She Runs by the Seashore

Disclaimer: I received products from Handful, Brooks, Vuori and Incrediwear 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!

Looking to bring a fresh look to your running outfits? I received numerous items when I attended The Running Event last month as a BibRave Pro, and today, after having a few weeks to test my new clothes, I’m going to share what I thought of the clothing items I received.

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Handful Y-Back Bra

$56, Handful.com

I absolutely love this bra. It is just so comfortable! I got a medium, and it fits well. I chose medium because I generally wear a medium in clothes, and I like the way it fits.

The tag says the medium is for a size 36-38 A-D+, and, at the risk of giving TMI (although I am reviewing a bra), I normally wear a size 34D. We were given a couple options for bras and I chose the Y-Back Bra because it said it was good for size C and up cups. Maybe a small would fit as well, but I’m happy with this one.

I noticed that the BibRave Pros received a variety of colors, and I also happen to really like the color I got — Get After It Green.

I have worn the bra on runs of up to 13.1 miles — I wore it for the Rehoboth Seashore Half Marathon — and I have had no issues with chafing. I almost forget I’m wearing it — I don’t notice bouncing and I don’t have to adjust anything.

The bra comes with removable pads, and each time I’ve washed the bra in the washing machine, the pads have come out. That’s not a problem, because they are easy to put back in and are also labeled for left and right. Since they are so easily removable, you could also wear the bra without pads if you want.

I’m hoping to add one or more of these to my collection.

Learn more about the Handful Y-Back Bra here.

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Handful Squeeze Play Leggings

$70, Handful.com

The Handful Squeeze Play Leggings are also made of a super-comfy fabric. My first time wearing these was for my day of travel from The Running Event in Austin back to my home in Salisbury, Maryland. I had two flights and a long layover. I also wore them for the Rehoboth Seashore Half Marathon and for a run today.

I normally would wear shorts on a day like today (it’s 44 degrees now, but when I ran, it was probably a little closer to 50), but I wanted to wear the leggings one more time before writing the review. They did not get too hot at all, yet when I ran the half marathon, it was super cold and they seemed perfect.

Again, I got a medium, my usual size. The leggings were definitely much longer than my ankles — I’m 5 feet tall and they were not marketed as petite or anything like that — but I also saw on the website that they can be worn stirrup-like. It was no problem to bunch them up a little bit at the bottom.

I also don’t have a super flat stomach, and I found that the material kind of bunched under my stomach in the front. There’s not a drawstring. However, the back stayed up well, and I liked that it had a higher cut. There’s also flattering ruching on the lower back area.

There is also a pocket in the inner front of the leggings. I have a huge case for my phone because I’m clumsy and wanted a waterproof case, so the phone does not fit in there with the huge case, but my phone — an iPhone 6 — does fit in there without a case. Today, I used the pocket to hold my house key, and it stayed put.

These are definitely nice and comfy. I’m sure they will get a good amount of use this winter.

Learn more about the Handful Squeeze Play Leggings here.

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Brooks LSD Jacket

$105, Brooks.com

I am not much of a jacket-wearing runner — at least, I wasn’t before. I love the Brooks LSD Jacket! And if you don’t already know, LSD stands for Long Slow Distance.

While in Austin, I saw fellow BibRave Pros posing for a photowith their jackets and I was able to see just how reflective the jacket is. The whole front is filled with a reflective pattern, and there’s also a reflective strip down the back.

I also learned from a BibRave Pro that you can fold it up into the pocket, and from a different Pro that the strap in the pocket can actually be used as an arm band. How handy!

I just tried folding it up into the pocket today, and it was super easy.

The first time I wore the jacket, I wore it with a short-sleeved tech shirt, and I was surprised just how warm it was. The jacket is super light, but it got warm very quickly. There are even small holes in the armpit area for venting. The next time I wore it, I wore it with a tank top.

I liked it enough that I decided to wear it for the aforementioned Rehoboth Seashore Half Marathon. This isn’t the intended use, but I had to have my neon yellow short-sleeved pacing shirt visible, so I actually wore the short-sleeve shirt on top of the jacket. I felt like I had worn just the right thing. The short-sleeved shirt did ride up some on the jacket, but a shirt isn’t meant to be worn on a jacket.

