Product Review: Road I.D. Wrist Elite (Interactive)

Have you ever noticed how good we tend to be at procrastinating on certain things?  We all tend to put off things that we know we should do but which have an unpleasant truth behind them, such as the possibility of something seriously bad happening, things like making a will or that appointment for a colonoscopy. That is how I have been with getting a Road I.D.  I have known for a long time that I really should have one, but it was just one of those things that I kept putting off.

That was in spite of the fact that there were some pretty clear indications that getting a Road I.D.  would be a good idea.  Even before my fall last summer and ruptured spleen, I had other cautionary stories that stressed the need for having some type of identification with me when I run. My daughter-in-law’s sister was hit by a car while running one morning.  She had no identification with her.  As she was in the hospital in a coma, law enforcement tried to identify her to notify family. They finally found her through visiting an apartment complex in the area, where someone knew there was a runner who lived there who was in the military. They checked her apartment and no one was home. They went to the base to see if anyone had not reported for duty. Through that piece of luck they were able to find someone to identify her.  

Then there was my own situation with the fall and ruptured spleen.  As I was walking on the trail, going into shock and bleeding internally, thankfully some hikers came by.  If I had collapsed on the trail, though, they might not have known who I was either.  I often run by myself, on roads and trails, and I often do not carry identification. Not smart, I know.  Every time I heard the Road I.D. ads during the Tour de France, I thought, “You know, you really should get one of these.”  Then fate stepped in. I was offered one to test for the blog. I jumped at the chance.

When I went to the Road I.D. site,www.RoadID.com, I read the story of the founding of the company and learned that the idea came from the same type of situation. The company founder, Edward Wimmer, a runner, had been knocked into a ditch by an SUV while training for his first marathon. He and his father Mike started the company in their basement a few months later. Their mission is “to save lives.”  

As I looked around the site I was surprised at the range of products available.  There are seven different types of IDs: three types of wrist IDs, ankle IDs, shoe IDs, and a dog tag type named in honor of Jim Fixx. They have even added a line of pet ID tags. They also have a range of reflective and lighted gear for runners and cyclists, as well as Road ID promotional items, such as cycling jerseys.  In case you are looking for a thoughtful gift for the runner or cyclist in your life, they also have Road ID gift cards. Prices on the items are very good, in my opinion. Most of the Road IDs are $19.99, with the slim being only $15.99, and the top of the line Wrist ID Elite, which I bought, topping out at $29.99. The Elite has an adjustable silicone band with a watch-style clasp that sets it apart from the other versions.

All of the different options come in a regular or interactive version. The regular version is just the basic engraved ID tag, which is in itself some solid peace of mind. The interactive version goes one step further.  It allows you to create an online “Emergency Response Profile” that includes important or relevant medical and contact information that you might want emergency responders to know, such as medical conditions, allergies, etc.  It is available to emergency responders either online or by telephone.  Rather than me trying to explain all the details, it is better just to watch the very informative video they have produced:

Initially I had some worries about security of having my information on my wrist like that. What if I lost the bracelet and someone accessed my information? After thinking about this for a while, though, I realized that there was actually less danger in that than carrying my purse around with me every day, which I do without even thinking. The site itself cautions you to treat the Road ID as you would any other type of ID and keep it secure. It also tells you what to do in the event that the ID is lost or stolen.  I also decided that the information I am putting in the profile is under my control and would mostly be medical and contact information that did not pose any real risk to my security. The potential benefits clearly outweighed the potential risks. I decided on the interactive version. The interactive version comes with a year of free monitoring. After that , the interactive service costs $9.99 per year.

The ordering process was easy. One nice feature is that a portion of all sales go to a charity of your choice. They have several to choose from, including Wounded Warrior, Livestrong, ASPCA, breast cancer, etc.  They also offer several colors for the band, but I went with basic black. The order confirmation arrived quickly, along with the tracking information for the shipment. 

When the ID arrived, inside the envelope was a separate pouch with a verification label, as well as a reminder to activate the ID at the MyRoadID.com site,which is where you go to set up the interactive profile. The set-up process is easy. The entire Road I.D. site is well designed and easy to navigate. As the video explained, the profile site has a series of questions, including things like vital statistics, blood type, allergies, medical conditions, medications, physician information, and insurance information, designed to help you give medical responders information that they may need to help you if you were unconscious. You supply as much or as little as you want to create the profile.  You are in control of the flow of information.  You can also edit the information whenever it is needed.

The Wrist I.D. Elite comes in a very nice little tin storage container. The band is adjustable so that you can get a customizable fit. The silicone band has little notches at the end that help you adjust the band. The directions are included, but the process involves trimming the ends of the silicone band until you get a good fit. The silicone band inserts into the clasp and with a clasp with teeth that holds it in place. This adjustment process allows you to get a really nice custom fit on the bracelet. You just trim the band, little by little, until you get a good fit.

