Report from a Thoosa
Mover!
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| Chris enjoying a rare dry patch and the warmth of her Thoosa Chill tights |
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| Happy legs, happy runner |
Tuesday, 22 January 2013
Guest Blogger: Chris Lloyd's experience of the Naunton 19 in new tights
As you'll be aware, some of the Cotswold Running ambassadors are trail testing some kit from Thoosa Running Wear. Chris Lloyd tried something that all good advisors will tell you not to do - she raced for over 3 hours in a pair of tights straight out of the box (well, bag, really). Chris, in my experience of running with her for a few years now, can be a bit picky about her gear. So, what did she think? Read her report below!
Hi everyone, this is my first gear review for
Cotswold Running and Thoosa Running Wear.
Let me tell you a little bit about myself. I started running far too late in years in my
opinion at the ripe old age of 36, which was 18 years ago, and sport has been a
way of life ever since. I am well and truly
hooked and still as keen at the ripe old age of 54, and so far I’m very lucky
to have been relatively injury free in all this time. Apart
from a venture into triathlon, I left road running behind 3 years ago when a
friend tempted me over to fell running and off-road racing. The so-called ‘darkside’ of running provided
a new lease of life into what I now refer to as injury-prone road running.
I am so fortunate to have one of the most
beautiful areas in the Country on my doorstep so every weekend is spent in
running with my partner and hound, a cocker spaniel called Idris, out on this
wonderful land of ours. Come December
every year, my partner and I plan our races in the following year. The eagerly awaited Fell Running Calendar and
the Cotswold Running website influence our new year’s planning to a large
extent. As a Cotswold Running
ambassador, I’ve been given a chance to test some Thoosa apparel on the
trails. The Naunton 19 was my first time
in this great gear. Normally, it is very
ill-advised to race in kit that you’ve never worn before. However, you might have guessed by now that I
have the attitude that rules are only there to be broken. The week prior to Naunton 19 had been
typically wet along with the rest of 2012 and into 2013. I had decided prior to the race that I was
going to wear Swift Capris, compression calf-skins, woolly socks for padding, a
thermal long sleeve and a Cotswold Running technical T-Shirt. However, the night before the race the
temperatures plummeted to -4 and on race day, temperatures of -2.5 °C
were recorded. A change of plan in
attire was needed. I changed out of the
capris and wore the Thoosa Chill tights over compression calf-skins - an ideal
combination on a day with 3 cold, wet fords.
The long tights were perfect; they have a silky feel on the outside but
have a brushed lining making them very comfortable. They came straight out of the box and into a 3+
hour trail race without any discomfort. We’ll
see how they stand up to some more abuse, so watch this space as you will see
the Thoosa on an old bird out on the Donnington Way.
Monday, 14 January 2013
Gear Review: Thoosa Swift Zip Tee & 3/4 Longs
A few months ago, we met Thoosa Running Wear’s founder,
Caroline McNally, at our inaugural race, The Broadway Tower Marathon and Half
Marathon. She was enthusiastically
cheering on Thoosa ambassador Charlotte Jeffries, who was running (very
quickly!) the Half Marathon. As a result
of that serendipitous meeting, Thoosa are kindly providing prizes to our female
race winners this year, and we are returning the favour by putting their gear
to the test on the trails. Cotswold
Running ambassadors Nicola Dusterhoff and Christine Lloyd are planning various
fell and trail races, the occasional ultra, triathlon, and possibly a mountain
marathon or two. Thoosa kit will be with
them along the way, and we’ll periodically report on how they get on.
Let’s face it, most of a first-time purchase for a brand is
heavily influenced by first impressions and recommendations from trusted
sources. First time use, though, is all
about first impressions. Once, in the
dim and distant past, Nicola received a very good quality top for Christmas. It
wasn’t in the most attractive colour of pale mustard (easy to see, but would
you want to be seen in it?). Two years
later, it went missing, after one or two “you gave it to me, so I’ll wear it”
outings. When the ladies opened their Thoosa
packages, the first impression was “fits well, looks great, feels well made” –
no concern about the kit being hidden away!
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| Nicola on the trails in Thoosa Swift Zip Tee and Swift 3/4 Longs |
So, what are Nic and Chris trialling this Winter, and what
was behind that great first impression?
