Favorite Fuel: PocketFuel Whole Food Fuel (my favorite flavors: Coconut Cherry & Vanilla Haze)

Favorite Places To Run: Peaceful trails

Favorite Fashion: Lululemon Run: Swiftly Tech Shortcut Racerback, you can never have too many!

Let me know in the comments below if you are swooning over this week’s Friday Favorites as much as I am!

xoxo, MLL

My superhero pose!

Product: Lululemon Paceline Cycling Jersey (size 4, pinkelicious also available in white/dune and black)

Cost: $128.00 CAD

Lululemon has been doing cycling gear for a couple of years now and I’ve never really been excited about it.  This year I had a unique experience of being able to get a sneak peek of the gear before it went public when I had the amazing opportunity to model for Lululemon in their 2013 Cycling campaign and got to try out the entire line, the Paceline Jersey, Paceline Jacket and Paceline Short, in a real cycling situations.  Without going into the other two products very much I will say that I loved them all, but for now, I’m just going to talk specifically about the jersey.  As soon as the jersey was released on their website I jumped at the chance to order it because I had loved it so much during the shoot.

Rocking the White/Dune jersey. photo courtesy Lululelmon

Let’s get started with a few things that I really like about the Paceline jersey.  The jersey has plenty of strategically placed mesh to help you keep your cool while you’re pedalling like mad.  There’s large mesh panels along both sides that interconnect on the back and continue up towards the nape, four words: built in air conditioning! The fabric itself is moisture-wicking to help keep you dry on those extra sweaty rides and the jersey is stitched together using chafe-resistant seams, let’s face it, nobody like to chafe, NOBODY!  Like most other cycling jerseys, this one has 3 stash pockets in the back, providing plenty of storage for your goodies, tools and treasures.

Pockets, ventilation, reflective strips, oh my!

For the times you’reout cruising the road in low-light conditions  there’s reflective detailing on the back of the jersey as well as along the zipper on the front.  One of my favorite things about this jersey is the length!  As a taller girl (5’9″) it’s often an issue when it comes to tops in general for them to be long enough to actually cover my torso and prevent me from flashing my belly button when I shouldn’t be.  This jersey is the perfect length and to make sure it stays put, Lululemon has designed it with an elastic and silicone hem at the hip, which glues it in to place, eliminating the need to tug down on it to ensure your booty cleavage isn’t showing.

Me in the black Paceline jersey, it made me feel super badass! Photo courtesy Lululemon

Now down to what I don’t like about it. Honestly I have little to criticize about this jersey, Lululemon has really stepped up their cycling game and produced some amazing gear this season.  My one teeny, tiny gripe would be that there isn’t a pocket with a zipper on it.  I like to carry my ID, a bit of cash and my credit card when I hop on my bike, and as much as I know they wouldn’t fall out of the ample pockets in the jersey, my uptight, overly cautious alter-ego would really like to be able to securely zip that stuff away! My only other precaution, not a dislike, is to those who are thinking about purchasing this jersey, it does run a little small.  I usually wear a size 2 in Lululemon gear and the size 4 jersey gives me a very nice fitted look and feel, which is exactly how I like it.  So if you’re wanting to buy it, I encourage you to get into a Lulu store that is carrying them and try it on first.

Photographed here in a size 6 jersey. Photo courtesy Lululemon

So there you have it, the Lululemon Paceline Jersey, it’s definitely a must have for me!  I applaud Lululemon for coming out with some very nice cycling gear this year and I hope to see them continue to put out stylish, functional, sexy, strong endurance sports gear. Have you guys tried out any Lululemon cycling swag?  If not, what brand of cycling gear are you guys currently rocking?

LIKED:

• breathability/fabric
• cute color options
• great fit for long-torso babes
• functional and comfortable

DISLIKED:

• no zipper pocket!
• slightly off sizing

QUALITY: 4/5
COMFORT: 4.5/5
PRICE: 4/5
LOOKS: 4.5/5

TOTAL: 17/20

xoxo, MLL

Cost: $14.99-$17.99

Thanks to the rad people over at Sun Bum I had the opportunity to test out their entire Premium Endurance PRO line, which included a face stick, and both of their sunscreen lotions, the 30 SPF and the 50 SPF.

