Product Review: Inov-8 Oroc 340 GTX

BlogLand, meet the Inov-8 Oroc 340 GTX.

I am in love.

I'd say I was completely head over heels in love... but there's no way you could be, if you've got these bad boys on your feet.

Since this is my first winter as a "serious" runner, I struggled - like most people - with what I should put on my feet during those ugly, cold, slushy, snowy, icy runs (that here in my lovely home state of Vermont could be from November-late March). Could there possibly be a shoe that could a) keep me from slipping, b) keep my feet dry, c) stay with my preferred minimalist feel and d) be comfortable??

Rest assured, BlogLand... THERE IS! As a huge fan of Inov-8 already, having sported their f-lite 230s to Crossfit classes, as well as countless road races, and something like close to 70 miles of Obstacle Races, I turned to them to provide me the answer. I won't lie, I shopped around - I checked out all the major brands for their comparable model, but no one seemed to come close. The only other major contender was the IceBug running shoes who also produce a shoe with a carbide studded sole. With the winter as long and harsh as it typically is here in VT, I decided this was going to be a key feature for me - sure, I could get some sort of grippers that I could put on a shoe, etc. but why would I try to make a shoe into what I needed, when clearly, there were shoes out there SOLELY designed for this purpose. I'm a winter runner, I need winter running shoes. End of Story.

Ultimately, I went with the Inov-8 Orocs, because I know that the Inov-8s fit my feet comfortably and have always demonstrated superior quality and durability.

Oh MAN am I glad I did. Lacing up my bright orange Orocs tonight, I not only felt super-cool (seriously, did you LOOK at those shoes?!), but immediately felt the studs stick into my linoleum. (note to self: put shoes on on CARPET and make sure you're headed right out, so as not to tear up linoleum. Are YOUR shoes bad ass enough to tear up your floor? I think not!) I felt like this boded well for the imminent run.

I chose a potentially risky way to test these shoes: I ran exactly as I would run if it was 75 and sunny with clear paths. I did not change my stride for ice, I did not sidestep puddles and I plowed right through the snow banks.

Let me just give a round of applause to Inov-8 right now. I'm pretty sure I could scale vertical walls of ice in these Orocs. Not ONCE did I slip, slide or feel unsure of my footing. Remember I said I ran as I normally would? Yes, that included straight across several large ice patches... with no slippage. Go go Tungsten Carbide Studs!

Also, I ran through the not-quite-solid ice puddles, side of the road slush, and every other unpleasantness.... and returned home with absolutely dry feet and socks. Gore-Tex construction for the win.

Overall, I absolutely couldn't be happier with this product. While winter running is always a little bit of a chore, Inov-8 has given me ZERO ways to use the "it's icy/slippery/etc." out there excuse. With the Orocs on my feet, winter runs are made possible with confidence.

As a side note, because I live in the city, sometimes (occasionally...) I come across a cleared sidewalk. I was concerned that if I had to run on a cleared sidewalk on the lugs and studs, it would feel strange. However, I found no disruption to my run here, either; the shoe feels light on your feet and though you make an awesome clippy-cloppy sounds (like horses trotting down the street with shoes on!), it is not uncomfortable to run on the solid ground either, as the situations arise.

While the Oroc will set you back about $180, it is WELL worth the investment in a quality shoe, not to mention your safety. I am happy to pay the $180 for a shoe that allows me to continue my training (and not have to run indoors on a treadmill!), as well as gives me the piece of mind that I'm not going to slip and fall and get injured training.

"The best way out is always through." -Robert Frost

Spartan Shape-Up, Day 247 & 248:

BlogLand, I am in Love... with my new running tights. I got them the other day, and got my first chance to run in them yesterday. I thought I'd take this opportunity (Rest Day, before a RACE tomorrow!), to give you a bit of a review... 

Global Warming has arrived in Vermont in a big way; it's been 70-80 degrees all this week - MID MARCH. That is unheard of. Usually at this time of year spring skiing is still in full swing, you need a jacket at night, and it would still be cool enough for me to run in some lighter-weight warm tights. Clearly, such is not the case, right now, which got me thinking... "Self, I need to add to my running woredrobe." You see, the last time I ran in the warm weather, I was just starting running, was almost 50# heavier, and was worried about  making it through 30 seconds of full running - not weather my tights were compression, or insulated.  In the time that has passed, I've learned quite a bit about myself, the back roads of my town, and what I want/need in gear. And yes, you need "gear."

Old Self used to always scoff at people that would pay $100+ dollars for running sneakers, or trot around town in their crazy-colored spandex... I'm here to tell you BlogLand, not only am I now a believer, I assure you, there is a reason WHY that happens. First, cotton is bad. It just is. It hangs on to all your sweat (if you're anything like me, after a few miles, you're a hot sweaty mess) and you end up feeling super gross. Plus, it rubs and chafes, particularly if it's sweat-tastic. AND, my least favorite - once it gets sweaty, etc. I find that it doesn't stay in place. Quite frankly, it is NOT fun to be running along and having to hike up your tights every 4 steps; I have enough to worry about (not dying, continuing to breath, HOLYCRAP is that a HILL?) that I don't need to worry about my pants staying on, too.

So here I am, sitting at my computer the other day, pondering my warm weather running-tight choices... I looked at my Under Armour options (...which I love. UA, you'll always be my first love! You got me through negative temps this winter!), thought about going cheap and mediocre with Old Navy (the compression stuff isn't half bad), but the CW-X brand kept rattling around in my head. The in-the-know Spartan Chicks (particularly the infamous Margo the Great, over here at Dirt in Your Skirt) are always singing the praises of this company's products. However, as a newbie to the sport and the gear, what I saw was a HUGE price tag, for gear that looked like "something out of the movie Tron," to paraphrase Margaret. The CW-X gear runs upwards of $80+, but I figured there had to be something to it, if all these serious athletes were believers. SO. I investigated, and resolved that if I could find a good deal, I'd get myself a pair and see what all the fuss was about. After all I, too, am a serious Runner now, damnit.

Thank you, Ebay - deal found. The 3/4 length CW-X Stabilyx tights, in the color and size I wanted, for only $70. Sold.

Ripping open the packaging the day I received my tights, I was immediately filled with some dread. They looked itty bitty. Seriously, ladies, you know what I'm talking about - that moment when you pull out a new pair of nylons or leggings and you are like, UHM, THAT tiny bit of material is going to cover my ass? Added to which, it seems that CW-X does not cater to the more Amazonian of us; their women's size chart reads like the back of a box of nylons and according to my height/weight, I was a wee bit over their max size Large (why not an X-Large, CW-X? why?!). Nonetheless, I skimmed the directions for putting them on. Yes, they come with directions, as you must make sure their high-tech "support webbing" is, in fact, in all the right places, so it can support you as designed. Seemed reasonable.