Given free rein over their selection, they both chose the Chill Half Zip
and Swift Zip Tee on top. On bottom, Nic
will be wearing the City Skort or Swift ¾ tights, and Chris will be trying out
the City Capri and the Chill Tights. As
with any new gear, the “out-of-the-box” inspection reveals a lot about what you
can expect during use. All of the fabric
feels like it will last well and like it is soft enough not to be a chafing
concern.
The Chill tops have some great features, including 2 hip
pockets that are roomy enough for most smartphones and snug enough not to
bounce around on the run. The colours are
vibrant, with a fair amount of reflective detailing. The Swift tee in “berry” was very easy to see
from a distance on one of the typically grey, drizzly runs that seemed to
dominate December. One obvious
difference in the tops compared to many other brands is a slightly longer body
and slightly flared shaping that means they hang nicely over the bit of “tummy”
that may just have sent one out for a run in the first place. The hand-warming slots in the cuff are also
great for those runs when it’s not really cold enough for gloves, but when you
want something over your hands until you get fully warmed up. As Nic went through a spate of losing one
glove on those days, we might even call this a cost-saving feature!
The first thing we noticed about the bottoms is the wide,
high waist. This eliminates the need for
a draw string – they stay up nicely without one. As a bonus, the waistline seam is out of the
way of a waist-pack, reducing the opportunity for chafing on a long run. After a few runs of over 2 hours, even with
the Swift tee untucked throughout, Nic hasn’t experienced any of the chaffing
along the waist that regularly happened with lower-waisted longs and
shorts. The addition of a nice big,
zipped pocket along the lower back is especially welcome in combination with
the Swift tee, which doesn’t have any pockets.
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| Mud (and the rest) up to the knee and a fall helped testing. All looks & smells fine after a good wash. |
Result so far – our ambassadors are happy with the Thoosa
Running Wear, and have yet to find anything to complain about. The clothes wash up fine, retain their shape,
and are ready to go again. This weekend,
Chris took her kit for a race test at the Naunton 19 Trail Race. We’ll let you know how she got on.
Thursday, 27 December 2012
Gear Review: Gaiters - Inov-8 vs Dirty Girl
I enjoy running in the mud. Frequently, I even enjoy running through standing water - especially if my feet are a bit tired or sore. As a result, I have days where I end a run with almost as much muck in my shoes as on them. I started wearing gaiters a few years ago, with Inov-8's DebriSoc - a sock with built-in gaiter. When the sock part finally met its holey demise, I cut off the sock and kept using the gaiter. Last year, before the River Ayr Way Challenge, I finally replaced the decrepit old things with a new pair of Inov-8 Debris Gaiter (tm) 32. They were partially successful, but they are dreadfully dull to look at, and, ever the magpie, I have been eyeing up the wantonly excessive decoration of the Dirty Girl gaiters that are now easily available in the UK via The ULTRAmarathon Running Store. Thanks to my fabulous parents-in-law, on Boxing Day I had the chance to test out the Dirty Girls, so here's my view of how Inov-8 and Dirty Girl stack up on a wet and filthy trail run.
The Inov-8 Debris Gaiter is pretty simple: put on gaiter, put on shoe, slide elastic bands under the shoe and hook the tab onto your laces - what could be easier? They cover the lace knots nicely on most shoes, which is helpful in mud as well as long wet grass. They're also fairly absorbant, which can be a hassle if there's a lot of water as well as grit on the route. The ankle cuff is a bit bulky, which can result in quite warm ankles if you're out on a summer run. With a price ranging from £11 to £15, and coming in any colour you like, so long as it's black, these gaiters keep the mud out at a good price.
The Dirty Girl Gaiters stand out visually, with over 20 patterns from which to choose. The attachment to the shoe is very straight-forward. There's a one-time (or now-and-then) process requiring you to stick a bit of self-adhesive velcro onto the back of your shoeand then wait a day. To wear, put on the gaiter, put on the shoe, then velcro the back of the gaiter to the shoe and hook the front to the bottom shoelace. They are made from a basic polyester/lycra blend, so are a little stretchy but not too clingy. The gaiter is also very light, even on a very wet day. They don't absorb much water, and are reasonably cool. I comfortably wore mine (without trail shoes) around the house for an afternoon to check the fit while I waited for the velcro to set on my shoes, and hardly noticed them. On the down side, the cost of all the pretty colours is an extra few £ on the pricetag.
