Albion Fit Swimsuit Review & Giveaway!

A couple of weeks ago, I received an opportunity to review a product from Albion Fit. The choice was mine, so I decided to go with the ‘Show Stopper, Black and White’ swimsuit. I’m going on a memorial day weekend house boat trip with a large group of people, so I figured that a new swimsuit would be a great choice. I’m so excited about the trip, and I was even more excited about this review proposal. Perfect timing indeed. They were very prompt with shipping, and the swimsuit was sitting on my doorstep within a couple of days.

Flirty and fun, this striped suit makes a bold statement even as it flatters. There’s no hiding in this little number but no need to be shy either.  Featuring a sweetheart neckline and a bright sash to tie at the side, back, or front, feel longer and leaner and confident as you make your appearance. Contrasting wide straps, criss-cross at back to complete the look with an added pop. Fully lined, with a built in shelf bra (and removable cups), this suit is perfect for being active in the water or laying out and soaking in the rays. 90/10 nylon spandex, wash after use in cold water and lay flat to dry.

My first impression was, “Wow, this swimsuit is equally as beautiful in person as it is online!” As we all know, pictures can be deceiving online, but the red was just as vibrant. I love anything retro or vintage-esque, which explains why this swimsuit had caught my eye in the first place. It sort of put me in the mind of the first Barbie doll circa 1959.

But I’m also drawn to neutral colors paired with a special pop of color.

Clearly, I must have something for black, white, and red.

The material of the swimsuit definitely has that triple S threat; silky, soft, and smooth. It’s blatantly obvious that this company pays close attention to detail, so you can rest assured that you’ll get what you pay for.

I apologize for the lack of better pictures!

I’m absolutely in love with the way that this swimsuit fits and feels. It’s extremely comfortable, and I don’t feel the urge to constantly adjust myself as I have with many of my suits from the past. I have excess skin on my belly from my weight loss, and this swimsuit hides it very well. Plus, I also like the freedom of tying the red sash any which way you please! It’s my favorite aspect of the swimsuit! I think that this swimsuit would work well on so many different shapes and sizes. It’s classy, yet modern.

The crew over at Albion Fit are being generous enough to offer a giveaway for my readers! One lucky winner will receive a 100% free item from their online store! To enter this giveaway, follow the criteria provided by Albion Fit that is seen below. Good luck!

First, you must ‘like’ Albion Fit’s Facebook page located HERE.

Next, they want you to pin your favorite item from their store and share the direct link to the pin through a comment. Luckily, each item on their website features a pin button for your convenience. But since it’s difficult for non-Tumblr users to comment on my blog posts, I’ve decided that it’ll be easier to incorporate Twitter into the equation to be more fair.

So, compose the following tweet after following both @fear_chaser & @albionfit:

@fear_chaser @albionfit My favorite item: PIN LINK #chasefearAF

**Be sure to replace ‘PIN LINK’ with a direct link to the specific pin of your favorite Albion Fit item!**

CONTEST ENDS MAY 18, 2013!

And from now until May 17, 2013, you can get $15 off any purchase by using the code ‘chasefear15’ when checking out.

Quest Nutrition Bar Review & A Giveaway!

If you have a sweet tooth, I have just the thing for you! I recently have been given the opportunity to review Quest Nutrition bars. They were generous enough to send me a 12 bar sampler pack and an additional box of any flavor of my choosing. I chose Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough because I’ve read nothing but good things about their newly released flavor. I’ve been pushing aside this post for a couple of weeks because I wanted to make sure that I was able to try every single flavor before reviewing their product - only made sense. So here I am 1 bar away from needing to search for a support group titled, “Questaholics Annoymous…” Kidding! But in all seriousness, these bars are good. And by good, I mean mouthwatering good.

So much color! :)

Look at those melty bits of chocolate! Drool! The bars are firm, but chewy right out of the wrapper. But Quest Nutrition offers a handy dandy tip for those who are aiming to curb their sweet tooth. You can make your Quest Bars taste like a FRESHLY BAKED COOKIE! See the bottom of the picture below for more details! The above picture was snapped after testing their advice. They aren’t kidding! It really did taste like a freshly baked cookie.

You’re probably thinking, “how can something taste this good and still be good for you?” Check it out below! The nutrition profile is great! It’s what caught my eye in the first place! Read: Why Choose Quest?

Top 5 favorite bars:

1.) Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough - I could easily choose this flavor for the rest of my life and be a happy camper.

