My American style teeth often get comments. Every time I go to a new dentist, the hygienist is confused as to why so many of my teeth are missing (small jaw + big teeth = 4 tooth extractions on top of my wisdom teeth). I had a palette expander, two sets of braces, and a retainer when growing up. The braces left small stains on my teeth but since I don’t drink coffe or tea (just a lot of Diet Coke) my teeth are fairly white. But not as white as people who get their teeth whitened, which sometimes seems a bit unnatural in appearance. As my smile is one of the first impressions, I was keen to see if I could improve it,
In the past, I have tried the home whitening kits that are a little piece of film you leave on your teeth but I never stuck with it long enough to see any results. I have longingly looked at Groupon deals for laser teeth whitening but they all seem too good to be true. When I saw CB 12 White Mouthwash though, I was intrigued. Could a mouthwash give me whiter teeth in less than 2 weeks? It also claim to boost fresh breath. I have always had bad breath, so this aspect of the mouthwash also appeaped to me. In 5th grade, I used to carry around breathspray because gum wasn’t allowed at school. But then they banned the breathspray because it had alcohol in it, so I was back to square one.
Here is a photo of my smile from 2 August 2016, before I started using CB 12 mouthwash:
I used a piece of paper to have standard of reference for white.
And here is my after photo from 17 August 2016, after using CB12 mouthwash twice a day:
My husband agreed that after a week my teeth looked whiter (and I am pretty sure he didn’t know I was testing a product). When I woke up each morning, my mouth didn’t have a icky taste (but don’t worry- I still brushed my teeth before I set off to work). Luckily people in London are too polite to tell me when my breath is bad so I don’t know if anyone else noticed a change in my breath. It was easy to incorporate CB 12 mouthwash into my morning and evening routines. I took it on holiday to Ireland with me too. I just decanted how much I needed into a smaller bottle to bring in my carry on bag.
The one thing I would suggest is that it would be great if the bottle cap could also be used to measure out the suggested 5ml portion. I guess-timated with the cap, but it seemed like I loss some liquid down the side every time I used it.
Overall, I am really pleased with CB 12 mouthwash. My husband was impressed too and wants to buy some for his British teeth. If he does, I will follow up with more before and after photos as he is a coffee and tea drinker.
CB 12 kindly gifted me a bottle of CB 12 mouthwash. All views are honest and my own.
My American style teeth often get comments. Every time I go to a new dentist, the hygienist is confused as to why so many of my teeth are missing (small jaw + big teeth = 4 tooth extractions on top of my wisdom teeth). I had a palette expander, two sets of braces, and a retainer when growing up. The braces left small stains on my teeth but since I don’t drink coffe or tea (just a lot of Diet Coke) my teeth are fairly white. But not as white as people who get their teeth whitened, which sometimes seems a bit unnatural in appearance. As my smile is one of the first impressions, I was keen to see if I could improve it,
In the past, I have tried the home whitening kits that are a little piece of film you leave on your teeth but I never stuck with it long enough to see any results. I have longingly looked at Groupon deals for laser teeth whitening but they all seem too good to be true. When I saw CB 12 White Mouthwash though, I was intrigued. Could a mouthwash give me whiter teeth in less than 2 weeks? It also claim to boost fresh breath. I have always had bad breath, so this aspect of the mouthwash also appeaped to me. In 5th grade, I used to carry around breathspray because gum wasn’t allowed at school. But then they banned the breathspray because it had alcohol in it, so I was back to square one.
Here is a photo of my smile from 2 August 2016, before I started using CB 12 mouthwash:
I used a piece of paper to have standard of reference for white.
And here is my after photo from 17 August 2016, after using CB12 mouthwash twice a day:
My husband agreed that after a week my teeth looked whiter (and I am pretty sure he didn’t know I was testing a product). When I woke up each morning, my mouth didn’t have a icky taste (but don’t worry- I still brushed my teeth before I set off to work). Luckily people in London are too polite to tell me when my breath is bad so I don’t know if anyone else noticed a change in my breath. It was easy to incorporate CB 12 mouthwash into my morning and evening routines. I took it on holiday to Ireland with me too. I just decanted how much I needed into a smaller bottle to bring in my carry on bag.