I decided to wear the band on my right wrist, since my Garmin (which is kind of huge) is on my left wrist. I was already used to wearing my Endorphin Warrior training bracelet, so having a bracelet on that arm did not bother me. However, it may take someone not used to wearing something on that arm a day or so to get used to it. Once you do, you will not even notice it. It is lightweight and the good fit keeps it from sliding around.  

I thought the Wrist ID Elite looks pretty classy for a sport identification bracelet.  As I said, I had gone for the basic black. It looks very sleek with the silver plate.  

So, did I feel better wearing the Road I.D.?  Oddly enough, I did. I even wore it for my final Dances With Dirt Hell race. You can see it there in the picture with the buckle.

Cheap excuse to show off the buckle one more time :-)

Getting the Road I.D. is not a really big deal, but it is good to know that if I have an accident again, on the trails or on the roads, that medical responders would have information they needed if I could not speak for myself.  The price (about the same as one race entry or one cute running top) is well worth the peace of mind. 

Product Review: Rock Tape -- It Rocks!!

(Before I begin, let me state that I am in no way connected to Rock Tape and am not being paid in any way for this review. I am just really happy with their product and how it performed for me in the marathon last weekend.)

Last weekend I ran a trail marathon with an IT band that was very iffy. I had been rehabilitating it since the 50k at Dances with Dirt GreenSwamp and had unsuccessfully tried to run the Martian Half Marathon two weekends earlier, having to stop at 5.75 miles. I had been getting some really good therapy from Dr. Tom, but did not feel hopeful that I would make a full 26 miles, especially on such a hilly and uneven course. I had decided to start the marathon anyway, because I did need a long run to prepare for the 50k at Gnaw Bone, and just to go as far as my knee would allow.

Luckily for me, I came across a Facebook posting by my friend Janet, who had just finished her first marathon with a strain in her groin. She reported that the Rock Tape got her through the marathon with no pain and that it worked better than the more well known KT Tape, which she had also tried. I also remembered that my son had once mentioned tape for working with injuries in his water polo players.

Since I had not had experience with this type of tape, I looked it up on their web site. They had a pretty nice video explanation of it that I am including here.

I was impressed with how thorough they were, even including videos of how to apply the tape correctly . When I saw that they had an application for IT band problems I was intrigued. I went right out to my local running store, Playmakers, to pick some up. I wasn't sure if it would work or not, but for $20 a roll it was worth a try. I was kind of disappointed that they didn't carry any of the cool colors I had seen on Amazon. The next order will definitely be for something a little more stylish, maybe purple, electric blue, or if I am feeling particularly wild, the pink flying skulls, or maybe the cool tattoo pattern:


        

I brought the tape home the night before the race, showered and shaved my legs, and then waited until I was completely dry to apply the tape. It did not mention shaving the area, but I figured that would help the tape stick. I wasn't sure which taping method I needed from their site, because besides the IT band issue, I was also having knee pain. I decided, just to be on the safe side, to do the taping for general knee pain to hold the knee stable and also to do the IT band. I watched the videos a few times, looked over the full-color directions in the box, and felt ready to apply the tape.

The tape is cloth, a lightweight stretchy fabric. You can't really tell how stretchy until you remove the paper backing.  Application of the tape is fairly easy with the video directions, but if you are uncoordinated like me, you just need to be careful not to let the tape stick to itself while you are putting it on.

The key to the tape working correctly is in the application. First of all, the video tells you to round the edges to keep them from fraying and to help them stick. This step is absolutely essential. Do it for every piece you apply, whether the video specifically says it or not. I did not do it on the cross piece I put below my knee, and that was the only spot where I had a problem with sticking. When it started to come up, I pulled the edge up, rounded it, and restuck it. It then stuck tightly until I pulled it off.

The second key step has to do with the stretching of the tape. The tape is meant to stretch in the middle but NOT at the end where you stick it down. If you stretch the ends of the tape, they will not adhere correctly. They emphasize this in the videos and the directions, but since most people are used to pulling on tape or band-aids as they are sticking them down, it is worth repeating. The stretch that you apply is as you stick down the middle of the tape. Once the ends of the tape are put in place, you rub over them briskly to create a little heat to help the tape stick.

After I was taped up, it felt surprisingly lightweight. I slept with it on the night before and could not really feel it except in one spot below the knee. I was glad I had taped the night before because this let me know I had taped it too tight on the crosspiece under my knee. I was able to lift that piece, loosen it a little, round the edge, and stick it back down. I was worried it might not restick, so I took the roll of tape with me. I didn't need it.  It stuck down just fine.

