Ultra Runner Crate

A few weeks ago, I went on Instagram to see if anyone I knew has tried the Ultra Runner Crate subscription box.  I was intrigued at the idea of a runner box targeted to ultra runners.  No one I knew had tried on, but Ultra Runner Crate reached out and offered to send me a box to try out. Yes, please! And keeping it real—although Ultra Runner Crate sent me the box to try out, all opinions about the items it contained are my own.  

When the box arrived, I felt like a kid waiting to open birthday presents.  That’s the fun thing about subscription boxes- you never know what you’re going to get.  In my box, I received:
-One pair of Goodr sunglasses
-Two Bearded Brothers bars
-Two Clara Cookies
-A reusable bag with Zero Bad Stuff sunscreen & bug repellant and a ShowerPill body wipe

Goodr Sunglasses
I love my Goodr sunglasses so I was super excited when I saw these in the box.  I was even more excited when I saw they were a color I didn’t already have—Phoenix at a Bloody Mary Bar.  Goodr are inexpensive sunglasses made for running- if you haven’t tried them yet, you definitely should!

Bearded Brothers Bars
I have seen Bearded Brother’s bars on social media, but have never tried them.  I was excited to see that they were vegan as well as gluten & soy free.  I received a mega maca chocolate bar and a radical raspberry bar.  Although both had a good taste, I preferred the raspberry one.  I enjoyed it during a day at the beach and I would definitely try it again!

Clara Cookies
Clara Cookies are protein cookies with a purpose—profits from these cookies are donated to adoption grants.  I tried the peanut butter chocolate chip cookie after a long run and it was a delicious treat.  Not only did I get 13 grams of protein, the cookie had a good flavor.  I’ve had protein cookies in the past that didn’t quite taste like a cookie, but this did.  

Zero Bad Stuff Sunscreen & Bug Repellant
I always wear sunscreen when I run and I was excited to try this—it’s made with zero alcohol, parables or oxybenzone.  The first thing I noticed was the pleasant smell it has—like coconuts which is my favorite sunscreen smell.  The next thing I noticed was how thick the sunscreen is—it’s labeled as 20+ protection and it states that it’s dependent on how much you put on.  Although it did seem to provide protection, when I sweated during my run, the sunscreen created a while film on my skin.  It was a little weird.  
The first thing I noticed about the bug repellant was the fragrance—it reminded me of lemon Pledge furniture cleaner.  Like the sunscreen, the bug repellant is made with natural ingredients. The day I tried it, I was running on the roads so I’m not sure how well it will work on the trails, which is where I encounter the most bugs.  Honestly, I don’t know if I will use the bug repellant again—I can’t get past the smell.

ShowerPill Body Wipe
I have seen these and have been wanting to try one for a long time. I used it after a ten mile run which was extremely humid (read—I was extra sweaty).  I had to go to work right after my run so this was the perfect opportunity to try the body wipe.  I was surprised at how well it worked!  It wasn’t exactly like taking a shower, but it was pretty close.  I will definitely be getting more of these!

The Ultra Runner Crate has three subscription options—a monthly rate, a quarterly rate or a one time gift rate.  The rates range from $33-39 a month, with free shipping to the US and Canada.  My box contained approximately $50 worth of items and it was nice having everything together to try out.  I enjoyed being able to try different items at one time (and I’ll definitely be getting some more of a couple of the item), but I honestly don’t know if I enjoyed it enough to get a box every month.  For me, I think one every 3-4 months would be a good time frame.  

Have you ever subscribed to a running gear box?  

Until next time, happy running.
Jenn13.1

Benefits of Group Runs

I’m a solo runner—there is just something about the solitude of me versus the trail or road that brings a sense of cleansing to my soul.  But I started to notice recently that I’ve been gravitating to more group runs lately and I’ve been loving them!  If you’ve ever thought about going to a group run, here are some of the things I’ve been loving about them:

Accountability
It’s easy to say you’re going to run four miles after work on a Monday and it’s even easier to talk yourself into running only one when your run time come (or not run at all.)  But when you commit to a group run, you’re more likely to show up. 

