Category: Gear

It’s been a busy year for GU, introducing several new flavors of their energy gel, as well as their roctane gel, chomps and brew. Their most recently released gel flavors are Root Beer and Caramel Macchiato and of course I had to try them. 
Before I get into the Root Beer flavor I have to admit that I had to rewrite this section because I originally thought it was Root Beer Float (yummy) flavor. I have no idea why I thought that except for wishful thinking. Or maybe the foam on the package made me think about a float? Regardless, it is Root Beer GU. I’m a fan of root beer in general and this gel definitely tastes like root beer.  I think they really hit the mark with the flavor. It’s also one of a few GU flavors that does not contain caffeine which is a plus for those of us who are sensitive to caffeine. As you have probably already guessed, I’m also a fan of root beer floats (although I prefer Coke floats) and when I originally tasted this gel I thought it was missing the “float” part of it so it made me wonder if it would taste like a root beer float if I mixed it with their Vanilla Bean flavored gel. I’ve mixed gels in the past with great results (Chocolate Outrage + Salted Caramel = Rolo!) so I had to try this mixture. I’m happy to report that mixing Root Beer gel with Vanilla Bean gel does actually taste like Root Beer Float. I guess I wouldn’t have thought to try this mixture if I had read the package correctly the first time. 

I had a very different experience with the Caramel Macchiato gel. It tastes just like you would expect it to. Reminiscent of the drink I can get from the popular coffee shop it did play with my mind a little that I was getting that flavor in the consistency of a gel. The great flavor makes that adjustment easier though. It’s a nice blend of coffee and caramel flavors, neither one overpowering the other. It is one of the many gels that contains caffeine-40mg, which is more than some of their other caffeinated gels and is equivalent to about half a cup of coffee.  
Both of these flavors contain 100 calories per gel packet as well as sodium and potassium which are much needed during training.

GU Website
Buy Caramel Macchiato GU at Amazon
Buy Root Beer GU at Amazon

 

We have our list of 10 gifts that every runner will love.

1. Bondi Band Headbands – No slip no drip available in lots of colors and many designs.

 

 

 

2. The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons Why I Run Long Distances – This book by author Matthew Inman, aka The Oatmeal, is a hilarous collection of comics and stories about what runners experience.

 

 

 

3. Feetures! Elite Socks – Anatomically constructed socks to provide targeted support where its needed most. With its great fit the foot and sock become one and will keep you blister free.

 

 

4. Asics Arm Warmers – These soft arm warmers stay in place without constricting the arm. Available in several colors and best of all a very reasonable price.

5. Jewelry – One of our favorites Scott James Jewelry sells all kinds of handcrafted charms and earings for runners, shipped right to your door. Use code RAGTREC for free shipping

 

 

6. Allied Medal Hangers – These are basically the best made, best looking medal displays you can get. Available in lots of designs and sizes. Best of all you can have one custom made so that its personal to you. 

 

 

7. Road ID – Durable line of identification gear. Has your details listed in case of emergency. We particularly like the Shoe ID version, which of course attaches to your shoe.

 

 

8. Wahoo Tickr Heart Rate Monitor – Track your heart rate while on the run with the Tickr. Has Ant+ and bluetooth so you can connect it to your GPS watch or smartphone. Works with apps such as Runmeter, Runkeeper, Runtastic, Strava and more.

 

 

9. Salted Caramel GU – A grab bag of gels, chews or bars make a great gift for a runner. Just be sure to include our favorite flavor-Salted Caramel.

 

 

10. Embrace Running Trucker Hat – This stylish hat looks great and is comfortable. Help spread the word and tell others to get out there and Embrace Running. Holiday sale going on now until Christmas.

 

 

Runner Ups

Tailwind – It’s complete energy, electrolytes and hydration thats easy on your gut.
Body Glide – A must have for every runner. Chafing is never fun.
Zensah Calf Sleeves – Great calf support and decreased fatigue.
Therapearl Sports Pack – This comfortable pack is great to cool or heat aches and pains.
Massage Gift Card – Every runner could use a good massage.

