Speedy Summer Shoes: UA HOVR Sonic Review

Disclaimer: I received a pair of the Under Armour HOVR Sonic Shoes 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! 


If you are a regular reader of my blog, or frequenter on my Twitter page, you've already heard me sing the praises of Under Armor's HOVR Sonic shoes. (For new readers, check out my review from February here: Shoe Review - Under Armor's New HOVR

This time, I received super stylish black

Loving them for Summer running!

You may recall that when I first wore these shoes, it was in the winter, and on my very first run in them, I thought to myself, These are going to be the PERFECT Summer running shoe. Oh man, was that first impression correct! The thin mesh is a godsend for the heat and humidity here in SC! They also have a ventilated midfoot panel increases breathability. They are super comfortable and my feet do not overhead when I run in them.

So how do they perform? Again, I love these shoes!! I've consistently worn them for races, long runs and speed work and continue to be impressed by them. These are a neutral shoe that provide a wide range of balance, flexibility and cushioning. They provides a ‘zero gravity feel’ that maintains energy return and helps eliminate impact step after step making my long runs seem not quite so long on my feet. 

On July 4th, I wore my HOVR Sonics for a race, the Common Heart Firecracker Run 10K, that I had run also in 2017 and I fully believe that these shoes helped me run much better, faster race. Same day of the year (full on SC heat and humidity), same course, heck, even the exact same outfit with the exception of the shoes and this year, I shaved 5 full minutes off of my finishing time and went from 6th place division to 1st! I've run every single race that I've had since receiving my first pair in Jan in these shoes (with the exception of 2 trail races) and have had similar experiences for each race.

This time, I received the Non-Connected version of the shoe and I can honestly say, there is no performance difference between the two. If you are interested in all of the cool data that the Connect version has to offer, they are for sure worth the extra $10, but if you are not a data-nerd like me, than you will be perfectly happy with the Non-Connected shoes.

Under Armor HOVR Sonic shoes are priced at $100 for non-connected or $110 for connected versions and are currently available online and at retailers all over. Also, be sure to follow Under Armor Running on social media to keep up on the latest news -
Twitter: https://twitter.com/UARunning
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uarunning

Catching Up

See, I'm still alive... 

I've been suffering from a terrible case of the "I'll Get To It Laters", especially where this blog is concerned. Nothing in particular has been keeping me away, just life in general has been busy. Such is the case when you work full time, have a family with a very active little and run a bazillion (okay, so more like 20-25) miles a week plus cross train 2-3 days. So basically, if it's not pressing, it's been getting overlooked lately. Ugh. 

So, this is going to be a real quick update of what I've been doing and what I am looking forward to in the near future. And hopefully I can get back to a better schedule for not only my blog, but being more organized in general. 

Basically, chaos has been ruling the day, but I'm making some plans to reign it back in. Hopefully. We'll see...

What I've Been Up To

Since we've past the first quarter of the year, let's take a quick backwards glance to my 2018 goals and see where things stand. 

• Run 1009 miles - me and a friend are splitting 2018 miles
• I'm right on track. Have hit my first 3 monthly mileage goals with a little extra
• Run 18 races
• On track. I've run 6 races so far and registered for 5 more currently with several others I am eyeing
• Place in 4 races
• On track here as well. I've placed in 2 races so far this year (more on this in a bit)
• 1200 Twitter followers
• So far so good. I broke the 1,000 follower mark last month and am at 1,034 currently
• 1000 Instagram followers 
• This one is going a bit slower. I'm closing in on 700 so still attainable
• Run 4 Half Marathons (Tobacco Rd., Kings Mtn, Run & Ride, Rock n Roll Savannah) with a new PR in at least 1
• I've run Tobacco Road and got a new huge PR and have registered for Kings Mountain (next month) and Rock N Roll Savannah (Join me in Nov and register with discount code "RNRBRP2018" for $15 off the full/half marathon). Run & Ride will not be held this year (boo) so I need to find another Fall Half to replace. Considering the Charlotte 13.1 in September or maybe the Myrtle Beach Mini in October.
• Do an Obstacle Race (Warrior Dash) 
• Registered for Warrior Dash on June 2nd. Having our first training camp on Sat. 
• Renew as BibRave Pro
• This doesn't happen until Fall, but I've been trying to be a good little Pro 
• Blog more - 4 per month at least 
• Doing better than 2017, but missed my goal in March. 4 in Jan, 6 in Feb and just 3 in March. April is not progressing well either as this is my first post and it is half over, but I can still catch up
• Keep a consistent training plan/journal (Using the Believe. Training Journal)
• January I did great. Since then, not so well. Need to reset and start back up again

