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LizzyB

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1 to 8 of 8 reviews.

Timex 50 lap Ironman Sleek - T5B721

Posted: 19/10/07

'EASY TO USE, RELIABLE, PRACTICAL AND INEXPENSIVE-AND STURDY!'

Strengths:
A good looking and practical watch, that is robust and easy to operate with cold/wet hands! As such, it's ideal for swimmers/triathletes and fell runners, or anyone who does any sort of running where a SDM or HRM is inpractical or may get lost or damanged. This watch is indestructable and it and its predecessor (which was only replaced because it wasn't very pretty) have seen me through maountain marathons, fell races, running in awful weather, winter sports (also in foul weather), swimming, surfing and windsurfing across Europe with no problems at all. It's survived temperates as low as -20 with no problems at all.

The controls are easy to use (and learn) and the playback facility is simple to use and importantly can be operated with cold fingers - useful if you want to check your progress mid-session. You can also continue an earlier session if you so wish without losing the data - useful for multi-day races.

Weaknesses:
Relatively short battery life (less than a year) if used heavily or in cold/wet conditions. Battery is easy to replace though. With previous timex Ironman watches the light bulb has only lasted a couple of years, although this may be replacable.

Some of the functions will get limited use if you run for fun and don't train on the track or road race, in which case a cheaper watch might be just as good.

Overall:
A sturdy, reliable watch which has beeb "tested to destruction" by me (and I still can't destroy it!)

While it's not a HRM or SDM, a good running watch is an invaluable item for every runner - it's not always practical or even appropriate to use a SDM/HRM and this watch is far more reliable than any SDM or HRM can ever be! It's also got some nice styling, so can be worn as an everyday watch, or taken on a sporting or active holiday if you don't want to take a 'best' watch.

Performance		80%
Ease of use		80%
Value		60%

Overall Rating

73%

Leppin Energy Boost

Posted: 22/02/07

'REALLY PALATABLE AND NOT TOO SWEET. DOES THE JOB, TOO'

Strengths:
This is the sports fuel of choice in the Nordics, despite being manufactured in Birmingham, and is often the only drink available post-run. It's not too sweet, incredibly gentle on the stomach, and is great for pre, during or post-endurance exercise. I've never had any sickness when taking it on long bike rides or runs, the same which can't be said for PSP22 or Lucozade (to which it is similar but more palatable).

Weaknesses:
Really difficult to get hold of in the UK

Overall:
I wish the manufacturer would get their distribution sorted out - PSP22 is good, but this is better!

Palatability		100%
Performance		80%
Value		60%

Overall Rating

80%

Dans-ez Minimal Bounce Bra

Posted: 27/12/06

'MINE ARE BOTH 9 YEARS OLD AND STILL GOING STRONG'

Strengths:
Keep their shape and colour and still support after 9 years and what must be weekly wear and washes - what more do you need?

Weaknesses:
The trouble with keeping their colour is that fuscia and red ( the colours of my two bras) are sooo mid-90s - they are strictly for wearing beneath other clothes these days.

Overall:
'cost per wear' of each of these bras must be in fractions of pennies - and they are dead comfy as well (I'm an A cup though, so not a difficult size when it comes to sports bras).

Nice soft fabric, but seams can chafe under the arms when worn by itself for long runs in hot weather

Performance		100%
Comfort		80%
Value		100%

Overall Rating

93%

Nike Air Zoom Elite 2

Posted: 11/03/06

'EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE TRAINERS'

Strengths:
Good, fast, light shoe but with enough stability to allow us less efficient runners to benefit

Weaknesses:
Grip on wet tarmac is poor - not ideal for racing on wet days

Not an everyday trainer for less efficient runners - I save mine for racing and faster training

Overall:
OK, this is how good these shoes are: Sunday, I run a 5 mile race - flat - in normal trainers , at 7:30 pace. Four days later I run a 10k - hilly - in these trainers at 7:20 pace. I put at least 5 of those seconds down to these shoes.

