Friday, July 12, 2013

Rock and Roll After Party - OnlineShoes.com featuring Brooks Running

During my race recap for the Rock and Roll Seattle half marathon I had mentioned that I was able to take part in a Seattle blogger opportunity and that it actually deserved it's own post because it was so great. It was hosted by OnlineShoes.com and featured Brooks Running.

So let me give you a little back story first. Both OnlineShoes.com and Brooks are local businesses to the Seattle area. Brooks sponsors tons of local events and has a HUGE presence in the running community in the greater Seattle area. OnlineShoes.com is an online resource for all types of shoes and has their headquarters in downtown Seattle where they have a gorgeous view and equally lovely offices (I got to stop in there!). This year for the Rock and Roll Seattle marathon races, OnlineShoes.com hosted a blogger after party event that featured Brooks to be held after the race in a location just a block away from the finish line and they invited a number of local bloggers to attend. I was one of the fortunate few that got to take part in this event! I was SO excited.



About two weeks before the race we received an email from the social media rep at OnlineShoes telling us that our shirt and shoes from Brooks had arrived and were at their office location downtown for us to pick up at our convenience. They had them ready for us in advance of the race for us to run in them if we so chose.

My first thought were, "WAH? We are getting a pair of free shoes from Brooks?!? NO WAY!"

If you follow my blog at all, you know that I have only run in Brooks and my shoe of choice has been the Adrenaline GTS. So to hear we were getting shoes completely floored me and humbled me. This was such an unexpected and wonderful surprise.

So I went to the office of OnlineShoes.com and picked up my pre-race surprise! I loved this shirt so much! It is so true.

Then I saw the box and could hardly contain myself. I thanked the lady at the front desk, I was so nervous and stuttering from excitement, she probably thought something was wrong with me. I stood in the elevator clutching my box like I was taking away a shipment from Fort Knox. I was so excited to open the box, as soon as I got into my car I cracked it open.  Behold the Brooks Ghost 6!


Aren't these shoes BEAUTIFUL!?!?!?!


I was immediately intrigued by the color, it just pops! Then looking at the way the shoes were built and how the design works with the technical use of the shoe, my mind was blown! 

Here is what OnlineShoes says about the Ghost 6:

Get ready for a frighteningly smooth, balanced luxurious ride in the Brooks Ghost 6 running shoe, a style that performs as good as it looks. Designed to satisfy a wide range of neutral runners with a medium-to-high arch, this women's athletic shoe builds off the success of the award-winning Ghost 4 and 5 styles. An Element mesh upper and lining keep you breathably cool. With Strobel construction for durability and flex, a biodegradable BioMoGo midsole and S-257 Cushsole for plush comfort and Brooks® DNA for a customized ride, the Brooks Ghost 6 is positioned to be your new favorite workout partner. DRB® Accel lends midfoot support while allowing the heel and forefoot to operate independently; the caterpillar crash pad provides stability and a smooth transition. Rely on the HPR Plus outsole and Omni-Groove technology to provide a secure, motivating foundation that helps carry you farther, faster.

I had always wanted to try running in Ghosts, but was too afraid to give up my Adrenaline's. Now I will have the chance to finally run in some beautiful Ghosts! The only issue is that I don't like to change things up too close to race time, I'm too much of a worry wart to add the unknown into the mix, so these babies would not be making their debut with me during the race.

So finally it was the day of the race and the after party, woohoo! I was excited about the race and even more excited to go to the party, meet with the people of OnlineShoes and hang out with fellow local bloggers! Though when the race was over, I felt so sick, like wanting to throw up sick and was seriously doubting my ability to participate in the after party. I mustered up the strength and headed to the party location...just in time to see everyone packing up to leave. 

I had missed it. I felt SO BAD! My finishing time was at least an hour after almost all the other bloggers, so they had time to head to the party and talk, chow down on some delicious looking pizza, talk with the wonderful reps and just hang out for a bit. By the time I got there I was only able to snap this one pic of some BEAUTIFUL Pure Cadence shoes that were sitting out on one of the tables. Can you tell that I'm IN LOVE with the turquoise color movement that is going on right now? This is seriously an under utilized color!!

However while I was there I did get to chat with the reps a bit and have some laughs and talk about the race. They were so great and so understanding of my showing up late and sympathetic to how I was feeling. They also gave me another surprise that was given to all the bloggers that came to the after party, a grab bag! Inside the bag was some great Brooks gear (a towel, notebook and hat!) and ANOTHER PAIR OF BROOKS SHOES!!!!!!!

