It always amazes me how Londoners will go for fashion over function when it comes to shoe choice. I know I am neither trendy or cool, especially in an urban sense. But where I grew up, when there was 2 feet of snow , you would wear warm tall boots. The first winter we were in London, it snowed a few wet centimetres. As we had just came from Michigan and still had our gortex winter boots. We met friends for coffee and they were in Nike trainers with frozen feet. We may not have looked cool, but our feet were warm and dry.
Brand new OOFOS. I need a pedicure STAT!
After races, people often change out of their running shoes (cuz those are only for running in) and throw on flip flops. I can’t wear most flip flops because the design often lacks arch support and cushioning. With my history of plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinitis, it causes me a lot of pain to wear flat shoes for long periods of time. Usually I will leave my trainers on after a race or bring another pair with me to change into.
This summer, I was fortunate enough to have a pair of OOFOS Recovery flip flops (OOriginal in Fuschia, of course) to product test after my races. I wore them after the Dublin Half, between laps at Spitfire Scramble, after the Berlin Marathon, and while I was awake on the bus during the FitbitFifty. The OOFoam technology is a little cushy, yet supportive. The shoe design also has an arch built in. Usually my narrow feet don’t feet in sandals were the straps are not adjustable (the straps would be above my feet making it hard to walk), but my feet fit in oofos just fine. The shoes are light, making it a no-brainer to take them travelling. The color selection means they can compliment many outfit choices too and there are a range of designs too. I felt great the day after the races where I tested them out, while during the relays I was able to keep going. You can even throw them in the washing machine to spruce them up.
Easy to wash, but because mine are a ligher color, there were still a few areas of wear.
Fast forward to colder weather……
Muddy dog walks are now bareable due to warm dry feet
In the summer, I wear trainers while I wear gortex shoes from September to May in London. It rains a lot here and I hate having wet feet. Walking Oldland in the park through long grass, there is still a chance my jeans and socks will get wet. I have some budget wellies from decathlon but they are really heavy and my socks always fall down (do you ever have this problem?). I also had to invest in insoles for the wellies as there was no support in there at all.
At a recent press event, I was introduced to Bogs Footwear. They specialise in waterproof shoes, from wellies to walking shoes. Most recently, they launched a leather range but this is only available in the USA so far (good thing I am going home for Thanksgiving in two weeks). I have been using the Crandall Tall wellies on my dog walks and while out watching Guy Faulkes fireworks. My feet have stayed toasty warm. There is a soft lining and handy holes on the sides to pull the boots on with. The heel has plastic higher up which allows you to take shoes off using other foot without ruining the Neo-Tech waterproof insulation. The design is sleek enough that I would wear them out to a country pub but I don’t think I would wear them on a night out, unless it was a bonfire or haunted hay ride.
Both shoes are fit for purpose and stylish enough to wear outside of race recovery and dog walks. I am so glad I can finally have shoes that are comfortable and look good too rather than having to pick function over fashion.
What is your shoe of choice after a tough race or while on a wet walk through the woods? Do you go for fashion over function?
Bring on London wintery weather!
OOFOS and Bogs Footwear were kind enough to gift me these shoes to try out. All opinions are honest and my own.
The North Face (TNF) has long been a favourite brand of mine. I have 3/4 zip shirts that are 5+ years old and they don’t show much wear. I also prefer TNF backpacks for my daily commute as they have great internal organisation and are once again, built to last.
In the spring, Blacks gave me a few pieces from the new TNF Mountain Athletics line. As I wrote previously (link) I practically lived in the Motivation Quarter zip while I was in Cairo and Instanbul. The fabric was light enough to carry in my purse but also kept me warm on the warm and once the sun went down. It didn’t even start to smell after a few wears. We recently spent a love weekend in ache Alsacian region of France for a wedding, where the top was a staple in the misty weather during the day and the chilly evenings at night.
Love these pretty leggings!
The warm spring and summer meant that I haven’t been able to wear the Pulse leggings very much to exercise in. They are very comfortable and the print is flattering on my body type (although I would like a thicker elastic waistband but that is my personal preference). The only thing missing is a pocket to keep a few essentials in. Perhaps if you were running up a mountain, you’d have a bag with you anyways.
The Play Hard vest (aka tank top in America) is soft material with a loose cut, which I prefer as opposed to skin tight kit. I wore the tank in Fierce Grace yYoga and completely soaked it through. I also wore it on a photo shoot with Will Patrick and am quite happy with the results. I love the bold design too which inspires me to be bold when out training in the mountains.
These pieces are really versatile and can be used in the gym, out for a run, at yoga, and of course when you are exploring the great outdoors. Check out the full Mountain Athletics women’s range offered at Black’s here (and here for the men’s). These pieces are perfect for autumnal training as the leggings and layers will help you tackle a rang of temps throughout the day.