I wiggled myself into these bad boys and was immediately struck by the compression aspect of them. WHEW. However, that may be attributed to the fact I was a little more toward their max capacity... but I had heard that the first wear was the worst - after that they compression eases up just a little bit. My next thought was that they were a little high-waisted. I am built pretty non-hippy, which could be contributing to this, but also, I think it is the way these tights are designed. Apparently, these tights have a "Support Web" in place to support the lower abs, back and core to help you "channel power." Hmm. Alright, I guess they have to go a little higher.

Feeling a lot like a sausage at this point, I was a little hesitant to look in the mirror, but I braved it: Enter I, Robot. I chuckled a little, as I have these tights in black with raspberry accents, and they really just make you look a little bionic.

The huge geek in me was even really entertained that cw-x refers to this as wearing an "exoskeleton." I'm sorry, what geeky kid (even the grown up ones!) aren't excited about wearing an EXOSKELETON!?

Yeah. I was.

Alright, it was time to take these babies out for a run, and see what my crazy bionic pants were going to do for me. Furthermore, would they be worth their crazy price tag? I had some positive vibes going, already, as walking around the house, I could (really!) feel the support around my knees and behind on my hamstrings, particularly. As these are two real trouble spots for me, I was really hopeful that my robot tights would have something to offer here.
Also, I must say, that even just test-wearing them around my living room, I felt more "springy." This is a hard one to explain, but it felt like my legs had more oomph... perhaps the supportiveness around my knees, and the compression (increasing blood flow) had something to do with it?

So, out for a run I went. Only a little 4 miler with a buddy today, but a trial-run for my Bionic Pants, nonetheless. Usually, my first 1/2 mile is a little slow and creaky, while my tight hamstrings try and warm up, my knees un-stiff themselves and I generally get moving. Today, clad in my exo-skeleton, this was shortened to literally a minute or so of jogging, and I felt really good and ready to go. Now, I know what you're thinking - this is a psychosomatic response to thinking I'm wearing hi-tech pants. I pondered this to, so I reserved judgement.

The next test: The monster hill sprint up to my buddy's house. Up I started, with the usual goal - keep moving, run the whole thing, steady pace. This is where I started to become a believer in my Bionic Pants (sorry, cw-x, they're too entertaining to ever again be referred to by their proper name "Stabilyx tights")... as I hit that point in the hill where I would typically start to fade a little bit, feeling the exertion in my quads and hams, I just didn't. I was aware that I was using my legs (when you're running up hill, that's just unavoidable!), but there was nowhere NEAR the usual fatigue.  My lungs were pretty sure they were going to explode and there was rivers of sweat beading up on my forehead, but my *legs* felt like they were still good to go. HMM. Still reserving judgement, it was early yet.

After picking up my buddy and continuing on, we fell into a slightly faster than usual pace (seriously, my "new" to running buddy is killing these runs. It's a huge help to keep me going.), and hit our route. Again, I found myself feeling a little tightness in my calves - which weren't encompassed by my 3/4 length tights - but the rest of my legs still felt fresh. Keep running.
More running (I can't tell you what happened. It was like 7am. I wasn't awake yet.).
We plowed up a .60 mile long hill, which typically has me really feeling my hamstrings (why must they be tight all the time??!)....but as I crested the top, lo and behold, there was no tight hamstring, and no subsequent pulling sensation in the back of my knees. WHAT?!? Dear Exoskeleton, could it be true?
More running.
As I headed home, I have to run down the initial hill sprint. This was another fun learning moment - I could actually feel the "support web" holding my knees as I did that typical steep-downhill tiny step run. My knees aren't the greatest (I'm sporting some compressed cartilage), so this was a HUGE thing for me.
Home I ran, where I wondered around my house, re-hydrating and evaluating the status of my body after a run in my Robot Tights.

No kidding, BlogLand... and keeping in mind we are all about honesty here at What A Beautiful Wreck... My legs felt AWESOME. Still good to go. I could've run another 4 miles, no problem. I didn't feel any of the knee-pulling tightness that my hamstrings usually set into motion, no significant fatigue in my quads, and - maybe most importantly - my knees still felt "springy" and good. Often, because I am sporting a little less useful shock-absorbing cartilage than your average bear, after a run on pavement (irregardless of the shoes) I can feel the effects in my knees; there is no pain at all, but you're bound to feel SOMEthing if you're pounding down pavement, vibrations running up your leg, with no inherent natural shock absorber. After a run with my CW-X Stabilyx tights, even with my crappy knees, thanks to the crazy hi-techness of my pants' support system, I was stiffness free!!!!

SO. My one critique (there's always SOMEwhere to improve), is that I'm not entirely in-love with their higher-waistline. Perhaps I will come to love this (particularly as I lose a little more of my spare tire and don't feel so sausagey in it!), but I'm willing to make this trade-off for now. It could be that I have just not fully evaluated and understood the "core support" that it is helping me with.

Ultimate Decision, Two Big Thumbs up for my Bionic Pants. This Exoskeleton was worth EVERY. SINGLE. DOLLAR. that I paid for it. If I could afford it (look, I'm a young profession with student loans, I can't afford anything.), I would NOT feel badly paying full price for these things, based solely on the initial 4 miles I put on these pants. I will also most DEFINITELY investigate their other products - shorts, pants and bras!! (If they can do sports bras with the finesse that they've executed the tights, I may have to buy stock in this company...)

The after thoughts... So, after running that morning, and getting ready for work, etc. even after sitting at a desk for several hours without getting up to stretch and move around, I found myself noticeably not stiff, with much less muscle fatigue. The shortened recovery time that cw-x boasts, is proving true. I'm feeling pretty good about my purchase. Tomorrow will be the real test...

MY FIRST 10K RACE!!!

(Yes, of course I'm going to go bionic into this one! I'll need it! hehe)

Stay tuned, BlogLand, for the recap on that one tomorrow... but I feel a little bit reassured knowing I'll have my exoskeleton on and rearing to go! With that, I must go and commence my pre-race freak out... 

Simply...

Spartan Shape-Up, Day 189:

Today was a Rest Day for me, BlogLand... so I would like to take this break from our regularly scheduled programming to share with you a letter that I am contemplating sending to Ms. Sherry Post, over at Simple Fuel. 

