I'm a Buff Girl: A Product Review

"Disclaimer: I received a Buff Original Multifunctional Headwear to use and 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!"

Yup, I'm a Buff Girl. Unfortunately when I say that, I don't mean buff as in the super strong (though I am working on it with my Burn Boot Camp membership) what I actually mean is I am a big fan of the brand, Buff, USA.

I have always loved their super practical, super comfortable headwear. And, if you are a regular reader of my blog, you may recall that this summer I got to try out a lot of their cool lifestyle products like Run Cap, Arm Sleeves and Insect Guard (check it out here if you missed it: Live More This Summer. And while I really loved each of these, I always seem to gravitate back to the Original Multifunctional Headwear as my go-to running accessory. They are just so versatile and so comfortable! 

Anyway, when I recently learned that Buff had redesigned their Original Multifunctional Headwear and at first I got nervous. I mean, this is my go-to item and it was perfect, why change it? Well, I'm pleased to say that I'm happy they did because it's even better than before! 

One of these items is way
more stylish than the other

So what did they change? First up, they are now made with 100% recycled REPEVE® Performance Microfiber. Basically, 2 plastic bottles that were retrieved from beaches and/or streams were recycled and made into performance fabric, which was in turned made into my Buff. How cool is that? Also, now they offer UPF 50 Sun Protection instead of UPF 25. So they block way more harmful UV radiation. They are also more comfortable with a new 4-Way Seamless Ultra Stretch design. 

Oh, and they released a bunch of really cool, really cute designs. I had a really hard time choosing one, but ultimately went with the Groove. It's bright, colorful and literally matches everything since it is rainbow colored. I LOVE IT! Especially on cloudy, dreary days. It really brightens up my run and make me feel warm and sunny inside.

No really, I even wore it when I did and 8 mile training run during a hurricane earlier this month!

So yeah, a truly awesome product, made much more so. What's not to love about that? You can pick up your own redesigned Original Buff online here: https://www.buffusa.com/ 

You can follow Buff on Twitter here:  Buff_USA
and on Instagram here: Buff_USA

And if you haven't followed me yet on either of those, you can find me here on Twitter: RunNerdGirl
and here on Instagram: runnerdgirl

Moonlight Bootlegger Recap

I've mentioned on this blog before that I am a bit weary of trails, but have been making strides to be more comfortable on them. Running a few miles here and there on trails, dipping into the woods in the middle of a longer road run and so on. Each year I start the New Year off with a trail 5K even. I've gotten better, more confident, but I can't say that I absolutely love trails yet. Although I did finally graduate to my greatest trail challenge as of yet, the Moonlight Bootlegger 5K. It was an adventure that I was super nervous to do, but I'm always up for a challenge. 

I have several friends that have done this race each June and it seemed like a lot of fun. Basically, the race is a night time romp through the local Anne Springs Close Greenway. Prior to the Bootlegger, I've only run on this particular greenway once before. I know, not amazing prep, but I felt ready. I'm crazy like that. 

The race started at 8:55 pm, so it was going to be dark during the run. I was meeting several friends for this race so we arranged to arrive a bit early as there was no pre-race packet pick up. We wanted to have plenty of time to meet up, get our packets, run stuff back to the car, hit the port-a-potties and take some pictures before the race started. Everything was super well organized and I was excited to see one of the ladies in my run club volunteering at packet distribution. I love local races! With all that taken care of, we just had to wait until the sun set so we could head out into the woods. 

Run the Rockstars, ready to race!

So here's the scene... It is late June in SC in the evening, so you know it's hot. And humid. I'm honestly a bit terrified to be running in the woods at night. And there is going to be roughly 2.4 billion bugs out, so not ideal. Luckily I had my Insect Guard Buff to keep me nice and protected from creepy crawlies during the race. Seriously, this thing was a life saver. No bug issues for me at all. And I can't say the same about everyone. Not even kidding, after the race, a friend of mine pulled a TICK out of her BRA! HER BRA!! So big, huge thank you, Buff!! THANK YOU for a tick-free bra! 

"Disclaimer: I received several Buff products to use and 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!"

