Dec 30, 2018

Give Good Vibes | BibRavePro

Disclaimer: I received the AfterShokz Trekz Air headphones to review and give away as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro, and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

I've always been big into promoting running safely. Bright colors, reflective gear, lights. But I also love my tunes when I run. To say safe, I fell in love the my AfterShokz Trekz Titanium headphones. Two and a half years later, I've gotten the opportunity to upgrade to their newest version, the Trekz Air.

What is the technology?

The AfterShokz headphones use bone conduction technology. What does this mean? This means you get open air headphones that deliver music through your cheekbones. That means your ears are completely open to hear ambient sounds around you. This means you get your tunes but can hear everything going on around you as you run.

But wait, there's more. They're 20% lighter then the Trekz Titanium. The wrap around design is light and comfortable. They're also IP55 certified, so they repel sweat, dust and moisture, from workouts and whatever Mother Nature decides to throw at you.

How well do they work?

As I mentioned the headphones are comfortable. They also sound really good. Yeah, when you're ear is open, you're not going to get the same high end sound of some over ear headphones but you get something much greater: safety. I used these for several hours working in the yard, hardly noticing them on. I got my music but could also hear the kids playing in the yard and when their disagreements got a little more "involved". Let's just say they're useful beyond the running path.

Give Good Vibes

One of the really cool aspects of this was AfterShokz Give Good Vibes campaign. I got a second pair of headphones to give to someone I thought deserved something special. I always love to share brands I love, but it's not economical for me to buy headphones for my friends. This provided the perfect opportunity to share these with my friend and fellow runner, also names John. It was perfect timing to provide a little Christmas magic. His initial review was he "charged them up and they work great!" so they're a hit.



Dec 27, 2018

Nathan Luna Fire Run Light Review | BibRavePro

Disclaimer: I received the Nathan Luna Fire 250 RX Run Chest/Waist Light to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro, and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

I've always been big into promoting running safely. Bright colors, reflective gear, lights... I've always said better to be seen then be hit. This is why I'm here to tell you about the newest product I've gotten to test and tell you about, the Nathan Luna Fire 250 RX Run Chest/Waist Light.

What's the light?

This new light is powerful and versatile. It's a lightweight little light that can clip onto a provided strap meant to be worn on your waist or chest. It can also clip onto other gear you may already wear, particularly I wore it on another belt I already wear when running. The light itself is adjustable and provides a bright 250 Lumens. It also provides several settings: low, med, hi, boost, and strobe. From the technical side, it lasts for 25+ hours, is rechargable view USB, and is IPX4, meaning is weather resistant. Don't take it for a swim but it should be fine if you get caught in the rain.

How does it work?

The light is simple and gets the job done. Clip it on, push the button and go. Well, if you're using the strap, take the time to adjust it for a proper snug fit, but then you're good from then on. I love the variability of the brightness. It stayed in place well for me, but was a little bouncy - though I believe it was more my bounciness and not the light :-/

The Takeaway

Small, powerful, handsfree, and rechargeable, what's not to like? With my life, I find myself running at the book ends of the day - early or late - so having a good light is always important. I also like one that I can use when I need it but when the sun goes up, I can turn it off but not need to "carry" it (or the reverse have it in case I don't make it home before the sun goes down). All in all, I enjoy it. Get your own and save with Nathan with code NATHANBIB20 for 20% off on up to $250!



Dec 3, 2018

Running for the Dogs: K9s United for K9s 9K Review | BibRavePro

Disclaimer: I received entry into the K9s United for K9s 9K to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro, and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

The K9s 9K marked my first race in a loooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnngggggggggg time. No, I don't feel like I'm really exaggerating that. It's been and up and down year and in all of that, running unfortunately took a back seat. It did feel good to lace up and get out there for this race this weekend.

Race Morning

Race morning meant packet pick up for  me. While a local Florida race for me (I like saying "local" and "Florida" together) it was however a bit of a drive, so I didn't really want to drive all the way up Friday after work just to get my bib. Thankfully they offered up race morning pickup, pretty standard for a smaller race. It was super easy. Parking wasn't too bad when I arrived at the park and they were using one of the ticket buildings for pickup that made it smooth. It included a race t-shirt, a drawstring bag, and a couple other small things from the vendors / sponsors. I was in and out in 5 minutes and back to my car to get my bib on my kilt. Then it was a simple walk down a hill to the start / finish area by a pavilion. There were plenty of police cars, as this was benefiting K9 units, a police helicopter, and several pop up tents with tables.

The Race

The race itself was pretty nice. The race had a 5K and 9K, both starting together. It was an out and back course, shared, so once most of the way back, the 9K group had to go out and back again. It made for a fairly easy run. All flat paths around the park. The start was a little clunky. With both races starting up together, on a not too wide path, with walkers for the fun run and runners alike, it clumped, a lot. But it worked out pretty quickly.

The water stops actually worked out pretty well. There were 3 stops but they were place strategically. Stop #1 was where the 9K runners turned around for a 2nd lap, so you saw them three times. Stop #2 was in the middle, so you passed them three times as well. Stop #3 was at the far end turn around, so you saw them twice. All in all, that made for plenty of available water.

The weather was overcast, which kept it from getting too warm. All in all, it was a good day and a good run. Despite not running much, I did better then I expected.

My official time was 1:19:33, giving me a 14:13 pace.

Post Race

I returned to the finish just as the awards were starting. I crosse the line, received my medal and a bottle of water. I didn't see any post race food around, but with the crowd for the awards, it may have been there, may not. I check the board for my official time, which was cool because they had a screen constantly running over the results.

Final Thoughts

All in all, this was a fun little race. Easy, flat course, plenty of water, and an alright view.

Check out my review on bibrave.com for the race and review your races!