August has completely flown by! I had 2 more race weekends right after Ride London. My husband, his brother and fiancé, and I travelled to Ireland where I ran the rock n roll Dublin half. We had a week long road trip and got back to London to I could join fellow UK Fitness Bloggers for Spitfire Scramble, a 24 hour relay race. Those races tired me out and I came back to work to launch a huge project that I have been working on for nearly 3 years. It has been a crazy, but rewarding, month.
Check out the shiney wheels!
I want to go back though and tell you about the kit I was given to test during Ride London. First off, Merlin Cycles were kind enough to send me the Forza Stratos RC23 Road wheelset. At a price point of £149.99, they are a good example of how you can replace certain components on your entry-level bike to make your riding more efficient and enjoyable. My new best friends at Bike Trax kindly squeezed in my wheel swap days before Ride London. I took my bike to Victoria Park to try them out and I how amazed at how easy it was. I didn’t know if it was the adrenaline or excitement that I might actually be able to go fast enough to ride all 100 miles this year, or just the fact that I had rounder wheels.
The wheels themselves have Shimano hubs and Mach1 spokes. Noah the Wheel Smith was surprised at that quality components were put under a different name as the brands stand for themselves in terms of reputation.
On the day of Ride London, I felt like I was faster than my previous training rides. You can see my training log, along with Ride London files (segment 1, segment 2, segment 3) over on Strava. I didn’t have much of a chance to draft anyone but feel I did well enough on my own. After all, I did get all 100 miles in. 🙂
Of course I had to get a manicure to match
I can’t wait to get out on the bike again once Berlin Marathon is over. James and I are headed to Cape Town in February and plan on touring on bikes for a few days while we are there. It will be a good time to break out my Altura cycling kit again. Zyro and Altura sent me some fab pink kit for Ride London, including the Women Peloton Progel Bib Short. I have never had such padded cycling shorts (all mine are for triathlons and indoor cycling) and what a difference it makes! Holy cow. Plus, I never had to adjust the shorts from riding up on my legs. They always stayed in place. I am not a huge fan of bib shorts because going to the loo requires disrobing in a small gross port-a-loo. But what can you do when nature calls?
I was between sizes on the jersey so I ordered one size up which meant it ended up being too big for me (as compared to a traditional slim fit jersey). It was still able to hold all the food I needed and my wallet without anything falling out of the back pockets. The zipper was easy to adjust as I rode, which helped me regulate my body temperature. I was also sent new gloves and a base layer but I received the items too late to try out properly before the big ride. I tried the shorts, socks, and jersey in a spin class, and also on the test ride for my wheels but felt I was still breaking the ‘nothing new on race day’ rule. When I changed out of my bibs at the end of the day (after a tube ride to Olympic Park where we collected our bikes and rode home) I noticed the webbing of the suspenders (braces for you Brits) had left a light impression but the marks were gone the next day.
My husband said the pink made it easy to spot me in a crowd, and it totally goes with my branding. This kit still has plenty of life left and I cannot wait to get back on the road and in the saddle.
Did you try any new kit this year that contributed to your success at Ride London? Leave a comment below and let me know!
Thanks again to Merln Cycles for providing the wheels and Zyco and Altura for the pink kit. As always, all opinions are honest and my own.
August has completely flown by! I had 2 more race weekends right after Ride London. My husband, his brother and fiancé, and I travelled to Ireland where I ran the rock n roll Dublin half. We had a week long road trip and got back to London to I could join fellow UK Fitness Bloggers for Spitfire Scramble, a 24 hour relay race. Those races tired me out and I came back to work to launch a huge project that I have been working on for nearly 3 years. It has been a crazy, but rewarding, month.
Check out the shiney wheels!
I want to go back though and tell you about the kit I was given to test during Ride London. First off, Merlin Cycles were kind enough to send me the Forza Stratos RC23 Road wheelset. At a price point of £149.99, they are a good example of how you can replace certain components on your entry-level bike to make your riding more efficient and enjoyable. My new best friends at Bike Trax kindly squeezed in my wheel swap days before Ride London. I took my bike to Victoria Park to try them out and I how amazed at how easy it was. I didn’t know if it was the adrenaline or excitement that I might actually be able to go fast enough to ride all 100 miles this year, or just the fact that I had rounder wheels.
The wheels themselves have Shimano hubs and Mach1 spokes. Noah the Wheel Smith was surprised at that quality components were put under a different name as the brands stand for themselves in terms of reputation.
On the day of Ride London, I felt like I was faster than my previous training rides. You can see my training log, along with Ride London files (segment 1, segment 2, segment 3) over on Strava. I didn’t have much of a chance to draft anyone but feel I did well enough on my own. After all, I did get all 100 miles in. 🙂
Of course I had to get a manicure to match
I can’t wait to get out on the bike again once Berlin Marathon is over. James and I are headed to Cape Town in February and plan on touring on bikes for a few days while we are there. It will be a good time to break out my Altura cycling kit again. Zyro and Altura sent me some fab pink kit for Ride London, including the Women Peloton Progel Bib Short. I have never had such padded cycling shorts (all mine are for triathlons and indoor cycling) and what a difference it makes! Holy cow. Plus, I never had to adjust the shorts from riding up on my legs. They always stayed in place. I am not a huge fan of bib shorts because going to the loo requires disrobing in a small gross port-a-loo. But what can you do when nature calls?
