review

Christmas Come Early: A Skins Review and Giveaway!

Zoey · December 1, 2016 · 36 Comments

Who doesn’t love new gear?

Don’t worry that question was definitely rhetorical. If there’s one thing runners like, it’s more things to run in. Skins got in touch with me recently about sharing some of their gear with the Operation Move community, which I was very excited about, but I’d never personally tried them so I asked around in our coaching groups and in our community group and got some rave reviews. Now that I have tried them, I can see why.

Top 10 Things I Love

Sizing. True to size. There’s nothing more nerve wracking than buying online (which I do a lot of living regionally) and finding that the size is way out. I used their sizing chart and was somewhere between Small and Medium, so I took their advice and sized down to a small which was a perfect fit.

Waistband. I own a few different types of compression gear and the waistband is usually way too thin to be supportive and can make me feel cut off in the middle. Plus this waistband is scooped up at the back so it gives way better coverage.

Mid-Rise. The last time I wore low rise I was about 1o years younger. These sit just above my belly button and they don’t move whether I’m running or at Crossfit.

Light. I live in Northern NSW where coming into Summer now it is going to be hot, humid and gross. It’s ok though because I get 9 months of great running weather. But summer can be a challenge with running tights. I’ve worn these here and in Fiji and I never felt I was overheating.

They don’t move. I have a few pairs of tights that I need to continually pull up until I’m sweating enough so they stay put. (True, slightly gross story). But once these are on there is no adjusting needed at all.

Compressive. For me they are the perfect amount of compression. Great for running in when my muscles are a bit sore and I can feel how supportive they are, but not so much that they are restrictive at all. When my muscles start to fatigue in the tail end of a hard run I can definitely tell the difference when I’m wearing them as opposed to anything else.

Pockets. Oh I love pockets so much. If I am taking my phone I’d bring my spibelt or flipbelt, but for keys or an ATM card, there’s a great pocket at the back where it’s not going to irritate you at all while you are running.

No sweat marks or patches. I have other compression tights which I just wouldn’t wear because you get these giant, visible sweat patches in all the wrong places which is fine if I’m at home but a lot less fine if I’m out running or at the gym.

Recovery. I’ve recently returned to running and lifting after 3 weeks off and re-entry is tough. Everything hurts. So getting instant muscle relief from the compression is pretty ace.

Getting them on (or off). I’m sure there’s a YouTube series in the slapstick hilarity of getting your running tights on. I have some which fit but are so hard to get on that I could nearly dislocate a shoulder getting the job done, especially if I’m a wee bit sweaty. Not so here. Save all that energy for the workout.

Out in the field

If there’s one thing I know how to do it’s give my running gear an absolute hammering. Here’s what I got up to.

Crossfit. Total of 50 Power Cleans and 50 Burpees. Way too many burpees.

Run in Fiji. It was so hot. Husband probably not super keen on the selfie situation, but he’s a trooper!

Finally back home and recovered from a bit of a nasty cold I caught while on holiday. Something incredibly unfair about that scenario. But I got back out there and it was so lovely to be out running again. After doing nothing for the better part of two weeks, this was my second run back and I was a bit sore from running the day before. Shock to the system I think! But this run was faster and I got a lot of support from the compression with feeling a bit of muscle soreness.

Second session back at Crossfit. Only way I was getting through that workout with current level of muscle soreness was compression.

The Christmas Part

Skins have generously offered to give one person a pair of A400 WOMEN’S COMPRESSION 3/4 TIGHTS. These tights are available in black or in the gold design you see pictured in this post and are valued at $179.99.

What Skins have to say about these tights!

“Look good, feel good and train even better! Our SKINS A400 Women’s ¾ Tights have been designed with performance and comfort in mind so you can train harder and recover faster and look great while you’re at it.

Our A400 Women’s ¾ Tights include the new ADAPTIVE Technology to keep you cool when it’s hot and feeling warm when it’s cold. The new lower rise sits securely on your hips and the wider, shaped waistband with an easily accessible pocket lets you focus on your workout in maximum comfort.

Don’t forget our Dynamic Gradient Compression which helps deliver more oxygen to your active muscles. What’s that mean to you? It means you can train harder for longer and reduce the chance of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).

For extra muscle support our Memory MX fabric has been added to various key areas including your ITB, TFL and knee to ensure maximum compression without restriction. This allows you to perfect your downward dog or run that little bit further while reducing the risk of injury.

And if that’s not enough we’ve added 360-degree reflectivity so you can go for a run at night without thinking twice.”

How to Enter

To enter, comment below with what your favourite workout is and why. The winner will be picked by the Operation Move coaches based on most interesting answer!

Entries will close on the 11th December at 11:59pm and winners will be notified by email.

We also have a gift for everyone!
Skins are also giving everyone in the community 20% off Skins full-priced products from the 1st to 20th December using the code OPMOVE-SKINS20 so you don’t have to win a competition, you can grab a great deal now.