To start off I’ll highlight some of the key features that are common factors of all three products. The PRO line was designed for people just like me, I like to go outside, play hard, sweat harder and not have to worry about if my skin is being protected.  I don’t know if it’s the vanity in me, or what it is, but I’ve ALWAYS been on top of protecting my skin from sun damage, therefore, I’m always on the hunt for the very best in sun protection.

Sweaty mess, sunscreen still going strong!

The PRO line is Sun Bums premium mineral-based sunscreen, offering the best of the best in broad spectrum coverage, which means you’re protected equally against UVB and UVA rays, YAY!  These three products are designed so they don’t bleed into your eyes, make your hands slippery or come off during physical activity, including a vigorous geocaching session in the desert.  Another thing that I really like about Sun Bum products is that they are paraben free!  RAD! Why is this important to me? There have been links between parabens (which are preservatives used in cosmetics and beauty products) and breast cancer.  While they haven’t been ruled as unsafe to use by the FDA, I still try and go paraben-free when I can.  A few other highlights of the PRO line are: all products are oil-free, water-resistant (re-application recommended after 80 mins of swimming), fragrance free, non-greasy, hypoallergenic, and vitamin E enriched.  So now let’s break it down into the 2 product categories.

Sun Bum PRO Face Stick SPF 30 ($14.99/0.45 oz stick)  This little roll-up stick packs a punch, it’s a solid roll up sunscreen, imagine a large lip balm or deodorant.  I love this type of packaging for a facial sunscreen because you could be out playing hard with the dirtiest hands and there’s no need to touch the product or your face directly with your hands, this equals no searching for hand sanitizer prior to application.  For this feature alone, it scores big points from this germaphobe! The stick itself has a very smooth application to my face and neck and once applied stays put.  The stick goes on with a very slight white film that can be easily blended into your skin, it doesn’t feel heavy, sticky or greasy and even on my longest, hottest, sweatiest runs, it stayed put!  I have very sensitive skin and I tend to react to a lot of products, and had no troubles at all with this face stick.  I also really liked the transportability of the face stick, it’s super compact and you don’t have to worry about it leaking, so it’s very convenient to pack around with you, slip it into your hydration vest, fanny pack or Michael Kors bag worry free!  Initially I thought the pricing of this product was a little steep, but based on how little of the product I’ve actually gone through in the many, many times I’ve used the stick, I feel like the price tag is justified.   Would I recommend this to a fellow runner, cyclist or water baby?  Absolutely!

Sun Bum PRO SPF 30 and SPF 50 Premium Endurance Sunscreen ($17.99/3.0 oz bottle)  I had the chance to try both the SPF 30 and the SPF 50, I’ll roll both products into the same review since they are the exact same product, with different SPF protection.  These lotions are packaged in cute, easy to tote around, fairly small bottles,

3.0 FL OZ bottle

which have a pull up nozzle for dispensing the product.  The lotions were easy to apply, go on smoothly and were non-greasy, much like the face stick, they do give you an ever-so-slight white film, which again, can be easily blended into your skin.  I tested both SPF’s out on hot, long runs and had amazing protection with both, so really it’s your personal preference, the area you live in and how sensitive to the sun you are will be factors when choosing which SPF is ideal for you.  Me, being the anal-retentive person that I am, prefer the SPF 50.  Like the face stick, I had no issues sweating the product off while getting super sweaty, even though I was literally dripping in sweat, the sunscreen stayed stuck to me like glue!  The price tag on these little guys may be a little shocking to some, $17.99 feels like a lot to pay for such a tiny bottle (3 oz).  And unlike the face stick, I seemed to burn through this product fast, I went through almost an entire bottle in a couple of weeks (about 10 days of running/cycling), so cost-wise, this may not be the best option for you if you’re on a budget.  However; if you can afford it, I absolutely recommend this product to you based on its superior sun protection.