I was between sizes on the jersey so I ordered one size up which meant it ended up being too big for me (as compared to a traditional slim fit jersey). It was still able to hold all the food I needed and my wallet without anything falling out of the back pockets. The zipper was easy to adjust as I rode, which helped me regulate my body temperature. I was also sent new gloves and a base layer but I received the items too late to try out properly before the big ride. I tried the shorts, socks, and jersey in a spin class, and also on the test ride for my wheels but felt I was still breaking the ‘nothing new on race day’ rule. When I changed out of my bibs at the end of the day (after a tube ride to Olympic Park where we collected our bikes and rode home) I noticed the webbing of the suspenders (braces for you Brits) had left a light impression but the marks were gone the next day.
My husband said the pink made it easy to spot me in a crowd, and it totally goes with my branding. This kit still has plenty of life left and I cannot wait to get back on the road and in the saddle.
Did you try any new kit this year that contributed to your success at Ride London? Leave a comment below and let me know!
Thanks again to Merln Cycles for providing the wheels and Zyco and Altura for the pink kit. As always, all opinions are honest and my own.
A photo posted by Mollie, the Happiness PT (@ptmollie) on
Freya lingerie brand has recently added an activewear line to its offerings. Smartly, they chose to use fabric treated with Polygiene for their designs, which helps prevent bacteria (and therefore odour) build up after repeated gym sessions without washing in between. You can read my other suggestions on how to avoid stinky gym kit at your desk here on H2 Life Blog.
To put these Polygiene-treated shorts to the tests, I wore them for over 5 hours of running and indoor cycling without washing. After each use (and then drying on a hanger or floor), my husband gave them the sniff test. Only this last time did he start to notice something, and as he pointed out, he had to put his nose right against the fabric. What a brave soul! I was really surprised because they were really sweaty after each of my workouts. i thought there would have been some indication before then.
Overall, I am very pleased with how the Polygiene treatment helped delay the onset of smell to these shorts. It helps save me time from doing laundry and save energy/water from less loads. My husband is happy too as he feels is he constantly washing gym kit while his collared shirts require fewer washes if he layers properly. Less washing also helps your clothes last longer, as the washing machine can be a bit rough on fabrics.
Yes, a dryer uses a lot of energy, but boy do I miss having one!
The only thing I would suggest is that Freya start using Polygiene fabrics for their sport bras too. It would make me feel more confident knowing I am not going to smell after wearing my sport bra for a second time without washing (come on- you know you do it too!) or that if I douse myself with water on a hot day, I won’t smell horrible.
What tips do you have to avoid your gym kit from smelling? Thanks to Polygiene for gifting me these shorts to try out. All opinions are honest and my own.
Long-time readers will know that I am a fan of British sport accessory brand Workplay Bags. Over the years, we have supported each other on many campaigns and it has been fantastic. It has been great reviewing their bags, which are specifically designed for the female figure, as well as testing prototypes. The Fleetfoot II I reviewed in 2012 and I have nearly worn it out. If I am running a short distance and don’t require a water bottle, I throw my keys, phone, & Oyster card in my Fleetfoot II. Technically, it could carry a small water bottle in the mesh bit, but I never liked how it felt on my lower back. The bag might also hold one small pack of Haribos or a gel, but that was it.
Introducing the Fleetfooot 3 Max in a new colour range.
Based on feedback from customers, Workplay Bags have released the Fleetfoot 3 Max. It has a slightly bigger pouch which means there is now room for your iPhone6 and inhaler. The bag also comes in new colours- black, berry, and luminous yellow. Even though it is bigger (and therefore can hold more stuff), the bag is still incredibly comfortable. The adjustable strap means you can wear it where it fits best for your body shape. I wear it on my natural waist and for me, it doesn’t bounce no matter how full (or empty) it is. Having a little more room means I pack a few gels without a problem. The interior now has three sections- a soft pouch for keys and change (to prevent your phone from getting scratched) and then a divider for the rest. There are also gel loops on the strap, which is a new feature. The mesh external storage pouch and elastic straps for holding a jacket have remained in the updated design, which allow the user to carry even more.
The bigger pouch also means a greater reflective area to maintain your visibility on early morning or late night runs. The larger size has not compromised the female fit however. The Fleetfoot 3 Max still is hardly noticeable when you wear it (no bounce and it stays in place).
Check out the high-vis. Safety is key!
It you are looking for a comfortable bum bag, please do check out Workplay bags. Support a British small business that designs for a women’s body shape and you will not be disappointed.
WorkPlay Bags graciously gifted me the Fleetfoot 3 Max for review. All opinions are honest and my own.
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