Showing posts with label running. Show all posts
Showing posts with label running. Show all posts

Sunday, February 26, 2023

A fun time at the Run Show Boston - shoelaces by Caterpy and LockLaces and clean shoes by Shoozas

Caterpy Elastic Laces
Earlier this month, we went to the Run Show Boston, an event by runners for runners... We got a chance to check out some innovative things for the running community.

A few of the things I enjoyed and had the chance to try out were:

Caterpy Elastic Laces

These laces are a great option for runners as well as kids. You can put them through your sneakers just like regular shoe laces but as they go in through each loop the elastic bulb makes a pop sound. The best part about these laces is that you can adjust the tension very easily by pulling the laces tighter or loosen them - it takes a little getting used to but once you do there is really nothing like it. They also had hair elastics/bracelets made out of the same elastic material. The laces were also fun as a fidget toy due to their elasticity.

The best thing is that you can slip your sneakers on and off with ease and then tension of the laces just holds them in place. We really enjoyed that the name of the company as well, since the kids enjoy playing Pokemon and when we asked, they said the name of the company is most certainly a play on the Pokemon character. We had a good chuckle about that.

Lock Laces
LockLaces

We enjoyed the booth at LockLaces. These elastic strings can be threaded just like regular laces, and then at the top you put them through a grip mechanism and cut the excess lace and cap the end. This is also a great option for kids and folks looking to be able to slip on their sneakers and tighten them up without having knots and excess lace.

I had the chance to compete in a contest to see if I could lace up the LockLaces the fastest. They said the winner from yesterday did it in 46 seconds. I have never done this before so they showed me how to do it once and then I tried it myself and was able to complete it in 1 minute even - 60 seconds total. I was happy with my result but wasn't too confident I would win. I got an email after the show saying that I won that day's contest and was so excited! 

Shoozas
Shoozas:

This is like a spa for your sneakers. This innovative company sells cleaning kits for your shoes but also has a service where you can send them your sneakers and they will clean them up and ship them back to you. I certainly haven't heard of this before but it totally makes sense for shoes you wear a lot and especially if you paid a lot of money for them - you want to keep them in the best shape! Some people spend over $1,000 for a pair of shoes!

There were other vendors and we learned so much from them. We hope to share other stories in the coming months so stay tuned to the blog for more health-conscious content!

We have the chance to offer a giveaway for our readers of a pair of Caterpy laces - you can enter the giveaway here. Earn extra entries by telling your friends!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

NOTE: We were provided with samples of the products above in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are our own and no other compensation was provided.

Monday, July 11, 2016

Finish at the 50 5k 2016 Recap

Last Sunday, July 3rd, I had the opportunity to run in the Patriot Place/Harvard Pilgrim Finish at the 50 5k for the second year in a row. The cool part about doing this run two years in a row is that you can compare the two. If you're interested, you can read the last year's race recap here.

The Race Weekend Expo was three days and spread out the various activities. We went early Saturday to pick up my race bib while we were running other activities and I got my race shirt, some Muscle MilkKrave Jerky and Power Crunch Bars since they all had tents set up for you to get samples and get special deals. It was great to load up!

We had gone to a pool party mid-week and I think we all caught some kind of stomach bug since Emily wasn't feeling so great and ended up throwing up. We got concerned Saturday night when she couldn't keep any liquids down so we went to the hospital where she is going to deliver just to ensure mom and baby are okay. Luckily, they were so we headed home late Saturday night.

Sunday morning, Emily and Lily started to feel better but still weren't 100%. Emily knew I had been working towards this 5k so she didn't want to see me miss it. I told her it's ok and I can always run next year but she insisted that I complete it, so I decided to go.

I went to Gillette and ran the race and it was great to go all around the stadium. The folks over at DMSE sports who put on the event were great and really did an amazing job! There were 3 water breaks (1 mile, 1.5 mile and 2 mile) and it was so cool to run through the stadium once again. The race course was the same as last year and provided excellent views. The weather was just outstanding as it was perfect running conditions for a 6 pm start.

My favorite part was running through the Patriots helmet tunnel onto the field of Gillette and then finishing at the 50 yard line. It was neat to be on a freshly made turf field since it was just put down for the season. It had a lot of spring and bounce in the step. I also hung around and even got the chance to meet former Patriot Jerod Mayo. He was such a nice guy!
