Dear Ms. Post (who I shall henceforth refer to as "The Godfather of Granola"),
     I hate you. Desperately. In much the same way that My Generation hates FaceBook, Vegetarians hate Bacon and Spartan Racers hate Burpees; I loathe and despise you, because I love you so very much. Allow me to explain:
     I have spent much of my life crafting an identity around being a hater of "Healthy" foods that were "Organic" and crafted from "All-Natural" ingredients, as more often than not, they tasted like cardboard, were completely unsatisfying and left one searching for the nearest drive-thru to procure some sort of "real nourishment." In the past few years however, I've had a bit of a Life Epiphany and cut out the drive-thrus, while discovering the benefits of a life rich in Diet and Exercise (geesh, who knew?).
     During my recent gear shift, I've been in a real tricky situation: I love food dearly, but recognized I needed to change my eating style drastically, to appropriately fuel my body for its new schedule of activities. As I'm sure you're aware, training for the Fastest TV Remote Finger requires a much different nutritional intake than setting my sights on the epic, 10+ mile, muddy, uphill, burpee laden battle of the Spartan Beast obstacle race. But I still find myself generally unimpressed with the gamut of healthy offerings in the market these days....... UNTIL NOW.
     Ms. Post, you ruined my entire food-identity in two tiny plastic sample baggies.
     First, I looked dubiously at your chocolate Simple Fuel powder, and thought to myself "Great, another chalky, faux-chocolatey drink mix." I had a long-run to get to that morning and had forgotten to make breakfast, so I figured then was a prime time (ie, I was hungry) to try this "SuperFood" of yours. Following your instructions to the letter, I blended my serving of Simple Fuel with 8 oz. of my favorite milk (sorry, it was straight up cow milk, there is no "hemp, soy or almond" in this house... yet.). I took a deep breath and prepared to gulp down some sort of thick, brown monstrosity I was going to call breakfast, and took a sip. And then another... and another. It was creamy, smooth and tasting like actual chocolate (and trust me, from Godiva to Lindt, I know my chocolate!)! Sherry, you piqued my previously skeptical, foodie curiosity. This was actually *tastey*. For real. I wanted to finish it.
     Still turning over this brain twister (...healthy, good for you AND yummy? WHAT?), I went for my run, promising myself I would investigate tiny plastic baggie #2 upon my return. I swear, my increasing curiosity made me run faster (or was it the Simple Fuel?). Still sweaty from my exertions, I decided it must be time to "refuel" (isn't that what the athletes are calling it these days?). Out came Tiny Baggie #2 - which I later found out to be the most dangerous of all...
     You see, Tiny Baggie #2 had a one-bite sample of your Simple Granola in it. I eyeballed it closely, as I held it between my fingers. It decidedly looked healthy - I could actually identify the individual components - there were a multitude of seeds in there, oats, nuts and cranberries. The colorful little ball certainly had a bit of a healthy pizzazz about it. So I chomped it. The One Bite, that ruined my life. My taste buds had a Happy Party, as they bathed in all the individual flavors - slightly sweet, but not overly so, a little bit nutty, and hey, did I detect a hit of cinnamon? It was a substantial bite - feeling satisfyingly chewy, like I was really getting my bite's worth.
     And then it was gone.
     Surely, that couldn't be it?
     Tiny Baggie #2 was EMPTY?!
(I peered into the depths of it's tiny emptiness, with panic)
     Didn't the evil sender of this Tiny Baggie of Joy know how scrumptious this was?!?!

..... and you did, Sherry, didn't you? You, the now-appointed Godfather of Granola, had just made me a (good FOR me) granola I couldn't refuse.
     Oh my. I find myself left with very few options. It is clear to me now that I can't ever go back to the pressed-sawdust store-bought granola bars, under the guise of being healthy. I must have more of this Simple Food.
     So, to the woman who took the "ic(k)" out of organic, please accept my plea.
    I am in desperate need of an insanely large shipment of your Simple genius creations. I will be pacing the floor and looking out the window expectantly, like a 5 year old waiting for the ice cream truck. Please hurry.

Yours in Simple Satisfaction,
~Aja~

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In all seriousness, BlogLand, you know I'm not one to promote just anything. I'm opinionated, and I tell it like it is (let's all recall that out there, honest post about getting sweaty?). And for real, I have an issue with healthy food, because I like things that taste good (like cupcakes!). That may partially explain why I am here, doing this Spartan Shape-up to begin with, but you get my point.

I did my research on Sherry's Simple Fuel, as I'd been hearing a lot of buzz about it. It has no artificial flavors, colors or sweeteners, and is so laden with amazing stuff (SuperFruits, protein, fiber, omega's...) that I can't even begin to list them.

The recommendation for today? Check out Simple Fuel (or Like them on FaceBook and tell them Aja twisted your arm...). If you have any burning questions, ("But Chris, WHY is SF so crazy-amazing?!") direct them over to Chris Irving. (Insider Granola Trading Tip: When you order, mention Chris in your comments, extra free goodies may appear in your shipment... just saying...) 

.... just don't leave your two Tiny Mind-Blowing, Change Your View on Healthy, Baggies unattended, as I will steal them. Unapologetically.
   

"You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor". –Aristotle

Spartan Shape-Up, Day 175:

Wow. One Hundred and Seventy Five Days. Sometimes when I type the number, it just hits me, BlogLand. WOW. Incidentally, if you look to your right, you will also see that there is only 115 days until my first Spartan Race. I'm more than halfway there! ACK!!!! *commence freak out*

So as not to lose my mind completely, let's change the subject. Let's talk about food. As you are well aware, BlogLand, I did that "No Bread" challenge for 50 days, commencing on Christmas Eve. After that, I honestly haven't put that many carbs back into my diet. I'm still keeping things mainly proteins with fruits and veggies. Not to say that the occasional starch isn't making it in there, but honestly, my body doesn't want it the same way. I feel better. Ahhh...

ANYWAY, having said that, I need your help, dear Readers.
Sherry Post, over at Simple Fuel, is having a contest. She issued a challenge (everyone knows I love a good challenge), and the winner gets a whole bunch of this amazing Simple Fuel of hers - which I am positively dying to try. I've been seeking out some new ways of fueling for/recovering from these crazy workouts I've been doing and I like the idea of her products - Simple. "All Natural Body Food". It's not some weird powdery mix of chemical things, with long names I can't pronounce... It's made from different kinds of berries, seeds, coconut milk, etc.. She's got granola (which I hear is crazy addictive), as well as meal replacer/supplemental drinks, natural snacks.... Hell, just go take a look.
But WAIT. Contest. I would like to win the Granola (Om Nom Nom. Carbs I don't have to feel bad about...).
Could you kindly head over to Simple Fuel's FaceBook Page, "LIKE" it, then leave a quick comment telling them I sent you? You may feel free to profess your undying love for me for introducing you to those products, or pledge your allegiance to me due to your new super powers from eating The Granola, or whatever you'd like (lol). But to recap:
1) Visit Simple Fuel
2) "Like" the page
3) Comment and tell them Aja sent you.