Again...mind blown!!! Getting the pair of Ghost 6's was treat enough, but to get another pair of Brooks shoes, was just unbelievable. I literally had my hubby pinch me when I got that bag, I thought I was dreaming!

Behold, the Brooks Glycerin 11!


Another pair of GORGEOUS shoes! I was totally digging on the color scheme! The pink and silver combo brought me back to my childhood and my pink and grey Huffy 10 speed. Man I loved that thing and rode it into the ground! I have a feeling that these shoes will have that same fate! When I picked up these shoes I had to check to see if I was missing something because they are incredibly light. I put them on and it felt, for lack of a better term, fluffy, like I was walking on pillows. 

This is what OnlineShoes says about the Glycerin 11:

Think of the Brooks Glycerin® 11 running shoe as your foot's butler, catering to your every want and need with plush, conformable comfort in every step. This sporty women's shoe delivers a customized ride for runners of all sizes and speeds. Full-length Brooks DNA cushioning responds to your every step, dispersing impact and providing ideal comfort as the pace changes. 3D Fit Print overlays create structure and reduce weight on the lightweight synthetic and mesh upper; Cush Pod™ construction delivers maximum cushioning and flexibility. The abrasion-resistant HPR™ Plus outsole provides long-lasting durability and traction. Finished with fresh colors and hot looks, Mr. Belvedere's got nothing on the Brooks Glycerin® 11 athletic shoe.
I haven't run in these yet, but based on what I felt when I tried them on and the description above, I'm going to love every stride of this shoe!

I wanted to thank OnlineShoes and Brooks for this amazing opportunity to participate in a great gathering of local bloggers to learn about the new offerings from both companies and to get to know the people behind the scenes that make it all happen. Thank you very much for letting me be a part of such a wonderfully generous event and I look forward to continue to "run happy" for a long time.

If you haven't checked out OnlineShoes.com, they have a great variety of running and non-running shoes with free shipping and free exchanges! Who doesn't love free? Check them out as they have great deals and wonderful selection!

Now it's your turn: Do you run in Brooks shoes? What is your brand of choice?

**Products provided for review, however all opinions shared are my own.**

8 comments:

  1. WOOT!!! TWO PAIR?!?!?! I'm green with envy! I love Brooks, I run in Pure Flows and I love the look of those Pure Cadence! I have a pair as well but don't run in them, I just love my PF's too much. Sounds so cool, what a fantastic experience.

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    1. I know! I was totally floored! I'm really fortunate to have Brooks right in my backyard and they support local races and really are visible in the community. That and they have great shoes!

      Those Pure Cadences were so nice, I wanted to take them home with me too! :)

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  2. Wow! That's awesome that you got two pairs of shoes!!! I love my Adrenalines (I bought a second pair that I'm about to swap out for), but I may have to check out the Ghosts. :)

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    1. I'm a fan of Adrenaline's, I've gone through 3 pair already. The Ghost's give a different ride than the Adrenaline's, and I'm really digging it! I used the Ghost's during my race on Sunday and I had zero issues with them and loved how everything felt during the race. I may have another favorite shoe!!

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  3. I read this yesterday, and still cannot believe you got TWO new pairs of FREE Brooks shoes!!! That is awesome. I've been running in Brooks Ghost 4s, I got them right as the 5s were being introduced July 2012 (in the same teal color you have!). Then I had my mom get me the pink pair for my January birthday and I found a green pair for $15 on Ebay. I have finally "retired" my teal 4s to mud runs only. I'm now wearing the pink 4s and have started trying out a pair of Altera's. I'm trying my best to track mileage on my shoes. I am really liking the Altera's, and have loved my Ghost 4s, but there are so many beautiful shoes! I almost don't feel the need to be loyal to a specific brand...unless they'd like to give me discounts or free shoes too. ;)

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    1. I can't believe it either!!! I've been a fan of Brooks for a while and being so close to them has its benefits (read: outlet store). I have run in their Adrenaline's since I began running, so having a new type to try has been fun. The Ghost's are great! I'm really liking how they feel when I run and they feel like nothing is there, they are nice and light. I'm definitely a fan of the Ghost's and might be putting them into my permanent shoe rotation.

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  4. Lena! That's SO awesome!! I miss running so much. Happy my energy levels are coming back so I can get back out there! Can't wait to hear about the Brooks Shoes!

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    1. You haven't run at all? Is it because your energy level is down? I can understand that, it's tough to get out and run when you have no energy to do so.
      Do you think you'll be getting back out there soon?

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