NOTE: I was provided with a complimentary bib to run the Finish at the 50 5k. No other compensation was provided. As always, all opinions are my own.

Friday, October 23, 2015

Foxboro 5k recap

On October 4, Emily and I participated in the Foxboro 5k which benefitted the Hockomock YMCA in Foxboro. This was a great run that was preceded by a kids Fun Run in the morning. Preregistration was a breeze as it was all handled online. We got a really nice tech-dry-fit shirt that was included with registration (the kids got a kids t-shirt). We received email notifications telling us the details and the folks at the Y were great to deal with! They had an inspiration station where you could decorate signs to hold up as your friends were running by.

The kids race was at 9 am and Lily had a great time. The 1 mile course was around the grounds of the Y and in the parking lot so we didn’t need to be concerned that the kids were running in the street. Additionally, Foxboro Police were stationed at the main crossroads at Mechanic Street and had closed off traffic so we didn’t need to worry about any cars zipping by.

The adult 5k started at 10 am and Emily and I actually ran for the entire first mile of the 5k. This was a personal record for us. Then we kept walking/running for the rest of the it and there were really nice volunteers at Y staff that directed us at each turn. This was SUPER helpful because for all of the other 5k’s that we have done this year, while there have been people directing runners, there have certainly been times when we have been wondering whether or not we were going in the right direction. With the Foxboro 5k these guys had thought of everything and we knew that we were going the right way. Also at each mile, they had someone with a stop watch who was telling us exactly what our time was. I thought that was also super helpful and encouraging!



When we finished we got Finishers Medals which was nice so that we could add them to our collection! The kids also got a finisher medal which Lily really enjoyed…

After the race, there were some snacks that we got and the nice people at Peapod/Stop and Shop had tons of water to give out so we stocked up! We also got a massage from the great people at Tiger Lilly spa in Foxboro. There were some bouncy houses for the kids and huge bubbles so they could play around with them. I also got some stretching technique hints from the people at Baystate Physical Therapy which was cool because I didn’t know the proper way to stretch before/after a run. They also gave some t-shirts and towels as cool swag.

Overall, the race was a huge success and we look forward to running next year!














NOTE: We were provided bibs to run the 5k and kids fun run. There was no promise made of a positive review. All opinions are our own.

Friday, July 10, 2015

We Finished at the 50!

This past Saturday, Emily and I took on our original goal when I started this whole eat-live-exercise-healthier journey this past spring and finished a 5k together! To be exact, we actually finished our second 5k together! It was supposed to be our first 5k but we wanted to get a practice 5k under our belt ahead of time and the Dedham Trails 5k served as just that.

In any event, let me just say that our experience with this 5k was great! Now, in its 6th year, the Harvard Pilgrim Finish at the 50 is produced by DMSE Sports in partnership with Patriot Place, the shopping center adjacent to Gillette Stadium, the home of the New England Patriots and New England Revolution.

The Finish at the 50 event hosts a multitude of activities for the whole family to enjoy! We talked about the pre-race fitness expo which is held the two preceding days, and includes Race Day as well. During the expo, participants, as well as families have the chance to partake in family-friendly activities as well as sample some goodies from event sponsors. Since we all love free things, we really had a great time and enjoyed the samples from KIND Snack Bars (some yummy granola bars) as well as juice and iced tea from Purity Organics and Lily enjoyed face painting and playing the sand as well as balloon animals, playing on inflatable bouncy houses, appearances from the Patriots Cheerleaders and more! There were also some fitness events where you could participate in Zumba, Yoga and other Fit-by-the-Field sample classes (more on that in a separate future post)!

Registration was a breeze. We wanted to get the whole “game day” experience so we registered on site, which couldn’t have been easier, and got the bib right away! The guys from DMSE sports were awesome and made the process SO easy! They have tons of experience with running these events as they are the same crew that help to put on the Boston Marathon!

In leading up to the 5k you all know that Emily and I have been going on training runs as part of the Couch-to-5k program and complemented those runs with some great group Zumba classes that are offered every other monday right outside of the Patriots Proshop at Patriot Place on the NRG Plaza. For the pre-race fitness expo, the NRG Plaza was totally transformed and hosted the race registration, gathering area for the race day as well as Super Heroes which the kids really seemed to enjoy!