Please. Thank You.

Now, onto our regularly scheduled programming:

Today was technically CrossFit day. (Yep, it's Wednesday again.) However, I have been struggling to get back on my normal work/sleep/workout/life in general schedule, after the holidays... It is just not all back together yet. I've been going to bed way too late, sleeping too late, rushing to work (so I'm not late), then having to workout when I get home (which is late)... are we sensing a trend? In short, no excuses, I just need to get back into the swing of things.

This morning, though, didn't go so well. I was up late last night, but dutifully checked my alarm to make sure it was set for CrossFit wake-up time (6am. Ugh.). It was. I went to bed and was out immediately. Apparently, when the alarm went off at 6am, I woke up just enough to snooze it... and wake up a couple hours later. After my CF class was over. WTF. Damn. Alright, well, apparently I needed it. So, off to work I went.

So, consulting the GT (confessing my transgressions keeps me honest) for the best alternate plan for when I got home from work, and I was assigned the CrossFit Murph. I died inside. I know what Murph is... It is:
1 mile run
100 pull ups
200 push ups
300 squats
1 mile run
.... for time.

I didn't think about keeping time, but I knew I wouldn't be able to bust out this whole WOD tonight (I didn't even get home until 8pm, it's a legit reason!), so I split it up a bit.
I got my shoes on and went out for a run:
Time: 20:44 min
Distance: 2.0 miles
Average Pace: 10.22 min/miles
Which included a stop at a crosswalk. SO, I'm thinking I did those two miles solidly at a 10 min pace. THAT, BlogLand, is good for me. Speed is not something I've typically had a lot of, or could sustain... so, I was thrilled to see that pace on the clock. (I've got a flat 5K coming up in February, and I'm not going to lie... I'm hoping for about a 30 min pace...)

Upon arriving home, I resolved to do HALF the rest of the Murph, and finish the other half tomorrow morning. It's just not good for my sleeping if I get all my adrenaline rolling at 10pm. So:
50 Pull Ups (owwwww)
100 Push Ups (OWWWW)
150 Squats (ehh, not too bad).

I'm feeling this in my back and shoulders at the moment... sooo... it could be interesting when I try and finish the other half in the morning, but I suppose this is the penance one pays when one sleeps through their alarm.... (Lesson #4568 Learned. Check.)

So, in the midst of getting a little mouthy on FB about getting ready to do (a 1/2) Murph this evening, I find myself committed to another challenge:

1/2 Mile of Lunges, on Sunday, January 8th. Apparently, it's group challenge, through a little virtual connecting. Through the magic of cell phones/Skype and whathaveyou, The GT and I, as well as one of our fellow Spartans will all be lunging together. For a 1/2 mile.

I'm not sure what my big mouth may have gotten me into this time, and suddenly 1/2 mile seems like a LONG way for lunges, but hey, I'm game. STFU, right?

Readers, are any of you up for the challenge? How about 1/4 mile of lunges? Maybe lunges while viewing a scenic vista? Lunges while carrying something heavy? Lunges while making silly faces? Lunges. Just do some Lunges on Sunday, in solidarity for the fact I probably won't be able to walk on Monday, okay? If you get your Lunge on, how about sending me some pics? We'll compare lunges on Sunday night, alright?

Spartan up, and give it your best shot...

In the meantime, get to bed. Geesh. Don't you know that an appropriate amount of sleep is vital to your health and wellness? hehe... Oh My. (She says as she finishes blogging at 12:30am.).

There isn't a person anywhere who isn't capable of doing more than he thinks he can. -Henry Ford

Spartan Shape-Up, Day 171:

It was quite a good day in Spartan Shape-Up Land, I would say... My Saturday morning began real early with some mandatory over time at work, so I figured I better capitalize on this early start to the day. Around noontime, finishing work, I found myself about a half hour away from my usual stomping grounds; Since it was a day for a Long Run, I thought I'd take advantage of some new scenery to bust out the prescribed 6.5 miles for today.

I found myself at the Stowe Recreation Path, in Stowe, Vt. I have to say, although it is a paved bike path, Stowe has done a great job of keeping it really scenic - it never feels like you're running on a bike path. The path is rolling - no huge, major hills, but enough inclines (particularly up and over the large quantity of ridiculously scenic bridges that crisscross the river for the whole path) to get to working a little harder periodically. I have traversed this path walking and biking many, many times, but have never braved it in the winter.

As I pulled into the parking lot, I had a sudden twinge of regret. I saw that the path was covered in snow. Uh oh. What to do?! I had at least 6.5 miles to cover today. I was dressed for the weather... but the snow covered path...?? I went back and forth for a minute and ultimately decided that I needed to at least give it a go. Maybe the path would be all packed down, and it wouldn't matter. Maybe I should just STFU and get out there... the added difficulty would be good for leg conditioning, or something, right?

Yes. I was psyching myself up for it. You see, BlogLand, in case you haven't noticed, I am a perpetual doubter of my abilities. I have lingering Fat Chick Syndrome that is pretty sure I just can't do those things. Intellectually I think I can, but then FCS kicks in a little bit and I wonder if I'm conditioned enough, or if I'm being over-ambitious, or ... and the list goes on. I must constantly remind myself that I'm not that person anymore, that I can do things I never thought I could, and that I intend to keep pushing the limits. Sometimes, for me, the key is to have someone outside my own head that can confidently affirm that I can do something. My poor GT must field this silliness all the time; I was pretty sure I'd never be able to run a whole 5K. Yeah, look what happened there. I'd never be able to stick to "No Bread".. yep, check check! More recently, I was pretty sure I'd never be able to complete a Spartan Race without dying - I got an excellent verbal bitch slap for that. Having someone who's opinion you trust and value, to keep you from getting in your own way, may be the most important training tool I've found. It is true, though... each and every time you prove your inner Fat Chick wrong, she stays a little quieter the next time.

So, I strapped on my shiny new Camelbak (Woo! My Favorite Christmas present!), and set out. I decided this was going to be a good time to bring a little hydration, as I find myself - anytime I'm running at least 5 miles - getting thirsty. As I set off, I assessed the terrain I was running on... 3ish inches of slightly packed snow. That, for those that are unfamiliar, is like running on the beach, in the slightly packed area near the water. It means that it feels solid - ISH, but that it shifts with every step you take.

