Friday Favorites: Hydration and More from Nathan Sports

TGIF and time for Friday Favorites! Today I have a review of some Nathan Sports hydration and visibility products.

It’s been a rough week for me. Without trying to whine too much, when I woke up on Monday, I had apparently slept wrong and I had a neck ache that traveled all the way to my head. By Tuesday it had not improved, though by the afternoon, with a little help from my tennis ball, it seemed to be getting better.

Then I woke up Wednesday with a migraine. It kept me in bed most of the day. Well, between the bed and the bathroom, if you know what I mean. My neck did feel better, though!

I woke up on Thursday feeling wonderful. If you have ever had a migraine you know what I mean. That feeling of having no headache is euphoric. I finally felt good enough to run, which felt great, even though there was still some dehydration left from the day before.

Anyway, enough about me. On to Friday Favorites!

Nathan Sports Review

So yesterday (Thursday) was Run@Work Day. I blew it because, migraine. So, we’re a day late and a dollar short (more than that actually, because I had to cancel a class). Anyway, many of my readers believe that every day is Run@Work day, so the timing is perfect for this giveaway!

Recently, the good folks at Nathan Sports contacted me to see if I was interested in trying out some of their new gear and hosting a giveaway for my readers. Of course, I said yes because I love you guys! And they have really cool stuff. Not to mention that my I’m not sure how old Nathan hydration handheld has seen better days. It still worked fine, just a little over the hill.

Nathan Sports is the leader in running hydration and essential products. Their products are designed for all runners, from the road warrior, ultra runner, triathlete, or new couch to 5ker. They lead the industry in the production of quality hydration packs, belts, handhelds, bottles, visibility gear, and other gear all designed to help you run longer and stronger.

Anyway, Nathan Sports sent me the FlexShot, their flexible bottle that makes it easy to stay hydrated all day, Power Shower Wipes, perfect to clean off with when you’re on the go, the Hipster, their sleek, stretchy running belt, Speedshot Plus Insulated, an insulated handheld (yay!), and the Light Spur RX, the coolest little gizmo ever to light you up in the dark. I had the chance to try everything but the Light Spur, but just check it out and you’ll want one too!

 

Now I can’t wait until I have a chance to run in the dark!

As for the other items, I had a chance to use them on Thursday morning. I have to say, I love the SpeedShot Plus Insulated. My last handheld was full size and recently I noticed that my thumb would be a little sore when I’m carrying it. Because the SpeedShot is smaller and is ergonomically shaped, it is much more comfortable. It has a full-size pocket, which can hold keys, gels, or in my case, my inhaler. And because it’s insulated, it keeps my water colder longer. Perfect!

The Hipster has large pockets all around the stretchy belt, that are large enough to hold an iPhone 6+ (or in my case a Note 5), and has room to carry gels, keys, even ID, a credit card, or whatever you think you might need on the run. It was comfy, and my phone stayed secure and was not damp even after my four-mile run.

The Flex Shot bottle is pretty cool. It can fold down to almost nothing, then expand to hold 24 ounces of liquid. It is made of silicone and is insulated to keep your drinks cooler longer. The Power Wipes are handy to carry in your gym bag or car. They are large enough to wipe down your entire body (yes, I did), they smell nice, and let you go about your day without offending anybody, even if you don’t have time to take a shower after your workout.

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Winner Winner

So I’ve had a bit of a lucky streak myself this last couple weeks. I’ve actually won three giveaways (and I think that they are the only ones I entered, so I’m batting 1000!). I won two jars of Pic’s Peanut Butter from Teresa, two jars of Sesame King tahini from Celia, and a sample pack of PlantFusion vegan protein powder from Elle. I guess I’d better schedule my trip to Vegas!

FST It’s getting real

I’ve mentioned before that I will be attending my level two Fascial Stretch Therapy class in October. Amazingly the time has flown by and it’s only a few weeks away. I now have a lot of pre-class studying to do, videos (of the technique) to watch, two books to finish, and a test to take. I’m really excited about this so I am going to take the time to do it right. That may mean I may not be around as much in the next few weeks.

My Friend Mr. Tennis Ball

Now this might sound kind of weird, but my tennis ball has been vital for my good health in the last few weeks. I use it regularly for my sciatica, which has flared up lately, rolling out my piriformis and glutes. But my key moment came when I had the neck ache that I mentioned above.

Though I used it on Monday without much effect, I tried again on Tuesday. It basically cured my neck pain within minutes. I found a trigger point which was actually in my rhomboids, not my neck at all, but after just a short time the pain was reduced by more than half. I used the tennis ball a couple more times during the day, and by the next morning. I could turn my neck with hardly any stiffness. I still had a migraine, though, so there is that. But my neck was so much better.

I hope you all have a great weekend! Don’t forget to enter the giveaway to win that great Nathan Sports Run@Work pack. Maybe you will be as lucky as me! What’s your favorite rolling/bodywork tool?

 

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My weekly linkups! Please stop by and check out all of the great recipes, workouts, and information that all these awesome bloggers share every week!

Meatless Monday with Sarah and Deborah
Meatless Monday with Annmarie  and Rachel
Inspire Me Monday with Janice
Anything Goes with Marilyn
Wild Workout Wednesday with Annmarie, Michelle, Jen, and Nicole
The Plant Based Potluck Party with Deborah
The Running Coaches’ Corner with Rachel, Suz, Lora Marie, and Me!
Giveaway Roundup and Try Out Thursdays with Smitha
The Blogger’s Pit Stop with Kathleen, Janice, Julie and Me!
Living a Life of Fitness, Health and Happiness with Jill
Friday Favorites with Heather