So there you have it my sun-loving running bunnies!  There’s no doubt about it, Sun Bum knows how to make amazing products aimed towards endurance athletes.  If you have a chance grab a bottle or a stick and try it out, see how it measures up to your existing brand!  You can snag your own Sun Bum sunscreen and swag over at www.trustthebum.com  What’s your go-to sunscreen for running/cycling/swimming?  Leave me a comment below, on facebook or tweet at me on twitter!

xoxo, MLL

Effectiveness: 5/5
Packaging: 4/5
Cost: 3.5/5

TOTAL: 12.5/15

Pre-Race with Ethan

When I tell people that I’m going to watch a 50k or 50 mile race I get various reactions, while most people think it’s awesome, I’ve had a few people question me, wondering why, or wondering if I’ll get bored, asking me what I’ll do for all that time.  The answer to those questions is very easy, why wouldn’t I, never, and cheer my heart out! This past weekend my boyfriend, Ethan aka The Ginger Runner, ran his first 50-mile race, the Leona Divide, and without hesitation I knew I wanted to be there, for the whole damn thing.  I know many of you wouldn’t consider waking up at 3:30 on a Saturday morning, driving an hour to stand in the cold, and then the extreme heat for 12 hours a fun Saturday, but this girl does!  I knew it was going to be a long, hot day, but I had NOTHING to complain about, I wasn’t the one suffering and working my ass off on those molten-hot trails!  And as a runner, I know the importance of having someone at a race supporting you and I know the feeling you have when you see a familiar face during a tough sufferfest.  It can mean the world and it can help push through those miles that just seem impossible.

Anxious runners at the Start Line

5:45am  I arrived at the start line about 15 minutes prior to the race, grabbed Ethan’s drop bag and got a sense of when he and his running buddies Billy, Dave and Eric, would be passing through the aid stations that I’d be at throughout the day.  Standing at the start line, surrounded by hundreds of runners, many of whom were running their first 50k or 50 miler was intense, the energy level was high and you could literally feel the nerves and tension in the air.  Before I knew it the runners were off, headed up the first of MANY hilly fire roads.

Family & friends await their runners at the 3rd Aid Station

8:00am  The first point that crew was able to see their runners was at the 3rd aid station, which was mile 16.4.  Me and our friend, Andrew, arrived plenty early and got situated, ready to see our runners come through.  Almost as soon as we arrived, we saw Dave, who placed 10th in the 50k that day, blow through the aid station making it look effortless!  A little while later, Billy & Ethan, who were both running the 50-miler, came through. Being support crew for Ethan is nothing new to me, I’ve supported him in both cycling and running, and every time at check points it takes all I have to not start crying like a baby when I see him, and usually I fail.  :)  Yes, I’m an emotional mess at races, especially at ones of these huge, unimaginable distances, I’m like his teary, badass, rock.  Ethan checked in with us and at this point, it was still fairly early in the day, but the heat was creeping in, he was doing really great, feeling strong and pushing forward, I don’t even think he broke a sweat yet!  He re-filled his water bottles and off he went, up the already extremely hot, trail.

11:30am Andrew and I decided we’d head on back to the start line to catch some of the top 10 finishers for the 50k.  Shortly after we arrived our friend Dave crossed the finish line, closing out the top 10 males for the 50k like a champ!  We found a place in the shade, because by this point in the day it was smoking hot, and watched as runners were congratulated at the finish line. Little did we know, at the 5:53 mark on the clock, we had watched the WINNER, Robert Krar, of the 50 miler race came through! It was really awesome to see him finish, but he was SO damn fast that most of the spectators assumed he was a 50k runner.  BAD. ASS.

Jack at Aid Station 9

1:30pm  We headed up to aid station 9, which was the 42.6 mile mark.  Andrew, Dave and I found a nice shady area to hang out in, while we watched the exhausted, now very hot, very sweaty runners come through. At this point I knew that my estimation of when Ethan would come through would likely be off because it was such a large gap since I had last saw him.  Just after 2pm Billy came through, feeling hot and tired but still going strong.  I saw my friend Jack, a fellow FurtherFasterForever teammate, come through and was now anxiously awaiting Ethan’s arrival.  As a spectator/crew member and runner myself, I know that a lot can happen between aid stations.  Things can take a sudden turn, you can go from feeling like you’re on the top of the world to feeling like you’re barely hanging on and in high temps like this, I was hoping he had slowed his pace and was running smart.

So happy to see Ethan still going strong at Aid Station 9

It was around 3:30pm when I saw Ethan come down the trail towards the aid station, still running like a machine, I sighed a sigh of relief, gave him a big squeeze, tried to hold back my tears, grabbed his drop bag and we were off to the water/icing area.  At this point he let me know that he was having a challenging day, but was still able to push forward and get the job done, the heat alone would be enough to break anyone, never mind the gruelling hills and massive distance.  Ethan grabbed some food, re-filled his hydration pack and was headed back out on the trail for the final 7.4 miles.

