So I come home from work Tuesday evening…and there it was. Sitting at my front down. A small cardboard box. Oh yeah – my new toy had arrived, right on time. I had been looking forward to this all…day…long. CHRISTMAS.
I ordered the Salomon Advanced Skin 5 S-Lab Pack for my Sunday run around Manhattan. It looked so darn cool in the pictures, I was betting that I’d feel like a rock star in this thing. I pulled the box apart. Quickly. Grabbed the contents and began to examine it.
It….looked….cool. Small – but cool. This pack comes in 2 sizes: extra small / small and medium / large. OK, so I’m usually an XL. I was worried about this thing arriving and looking like it would only fit one of the Lollipop Kids. I threw on a technical shirt and put the pack on over it. It felt snug. Not tight – just snug. There were no buckles or latches in areas where serious chaffing could result during a long distance run. There were several zipper pockets in easy to reach areas, which were big enough to store GU packets. There were two sleeves on the shoulder straps which could hold 16 ounce water bottles (or an Iphone and/or other small crap I want to lug with me), and the reservoir held 50 ounces of water (or Captain Morgan – depends on my mood). The design maximizes the available space. The material is incredibly soft yet it appears durable. The water reservoir is housed in a very light material which is designed to keep the water cold for a longer period of time. And there were two small elastic straps that go across the chest to minimize the bouncing motion of the pack while I run.
All that….and it looked cool. Just really…really cool.
This morning I couldn’t wait to find out how the pack felt while I ran in the park. So I threw it on and went out for a light five miler. It didn’t feel like the fabric would irritate my neck as I ran. The pack was designed to fit snug on the runner’s body so that the water and contents did not bounce around. After five miles in this thing – I can confirm that Salomon hit a home run with this thing. It was EXTREMELY comfortable. The shoulder straps did not screw with the way I swing my arms as I run. By the time I finished my workout, I felt like buying this product was money well spent.
This damn thing made me feel like Elvis. I was rockin’ and rollin’ along the bridal path. One note, however: I only ran 5 miles in it. I need to put in 26.2 on Sunday, and I cannot be distracted by chaffing under my arms or along my neck from this thing. So I am worried about trusting this product without first truly training in it. I am 90% sure I’ll use it Sunday. 90%…not 100%.
I’m sharing this for one simple reason: I highly recommend only going on long distance runs in clothing and equipment that you’ve trained in. One of my mottos that I really believe in: train it and THEN trust it.
Until next time! Great long-term habits begin with a simple decision at the outset: the decision to get out there and get in motion. I don’t care if it’s down the block for a walk or a 10k run in the woods. Motion creates emotion. You don’t get today back – so make it count.
_______________________________________________________
If you’d like some information on The Dream Team Project or would like to make a donation to their amazing cause, please stop by the website: www.wdwradio.com/the-dream-team-project I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I really believe in what The Dream Team Project stands for. It raises money for the Make-a-Wish Foundation, helping to grant the wishes of children suffering from life-threatening illnesses. Being s former wish-granter for the NYC Chapter of the Make-a-Wish Foundation, I can tell you first-hand just how much of an impact this organization makes in the lives of children. Please consider donating to this worthy cause. Thanks!
…and if you’d like a bit more information on the WDW Radio Running Team, please check out the Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/WDW-Radio-Running-Team/163606410344409
Hard to tell from the photos (and my old eyes), but how well is it vented?
Be encouraged!