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.
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.
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