Category Archives: Gear + Gadgets

Its time for some running girl talk. So, guys (and any other squeamish people out there), step out for a quick 5k while us girls discuss some important matters, specifically the best way to manage our menstruation.

Getting our monthly period is more of an inconvenience than anything. We have to deal with bloating, cravings, discomfort, occasional pain, and moodiness (well, our boys usually usually suffer more with this one). It’s much worse for us runners who have to suffer through this discomfort during speedwork or long runs. Groan.

A female runner once asked me if I run when I have my period. Me? Of course I do! Nothing stops this bull from running.

What’s the best way to deal with the nasty monthly visitor? Just one word, ladies: Tampons!

Tampons!  One cannot have enough of them.  Check out my hefty stash…

As you see, I have various brands of tampons: Tampax Pearl Compak, Tampax Pearl, Playtex, and Playtex Sport. I’ve tried them all and they all vary in size, comfort, material, and efficiency.  Some are just plain uncomfortable (Playtex: thumbs down, Tampax Pearl: too long), while others are so efficient you completely forget you’ve got your period.  You can run freely without worries of any mess or staining.

My favorite brand: Tampax Pearl Compak.  No, not just the regular Tampax Pearl; it’s gotta be the “Compak” one.  This brand is small (“compak”, remember?) so it’s comfortable even when you’re active.  It’s also portable; it can fit in your hydration belt if you need to change during a long run or race!  If you get the triplepack box, it has three variants: Super, Regular, and Lite depending on your needs.

On a recent trip to the US, I bought loads of boxes of these only to find them being sold in S&R. (Next time I came back they were gone though!)  Well, the boxes at S&R didn’t have the neat little Tampon purse that came with mine…hah!

So, never ever let your monthly period hinder you from running. Just always have a stash of Tampons waiting to be used. Oh, and absolutely no need to stock up as much as I do!

The world knows I’m a huge Nike Lunar Glide fan. I was never a fan of Nike running shoes until the first Lunar Glide came along. I used the Nike Lunar Glide+ for all my five marathons so far. It has literally gone the distance with me.

The recently released Nike Lunar Glide+ 3 is very much like the Nike Lunar Glide+ and nothing like its predecessor, the Nike Lunar Glide+ 2. For that, I am extremely overjoyed; nothing quite sucks as to have your favorite running shoe massacred into what was coined an upgrade.

– From the 1st to the 3rd Nike Lunar Glide –

Back to Lunar Glide+ 3…

– Nike Lunar Glide+ 3 for Women –

I’ve used the Nike Lunar Glide+ 3 for the past couple of weeks at races and training runs.  Here’s what I think:

PROS:

• Comfort: Snug fit. Feels like the shoe wraps around your foot comfortably, like I’m wearing socks.
• Just-right cushioning: Perfect balance of cushioning and stiffness. Not too soft that I feel there’s no support, but not too stiff either that it feels like plywood
• Light: This is a lot lighter than other bulky stability shoes out there.  Great for those long slow distances.
• Dynamic Support System: Still has the Dynamic Support System which adapts to the runner’s gait so that with each step the runner gets cushioning and support to guard against overpronation
• Midfoot strap: The shoe has a strap on the side for additional support. This was a feature only for the Women’s shoe with the 1st Lunar Glide, then it completely disappeared with the Nike Lunar Glide+ 2, but I’m glad Nike revived it for both Men and Women’s shoes since it’s one of my favorite features.
• No need for break in: Okay, don’t quote me on this. But, I’ll let you in on a little secret. I’ve used brand new pairs of this shoe to run marathons and I had no problems! For any other shoe or model, I would never dare to do this. But, based on experience, this shoe needs no break in.
• Handsome shoe: Love the colors!

CONS:

• Lacks bounce: I’m yearning for that springy, bouncy feeling with each step, but I can’t find it with this shoe
• Durability is a concern: Since the shoe feels like a sock, I noticed that it expires much earlier than other shoes. After 4 months, cushioning significantly decreases.
• Too narrow for runners with bunions: Since the shoe is a bit narrow, I wouldn’t recommend this for runners with bunions. I have bunions so they start to hurt after over 5k distances in this shoe. I never experienced this with the 1st Lunar Glide, hence I’m not sure if this will be the marathon shoe for me this year. So sad.

