Product Review: Aerodaks Men's Sport Briefs

Disclaimer: I received a pair of Aerodaks Men's Sport Briefs to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

This was one of the most unique products that I've been given the opportunity to test and review. These are running briefs designed only for men from Australia. Perhaps a little TMI - but let's face it there will be a lot more of that than normal in this post - I wear a lot of Australian undies, so I was excited for ones that are made specifically for running.

Here's what makes these briefs different from other running undies out there:

• The material: the material this babies are made of is a premium micro fiber mesh that makes the biggest difference
• This mesh is moisture wicking so it pulls the moisture away to prevent chafing
• The front of the mesh is a double layer so that it holds everything is place, no slip outs, no bouncing, no chafing. The same idea as a sports bra but for holding men's goodies instead of women's
• The design: this design is made to have several benefits:
• The design of the mesh is very breathable so this provides the least amount of resistance to airflow, allowing you to stay cooler
• The shape of the brief is designed for superior comfort by not having any seams to cause irritation or any resistance

Initial Thoughts

When I first put them on I was really impressed with how comfortable they are! I would have enjoying wearing them for the entire day, and I actually might have once. I have to say that I was slightly concerned about mesh and exactly how breathable they were. When you look at them you can clearly see all the holes that provide for breathe-ability, my concern was that it would reveal too much of my butt. But once I put them on and had a look and my concerns were "wicked away" since they didn't reveal too much.

I also really like the drawstring in the front. Being able to tighten the waist made me feel like they were secure and wouldn't slip down. I also like the visual appeal of the drawstring, I think it's cute but it also adds the right amount of variety to the front of them so they don't look so plain.

Test Run

It was finally time to get out on a run with these. Due to my work and running schedules I have been running early in the morning before sunrise, so I can get my runs done before work. But that didn't seem like a fitting way to really test out these briefs for the first time. So I waited until I had a day off and went out for a run in the middle of the morning. 

Immediately I could already feel the difference in the temperature, being much hotter than running before sunrise which is exactly what I wanted. Taking my first strides I noticed that I had a lot of room for mobility. Meaning that the briefs hadn't restricted my range of motion at all. Sometimes the seam of undies runs along my hip flexors and adds a little resistance to each step, this was not that case for the Aerodaks. The seam was in the perfect spot for maximum range of motion. 

This next bit will be very TMI just to forewarn! I usually run in compression shorts like the ones to the right. The main difference that I felt in Aerodaks compared to the shorts was how comfortable my jewels were. If you look at the shorts there are three seams in the groin area, these all can be felt if there is too much friction. They can also cause the jewels to be suck in uncomfortable positions because the tightness of the seams. With Aerodaks they don't have any groin seams, so no uncomfortable pressure or positions, just bounce free support.

Another thing that I noticed is that how the breatheability of the briefs made such a difference. I think we have all been in a position where we don't realize how bad things really are until we experience something different. I had one of those moments in these briefs. I wore them on a hill run the other day and was blow away by how regulated my body temperature had felt. I had run that path dozens of times and was usually pretty toasty by the time I made it to the top, but not this time. 

So I was determined to try and feel if there was a difference, so I ran those hills again that week but wore my compression shorts. I could definitely feel the heat being locked in more than the Aerodaks, the difference was obvious!

Conclusion

The quality of these briefs far exceeds that of what I usually run in. If you take into account all the aspects that make them special and compare them to what you normally run in, you might just be surprised. In a place as warm as Maui I take certain steps to make sure that I don't overheat when running. Aerodaks Men's Sport Briefs are another great product that I have found to help this! If you take into account the no seams on the groin and extra support they offer then it's a no brainer!

Need to hear it from someone else? Read about what my fellow Pro's think:

                                                 Frank               Bradley               Jeremy              Casey

We have an Aerodak's sponsored Bibchat on Tuesday November 29th at 4pm HST. I wouldn't miss this one since there will be tons of underwear pics to enjoy! 