My knee, with my Rock Tape
overkill

Now, I am including a picture of my taped up leg here, but I do want to say that if anyone from Rock Tape would see it they would probably say it was total overkill. I ended up running two strips down my IT band, just to be sure, and then I also had the thing around my knee. It looks like it would be super uncomfortable, but let me tell you, I would not have worn all that tape for the four days I eventually had it on if it was even a little bit uncomfortable.

The big question for me was "Is this going to work?" As I started running, I was pleased and surprised to find that I really did not feel the tape. I was afraid I was going to spend the whole race wishing I hadn't put it on, but not able to take it off because I was wearing tights. That did not happen. After that first half mile of thinking "How is this going to be," I was able to forget about it entirely, and I did for those first few miles of the race.

By mile 5 I was starting to wonder how long I was going to be pain-free and whether the tape was going to work when my muscles got fatigued. By the aid station at 6.5 I was cautiously optimistic; by the one at 9.5 I was amazed to be still running and feeling good. Miles 11-13 had lots of downhill, and I figured that would be the real test. At a steep, rocky downhill around mile 12 I had twinges in my knee and thought "uh-oh, here it comes," but it never did. I kept waiting for the weakness that precedes the knee giving out, but it never came.

By the time I got back around to the aid station where my friend Paula was which would have been around 19.5 on the course, I was ecstatic. I was telling everyone "This Rock Tape Rocks!! I can't believe I have made it this far!" I could not believe I was still running at that point. As I crossed the finish line, way ahead of schedule, Jerry was equally surprised to see me still running. Neither one of us would have believed it was possible. I still don't think it would have been without the Rock Tape.

Just for the purposes of this review, I kept the tape on for three more days. I showed it to Dr. Tom when I went in to see him, and he said that the taping technique I had gotten from the site was a good one for supporting the knee. I took several steaming hot showers, just to see if the tape would stay on. It definitely did.

I would recommend this tape to anyone who is suffering with IT band or knee issues. It is not a solution to the problem. The solution is to continue working on strengthening the muscles so that they don't need the extra support, but in the meantime, the extra help from the tape is wonderful.

It is not just for IT band and knee issues. As I said, Janet used hers for a groin problem. They also have applications for many other common running-related problems in their brochure and on their site, including plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendon problems, and shin splints.

Also, in marathons and ultras, where there will be serious muscle fatigue, I think it would be a good preventative measure. I will probably keep taping for the  longer races, at least until I am positive that I have addressed those weaknesses in my glutes and hips that are causing my injury. The site also says that there are "performance enhancing" benefits to the tape in terms of increased blood flow to an area and improvements in form. I am not sure about performance enhancement, but I think the $20 for a box is worth the investment just for its possible injury prevention abilities in adding extra support when form breaks down late in a race.

In short, I would not  have believed that this product would work if I had not tried it myself, but I am now a convert. If you are struggling with an injury, especially one that is related to support, I really recommend that you give the tape a try.

Has anyone else tried it? I would love to hear your experiences. 

Gear Review and April Giveaway: Nathan Sprint (Quickshot) hand bottle

Spring has sprung for most of the country. Here in Michigan, the flowers are blooming, leaves are popping out on the trees, and the sun has been shining most days since I have been back. Although the temperatures are not quite warm enough to totally suit this California/Florida transplant, all of us runners are ecstatic to have some warmer running weather. However, with warmer weather brings the need for increased awareness of hydration.

I have a love/hate relationship with hydration. I love being hydrated, but I hate most of the options available for staying that way on the run. As some of you may know, I am a "gadget girl" and love to try new pieces of running gear. Over the years I have tried the whole array of hydration options, from hand bottles, to waist belts, to hydration packs (both belt type and vest type). In fact, I have a very large bin full of these failed attempts at finding the right hydration system for me.

Here is the thing: I get annoyed very easily. One of the things I find most annoying is waist belts that will not stay adjusted on the run. Anyone who has used one of these faulty belts knows what I mean. Eventually, about every quarter mile or so, you end up reaching down to retighten the waist strap which has slipped a bit and which is causing the pack to bounce. Super annoying!! In fact, I found this so annoying that I once left a brand new $35 hydration belt at about mile 10 of the Fontana Days Half Marathon.

I like hydration vests and have happily settled on my Nathan Intensity vest, but like other hydration vests I have tried, it is no good unless there is a shirt underneath it to keep it from rubbing abrasions into one's back. I just re-established that this was true in my recent fiasco at DWD Green Swamp. (I had originally learned this lesson on my first 50 miler where we ended up wrapping my waist in duct tape to stop the chafing. You'd think that would have been enough of a lesson, but no.). I was so relieved when I passed back by the start at mile 26 and could drop off the vest. I do love the vest, but it is only for days when I wear a shirt.

Thus, I am left to rely on hand bottles to meet most of my day-to-day hydration needs in hot weather. Truthfully, I was not really thrilled with this situation, but I was willing to live with it because it beat the other options (becoming dehydrated, wearing a shirt in warm weather,  wearing an annoying waist belt, or driving around town or trails leaving water in key spots prior to the run). That was until I met the Nathan Sprint (now called the Quickshot).

