Disclaimer: I received two Ready.Set.MOVE. boxes 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!

I love testing new running products. The issue is, I am also picky and don’t like to waste money on a product that I may not like or finish (such as gels and other food products). The Ready.Set.Move. quarterly subscription box offers the opportunity for you to test out new products without the risk of having them left over if you don’t like them or introduce you to a product that you may not have thought about trying. And its a lot of fun to receive as well.

As part of being a BibRave Ambassador, I received 2 boxes, the first 2 of 2021. The first one came in March. Of the 2 boxes, this one was probably my favorite and the one I got the most use out of. That’s not saying that the second box was bad. They both had great items. The best part is, every box will have at lease a $100 value.

I am not going to lie, I have not used all the products that I received however. But I am guessing that 75% of the products that I received have been used by myself or another family member in the house. With a family full of runners, that is easy to do. My wife has used the CBD balm from Floyds On The Go, my daughter has used the KT Tape Pain Relief roll on, I have used the KT Tape chafe preventing wipes, Honey Stinger products, Spi Beam lights and hat, and all the food products!

There is just such a wide variety of products that you receive on a quarterly basis. Everything from gels/energy products, to pain relief, to wearable products. There is something for everyone to try. And the mystery of what you are getting from box to box is exciting as well.

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If you are interested in trying the Ready.Set.Move subscription box, I would highly recommend it. As I said earlier, each box has a value of $100 at the cost of $49.99 per box. And when you order your first box, use code BIBRAVE10 to save $10 on your first purchase.

2020 and the early 2021 year has been rough for races. All the big races have gone virtual and the Hot Chocolate 15k races held all over the country, was no exception. Sadly, none of the Hot Chocolate races happened in person this year across the country, but that did not stop the fun.

Disclaimer: I received a free entry to the virtual Hot Chocolate 15k 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!

The Hot Chocolate 15k made sure that the virtual experience was as close to normal as an in person race as they could get. Prior to race date, every registered runner was sent their swag bag with all the Hot Chocolate goodies that you would expect. Included was a very comfortable full zip hooded jacket, finishers medal, hot chocolate mix, and pieces of dark chocolate. About the only thing missing was the large serving mug that you get at the finish line.

I ran my virtual race on the scheduled race date, April 17th. I did managed to do it tied in with a 20 mile long run as I am in the middle of marathon training. If it was an in-person event, I would have changed my training to make the race work in my training schedule better. But for it being a virtual race, I made the best of it that i could.

Do I really like virtual races? Not really, they are getting very old at this time. While I do appreciate the swag, especially the jacket, I hope that the Hot Chocolate 15k races across the country are back in person next year. It just isn’t the same as the in person event and I am not sure it is worth doing virtually. Like I said, love the jacket, the medal was alright, but I miss the experience this year.

Disclaimer: I received a pair of Turtle Gloves 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!

Midwest winters can be some of the harshest running weather that you can find, especially if you are located near one of the Great Lakes. Weather can be very unpredictable with lake effect snow and just the cold winds that blow off the lakes. Weather changes here day to do or even hour to hour in some cases.

With Turtle Gloves, it is easy to keep your hands cold and protected as well as change with the ever changing weather. Turtle Gloves have a wide range of mittens to help meet your needs. They have mittens that are made for spring and fall weather, waterproof mittens, heavyweight water repellent mittens, and some in between. The Turtle Glove mittens that I have been testing out over the past month are the Midweight Winter Soft mittens.

I had some questions about the Midweight Winter Soft mittens when I first got them, and most of them got answered over the past month. One question, I feel like still needs to be answered.

How well will the Turtle Gloves Midweight Winter Soft mittens protect my hands from strong winds? This is actually an area that I am really excited to tell you about. I did get the opportunity to run in some pretty stiff winds that were above 20mph and I can tell you, I could not feel the wind through the mittens. While these are not the thickest mittens that I have tried on, the winds were still unable to penetrate through the mittens, keeping my fingers warm.