2.) Chocolate Peanut Butter - How can you lose with this combo of flavors? Especially peanut butter. It’s the greatest substance known to man.

3.) Apple Pie - All this bar needs is a serving of vanilla ice cream.

4.) PB & J - Peanut butter & jelly sandwiches are my favorite of all sandwiches, so I was excited to taste this bar. I wasn’t disappointed.

5.) Banana Nut Muffin - The flavor was spot on, and you don’t have to worry about controlling the urge to eat an entire pan of banana nut muffins. Win.

Least favorite bar:

1.) Mixed Berry Bliss - It wasn’t really anything in particular, flavor wise. I’m just not a huge fan of plain fruit bars because I typically crave something more dessert-like when it comes to nutrition/energy bars.

This was way too funny not to share!

Guess what guys?! The people over at Quest Nutrition are being kind enough to offer one reader the chance to win their very own box of Quest Bars - the flavor is up to you! :)

Rules as requested by Quest Nutrition:

1.) You must follow their Twitter account: @questnutrition

2.) You must like their Facebook page: HERE

Rules as requested by me:

1.) You must follow my Twitter account: @fear_chaser

2.) You must like my Facebook page: HERE

To enter this giveaway, tweet to @fear_chaser a picture of you portraying their motto “STOP AT NOTHING.” Be sure to use the hashtag #chasefearQN - winner will be selected at random. Contest ends on May 3, 2013. Good luck!

And be sure to check out my story that was posted on their blog by clicking HERE!

**All opinions are my own. If you’re a company and would like me to review your product on my blog, please send an email to crouch.adrian@yahoo.com to discuss further details!

ROLL Recovery Review

I’ve been trying just about everything in terms of keeping my ITBs under control - ice, electrode therapy, foam rollers, physical therapy tools, all which are working in their own little way. And while I am seeing improvement, it’s not nearly enough to be able to run the full Pittsburgh Marathon in the smartest, most safest manner. I need to get past the injury completely rather than cover it up momentarily. In a random post on the Steel City Road Runners’ Facebook page, someone mentioned the ROLL Recovery massage tool. I had never heard about it, so naturally, I was intrigued and did some research about the product.

Revolutionary in design, the R8 massage roller was developed to flush your legs after workouts, improve circulation and blood flow to tired muscles, and reduce recovery time between workouts. It is easy to use, feels great on tired legs, and is small enough to take anywhere.

The patented technology self adjusts to different leg sizes and targets the quads, hamstrings, IT-bands, gluteus, calfs, shins, hip-flexors and more.

Taken from the RR site.

First impression: “Boy, this looks intense and kind of scary!”

Here’s the ROLL Recovery in comparison to my regular foam roller and Rumble Roller. With obvious technicality, the RR is clearly a breed of its own kind.

The RR cost me $99 (well $95 due to my $10 coupon after taxes), which is the primary reason as to why I hemmed and hawed over the thought of purchasing the ROLL Recovery for several weeks. The price is very high in comparison to my trusty ole’ $14.77 foam roller from Walmart. I’ve heard so many good things prior to purchase, but I couldn’t get over the cost factor for quite some time. On Monday, I finally decided to go to a local running store (Elite Runners and Walkers) after work to see if they carry the Roll Recovery massage tool. They did, and they even had a tester. I tested it for a minute or two, and I was immediately sold! “This has to be beneficial!”

“Double rainbow all the way ‘cross the sky, yeah, yeaaaah, it’s so intense…” “Double rollin’ all the way ‘cross the leg, yeah, yeaaaah, it’s so intense…”

I happily tested the RR for a longer period of time after getting home, and once I was done, I could already feel the difference. It was intense, but very effective. I can’t wait to see how this tool aids in my recovery after prolonged use!

My favorite features: I absolutely LOVE the fact that you can hit 2 sides at once. This is especially good for those who are always time-crunched. Plus, it works just like a regular massage roller in that you can utilize the point-release technique by pausing on knots or tight spots.

How to 1st get the RR on your leg.

There’s no thinking involved. You don’t have to worry about creating enough pressure because the RR is auto-adjustable - you just move the tool, and the RR does the work for you. It’s really a no-brainer. That will come in handy when I have running brain (foggy feeling from low glycogen stores).

It’s convenient and portable. You now don’t have to worry about finding the space and rolling all over the floor in an awkward manner. You can use it while you’re sitting, standing, or playing a fun round of Twister (kidding to make a point, obviously).

Long gone are the days of fatigued arms from having to hold yourself up! And due to its portability, it can easily slip into a gym bag, be brought to a race, etc.