So I am basically on a pretty consistent track for meeting most of my 2018 goals. In addition, I have been consistently doing Burn Boot Camp with 2-3 camps per week, mainly focusing on the areas I need the most work (upper body and core). 

What else, what else... Oh yeah...  
I HAVE A NEW 5K PR!! AND I PLACED FIRST AG AT A RACE!!!

Last weekend I ran the Come See Me Road Race 5K, which was a redemption race for me of sorts. Last year, I sucked at that race. I had been sick the day before and had a pretty poor showing. Insult to injury, I placed 4th. I hate 4th place. And I placed 4th in 4 races last year. This was one of them. And for 2018 I vowed that I would right the wrong of 4th places (so far I am 2 for 2 of placing in previous 4th place, so yay). 

Anyway, I have been really working on my speed work to hit a placing for this race and not only did I place, I placed 1st and hit a new PR by 1 min 15 sec! BOOM! I swear I almost teared up when I looked at the results screen.This race was the first 5K I ever ran 4 years ago so coming in 1st was extra special to me. 

Things I Loving

In addition to making gains on some goals, I've also had an opportunity to try out a few new awesome products. I'll be writing more about these things in upcoming blogs, but wanted to mention a few things I've been loving lately. Shout outs to the following:

FlipBelt Crops* - These are my new go to running tights. Love them. They have a huge built in front pocket with a key clip, plus a large back pocket with a zipper in the back. I can still carry everything I need with no bouncy belt flopping around behind me. Get your own pair at www.flipbelt.com and use discount code to promote is *"BIBRAVE" for 25% off. I will be posting a more detailed review of these before the end of the month, but spoiler alert: I've really been liking them! 

Under Armor HOVR Sonic shoes* - I cannot say enough good things about these shoes! I love them. I swear these are like secret weapon shoes. I have PRed the last 3 races that I have worn them!! Basically, what I've been doing is running the majority of my training runs in a heavier pair of shoes, and then busting out these bad boys for my long runs and on race day. They are so light I feel like I am flying when wearing them. Plus, their zero gravity design somehow leaves me feeling like I could practically run forever in them. I'm racking up the miles on my first pair and am getting another very soon. 

Avon's Anew Skinvincible Lotion - I'm terrible about using sunscreen while running and asked a friend who is an Avon rep for a good solution and she turned me on to this lotion with broad spectrum SPF 50 sunscreen in it. It's super light, has no smell and doesn't sweat off. I used it on my face for my last race and despite the fact my shoulders got super sunburnt, my face had no issue. And, she told me last night, it's on special this month, so yay! You can hit up my friend's Avon here - http://www.youravon.com/dwood7441 

Knockaround Sunglasses - As a BibRave Pro, I often get to try out some really cool products for free. Unfortunately I wasn't chosen to test out these awesome sunglasses, but they were so cute and so inexpensive, I decided to take advantage of their partnership with BibRave and use their discount code to buy my own pair. So far I'm loving them! Haven't had a chance to run in them yet, but they seem like they are going to stay in place with no issue. Get your own at http://www.knockaround.com and use code BIBRAVEKNOCKS for 20% off (1 use/person).

