Pearl iZumi Infinity Shorts Review

I was sent a pair of Pearl iZumi shorts to test and review a few weeks ago.  Honestly, when I opened the box and saw shorts, I was a little nervous.  Me no like-y shorts.  Unless you have twiggy legs or just happen to be gifted in a way that I don’t quite understand, shorts have never been comfortable for my (ahem…) ample thighs.  I have been a skirt girl for over a year now and have never been more happy or comfortable.  Ladies, you know what I’m talking about…..the hungry crotch syndrome where your shorts will inevitably creep up your inner thighs until they are in a chafe producing wad.  If it doesn’t happen to you, well it just simply defies the laws of physics, please tell me your secret!!!!!

Anyhow, I digress…..yes, Pearl iZUMi shorts…..that is what I was meaning to talk about.

Shameless opportunity to feature my boy, Rhett Butler

So I reluctantly tested the shorts on a short 3 miler.  When first putting them on, my initial impression…..”WOW!  They are comfy…..and cute!!!!”  They are light and breezy and fit very well!  NOTE: order a size LARGER than you typically wear….it hurts the pride but you will thank me!  And FINALLY a split leg short that doesn’t show off all your goodies.  PI managed to make a discreet split leg short!!!

See…..discreet!

They have some cute little embellishments that hint at feminine without being blatantly girly.  They also have a small pocket on the back that you could fit your keys and maybe a Gu into.

So how did they fare on the run????  Well, I have mixed emotions.  They did ride a little, but I did not have high expectations from the get go.  BUT, that being said, they did not ride up the crotcheral region quite as badly as most shorts do on me.  I did not spend the entire run with my shorts in the shape of an inverted V, nor was I constantly pulling at the shorts to put them back into the proper place.  I could be that I have not run in shorts in such a LONG time that I was just super aware of the extra fabric betweenst the legs. 

I have read RAVE reviews on these shorts and while I’m only 90% sold on them, they are still pretty great little shorts.  If you love shorts in general, then you will LOVE these.  I will certainly be wearing them on shorter runs and during other athletic activities.  So if you LOVE shorts….go get you some!!!!  Also, check out some of the other products by Pearl Izumi.  They have some really great cycling, running and TRI gear!!!!!

I give Pearl iZUMi Infinity Shorts 4 parachute jackets!

disclaimer: i was sent these shorts by outside pr for free, the review is my very own.  peace out!

The New Gu. Tabs, Gel, and Chomps Review

Some of you may recall that I used to be a Gu gel girl, but Gu gel and I had a falling out during my one and only half marathon experience. At mile 11ish, feeling particularly low and desperate, I slurped a vanilla Gu gel in hopes of a pick-me-up. Instead, my parched throat hesitated with the swallowing of the miracle gel, gag reflex activated, and I began to dry heave. Thank goodness no actual vomiting occurred. Ever since then, I have been afraid to Gu. Totally NOT Gu’s fault, I take the blame.

So, when I was sent some of the new Gu flavors to review, I was a little weary. Flashbacks of dry heaving in the woods started racing through my mind. But in the name of research….I decided to give Gu gel a go. I’m such a martyr!!!!

The flavors I tested were Blueberry Pomegranate, Cherry Lime, Vanilla Orange, and Pineapple. All of which are the Roctane gels. Which will pump you up with a jolt of caffeine. Love this stuff!!!!!

Of all the 4 flavors, I like Blueberry Pomegranate the best. In an effort to make this as fun an experience for me (and to provide entertaining pics!) I decided to do a blind taste test to see if i could identify the flavors without looking at them. It was pretty easy to figure out, they are pretty distinct flavors haha!

Skeptical and scared

Bottoms Up! I really only tasted it, didn’t eat the whole thing!

Hmmmm, gotta think about this for a second

Thumbs Up! I survived!!!

They are all pretty good but Cherry Lime I will have to give some more thought. I’m not huge cherry flavor person, but it has more of a lime-y flavored so I can deal with it. I give the new Gu gel flavors 4 LB parachute jackets! ( would have given them five but I’m still a little leery about gel in general!)

Also, Gu is now making their fabulous Gu Brew in tablet form. I absolutely LOVE Gu Brew, so when it came out in easy to transport tabs, I was SOOOO excited!!!! I tested Lemon-Lime, Peach Tea, and Orange. All of them are grrrrreat!!! I do notice that the flavors aren’t quite as strong as the Brew powder, but I think this is a GOOD thing!. When I am overly hot and dehydrated, an overwhelming flavor can push me over the edge. There is a slightly carbonated feel to the drink, but not overly so. Simply plop the tabs in water and go….easy peasy! I give Gu Brew Tabs 5+ LB parachute jackets!

And finally I tested some Gu Chomps. Again, I am very familiar with Chomps, have used them on many, many occasions and they never disappoint. I tried Strawberry and Peach Tea flavor. The chomps themselves are great, less chewy and don’t stick in your teeth quite as bad as other brands of chews. I really like both of the flavors. I really don’t have a bad word to say about the Chomps…..for reals!!! I don’t even bother trying out any other brand of chew anymore because Gu Chomps are really my go-to solid fuel during a run. I give Gu Chomps 5+ LB parachute jackets!

Sports Science T-Shirt Review

I had the pleasure of bumping into a couple of great gals at the Sport Science booth at the Cooper River Bridge Run Expo a few weeks ago. Sport Science is a locally owned company in the Carolinas…..I love to support local business when I can! Their cool vintage t-shirts immediately drew us in and we spent far too much time perusing through all their super cool shirts. And my friend Ashley won the raffle for 3 shirts…..AWESOME!!!!

Sport Science shirts have the feel of cotton but the performance of technical fabric. Made with dri-release® fabric, they are sure to wick away moisture and keep you cool. The fabric is also treated with FreshGuard® to help control the odor us sweaty beast runners produce. I tested one of their fabulous shirts on a pretty toasty day last week and happy to say that I was comfy and cool. And anyone who knows me, knows that staying cool is a major concern for me. The seams of the shirt are soft and not scratchy, no rubbing or chafing anywhere.

See…..happy sweaty beast!

One very appealing thing about these shirts is they perform well enough to run in, but cool looking enough to hang out in. I mean really, look at most of your “running” shirts. Are you really going to hang out in public in those??? Sport Science shirts are way cool and you can wear them anywhere and not feel like a total runnerd.

Cool enough to hang out with your dog too!!!

Some of the shirts I bought at the Sport Science booth aren’t available yet online….but don’t worry kids….they will be soon, check them out {here}. These are quite possibly my favorites. Not a running shirt per se, but could be used as such. Most definitely a hanging out with friends type of shirt.

Two of the vintage print shirts I LOVE. Random, sure, but cool just the same

Rhett was demanding more camera time today

I would also like to introduce a new review system for the My Reason to Run blog…..a star rating if you will. It seems that I will forever be known for the hilarious race picture from my first tri. I happily mock myself and proclaim the “parachute jacket” as my seal of approval!

1 parachute jacket: Not worth your time or money….avoid at ALL costs!

2 parachute jackets: Use only as a last resort when no other options are available

3 parachute jackets: Meh…..I could take it or leave it

4 parachute jackets: Pretty good, I would probably buy it and may recommend it to a friend, but not the best eva!!!!

5 parachute jackets: OMG…you’ve gotta freakin’ try this. Quite possibly the best eva!!!!

I give Sport Science T’s 5 parachute jackets! Stay tuned kiddos….I just MIGHT be bringing giveaways back……..In the meantime…go visit Sport Science!!!!

disclaimer…..i paid for these AWESOME shirts myself, this review is totally my own opinion….just in case you were wondering……