HE MADE IT! High-5

4:00pm  Finish line! I made my way back to the finish line where there were loads of people celebrating their amazing feats! I had just missed Billy and Jack come through the finish line.  I met up with Ethan’s family and our other friends and began playing the anxious waiting game.  I did the math and figured that if he was feeling ok, and was able to keep pushing we’d expect to see him around 5pm. I will say, that out of the entire day, this was the most exciting/anxiety-riddled/stressful part.  I realize I’m only a spectator, and not the one running, but once you have someone you care about out on those trails for that long you’ll understand, trust me.  I nervously paced around the finish line area, chatting with the freshly medalled runners who had completed something that I can’t even fathom.

A job-well-done pat on the butt I couldn’t help it!

Once it got close to when I thought Ethan would be finishing I took my place at the final corner of the race.  I can’t even begin to tell you how extremely excited and proud I was to see him come around that final corner, I started jumping up and down yelling “he’s here, HE’S HERE!”.  I gave a few words of encouragement and ran a few feet towards the finish line with him and watched as he crossed the finish line. I have never been so proud and relieved. To all of you who finished the Leona Divide 50k or 50 miler that day, congrats, I’m in awe of you all!  Each and every one of you are amazing!

So proud of this guy! He’s my super hero! <3

I know this is a long blog, and likely not one of my most interesting, but I really wanted to share this with you all.  There’s something very special, even magical, about watching a race and supporting the runners, it’s pure inspiration and motivation.  For those of you who don’t know, I got my very first race inspiration while watching my brother and his now wife, Sheena, run the Vancouver marathon a few years ago.  Never before had I thought about being a runner or running 26.2 miles for fun.  While I stood in the rain and wind watched my brother and his wife, along with thousands of other determined runners, cross that finish line I was extremely moved, motivated and inspired.  I wanted to be out there suffering, working hard and accomplishing goals.  So if you have a runner in your life, I urge you to please go out and support them, heck go out and support a race even if it’s all strangers you’re cheering on, it really does make a difference and I guarantee you that those runners will truly appreciate you being out there for them.  I know it may not sound exciting, but the emotions, victories and tears that come along with some of these races is absolutely worth it.

Have you guys (runners and non-runners) gone out to support a runner?  Were you wishing you were out there running too, or just happy to be there supporting someone?

xoxo, MLL

Here’s the link to the Speed Short feature page, in the middle of the page you’ll see a video, that’s me in the grey shorts and green swiftly tank, rocking my Newtons of course! http://shop.lululemon.com/products/category/run-speed-shorts?mnid=mn;women;activities;speedshorts

To sum up the experience, I just feel incredibly lucky to have been a part of it, it was an awesome time and I’m forever grateful for the experience. A HUGE thanks to all of the rad people at the Vancouver Lululemon headquarters!

xoxo, MLL

*All photos in this post courtesy Lululemon

Cost:  Approximately $2.20 USD/2.1 oz. package

Keeping myself fueled and hydrated during my long runs is a top priority.  Over the last couple of years I’ve munched down and spit out various kinds of fuel, gels, bars, blocks, gummies, etc… and I’ll be the first to say that what works for one person will not necessarily be the thing that works best for you.  Really, trial and error is, unfortunately, the only way to go.  Having said that, I’d like to introduce you to one of my very favorite tasty, energy-inducing treats: GU Chomps!

GU Chomps are the chewy version of GU energy gels, so if you’re a texture-obsessed person who can’t stand the liquidy texture of most gels, these chomps are a great alternative, do keep in mind, that since they are a semi-solid, they will take about 15 minutes to reach your bloodstream, which is a little bit longer than its gel counterpart.  Each 2.1 oz. package contains 2 servings (4 chomps per serving) and are packed full of carbohydrates (a blend of complex and simple), amino acids, antioxidants, and electrolytes, with a total of 180 calories and 60 grams of carbs per package and are gluten free.  Each package is meant to be enough fuel for 1.5 to 2 hours of activity, this of course fluctuates from athlete to athlete.  These tasty chomps are available in a variety of yummy flavors, some of which are caffeinated for that extra kick!

