Location: Reebok Canada HQ.
Forecast: Very windy, sunny, very grey clouds in distance. 
Goal: Get two Endorphriends vans decorated with monsters!

Some Endorphriends were better at applying decals than others...that said, the wind didn't make it easy for anyone! 

I volunteered to share weekend piloting duties of this beast with Maria...having never driven one before.
​What could go wrong?

Notice a trend? Thankfully this year's storm didn't hit until we'd finished decorating and gone for dinner. 

During dinner we found out Carmy had some amazing pizza slicing skills! 
Also gave out all the Endorphriends shirts...with a few bonus gifts inside! 

Endorphriend vans snoozing side by side in the hotel parking lot in Bowmanville. 

Meanwhile two sneaky monsters traded sleep for blowing up countless balloons, hanging streamers and decorations for our fellow monster's birthday the next day!

My race was generously sponsored by Reebok Canada. Van and design graphics provided by gawck.
Check out all of my Ragnar Niagara 2018 recap posts: Ragnar prep,  Reebok van decorating party, Leg 1, leg 2 and leg 3! ​

Due to a busy production schedule, the Endorphriends decals were almost literally hot off the presses for the race!
Thanks gawck for creating the amazing decals! 

2017 Ragnar trail Cottage Country runners may remember these! We decided to create new cards and re-purpose the leftover puffball packs as an alternate to van tagging magnets!

I couldn't resist putting together some little bonus items for my teammates. Monster decals, team logo decals, monster buttons and an Endorphriend wrap bracelet for new team members!

This year we were able to make the shirts ourselves at gawck!

Gift packs made! And another little surprise, a monster for each van to help navigate. 

In an effort to keep fueling close to normal, I prepacked my peanut butter sandwich breakfasts.
Sadly my orange nailpolish with white Ragnar logos would never made it to our teammates' toes. 

My race was generously sponsored by Reebok Canada. Van and design graphics provided by gawck.
Check out all of my Ragnar Niagara 2018 recap posts: Ragnar prep,  Reebok van decorating party, Leg 1, leg 2 and leg 3! 

When I started running in June 2013 I used the gear I'd used for the gym or walking the dog, which wasn't much: wide-leg yoga pants and cotton t-shirts (insert giggles). When I realized this running thing was here to stay in my life, I started to acquire running specific items, many initially purchased on sale from discount clothing retailers because I realized I actually needed a lot. I didn't want to do laundry more than once a week and each time a season changed I needed new warm weather / cool weather pieces. Admittedly I didn't pay much attention to perfect fit or how the items would perform when running. 

Over my five years of running I've been able to try on many brands and products and I've discovered that not all run gear is created equal. I've discovered a few items that have truly become my favourites which I'm going to feature below. 

But before I do...You may be saying, okay, I know you're sponsored for the upcoming Ragnar Niagara by Reebok, so of course you are going to say you love everything Reebok. Anyone having read my blog for or who knows me knows that I rarely post about products and really, am I the sell-my-soul for a blog type? Nope. I think what I honestly like best about being sponsored by Reebok for this race is that I've had the opportunity to try items I wouldn't otherwise tried. And in the process, I've legitimately realized I really, really love Reebok's running line. Technically the pieces do what they say. The fit is always exactly perfect--no wondering if a medium is going to fit like an extra small or extra large. The colours and styles are on trend yet don't get in the way of my running comfort. They are priced well and I love the online shopping option. 

So yeah!I AM going to say I love these pieces! 

Reebok Activ-Chill Capris
When I received the first pair of these capris from Reebok last spring, I initially held them up thinking they were long shorts. Then I tried them on and found them to be the most perfectly fit pair of capris I have ever put on.

I am not just saying that.

Or that they are my absolute favourite capris or maybe running bottoms ever.

It’s as if they were made exactly for my shape (hey Reebok, did you sneak into my house and take measurements while I was sleeping? If so, that’s really okay because I love them!) They fall near my hips (I continue to have a hard time feeling the high waisted trend is all that flattering) and even with the tied drawstring provide a flat belly. They are tight enough to feel supportive and smoothing but not too tight to be like compression or revealing. The fabric has a slight texture making them slightly off-black and a couple swirling patterns in the stitching add visual interest. These factors make them unique from ‘every other pair of black running bottoms’ in your closet. They stay where I put them at the waist and knee. I love that they are a little shorter than most capris making them a truer in-between shorts and tights option than many other pairs of capris that are a couple inches above the ankle. Admittedly I keep them at the ready in my closet for those warmer runs or races where there there may be a camera. Who needs to feel self-conscious about wearing shorts when sprinting to the finish of a race or doing a jump shot with friends on a group run? My thighs are ‘that spot’ that I’m always conscious of in photos. Although those same legs power me through my runs and make me feel strong and graceful, I’ve seen enough not-so-flattering photos of them that make me uncomfortable. Who needs that? Last year’s capris have washed well and still look new each time I pull them from my closet. I am excited for this new pair to see a bunch of finish lines in 2018! Seriously, what else can I say about how much I love these? Click for details.