What I'm Looking Forward To

So what's on the horizon? Well, on May 5th, I have my next Half Marathon, Kings Mountain Half. It's a pretty low key event and honestly, my goal is pretty much just to beat last year's time. I mean, the race has the word MOUNTAIN in the name, so this is not a PR race. I placed 3rd AG last year, so it would be nice to at least do that again this year, but really, this is a race I just hope to do okay at. The course has changed from last year, so who knows what the elevation profile will be like this year. Last year, there was a huge sucky hill at mile 11.5. Hoping that bad boy won't  be on this year's route. 

BibRave and Buff, What an Amazing Combo! 

Also, I'll be working on a campaign with BibRave and Buff in May and June where I get to try out a few amazing Buff products and take them on some exciting adventures. I've been like a kid in a candy store picking out my items and will finalize my order this week. Can't wait to show you what I'm getting and what amazing activities I have in store. Here's a hint, Warrior Dash Training is about to get pretty intense! Excited and a bit scared all at the same time! #livemorenow

So that is about it for right now. I promise I will be better at checking in here. Maybe in May I will do some kind of blog challenge to make it more of a habit. Habit setting is definitely something I need to get better at. 

What about you? What have you been up to? Life getting in your way too? Let me know and we can commiserate together. 

(“Disclaimer: I received my FlipBelt Crops and HOVR Sonic shoes 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!”)

Shoe Review - Under Armor's New HOVR

Disclaimer: I received a pair of the Under Armour HOVR Sonic Shoes 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! 

For the most part, I am a creature of habit. When I find something that I like, I tend to stick to it. This counts double for my running shoes, or at least it did until recently. I had been running in the same brand for basically the last 3 years, just re-upping the model. When I was given the opportunity to test out a brand new pair of shoes that Under Armor was introducing, at first, I almost didn't. But a part of me thought - Be brave, try something new and most importantly, THESE SHOES SOUND SO COOL! And boy and I glad I tried them.

First, let me tell you a little about the HOVR Sonics.

Here's the info from the Under Armor website -

Product DNA 
(for Women's model)

• UA HOVR® technology provides ‘zero gravity feel’ to maintain energy return that helps eliminate impact step after step
• Compression mesh Energy Web contains & molds UA HOVR® foam to give back the energy you put in
• Microthread upper dries fast & provides a breathable, compression-like fit that delivers lightweight directional strength & unmatched comfort to help you go the distance
• Ventilated midfoot panel increases breathability
• Unique tongue construction is attached to the footbed by stretchable support wings to maintain a snug fit throughout the foot
• External TPU heel counter for additional support & structure
• Removable, anti-microbial Ortholite® sockliner molds to the foot for customized comfort & cushion
• Blown rubber under the forefoot is lightweight yet incredibly responsive
• High-abrasion rubber placed under the heel to help absorb ground contact
• CONNECTED: These shoes are equipped with UA’s Record Sensor™ & will pair to your phone
• Offset: 8mm
• Weight: 8oz/225g

Cool, right?

So the first thing that I noticed when I received my shoes was just how crazy bright they are. I mean, as a rational person, I know that shoe color has no impact on the performance, however, there is just something crazy fun about running in a super bright shoe. And let me tell you, people notice them. I have yet to wear them without getting some kind of comment about how bright/pretty they are. 

They were really easy to set up the connection to Map My Fitness (they connect to either Map My Run or Map My Fitness, I just happened to already have Map My Fitness). Basically, you just open up the app next to the shoes and like magic, they connect. They are able track all kinds of neat things while you run. The data nerd in me just loves that. 

I mean check out all this neat data collected on my run. And this was all gathered with just the shoes on. I didn't have my phone even with me during the run. When you are finished with your run, simply open the app and it will automatically sync. Now, I will say, that the tracking seems to be slightly off from what my Strava reports. For example, I will put in a 4 mile run and typically my shoes will track around 3.8 miles. If you are wanting exact stats, I would recommend also using a GPS form of tracking, but the data from the shoes is still really neat and really useful. 