You can also follow Aerodaks on following Social Media accounts:

T: @aerodaks
IG: @aerodaks
FB: https://www.facebook.com/AERODAKS/?fref=ts 

My new Thanksgiving tradition, Maui Style

First off I want to thank you for taking the time to read my blog today! If you don't know yet, this post is one of many that has been brought to you by the Bibravepro Team as a fun was to share our holiday spirit with you! After reading my post follow the link at the bottom to check out what my fellow Pro Jessica has to say about thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is some of everyone’s favorite holidays of the year. For runners it’s probably even more so. Not that we need an excuse to carb load because we do our best to on the regular,  but this is a holiday where everyone else who isn’t a runner gets to eat like a runner. The point I’m trying to make is that now since others get to eat copious amounts of carbs with us, we don’t feel weird by piling the mashed potatoes and stuffing.

Thanksgiving was always very big in my family, both of my sides. So we would have thanksgiving early with my mom’s side and then we would be in Florida on the actually day with my dad’s side. Add on the gravy and the desserts and you can probably understand why I had some winter weight every year. However that all changed when I moved to Maui. I work in the hospitality industry which means that I have sold my holidays to the pleasure of my guests. I haven’t had a thanksgiving off in 5 years. So that made going home difficult because this is one of our busiest times of the year, and even if I was approved the time off I would feel bad making my team work harder in my absence.

So I knew I would have to come up with a new holiday tradition since I would be stuck here. My first two years were rather hard to come up with a tradition since my friends that I were close with were always changing – Maui is considered to be a revolving door in the sense that people are always coming and going. But it wasn’t until last year that I finally found what I wanted to do as my new tradition. The Valley Isle Road Runners (VIRR) hosts a turkey trot on thanksgiving that’s either an 8 mile or 16 mile race, with the intention of being a good training race for the upcoming Honolulu Marathon on December 11^th.

What's super cool about this race is that it's not a position based race for the winners, meaning he/she who finishes first is not the winner. At the beginning of the race you give the officials an estimated finish time for the race. The winner are determined by who has the closest finish time to their prediction, without the use of cell phones or watches.

It's not exactly the flattest course by any means. The first six miles are all down hill, then the next eight miles are solid uphill, then the remaining two miles are down hill again back to the beginning elevation. But the views are remarkable, so it's worth it! The race begin in Kula, Maui at Rice Park which is over 3000 feet above sea level, so all the views are looking down on the valley of Maui. 

To add a little more challenge to the race, there are companies that run bike rides from the top of the summit at 10,000 feet down to the bottom, so that means that you are dodging cars and bikers the whole time. Can you say, wear bright clothes? 

I've never forget the feeling of finally making it to the top of the road and starting down. I was so happy after those grueling eight miles, but then my legs we so sore going down such a steep hill. I think that only momentum kept me going. Then the finish came into sight and I was so proud that I completed it. I hung around for the awards because I wanted to know how close people were going to be. The biggest surprise was that I had won second place for being within 3 minutes of my guess. My prize was a canned ham, which I had never had before but I was thankful for it regardless.

Then what made this race even more victorious for me was that I had burned over 1700 calories. That meant a free pass for all the thanksgiving fixing, an extra guilt free slice of pie, and gravy over everything. As I sat there reflecting after dinner I realized that I was full of food and pride for my run that day, and boy was I content. That's when I knew that this would be a tradition that I wanted to keep, I wanted to feel this good at least for one night every year!

Now it's time to continue on to Jessica's post as you continue along our Thanksgiving inspired Bibravepro blog linkup. Click here to go to Jessica's Blog! Wishing you all a safe and satisfying holiday this week!

Product Review: XX2i Brazil1 Casual Sunglasses

Disclaimer: I received a pair of XX2i Brazil1 Sunglasses to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

This is my seconds product from XX2i that I've had the pleasure of testing and reviewing. I have to say this time was a little more interesting since the Brazil1 sunglasses are from their casual line, not their sports line. Meaning that they are not meant to be worn while running or exercising. Testing these out was definitely going to be fun because it gave me so much more of any opportunity to test them.