The going was slow. I decided I was just not going to be able to worry about my pace (the focus was distance, anyway), because it was just impossible to go any faster. I had to keep my strides a bit shorter to stay sure-footed, and just couldn't cover the same sort of ground, due to the sink-in-slip factor. Plus, I'll tell ya, BlogLand, it was particularly tiring.

Stowe Rec Path

This was the scenic vista I had, while running today. Yes, I TOTALLY planned for that snowflake to fall artistically onto my camera lens, blurring the whole left side of my picture. Yes.

It was a decent day, for winter, though. As you can see, the sky was grey and really heavy with some looming snow (it started spitting some sort of rainy/snow thing, toward the end of my run), and it was pretty warm - around 32 degrees, I would say.

Mile 1 was a little rough - just getting the body warmed up was tricky. I started to feel a little doomed, as my calves started cramping initially, due to the snow, but I elected to push through. (The pain of a calf cramp will not kill me...) Luckily, they seemed to warm up out of that. Worse case scenario, I'd have to walk a little bit, right?

Mile 2 and 3 went by pretty uneventfully... got in the groove and figured out a pace and strategy that worked well. It was at this point I made a happy (?) mistake. In my head, I needed to run 6.5 miles... so, clearly I needed to run more than 3 miles out. 3.5 miles, then, it is! I'm not sure why my brain didn't comprehend distances less than a half mile and make that adjustment, but it made perfect sense at the time. So, on and on I trotted, until I stopped to tie my shoe and take a picture at mile 3.6.

I was definitely feeling the exertion at this point, but my legs felt like they still were good to go (particularly after having a 20 second shoe-tying break!), and I was breathing well... so, back at it.

Somewhere around mile 4.5-5, I realized the error of my math. 3.6 x 2 is not 6.5 miles. It's over 7 miles. I was still running, but I died a little inside. I've never run that distance before, I was getting tired from running on the awkward terrain, and holy crap, SEVEN MILES?!

... but what choice did I have? It was an out and back run, and I wasn't back at the car yet... sooo... might as well keep running. Plus, realistically, it's only like 1 mile beyond what I've run in the past... how bad could that be?

It was REAL ROUGH. As I completed mile 6, I was at a familiar stretch of the trail and knew I didn't have too far to go... but it seemed like forever at the slow, arduous pace. And I was HUNGRY. Really Hungry. Lesson learned for next time: Water was a big bonus... any runs over 5-6 miles, I must also bring snack. I think with the extra exertion for the cold and the sinking terrain, my body must've been using some extra energy. I was pretty sure I could've eaten an entire cow, at that point. I think if I had had some fuel around mile 4, the last part of my trek would've been a bit easier. Mile 7 sucked. But I was pushing through it on will and principle alone. How much more awesome would it be to say I had run SEVEN miles, rather than 6 and change? What an excellent new conquest that would be.

Left, Right, Left Right... breathe... breathe... just keep moving... short strides, keep moving.... Left Right... breathe....

That's pretty much the only thing going through my head for the last stretch.

Ultimately, my run came out to be 1:31:09 hours, and 7.12 miles. Don't calculate the pace there... It's pretty ugly. haha... (12:48 min/mi). However, I think it's really irrelevant. I think the mileage is the key piece here.

Successfully Long Run Day! Eee!

Having said that, I also have to give some credit to some excellent new gear I acquired. Dear Under Armour Cold Gear Compression Tights. I LOVE YOU, so much. I got you on sale for $45 and that made you even better. These tights have a great stay-in-place wide waistband, as well as a super-soft, but warm inside. Where I've been having issues with the outsides of my legs getting chilled in these long runs, there was none of that today, in my UA gear. My legs weren't anywhere near cold, even when it started with the wet-snow coming down. I was dry, comfortable, and totally satisfied with this purchase. I would not feel bad even paying full price for these things. There will definitely be more of these in my future, and I'm thinking I may have to check out the rest of the ColdGear line, if I'm going to keep up this running-in-VT-in-the-winter thing.

With that, I think I'm off to bed, BlogLand. Today really took it out of me, and tomorrow morning (thankfully, not until 9am!!) is Crossfit. Also (yikes, Sunday!), depending on how CF goes, It should also be a bit of a regular (4 mi) recovery run, tomorrow. One thing at a time.
(Note to self: Pay more attention to eating appropriately, tomorrow!)

I'll leave you with this, Friends:
What have you done recently that you never thought you could do? (If your answer is "nothing..." then get out there and try... that's how it all begins...)

"Never let your head hang down. Never give up and sit down and grieve. Find another way." -Satchel Paige

Spartan Shape-Up, Day 137:

It was RACE DAY, BlogLand! Today, I ran in Burlington, VT's inaugural Santa 5K, for Make-A-Wish. In short, 1200 people in (mandatory!) Santa suits ran through 5K around downtown.

As for me, it was a weird experience. Good, bad and everything in between. I was really apprehensive about this last night, and nerved up, as my last few runs haven't been stellar. I've been feeling really frustrated that I can't seem to get over the hump and run the whole 5K non-stop. And by "really" frustrated, I mean like seriously starting to beat myself up about it. Am I not doing enough? Am I not working hard enough? Am I not pushing as much as I could be? Can I even do it? .... You know, the really awesome stuff that creeps in when things get difficult. I have been fighting it, and continuing to work, and getting reassurance from my gurus along the way, but I was feeling a little insecure about running the 5K.

To add insult to injury, I was going to have to go it alone. I had many friends that would've signed up, but no one expected the event to sell out as fast as it did. I was the only one who got successfully registered. It still sounded like fun, in a way, and I wanted to keep pushing and challenging myself and having these goals to push forward to, so I resolved to do it - alone, as necessary. For anyone that knows me, this may have been one of the biggest evolutions in my Spartan Shape Up. Confident Independence. I am, by nature, a social butterfly. I want people around me, I gather people to me. Doing things alone is counter-intuitive... Instinctively, I want to share these events with people that matter to me. "Alone" is not something I typically enjoy, or do well. However, in Spartan Shape-Up Land, I've found that there is a real shortage of people that want to keep up with me, or do what I need to do, etc. so I'm learning to go forth on my path, whether or not I have company.

However, this does not make it easy. I went last night to pick up my Santa suit. I have instinctive Fat-Chick-Syndrome every time something says "one-size fits all" or something to that effect. Although, apparently, in cheap Santa-suit land, if you were over like 5'6" you got a Mens. Period.  I got this suit home, and with mild trepidation, opened it up. Oh it fit. Like it fit to the point where me and my roommate and probably another friend could've gotten in the pants, if need be. Thank God for drawstrings, and some creative tucking.