My first impressions were that the shoes were super comfortable and had some really amazing cushioning. I was more used to wearing a heavier shoe and really could tell the difference. Another first impression was how thin the mesh on the shoes is. Now at the time of my first run, this wasn't the biggest positive ever since I first tested them in January on a really cold and windy day. The wind whipped right through the mesh and my feet were pretty cold, but I thought to myself how great these will be in the middle of the South Carolina summer! 

I wore the shoes off and on (mostly on warmer days) and each time I wore them I liked them more. After a while I realized that all of my recent runs where after I thought to myself, wow, I ran way faster than I had expected, I was wearing my HOVRs. This includes one run where I was with friend who is quite a bit faster than me. We had gotten to chatting while we were running and I was thinking to myself that he must have slowed down so as to not leave me behind, but after 3 miles, I checked my Strava and my average pace was a full minute faster than I usually run for the same difference!

Armed with this knowledge, I decided to wear them for the AllState Hot Chocolate 15K Charlotte. Actually, the decision was based on not only the speed that I had been displaying in them, but also how light they were. See, there was rain in the forecast for race day and the previous week when I ran in the rain, my shoes (a different pair) go SO soaked they became SO heavy! I figured since the HOVRs were so light to start with, if they got soaked, they would still be much lighter making the run easier. Luckily, the rain mostly held and while my feet got a bit wet, the shoes didn't retain water and become any heavier. I ran a great race in them and scored a new 15K PR! 

Yesterday in fact, I did my longest run ever in them - 15 miles. And guess what? Today, I feel great. 

I am 100% sold on these shoes. I plan to wear them next month for the Tobacco Road Half Marathon where I am confident that they will score me a new PR.

The Under Armor HOVR Sonic shoe is priced at $100 for non-connected or $110 for connected versions and is currently available online and at retailers all over. Also, be sure to follow Under Armor Running on social media to keep up on the latest news - 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/UARunning 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uarunning

Super light and super fast! I love my HOVRs! 

Hot Chocolate 15K Charlotte - Second Verse, Better Than The First

So I have always wanted to do a Hot Chocolate 15K and had been dismayed that there wasn't one near me. I finally bit the bullet and signed up for the closest one, which was Atlanta, determined to get my chocolate on. Well, to my surprise, shortly after signing up for Atlanta, they announced that the Hot Chocolate series was coming to Charlotte!! Could I handle double the chocolate? I knew I could!

Scenes from the Expo

Having done Atlanta the week prior, I kinda knew what to expect for the most part, however, each city has their own way of doing things and their own charm so it did not feel like I was doing the same exact race twice in a row. The Expo was much smaller, held in the ball room of a hotel just on the outskirts of Uptown Charlotte. It was pretty easy to get in and out of and if you stayed less than 20 minutes, your parking was free. I didn't stay long so I wouldn't have to pay, and was in and out easily while still getting everything I needed - the Bib system is like magic - they scan a QR code from your email and print a sticker to put on your bib - and exchanged my shirt (it was a bit on the tight side), picked up some Nuun, got some goodies (Hot Chocolate, chocolate dipped marshmallow and 2 small chocolate bars) and still was out in time. There was also a retail store set up with both Hot Chocolate gear and Charlotte gear.

Decided to rain coat up after all

This race was a local one for me so I knew the area and set out to arrive and get parked and settled with about 30 minutes or so to spare. With the horrible weather I had in Atlanta the week prior I had been obsessively watching the skies and while it was by no means a dry race, it was not terrible. Mostly it was damp and misty with a few minutes here and there of light rain. The roads were a bit puddled and my feet ended up fairly wet after, but I was just glad there was no downpour. I had planned ahead and wore a light waterproof jacket just in case and I am glad I had it, but would have been OK without. 