The one thing I would suggest is that it would be great if the bottle cap could also be used to measure out the suggested 5ml portion. I guess-timated with the cap, but it seemed like I loss some liquid down the side every time I used it.
Overall, I am really pleased with CB 12 mouthwash. My husband was impressed too and wants to buy some for his British teeth. If he does, I will follow up with more before and after photos as he is a coffee and tea drinker.
CB 12 kindly gifted me a bottle of CB 12 mouthwash. All views are honest and my own.
I learned a few things from last year’s Spitfire Scramble. Even though I made a list of things to pack, I still forgot a few things, like baby wipes. I did remember a hot water bottle and think that was more essential because if I smelled, I was camping alone. Here are the Things that got me through Spitfire Scramble 2016.
2016 UK Fitness Bloggers team
Pearl Izumi kit is lush
Pearl Izumi*-Their Transfer Dry running kit is amazing! I have the Pursuit Singlet and 4.5 in short. Both dried out so quick after my first lap I left them on and wore for lap #2. I even wore the shorts to Fierce Grace Yoga once and they never stuck to me or need to be adjusted. They are now my go-to shorts in the summer. The only change I would make is to add a zipper or Velcro seal three small pocket on the back waistband as I am always afraid my gel or keys will fall out. The top is a flattering cut (as is my preference for a loose cut).
Runderwear– They quick dry too so you don’t have to worry about swamp ass. ‘nough said. Here is my original review. Knuckle Lights*- Team member, Corey from Learning Patience, was able to hook up the team with these. She had used them last year and raved about them. I used mine at high power and could see everything even though it was pitch black out. I also had Night Runner 270′s* on my feet, Million Mile lights on my waist and a head torch. It was awesome to be so lit up because I got of lot of comments during my 2 night laps, which gave me the boost I needed. One person said I was lit up like a Christmas tree, while a marshall said I made their night by being so bright. The rechargable batteries didn’t last me too laps though while on high power. Next year, I will go with medium strenght.
A video posted by Mollie, the Happiness PT (@ptmollie) on
Primal pantry bars*– Sabine, from My Life My Challenges, was able to share some sample Primal Pantry bars. My flapjacks ended up sticking to the parchment paper when I took them out of the oven, so I was grateful for an alternative snack. We had 4 flavours but I stuck to the ones I knew and saved the rest for run commuting. VITHIT water*– These were sent to me just days before the race. I chose to have them as a treat after my daytime laps as a way to rehydrate without having to worry about my body’s response. (Runners are really superstitious about trying new things, if you haven’t pick up on that yet). I tried Apple & Elderflower and Coconut & Pineapple. Both were really nice treat after a hot 5.9 mile run. I still have 2 other flavours in my fridge and hope summer lasts a bit longer so I can enjoy them properly. Primus Lite gas stove*- I harnessed it’s true potential this year and had a hot water bottle while I slept, made Sabine a pot of noodles, and someone a cup of tea. I was so relieved it didn’t rust when we left it outside in a plastic storage container in the garden that became super damp when we had heavy rain. The insulation on the cup went a bit mouldy but I was able to wash that off under the tap. I was super impressed it wasn’t damaged further. Quality stuff right there! elete Holistic Hydrate*- These were a lifesaver as it was very hot and sunny on Saturday afternoon. All I did was pour 1/2 capful into my 750ml water bottle and added water. It didn’t taste that much different (but just a little bit, maybe just psychosomatic as I knew there were added salts in there?). The bottles are small enough (like an eye drop bottle) that you can travel with it or keep in your gym bag for hot days or super-sweaty workouts.
Stretch and massage in between laps
Massages- I had enough cash on me to invest in 3 massages this year. Corey’s massage therapist said to get massages throughout the race. Our team was the first in line to sign up for our anticipated slots. God bless the Flying Physios as they worked for nearly 35 hours straight to keep all us runners going. I don’t know if it was mentally or physically a relief but I will do the same again next year. Familiar faces- It is wonderful to be building up my friends in the London running community. We had several other blogger friends at the race (Lisa, Lucy, and Frankie), my friend Clare and her gang of East End Road Runners, two ladies from Advent Running, and my local park run leaders. Spitfire is so friendly and relaxed you really can’t beat it. I am already looking forward to next year. My goal is to bring my own food rather than rely on the food stands. During my laps, I had lots of time to strategize our rota for next year. Returning to such a fun race year-after-year helps me check in with the community aspect of running and reminds me how fun it truly can be. All items with a * were given to me with compliments in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions are honest and my own.