 

 

I’ve come across books written by Ray Charbonneau in the past, such as Overthinking the Marathon and The 27th mile. Fortunately I had the opportunity to read his most recent book, Idle Feet do the Devil’s Work. “Idle Feet” as it’s called for short, is a collection of his writing from various publications, including UltraRunning and The Boston Globe. The writings are running related, as you would expect, and vary in length but are typically no longer than a few pages each. The book is a fun and easy read for runners, or those who enjoy reading about running. Some of the first few stories which he refers to as “Early Stuff” are from several years back as you can tell when reading about running with music and a cassette player and MiniDisc player are mentioned. But as the author points out, it serves as a reminder of how quickly things change.  There are several interesting stories related to the Boston Marathon including the 5k split distribution at the 2014 race (overall and also by age and gender). For those of you into race and/or pace analysis it’s a story with a perspective you will enjoy and there are plenty of other charts and graphs in the book to keep you happy. My absolute favorite story in the book is the one in which Ray describes his experience of guiding a vision impaired runner at the Boston Marathon in 2013. Several other stories I enjoyed reading are the race reports, bringing to life places and races I’ve never been to. Reading this book has piqued my interest even more in his other books such as the 27th mile, which is a compilation of stories from contributors such as Amby Burfoot and Kathrine Switzer and whose proceeds go to support the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing. If you are looking for a running related book for yourself or to gift to a runner in your life this holiday season you should check out Idle Feet do the Devil’s Work.

Purchase Idle Feet Do the Devil’s Work on Amazon

Ray’s Website

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post, however I did receive a copy of the book to review. All opinions are my own and not influenced in any way.

As a runner I am always excited to try out a new product, whether it be shoes, clothing or a nutrition product. So needless to say I was excited when I found out Honey Stinger had a new flavor for their waffle-gingersnap! I’ve been a lover of Honey Stinger products for years and have tried every flavor of their organic waffle (along with their energy chews, gels, bars, etc). Prior to trying the new waffle flavor I was partial to their honey flavor and vanilla flavor and often used them to fuel prior to a race or long run. Since trying the gingersnap waffle I’ve added it to my favorites list. They do offer their waffles in other flavors including strawberry, chocolate and lemon.  With the temperatures falling and holiday season getting closer it seemed fitting to sit down and write about this newest flavor of waffle. Honey Stinger waffles are actually two very thin waffles sandwiched together with a thin honey layer in between. Sounds good, right? The gingersnap flavor includes cinnamon, nutmeg and a touch of molasses. I love ginger flavored things including ginger snap cookies and ginger candy but add cinnamon, nutmeg and molasses and I’m sold!  And while I know that some ginger flavored products have a strong taste, the flavor in this product is not overwhelming. It’s great as pre-race fuel and I’ve used it before long runs and during long trail runs as well and it has not given my any stomach troubles. It’s 160 calories per waffle and as with all of their products it’s organic. If you haven’t given it a try I recommend you do, and buy an extra one to share with a friend, or in my case, to eat later.

Honey Stinger Gingersnap Waffle on Amazon

By now I don’t think there is anybody that isn’t aware of my love for Salted Caramel GU but I am excited to share that I have found another GU flavor that is just as good-Chocolate Peanut Butter! Before trying it I was concerned that it would be too sweet-thinking about all of the candy bars out there with chocolate and peanut butter. But, to my surprise it isn’t; it’s just sweet enough. It’s actually a nice balance between sweet and salty which is perfect midrun (or at any time really). Each packet is 100 calories, the same as other GU flavors. If you are looking for a gel that has caffeine, this one contains 20mg per packet. It also contains 125mg of sodium, 60mg of potassium, and other electrolytes. If you enjoy their Chocolate Outrage and and Peanut Butter flavors, you’ve got to give this newer flavor a try.

 

If a fruit flavored gel is more your thing then you will want to try the Salted Watermelon Gu. It made its debut earlier this year and is the official GU Flavor of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series. I’ve heard it described as a Jolly Rancher in a gel form but it’s a little less sweet and has just a hint of salt. Trying it mid long run on a warm day took me back to my childhood summer days when I would sit in the backyard eating watermelon-a nice distraction from a long run. Each Salted Watermelon GU packet contains 100 calories,  125mg sodium and 35mg of potassium as well as other electrolytes. It also contains 20mg of caffeine per packet which isn’t always found in fruit flavored gels. Although easily available at all Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series events, it can be purchased where other GU flavors are sold-so go get one and give it a try.