The race started exactly on time and we were off. The sun had just set so it was still a bit light, but the second that we hit the woods, the light disappeared. The race mandated that you had to have some kind of light in order to participate, so I had a pretty strong headlamp to light my way. The first half mile or so was on a pretty wide gravel trail so I felt like it wasn't too bunched up or crowded. The path was also lit by lots and lots of tea lights along the side of the trail which was really helpful. And any place that you may have confused for a turnoff was roped off which I really appreciated as someone not familiar with the trail. By the time we hit the more narrow trails, runners had pretty much thinned out into their own pace. I heard another runner pretty directly behind me and yelled to her to let me know if she wanted to pass (I have a tendency to flail a bit on trails, so I wanted to move over closer to the side if she were passing) but she said she was using me to pace, so we got to chatting throughout the race. 

Crossing the finish line

Trail pace is of course always slower than road, but I was feeling pretty good as these trails were obviously very well maintained. There were a few rooty areas and one crazy area that randomly had concrete stairs, which thankfully we ran up instead of down, and I only really caught my footing a few times. I did hear someone fairly near behind me fall but she yelled she was fine, so me and my new pace buddy kept going. Each mile was marked with a speaker playing banjo music (which yes, the organizers joked about during the starting info) and was a fun way to mark the way, especially since my Apple Watch wasn't tracking very well in the woods. We wound around Lake Hagler and then back out to the original trail we started on which I had not noticed on the way out how steep down it was, but trust me, I noticed how steep UP it was. Man, that last half mile was a killer. 

Finally, I burst out of the woods, back past the parking area and to the finish where each racer was welcomed back by name. There was a bluegrass band playing and Moonshine was being served (your bib had two Moonshine tickets on it) in two varieties - Peach Tea and Tropical Sunset and computers were set up so you could get your official finishing time. I was the first of my friends to finish, so I grabbed a bottle of water and hung out at the finish line cheering runners in. It wasn't until then that I realized just how hot and sweaty I was! I honestly could not have been wetter if I had gone swimming instead. Gotta love Summer races in SC! 

When a few more of us had finished, we went to get our Moonshine, I opted for the Tropical Sunrise which was very fruity and good, but also very weak on the alcohol, which wasn't a bad thing. I also found out that I placed 2nd in my division so that meant hanging around for the awards. The race always has really neat placement awards that are unique each year and they are usually really cool things like lanterns or neat bottles and so on. This year was no exception. We were given personalized growlers with our placement on them, so cool! 

All in all, it was an awesome race, and awesome adventure and I am so glad that I did it. Do I love trails yet? Not really, but each challenge that I overcome, I am getting more and more confident. In fact, I'm running trails tomorrow! And I am for sure taking my Insect Shield Buff with me to ward against any potential bra ticks. /shudder 

2nd Place Division! Woo hoo!

Camp Buff: Shoo Fly, Don't Bother Me

"Disclaimer: I received several Buff products to use and 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!"


When I first learned that I was going to be able to test out some amazing Buff USA gear this Spring on my adventures, one item I was particularly excited to try out was the BUFF UV Insect Shield® multifunctional headwear. See, here in SC, the late Spring and Summer are seriously buggy, like excessively so. Gnats like to hover all around your head, mosquitoes are everywhere and the woods, where I like to escape to the trials when it gets really really hot are just chock full of ticks. Having a Buff that repels all of these creepy crawleys without me having to bath in bug spray would be AMAZING, so I happily chose one of these amazing products to test. 

I wore my new Insect Shield® Buff for several trail runs and guess what, it worked like a charm! No bites, no swatting things while running, no problems with buggy bugs at all. Not only that, it was comfortable to wear despite the heat due to the fast drying, moisture wicking COOLMAX® PRO fabric. I was so happy with the performance of this product out in the woods, it got me thinking... You know, I'm not the only one going on awesome adventures this Spring, I bet my little one would really benefit from having a Insect Shield® Buff for her week long Girl Scout Camp. 

The camp was located out in the woods for a full week of swimming, hiking, crafts and other outdoor activities. And after that camp, she was invited to a special day of activities at another outdoor camp to celebrate being a top Girl Scout Cookie seller (over 500 boxes!) And the Saturday Camp Cookie, I got to attend as well. So, not wanting to share, I headed to the Buff USA website and let her pick out one of her own. She was super excited and the day it arrived, she insisted that I take her to the playground to try it out right away. She loved it. 

I dutifully packed the Buff in her day pack and hoped that she would wear it, sometimes kids don't exactly do what you ask them, even if it is in their own best interest (flashback to younger me taking off her winter coat the second that I was out of my mother's eye-line on the way to the bus stop despite being freezing out because it wasn't "cool"). So I was super pleased when a friend of mine, who was a councilor at the camp, texted me a photo of my little happily rocking her Buff. And while I knew it had performed well for me on my trail runs, I was super excited at the end of the week, after all of her adventures, my little had not gotten a SINGLE bug bite all week! 