Performance		80%
Comfort		60%
Value		80%

Overall Rating

73%

Lore Of Running by Timothy Noakes

Posted: 08/03/06

'IF YOU OWN ONE RUNNING BOOK, OWN THIS ONE'

Strengths:
Contains everything you need to know about training and injuires - use with the index and an open mind for best effect

Weaknesses:
Not an 'easy read' for the non-scientist!

Some of the historical trianing information, while interesting, doesn't really add anything to the book

Overall:
Much writing on sports science subjects has been - rightly - criticised for its lack of academic rigour and research - this is one of the few books I'd trust in an emergency.

And every now and then, Tim Noakes throws in a cracking joke.

Readability		60%
Usefulness		100%
Value		100%

Overall Rating

87%

Inov-8 Mudclaw 270

Posted: 08/03/06
Updated: 17/04/07

'MY WALSHES DIED AND THESE SEEMED OK IN THE SHOP'

Strengths:
Awesome grip

Good to see someone thinking 'outside the box' with fell shoes

Weaknesses:
Inner inside seams gave me blisters.

Don't seem to support your food as much as traditional fell shoes. I suppose I can't blame the shoes on the fact that I tore my ankle ligaments the first time I wore them, racing over Black Sail pass but ...

Can't seem to get the laces to tighte without deforming the shoe.

toe rand started to come off on in first month!

[Update 17/04/07] Update - a year or so on

After less than two years of race, and probabaly less than 250 miles of training/racing (mostly on Peak gritsone) I notice that several of the studs on the forefoot have, literally, vanished and others have vertically sheered off. I am really, really not happy!

Overall:
It's great to see new thinking in fell shoes but for me, the traditional styling suits me better. Think I'll be using these for XC next season and buyring a new pair of Walshes for fell running

[Update 17/04/07] Further update: My running club has a big fell running section - we've all bought Mudclaws and while we're agreed that the grip is awesome, there are huge problems with build quality - seams ripping, toe rands coming off - and blisters

Performance		40%
Comfort		40%
Value		60%

Overall Rating

47%

Garmin Forerunner 201

Posted: 08/03/06

'YOU CAN NO LONGER FIB ABOUT HOW FAR YOU RAN'

Strengths:
It made me realise that I was over-estimating all my training routes by about 10%. Hmm, I think that is a strength, but I now need to revise 10 years of training diaries.

Garmin UK customer service is fab! My 2-year-old Garmin 'died' earlier this year and they sent me a brand new one - free! - in under a week.

Weaknesses:
Hard to gain a signal in mountainous regions or near the Arctic circle (obscure for some but occasionally necessary in my case).

Under-estimate of distance can usually be accounted for by loss of signal (easy to see when data is downloaded). Ocassionally it over-etimates speed and distance which is harder to spot unless it is incredibly wrong - allegedly, a race I ran near Newark included a 0.8 mile section where I was 5 minute miling. I think not.

Not sure about build quality - I started to get screen problems after 18 months, and unit died completely after 2 years.

Overall:
Simple interface and easy to use.

Found the 'speed' less useful than the 'distance' - I am very clumsy, and I don't like glancing at my watch when I'd running as I'm likely to hit the deck. Its USPfor me is to be able to tell me how far I've run - great for LSD runs.

It works really well as a bike computer - and taking it snowboarding is a real laugh (but quite scary - 60km/h!!

Performance		60%
Ease of use		80%
Value		60%

Overall Rating

67%

Feet in the Clouds: A Tale of Fell-Running and Obsession by Richard Askwith

Posted: 18/01/06

'FELL RUNNING AS A LIFESTYLE CHOICE'

Strengths:
Strong on the history of the sport, does capture some of the addictive magic of fell running

Weaknesses:
Women consigned to last chapter, got a feeling throughout the book that the runner was desparate to 'belong' to a fell runners' 'set'

Overall:
What I couldn't understand was why did he join Keswick when there were some equally good fell running clubs closer to his London home? (especially as he keeps complaining in the book about the distance to travel for club nights). What was wrong with joining Dark Peak?

Readability		60%
Usefulness		60%
Value		40%

Overall Rating

53%

See entire review section


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