I learned a few things from last year’s Spitfire Scramble. Even though I made a list of things to pack, I still forgot a few things, like baby wipes. I did remember a hot water bottle and think that was more essential because if I smelled, I was camping alone. Here are the Things that got me through Spitfire Scramble 2016.
2016 UK Fitness Bloggers team
Pearl Izumi kit is lush
Pearl Izumi*-Their Transfer Dry running kit is amazing! I have the Pursuit Singlet and 4.5 in short. Both dried out so quick after my first lap I left them on and wore for lap #2. I even wore the shorts to Fierce Grace Yoga once and they never stuck to me or need to be adjusted. They are now my go-to shorts in the summer. The only change I would make is to add a zipper or Velcro seal three small pocket on the back waistband as I am always afraid my gel or keys will fall out. The top is a flattering cut (as is my preference for a loose cut).
Runderwear– They quick dry too so you don’t have to worry about swamp ass. ‘nough said. Here is my original review. Knuckle Lights*- Team member, Corey from Learning Patience, was able to hook up the team with these. She had used them last year and raved about them. I used mine at high power and could see everything even though it was pitch black out. I also had Night Runner 270′s* on my feet, Million Mile lights on my waist and a head torch. It was awesome to be so lit up because I got of lot of comments during my 2 night laps, which gave me the boost I needed. One person said I was lit up like a Christmas tree, while a marshall said I made their night by being so bright. The rechargable batteries didn’t last me too laps though while on high power. Next year, I will go with medium strenght.
A video posted by Mollie, the Happiness PT (@ptmollie) on
Primal pantry bars*– Sabine, from My Life My Challenges, was able to share some sample Primal Pantry bars. My flapjacks ended up sticking to the parchment paper when I took them out of the oven, so I was grateful for an alternative snack. We had 4 flavours but I stuck to the ones I knew and saved the rest for run commuting. VITHIT water*– These were sent to me just days before the race. I chose to have them as a treat after my daytime laps as a way to rehydrate without having to worry about my body’s response. (Runners are really superstitious about trying new things, if you haven’t pick up on that yet). I tried Apple & Elderflower and Coconut & Pineapple. Both were really nice treat after a hot 5.9 mile run. I still have 2 other flavours in my fridge and hope summer lasts a bit longer so I can enjoy them properly. Primus Lite gas stove*- I harnessed it’s true potential this year and had a hot water bottle while I slept, made Sabine a pot of noodles, and someone a cup of tea. I was so relieved it didn’t rust when we left it outside in a plastic storage container in the garden that became super damp when we had heavy rain. The insulation on the cup went a bit mouldy but I was able to wash that off under the tap. I was super impressed it wasn’t damaged further. Quality stuff right there! elete Holistic Hydrate*- These were a lifesaver as it was very hot and sunny on Saturday afternoon. All I did was pour 1/2 capful into my 750ml water bottle and added water. It didn’t taste that much different (but just a little bit, maybe just psychosomatic as I knew there were added salts in there?). The bottles are small enough (like an eye drop bottle) that you can travel with it or keep in your gym bag for hot days or super-sweaty workouts.
Stretch and massage in between laps
Massages- I had enough cash on me to invest in 3 massages this year. Corey’s massage therapist said to get massages throughout the race. Our team was the first in line to sign up for our anticipated slots. God bless the Flying Physios as they worked for nearly 35 hours straight to keep all us runners going. I don’t know if it was mentally or physically a relief but I will do the same again next year. Familiar faces- It is wonderful to be building up my friends in the London running community. We had several other blogger friends at the race (Lisa, Lucy, and Frankie), my friend Clare and her gang of East End Road Runners, two ladies from Advent Running, and my local park run leaders. Spitfire is so friendly and relaxed you really can’t beat it. I am already looking forward to next year. My goal is to bring my own food rather than rely on the food stands. During my laps, I had lots of time to strategize our rota for next year. Returning to such a fun race year-after-year helps me check in with the community aspect of running and reminds me how fun it truly can be. All items with a * were given to me with compliments in exchange for an honest review. 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.
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.
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