ARC14 – a review of the inaugural Australian Running Convention

OperationMove · October 1, 2014 · 1 Comment

Our wonderful Jo went along to the inaugural Australian Running Convention (ARC14 or AusRunCon) and has kindly shared her thoughts on the event with us. Thanks Jo!

Saturday 6th of September saw the launch of the Australian Running Convention in Melbourne. A day full of workshops, seminars, healthy food and expo stands full of running related merchandise and information. How could I possibly miss this? Obviously I couldn’t! I jumped on the tram and headed for the city.

ARC14 was held on the banks of Albert Park lake. Right beside the track where Albert Melbourne parkrun is run every Saturday. No better place to assemble runners right? I have to agree. It was a lovely sunny day and a fantastic venue. Armed with my show bag full of goodies, I headed inside.

The expo side of things was great. There were a range of different stalls and I think they covered all areas of running. She Science were there with their super range of bras and workout gear, The guys from Running Fit showed off their shoes and even handed out some awesome socks to fans. I saw some new brands and products, like Source hydration packs, Soleus watches and Life straws which make any water safe to drink! Amazing. There really was something for everyone.

My favourite part of the day was the workshops and seminars. I took a lot away from the sports physiotherapy seminar. Ross and Caleb, from Freedom sports medicine discussed footwear and injury prevention. I was very happy to hear that having at least 2 pairs of shoes is a good idea! It lets the foam inside your shoe recover from being compressed during a run when you wear a different pair the following day. This helps your shoes last longer. Great reason to go shopping right?! As far as injury prevention goes, we should all be focussing on strength (glutes and core), recovery (stretching, foam roller, spiky ball and rest), stress relief and sleep. Yoga is really good for body awareness and loosening hips and tight muscles and pilates is best for developing awareness and turning on your muscles properly.

I took part in two workshops. One was a yoga and injury prevention session. Sitting barefoot on the grass on a sunny Melbourne day was delightful. It’s very easy to feel how yoga can help runners, it definitely loosens and lengthens muscles. I felt very relaxed as well which would definitely help prevent injury. The other workshop was strength training for runners. The importance of strength has become very apparent to me through injury and I wish I had taken notice of it before I started running! I spent half an hour learning some simple exercises that can be done anywhere that can help support your running and then going through a workout that almost floored me! I mean burpees? Really?? Gosh they are hard! The idea of doing just 10 mins of strength training after each run makes it sound too easy. Some squats, push ups, sit ups and planks and you’re done. I’m going to give that a try.

Overall the day was great. All of the workshops, seminars and expo stalls tied in well and all supported each other’s message of healthy body and mind. There was fantastic healthy food available on site and great facilities. I will definitely be back next year and can’t wait to see it become a highlight on the conference circuit in coming years. I’m sure it’s going to only get bigger and better.

Go Wireless! A YurBuds Review

OperationMove · June 30, 2014 · Leave a Comment

We love being able to offer our Operation Move team the chance to participate in product experiences and reviews. Today, Christina shares her thoughts on the new YurBuds Wireless earbuds.

As a runner, I listen to music or audio books to keep me moving. Thanks to Operation Move, I have had the chance to try out Yurbuds’ Limited Edition Inspire Wireless ear buds.

In the box:

Earbuds
Charging cable
Spare set of silicone enhancers
Case

First impressions

When I removed the headphones from the box, my first thought was that they would not fit in my ears. These are the largest earbuds I have ever seen, dwarfing my standard issue iPhone earbuds.

The earbuds connect wirelessly to any blue-tooth enabled device with just one click. It took less than 30 seconds to pair the earbuds with my iPhone 5s. It took far longer to jam them in my ears, but more about that in a minute. My iPhone also displayed a battery monitor – a handy feature to make sure they last the distance – up to six hours. This does not work currently with Android devices. The earbuds give auditory feedback for power status, maximum volume, and critically low charge. The controls are on the right earbud, and it is easy to adjust volume, change tracks or answer a phone call. The earbuds are connected by a cloth-covered adjustable cable that can be worn at the front or back of the head.

These earbuds are not for the audiophile, offering adequate mid range sound, but no booming bass or crisp treble. Inserting the earbuds properly significantly improves sound clarity – the narrow end of the washable silicone covering needs to point into the ear canal. This is not intuitive, and I actually had to consult the manual to work out how to position them so they would not fall out. The ‘twist and lock’ action felt more like jam and wrench.

Performance on the road

Yurbuds claim that the wireless Inspire earbuds never fall out or hurt. Once I wrestled the earbuds into place they were surprisingly comfortable, and I mostly forgot about them on both short and long test runs. The wireless signal did not drop out, even though I carried the phone in my Spibelt rather than the recommended position on the right arm. The controls were easy to use on the move. The earbuds are not especially loud, but that suits me. I like to be aware of my environment, and these earbuds allow ample ambient noise awareness. Perhaps too much – I was much more aware of wind noise than I usually am with my regular earbuds. Sound quality was acceptable when fitted properly, although the range was not as dynamic as I would like.