Just look at those shoes POP

Another pre-race decision I made was to do my run in the Under Armor HOVRs that I have been testing since January. Last week when I ran Atlanta, my shoes got so wet that they gained about 10 lbs each worth of water. The HOVRs are a remarkably light shoe so I figured they would retain much less water if they got soaked. And, while I hadn't raced in them yet, I'd put about 40 miles on them and really liked the way they were performing for me. In fact, the week before I had done a 3 miler in a 8:45 pace without even realizing it until after, I beleive due to the advanced energy return that reduces foot impact. At a minimum, I thought having such bright shoes on such a dreary day would make me feel happy. I am happy to say that all of the above were on point. My shoes were bright and happy and my feet were much lighter which I know contributed to my pace. 

There was lots of parking options around the area as the race was held just outside of Uptown Charlotte on the campus of a local community college (CPCC). I would have liked to see more signs directing parking options, but once you parked, there were lots of signs pointing to the start line and even with parking almost a half mile away, I knew exactly where to go. There were tons of port-a-potties available near the start and corrals were well marked with signage.

This pic was taken literal seconds before the start

Now the start was where you could tell that this was a first year race, as it was a bit confusing. The race was slated to start at 8:05 and I was in Corral D, so I thought that meant I had an actual start time of 8:21 as they said that waves would be released every 4 minutes. Well, joke was on me as Corral D was actually the first one (Apparently A-C were the 5K Corrals which started at 7:45). By the time I found a place to park almost a half mile away (it's a downtown area after all), used the ports, said hello to a few friends and got into position, I literally had 15 seconds before starting!! I was a bit frazzled but took off.

Official race on-course race pic. I'm super focused!

As for the actual course, there was a lot of volunteer support at the 4 aid stations. Each had some kind of yummy treat first - chocolate chips, flavored marshmallows, candy hearts and M&Ms - followed by Nuun and Water. There were port-a-potties at the halfway point and a few others throughout the course. A full lane of traffic was closed over the entire course. It wasn't the most scenic run I've done, but to be honest, once you leave the Uptown area of Charlotte, there isn't too much to look at. The course was basically a loop to the Southeast of Center City. It would have been nice to run through more of the Uptown area - the big buildings and stadiums, but it was a typical suburban course - neighborhoods and retail areas. It was pretty darn hilly though so I can't say I was ever bored on course. 

That finish time is a lie, oh well, still a PR

With the conditions being better I convinced myself I should have a faster race this week despite the fact that it had been only 6 days since my last race. I pushed myself pretty hard on the super hilly Charlotte roads and found myself in trouble around mile 7. I knew it was coming too. There was a pretty big hill on mile 6 that I said to myself on that I should have pulled back some and I paid the price. I had a horrible side cramp that I had to slow to a walk to manage. I walked about a quarter mile to get back where I could manage and somehow was able to get myself back in it. I finished not nearly as strong as I started, but still pulled a PR at under my goal of 1:30 with a 1:29:15 finishing time. I had initally thought I had done better as the timing clock was wrong at the finish (it read 1:27 when I crossed) but a PR is still a PR!

Coming into the finish, there was an announcer that called everyone's name as the crossed the finish and kept up some awesome encouragement. Thanks to him, everyone crossed with a smile on their face. After, I was given my awesome candy bar shaped medal with a hornet key chain to represent Charlotte and there were cups of Nuun, full water bottles and Nuun tablets available in the finisher chute. I hung out at the finish cheering on runners until my friends finished up and then we took a walk over to the post-race area to get our goodie bowls. There were lots of cool inflatables for photo ops and of course the finisher mugs full of Hot Chocolate and goodies were amazing. And before I had even left the race, I had received an email with a link to my free race photos. So that's really cool! I will for sure return again for next year's race!

And as for the shoes, I will for sure race in them again! My feet felt 100% better after the Charlotte race than they did for the Atlanta one. While my feet did end up wet (again) being so much lighter and not retaining the water made a HUGE difference. I can't wait to see how they race in perfect conditions. I have a half marathon coming up where I will find out because I will for sure race in my HOVRs for Tobacco Road.