I first saw the Nathan Sprint/Quickshot  on a trail run when one of my favorite running buddies, Corey, showed up with one. It was small, and I could tell just from the way he was unconsciously holding it that it was comfortable for him. I asked if I could try it, and in thirty seconds I was sold. It fit so beautifully in my hand in a way that was different from any of the other hand bottles I had experience with. I had to have one!

When I got mine, I was not disappointed. It was everything I had hoped it would be in a hand bottle. I bought a second one shortly after, both because I like to be symmetrical when I run and because carrying two is a good idea on longer runs because of the smaller volume bottle.  Let me tell you a bit about the pros and cons of this bottle.

Pros:

There are lots of reasons I like this bottle, but the number one reason is comfort. The bottle shape has a lot to do with this. It is not round like most other bottles. It is flat to slightly concave on the side that rests against my hand. The key idea here is that it "rests" against your palm rather than being gripped. When your thumb is placed through the slot in the carrier, the bottle rests against the meaty part of the palm, with the fingers curving naturally around the bottle, but not gripping it. This is a super comfortable position. 

In addition, the hole that the thumb slips through is edged with very soft material that does not irritate the thumb where it goes through the carrier, like some of my other carriers do. The bottle will stay in your hand, even if you are not gripping it with your fingers. Also, because of the way it sits in your hand, you can actually use your fingers and thumb to grip other things or to push buttons on a watch more easily.

In terms of fit in relation to hand size, it seems to work well for people with different size hands. It has an adjustable velcro strap that fits around the bottom of the bottle to loosen or tighten the hand grip. It works for my super-small hands, but also works on my husband's very giant hands. I am a big fan of the velcro closure. It does not slip like the straps do that adjust some of other water bottle carriers.

The bottle's spout is also a plus for me. It has what Nathan calls the "Quick Cap," which was originally designed for dispensing gels. They describe it as a "high-flow, one-way valve [which] opens and closes automatically and offers a quick burst of fluid." What that means to me is that I don't have to open and close a valve with my teeth. It may just be me, but I always end up busting my lip on those hard plastic valves on some other water bottles.  The water shoots out with a squeeze of the bottle. I really like this set-up.

Finally, there are a few other features of the bottle that are a plus. It has a wide mouth for a bottle this size, which allows for easier filling and cleaning. The bottle can also be removed from the carrier for easier cleaning. Some people have said that the bottles will not come out, but the plastic collar at the top of the bottle slips off on both of mine to remove the bottle from the carrier.

Cons:

Although I love this bottle, I would be remiss not to mention a few of the minor cons of the bottle. One con for some people is the 10 oz size rather than the larger 20 oz bottle most carry. This is a drawback if you are needing to carry a lot of fluid. For runs like that for me, I switch to my hydration vest. For medium length runs, I carry two of these. I find that 20 oz. is enough for me for runs up to an hour and a half. For short runs, an hour or so, this bottle is just perfect. This definitely is not a long distance hydration option, though.

A second drawback is actually in an area that I mention as a positive. Some people do not like the Race Cap valve. It is very responsive (some might say "touchy"). If you squeeze, water will shoot out. Many people unconsciously squeeze the bottle if they tense up as they are running. I don't have a problem with this, though, because one of the things I love about the bottle is that I don't have to grip it as I run. However, if this is a problem for you, you can replace the race cap bottle with the regular flask with the pop-up tops.

The third drawback is partially operator error. The bottle will leak if the top is not screwed on exactly. This is annoying, and it has occasionally happened to me. If there is a flaw in the bottle's design, it would be that the top is not as easy to screw on as one would hope. The first few times I used the bottle I had the occasional problem with this. However, now that I know about this little "quirk," I check the bottle by shaking it upside down after I screw the lid on to make sure I have a good seal.

Even with these slight drawbacks, this is still my absolute favorite hydration accessory at this time. Besides being great for short to medium length training runs, it could work especially well for races of 5k and 10k. It is light enough and comfortable enough not to interfere with fast running, but it would allow one to breeze by the water stops that often take those valuable seconds that keep a runner from achieving a PR.

Because of that, I would like to share it with one lucky reader. For this month's contest I am giving away a Nathan Sprint/Quickshot hydration bottle.  To enter just comment on this post letting me know why you think you need or where you will use your new Nathan Sprint/Quickshot. Will it be training on the trails? For an upcoming race? To train for your first marathon? (I'll be using mine in my training for Dances With Dirt Gnaw Bone!) One entry per person, please.

A winner will be chosen next Monday, April 25, 2012, from all entries in the comment section of this post by whatever time on Monday morning that I get around to doing the drawing.