Review: Adidas Ultraboost X Shoes

Posted on June 7, 2017 by runstrongrun

Disclaimer: I received a pair of Adidas UltraBoost X shoes to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to find and write race reviews!

The first running shoe that I purchased at a running specialty store was an Asics shoe. Since 2012, I have mainly stuck with the same Asics Gel Nimbus shoe. (I may or may not currently have 6 pairs of Asics Gel Nimbus shoes in my closet.) I have had some minor issues with blistering, but have been overall satisfied with the shoe.

When presented with the opportunity to try out the new Adidas UltraBoost X shoes, I said, “Yes, please!” I wondered, could this shoe truly give me that extra boost of energy? Could this shoe provide the cushioning I enjoy with my Asics? How would it feel to wear a shoe that fits more like a sock?

Needless to say, I was quite excited when my shoes arrived!

I headed out for a quick run to try them out.

Here were my initial thoughts:

Wow! So light and great cushioning!
It’s breathable and nicely hugs my feet.
I thought the fit around the ankles would be too tight, but it wrapped comfortably around my ankle (not too tightly).
I’ve been wearing a 10.5 in my Asics running shoes, but I ordered a size 10 (my usual shoe size) in the Adidas UltraBoost X shoes and I felt as though they fit perfectly!

I went out for another run in my new Adidas UltraBoost X shoes and even took a slow motion video!

As shown in the slow motion video, the shoes truly provide me with an extra boost. My foot lands lightly on the ground and is energetically rebounded back up. The arch support at first felt a little strange, but the longer I wore the shoes, the more I got used to the adaptive arch support.

I tried out the Adidas UltraBoost X shoes on the asphalt, the trail, and the treadmill. As advertised by Adidas, the Continental rubber sole provides great traction on all surfaces!

I ran the Women’s Fitness Festival 10k in my Adidas UltraBoost X shoes and they felt great! Lately, I’ve been getting terrible blisters on my toes when I wear my Asics shoes, but with the Adidas UltraBoost X shoes, I have not had a single blister! The Adidas UltraBoost X shoes provided me with the extra bounce I needed to get a great jump pic in front of the Sacramento State Capitol and the shoes looked cute with the Pro Compression socks!

My next adventure in my Adidas UltraBoost X shoes included an all day field trip to San Francisco with my 5th grade students. We left the school at 7:30am and returned at 9pm. The day included a 1.7 mile run across the Golden Gate bridge. (Yes, I did in fact run nearly 2 miles in blue jeans and a cotton long sleeve shirt.)

At the end of our field trip, while I was talking to a mom of one of my students (she’s also a runner) about my new shoes, another mom noticed my shoes and said, “Nice shoes!” I looked down at her feet and she was wearing the same shoes! She told me how she too use to wear Asics, but also had a problem with blisters. Years prior, she use to wear Adidas, so she decided to give them another try. Ever since purchasing her Adidas UltraBoost X shoes online, she’s loved them!

Some other adventures my Adidas UltraBoost X shoes have seen me through has been a snake sighting, a Memorial Day run, and a quick weekend run get-a-way. (If you look closely, you’ll see my SmellWell Moisture Absorbing & Odor Eliminating Shoe Freshener and Deodorizer in my Adidas UltraBoost X shoes to Keep my shoes Fresh! Interested in trying out SmellWell for yourself? Buy 2 get 3 using “44JKRG5C” on Amazon.)

Some final closing remarks about the Adidas UltraBoost X shoes:

Although some may be deterred by the price tag ($180), you can’t put a price tag on a shoe that is going to provide you with great support and keep you injury free. I normally spend about $150 on my running shoes… way more than I spend on my everyday sandals, boots, etc.
Don’t be scared off by the unique Primeknit upper of the shoe. Go to your local Dick’s Sporting Goods store and ask to try them on. Know that the arch support may feel a little weird at first, but your foot adjusts after a while leaving you with a great, adaptive fit.

Be sure to check out the Adidas UltraBoost X at Dicks Sporting Goods and also on their social media outlets –Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

What is your favorite running shoe? Do you often stick to the same brand of shoe? What’s the most important thing you look for in a running shoe? (cost, color, brand, etc.)

Until next time,

Review: BUFF UV Arm Sleeves

Posted on June 2, 2017 by runstrongrun

Disclaimer: I received a pair of BUFF UV arm sleeves to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews!

When I first started running in 2011, I didn’t own a smart watch, a fuel belt, compression socks, nor any arm sleeves. Now, I don’t know what I would do without all of the amazing running accessories I have found!

One of the latest accessories I have discovered are BUFF UV arm sleeves. I’ll be honest and say that up until this point, I mainly used knee high socks with the toes cut off as my make-shirt arm sleeves. Now that I own a pair of real arm sleeves, I won’t be going back to the altered, cotton knee-high socks ever again!