How well will the Turtle Gloves Midweight Winter Soft mittens keep dry from the snow? Honestly, not an area that I got to experience too much while I was out running. However, just the other day, my son and I were out running and his hands were getting cold from the cheaper gloves that he was wearing. Even though they were huge on him, I gave him my Turtle Gloves. Being the 8 year old that he is, he was picking up snow, he was knocking it off hand rails and such. His hands never got cold or wet. So while I didn’t test out too much the Turtle Gloves in the snow, my son sure did. And if and 8 year old doesn’t complain, they must have been working great!

How cold can it be outside and the Turtle Gloves Midweight Winter mittens to still keep my hands warm? I don’t feel like I have been able to give a complete answer on this yet. Obviously some things are out of my control, such as the weather. It just hasn’t gotten cold enough for me to feel like the mittens did not do a good job (I am not complaining about that). With the windchill, the coldest I have ran in so far this winter, with the Turtle Gloves is about 8 degrees. During that run, my hands stayed plenty warm. In fact, I don’t believe that there has been a run yet where I have actually kept my fingers covered for the whole run.

Here is what I like best about the Turtle Gloves:

1. The softness: These gloves feel great while you are wearing them. Plus, have you ever tried to wipe your nose with your gloves while running (come on, we all do it)? It can be rough sometimes. These are very soft and comfortable

2. The amount that you are able to move your fingers. There is so much room in these mittens. The main advantage to mittens over your normal gloves is that you are using the heat from each finger to keep all your fingers warm. You do this by movement as well. In no way to I feel that these mittens or too tight, or too lose that I feel like they are going to fall off.

3. They are convertible. What I mean by this is that I am able to remove the flip part of the mitten to expose my fingers to the elements. As I mentioned earlier in this post, this happened on about every run. My fingers get warm very easily and so I need to let them out into the air. Its great that I am able to do so without taking the whole mitten off of my hand. I don’t have to worry about carrying my gloves or shoving them into my pockets making for a bulky mess.

Overall, I love this product. I have absolutely nothing negative to say about them. They do the job that they state that they would do. Now, as I said, I want to get some colder runs in them soon, but I don’t have any control over that and will have to wait to see if we get that cold this winter. As much as I would like to test that out, I am in no hurry. If you are a runner that expereinces cold winter months, these are the mittens for you. You can get yourself a pair by going to https://turtlegloves.com/. When you place your order, use code TURTLEBIBRAVE and you will get 15% off your order including any sale items!

Disclaimer: I received an entry to A Christmas Story Virtual Run 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.

Oh 2020, when will you end (Yes, I know, technically in 22 days from the time that I am writing this)? With so few races happening in person, we have all had to make changes to find ways of being motivated to hit the roads and also new ways to support some of our favorite charities. Virtual races have become the norm. This year, there is a new one that has been put on by RAM Racing, A Christmas Story Virtual Run! This run is based on my favorite Christmas movie of all time.

With the A Christmas Story Virtual Run, you have the option of either doing a 5k or 10K. Once you register, you can run your race distance at any time. You will also be sent a link that you can register your finishing time. Best of all though is the swag. you will be sent a finishers medal, a full zip hoodie jacket, a beanie, and your bib number. All swag began to be sent out on November 30th, so now is the time to register yours to get it before Christmas day!

I have not set a firm day that I will be running my 10k, but I am thinking either Christmas Eve or Christmas morning. Just seems like the right time to do it. What are your thoughts? When should I run my A Christmas Story Virtual Run?

Over the past month or so, I have been using Metcon Start Pre-training for my pre-run fuel. Metcon Start helps you to wake up, become alert before your morning run. Basically, the best way for me to describe the effectiveness is that it is like a morning cup of coffee without having to drink nasty coffee (I hate coffee).

The instructions on preparing the drink is pretty simple: 1 scoop of Metcon Start and 12 ounces of water, shake and drink. The flavoring is great in the Metcon Start as it has a fruit punch flavor. The flavoring isn’t overpowering and also does not have any nasty indigestion that you can sometimes get from other drinks.