Reebok Activ-Chill tanks and shirts
The first thing you’lll notice about this fabric is how light and flowy it is. Rest assured it’s not ‘that’ kind of flowy that clings and enhances every single roll or bulge. I have a couple race shirts that are like that and I never wear them. Last year’s bright blue tank and short sleeve tee saw me through the very hot first and third Ragnar Niagara midday legs. I truly believe that special fabric kept me cooler than if I was wearing another fabric. This year I was happy to find a new tank and tee in my Reebok Ragnar kit. As a graphic designer who loves typography, I especially loved the repeated fun ‘run’ graphic on both. Admittedly, I was initially hesitant about the white. I’ve never bought white race gear. Alas when recently racing a spring 10K where everyone was wearing the charity race shirt, I chose this shirt and my friends were immediately able to spot me as I approached them cheering on the side lines. When I posted a photo of this race on social media I think more people were asked about the shirt than congratulated me on my race! I think the biggest plus for both of these will be the light colours in the heat. Not only do they have the 'Activ-chill', they have the perk of reflecting the sun away instead of soaking it up like darker colours would. Click for more details.

1/4 zip long sleeve
Confession time...

I think the only time I ran in my grey 1/4 zip long sleeve from last year's Ragnar was...during Ragnar. Why? Because I always wear it casually! It isn't even with my run gear in the closet. I love this shirt. It fits so nicely and goes with everything.

This year Reebok provided us with a peachy / orange colour 1/4 zip. Admittedly when I first saw it I thought, ugh, peach? I think my least favourite colour is peach...

Then I wore it to a recent trail race:
"Oh that looks great on you!"
"I love that shirt!"
"I love that colour!" 
​
All day I got comments about the shirt. Alas, I have a new shirt that is rarely going to get run in! Okay, I promise to run in it at least once, Reebok Canada! Click for details.

Socks!
Ask my husband what item of clothing I'm always buying and he will immediately say socks. I am extremely picky about socks. I literally have two drawers of socks (this is not counting the drawer in the basement dresser, shh!). 

Ask my friends and Ragnar team mates Maria and Kate one of the most important deciding factors in choosing which socks to wear, and they will say colour. I agree, I think I have a gene that makes me need to match what I am wearing. But what do you do when you have complex colours or your blue, purple, green or pink socks are in the laundry? White. These thin white socks quickly became a favourite last year. They are perfect on a hot day and are just high enough to not get eaten by my shoes. 

Reflective jacket
I'd seen others wearing versions of semi-transparent running jackets and always thought they looked so cool. I was so happy when I saw it this one in my Reebok gear! 

So much about this jacket I like for what it is NOT. Let me explain. So many jackets have TOO much going on. This jacket doesn't have a hood or a multitude of pockets to add bulk which would get weighed down in rain and wind. It is very lightweight and has a streamlined fit with simple hems. Someone actually really thought about this design and how a runner would use it. It's water resistant yet breathable with a vented panel on the back (don't ask me about the time I wore a jacket that wasn't breathable...let's just say it was raining inside my jacket). Even the tags were on an easy to remove string (having designed tags in a previous job, I am always aware of tags and labels!) The reflective stripes and bright colour make me feel good about wearing this jacket in darker conditions. I have a couple running jackets with hoods, but most of the time I don't use the hood as I find it restricts my view and hearing in weather conditions I need to be more aware. Pair this jacket with a hat and I would be good to go in a good downpour. I actually can't wait to try it out on a rainy day.  Click for more details. 

Around this time last year, I wrote about the 'FOUR 'Rs' which were, running, relay, Ragnar and Reebok. Now I get to add one R. Can you guess what it is? 

REPEAT!
That's right, the Endorphriends are back and ready to tackle Reebok Ragnar Niagara again!

What is Ragnar?
It's a relay race where twelve runners trade off each running three times each for a total team distance of just over 300 kilometers. For this one and only Canadian version, runners start in Cobourg (yes that's the one past Pickering, Oshawa, and Bomanville...) and finish in historic Niagara Falls. Each team is supported by their teammates who travel in two vans to each exchange point. You won't likely sleep, eat, drinking much, and you may lose your voice from cheering but all of that won't matter when you and your teammates cross that finish line and piece those 12 medals together.

Who are the Endorphriends?
Team Endorphriends evolved in early 2017 when a group of friends learned that Ragnar was bringing their relay series back to Canada! We came up with a lot of names, but no one could resist 'endorphriends' especially when our superstar graphic designer (okay, yeah, that's me) came up with branding for the team including a logo and monster characters for each team member. You can read about our 2017 Ragnar experience here, here, here and here. 