Initial Thoughts

I loved the simple and elegant black design, however they do have other colors to choose from. I knew I would be able to pair them easily with many different outfits that way. When I put them on I couldn't figure out if they are just a perfect fit to my head or what but they're so comfortable! I can shake my head as fast as I can and they won't move at all. As with the other pair of XX2i I have, the Brazil1's don't have any nose pads however it's not necessary at all. No discomfort in any way. The polarized lenses also are a plus too! Seeing everything just a little bit clearer and more vibrant is amazing, especially in Maui with all the sunlight all the time. 

In Everyday Life

I wanted to try to incorporate these sunglasses into as many parts of my daily life as I could to show off the versatility of them. I work at a hotel and have to dress in business casual five days a week, and I've worn these sunglasses just about everyday to work and I always feel like they compliment my outfit. Especially when I wear any shade of blue to match the lenses. 

I absolutely love to wear them when driving my car! The lenses are wide enough that they don't limit my range of vision or have any blind spots as other sunglasses do. I've had sunglasses in the past that don't dim the sun's light at all even if they protect your eyes from UV. These are not like that, I've had direct sunlight hit me while wearing my Brazil1's while I'm driving and it's not intense at all. I can still see without having to squint or drive impaired from being blinded. Anything that keeps my senses alert while driving in a place with lots of foreign drivers is a big bonus!

I took them to the beach on one of my days off and have nothing but good things to say about that experience. No sliding down my nose from sunblock, and since the frame isn't metal I didn't have to worry about rust when rinsing off the sand. Granted there are metal screws but there is so little exposed that there wasn't anything to worry about. I also found that they fit comfortably with a cap on without hurting my ears. Sometimes the combination of wearing a cap and glasses of any kind can really hurt the tops of your ears. This was not the case with these sunglasses. 

The Real Test

I wanted to do something really out of the box to test these sunglasses, something that was fun while still within the range of being casual. I went horseback riding with my friend Kat the other day. I figured this would be the best opportunity to prove that these sunglasses are good for any situation since horseback riding is as close to the boarder of casual and performance sport in regards to style of sunglasses.

We were up at Mendes Ranch on the North Shore of Maui. It was a beautiful morning, sun was shining, and trade winds were pretty strong. We did a two hours hike along the sea cliffs that's all part of the ranch. The polarized lenses just increased the beauty of everything that I saw, from the deep blue water, the green trees and bushes, the red clay dirt, and especially the ridges along the cliffs. Between the wind and bouncing from the horse I was happy to not have had to readjust my sunglasses once as they didn't slide at all. The horse I was paired with was named Rosie, ans she did not like to wait for other horses. There were two different spot where we were actually able to run with the horse, full sprint. Rosie was a very fast horse and flew past a few other horses who were running too slow for her. Even at a full sprint the sunglasses stayed in place. I consider that a successful test of the limits of these sunglasses.

Conclusions

Keeping in mind that the Brazil1 sunglasses are meant for casual everyday life, you won't have a problem adding them to your lifestyle. Especially if you like to test the boundaries like a do and wear them in more active situations. I think these are the most versatile sunglasses I have ever worn since they look super sleek, and can match any outfit while still giving you the benefits of polarized lenses without the price usually associated with them.  

Don't forget to use code "BRAZIL1" for 60% these sunglasses now through midnight Tuesday!

Join the Bibrave Team Tuesday November 22nd at 4pm HST for an XX2i Sponsored Bibchat!

Follow XX2i on social media to stay up to date on their new releases!

T: @XX2i
IG: @XX2i 

Running with Jet-lag

Just a few weeks ago I returned from my fall runcation to the Northeast for Chicago Marathon and my brother's wedding in Pennsylvania. I was so happy to be back to the Valley Isle where it's warm. #sorrynotsorry I'm spoiled here with the warm tropical climate. Anything below 74 is cold to me, so it was a very cold vacation for me. I have to say I did enjoy wearing jeans for a change!

The one thing that's hardest for me when I come back home from the east coast is the Jet-lag, a six hour time change really messes with your internal clock. Especially spending over two weeks in that time zone, it's quite the challenge to readjust to Maui time. I'm one of those people that rarely has to set an alarm because I'm always up at the crack of dawn anyways.

