It’s summer, it is hot and it’s easy to relax - but not for me 😆 With some new kit from inov-8 I continue to hit my local trails and keep working out - even if its 25°C ☀️
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Truth be told, because of my new job I worked out less than in the winter and spring. After a long work day I rather wanted to dive into my man cave and paint than sweat and be bothered by the Mosquitos when running. But when addnature approached me and asked if I’d be interested in a cooperation, it was a great opportunity to get back into the healthy habit of running regularly after a work day!
Ordering from addnature
I knew addnature before, and they carry many of the brands which I value and like - La Sportiva, Houdini, Rab, Patagonia, Black Diamond, Salomon and inov-8 - so it was very easy to find gear which I liked. Ordering is easy - There’s all the usual Payment Options via Klarna and shipping was via PostNord, which was even faster than DHL: The parcel arrived in five days in Vaasa. My environmentally friendly packed addnature order arrived in a durable plastic bag, which I like a lot as these are easy to recycle and take much less space to store than a package. Anyway, everything I ordered - more on that in a moment - fitted me well so it was time to put the new kit on after a day in the office and go for a run!
That running motivation
In April I wrote about my short runs and back then I was still running in my winter running gear on old snow, ice and mud - but by the time my new running kit arrived it was full-blown spring here, and so now blooming flowers, lots of bilberries, lingonberries and green birches line the trails I run on. Oh, and then there’s Mosquitos. 2021 is a really bad Mosquito year and they are out in force here in Finland, and even if I am running they seem to be able to catch up with me and feast on my delicious blood. Maybe I need to run faster?! Anyway, running in this wonderful green nature is for me a great motivator to go out. Even if I run only 4 km being out in the green is a very positive experience for me, and helps me to recharge my mental batteries. I feel better, more relaxed and it’s good to maintain the healthy habit of being outdoors every day.
The fresh, new running gear
I know, I know - you wanna know what I got and how I like it! So here it is 😊 First I got some new running socks from Injinji - the Ultra Run No-Show Socks and the Sport Original Weight Mini-Crew CoolMax Socks as I really like Injinji socks and find them super-comfortable. I really like running in the Ultra Run No-Show Socks and think I’ll need to pick up another pair or two in the future for every day use and hiking. I love that it almost feels like I don’t wear socks with these Injinji socks, and that I also can wear them with my Luna Sandals. If you’re not fond of socks, you might actually find these good, so they are worth trying in my opinion. I really love them.
After my only OK experiences with the inov-8 Mudclaw G 260 I decided to try the inov-8 RocLite G 275 Shoes as I have hiked and run in Roclite 295s waaaaay back in time and wanted to see how I like these new version with the Graphene Sole. So far the shoes have been great - comfortable, breathable and with great grip on different surfaces. It’s to early to say anything about durability yet but at the moment it looks like these are a keeper and more durable than the Mudclaws. I think also for hiking these will be great, the lugs are not as deep as on the Mudclaws so I expect them to be both more durable and long-lasting while still giving me good traction on difficult terrain.
As you already saw in the photos - I picked a more relaxed outfit for running. I have usually ran in compression garments from Salomon - which I still use - but it felt a bit too much for my current running routine. So I picked something which is a bit more toned down but still fun. I ended up ordering the adidas terrex Primeblue Trail Graphic Shorts and an inov-8 Organic Cotton Tee. The shorts are great - they are made from Parley Ocean Plastic - and not only because of their purple colour and material I really like them. They are comfortable, breathable and have two small zippered pockets in which I can store the phone, keys and some snacks. They are for me ideal running/ sports shorts as they have a relaxed cut and fit me perfectly, and they look less like I’m an Ultra-Runner and more like someone who enjoys running to stay fit.
The shirt I am not that fond of - it’s simply too thick for my taste. I like the cool print on the back (if you follow me for a while you know that I like smart prints on my T-Shirts!) but I run too hot in this - it’s made from 100% Organic Cotton, which I like, but I prefer it in a thinner strength. As I often wear Patagonia Capilene Cool Shirts I might try one of these or a Cap Cool Lightweight Shirt instead. This inov-8 shirt is cool, but for me not a good choice for running.
Which leaves the two inov-8 Running Wrags I got. These basically are Buffs and I use them when running to keep my throat a bit better protected from the wind, if it’s really sunny as a headband and also to wipe the sweat away. I was surprised that there were two in the package but that means I always have one clean one waiting for my next run!
And that’s the new gear I got for trailrunning. I was tempted to also pick up a Race Ultra Pro 5 Vest but then it’s not really needed for my short runs at the moment 😁 Overall I’m very satisfied with the kit (and also the fast delivery from addnature) and it has performed well on my short runs over the past weeks. It’s nice to go out running, and feeling better after it! If you still need a good reason to go (back) to running more regularly, maybe also treat yourself to some new running gear and go outdoors! If you need some additional Motivation: With each run you build up more stamina and walking skills for hiking, so maybe simply few trailrunning as training for backpacking!
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