Goal Crushers
What’s more motivating than crushing your own goals? Seeing other people work on and crush their goals.  When you go to group runs, you start to know the other runners and their goals, whether it’s training for their next big race or just working on being healthier.  And it’s awesome to see someone cut some time off their mile or run up a hill they couldn’t before.  Not only do I love being a part of their journey, it also gets me excited about my new goals.  

Support System
The runners you meet at group runs often become friends and because you share running in common, they get it.  When you see them at races, they get the pre-race jitters or offer words of congratulations after a hard race finish.  These runners also because a great source of advice and encouragement for whatever it is you might be training for.  

Become a Better Runner
One of the things I love best about group runs is the push it gives me to become a stronger and better runner.  I often find a runner with a stronger pace than mine and try to keep up with them.  I might not be able to stick with them the entire run, but I enjoy the challenge it brings as I try.  

If you’re a San Diego runner, here are some group runs that happen weekly:

Monday : Movin Shoes in Pacific Beach 6:00pm
Monday: San Diego Trail Runners at Mission Trails 6:00pm
Tuesday: Interval Training with Movin Shoes Mission Bay Runner’s Bathroom 6:00pm
Wednesday: Hump Day Run Club at Milestone Running 6:00pm
Friday: #RUN619 with Movin Shoes at Heartwork Coffee Bar 6:19am
Saturday: Lake Hodges with Ultra Buds at 6:30am

There’s a part of me that will always be a solo runner, but I am embracing the balance I’m finding between my solo runs and group runs.  Do you prefer to run solo or in a group?

Until next time, happy running.
Jenn13.1

Black Mountain 50K Recap

Last month I participate in a local event benefiting Veterans and part of the event was a prize for an entry to the Black Mountain 50K.  When the winner of the prize realized he couldn’t run the event, he generously gifted the entry to me. I had mixed feelings about it as I’m not a huge fan of Black Mountain, but I also love a good challenge so ultimately I was excited to run the event.

Unlike many race events, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to wear, so I created two flat runners. The race was on a Saturday morning so after getting my gear ready, I was off to bed for an early wake up and drive up to Black Mountain.  

Race day packet pick-up was easy.  Once I had my bib and felt ready, I headed over to the start line to say hi to some friends and visit before the race started.  After a few race announcements and the sweetest rendition of the National Anthem, we were off and running.  The race also had a 25K which started 30 minutes later so it was fun to be cheered by a large group of runners as we started.  

The first half mile or so was in a park as we made our way towards Black Mountain.  Then the uphill began. The beginning didn’t feel too bad and we were fortunate to have cloud cover.  Cloud cover that didn’t last and once the sun was out, you could definitely feel it.  I’m not sure what the actual air temperature was but it felt hot—I don’t think I’ve ever sweated so much in a race.  After that, I lost focus on the actual course.  I know that it was hard—it’s a technical trail, with single track section and some wider trails.  Even though they say “what goes up, must come down,” I felt like I was climbing for most of the race.

If you’ve read my other race recaps, you know that I’m a mental runner and this race was no different.  I knew that I wasn’t going to quit, but I knew it wasn’t going to be easy.  Right as I was feeling extremely discouraged, I encountered Maria and Lise. They were going at a similar pace and I was grateful for the company.  We met at around mile seven and stayed together through the rest of the race.  We had some good conversations about running and helped push each other through when it got hard.  Crossing the finish line with these two runners was the best feeling.

During the entire race, I kept thinking to myself that this would be a “one and done” race event for me.  But now that I’ve had time to think about it, I’ll definitely be back next year.  The race itself is well organized from the pre-race communications to race day instructions.  The aid stations were well placed and well stocked—who doesn’t love an Otter Pop at mile 27?! The volunteers were the best and took care of everything we needed. 

 The swag was pretty cool—we got a tank, a Buff, a sticker and our medal is from Elevation Culture.  The other runners out there were amazing, from cheering everyone on to helping runners when they fell.  As hard as the race was, I still had a great experience and I want to go back next year to have an even better experience.

Have you ever changed your mind about a race after you’ve had time to think about it?

Until next time, happy running.
Jenn13.1