Sunwise sunglasses - for running & for life...

The photo shoot that introduced me to Sunwise...

For as long as I can remember, I have worn sunglasses when I run.  

Be it training or be it racing, I can normally be seen hiding behind my trusty Sunwise Sunglasses.

I haven’t always worn Sunwise sunglasses.  For a number of years, one of my most prized possessions in the world was my Oakley Radar Path sunglasses.  I “won” them courtesy of doing rather well in a race and receiving vouchers for Alton Sports.  Being a member of the fantastic club that is Winchester and District Athletics Club (WADAC) the very kind people at Alton Sports also gave me a fantastic discount, which enabled me to purchase a pair of Oakley’s without taking out a mini bank loan…..

For years my Oakley Radar Path accompanied me on almost every run, either upon my face or on the top of my head (if I was running in the pouring rain or in darkness).  I expected to spend the rest of my life with Oakley, and had even set my sights on a gorgeous pair of blue Radar Paths, to compliment my Great Britain & Scotland kit – and also match Kez’s blue collar and harness…..

And then I was seduced by the wonders of Sunwise….

I had been asked to do a photo shoot for Runners World to complement an article that had been written about my ankle and how I had refused to give up when I was told that I would never run again.  The photo was also to feature the dogs as my training partners. 

Tony Aries at Sunwise offered to send me some sunglasses for the photo, which I was delighted to accept.  I was very happy to promote a British company, raise their profile and provide further opportunities for them in a rapidly expanding market.  Thanks to their generosity, I received a pair of Sunwise Crusader, and a pair of Sunwise Waterloo.  I chose to wear the Crusader model for the photo shoot, as they were blue!  

I fully expected to wear the sunglasses for the photo and then return to my Oakley’s for the business of running….

That never happened and four years later, Sunwise sunglasses have become another one of my running friends.

So why am I such a fan of Sunwise?  What makes them so special? 

There are a number of reasons, in no order of preference:

1.       Sunwise are British, just like me…

2.       They have a huge and diverse range with frame styles to suit all face shapes and personal preferences

3.       The quality of their lenses and frames is very good, and exceptionally good value for money

4.       Prompt and efficient customer service

5.       Many models have interchangeable lenses providing options for whatever the British weather/ sun throws at us…

6.       Their frames are smaller and more comfortable than some brands I have worn – also more flattering if you are style conscious….

Odyssey Black in action

Odyssey Gold - a very special event

My favourite model is the Odyssey, which is similar in style to the Twister.  I normally wear the Odyssey Black for racing, but wore a very special pair of Odyssey Gold when I ran with the Olympic Flame.  The frame of the Odyssey sits comfortably on my cheek bones, allowing just enough air flow to prevent the lenses from misting.  They also sit tightly on my head during the times when I don’t need the protection of sunglasses or if I am trying to prevent excessive “panda eye” syndrome during a very long run in the sun.  There was even this one time, at the start of a marathon, when someone very kindly remarked that I “looked hot” when I wore my Odyssey Black, so they must have magical qualities too… ;-)

Although I wear all models running, I tend to wear the Waterloo Silver mostly when I am driving or walking around trying to pretend that I am cool.  I love the lenses on the Waterloo as it feels like there is nothing between my eyes and the open sun, no obvious tint or shading.  Crystal clear vision, with perfect protection!  I do find that the Waterloos don’t stay on the top of my head as well as the Odyssey and Twister, but this has never caused me any problems – if I take them off when running I will either pop them in one of my pockets or carry them.

Having fun with Waterloo Silver

I love the freedom that comes with wearing sunglasses.  You can tell so much from a person by looking at their eyes, how they are feeling etc.  I don’t always want people to know where I am emotionally when I am racing.  I may be in pain, I may be grumpy or I may just be in another world…  When I am running and wearing sunglasses I can go into my own little world but still be fully conscious of the outside world all around me. 

Wearing sunglasses also helped me overcome some of the paranoia about my eyes, resulting from a childhood of hurtful words from bullying kids, to ignorant to understand the pain that their horrid words caused.  It no longer matters what they said, that was then, this is now J

Another huge advantage when wearing sunglasses.... I don’t have to worry about those black bags under my eyes as a result of never getting enough sleep!

You can find out more about Sunwise here all about Sunwise

No, it wasn't Kobi that said I "looked hot"...

(photos courtesy of Runner's World & Ian J Berry)

Rehband: my ankle's best ever friend

Easily fits in a shoe

Since the age of thirteen, ankle supports and braces have been my friends.  Never a week goes by when I do not have to call on the help of an ankle support.  Sometimes it is because I am in extreme pain, other times it is as a precaution because I am about to embark on an off road adventure where the terrain will be treacherous.