Things to be aware of about both brands: if you wear shoes without laces (e.g. most Five-Fingers), you are going to have to find something to hook the gaiters to at the front. An elastic band around a toe or two will do in a pinch. If you wear La Sportiva shoes, you will also struggle to find a lace to hook onto. I successfully used the elastic band from my old DebriSoc around the forefoot. Nic made a fixing point by running a safety pin along the top of her lace-gaiter with good effect. With a bit of time and fishing line, I expect the best method will be to stitch in a loop at the bottom of the lace gaiter.
The Inov-8 Debris Gaiter is pretty simple: put on gaiter, put on shoe, slide elastic bands under the shoe and hook the tab onto your laces - what could be easier? They cover the lace knots nicely on most shoes, which is helpful in mud as well as long wet grass. They're also fairly absorbant, which can be a hassle if there's a lot of water as well as grit on the route. The ankle cuff is a bit bulky, which can result in quite warm ankles if you're out on a summer run. With a price ranging from £11 to £15, and coming in any colour you like, so long as it's black, these gaiters keep the mud out at a good price.
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| Inov-8's Debris Gaiter 32 (Picture by Inov-8) |
The Dirty Girl Gaiters stand out visually, with over 20 patterns from which to choose. The attachment to the shoe is very straight-forward. There's a one-time (or now-and-then) process requiring you to stick a bit of self-adhesive velcro onto the back of your shoeand then wait a day. To wear, put on the gaiter, put on the shoe, then velcro the back of the gaiter to the shoe and hook the front to the bottom shoelace. They are made from a basic polyester/lycra blend, so are a little stretchy but not too clingy. The gaiter is also very light, even on a very wet day. They don't absorb much water, and are reasonably cool. I comfortably wore mine (without trail shoes) around the house for an afternoon to check the fit while I waited for the velcro to set on my shoes, and hardly noticed them. On the down side, the cost of all the pretty colours is an extra few £ on the pricetag.
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| Nic's new Dirty Girls, in "Pink Panther" - mine are the swirly "Compulsive" pattern. |
Things to be aware of about both brands: if you wear shoes without laces (e.g. most Five-Fingers), you are going to have to find something to hook the gaiters to at the front. An elastic band around a toe or two will do in a pinch. If you wear La Sportiva shoes, you will also struggle to find a lace to hook onto. I successfully used the elastic band from my old DebriSoc around the forefoot. Nic made a fixing point by running a safety pin along the top of her lace-gaiter with good effect. With a bit of time and fishing line, I expect the best method will be to stitch in a loop at the bottom of the lace gaiter.
Head-to-Head
If you are more concerned about grass, pebbles, and dry debris than mud and wet grit, then the Inov-8 gaiter is certainly sufficient for your needs and gives good value. For all-round use, the Dirty Girl wins hands down on ability to withstand a wet run without adding to the weight on your feet. They have a tighter weave, so also kept out more fine grit than the Inov-8 gaiters. If you're going to be spending any length of time in the wet, and the current weather pattern suggests we all will be, then I would suggest spending the extra on the Dirty Girl. And if you don't fancy colourful feet, you can always go for the olive green or nearly black options.2012 - Been There, Ran That, You're Doing What?
Ah, December! That time of year when we look back and pretend that the previous 12 months formed some kind of continuous experience that will magically end, be packaged up, and replaced by another year-long block. Life, if we're lucky, lasts quite a long time, so like any good long run, we break it into manageable pieces, taking and planning one step at a time. Every now and then, when things are going well, it's possible to take a step outside of this artificial time line and see that everything is connected, all our future somehow dependent on the miles that have come before. We transcend the map, the GPS, and the strange taste caused by too many gels, and everything somehow fits into the great vision. That's usually about the time I trip over a tree root.
How did 2012 fit into the progression that is my grand plan of life and running? Let's put on the hindsight goggles and have a look. I ended 2011 with two predictions for 2012. Prediction 1: the dry weather we'd been enjoying could not possibly continue - rather unfortunately, I was right, and am now musing about downsizing to a houseboat before the house becomes a boat. Prediction 2: a good early season could lead to a tilt at running the whole Cotswold Way during the summer - this never really made it onto the priority list. 2012 started as a busy racing year. The first half of the year included 15 races of distances ranging from 1 to 34 miles. I ran 100 race miles fewer than in 2011, due to the reduction in the number of marathons. I also raced at a minute and a half per mile faster, again due in part to fewer marathons. By adding ultras to the calendar, I had an incentive to boost my training miles, logging 50% more in 2012 ( ~1800 for the year).
