My name is Kim Virden and “I’m a Runner.” I think I was born a natural athlete. I’ve been in sports since I was in kindergarten, and competed on my first swim team at age 5. I was always doing some type of sport… if I wasn’t swimming, playing tennis, or downhill skiing, I was out fishing. I’ve always been … Read More
GymPact: Get Paid to Work Out
Staying motivated is one of the biggest hurdles people face when it comes to working out, especially for those who are just beginning an exercise program. As someone who has been a (fairly) consistent runner for almost two years now, even I struggle to get myself out of the door. A training schedule for an upcoming race definitely helps motivate … Read More
And So It Begins…
Well, I never thought I would coach a track team. Never in a thousand years. Yet, here I am, up super late trying to put together a workout schedule for the month of April, trying to order spikes and singlets, and thinking what in the world am I doing?! Every year, Schlumberger competes against the top oil companies in Houston … Read More
The Hoka Stinson Evo: A Trail Runner that Lives Up to Its Name
When I discovered I would be testing a pair of Hokas, I first wanted to figure out what “Hoka” actually meant. This is what I found: “hoka” (in Japanese) = the other “hoka” (in Hawaiian) = baffling “hoka” (in Swahili) = mania “hoka” (in Maori) = to fly (the actual meaning behind the shoes) You could say I was ready … Read More
Merrell M-Connect Series Review
When Merrell first asked us to review the M-Connect Series running shoes and apparel, we were thrilled because our previous experiences with Merrell have always been very positive. The Merrell M-Connect Series is the company’s rebranding effort and update to their barefoot line. As you might recall in my Flux Glove review post, I mentioned how confusing their naming scheme is, but … Read More
Wear This, Not That: Running Edition!
Deciding what to wear when you go running sounds like it should be simple. If it’s cold, add some layers. If it’s hot, slap on a pair of sunglasses, shorts, and a t-shirt. Easy, right? But wait, have you factored in how much you’ll heat up as you get warmed up and start to sweat? Or how about the wind … Read More
Ultra Nutrition
With spring almost upon us (though you might not know it here in Madison), many runners have started thinking about what races they’ll be running this year. If you’ve already tackled a marathon and are itching to try something new, you might be considering an ultra. And so begins the excitement of researching races and distances, deciding on a training … Read More
Garmin Forerunner 110 Review
The Garmin Forerunner 110 (henceforth known as the FR110) has been around since early 2010. It is the least expensive model in the Forerunner series ($179.99 w/o a HRM strap, $229.99 w/ a HRM strap) that offers both GPS and heart rate tracking (the FR70 and Forerunner 10 are $50 cheaper, but the former is HR-only and the latter is … Read More