On Saturday, it was my turn to join in the fun. Equipped with our Insect Shield®  Buffs, we had a long full day of one adventure after another. First up was swimming and boating on the lake. I made sure that tried out every option they had for us, including paddle boarding for the first time ever. I didn't fall in even once! Next up was a hike in the woods, followed by lunch, then a visit to the crafts cabin to make hula skirts and flower leis, then bouncy obstacle courses (though I skipped the water slide one since I didn't bring a swimsuit, the little did that one with much glee), then the snack and relaxation tent for temporary tattoos, coloring and fingernail painting, and finally, archery where my little one hit the target for the very first time! It was a super fun, super tiring day filled with a ton of fun, but not a single bug bite! Here's so pictures of our adventures.

All in all, the Insect Shield® Buffs performed over and above my expectations. Not only did they repel bugs, but they also are light and cool to wear and help block harmful UV rays. Highly recommend for anyone into outdoor adventures. 

You can become a fan of Buff USA too by following them on socials here - 

Twitter

Instagram

Facebook

Up the Mountain: King Mountain Half

On May 5th I ran the Kings Mountain Half Marathon. This was my second time running this race, so I knew going in a bit of what I was in for, however, the course was rerouted for 2018, so it was pretty much all new to me again. And let me just say, the 2018 course was crazy harder than the 2017 one! But like the race registration page says, this Half Marathon isn't so much a race as a historic battle! And the course certainly live up to that.

The weather was pretty nice this year, which was a blessing, since it was super hot the previous year. When I arrived to the Park, the temps were in the mid-60s and the sun was hiding behind the clouds. I am super cold natured, so I knew I was going to need something to keep me warm both before and early into the race. That's where I knew my Buff UV Arm Sleeves would come in perfect. 

I love arm sleeves. Nice and cozy warm when you need them, and easy to slide off and tie on to your fuel belt when you don't. They kept me nice and warm pre-race and were actually so light and breathable, I wore them for the first 4 or so miles of the course. When I started to heat up, I was able to slip them right off and tie onto my belt without even breaking my stride. Additionally, I am sorting my new favorite running hat, the Buff Pro Run Cap, which also offers UV Protection in addition to being super light, comfortable and moisture wicking. 

Not much to say about the actual running part of the race except that it was a beast. Lots of hills, of course, but the route also was on a pretty gravelly road for a good portion (about 8 miles or so of the 13) with some pretty decent rocks to avoid. I was a bit nervous on a few of the more sloped down-hills about hitting a rock and losing my footing, but overall, I ended up navigating the course with no real issue. I will say the last mile or so was pretty up hill, which seems cruel, including the very final stretch being a pretty steep climb. I pushed through for a running finish, but I did see several people walking the finish line. I always say that this race is more than just a race, it is an adventure. It's a challenge I love to conquer.

After the race for Kings Mountain is always a great time. I knew several of the runners and stuck around to cheer them on. A Boy Scout Troop does a cookout for the race participants of burgers, chicken, or hot dogs with chips, drink and dessert. While hanging around to wait for award presentations, I started to cool down again, so back on went the arm sleeves. Not only did they warm me back up, they totally kept my bare arms protected from UV rays. 

When all the numbers were crunched, I ended up placing again this year, 2nd place in my division! Plus, despite the tougher course, I managed to knock 6 minutes off my finishing time! 

Dorking it up Post-Race!

Overall, it was a tough race, but again, a challenge I look forward to each year. I will for sure be back to conquer the mountain again in 2019. Who knows, last year I was 3rd, this year 2nd, maybe I can pull off a 1st placing then! 

(Disclaimer: I received several Buff products to use and 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!)

Live More This Summer

Well the weather is heating up and the humidity is settling in and that can only mean one thing: SC, as usual, has decided to skip Spring and jump right into Summer! And I for one am actually not going to complain about it (much). This winter was a brutal one and it drug on and on and on and on. 

To celebrate, I've been prepping for some exciting Summer adventures, some of which that are a bit out of my comfort zone, but exciting all the same. Inspired by some new amazing Buff gear that I recently got, I've vowed to #LiveMoreNow and make the most of the warm days ahead. 