Somehow, the second half of the year seemed to include all of the "A" races for 2012. That hadn't been the plan, it's just how the desire, energy, and ambition played out. By mid-July, every race that had a comparator was a "best" of some kind. For standard distance races, I had picked up a new PB at 1mi, 5km, and half marathon. For races I had done before, I picked up course bests, including the two ultras where I beat my equivalent 2011 marathon times as part of the ultras. 2012 was shaping up rather nicely. I was successfully building on 2011, which had indeed been a "breakthrough" year. Looking forward to the first "A" race, at Nairn, I started to get a little ambitious and before I knew it, I was targeting a sub 1:30 half (nearly made it!), my first 40+mi race, and a new marathon PB on one of the toughest road courses in the country (it's not actually that bad - just one tough hill towards the end).
All through the fun of racing, there was an undercurrent of trying to figure out how to make running more than just a hobby. During the summer, we launched Cotswold Running as a venture to organise races and eventually other running-related experiences. The enterprise started well, with an enjoyable event at Broadway Tower (according to those who slogged through the mud), and will continue into 2013 with other fun challenges on the cards.
Having stared back with the hindsight goggles on, 2012 looks like a year full of enormous change. I was happily racing faster at all distances and running further than ever before. Working life headed in a completely different direction. What was going on? But, if we ignore the artificial barrier that is January 1st, the year is simply a bridge from what came before to what lies ahead. The running achievements flowed nicely as a result of the base laid in 2011, and have set me up for a potentially exciting 2013. April's Highland Fling is inked in as the spring "A" race, and a few other interesting races are finding their way onto the plan. Career-wise, what appears from the outside to be a complete divergence from the past is really just another stepping stone along the way, building on years of varied experiences and leading to - well, we'll just have to see where it leads.
How did 2012 fit into the progression that is my grand plan of life and running? Let's put on the hindsight goggles and have a look. I ended 2011 with two predictions for 2012. Prediction 1: the dry weather we'd been enjoying could not possibly continue - rather unfortunately, I was right, and am now musing about downsizing to a houseboat before the house becomes a boat. Prediction 2: a good early season could lead to a tilt at running the whole Cotswold Way during the summer - this never really made it onto the priority list. 2012 started as a busy racing year. The first half of the year included 15 races of distances ranging from 1 to 34 miles. I ran 100 race miles fewer than in 2011, due to the reduction in the number of marathons. I also raced at a minute and a half per mile faster, again due in part to fewer marathons. By adding ultras to the calendar, I had an incentive to boost my training miles, logging 50% more in 2012 ( ~1800 for the year).
Somehow, the second half of the year seemed to include all of the "A" races for 2012. That hadn't been the plan, it's just how the desire, energy, and ambition played out. By mid-July, every race that had a comparator was a "best" of some kind. For standard distance races, I had picked up a new PB at 1mi, 5km, and half marathon. For races I had done before, I picked up course bests, including the two ultras where I beat my equivalent 2011 marathon times as part of the ultras. 2012 was shaping up rather nicely. I was successfully building on 2011, which had indeed been a "breakthrough" year. Looking forward to the first "A" race, at Nairn, I started to get a little ambitious and before I knew it, I was targeting a sub 1:30 half (nearly made it!), my first 40+mi race, and a new marathon PB on one of the toughest road courses in the country (it's not actually that bad - just one tough hill towards the end).
All through the fun of racing, there was an undercurrent of trying to figure out how to make running more than just a hobby. During the summer, we launched Cotswold Running as a venture to organise races and eventually other running-related experiences. The enterprise started well, with an enjoyable event at Broadway Tower (according to those who slogged through the mud), and will continue into 2013 with other fun challenges on the cards.
Having stared back with the hindsight goggles on, 2012 looks like a year full of enormous change. I was happily racing faster at all distances and running further than ever before. Working life headed in a completely different direction. What was going on? But, if we ignore the artificial barrier that is January 1st, the year is simply a bridge from what came before to what lies ahead. The running achievements flowed nicely as a result of the base laid in 2011, and have set me up for a potentially exciting 2013. April's Highland Fling is inked in as the spring "A" race, and a few other interesting races are finding their way onto the plan. Career-wise, what appears from the outside to be a complete divergence from the past is really just another stepping stone along the way, building on years of varied experiences and leading to - well, we'll just have to see where it leads.
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