The kids run started a few hours before the 5k race and had all of the kids start in various groups based on age. The littles ones (toddlers) could run with their parents and finish at the 50, followed by the older kids.

For the 5k, we gathered at 5 pm with a scheduled start time of 6 pm. Thankfully, it wasn’t scorching hot as in past years and there was a slight breeze. They also added additional water stations based on feedback from previous years. We were thankful for all of the snacks - especially the Muscle Milk and a new product called Power Crunch, a protein-filled snack wafer which tastes amazing!

Now for the race recap! We started to gather at 5:45 and they had difference pace groups separated by the minute. There was the starting line, followed by a 6 minute mile, then 7, 8, 9 all the way to 11. We met up with our friend Heather who was running the race when we were roaming around the starting line crowd. Wouldn’t you know it but they didn’t have a 14 minute mile (which some people said was walking pace) so we just stood around the 9 minute mark. I’m just happy that I got to the starting line! As one of my wise running friends always says “Finish Lines over finish times!”

We saw the people starting to move so we hopped in the group around the 8 minute mark but we didn’t realize that the line was just compressing for the start of the race. We quickly laughed it off and started to run. The start was an easy gradual up-hill jog by Showcase LIVE! and then we turned right and ran around the entire parking lot surrounding Gillette Stadium. I enjoyed running past the security shack that I used to drive past every day when I worked there 10 years ago!

Then we passed around the back of Gillette Stadium on the ring road and the first water station was perfectly placed! We stopped and grabbed some water and then started the ever so slight uphill run past the Patriots Practice Fields which fans can see during Training Camp. 

We passed the Dana Farber Field House which is also near where the Cheerleaders practice facility was (if I remember correctly) and as we passed it, a few cheerleaders who were running the race passed us. We said hello and kept running. We came up around the road by Bed Bath and Beyond and then turned right towards the Stadium’s uBid.com gate. We came upon the gate and a water station! We grabbed a quick drink and continued on the length of the stadium until the Bank of America gate which was located right near the BW/MGH Health Care Center at Foxboro and we entered the stadium right near the ramps. We proceeded to run right up the ramps all of the way to the 300 level and I found that it wasn’t as long as I expected…. Once up the ramp and halfway across the concourse, we took a #MidRunSelfie and also had someone take a photo of us and then grabbed some more water. One thing we really enjoyed is that they had four water stations total with two of them offering chilled bottles of Aquafina! It was great! :)

After we grabbed a bottle of ice cold Aquafina, we kept running around the 300 level concourse, we took some great photos and then some more water and then down the ramps all of the way to the main concourse on the 100 level.

We enjoyed the fact that by this time, we were at the north end of the stadium and got to run across the iconic bridge and under the lighthouse that Gillette Stadium is known for as they are reminiscent of various New England landmarks. As we crossed the bridge my parents and Lily were cheering us on! It was awesome!

We kept running around the rest of the concourse and then down the back ramp to exit the stadium and a quick left turn and we ran right through onto the field! It was so cool because we got to run right through the same inflatable football helmet that the Patriots run through before each home game!

By this time we were SO jazzed and psyched that we didn’t realize we were on the field until the 10 yard line! It was a quick trip from there to the finish line at the 50 yard line. We grasped hands and held them high as we finished the 5k! We quickly got our medals and then took some photos with Pat Patriot (the team mascot), some cheerleaders and the Patriots’ Nate Solder who was high-fiving race participants as they finished and was kind enough to take a photo with me.

It was such a great experience and we look forward to making this race an annual occurrence! 

After the race, we ate some great snacks that were provided (banana, Ocean Spray cranberry drink, water, KIND bars) and then had dinner at Capriottis before watching some amazing fireworks that started once the 10k finished and the sun went down. 

Getting out of the parking lot was a breeze since the folks that handle parking know a thing or two about having a few thousand people in the parking lots. It was really well done and we can’t wait until next year!











with the starting line crowd

mid-race selfie

another mid-race selfie


finally done!






Dave with Nate Solder of the New England Patriots.



NOTE: We were provided with complimentary bibs for the 5k and Kids Fun Run. While we had an absolutely great time there was no promise of a positive review. All opinions and commentary are our own.