets our periods to what food we are going to eat along the way. The hotels, trains, and ferries are booked. On Sunday, I started putting together the items I will need on this adventure. I was hoping to bring only 1 pannier bag but after piling up just the clothes, I have a feeling I will need two. Yesterday, I put aside from of the food. There isn’t nearly enough so I will bake flapjacks tonight. I need to think more about what other portable food to bring so I don’t hit a wall three times like I did to Brighton a few weeks ago. We are leaving the Velodrome at 6:30am on Friday but will have at least two hours of London rush hour traffic to navigate through before we are headed to New Haven at a smoother pace. Sure, there will be stops along the way, but I prefer to limit the number of stops we need to make.
Here is what I know I am bringing so far:
 |
| Pile of clothes. How is there so much? |
- Altura short sleeve cycling jersey, courtesy of ZyroFisher*
- Decathlon sleeveless cycling jersey
- Altura bib shorts*
- #Fitbitfifty shorts
- 2 sports bras, courtesy of Shock Absorber*
- 1 regular bra
- 4 pairs of underwear
- 4 pairs of socks, one pair thanks to 1000 Mile Socks*
- Shorts and t shirt to sleep in
- Toiletries
- 2 spare inner tubes, thanks to Decathlon
- 4 tubes of Nuun
- Ride Skincare sunscreen
- Clif bars
- Nutri Advanced MegaMag Muscleze
- 2 water bottles
- Outfit for the last day in Paris (jeans, shorts or harem pants?)
- Oofos recovery sandals?
- Puncture repair kit
- D lock and cable
- Sunglasses from Decathlon*
- Cycling gloves*
- Leatherman knife
- Spork
- Gels
- Sports tape and scissors
- Cycling cap
- Plastic bags for wet clothes
- Bath salt? (we don’t have a bath at home so this might be a nice treat for my tired legs. But it is heavy)
- Bike lights
- Chargers for phone, ipad, Fitbit, and bike lights plus converter
- iPad?
- Euros
- #Fitbitfifty gilet*
- #Fitbitfifty arm warmers
- #Fitbitfifty jacket
- Hi vis vest (required by French law)
- First aid kit (required by French law)
*wearing at the start
 |
| Shock Absorber bras |
Having just finished the book Wild by Cheryl Strayed, I really want to pack everything before Friday morning and see 1. if it all fits and 2. how heavy it is. The training I did never involved too much extra weight, making me a bit nervous about carrying two pannier bags for the trip. I am going to keep chipping away at packing and re-packing every night this week to ensure everything is essential. There are a few things I need to wash so they are dry before Friday too. The five of us are trying to think of what we can share in terms of packing- like pumps and multi tools. Those are neither bulky nor heavy so it isn’t too much help. Luckily, I can share carrying the heavy locks with James along the way.
 |
| Thanks Decathlon for the cycling essentials |
What do you think of my list? Am I forgetting anything? If you have any tips on cycling to Paris, please leave a comment below. I am starting to get nervous about this. What were we thinking?
I would like to thanks Zyco Fisher, Nuun, 1000 Mile Socks, Shock Absorbers, Ride Skincare,
Nutri Advanced, and Decathlon for their generous support of this epic trip. I have tried all of these products on training rides and am confident they will help me get to the Eiffel Tower. Brita provided me with a Fill & Go bottle for the trip but I need a bottle with a larger volume. I use it at work every day, however, and love how convenient it is. It also doesn’t leak!
by thinkmarsh | Jul 11, 2017 | cycling, fashion, product review, travel
|
| Small portion of the food I plan to pack |
I cannot believe we are leaving for Paris (on our bikes) on Friday. When Elle, Sophie, and I planned this trip eight weeks ago, we had all these ideas for blog posts and link sharing…. and then training took over. These ladies have made extra effort to get high mileage in every week. I have joined in on as many long rides as I could, but have been sharing my time with weekend working, races, and marathon training. I can’t believe there are only a few days left before we get on our bikes and go.
Our Whatsapp chats have ranged from what to pack to what of we gets our periods to what food we are going to eat along the way. The hotels, trains, and ferries are booked. On Sunday, I started putting together the items I will need on this adventure. I was hoping to bring only 1 pannier bag but after piling up just the clothes, I have a feeling I will need two. Yesterday, I put aside from of the food. There isn’t nearly enough so I will bake flapjacks tonight. I need to think more about what other portable food to bring so I don’t hit a wall three times like I did to Brighton a few weeks ago. We are leaving the Velodrome at 6:30am on Friday but will have at least two hours of London rush hour traffic to navigate through before we are headed to New Haven at a smoother pace. Sure, there will be stops along the way, but I prefer to limit the number of stops we need to make.