My whole first week back on Maui my body was waking up between 3:30-4:15am. Aka the time that most people my age are going to bed, especially my friends that work closing shifts are restaurants. At first I thought that I would go crazy waking up so early! What could I possible do for almost six hours before I had to go to work? The first day I easily filled in the time getting my life and apartment back in order, planning my groceries for the week, etc. But come day two I was already caught up on everything. So I found the healthiest outlet for my restlessness, and what feel the most natural, running.

I could have literally slapped myself for not thinking about it sooner. This pale half Irish white boy on Maui knows the peril that awaits me if I run while the sun is up, sunburn. So what I had gotten used to during my marathon training in the previous m
onths was running after dark. I already had the gear to run in the dark that keeps me aware of others, and others aware of me: my Amphipod reflector vest, Knuckle Lights, and Treks Titanium headphones (featured on the right).

What I noticed first was that it was much cooler in the mornings, duh. The sun had been down all night so the residual heat had already dissipated. Cool temps meant cooler body and less stress which equal faster pace and better performance. The other and more noticeable observation was the slim to none traffic when compared to night running. Most people were still sleeping so there less people were on the roads which means less of a chance for me to get hit from a drunk driver or tourist (sorry but they cause more accidents than drunks on Maui).

After two or three days of spending my early mornings out running I realized how much better my days happened to be. I'm a firm believer that when you start a day with a healthy decision then you are more inclined to make healthy decisions throughout the day. So by starting the day with a run that led to a veggie packed protein shake, and tons of water. That then led to better food choices in the employee cafeteria. Then come night time I would end up heading to bed much earlier, but I was sleeping longer and better than before.

Just this week I had a night body barre class, and going to bed after that class was much harder since the workout was so fresh that my muscles hadn't had all day to start recovering. So by exercising in the morning my body was ready for restful sleep by the time it hit 8:00pm. That might seem early to most people, call me a grandpa if you want, but I was still waking up at 4:00am so going to bed that early would get me my eight hours of sleep.

To sum this whole idea up I want to keep this whole morning thing up for a while. I want to see how my training differs, how my sleep will be affected in the long run, and how strong my body will become because of it.

Product Review: Legend Performance Compression Socks

Disclaimer: I received a pair of Legend Performance Compression Socks to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

I was super happy to be part of the group that tested these products! I love compression socks and had never worn a full sock, only a calf sleeve. So I was very eager to test out the full sock. 

Initial Thoughts

At a first glance I could tell that they had more features than just compression. The toes and arch were a different color, so I assumed that they did different things. The toes are made with extra material so that you can still wiggle your toes. I guess other compression socks are just as tight in the toes which can lead to discomfort and blisters. Then the arch was actually a bit tighter than the rest of the sock to give extra support. What struck me when putting them on was how easy it was. I think we know the struggle of putting on compression socks or skinny jeans, the full body workout, push and pull struggle.This was not the case at all, the socks slid up my foot and calf so easily!

The next thing I noticed was how comfortable they felt on my legs. I didn't feel like I was getting strangled by a boa constrictor (gross), the compression was what Goldilocks would agree with, just right. The idea behind Legend is that they focus on graduated compression, meaning that it's tightest around the ankles, and gets lighter as you move up your leg. This is supposed to give the best benefits to your circulatory system during and after activity. Their motto is "right not tight" look for #rightnottight on social media for what other people are saying about them.

Test Run

Now that I had spent a few hours just hanging out around the house in the compression socks (it was cold in NY when I was on vacation) it was time to actually take them on a test run. I decided to take them straight to the trails behind my house. It was a beautiful fall morning and I needed to get into the woods and enjoy. I also thought that the trails would be a great way to test the durability of the socks because of the variety of obstacles I would find. I was running up and down in elevation, jumping over fallen trees, running over uneven ground from roots and rocks, and not to mention the ground was wet with dew.