For those of you that do not already know my history, you can find out more here http://sandrabowers.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/managing-pain-and-flipping-it-on-its.html

Over the years I have tried a huge number of ankle supports from different manufacturers: Aircast; McDavid; LP; Vulkan; Mueller and Tubigrip to name a few.  They have all provided solutions and also caused further problems.  The problems have varied from destroying my shoes to causing further injury, wounds and bruising on my foot and leg.

Tubigrip has been with me from the start and will spend the rest of my life with me.

In 2011 I was introduced to Rehband and the start of a brilliant relationship.  Rehband help me run when all else fails, they help me train when pain and weakness could otherwise confine me to a sedentary life.  Quite simply they have become my ankle's new best friend.

Rehband have a great range of ankle supports.  

Rehband - more than just supports...

I wear the Ankle Brace when running at extreme speed and power, i.e. sub 5 minute miles with huskies….  I have also worn this brace on ultra distance events on days when my ankle has been weak or painful.  At first glance the brace looks very bulky, but it does fit easily into a normal trainer and has never caused me a significant problem on long distance events.  The only time I had a serious problem when wearing it was when running up a very steep and continuous hill during the Drovers leg of Welsh Castles Relay.  I had secured the “ligament” strap (which fits across the front of the foot) too tightly and as a result could not flex my ankle properly, causing the joint to remain in a very painful position.  I finished the run by adapting a rather strange style of running!  The simple solution to this problem has been to either not fit the strap, which is a Velcro fastening piece of webbing, or to fit it very loosely.

I have also worn the Ankle Brace post injury, i.e. when I have endured a normal “sprain” on my ankle.  It allows me to continue running as I recover albeit at a very reduced pace and effort!

Running supper fast...

I also wear the Lace up and the Receptor during short and longer runs.  Both are easier to fit than the Ankle Brace, but not quite as supportive.  I foolishly wore the Receptor for an ultra-distance event in severe mud and wet without trialling it properly with a brand new pair of trainers.  The result was a very painful wound on my heel where the new combination rubbed.  Again there was a very simple solution of adjusting the wrapping slightly to relieve the pressure point and a very valuable reminder to me that one should use logic and rational thought when embarking on the unknown…..

I usually wear the Ankle Support after I have run, to aid recovery and give my ankle some support after a strenuous effort.

Another really good thing about Rehband’s range of ankle supports and braces is that all of them can be worn on either foot.

Rehband have something for every occasion, I have also tried the knee supports with great success, especially just now as I recover from an injury sustained last year….

Please read my advice with caution.  I do not recommend running when injured.  I chose to run when I am in pain as my mind and body is very experienced in managing pain.  Supports and braces can be used to aid recovery, but please use them sensibly.

(Photos courtesy of Ian J Berry and Newbury parkrun)

Clif Bar: the food of ultra champions

Every year at the London Marathon expo I am the one that can be found hovering around the Clif Bar stand, gorging on all the free samples.  I try to be discreet about my return visits but I am sure that the guys on the stand know fine well just how greedy that I am….

I remember the first time I tasted a Clif Bar, oatmeal and raisin was the flavour.  On a quest to become an ultra-runner, it was the first solid food that I tried to eat as I ran.  It was so successful that I bought one especially for my first ever 100k in a Scotland vest.  I remember eating ½ of it just before 30 miles, saving the other half for when I reached 50 miles.  It was a strategy that worked well as I won my first ever Scottish Championship title and started a love affair with 100ks that would one day earn me a Great Britain vest.

Since my first experience of eating Clif Bars, I have had the delightful opportunity to sample all the flavours, from crunchy peanut butter to white chocolate macadamia, and beyond….. 

Ian and I have also had the honour of being members of the Clif Bar pace team at Brighton Marathon 2011, which in turn led to Ian and I being invited to America as pacers for the New York Marathon in 2011 and 2012.  The Clif Bar Team Leaders that invited us have since become very good friends that we love sharing time and stories with.

As I have continued my life as an ultra-runner I have tried many different types of food and drinks, a never ending quest to find the perfect fuel for body during the challenges that I set it.
I have tried so many foods, some good and some absolute disasters that have had me in tears of distress.  But all along the way the trusty Clif Bar has remained my friend.  Conveniently packaged it is so easy just to pop one in my pocket when I go out for a run.