Here is what I know I am bringing so far:
|
| Pile of clothes. How is there so much? |
- Altura short sleeve cycling jersey, courtesy of ZyroFisher*
- Decathlon sleeveless cycling jersey
- Altura bib shorts*
- #Fitbitfifty shorts
- 2 sports bras, courtesy of Shock Absorber*
- 1 regular bra
- 4 pairs of underwear
- 4 pairs of socks, one pair thanks to 1000 Mile Socks*
- Shorts and t shirt to sleep in
- Toiletries
- 2 spare inner tubes, thanks to Decathlon
- 4 tubes of Nuun
- Ride Skincare sunscreen
- Clif bars
- Nutri Advanced MegaMag Muscleze
- 2 water bottles
- Outfit for the last day in Paris (jeans, shorts or harem pants?)
- Oofos recovery sandals?
- Puncture repair kit
- D lock and cable
- Sunglasses from Decathlon*
- Cycling gloves*
- Leatherman knife
- Spork
- Gels
- Sports tape and scissors
- Cycling cap
- Plastic bags for wet clothes
- Bath salt? (we don’t have a bath at home so this might be a nice treat for my tired legs. But it is heavy)
- Bike lights
- Chargers for phone, ipad, Fitbit, and bike lights plus converter
- iPad?
- Euros
- #Fitbitfifty gilet*
- #Fitbitfifty arm warmers
- #Fitbitfifty jacket
- Hi vis vest (required by French law)
- First aid kit (required by French law)
*wearing at the start
|
| Shock Absorber bras |
Having just finished the book Wild by Cheryl Strayed, I really want to pack everything before Friday morning and see 1. if it all fits and 2. how heavy it is. The training I did never involved too much extra weight, making me a bit nervous about carrying two pannier bags for the trip. I am going to keep chipping away at packing and re-packing every night this week to ensure everything is essential. There are a few things I need to wash so they are dry before Friday too. The five of us are trying to think of what we can share in terms of packing- like pumps and multi tools. Those are neither bulky nor heavy so it isn’t too much help. Luckily, I can share carrying the heavy locks with James along the way.
|
| Thanks Decathlon for the cycling essentials |
What do you think of my list? Am I forgetting anything? If you have any tips on cycling to Paris, please leave a comment below. I am starting to get nervous about this. What were we thinking?
I would like to thanks Zyco Fisher, Nuun, 1000 Mile Socks, Shock Absorbers, Ride Skincare,
Nutri Advanced, and Decathlon for their generous support of this epic trip. I have tried all of these products on training rides and am confident they will help me get to the Eiffel Tower. Brita provided me with a Fill & Go bottle for the trip but I need a bottle with a larger volume. I use it at work every day, however, and love how convenient it is. It also doesn’t leak!
by thinkmarsh | May 30, 2017 | fashion, product review, running
|
| Pretty darn comfy, even in the heat |
At a recent event at
Ellis Brigham, I was chatting with the lovely folks at Osprey about running. I explained how my
new phone doesn’t fit into the bum bag I usually use, which has made marathon training a bit of challenge. For long runs, I need a small bottle of water, my Oyster card, fuel, keys, and my phone. The phone allows me to listen to my Harry Potter audio books or My Dad Wrote a Porno podcasts. Bum bags often make me feel like I need to use the bathroom too (I think this is because it repeatedly bounces on my lower back, encouraging my digestion system to go into overdrive).
 |
| Soft mesh lining |
The solution to my bodily function woes seems to be the Osprey Duro 1.5 rucksack. Of course, I was worried that I would get too hot running in this so I took it out on a few short runs during the brief London heatwave we have been experiencing. On the first run, I wore a t-shirt because I was afraid the mesh lining would chafe my skin. I was pleasantly surprised that the bag was really comfortable to run in. The adjustable chest straps helps make the bag unisex, so any shaped body can fit in. It does feel a bit weird when I initially put it on at the start of a run because the 250 ml water pouches lay right over my breasts. Maybe I need to adjust it somehow so the pouches rest more on the sides? The straws have a bite valves and are bent at an angle to make them easier to reach while on the go. There are pockets everywhere and half of these have zippers to keep important items tucked safely away.
Last week, I wore the pack to an Adidas Runners cruise interval session while wearing a vest top. I knew it was going to be hot out and that I would need sips of water along the way. The Duro allowed me to have water but keep me hands free. The bag also held my phone, which I like to have for snapping photos on the runs, but hate carrying. I barely noticed that I had the bag on. It never once irritated my skin nor did I have to adjust it. It was so helpful to have the water available every time I needed it with the high pollen count in the air. I could also take a few photos of the group when we got to the park without too much faffing.
 |
| Back side of the bag with more pockets. |
The Duro 1.5 is going to be really handy when I start marathon training next week. Chicago Marathon is 19 weeks away and will my 3rd Abbott World Marathon Major. This bag will make my long runs much more bearable and I might use it during the race too. One thing I learned during London Marathon was not to carry too much water because there were so many water stations. I could have carried less weight, which would have made the run easier (I think?). I am going to have to look more closely at the Chicago course and weather forecast before I decide though. I have plenty of time to trial different combinations of kit and water before October.
