SAUCONY Christmas!

Jake and I got our new Saucony Hurricane team kits for the year! Lots of great new gear - it feels like running Christmas :-)



I was really excited to see the bright pink Saucony racing sports bra. I will definitely have to wear this for summer races! I also noticed that the company made the short sleeve and long sleeve shirts LONGER and with less flare at the hips. I am pretty tall (5'8") and straight so I need a little extra length and not so much flare in the hip area.

I particularly like the capris, short tights, and split shorts. I have multiples of all and pretty much wear one of the three every day. I've said this before, but Saucony makes the best running shorts in the business. They are so lightweight and move freely.

The backpack is a nice addition to the kit this year, and it'll definitely come in handy with all the traveling that Jake and I do. It's very well made with lots of room and pockets.

I decided to get an array of running shoes so that I am able to rotate my shoes from a more minimalist shoe (Mirage and Kinvara) to a more cushioned lightweight trainer (Cortana and Guide 5). I think it's a great idea to train in different types of shoes. I usually wear the more minimalist shoes on workout days and long runs and the trainers on recovery days. I also picked up some BRIGHT PINK Endorphin track spikes and some Peregrine trail running shoes.

Jake got similar gear to me except all of his clothes are the ViZiPRO Orange color instead of pink.

Kinvara 2

For shoes - Jake does most of his training in the Mirage and Kinvara, so he got several pairs of those, along with some racing flats (Fastwitch, which he also uses for tempo run) and track spikes (Endorphin LD3).

Saucony Fastwitch 5 and Endorphin LD3 (which only weight 3.5 ounces in size 11!)

Saucony ViZiPRO

Some of the products in the men's ViZiPRO lineup

I've been an early-morning runner ever since I became a runner. This quality was definitely instilled by my parents, who were always up exercising before work. During the "dark" months we always had some of those dorky-but-effective safety vests by the door; whoever was headed out for a run would throw one on. My Dad was also really big on wearing blaze orange while out running - another trait he passed on to me. Bright orange has become one of my favorite colors to wear, and with Andrea being a Tennessee Volunteer, that also scores me some boyfriend points!

Its really no surprise that I am a HUGE fan of the Saucony ViZiPRO product line. I do 95% of my running in the dark in the winter, I never run indoors on a treadmill, I'm paranoid about being seen by cars, and I love wearing bright orange. Its a no-brainer!

Saucony combined a really cool color scheme with the best running attire and outerwear I've ever worn. My standard morning/evening running attire this time of year consists of a ViZiPRO headband/beanie, an older version of the EPIC jacket, and the Ulti-Mitt mittens. I combine that with 2 of the USB lights that I previously reviewed (I like to wear one on the glove and one on my jacket's chest pocket), and I look like a blinking, flashing traffic cone when I'm out on the roads. It may look ridiculous - but it's also a ridiculously effective combination.

For someone like me who has chronically cold hands, the Ulti-Mitt has been a nice addition for cold but not absolutely bone-chilling freezing mornings. The "pullover mitten" provides enough warmth so I don't have to resort to ski mittens unless its really cold outside. I can wear them when its in the 20s and Andrea usually wears them when it's warmer than 30 degrees. The Ulti-Mitt comes with a USB light that attaches to it, and its location helps for visibility to cars as well as being able to see what's in front of you.

The EPIC jacket does the job in every condition I've encountered. When its cool out, I'll just wear a t-shirt underneath. As the thermometer plunges I'll add layers underneath, but the jacket itself is a perfect breathable shell. While not 100% waterproof, I still wear it during periods of lighter rain, and I wear it when its snowing with no complaints at all. Its actually a relatively thin jacket that moves well with your upper body. An added bonus is that the sleeves are long enough to pull over the bottom of your gloves.

The last product I want to specifically mention is the Omni LX tight. I'm not always the biggest fan of running tights, because they never seem to fit just right. And often times I find that I get colder wearing tight-tights than when I wear running pants. But these ones are obviously made to a higher standard that what I've worn in the past. The Omni LX tights are made of a slightly thicker Drylete material, which keeps me from freezing even when its cold and windy. They are also articulated well - no pulling or seams - they don't restrict natural movement at all. Finally, the bottom part (around the ankle) is actually made long enough and with a zipper that stays shut, thus preventing your ankle area from being exposed to the cold air (which I hate!). I've been alternating these tights with the Drylete XPT and Boston pants.

We are fortunate to live in an era of excellent winter running gear, and if you have it, there really aren't any good excuses you can make to not get outside and run in the winter. As someone who runs twice a day all winter, investing in good outerwear is worth every single penny, in my opinion.

I'd say that the products would make great Christmas presents as well. If you know someone who is a runner, they'll find some bright, reflective clothing very useful. And if you're trying to drop a hint to someone that they need to start pounding the pavement a little more without coming off as a jerk, this is the best way to give them the gift of no more excuses! :-)

This graphic from Saucony's website shows that ViZiPRO orange is scientifically proven to be the BEST COLOR EVER!

Women's ViZiPRO Pink lineup - yeah, Andrea has all of this stuff and more!

I even have a pair of these ViZiPRO Kinvaras