So let’s get down to it!  I received some of these delightfully lemony Chomps to try out, and as a citrus-everything-lover, I was not disappointed.  As mentioned before, each Chomps package contains 2 servings, plenty for a mid-length run for myself.  The packaging is compact enough that it’s relatively easy for me to stash on my body for my run.  They fit perfectly in my hand-held water bottle sleeve and they also fit just fine tucked into the small pocket of my shorts.  The package is scored in the upper corner, making it easy to tear open with either your fingers or your teeth, I personally tend to use my teeth since my other hand is usually busy high-fiving other runners .  One of my favorite things about these is that you can easily proportion off as many individual Chomps as you like to take at one time and then roll up the package and stash it away for later use.  Sometimes in long-distance races I struggle to take in a lot of nutrition at one time, I feel like when you open a gel it’s an “all or nothing” type situation, whereas with these handy little Chomps you can pop a few and save the rest for later on.

So how do these little guys taste?  Pretty darn good! As I mentioned before I have a weakness for anything citrus, and these lemon chomps definitely fit the bill.  They aren’t overly sweet or sour and are very palatable, with a pleasant lemony taste.  I personally would prefer them to be a little more tart, but I think my palate craves sour more than the average person.  :)  These lemon Chomps are definitely in my top 3 flavor choices of GU Chomps, in good company with Peach Tea and Watermelon.  On top of the yummy flavor, the texture is great, so you can chew while running and not feel like you’re going to choke or chew for ever, and ever and ever, just to get it down.

Do they work?  They do the trick for me!  As I mentioned before, the Chomps can take a wee bit longer to give you that burst of energy in comparison to the gels, so plan accordingly.  I’ve been using GU Energy lab products for quite some time now and they’ve helped get me through many half marathons, a couple of marathons and many, many long runs.  They give me the energy pick-me-up when needed and keep me going strong throughout my sweatfests.

So there you have it, Lemon GU Chomps definitely get a thumbs up from me! I want to hear from you guys, what are your favorite GU flavors? What is your preferred fuel for long runs and rides?

xoxo, MLL

Flavor:  4/5
Portability:  4/5
Cost:  4/5
Effectiveness: 4/5

TOTAL: 16/20

Links:

Go to the Newton shoe giveaway here: YAY free Newtons!

Like me on facebook here:  Mile Long Legs Facebook Page

Check out my silly photo adventures on Instagram here: @kimberleydt

And tweet at me over on Twitter here: @milelong_legs

xoxo, MLL

photo courtesy Women’s Running Magazine

Recently Women’s Running Magazine contacted me to ask if I’d like to be featured in their sites “Blogger On The Run” segment.  Hell YES, I would!  To say that I’m excited about this feature is an understatement, this is by far my favorite running magazine and I’ve been reading it ever since I started running!

Please go peep the article here:  Mile Long Legs-Blogger On The Run   Like it, share it, hug and kiss it!   At the end of the article you’ll see instructions on how YOU can win a one-year Women’s Running Magazine subscription! RAD!  Just be sure to leave a nice comment in the comment section below my article on their site to be entered into the giveaway!

Thank you all for checking it out, you guys are amazing as always!  ;)

xoxo, MLL

The NEW Performance 2.0 Compression!

Today is a very special day in the Injinji world, they are super stoked to be officially launching their shiny, new website.  In celebration of that, I’m giving you guys a chance to get your toes into the fancy new Performance 2.0 line!  As I mentioned in my previous post, these are my favorite socks and it means the world to me that I can share them with you guys!  To be entered into my giveaway draw all you need to do is follow the few SUPER simple steps below!

1.  Visit the all new Injinji site here: www.injinji.com

2. Did you click it?  Did you REALLY?  Okay, prove it to me!  Show me proof that you went to check out their rad new site.  Take a screen cap or photo of your computer screen/phone/tablet while visiting the Injinji site and show me your proof!  You can do this in 1 of 4 ways.  Post the picture to my facebook page, tweet me the picture (@milelong_legs), make it pretty on Instagram use the hashtag #MLLcontest and tag me (@kimberleydt) or email it to me (milelonglegs@milelonglegs.com), make sure to use “MLL Contest” in the subject line.

3.  And the final step: Give yourself a high-five and do a little dance, you’re done!

That’s all for today guys! Thank you for entering into my TOE-tally (you didn’t think I’d miss my opportunity to use that again did you?) awesome giveaway!  The contest will close at midnight TONIGHT so get busy!

xoxo, MLL

xoxo, MLL