 |
| Chafe-free equals victory |
What do you carry with you during a marathon? Have you found the less you carry, the faster you run? Leave a comment below and let me know.
by Mollie Millington | May 30, 2017 | fashion, product review, running
|
| Pretty darn comfy, even in the heat |
At a recent event at
Ellis Brigham, I was chatting with the lovely folks at Osprey about running. I explained how my
new phone doesn’t fit into the bum bag I usually use, which has made marathon training a bit of challenge. For long runs, I need a small bottle of water, my Oyster card, fuel, keys, and my phone. The phone allows me to listen to my Harry Potter audio books or My Dad Wrote a Porno podcasts. Bum bags often make me feel like I need to use the bathroom too (I think this is because it repeatedly bounces on my lower back, encouraging my digestion system to go into overdrive).
|
| Soft mesh lining |
The solution to my bodily function woes seems to be the Osprey Duro 1.5 rucksack. Of course, I was worried that I would get too hot running in this so I took it out on a few short runs during the brief London heatwave we have been experiencing. On the first run, I wore a t-shirt because I was afraid the mesh lining would chafe my skin. I was pleasantly surprised that the bag was really comfortable to run in. The adjustable chest straps helps make the bag unisex, so any shaped body can fit in. It does feel a bit weird when I initially put it on at the start of a run because the 250 ml water pouches lay right over my breasts. Maybe I need to adjust it somehow so the pouches rest more on the sides? The straws have a bite valves and are bent at an angle to make them easier to reach while on the go. There are pockets everywhere and half of these have zippers to keep important items tucked safely away.
Last week, I wore the pack to an Adidas Runners cruise interval session while wearing a vest top. I knew it was going to be hot out and that I would need sips of water along the way. The Duro allowed me to have water but keep me hands free. The bag also held my phone, which I like to have for snapping photos on the runs, but hate carrying. I barely noticed that I had the bag on. It never once irritated my skin nor did I have to adjust it. It was so helpful to have the water available every time I needed it with the high pollen count in the air. I could also take a few photos of the group when we got to the park without too much faffing.
|
| Back side of the bag with more pockets. |
The Duro 1.5 is going to be really handy when I start marathon training next week. Chicago Marathon is 19 weeks away and will my 3rd Abbott World Marathon Major. This bag will make my long runs much more bearable and I might use it during the race too. One thing I learned during London Marathon was not to carry too much water because there were so many water stations. I could have carried less weight, which would have made the run easier (I think?). I am going to have to look more closely at the Chicago course and weather forecast before I decide though. I have plenty of time to trial different combinations of kit and water before October.
|
| Chafe-free equals victory |
What do you carry with you during a marathon? Have you found the less you carry, the faster you run? Leave a comment below and let me know.
by thinkmarsh | May 11, 2017 | fashion, product review
Spring is here and it is time to #getraceready. Get The Label is an online boutique that offers a variety of clothes for men, women, and children. They also have a strong fitness collection that includes tops, bottoms, trainers, and sports bras. All the top brands are there too- Adidas, Nike, Under Amour, Reebok, Asics and more, but at a fraction of the price. Seriously- a lot of the fitness stuff is about 40% off RRP (inlcuding trainers!). Get The Label generously let me pick out a few pieces which I thought would be great in this transitional spring weather (chilly mornings and cool evenings) as training season ramps up again for summer races.
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| My new outfit |
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| Cold Gear leggings |
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| After my spill. So sad. |
The bottoms are Under Armour Cold Gear leggings which are lined with a warm material but also wicks away moisture. The leg panels are water repellent, which is helpful in misty weather. The waistband is high and elastic, which makes it very flattering on my body (and stays in place when I run).
These became an instant favorite during the last weeks of my marathon training. I tend to have trouble managing my body temperature during workouts but these always kept it just right. Can you believe I tripped and fell during an Adidas Runners morning session and ripped them? Absolutely gutted and I am going to try to mend them. If I can’t, I will be ordering a new pair soon.
As I mentioned before, I am trying to replace my old sports bras that are sad and ragged. The description of the Reebok WorkOut Ready bra sold me- ultimate support and moisture wicking (are you seeing a theme here?). I have worn it for both spin classes and run sessions and been happy with the suport it gives my chest.
Finally, the Nike Air Drape Hoody looked so bright and cosy, I had to have it. I love wearing something around my neck to keep warm when there is a breeze, and the cowl neck hoody allows me to bundle up or cool off a bit. There are a few design details, such as the pointed cuff, printed hood and zippered pockets, that add to the unique design. The material is 96% cotton and soft. I wear this top on the way to morning sessions but also when I am home on the couch at the weekends.
I am really happy with the quality of items I was sent from Get The Label. As I mentioned, I will be reordering the Under Amour leggings (only £29.99) if I can’t find a way to patch the stretchy fabric. I will be checking back every month to see what new products they have added to their shop.
Get The Label generously sent me these items to review. As always, all opinions are honest and my own.
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