In the fall the team added a few new members who then tackled Ragnar Trail in Cottage Country. You can read about that here, here, here and here...and okay, here too. Hey, these are long races, I'm allowed to write a lot!

And now, again with a few new monster members, it was an easy decision to race to the Falls again! 

Reebok!
Team Endorphriends recently found out that Reebok Canada will be kindly sponsoring  our team again for our upcoming race! I'm extremely happy about this because many of my pieces from last year remain my go-to's.  The capris are the only capris I will race in I wore them for my recent 5Peaks and  Mississauga races. The 1/4 zip rarely gets out for a run since I'm often wearing it casually. The comfy joggers and sweat shirt are my lounge wear of choice on a Sunday afternoon following a race.  The 'ActivChill'  tank do work to keep me chilled.

I recently received  some amazing new gear for training and the race. Stay tuned for details on these items as I get to try them out! ​Below is a sneak peek of some of the items that people have endlessly commented on! Okay, one more  sneak peek...I wore several pieces at the recent Sporting Life 10K! 

Thank you!
A very special thank you to Janice, Nancy and Lisa who have very generously given their time to volunteer for the race that weekend on behalf of our team! Also to Nanlee for will be driving our van #1! 

Stay tuned Endorphriend fans! 

Mizuno Canada generously provided me with a pair of the new Wave Sky runners to try. Although I scored an awesome new pair of shoes, all opinions below and always are my own. ​

When I started running, I ran with the shoes I had been walking long distances in, Saucony Rides. When they wore out, I'd buy a new pair or Rides or Triumphs, pretty much depending on which was on sale. I did this religiously for a couple years. When choosing the Sauconys, it had taken a lot of trying on shoes to find something was comfortable right out of the box.

​In 2016 I got a new pair of Triumphs. They'd re-engineered the running system in the shoe since my previous pair. It was during a run with friends that one of them pointed out the sound my feet were making. Somewhat of an awkward flop, flop, flop sound. I'd noticed it too, but wondered if these were taking a bit more breaking in than my usual. Unfortunately there was something about that pair that just didn't work for me.  To be fair, looking back, I could have tested out an alternate pair of Triumphs or new pair of Rides. At the time though,  I felt that it must be the new Everun system that was causing my clunky, awkward stride. 

I took the chance to try out Mizuno Wave Riders. I was immediately impressed that they felt good, and quite similar to my Sauconys right off the bat. Since then, I've gone on to retire two pairs of Riders, a pair of 19s and a pair of 20s. They have become my high mileage training shoe.

​When I was offered a pair of the all-new Wave Sky to try out I was obviously appreciative (anyone who tells you running is free hasn't seen my Visa bill) but also a little nervous since I loved my Wave Riders so much. 

Who doesn't like receiving a delivery to their work with a shoe-box shape inside a courier plastic envelope? Of course I had to try them on immediately. Whoa! Cushy. My immediate feeling was how plush the Wave Sky's were right out of the box. The colour was an easy sell for me. I was happy to realize that they felt much like a puffier version of my Riders.

Now to let them have some fun!

A group of us met at the Beaches Running Room one afternoon when summer had finally hit Toronto. We were helping out Mizuno Canada's Brand Building Specialist Michelle with a fun photo shoot that was part of the Wave Sky launch. Any time you get a group of runners together you are guaranteed to laugh and have fun. We enjoyed posing and doing repeats along the boardwalk and near Beach iconic locations like the Leuty Lifeguard Station. 

The Wave Skys also got to check out Casa Loma with some of its' siblings a couple weeks later. Beware that when you are trying to take a shoe family photo near a fountain you may be photo bombed by a fun-loving wet dog! 

The Wave Skys have had a chance to check out several locations throughout the city this summer. I'm pleased to say that they have treated me well. In the first few runs I felt like I was landing slightly differently than in my Wave Riders. Michelle confirmed that they were designed to help tweak your landing. As a heel striker, I felt this would probably help improve my stride and I didn't notice it after a couple runs. As I start to ramp up my mileage for fall races, I plan on including them in my training rotation. Thanks Mizuno! 

Here's more detailed info about the shoes if you are into specs. Honestly, my recommendation is to pop into one of the stores below to try them out.

Specs:

• Parallel cloudwave provides a smoother ride with more bounce.
• Midsole provides a responsive cushion on top and greater shock absorption and more lively feel on the bottom.
• The grooves on the forefront are segmented and flexible  which  enhances a smooth transition.
• The collar construction is soft and plush. 
• Engineered mesh in midfoot wraps the arch for adaptive and supportive fit.

Weight:

• Mens: 11.5oz
• Womens: 9.3oz
• Ramp: 10mm

Where to try or buy:

• Running Room (have them or can order them in)
• Runner's Den in Hamilton 
• Runner's Edge in St. Catharines
• And many more. Of course you can always locate your closest store at www.mizunocda.com  or order online