Clif Bar have a range beyond just the “bars”: Shot Bloks; Electrolyte drinks; gels, to name but a few.  I recently have discovered their chocolate gel, the only gel that I can eat without *insert rude word her".....  Truth be told, they actually taste delicious, something that I would never have thought possible about a gel!  Perfect instant energy for some of my recent speedy 5k parkruns - I do not eat breakfast before a short distance event, therefore need a quick boost to ensure that I don’t “blow up” at 4k…..

In 2013 I have the amazing honour of being sponsored by Clif Bar.  This opportunity will make such a difference to me as an ultra-athlete on a budget as it means that I no longer have to restrict my Clif Bars during training or racing.  The idea of eating 100 Clif Bars during the Ridgeway Challenge is infinitely more appealing than eating another fish, chips and mushy pea dinner!

The only thing that I do need to be careful about is that all of the huskies like them too, useful when we are running ultras together, but means that there may be less for me...;-)

You can find out more about Clif Bar here....http://www.clifbar.co.uk/

Trion:z - magic or myth, it is not just me...

 I am someone that does not willingly take medicine or “pop pills”.  Yes there are occasions when I do take tablets, but they few and far between…I don’t like the thought or feeling of chemicals affecting my body, disguising what it actually happening.  I would not say that I thrive on pain, but I do want to know where I hurt and try to manage that pain myself.  If I swallowed pain killing tablets every time I was in pain then I would need them every day.  This is not something that I want to do.  My ankle has been a problem for years and it will continue to trouble me for the rest of my life.

Recovering from the latest surgery

Surgery has improved it, but the accurate diagnosis came too late and the damage had already been done.  My body has adapted and copes very well with what I have.  My mind has also become stronger as a result of managing the pain.  I do not believe that I would ever have become the accomplished ultra-runner that I am had it not been for my ankle and my determination to make the most of “borrowed time”.  For those that do not already know, I was advised several years ago that I would be a cripple in five years and that I would never be able to run more than one mile.  That comment kick started my quest to run a marathon.
Since then I have run over 80 marathons and ultra-marathons…

Royal Berkshire m'thon

Many years ago before any of the ankle surgery and at a time when extreme pain was something I just lived with, someone suggested that I tried wearing a magnetic bracelet.  I laughed at the idea of their “voodoo magic” actually being able to help my pain, but decided to humour them and placed a bracelet upon my wrist….

30 minutes later I started feeling a very strange sensation in my left arm (the one wearing the bracelet).  This feeling then spread throughout my body and I started feeling “spaced out”, not dissimilar to the feeling one gets when alcohol first starts affecting one’s body.  I started panicking as I was not in control of what was happening within my body.  I think as I panicked the feeling got worse simply because my breathing was rapid and shallow – so now I was dealing with two issues!

I pulled off the bracelet and handed it over to the owner.  Although I was scared at what happened, I was also very curious.  What if it could help me, what if it did make it easier to manage….

And so my love affair with magnetic therapy began.  Initially I tried Bioflow, then Phiten before finally finding Trion:z.

I will let the experts explain the theory behind the technology:

How it works

Background to magnetic therapy

Technology

Basel 24h race

I am not going to say that Trion:z products provided a miracle cure for my pain, but I do believe that they help.  I wear them daily in all areas of my life from running to work and back again.  Since my introduction to Trion:z I have run for Scotland, Great Britain and myself.  I have run many ultra-distance events and I have run 15:48 for 5k and 4:28 for a mile.  I have run alone and I have been assisted by huskies at great speeds.  But the best thing of all is that I run almost every day in my life.  I still feel pain, but in a rather strange way this pain has become my “friend” – it has certainly helped me become who I am.

Kobi & Kade enjoyed the benefits of Trion:z

Kez - Canix Champion at Crufts

But the magic of Trion:z does not stop there, as all our huskies also wear Trion:z collars.  Two of the huskies (father and son) started showing signs of arthritis in their wrist around 11 years of age.  Both showed signs of improvement within one week of wearing their collars.  Several of my friends’ huskies have also shown rapid improvement in general health and energy levels since wearing Trion:z collars.

In times of extreme pain I have worn a large Trion:z broad band around my ankle.  I wore one for most of my 24 hour running debut in Basel.  Sadly it did not protect me from succumbing to heatstroke, but my ankle was certainly not the reason why I failed to reach my target distance!

The best bit of all about Trion:z products is that they are available in so many different styles and colours.  There is something for everyone and every outfit.  In fact my biggest problem before most races these days is deciding which colour of necklace and bracelet to wear!

And finally, did you know that Iron Man in the film The Avengers was powered by Trion:z Magtitan Neo Legend?

(all images courtesy of Ian J Berry & Trion:z)