Here's what I found, my feet got pretty wet very quickly but that didn't have any affect on the socks. The foot of the socks were tight enough that even though my feet were sliding around in my shoe (I wasn't in trails shoes), I never got a blister, and my arch was very well supported. The quick feet that I needed to have to dodge all the obstacles were only enhanced by the socks. My blood was circulating very well and nothing was sore at all. Although my legs were tired running up the hill they never felt deprived, further showing the benefits to leg circulation, especially with the weather being much colder than what I'm used to running in. One of the bonuses of wearing them out in the woods was I knew that my legs would be protected from thorns and ticks.

My next test for them was to wear them on a longer run. I did this when back on Maui and in the afternoon when the sun was still out. Why I did this was to see how my legs would differ from the colder temps that I ran in while in NY. What I really noticed was that even though I had the extra layer on my legs from the socks, my legs weren't super hot. The sock are very breathable, the wind was able to get through the material to keep my legs cool and not sweltering. Also my legs were protected from the UV rays of the sun. With my pale complexion I need to apply sunblock if I'm outside for longer than 10 minutes. Being able to wear these socks that protect my legs not only saves me time from applying sunblock to my legs but it also saves me money because I don't have to use as much sunblock. Big bonuses here!!

Final Thoughts

I'm never going back to traditional compression that's so tight that it inhibits your abilities. I have to say that there was one down side to these, I only had one pair so I had to wait until I did laundry to use them again. I've since fixed this problem buy ordering a few more pairs. Use code "bibsave15" to save 15% on your order!

Join us Tuesday November 8th at 3pm HST for Legend Compression sponsored #Bibchat 

Make sure to follow Legend on social media for their latest products:

T: @LEGENDlegwear 

IG: legendcompressionwear

Race Recap: Bank of America Chicago Marathon

If I could sum up my race weekend in Chicago with one word it would be: life-changing (using a hyphen counts as one word right? To read my race review on Bibrave click here.

All of my hard work since January was finally about to pay of as race weekend finally came to be. I joined a Fundraising Team with American Cancer Society (ACS) - DetermiNation Illinois that way I would have guaranteed entry to the race, and I would get to spend more time with Eric while in Chi. To be honest the fundraising was harder than I thought it would be. I found it very to ask people for donations knowing that the money they donated would not be used on Maui. Maui has had a difficult past with charities that raise tons of money on Maui then it isn't actually used to better Maui.

After months of training and fundraising it was finally time for me to leave the Valley Isle and head to the windy city. The night I made it to the city we had a team dinner with American Cancer Society. It was a busy night with guest speakers, pasta buffet, awards, and more. Collaboratively all the runners raised over $700,000 toward finding a cure for cancer, a truly amazing job by everyone! There was one thing that I really took with me from one of the guest speakers. There was no reason to be nervous about the race because regardless of the months I had spent training, I wasn't going to win. The message hit me like a ton of bricks, he was right I wasn't going to win. There was no point in being nervous. I just needed to remember my training and all would be fine!

The expo was mind blowing by how big is was. So much bigger than anything that I have seen on Maui or Oahu! So so organized and easy to navigate. Everything was digital with QR codes that pulled up your profile, making the whole process seamless! We carb loaded the night before, and despite the jet lag I managed to get several hours of sleep.

We were super fortunate that ACS had rented a great hall of the Congress Hotel for us to use during the day. We had a save place to check our bags, and hang before and after the race. As I made my way to the starting corrals I noticed that I wasn't nervous at all, I felt well cold, very very cold (the temperature was 20+ degrees colder than Maui), but ready.

The corrals were huge which gave us ample space to warm up and stretch without being on top of each other. I felt I was at a disadvantage
because of my corral placement. I was farther ahead than I should have been. My half pace, that I PRed with and used for Chicago was much faster than my marathon pace. So I followed the advice of the runner coach at the hotel I work at to run a 30 seconds slower pace for the first 5 miles to allow all the faster runners to pass me, and allow the runner of my pace to catch up to me.

The plan was a success! About 5-6 miles in the 4:10 pace group showed up and I stuck to them like glue for the rest of the race. I really have to give them the most credit for my successful race because I couldn't have done it without them. They were so inspirational and motivating throughout the race. At every mile marker they would count down from 3 and we would all raise our hands and cheer as we ran over the line. The optimism was intoxicating! About three times during the race they asked us to get to know our neighbor, introduce ourselves, and say where we were from. Then other times they would have us do butt kicks or high knee kicks to keep our blood circulating. And let me tell you, doing those while running was definitely a great way to keep it all flowing.