Bottom line: Would I recommended this product? Yes. It’s a great recovery and injury prevention tool for anyone who is active on a regular basis. So far, it’s completely worth the investment.

Pros: Convenient, portable, & durable

*Body made from reinforced Zytel thermoplastic

*Comes with durable travel bag

*Strong, corrosion-resistant torsion springs provide adequate massage force

*Wheels are polyurethane with smooth rolling ABEC5 bearings

*Stainless steel and aluminum hardware

*11.5” x 9.5” x 2.75” (30cm x 25cm x 7cm)

*2.5 lbs

Taken from the RR site.

Cons: Price

Disclaimer: The ROLL Recovery was purchased with my own money. All opinions are my own.

Review of the GFB!

If I know that I won’t be eating a meal for a few hours OR if I’m about to tackle an intense workout, I’m a nutrition bar junkie. I try to be careful because there are a lot of bars compacted into rectangles full of fake ingredients. They may taste good at the moment, but your body will regret the decision later as you experience a sugar crash of sorts. Prior to trying the GLUTEN FREE BAR, my go-to bars were Clif bars, Luna Bars, and Kashi Bars. The Gluten Free Bar company contacted me and asked if I’d like to try their product. Naturally, I agreed, and before I knew it, a sampler package arrived on my doorstep.

I received one of each flavor. First impression? I loved the simplistic packaging and the mere fact that you can visually see the bar before opening, but the bars seemed kind of small. *Reaches into pocket for a tip!* A good rule of thumb for any meal/snack is to eat slow. Enjoy your food. Note the texture, aroma, and taste. Appreciate your food. I chose to try their “BEST SELLER” first, which is the Cranberry Toasted Almond. Now, I know why it’s their best seller. You can pinpoint each flavor, the cranberries and the almonds. And, the combination of the two flavors is amazing and sort of reminds me of a holiday treat. Despite the perceived look of possible grittiness, the consistency is smooth. They are soft, chewy, and they almost put me in the mind of a Clif Bar. It kept me full for a long time, so I highly recommend this product for people on the go or for people who are pressed for time in the morning. You don’t have to be “gluten free” to enjoy gluten free products. These are very tasty bars!

You too can get a sampler pack of each flavor for $10.00, and they will send you a $5 off coupon for your next order!

Shop The Gluten Free Bar

Frequently Asked Questions

According to The GFB…

The GFB was started in 2010 by two brothers - one of which was a road warrior celiac who was constantly searching for a gluten-free nutrition bar that provided lasting energy, was highly nutritious, and tasted great. It turns out that finding such a bar was very difficult - and as a result, The GFB was created.

It also turns out that others struggled to find the right bar, and since we began, we have heard similar stories from many of our customers. We appreciate the opportunity to be a part of our customers’ day, and are thrilled that we have been able to provide a nutrition bar that people can look forward to eating.

At The GFB we have learned that simple, nutritious ingredients when combined with great care, can produce something that makes people happy - and making people happy is something we like to do.

Yurbuds for Women Review.

I’d been an avid Yurbuds user for quite some time now, and I won’t use anything else. However, I’ve primarily used the over-the-head model, which I still highly recommend. Well, a couple of weeks ago as I was derping around online, I came across their newest model DESIGNED FOR WOMEN!!!!!!!!! I was tempted, but part of me was being overly cautious to put forth my investment into the product. In the past, I’ve had nothing but problems with ear bud headphones. They fall out, get ripped out, hurt my ears, you name it, it’s happened. I basically got frustrated, hence the reasoning behind my prior purchase. Still, something kept pulling me back in an urge to find out more information about these new headphones. Why fix what isn’t broken, I thought.

One day while I was out for some retail therapy, I went into Target only to discover that they carried the Yurbuds for Women. Oh, great…temptation. I grabbed a pair (pinkish-red - all they had at the time), stuck them in my cart, and hemmed and hawed for a while. I don’t know what Target pumps into the air, but it’s similar to a casino in that you go into the store for a box of cereal and come out with a cart full of stuff that you didn’t know you “needed” until you spot it. Ultimately, I decided to go ahead with the purchase, and before I knew it, I was ripping the package open to try them on.

I love that they are designed for women because they are much smaller in size. Thank you Yurbuds for thinking about women. It’s appreciated, much.

I’m basically in love with this picture. #BEYONDTHEWALL They also have a pretty neat-o quote, “Don’t wait for inspiration to come find you, become it.” Love.