THE VERDICT

I would highly recommend this shoe for runners with mild to moderate overpronation who are looking for a light stability shoe for training or long distance races.  Oh, and those that have no bunions!

Where to buy: Nike, Runnr

Retail price: P5,495

We took TBR Jr. shoe shopping today. My 10-year-old has grown so fast the past few months that I pretend cry to him every weekend: I don’t have a baby boy anymore!

We dropped by Mizuno Magallanes this afternoon and I had the shock of my life: TBR Jr. can now shop at the Men’s section!  This mommy gave herself a moment to “let go” then excitedly showed him the vast array of shoes to choose from. He was slightly confused so, of course, I convinced him to purchase my favorite Mizuno model: Mizuno Wave Precision.  I was a huge fan of this shoe a few years back because it’s light and stable, but I could only use it for short distances and as much as possible on a track or asphalt road.  TBR Jr. loved the colors so it was sold!

Introducing: TBR Jr.’s first pair of Men’s shoes: Mizuno Wave Precision 11.  Cool! I almost want one myself.

– Mizuno Wave Precision 11 | P4,995 –

What shoe did I use for all my five marathons? Just one model: Nike Lunar Glide. I was obsessed with that shoe and I hoarded pairs of them like crazy and eventually used them all to retirement.

Nike then “upgraded” my favorite shoe to Nike Lunar Glide+ 2 which, uhm, to put it bluntly sucked big time.

Then, a little birdie told me that the next Lunar Glide would be more like the 1st release.  So, for months, I patiently waited for its arrival.  Who would’ve thought that a text from Nike this morning would signal the end of my long wait?!

Introducing: Nike Lunar Glide+ 3 fresh out of the box!

What a beauty, eh?!  Tomorrow, I am all set to run my first weekday run post-injury.  Isn’t it perfect timing that I get to road test this brand spankin’ new pair of Nike Lunar Glide+ 3 as well?!  As Tony of Nike said: “It’s fate!”

Check this blog for a more complete review after a week.

I’m not much of a shopper…except when it comes to sports gear!  So, I’m glad I dropped by the new Toby’s Sports Arena last week at Shangrila Mall (near Mercury Drug).

Admittedly, I was expecting to see the same ol’ Toby’s Sports store that we’ve grown accustomed to through the years. But, I was pleasantly surprised to see that Toby’s Sport Arena housed the three stores of Toby Claudio under one roof, namely: Toby’s Sports, Urban Athletics, and of course, Runnr. It also had a much more modern look from its new logo to the store interiors. The place is so huge that I like how they labelled each area for easy shopping. (No time should ever be wasted shopping for sports gear, right?) They have items for basketball, badminton, swimming, fitness, and many more.

– This injured runner is so into swimming and Speedo now –

– Urban Athletics for lifestyle shoes for the younger crowd. Yes, that still includes us, right? –

– Toby’s stores’ badminton and indoor fitness equipment –

As for running, Toby’s of course, has Runnr. I spotted items in Shangrila Mall that were not available in Bonifacio High Street, such as the Thrive Bamboo Cotton sports apparel (featured in TBR Magazine May-Jun 2011) which kinda reminds me of Lululemon and a Halo headband (which I eventually purchased). The Shang branch also had a treadmill for gait analysis.

– Runnr corner –

– Cool cove for gait analysis –

Aah, you can imagine how wild I went in that place. Okay, maybe you can’t. To give you a clearer picture: I shopped for an hour in the morning, had brunch, and returned for another 30 minutes after. Two days after, I returned for more items. Aside from running items, I went crazy over swimming gear and even lifestyle brands like my super favorite Sanuk. I left the place with a new Speedo swimsuit, Finis paddles, Reef flipflops, and a Halo headband. I know, I know, I’m such a sucker for anything running and now swimming. Hey, aren’t we all?

– I’m a huge Sanuk fan (I have three pairs) so I was happy to see ’em here –

– See those thin headbands? I got one and I love it. They really don’t slip unlike some “non-slip bands” that actually do! –

Toby’s Sports Arena is located at Shangrila Mall near Mercury Drug and The Travel Club.