"Disclaimer: I received several Buff products to use and 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 kicked off my adventures with my year's most challenging Half Marathon, the Kings Mountain Half Marathon. Yup, that is exactly what it sounds like, a Half Marathon up a mountain. I will be making a post dedicated to this race soon. But spoiler alert: it was perhaps one of the toughest courses that I've ever had the pleasure to run. Loads of fun though. My Buff arm sleeves were perfect for the cooler morning coupled with the ease of taking them off when I warmed up without breaking my pace. So much more convenient than a full extra layer and they quickly and easily tied onto my fuel belt.

Another May adventure has been the challenge of my Run the Rock running group's yearly #MileADayMay running streak. Each May, we vow to run at least 1 mile per day. It's been crazy tough - I'm a girl who loves a good rest day, but so far, I've met the daily goal. Some days it's been crazy hot, and I've even had to run a few days in the rain (the upcoming forecast looks like it might end up being a few more) but the challenge has been a fun one that the whole group has been taking to heart. I've been seriously loving my Buff Pro Run Cap on the super hot days to keep me shaded, and even more so on the rainy ones to keep the rain off my face.  

So what else do I have in store for my upcoming adventures. Well my June is pretty jam packed! 

First, on June 2nd I will be doing my first ever Warrior Dash. This crazy decision was born from delusions of forcing myself to increase my upper body strength, an area where I am seriously lacking. 


Back in November, I joined Burn Boot Camp as a way to cross train. I learned pretty quickly while I could rock out a cardio day with no problems, and even leg days were not a huge challenge for me, I stunk on toast when it came to any kind of upper body workouts. So, when I receive my weekly protocol on Sunday's I plan my week to take advantage of the days that I most need, mostly upper body and core work. For example, here's this week's protocol. I went on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday this week hitting both arm days and the core day. 

Serious Training, No Really! 

Anyway, a group from Burn decided to do the Warrior Dash, and crazy me, drunk on the fact that I have any arm muscles for the first time in my life decided to join them. We've been doing some crazy training like hanging out at playgrounds, rock walls and staying after boot camps to attempt pull-ups. Despite, I still epicly failed at the monkey bars in our neighborhood playground this evening. It's been a fun training process, and I trust my girls to have my back.

One of the Hiking Trails at  Cookie Camp

The next weekend, June 9th I get to attend Cookie Camp. See, I'm a leader with my daughter's Girl Scout Troop and our Head Leader is crazy obsessed with Cookie Sales. Never before we joined this troop did I ever think it would be possible to sell 500 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies, but we did for the 2nd year in a row now. The 500+ Cookie Sales Reward is a day at Cookie Camp, where my daughter and I (and the other top sellers from our Council) get to go hiking, boating, do crafts, archery, eat S'mores and have an amazing day out in the woods. I can't wait. And my Buff Insect Shield Headwear is going to be amazing for this. Since it's supposed to rain pretty much non-stop for the next week, I am expecting a billion or more mosquitoes out there. Hmmm... maybe I had better get a second one for the little one. 

Next up on June 16th is a night-time trail race that I've been wanting to do forever, the Moonlight Bootlegger 5K. You run through the trails starting at 9 pm and finish the race at a big after-party in the woods complete with Moonshine. Several of my friends have done it before and it looks like a blast. Although I am a bit nervous about the trail aspect. See, I'm not the best at trails and I've never run one at night, but I guess it wouldn't be a challenge if it wasn't challenging, right?

Polaroids are still a thing?

Lastly, I will round out my June adventures with the Insane Inflatable on June 23rd. This is a super fun 5K where you run form bouncy obstacle to bouncy obstacle. It's a wonderful combination of fun and difficult (seriously, bouncing is tiring). But the best part about the Insane Inflatable is I am doing it again with my little one. We did this together in Nov and had a blast so we signed up again for the June leg. We've been going on training runs/walks to prepare for it and just been having the best time together. She's even come with me to a Mommy and Me Burn Boot Camp. Love spending time with my Mini-Me.

So, do you think that is enough to keep me busy? Whew, just typing all that out is making me a bit tired. But I'm excited too! Keep tuned to this blog as I will be updating you on all my adventures as they happen, starting with my recap of the Kings Mountain Half Marathon, which will post later this weekend. 

So what kind of adventures are you planning this summer? How do you plan to #LiveMoreNow ? Let me know in the comments.  As for me, I'm off to get some sleep. I'm going to need it!