When my BUFF UV arm sleeves first arrived I was a little skeptical. I wondered if they’d fit, if they’d be uncomfortable, and if I’d get too hot. Fortunately, I used the sizing chart (shown below) before ordering, so yes, they fit! Yes, they were comfortable (besides the minor inner arm irritation due to the tag. Perhaps I’ll end up cutting the tag off.)! No, I did not get too hot.

My fist time taking out my new BUFF UV arm sleeves, I headed to the nearby levee for a short evening run. I thought I would feel claustrophobic in the arm sleeves, but thankfully that was not the case. As soon as I began to sweat a little, the sleeves actually helped to keep me cool. As stated at BUFFusa.com, “The highly breathable polyester material wicks moisture, is comfortable next to the skin, and blocks harmful rays.”

Next, I wanted to test out the BUFF UV arm sleeves for a longer run, so I packed them in my bag when I headed to Reno, Nevada for the Downtown River Run marathon. Yes, I wore the arm sleeves for the entire 6 hour, 26.2 mile race! At the start of the race it was 37 degrees Fahrenheit. At the finish line, it was close to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The sleeves helped to keep my warm at the starting line and cool towards the finish line. When I started getting warm during the race, I simply poured water over the sleeves at the aid station. With the sleeve’s breath-ability and moisture wicking technology, I stayed nice and cool while keeping my arms protected from the sun’s damaging UV rays.

Speaking of the sun’s rays, one thing I learned during the Downtown River Run was to put sunscreen on my hands. Can you tell where the BUFF UV arm sleeve ended?

I tested the BUFF UV arm sleeves again during the Rina’s Run half marathon. Again, the sleeves helped to keep me warm at the starting line and cool toward the end of the race. I didn’t have to worry about my arms getting sunburned since the sleeves provide UPF 40+ protection! (*Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) measures the amount of UV radiation that penetrates a fabric and reaches your skin. A fabric rated with a UPF of 40 will allow only 1/40th of the sun’s UV rays to pass through.)

Some of the other things I love about the BUFF UV arm sleeves are the reflective elements strategically placed for better visibility in low-light conditions, the elastic upper with engineered silicone grip so that the sleeve is held comfortably in place, the ease in pulling them on and off as needed, and that the sleeves are light, packable protection that fit nicely in a pack or pocket.

If you have any questions and/or comments about the BUFF UV arm sleeves, please feel free to leave me a comment. I’d love to hear from you!

BUFF® USA will be sponsoring the weekly #Bibchat on Tuesday, June 6th at 8pm CST on Twitter. You could win a set of UV BUFF^® USA Arm Sleeves for chatting! You can also check out BUFF^®USA on Facebook and Instagram!

Check out some other BibRave Pro bloggers who have reviewed the UV Buff Arm Sleeves!

Lindsey Tedrick Amy Jeannine

Until next time,

I’m a BibRave Pro!

Posted on May 30, 2017 by runstrongrun

You may have already seen on my Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook, but today I am officially announcing on my blog that I am indeed a BibRave Pro. I know some of you already know what a BibRave Pro is/does, but there may be others of you who have no idea what exactly I’m talking about. Let me tell you.

BibRave.com is a website to write and read race reviews. As a BibRave Pro, I receive races and products to review. Have you heard about a particular race, but you’re unsure if it’s exactly the right one for you? Then make sure you head to BibRave.com to read the review written by someone such as myself or another runner somewhere around the world.

When I first joined the online running community about a year and a half ago, I knew right away that I wanted to be a BibRave Pro. Yes, I wanted to don the bright orange BibRave shirt and proudly let everyone know that I was a BibRave Pro. I must have applied to be a BibRavePro three times or so. Finally, I got the confirmation email that I was accepted into the BibRave Pro community and I was so ecstatic! I knew that I was joining the ranks of some pretty amazing people such as Melissa, Emily, James, Erin, and many more! Be sure to check out #BibRavePro on Instagram or Twitter to follow some of the awesome BibRave Pros.

Stay tuned in the coming months as I write some reviews for the San Diego Craft Classic, Rock ‘n’ Roll Denver, Adidas Ultra Boost shoes, Buff arm sleeves and Brilliant reflective safety strips. I am quite excited for both the San Diego Craft Classic as well as Rock ‘n’ Roll Denver because it’ll be my first time running in these two cities! Also, RnR Denver will be my first Rock ‘n’ Roll event! I can’t wait!

Where do you normally find your information about races and/or running gear? Have you ever written a race review? I’d love to hear from you!

Until next time,

Race Recap: Bidwell Classic

Posted on March 16, 2017 by runstrongrun

Not all races are PR races. Some races it’s about getting out there and enjoying the experience. This is what the Bidwell Classic was for me. 2017 has been a slow start, nothing like 2016. And you want to know what? It’s okay.

On to more about the Bidwell Classic…