The product did what it was meant to do. It woke me up. I have had to start running at 4:30AM since kids school has started back up, and it is just what I need. It has been the first thing that i have done over the past month, walk down the stairs, get my Metcon Start and hit the road. It is recommended that you take Metcon Start 15 minutes before the run.

I did have a couple of issues with Metcon Start. One of which is no fault to Metcon at all, and that is I seem to be having somewhat of a minor allergic reaction to it. I felt itchy on my head, my arms, and legs once I start running. This is not the first time that I have felt this while trying a pre-workout drink so there must be something in some products that does not react well to me and that I am allergic to. The other down side is the price. The price for a canister is $45 (on Amazon). I don’t usually use a pre run drink too often, so maybe $45 is not too bad, but I am not a fan of that price. Just for reference, the canister contains 30 services.

So tell me, what kind of Pre-training product do you like? Have you ever tried Metcon before?

With the Coronavirus pandemic going on in the world, all races have been canceled for the most part and so its a great time to get creative and figure out how to set challenges to keep the motivation going during these tough times.
With Global Running Day this year, The Global 24 Hour relay was a fun and creative way to get people running as well as keeping the running community together.
How it worked was when you registered, you registered for the time you wanted to run and what relay team you wanted to represent. Teams were named after cities all over the country. I was a part of team Chicago. I cant remember what time I had, but I think it was around 1:00. The one thing you had to think about it what time zone you were in compared to the city whose team you were on. So since I had 1:00 but live in eastern time zone and Chicago is in Central, I had to run at 2:00.
The way the batton worked was that you left phone number or email address. when the person ahead of you was done, they “handed the baton off” by either texting you or emailing you. I didn’t get a message from the person in front of me, so I just ran at my assigned time. No big deal. I ran my half an hour and then sent the text message to the next person in line.
I did end up getting a text message about an hour late so obviously the system didn’t work 100% but it was still a fun idea.
The standard fee was I believe $30. If you picked one of the early morning run slots, it was only $25 I think. You received a medal as well as a shirt with your registration.

I’ll be honest, as this pandemic keeps going, I am getting tired of virtual races, they are just not for me. But this was something a little different and it was fun to take part.

“Disclaimer: I received a pair of Knockaround Fast Lane Sunglasses 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!”

Summer is just about here. The temps are starting to warm up and the sun is shinning. It’s SUNGLASSES season! Ok, if you are like me, you wear sunglasses all year long. At this point I have more pairs than I can count, with many of them being Knockaround. Knockaround has just released their newest model, the Fast Lane.

The Fast Lane sunglasses have a nice fit with them not being too tight and never feeling like they are going to fall off at any time. I mainly wore these casually as I have been doing 90% of my runs before or just as the sun was rising. I took them out when I was driving for work, out for a bike ride, or a hike with family.

I got the Blues of the Water color frames. They are a translucent navy blue and sky blue with smoke lenses. Honestly I chose this color because I was thinking they would be a great pair to wear to the ocean coming up this summer on a couple vacations that we had plan. Sadly, like a lot of other things, those plans changed. However, the Fast Lane Sunglasses look great no matter where I wear them.

I did take them out though for a couple of runs with my kids. Honestly, I still prefer the sporting style of sunglasses when running. I most definitely classify the Fast Lane model as a casual pair of sunglasses. I know a lot of runners are going to this style when hitting the roads but I just don’t get it. But that’s just me. I will say this though, these sunglasses are tough. I have dropped them more times than I can count (not off my head but out of my hands). No dings or scratches.

But let’s talk about one other thing. THE PRICE. How about only $20??? Oh and I just looked. Right now, this model and color ( Blues on the Water) is only $12.00. If that’s not enough, use code BibRaveKnocks4 to get 20% off your order of any Knockaround sunglasses! So if you want a pair of casual sunglasses or these are the kinds of sunglasses you like to run in, there is no better deal out there!