More difficult was getting out the door this morning, and knowing that there would be no cheering section, at any point. I donned my Spartan hoodie, laced up my favorite Inov-8's and resolved that it didn't matter; I was going to take the advice of all the running gurus, and "run my own race" anyway... What did it matter if I had a cheering section? It was just like doing any other Sunday run, aside from the fact that I was doing it in another town... and in a Santa suit.

The only time I felt really awkward was the down time between parking my car and beginning the race. All the waiting Santas (1200 of them!!) were milling in clusters, chatting with friends... and there I was. I stretched a bit and reminded myself that it was irrelevant. This was a good time to get my head in the right space and remind my legs what we were here to do. The goals I was working towards were to finish in less than 35 minutes, and ideally, run the whole thing with no walk breaks. To help motivate myself and prep, I reviewed some recent inspirational posts on FB and smiled at the "you got this!" comments from my far-away friends (who I am eternally grateful for!).

As Start Time got closer, we started to cluster more outside... there was the college a capella group doing some great tunes (as a former musical theatre, show choir and chorale veteran, I have a real soft spot for a capella music), spectators gathering and a general buzz of festiveness in the air. The sponsoring restaurant had people running giant vats of post-race breakfast to a few different spots in preparation.. and let me tell you, it is an awful tease when a HUGE pan of sausage goes wafting by you at 9am.

Suddenly, it was time. The Make-A-Wish guy gave us a festive motivational speech and the clock was off. The one thing I'd never experienced before, that I'm sure you race veterans will identify with, was the slow, annoying start. It was hard to carve out an appropriately paced spot for myself for the first block and a half or so. With 1200 people needing to settle into their paces, I suppose that's just bound to happen though. I was working hard to cut through the crowd though, as I was really trying to at least match my previous 5K race time. As I got stuck in the slow-moving mass in the first bit of the race, I could FEEL the seconds ticking away. Did I mention I have an eternally competitive drive?

The initial stretch was a nice warm up. A lovely long down hill toward scenic Lake Champlain. It was a beautiful sunny, brisk (high temp, 37 degrees *before* the stiff wind-chill) morning, and it did feel good to stretch my legs. The downhill definitely did allow me to separate from the mass a bit - it certainly helps to be just -that- much taller than your average woman. It means your strides are just -that- much longer a lot of the time, allowing you to just find yourself some space. Although, I should've known, any time you enjoy a down hill in Vermont, that means a killer uphill is sure to follow. This time was certainly no exception. As we ended our downhill at the lake, we turned to truck up a long, slow, moderate hill. At this point, we really began to separate the people there for the fun of the Santa spectacle, and those that were there to run. Interestingly enough, I found myself solidly in the latter group, as I plowed up that hill (leaving many a dude in my dust. I smiled and thought to myself, as I passed each one, "You've been chicked... and YOU've been chicked... and YOU...."). I may not be fast, but there's a lot of muscle on these tree-trunk legs and it can push me slow and steady up a hill like that.

Oddly, I found myself grateful for that hill after a while, just because it really gave everyone more room to move. The mass had really stretched out, the Hill had claimed many a runner and changed them into a walker, and you could finally extend your arms without feeling like you were going to poke someone in the eye. I did crest the hill at a run, and rounded on to the flat... but was feeling the exertion from the hill (it was an evil hill, people.). I pushed on running more than I wanted to, but finally allowed myself to recover and drop into a walk for 15 seconds. That's all. Count to 15, back to a run.

We ran through some nice scenic, mostly flat-ish areas of downtown, working up a couple smaller inclines, which I felt I handled really well in stride. I had found a pace that I was able to pretty evenly maintain, and a runner in front of me that I had my eye on to catch. I find, for me, this is a key element. It helps me to have someone to mentally chase down. Even if I never catch them, it helps me to have a sort of pace car to keep me going at a better clip.

Right around mid-run there was another evil hill, and I admit, I walked *at the top* of this one for another 15-20 seconds. I did NOT however, walk on the hill, as many people did. Waha. Small victories.

Refreshingly, as we got to the end of the coarse, we headed down a long, steep incline - Cliff Street (why are they ALWAYS "Cliff Street"??). I was tired at this point, but I remembered that I wanted to use downhills for recovery time, so I let my strides lengthen a bit and make up some time, as I enjoyed the slightly less taxing effort of the downhill. We rounded the last flat, and I suddenly recognized where we were again... ALMOST there. I was tired. I wanted to walk. Then I heard a spectator say that we had less than half a mile to go. Well, damn. Can't walk in the last half mile. Turned another corner and I could almost see the finish line down the hill and around the corner. YES. DOWN THE HILL. I figured this was time. If I was going to make up the time from the slow beginning, here would be it. I opened up on the long downhill and whizzed by many tired Santas. I embraced gravity, and (maybe slightly recklessly, as I did ponder what would happen if I tripped...) let fly. If you're not going to go guns blazing, what's the point, right?

I came whipping down that hill (I was somewhere in the neighborhood of a 9 min/mile at this point), and rounded the last corner. It was a short sprint (maybe 400m?) to the finish. People were cheering. There was a dude pacing with me at our fast clip, there were jingle bells. I could see the clock. My mind knew where I needed to be to beat my previous time, and my legs felt nothing at this point. I dug a sprint reserve out of somewhere and hauled ass (pardon my expression, but it seems to more clearly express the point) to the finish line, with half an eye on the clock, half an eye on the dude trying to beat me (he must need someone to chase down, too), and one full eye on the imminent SLOW MASS in front of me, before the finish line. I thought a really bad string of obscenities at this point. I was not hauling ass here, just to have my time-beating efforts thwarted by these lollygaggers!

Now. Yes. They were being festive and group oriented. They had linked arms - 8 PEOPLE ACROSS - and were *skipping* to the finish as a group. I appreciate the spirit there. I'm sure the news camera loved it. I KNOW this is not a *serious* run. But I was taking it seriously. So was the dude who was hauling ass up the other side, in my periphery. Suddenly it dawned on me - THIS WAS CLOCK BLOCKING. Dear Carrie Adams, I now comprehend. I feel your rage on this phenomenon.

How does the story end, you ask? Well. I said the fastest tiny prayer to whatever deity would listen, begging that this blockade get the eff out of the way, so I could continue my line drive. Magically, the seas parted. Well, ONE person let go of arms, leaving me *just* enough room to do some sort of high-speed crazy-person dance maneuver and get through to the finish line. For perspective, I crossed the finishing line at just over a 6 min/mile pace.  My normal pace is around an 11 min/mile. For me, I was cruising.

