Wild About It:Vazee Agility v2 Trainer

March 1, 2017February 25, 2017Leave a comment

For my segment on CH Morning Live in February I was sent the Vazee Agility v2 Trainer to wear on set. These have quickly become my favourite training shoe for lifting weights and conditioning.

The first thing that caught my eye was the unique lace mesh upper and mix of vibrant lime green and black and white (pink/purple and grey/white colour combinations are available from the New Balance website). The upper is supportive and with it’s no-sew overlays, which are strategically placed to help prevent the foot from rolling over while being minimal and light. nb-shoe

These light weight training shoes are perfect for quick, lateral movements, and are built with superior sole traction for training on any surface. I’ve been wearing them multiple times a week for my YFit classes at Yyoga and it’s easy to feel grounded and strong through my feet when performing squats and lunges. Also check out the detailed perforations along the outer sole which help your feet breathe while revealing the contrast of popping lime underneath.

Some other features include:

Odor management with a treatment that resists odors.
Rubber outsole
Synthetic upper

These shoes retail for $109 CAD in store and online. Definitely check them out if you’re looking for something stylish and light to up your strength training game in.

My 6 Summer Running Essentials

June 10, 2016July 4, 2016Leave a comment

The season to dawn the spf and take your training outdoors to the track, pavement, or trail is here! Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned marathoner, here are 6 summer essentials to support your training and help you to beat the heat.

Trail Mix Hydration Belt – Nathan. Hydration while out on a summer run is key. My preference has always been a waist belt in order to keep my hands free and posture/stride as natural as possible. Only recently have I come across Nathan who provide a variety of hydration belts with varying bottle sizes, belt shapes, and belt colours. To be honest, the Trail Mix belt caught my eye mainly because of the rad colour combination, what I later learned was that Nathan belts are the only bounce-free, easy-access, fully-adjustable, two-bottle belt available. Nathan also provide various bottle caps, allowing for you to customize the bottles even further. Available here. $68.00
Cross Train Gravity Trainer Pro – SPRI. A new season is also a great time to add new strength training exercises into your cross training program. Runners can increase muscle strength, endurance and balance from the comfort of their own home with the SPRI Cross Train Gravity Trainer Pro. This light, portable, full-body training tool leverages body weight to build muscle, boost core strength and increase flexibility, which is perfect for the runner looking to take their training to the next level. The four-point anchoring system easily hooks onto any door frame and adjusts to modify resistance levels for upper and lower body exercises. Also it’s compact design let’s you use it anywhere – weekend at the cottage? Take it with you! This versatile tool delivers hundreds of strength-building exercise options. Check out six full body moves here. Available here. $39.99
TRLCap “Stamped” – Red Rocks Edition – Ciele Athletics. Ciele Athletics caps are everywhere in Toronto as they as stylish and functional, and come in dozens of different colours. This TRL “Stamped” Red Rocks edition cap has caught my eye every since I saw it on the head of two of our runners. It’s the “trucker” style and made with lightweight, fast drying performance ready COOLwick™ mesh. It has reflective details for being seen while running in the cooler dawn or dusk, and has UPF +40 protection on the brim and front panel to keep you safe from the sun. Available online. $45.00
Graduated Compression Socks – Tiux. These are my go to compression socks! Whether you are heading out on your long run, or recovering from your workout, Tiux Graduated Performance Compression Socks are a great way to train harder and keep your legs energized all summer long. Engineered to help runners improve performance, reduce muscle fatigue and recover faster these socks are stylish and functional. Available online. $35.00
Forerunner 235 – Garmin. After my previous (and very unreliable) running watch died a couple years ago I never replaced it until this winter. I had been searching various Garmin products and the Forerunner 235 caught my eye. I’ve been using it every run since and LOVE it. It connects to GPS instantly, gives me amazing data for my runs (speed, stride length, heart rate), I admit that I was intimidated by the technology which is why I waited so long, but now I have it, I don’t know why I did. The Garmin Forerunner 235 has the same features as model 230 (which is very popular amongst our crew – almost every runner with a Gramin has this model), however the 235 has the addition of a wrist-based heart rate monitor. After falling in love with this feature in my FitBit Charge HR, I new I had to upgrade to this model. What’s more, it does not require a chest strap to get heart rate information. The Garmin Forerunner 235 looks great (in teal or black) and is functional tracking running, biking, as well as a number of smart features including displaying email and calls. Available from SportChek here. $479.99
NB Ice Hybrid Tank – New Balance. The perfect summer tank that feels like you’re just running in a sports bra. The NB ICE Hybrid Tank was designed for extreme breathability. A roomy mesh outer tank is layered over a body-hugging NB Ice crop for breezy comfort when your run or the weather heats up providing a fun, flowy, cool look. Plus, a convenient media cord tunnel holds your headphones in place and out of the way during your run. Available here. $44.99

Gear Review:New Balance 910v2

March 4, 2016July 4, 2016Leave a comment

Last weekend during Polar Rush I finally had the opportunity to test run my New Balance 910v2 trail shoe and spoiler alert: I was the only person with dry socks at the end of the race!

I was fortunate enough to be gifted these shoes from New Balance Canada back in December after inquiring about them for winter running, so I couldn’t wait to give them a run, however we haven’t had enough snow for me to really test them out, so Polar Rush was the perfect opportunity.

Last winter I read quite a bit on the idea of wearing trail shoes during winter running because they provide better traction on the snow and ice, and are often made of better weather resistant materials than your typical runner, so I was excited after a few months to finally have some great snow to test them out. Do note that wearing trail shoes on concrete is often spoken against as the hard surface ruins the tread which makes these shoes so great.

shoes2

What first drew me to this shoe was the colour. The bright yellow, blue, and pink pops when mixed with the dark grey mesh and Gore-Tex® upper. The New Balance 910v2 trail shoe tread is deep and perfect to help you conquer any terrain. This shoe feature’s responsiveness, cushioning, flexibility, traction and protection from water with a Gore-Tex® upper. This Gore-Tex® upper was what really saved the day for me during Polar Rush. We were racing through snow for 1.5 hours and as I mentioned above, my wool socks were completely dry. Unlike fellow runners who had stuffed garbage bags in their shoes to keep the water out – my Gore-Tex® was magic! The shoe fits true to size and was very comfortable while both racing on the trails and walking around post race.

The New Balance 910v2 shoe for women is a neutral cushion shoe that retails for $169.99. They are the perfect combination of technology and comfort, delivering the lightweight feel of a racing shoe with the cushioning benefits of a daily runner. If you’re looking for a trail shoe that will keep you dry while safe out winter running, definitely give these a try!