Buy Chocolate Peanut Butter GU at Amazon 
Buy Salted Watermelon GU at Amazon

 

There is a new feature in iOS 8 that runners and everyone  should be aware of even if they do not own an iPhone. In iOS 8 you are able to create a Medical ID in the Health App. The Medical ID allows emergency responders to easily obtain important information about the phones owner. Information such as name, birthdate, medical conditions, allergies, medications and an emergency contact.

Many people create a contact labeled ICE, for in case of emergency. The problem is that if the iPhone is locked with a passcode or fingerprint then no one will have access to it. The Medical ID in iOS 8 can be easily accessed by anyone even when the iPhone is locked. To view it on a locked iPhone simply swipe to unlock. On the screen where you will be prompted to Enter Passcode simply press Emergency in the bottom left corner. On the bottom left of the Emergency Call Screen you will see * Medical ID. Just touch there and it will bring up the phone owners Medical ID. It even lists the date the information was last updated.

To create a Medical ID begin by opening the Health app and then choose Medical ID in the bottom right corner. You will receive a description of the feature and a button to create the ID. You can then enter as much or as little of the information as you would like, including emergency contacts.  Be sure that the option to Show When Locked is toggled on, otherwise no one can access it when the phone is locked.

In terms of privacy it’s important to remember that any information you include is not seen by other apps but can be seen by anyone who gets hold of your phone. It’s a privacy trade off but probably worth it if you have a medical emergency. Providing relevant information to first responders could save your life. It’s also important to remember if you are in a situation to help someone else who is incapacitated, to check their phone to see if they have provided their Medical ID.

 

Let me start off by saying that I’ve had a difficult relationship with fitness belts-hydration or otherwise. I’ve tried different ones by different brands and even though some of them felt good while walking around and at the beginning of my run, it always ended the same way-with me discarding them after just a short period of time or ending my run early because they were uncomfortable. My biggest problem with them is that they bounce or they ride up my waist, or both! I’ve tried them with and without the hydration bottles and have had this happen every time. There has been one exception though-the FlipBelt.

I’ve had a chance to try out the FlipBelt and am glad I had that opportunity.  The FlipBelt is a “singular tubular waistband”. It’s made of a moisture-wicking, spandex-lycra blend so it will help wick away the sweat from your body. It slides right on and you can either slide if over your head or step into it. Then slide it onto your waist/hips. Once on your hips, it sits nice and snug but doesn’t feel too tight. It’s a single tube with a few horizontal slits in it so after you step into it you put what you need into the belt through the slits (such as gel, phone, money, keys, inhaler) and then FLIP the belt. Now the slits are up against your body which keeps your items inside secure.

I’ve tried it on several runs ranging from two to five miles and have not had it bounce at all despite what items I put in the belt itself. With the slit openings against your body it can be a little tricky to access that energy gel, chew, or whatever fuel you have with you while you are running but it is easy enough that you don’t have to slow down or stop. The items are held in place well while running and therefore you don’t have to worry about losing items while reaching for them while running as I have seen happen with other belts-the gels just slide right off.

The FlipBelt doesn’t feel bulky and the best thing in my opinion is that it doesn’t bounce! It also doesn’t have a clasp or buckle that could cause irritation or chaffing. It’s machine washable and machine dryable which is great since it would need to be washed often whether it’s used for running or other activities. However it isn’t waterproof so don’t take it swimming.

It does come in different sizes ranging from XS to XL and there is a sizing chart on their website to guide you when ordering. It’s also available in a variety of colors-black, pink, orange, blue, yellow, purple, and more. I chose black of course-because it goes with everything.

If you’ve been looking for a belt to take with you on your run that holds your fuel, keys and other items secure and doesn’t bounce, you definitely need to try the FlipBelt.

Purchase the FlipBelt from Amazon

FlipBelt.com
Our Review on the Podcast: FlipBelt Review.

 

 

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post, however I did receive a sample for my review. All opinions are my own and not influenced in any way.