Kudos For You!! {Review & Instagram Giveaway}

Hope everyone stateside had a Happy Thanksgiving!! So Americans know the day after Thanksgiving is a big shopping day….well, here on my blog, today is all about things FREEEEE!!!!

I was given the opportunity to try out a product called Kudos Coaster and I have an extra one to giveaway to those living in the contiguous United States!! This giveaway is on my Instagram only, but I made a blog post to really give you info on the product:)

We all wonder what to do with the medals we accumulate, and the people at Kudos Coaster thought of a GENIUS idea to use them for something productive! And while runners/athletes can use the coaster for medals, there are SO many other uses.

Of course, I went the medal route šŸ˜€ Lucky for me, The box has thorough instructions as does the website on how pull it together. I didn’t want my medal to rattle, and I saw that adding enough inserts would make it snug enough.

The hardest part was really choosing the medal, lol! You can see that it has to be a certain shape/size and a lot of race companies are deviating from traditional round medals. Yet, I still had quite a few to choose from:)

 

For details on how you can win a FREE Kudos Coaster Plus, head over to my Instagram page at @hellyontherun! If you don’t want to wait to see if you win, well, it is Black Friday šŸ˜‰

Deal only for 11/23/2018.

–What are some fun ways you’ve re-purposed your medals??

–What is your current favorite medal?

 

Tailwind Nutrition Review

Rock ‘n’ Roll Madrid is getting closer and closer and I’m starting to get really excited. I think what has me looking forward to this race is that it’s a no pressure race. I’m not looking to PR having reached my goal at RnR Arizona–quite honestly, if I never beat that time I think I’ll be okay lol. With Madrid, I want to enjoy being in a different country with my husband doing what we enjoy doing: running

What I am concerned with is that when I get back from Europe May 3, I have that dreaded mandatory Death March 17.8 mile run/hike the next morning. With jet lag and the exhaustion from being gone a week, I think I’ll be a good representative of that hike’s title. My running group leader has been getting on us to make sure we’re prepared telling us that temps at the bottom of the canyon can go up to 100+ degrees. Fueling and hydrating is super important and because of that, I’ve been trying a few things.

I tried Energybits a few weeks ago (my review) and during Sunday’s 14.75 mile hike I tried Tailwind Nutrition for the second time. Tailwind is a mix you combine with water and it comes in several flavors–all the ingredients are natural and organic. The berry flavor I tried was amazing . (I’m one of those that when I hear natural and/or organic, I automatically assume I won’t like it (I know, dumb) ). It was sweet but not overly sugary and had zero aftertaste but it def gave my water a little extra yummy oomph.

Berry amazing :)

Berry amazing šŸ™‚

Having not eaten anything before the hike–I usually eat a Nutrigrain bar but my daughter snagged the last one the morning before– Tailwind surprisingly kept me full the whole time. I was really worried I’d be starving during the run/hike but I starting drinking about 15 minutes in and throughout the entire way and was perfectly fine. In fact, I sucked my hydration pack dry by the time I reached the end lol! It was really really yummy and actually very satisfying–it’s advertised to meet your calorie, hydration, and electrolyte needs so no need for gels.

I’ve also tried the lemon flavor (yum!) and have yet to taste the Mandarin Orange. They also have a flavorless mix. I’ll keep you posted on the last two.

Tailwind came recommended from a buddy in my running group who swears by it and I’m glad I gave it a shot. Here’s the website: www.tailwindnutrion.com I love how they offer single packages (the berry flavor is on my weekend buy list).

Let me know if you decide to try it. So far it’s a winner in my book.

–What do you use for fuel?

–Do you like mixing things in your water?

I was sent my package of Tailwind free to test, however, my opinions on the product are my own. I do plan to continue using the product because I truly like it.

 

Get Your Swirl On! (Swirlgear Review)

I recently became a Swirlgear Ambassador (you might have noticed my pretty swirly badge there on the right). One of the appeals to me with this brand is that as you already know, I love clothes. And I love running. So when I came upon Swirlgear, a womenā€™s clothing brand made specifically for running, I immediately wanted to check it out.

I ordered my first shipment to arrive by Christmasā€”my little gift to myself : )

The first piece is this short sleeve number. What caught my eye initially were the black seams along the front. This detail allows for slimming and flattering look. I also liked the uniqueness of the print on the sleeves and sides and I liked the length. When it arrived and I was finally able to put it on, the length was a super plus. I like my shirts a little on the longer side and this fit was absolutely perfect.

swirlsolo

Iā€™m very big on fabric and this moisture-wicking poly blend is super soft to the touch. When Iā€™m running, the last thing I want is an itchy shirt and this top is far from itchy. In fact, itā€™s my softest running shirt to date.

The shirt is tagless which is a running shirt necessity but this also tricked me at first. The top is so good looking inside out that thatā€™s how I put it on the first time! It didnā€™t come in the box that way, but as I was inspecting it, I turned it inside out and forgot to fix it. My first run in it was worn that way! Needless to say, I had no issues in my 10 mile run that day : ) (You can see in the first pic the black seam across the collarbone area. Itā€™s not there in the second pic when I wore it correctly lol!)

inside out

inside out

 

My favorite cheerleader

worn correctly

Iā€™m 5ā€™7 and on the curvy side so a size Medium fit perfectly.

My next purchase were these shorts. Itā€™s cold out (for Arizona) but I knew Iā€™d get a lot of use of them come spring and summer. The black color is a nice deep blackā€”this is important to me because some ā€œblacksā€ are lighter than others and that drives me nuts. I also like the white piping along the bottom.

The shorts are also moisture wicking and have built in briefs for support. The logo is reflective which I thought was a nice detail. The shorts do not have pockets. Iā€™m a size 6 and purchased a Medium. Perfect fit.

boy, that mirror is dusty

boy, that mirror is dusty

Both of these together, I must say, make a great running outfit. I have my days when I donā€™t care about looking good while I run but every now and then I like to have a good looking combo to feel pretty in : )

Iā€™ve washed both of these in a gentle cycle and both washed well. I didnā€™t completely dry them (I donā€™t with any of my running clothes) but took them out about Ā¾ of the dry cycle and then lay them to completely dry.

I chose to purchase warmer weather items but Salt bought some winter wear and you can read her review of her pieces here.

If you think these clothes are as awesome as I do and are interested in gifting yourself or someone some Swirlgear, youā€™re in luck! Enter the code swirlon at check-out to get FREE GROUND SHIPPING. Yay!!

Iā€™m pretty positive youā€™re going to love this brand. I may not be the best runner out there, but I do feel like I know my clothes : )

Hope you have a fun Friday!!!

NOTE: I did receive these pieces for 50% off as part of the Swirlgear Brand Ambassador program but I purchased them myself and these opinions come solely from me.

–Do you love shopping for running clothes?

–Do you make running ā€œoutfitsā€?