Like I’ve previously mentioned, I’ve always had issues with ear buds not being able to stay in my ears. The difference with Yurbuds is that they are comprised of a “TwistLock” feature that basically locks the ear buds in place. It works just like the manual states up above, but for some reason, I could not lock the buds in place by twisting them towards the back of my head. You can see below in the right picture that they are in the locked position, however, they are twisted towards the front of my head. This doesn’t make any difference except for looks, so I wasn’t concerned. As long as they stay put, I don’t care which way they are facing.

I took the Yurbuds out for a short test run a day or two after purchasing them. I ran about 4 miles total I believe, and the did not budge a single inch. The only time that I foresee them falling out is if I suddenly yanked at the cord by accident. Otherwise, they stay put the entire time. I know you’re probably wondering, “Are they comfortable?” Yes. Yes, they are. I barely noticed them, and this is coming from someone who has sensitive ears. Regular ear buds cause me a significant amount of discomfort, and these felt great for the 40+ minutes I wore them on that particular day.

Stays put? CHECK.

Comfort? CHECK.

Fit? …

Everyone is built differently, so naturally, ear buds aren’t meant to be a one-size-fits-all sort of deal. That’s likely what leads to discomfort and the inability to stay in place for a lot of ear bud models, regardless of price. Fortunately, a lot of companies provide the customer with different sized bud caps (I made that up) to accommodate different ear sizes and shapes. You’re in luck because Yurbuds provides 2 different pre-packaged caps, but you can also contact their company if neither of the 2 cap sizes fit your ears. As you can see above, they provide you with detailed instructions on how to receive a different size.

Stretching my calves after a cross training session at LA Fitness.

Stays put? CHECK.

Comfort? CHECK.

Fit? CHECK.

Sound? …

The sound is great! However, if you want to drown out every sound, these aren’t the headphones to go for. You can still hear outside noise, even at increased volume settings. Me, personally? I don’t mind it. I see it as a safety feature. As a matter of fact, I’m trying to ween myself off of headphones while running outside because I’ve heard way too many horror stories of people getting attacked or even worse, getting hit by cars. Here’s an example. Last weekend, I learned about a man who was running along a beach and was struck by a crashing plane. He was unable to hear the plane due to his music being too loud. Scary, scary thought. I mean, it’s a freaking plane for goodness sakes! I also don’t want to rely on too much technology to get me through my training runs. I want to be more focused, so these headphones will get most of their use during my time spent in the gym, or during personal downtime.

Sound? CHECK.

All in all, I highly recommend these headphones for women. I’m glad that I went against my initial gut instinct. And men, don’t forget, they still have products for you fellows as well!

Disclaimer: I purchased these shoes with my own money. All opinions are my own.

Garmin 610 Review.

It’s time for another product review! Disclaimer: this product was purchased with my own money - all opinions are my own.

Okay, so I’m sure a lot of you are wondering what happened with the Garmin 10. I decided to return the Garmin 10, not because of faultiness, but because it simply doesn’t suite my personal needs as a runner. And considering what I’ll be announcing in due time, you’ll understand my reasoning behind my decision to go with a more complex watch. If you’re a new runner, I highly suggest purchasing the Garmin 10. It’s pretty much user-ready right out of the box - both simple in design and technicality. It’s also light on your wallet at a mere $129.99. Okay, and it’s cute enough to also be worn as a regular, everyday watch. What I liked about the Garmin 10 was the sleek design and the power-off feature, which is a huge saver of the watch’s battery life. I, however, didn’t like that you could only display 2 bits of information - distance/pace, distance/calories burned, pace/lap, etc. I need a little more information at my finger tips. I also noticed that it kind of overestimates distance, but not enough to cause a deal breaker - .02 at the most - increases slightly as distances increases. It’s a brand spankin’ new model, so just like most electronic devices, there are going to be glitches and bugs that need sorted out. Regardless, it’s a good watch for the price, and Garmin is a wonderful company. I won’t use anything else. Point and blank.

Read more about the Garmin 10, and decide if this is the watch for you.

Anyway, I’ve been analyzing my runs a little bit deeper than I have been in the past, so I started doing my research on each Garmin watch to see what would fit my needs the best. One thing that narrowed down my “maybe” list was the avoidance of the touch bezel on some of their newer models. Some people love it, some people loathe it. I’m the latter of the two. I fumbled with it too much, as I have tried it before, and it left me feeling super agitated. I hemmed and hawed over the Garmin 110, 210, and the tech savvy 610. After a few days of research, I decided to go with the 610. Though very expensive, I kept going back to this watch after reading about all of the awesome features it supports. I splurged, placed my order, and awaited it’s arrival on my doorstep. I ripped open the postal box like I was a 5-year-old little girl unveiling her very own Barbie dream house.