Crossing the finish line, I still felt good. Riding high on that adrenaline rush, I snagged my pretty awesome finisher medal (Bling! woot!) and was immersed into a crowd of finished Santas. Suddenly, a tiny wave of sadness rolled over me. My eyes flashed around the crowd looking for someone to share my exhilaration with... people that were there cheering for *me*... but I was suddenly reminded that there wasn't going to be anyone. I was pretty happy with how I had done - particularly after I milled over and checked my official time - just slightly diminished by the fact that there was no one there to share with. Then I remembered - I had you all, BlogLand! I took my ridiculous Santa suit/medal/sweat self-portrait and sent it off to FB. I texted the results to my GT. I wasn't alone in my success, I would just have to share it differently.

Santa 5K Run, Burlington, VT

I wandered back to my car to shed the hot-as-hell felt Santa suit. (Seriously, that was the worst part. Yes, it was a cold day and when the wind came up, I was happy to have it... but all things considered, it was WAY too warm.) I redonned my Spartan hoodie, so I wouldn't freeze to death with cooling sweat, and called my mom to share in my victory. She's not athletic in any way, but is supportive in anything I do. It was nice to hear her affirmations.

Mom couldn't really chat, so I was left alone with my thoughts, for the 45 minute ride home. I stopped to get the best "recovery" drink EVER (Regular Dunkin Donuts Coffee. OH yeah.), and headed out. I did come to a few breakthroughs, through this process. I thought about my fabulous sprints to the end... My legs did this easily, and they weren't tired. Surely this means I could pick up the pace a bit over the course of the course? Further, one would think that if that energy is IN there, then I should have absolute confidence in the fact that I should NOT have to take a walk break.  Plus, I again felt like a runner, crossing that finish line. My time was respectable and I know I was focused and doing everything I could to push myself to the end.

My revised goals for next week's 5K (With Colleen to meet and subsequently chase down, and my fabulous GT to flog me forward) are to a) Run the 5K in less than 34 minutes, and/or b) average less than an 11 minute mile.

Today's race shook out like this:

Place	736 (Out of 1257, I think?)
Net Time	34:42
Pace	11:10

I'm pretty okay with that. My placing puts me just about in the lower-middle (average), my time is ONE whole second faster than my previous 5K, and my average mile time was a new PR by a couple of seconds. A good run, particularly since I went into it feeling a little less than confident.

Interestingly enough, it seems that I did actually achieve some of what I'd hoped to - My times/paces are improving. Looking at the mile splits on my tracker:
Mile 1 pace: 10:45
Mile 2 pace: 11:30
Mile 3 pace: 10:34

I started out strong, and finished strong. Clearly, I need to work on that middle piece - and typically I find that that is where a lot of the walking wants to happen - but those breakdowns make me feel a bit more successful. If I could run my last (tired) mile in 10:34, then in theory, I should be able to run ALL of my miles that way, right? or at least sub 11 minutes? That's what I'm going for.

Now, I sit home with some achy knees... I should know that hard, fast downhills on knees that have damaged cartilage aren't great. But, what's a little soreness, anyway? And now... to bed. Crossfit is early tomorrow, and there's just no rest for the wicked... ;-)

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Spartan Shape-Up, Day 138:
My internet connection died (!!?!?!!?) last night, BlogLand. It was a veritable crisis, particularly when I wanted to share about my Santa run! However, I thought I'd tack today's short-ish entry on the end.
Life got in the way today, it seems. I missed my CF class (I was actually sad!), and had to work early/late for some overtime, and there was no time to workout. I did make some excellent quinoa breakfast pudding stuff, though, in preparation for some good No-Bread breakfasts.

HOWEVER, I did want to chime in my two cents about the Zensah Calf Compression sleeves I bought (yes. Hot PINK.). I love them. A whole lot. I have some pretty chronic trouble with my calves being tight and/or cramping during runs. WELL, I ran the whole 5K in them yesterday and had zero issues with my calves. Even on the long uphills. I wore them for an hour or so post-run to help recover, and let me tell you, my calves felt fresh. WOO. If I had known all along that Compression sleeves would be the answer... Seriously, I highly recommend them. These Zensah ones are super soft, yet seem durable, and have some fancy sort of ribbing design to "pinpoint" particular parts on the muscles, as well as to help with shin splints. I don't know if they really did anything, but it made me feel like I was getting more for my money. hehe!

And with that, I'm out, BlogLand. Tomorrow's a run morning. I'm intending on donning my new lovely calf sleeves (they did add to the keeping my legs warm, perhaps that was part of the help?), and heading out for a pre-work go. 3 solid miles is what I'm aiming for. No walks!

“Really it comes down to your philosophy. Do you want to play it safe and be good or do you want to take a chance and be great?” ~ Jimmy J

Spartan Shape-Up, Day 132:

I "slept in" until 8:30am this morning, BlogLand, and it was AWESOME. Yep, it was a Rest day around here, and I must say I was glad for it, this week. I have really grown to love my training time (actually looking forward to it 99% of the time) but every once in a while, a break is welcomed. Although, I do think it's a little funny that I now consider 8:30am "sleeping in".

So, I have no crazy WOD to report on, but I did want to take a couple minutes to tell you about some pretty awesome gear I have recently acquired. Personally, as a newbie to this whole "active lifestyle" thing, I generally know I need things, but never know what's good to buy or just seems good... thus, I rely a lot on the recommendations and reviews of people that I know. SO. I thought I would contribute. A few things that I've field-tested lately:

First, as the weather goes crazy here in the Northeast (seriously, it's the end of November and it was 50 degrees today and the snow was melting. WTF?), I realized I was unprepared to run outside without some more tops. As I have learned from some of the Veteran Spartans, cotton (in general) is a no-no. In short, it absorbs moisture, rather than drawing it away from your body. Bad. Wicking, Good.

I ended up buying the Moving Comfort Mobility Long Sleeve (in Spartan red, of course...). I was a little concerned about the sizing, as I've never bought this brand before, and I'm definitely not a small sort of person (I prefer "statuesque" or "Amazonian", thank you...). I'm 5'9" and generally wear a women's size 14/16, at this point (down from about a women's 24. Wow. That sucks to say out loud.). I ended up ordering the XL, according to the size chart. When I got this in the mail, yes, I immediately ripped it out and put it on. The fabric is soft and awesome, and the fit was okay. Personally, I think I would've preferred one size up if that had been an option (as I generally don't like the 'imperfections' to show more than they need to...), but given the fact that I am still on the downslide with my weight loss, I decided to keep it. For anyone considering buying one, I would say they are generally true to size; I am a bit more... top heavy (more on boobs later...)?... than your average chick, so I think some of the smallness of this top stemmed from there.