I noticed that the jacket was supposed to be washed separately before wearing. I didn’t realize that until after I’d worn it a few times, but I just washed it (I hand-washed it to save water) and once I took it out of the bucket I was using, it seemed to dry pretty quickly. On the website, it’s described as “rain-resistant.” The jacket is also windproof.

I also got a medium in the jacket, and I think the fit seems about perfect.

Learn more about the Brooks LSD Jacket here.

Vuori Omni Performance Short

$58, Vuori.com

The Vuori Omni Performance Shorts were one of the first items from the swag bag that I used. Along with the Handful Y-Back Bra, I wore the shorts for the BibRave group run and then for the expo.

These shorts are made of a nice fabric and are a nice color that I didn’t already have. I did not have a problem with the waistband bunching under my stomach, but I think it is because these shorts are pretty low cut. The waistband fit well and seemed to be the right size — again, I got medium. The waistband is adjustable.

I love the zippered pocket on the back — it’s the perfect size for holding credit cards, an ID or cash. The shorts also have a comfortable liner.

The shorts are shorter than what I normally wear, and because of this, I ended up with chafing the first time I wore them — I have larger legs and inner-thigh chafing is unfortunately a very common occurrence for me. I also hadn’t worn BodyGlide or something similar that day — always a mistake.

With BodyGlide, they certainly worked better, although I could feel them riding up.

I wasn’t making a huge effort to smell my shorts, but I saw on the website that one of the features is anti-odor, which is pretty awesome!

Learn more about the Vuori Omni Performance Shorts here.

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Incrediwear Women’s Performance Capri

$70, Incrediwear.com

The Incrediwear Women’s Performance Capri is one of the four items I received from Incrediwear. The three pairs of socks will make an appearance in a future post.

I’ve worn these capris for a few runs, and they actually fit more like pants on me — I did mention that I’m only 5 feet tall. One interesting thing about Incrediwear is that the capris include embedded carbonized charcoal.

I don’t think I’ve ever had clothes with charcoal in them before, so I’ll let the Incrediwear packaging explain:

Our revolutionary therapeutic fabric is infused with the CIRCULATION ENHANCING natural element carbonized charcoal, which is activated by your body heat to dramatically increase blood flow to your skin and muscles.

Pretty cool! On the packaging, it also says, “For best results wear while sleeping.” The capris can be worn for running or recovery, and I haven’t worn them while sleeping yet, so I’m planning to give that a try tonight before a long run tomorrow.

I have liked running in these capris, although it’s hard for me to tell in the moment how it may be affecting my circulation. I did notice on a recent run that I felt some warmth around my knees while wearing these capris.

As I mentioned, I don’t have a flat stomach, so these were another pair of bottoms that I could feel bunching under my stomach. However, they were still fine to run in.

They also felt comfortable when I ran in them on a warmer day — I wore them for my run at Lady Bird Lake in Austin not because I needed to wear a longer pant/capri but because I didn’t want to wear shorts because of my chafing. While I did get kind of warm, my legs didn’t feel hot.

The website also says the capris are thermoregulating, and, according to Healthline.com, “Thermoregulation is a process that allows your body to maintain its core internal temperature.” So, what I take from that is you can wear these capris in hotter or colder temperatures.

I’m looking forward to continuing to wear these, as I think recovery-type effects can really be seen over a long period of time.

Learn more about the Incrediwear Women’s Performance Capri here.

What’s up next?

Before the end of the month, I’ll be writing reviews on all of the items I received in my swag bag from The Running Event. Stay tuned to learn more, and read about my full experience at The Running Event here.

I also figured I should note that the above five products are all priced higher than what I normally spend on running clothes. I had originally made a note in each section, but I figured I was being a little repetitive. And the prices all fall in line with each other, so that’s important.

I’m just a bargain shopper and I like to feel like I’m getting a deal. And that’s more money to spend on races, right? But quality is very important, too!

I’ve really enjoyed the opportunity to test these items and add them to my growing collection of running clothes.

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