Disclaimer:  I received an entry to the Cinco de Miler 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.

This has gotten rough. Sadly all the races that we have come to know and love are being changed to virtual. there is no sign on when racing as we know it will be coming back (or if it will be coming back the way we remember it). So for now, we are left with really only one option, doing the race virtually. While races could say that we agreed that if the race is canceled for any reason, we will not send you a refund, a lot of races have been kind enough to send your race packets to you anyways. That is what the Cindo de Miler in Chicago did as well as encouraged you to run your 5 mile race on the day the race was scheduled for, May 2nd.

Disclaimer: I received a gift card in exchange for promoting the FitnessBank Step Challenge as a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews.

How many of us have been struggling with keeping active during this time? A lot of us have been told to work from home, or maybe not even working at all. Many of us have been told to stay home. Some of us maybe have been told not even to leave the house at all unless to get groceries or other needs. We have seen very popular areas for activities such as the Lake Front Path in Chicago closed due to too many people gathering. And lastly, a lot of races have now been canned or postponed. This whole thing sucks.

Getting up and being active is difficult. We have been told if we are to go out and exercise, to do it alone. For runners like me, thats not too difficult seeing as how I have always been running alone, but I know for others, this is a tough time to be active and lacking some motivation to do it alone. So how about a challenge?

Fitness Bank along with marathon champion Des Linden is hosting a Spring Step Challenge to get us moving. And this challenge is completely FREE to enter. All you have to do is download the Fitness Bank Step Tracker App, sign up for the step tracker (you do not have to sign up for the banking portion). Once you are signed up just link your account to your Garmin, FitBit, Apple Watch or whatever else you have. Lastly, sign up for the “Des Spring Step Challenge 2020” in the app. And you are in!

But there’s more! The challenge actually started on Wednesday (April 1st) and runs until May 31st. There are prizes that you can win! You could win signed posters from Des, free shoes, and a year of free races!

So during this time of keeping your distance from others, be sure to get outside, get some fresh air, and get those steps in. See if you can keep up with Des herself!

Disclaimer: I received a free entry to the Run For the Zoo 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!

Eventually I would have to run a race in 2020 in Chicago and this will be a new one for me. however, this is far from a new race. Run for the Zoo takes place at Lincoln Park Zoo which is known for being open all year round and is FREE! I have been there a few times especially on race day for the Chicago Marathon after volunteering at the aid station at mile 5 on the marathon course. It is a beautiful zoo.

Race day will be on Sunday, June 7, 2020 and registration is open now and this will be the 42nd year of this great race. Run for the Zoo offers a 5K, 10k, and the Safari Stampede for children ages 3-8. Both the 5k and 10K will start in the west side of the zoo on Stockton Dr. and will utilizes the lake front path before coming back to the zoo where you will finish within the zoo property. The 5k Course will stay closer to the zoo before having the same finish as the 10k.

I am going to have a little fun with this and run both races. That’s right, the 5k Run starts at 7:30 and the 10k starts at 8:15 and so I have decided that I will run both of them to make a fun challenge out of it. This is not an official race challenge put on by Run for the Zoo but if I am driving to Chicago, might as well do both, right?

As I mentioned earlier, registration is now open. the 10K is right now $39.99 and the 5k is 34.99. Prices for both races will go up on April 3rd so get yourself registered before you pay an additional $5. To save a little more cash, use promo code BIBRAVE to save 10% on your registration. All proceeds from the race will go to the Lincoln Park Zoo to help keep the zoo free for the public. All participants will receive a race t-shirt. If you donate an extra $25 or more when you register, you will receive a Supporter Medal as well.

What if you cant make it to Chicago and you want to take part? New this year, there is a virtual option as well. All virtual participants will receive a race shirt and a commemorative bib as well. The deadline to sign up for the virtual run is May 22nd.

Join me on June 7, 2020 and help keep this awesome zoo free to the public!