Next, I took this long sleeve top out for a run. Literally. First awesome feature: "fitted cuffs" with "hidden thumb hole". I appreciated that immediately, upon setting out on that brisk morning. Better than some of the other running tops I have, THESE hand-covering-sleeves actually extended longer down my hand, even tailored to a hand-fitting point. Excellent design.
This is where I reiterate that I am a hot, sweaty mess when I workout. In this shirt, I didn't feel like a sweaty mess - as promised, it did seem to pull the sweat away from my skin, while still keeping me warm in the chill 35 degree breeze. It also has some convenient, slightly stretchier, "venting" panels that I found really added to the comfort (along the sides and under arms).

The only minor flaw I discovered was right at the end of my run. I had managed to put my car key in the 'handy' obligatory tiny pocket. However, Moving Comfort has decided to locate this pocket in a frustrating place (at least for me.). It is on the back of the shirt, to one side... but slightly higher up (not down close to them hem). For me, this made it difficult to get back to my tiny pocket, without twisting the whole shirt around, and discombobulating the orientation of the zipper. That said, during the run, I never noticed my key was in there. Mild, dealable annoyance. I ultimately decided that this annoyance was offset by the extra bonus: this top seems to be made slightly on the longer side. That means, no mid-run shifting/pulling on of clothes! Yay!

Overall, the Moving Comfort Mobility Long Sleeve gets two thumbs up from me. I will definitely be buying more of these - particularly after I drop a few more pounds and the XL is roomier.

Next, we're onto Boobs. Yep. We're going there. We've talked about sweatiness, tears, fat, flab, injuries, weight and emotional turmoil... We were going to get to boobs eventually. I also really feel that for a female athlete (or aspiring one), they are a huge consideration. If The Girls aren't Locked and Loaded during your run or your workout, and you're experience Crazy, Slap-Me-In-the-Face Bounce syndrome, it really makes things unpleasant. Plus, guys, you may not believe this, but it just downright hurts. We need to keep those Ladies in check. Thus, begins the Quest for the Holy Grail... er... I mean, Sports Bra.

Now. Where are all my well-endowed Chicks out there? You know what I'm talking about. You can NOT just walk into a sports store and know that you're going to be able to walk out with a sports bra that fits - particularly if you are a fuller-figured lady. Again, keeping it real, I'm a real person: wearing a women's size 14/16, and sporting a 38DD. Yeah. I am not the ideal sports bra fit model. I also downright refuse to do the double-up trick, with layering sports bras, for added support. I feel that if one is actually doing its job, one should be enough. Therefore, it was an EPIC quest I went on.

Ultimately, after much debate, I ended up trying two different styles by Moving Comfort (which was a highly recommended brand, to me):

First, I tried the Moving Comfort Rebound Racer. This is your standard racer-back style bra; It pulls over your head, but has a 2 hook back closure for added support/adjustability. This turned out to be a blessing and a curse, it would seem. As I pulled this one over my head the first time, I experienced the dreaded - "Oh No, I'm stuck in my super-tight twisted up sports bra that will only let me loose if I manage to dislocate my arm in 6 places and reach around" issue. After much faux-panic in the comfort of my room, I did get this bad boy on. And it was ON, I'll tell ya. But then I realized I needed to clasp the two hooks in the back. That was a slightly less traumatic of an adventure, but because of the extreme heavy-duty elastic band, it was a little less than "easy".

However, I will give Moving Comfort some big bonus points here - the front-adjustable straps. The comfy (slightly padded!), wide straps have velcro adjustments that stay underneath the straps, maintaining your cute-factor (CLEARLY my first priority in a sports bra). The adjustable straps did make it super easy and convenient to get everything situated just so, and ready for evaluation. First, minimal uni-boob syndrome. I wouldn't say The Girls were clearly defined, but you definitely did not have the ugly uni-boob issue. Really, I was so caught up in the fact that my boobs were Seriously. Not. Moving. That I did 5 burpees in the midst of this, just to try it out. Nothing. My boobs were going NOwhere.

... so I went for a run. Again, I will sing the praises of Moving Comfort, here. For the active, full-figured lady, bouncing and chafing are an issue (don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about.). I ran over three miles that day and there was NO bounce. NONE. 38DD's, cemented to my chest. I swear, this is unheard of. I would tell you that I was in love with this article of clothing, except for the tiny seam rub I developed on one side. However, I am willing to chalk that up to the "newness" of the bra, and reevaluate that, once I wash and wear a few more times.
The only real down-side I had with this Rebound Racer was the entry/exit portion of the thing... getting out of it was much like getting into it... a WEE bit tricky, and not for the stiff or un-limber. I was able to manage it, and will continue to do it because of how well it kept the Girls in check during my run... but, I would not necessarily seek out this bra again, in light of:

The Moving Comfort Fiona. Yep, I found it. The Holy Grail. The Ultimate in Boob Control. The Breast-Master. ... okay, I'm done, but you get the point.
I paid just over $40 for this bra, but it was worth every cent of that. I will buy more, just as soon as my paycheck rolls in. Here's why:
The Fiona had all the good points of the previously mentioned Rebound Racer - cushy, front-adjustable straps, somewhat stylish construction, etc. - BUT, it was a regular rear-closure bra. No need to try and wrestle it over my head. While I typically like racer-back styling, I found that the straps for the Fiona were set slightly closer in, making the style equally as comfortable as a racer back, with less hassle. Further, unlike the Rebound Racer, due to it's different back styling, the Fiona had a better handle on the side/back bulges (again, let's not pretend you have no idea what I'm talking about. Just keeping it real!). Where I felt that there was potential to have some unsightly side/back bulging in the racer back, the Fiona kept that all nicely under control with some soft, sleek, moisture-wicking fabric.
And, it goes without saying, I took this one for a run as well. LOVED it. I can honestly say, I have never run feeling less like an episode of Baywatch. It was GREAT. I could focus on my stride, rather than whether or not I was going to knock out an innocent passer-by.

Overall, Moving Comfort gets a gold star from me, thus far. I have decidedly liked all their products that I've sampled, even going so far as to LOVE the Fiona sports bra. I found their prices to be competitive with other comparable active wear (and felt I got what I paid for), and so far so good on a few cycles through the laundry.
I will look forward to trying some more of their products... perhaps some leggings/tights of some sort, next? Hmmm.

So, there you have it. Now, I'm watching the mail anxiously for a pair of hot pink calf sleeves I bought... I'm hoping to alleviate some of the excessive calf cramping I've been having these days. There is also a visit to the Under Armour Outlet in my future... Oh my. What girl doesn't love shopping - even for active wear!