Friday Five: Favorite Running Brands

Happy Friday All!

My goodness these weeks are flying by! I’m looking forward to a busy weekend with the family, with lots of gardening/yard work, lacrosse games and running the BAA 5k! But first, I’m joining Courtney, Mar and Cynthia for this week’s #FridayFive link-up as we dish about some of our favorite brands.

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Athleta — I have shared my love of Athleta clothes on many occasions in the past, so it should come as no surprise that they make this list! From great running clothes to figure flattering bathing suits, they have it all. I just got their latest catalog and let’s just say I need to hide my wallet!

Zensah — Long run recovery always includes some time in my Zensah sleeves – their calf sleeves are a must have for me!

Mizuno — Now I do have to say that I have much love and a long history with Saucony/Kinvaras. That being said, I do find that ever since I received a pair of #WaveRider18 to review back in October, they have become a my go-to shoes of late.

Koss Fit Series — Music is a big part of my workouts and my Koss FitClips are great ear buds – their lightweight, sweat-resistant and don’t fall out – win!

Vitamix — Yes perhaps an unusual choice as a “running brand” but the smoothies I can make with it makes my Vitamix a key part of my recovery.

So tell me what are some brands you’re loving right now?

Be sure to check out the link-up, you may find a new brand to try!

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Friday Five – What’s in my gym bag

Happy Friday!

This has been a loooong week and I’m so happy to see Friday come!

I’m linking up once again with Courtney, Mar and Cynthia for the Friday Five. Today’s topic “What’s in your gym bag?” couldn’t be more appropriate since I’ve been living at the gym lately working on getting stronger – in fact I had a great session with Trainer Stacey this morning that I’m sure I’ll be feeling the rest of the day 😉

Gym bag

Koss FitClips — I’ve made no secret of my love for music when I’m working out and since I’m not always a fan of the music playing in the gym, my  Koss FitClip earbuds are a must have.  I got to review these a year ago and they’ve been a fave ever since!

Koss Headphones

Strength training plan – I find I’m doing much better being consistent with my strength work now that I’mgym bag2 following a training plan just as I would do for running.  Seems so obvious right?!

Towel — My old gym didn’t offer a towel service, and even though my new gym does I find I never leave home without a towel in my bag.

Water bottle — Gotta stay hydrated right? And yes, there’s usually Nuun Energy in that Nuun water bottle – again it was a another product I got to review and have just kept right on using.

Multiple Shoes — One of the things I love about my gym bag is that it is roomy enough for multiple pairs of shoes. So if I hit the treadmill or elliptical I throw on my Wave Riders, but if I’m doing strength work I’d rather have the extra stability of my Asics Gel Pursue. The Gel Pursue definitely proved to be more shoe than I wanted for running, but I’m finding they offer the great stability I want for strength work – win! I also keep a pair of Nike Studio Wraps in the bag for when I head to my Pilates Barre classes. Yes I know…I have shoe issues 🙂

And speaking of my gym bag…I would be remiss if I did not mention just how much I love my Apera tote (you can check out my review here). It’s got a ton of pockets and holds everything I could possibly need with room to spare!

So what are you hauling around in your gym bag?  DC_linkup

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Mizuno Wave Rider 18 Review

 

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This post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of Mizuno. As always, the opinions expressed here are completely my own.

Since this pair of Mizuno Wave Rider 18s arrived at my door a couple of weeks ago, I have been running in them exclusively. On the road, on the track and on the treadmill, they have quickly become my go-to running shoes. Quite simply,  I love these shoes!

I knew I was on to something good, when I logged over 9 miles in them straight out of the box on a rainy, wind-swept morning. The fit was snug, comfortable, and supported, as the shoe easily formed to my foot.

Wave RIder 2My next run took me to the track for 400-meter intervals  – I felt light and quick, something I haven’t been able to say for a while.  I was sold!

Wave Rider 3

You’ve got to love a shoe with a design that takes inspiration from the Japanese concept of “Hado” – the vibrational life force energy that promotes powerful transformations. Um yes I’ll take some of that please! Sounds good doesn’t it?

For me this translated into a shoe that is an ideal balance between fit and performance, providing a smooth ride that allows you to let go and get lost in your run. A welcome change for me during what has been a tough training cycle.

Wave Rider 4

At just 7.8 oz, the Wave Rider 18 is light and sleek, while Mizuno’s patented Wave technology delivers maximum responsiveness and just enough support for a stable, but unencumbered run. A combination that I think would appeal to a wide range of runners.

Mizuno Wave Rider 18s are available in three color combos (I’m eyeing the white-Fuchsia Purple next!), and retails for $119.99.

I am so looking forward to logging many more miles in these lovelies!

What are you currently running in?

Have you ever tried Mizuno?

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