Garmin never ceases to amaze me with the packaging of their watches. Sometimes, the packaging really says a lot about the product, and sort of gives you that initial first impression. My impression? I’m in for a real treat.

First, I decided to compare my old dinosaur watch - The Garmin 205 - with the size of the 610. That alone made me a happy customer. The design of the 610 is very nice as well. While the watch looks high tech, it still remains sleek enough to wear regularly, although I won’t. I opted out of using both watches at once to compare accuracy because I know exactly where 3 miles is from my house with 1 of my regular running routes. And the verdict is: it’s very accurate.

I assumed that most of you will probably have questions regarding the reliability of a touch screen, especially when you’re faced with the elements during training.

Gloves are no problem at all. You don’t even need to worry about purchasing the fancy pants gloves that have the thumb/index finger flip caps or touchscreen-sensitive technological fabric. These are just basic, lightweight running gloves. There was absolutely no delay in response to my touch.

And, the touch screen also works when it’s wet. Training won’t be a problem for us folks who like to go singin’ runnin’ in the rain.

Before I used the watch for the first time, I briefly looked over the user manuals so I could set up the heart rate monitor that was bundled with the watch - please note: the heart rate monitor is only included if you choose the bundled option. This heart rate monitor features the newer soft strap as opposed to older models. It’s very comfortable, and I don’t notice it much while running - you wear it just beneath your breast bone, snug enough so your heart rate can be detected. The heart rate monitor detaches from the strap just in case you need to wash the strap. This is the first time that I’ve ever used a heart rate monitor while running, and I was very interested in seeing what my heart rate averages out to be during my workouts. It records the beats per minute for each lap as well as the overall beats per minute for the entire session.

There’s also an optional foot pod that can be purchased which allows you to detect your speed/cadence while running indoors on a treadmill. I don’t own the foot pod, so I can’t review this feature, but it seems pretty useful for you treadmill junkies. Me? You won’t find me on a treadmill unless deemed absolutely necessary.

I’m a bit technologically challenged, so there is one feature that I’m not a huge fan of. A lot of Garmin’s newer watches (not just the 610) upload activity wirelessly through what they call an “ANT USB drive.” This is in contrast to my old watch, where I had a direct connection from my computer to the watch. It made uploading my data quick and easy. While I’m sure the ANT USB drive is simple once its synced, I haven’t been able to get my watch to recognize the stick when it’s plugged into my computer, even upon downloading the software. Once I find a moment to breathe, I will contact Garmin to resolve my issue. I miss being able to see my maps and elevation profiles. Runner problems.

The bottom picture is the watch connected to the wall adapter. Simple enough. When the watch is fully charged, the battery only lasts 8 hours in training mode, which kind of stinks, but it’s nothing that I foresee as a problem since I charge my watch on an almost daily basis.

I ABSOLUTELY love that I’m able to customize my data screen to fit my personal needs. I chose to add 4 bits of information - current lap pace, heart rate, timer, and total distance covered. I also have the watch set to vibrate upon hitting a new lap. My laps are set to 1 mile. It helps keep me mindful of the distance without having to glance at my watch every 2 seconds and think, “UGH, THAT’S ALL I’VE COVERED SINCE I LAST LOOKED!” Come on, you can all agree with me on that one! When I glance at my watch, I typically look at my current pace and nothing else, and I utilize the other information when I deem it necessary - i.e. turn-around point, etc.

The menu system is pretty self explanatory, and navigation is easily understandable. The 3 blue lines are the menu button, and the blue triangle is the back button. Despite the watch being touch screen, you still have 3 very functional buttons to use during your workouts - start/stop, lap/reset, and power/light.

The watch has some pretty neat-o features, like a virtual training partner. Basically you set the watch up to warn you with vibration/sound alerts when you’re going too fast or too slow based on the pace that you programmed into the watch. In addition to the virtual pacer, you can also run against a virtual racer, allowing you to race against previous times. This watch gives you the option to get competitive with yourself. Cool! You can also create customized workouts, which will definitely come in handy when I begin speedwork again!

I’ve only had this watch for a short time now, but so far, I’m a satisfied customer. It was definitely worth the splurge 110%!

Yes, this gif was a completely necessary way to end this post.