As I sit here thinking about the course I remember how flat the course was. There were very few elevation changes, save the very end, but we'll get to that later. I remember running through several parks where the trees were showing off their fall colors, leaves on the ground, and very open. Much different from running past all the buildings.

I actually tried not to pay as much attention to my surroundings as there were so many spectators that would cheer for me by name (my name was on my shirt). I found that to be very distracting, so I was more concentrating on my breathing, footing, and pace.

At mile 23 I did hit a wall and lost the pace group. I was still positive about it because I made it so much longer than my previous marathons before hitting the wall. What was different this time was that I was prepared for it. I knew it was because I was needing electrolytes and hydration. So I ate a few pretzels that I brought, drank some nuun that I brought, which got me to the next aid station. From there I downed a few cups of Gatorade and a banana and suddenly my legs were back into full gear. I charged the final few miles, even turning off my music because with the cheering crowd I didn't need it.

Now back to the elevation change at the very end. The final .2 miles run up Mount Roosevelt which wasn't too steep by my standards. Since I trained on hills every other week during training I was able to plow of the hill and into the finish. To my luck the pace team was still at the finish and were in fact waiting for me. I was happy to snag a group picture with them!

One of the pacers had said something to us during the race, that at some point during this race we would have "our moment" where we knew that we are a marathoner. Well he was right! Mine happened once I left the pace team and got wrapped up in the blanket and I looked at my finish time. I had taken off 51 minutes from my marathon PR. I remember being so overwhelmed that I just started crying, and just like he said I knew that at this point that I was a marathoner.

Cheers to a successful marathon weekend!

Product Review: Orange Mud Transition & Seat Wrap

I think The Wrap was one of the most exciting purchases that I have made this year! I've already been a big fan of Orange Mud Products since I got my Double Barrel Hydra Quiver a few months ago, and The Wrap hasn't let me down yet.

I was browsing through IG one day and caught a glimpse of the promo video for The Wrap and I knew that I needed it. Living on Maui as you can guess if amazing because let's face it, you're in paradise all the time! However, and a big however, paradise does have a few downfalls. The heat, sand, mud, cane road red dirt, etc... The list isn't too big, but the one thing that all these have in common is they are messy.

Going to the beach is one of the best thing about living here because you can go whenever you want. The only thing that drives me crazy about it is afterwards you're wet and sandy, and then have to get in your car. Then all that sands gets in your car and gets stuck in the little nooks and seams of your seat and you can never get it out. On one end of The Wrap it zips together making a corner that goes over your headrest, so you can drape the rest of The Wrap over your seat. (see below)


Since buying The Wrap, it's always in my car if it's clean so that I will always have it when I need it. It's also always in my beach bag because it's so much more than just a towel. I love the way that the waist line has notches with a hook on the end, so that you can hook to one of notches for a secure hold. One of the worst things when you're trying to gather up all your stuff to leave the beach and your towel keeps falling off. Orange Mud has solved that problem. The Wrap always stays securely on your waist which give me an extra arm to use that would normally be holding onto the tucked towel.

This is especially useful for me after going to spin class or finishing up a run. With the tropical temperatures around here, you're always going to be hot after a workout. I do a lot of trail running on a red clay dirt road that goes through the old sugar cane fields. Suffice it to say, when I'm finished with a run I'm not only sweaty but I'm also covered with red dirt. Knowing that I have this to put over my car seat to soak up all the sweat and dirt makes me feel really glad knowing that I'm not having all that liquid and minerals going into my seat. My seat stays clean and odor free!

I think this should be in everyone's go bag whether it's to the beach, for a workout, or even if you have kids. I don't have kids myself but I knew from my family that kids love getting into anything and everything. Having this in your car ready and waiting for the time when your kid slips and falls or dumps their food all over them self can be the difference between a protect seat and spending a few hours cleaning your car.

In conclusion, it's simple, just go buy one of these!