On my long run I had trouble balancing the sound. This was due to incorrect fit, and annoyingly, I had to stop running to reposition them. They did not fall out when fitted properly. I loved not having wires dangling in front of me, and the controls were easy to access. I tried a phone call, and while I could hear my friend clearly, my friend had trouble hearing me. I would not use these earbuds for making phone calls outdoors.

Verdict – measure your ear cavity and check these headphones out in the wild before shelling out $199. If they fit and you are not overly fussy about sound quality, they are a good option for wire free moving.

Baby Jogger Summit X3 – jogging stroller review

OperationMove · March 26, 2014 · 5 Comments

With an increasing number of running specific prams on the market, it can be hard to know what will best suit your training AND your little person.

When looking for a running pram there are a number of factors to consider; Where do you run? How old is your child? How much time will be spent in the pram? Will it fit in your car? Does it need to serve as an everyday stroller as well, or will it only ever be used for running?

The newly released Summit X3 by Baby Jogger has been highly anticipated. Baby Jogger are known for quality products and clever design, and the Summit X3 is no exception.

The jogging stroller (or as we prefer, running pram) has one key feature that is noticeable the moment your child gets in; all wheel suspension. Of course a number of prams boast this feature these days, but even over the bumpiest corrugated dirt road my daughter had a noticeably smoother ride than in our old running pram.

The Summit X3 also has a generous canopy with a three part fold that, when opened fully, provides optimal protection against the harsh Aussie sun. It features a lockable front wheel (which should be fixed for running, but can be released to a swivel for everyday use and walking) which offers greater versatility than its fixed wheel counterparts.

It is an attractive unit which will safely carry a child up to 34kgs, a huge increase on standard single prams . What this means for us is that my 5.5 year old son will outgrow it height wise before he reaches the weight restriction. Being tall for his age he’d probably only have another few months of sitting comfortably in it, whereas my 3yo will have a cushy ride for years to come. When you’re a mother runner and the only way to get your training in is to do it with the kids, it’s good to know that the Summit is a decent long term investment.

Standard features include an easy flick foot brake, additional quick grab hand brake and secure quick release five point safety belt for the child.

The renowned Baby Jogger one handed fold requires only that you undo two safety straps before grabbing the handle in the centre of the seat and lifting, and for such a sturdy stroller it boasts a more compact fold than many others. It should fit comfortably in the boot of most sedans with room to spare.

We took the stroller out for an 8km run/walk on various terrains including gravel, dirt, rough track and asphalt. It performed well on all surfaces and my my daughter seemed not to notice the difference in terms of her own comfort, something she has commented on in other prams.

The one handed recline is very handy for children who are likely to fall asleep while you are out running, and you can separately purchase a console for snacks and entertainment items. Also available: wet weather cover, mesh cover, parent console and other options.

At $749RRP the Baby Jogger Summit X3 is an investment item for most families, but when considered against the cost of a gym membership plus creche with the added benefit of getting out in the fresh air with your children, it may be one worth making.

*Please note: whilst a bassinet and travel system option are available for the Baby Jogger Summit X3, it is not recommended to run with a child under the age of 12 months unless under paediatric guidance.

Sports Bra Review – Moving Comfort Juno

OperationMove · February 20, 2014 · 3 Comments

Recently a group of Operation Movers were invited to experience the unique fitting system and fantastic service offered at She Science. Each Mover was prescribed the best sports bra for their needs, and in the coming weeks we will share their thoughts on the products.

Kate Says:

When I started running I realised pretty quickly that a good sports bra was not a want but a must have. Anyone who has ever experienced underboob chafing will know exactly why that is.

I bought a Berlei Ultimate Performance sports bra because I could not get my head around any bra without underwires. It was great for a while, but in time I found that the band underneath started to roll up during a run and I needed to wear a crop top as well to feel supported.

It was around that time that I first hear about the Moving Comfort Juno. I ordered one online and from my first run I knew I had found the perfect bra for me. Despite the lack of wires, it was supportive and comfortable and I ran hundred’s of kilometres in it through rain, hail and shine without once experiencing any chafing.

When I attended my fitting at She Science I was interested to see if they would recumbent the same bra, especially as I had lost a fair bit of weight and my boobs had taken off along with it.

After being measured up I tried a few different bras out using their video technology and a treadmill to assess for support and stability. While the other brands were good, they just didn’t offer the same level of support for my shape and so I left with a beautiful new blue Juno, albeit in a smaller band size than I was wearing because like many women I hadn’t been fitted in years and was wearing the wrong size for me.

Because I have been pregnant and/or breastfeeding for so long, compressive support is important for me when I run. My breasts are definitely nothing like they were before all those years of hard work, and I’m happy to have found the perfect bra for my needs. When they change shape again as they are bound to in time, I’ll be heading back to She Science for sure!