Details of our last day + BROOKS LEVITATE REVIEW +I haven’t done that in forever!

My heart and prayers go out to the victims and their families in Las Vegas.  Such an awful act of violence.

—————————————————–

Let’s chat about the last day of our babymoon!  I didn’t run on Sunday morning but I did hit 40 miles last week which I was pretty excited about!

IMG 7382

We tried a new to us spot for breakfast (thank you Lisa for the recommendation)!  We went to Hash House in Campbell and it was amazing.  I had the California omelet and Andrew had the Irish Hash.  We will be back again.  PS remember how I would eat a pancake every day and I couldn’t stand eggs for the first 18ish weeks or something of pregnancy?  Times have changed.

IMG 7332

We started off with hot chocolate of course too… not a lot of my pregnancy cravings have rubbed off on Andrew but this one has.

IMG 7328

A picture of Andrew making fun of my selfie taking habits of holding the camera way up above me;)

IMG 7337

We couldn’t leave the area without trying to go to Stan’s one more time for a glazed donut and we lucked out because they had one left.  The next batch was going to come out in 30 minutes and we actually probably would have waited for that too if we weren’t able to get one.  We split this one and Andrew exclaimed it was the best donut he has ever had and I am going to have to agree with him on that one.

IMG 7327

From there I took a nap at the hotel (hey, kid free = this pregnant woman is going to take any opportunity for a nap even if it is 10 a.m.;).  Then we drove to the Highway One and stopped at any beaches that we wanted to along the way.

We hung out at Mavericks Beach for a while and this felt SO GOOD.  We dug a little hole in the sand for my stomach and I was able to lay on my stomach for the first time in FOREVER.  It felt so good.  Just 10.7 weeks until I can do this again:)  Or maybe I can buy a box of sand for our house.

IMG 7352

We stopped all over the place to check out things and then we were hungry again…

IMG 7387

Gherkins Sandwich Shop.

We found another gold mine.  These sandwiches were unreal.  I actually won’t be back to California for a little while (Andrew is going to take over bringing Brooke out for the next little while of pregnancy + after the baby is born for a few months) but he said he is going to come back to this sandwich place for sure when he is out again.  Who knew that bbq sauce, mayo, mustard and pesto were an amazing combination of flavors… they know what they are doing there.

IMG 7388

Then we drove to the airport and met Brooke there.  Brooke does a really good job with the back and forth and saying goodbye to either us or her dad… probably because she has done this for as long as she can remember.  It makes the whole situation so much easier!

IMG 7390

The post trip cuddles are by far the best.

IMG 7398

Then we got home late last night and it felt so good to be in my own bed again… especially with my huge pregnancy pillow that takes up most of the bed;)

I’m guessing why a few people sent this to me the other day is because matching Brooke in running clothes is one of my top 10 favorite things.

IMG 7405

Also, if you need a new running song… I have been listening to this one on repeat!  SOOOO GOOD!

IMG 7191

——————————————————————–

I have put in a little more than 50 miles on the Levitate so I thought I would share what my thoughts are so far about the shoes.

IMG 7379

When I first put the Levitate on I was worried I got the wrong size (or that my feet were growing by the second with pregnancy… ps they are:) but the Levitate is meant to fit a little bit more snug than the normal running shoe.  I wasn’t sure that I was going to love that feel but it turns out I am REALLY loving that so far.   I love the feel of the knit upper on this shoe… while it felt snug at first it actually really allows your foot to do it’s thing while you run.  It feels more like the shoe moves with you rather than your foot having constraints or moving around within the shoe. I don’t really feel the upper at all on the Levitate which I always take as a good sign—> it’s the shoes I don’t like that I think about the whole time because I’m annoyed over one thing or another and can’t stop thinking about that.  The knit expands when your foot needs it to which offers the perfect amount of flexibility and breathability with the shoe.  The Levitate weighs in at 9.7 ounces for women and 11.2 ounces for the men.  They are a bit heavier than the Launch (what I usually wear… 7.5 ounces) but I haven’t noticed the difference at all (maybe I would during a race or a long run though).

These shoes are all about ENERGY RETURN.  That was goal of the shoes and I think they nailed it.  Even with my pregnant running, I do feel the difference between these and my other running shoes.  I feel like they help me to wake up a bit in those first few miles too ha.  Heck, I’ve even been running faster miles the last 1.5 weeks while wearing these (probably the combination of the shoes and the cooler weather:).  I feel the spring that comes with each foot strike. “With the most energy return of leading performance running shoes, Levitate’s DNA AMP midsole technology gives energy nowhere to go but up, straight back to you.” (source).  The two words that come to mind when I think about these shoes are—> bounce and spring and that comes from this new DNA AMP midsole technology.  I plan on putting on many more miles on these but after 50ish miles so far of using them, they still have that same energy/bounce/spring that I felt during the first runs in them (aka, don’t worry… that feeling doesn’t go away and I’ll keep you updated on how this is going as I put more and more miles on them).  The cost of the Levitate is $150 and the midsole drop on these is 8 mm.  I’m very excited to try these on a tempo run next year!

I will say that they aren’t my favorite ‘looks-wise’ which doesn’t really matter of course.  I love the look of the PureFLows and Launch and these don’t do the same for me (maybe the silver would and I like the upper of the shoe looks-wise better than the bottom too;) but that is the only small thing I have found personally about the shoes that I wasn’t in love with.  They sure don’t get dirty looking though… I went through a bunch of mud one day in them and it all just wiped off and they looked brand new again.

The bottoms of the shoes have an arrow-point pattern on them that are said to help you ‘move from heel to toe quickly without losing energy.’  I haven’t noticed a huge difference in the bottom of the shoes/pattern compared to my other running shoes but it is probably another thing that has added to the spring/bounce feeling that I am enjoying while out on my run lately.  These shoes have been through 9 rounds of development and seven rounds of wear tests!  The Levitate definitely provide me with something new compared to my other running shoes and I am planning on using these and the Launch the most when I am back to marathon training again.

IMG 7383

——————————————————————–

In case you missed out last week… the top three posts were:

*9 Things to LET GO OF

*Friday Favorites

*Try this on your next run + a survey + does this happen to you?

——————————————————————–

Let’s chat October—>  Who has an October race?  What about an October birthday?  

-I’ve got a race this month (hallelujah)!!

Who is running the St. George Marathon this Saturday!?!  I’m so excited for you and I’ll probably have to be there running in 2018:)  Who has done the St. George Marathon in the past?  Who is doing Chicago this weekend? 

What is your current running shoe… what one are you wanting to try next or are you sticking with what you are using for a while?

What is the most exciting part of your upcoming week?

You May Also Like

54 comments

Reply

Your trip looks like it was so great! I really want to try that sandwich place. I moved to SoCal recently, but I might need to make the trek up north.

I have an October birthday—it’s actually a week from today. It’s weird to me that I’m almost 33!

Reply

I am currently using the PureFlows – I did NOT like the ones from last year, but I like the ones this year for sure. I was checking out the Levitate on the Brooks website – do you feel like they give you more of a cushioned feel when you run? I was looking at some Asics the other day; I haven’t worn those since college but they sure have some pretty ones! I’ll stick with Brooks though :)
I can’t think of something exciting this upcoming week except maybe finally getting over this ear/sinus/whatever infection I have. I miss running! I have a terrible cough and got winded just mowing my grass so I’ve had to take some time off of running and I can’t believe I have had to miss this gorgeous fall running weather! So that is what I am hoping for – getting to do that again this week!

Reply

You always have the cutest dresses! Also, you have me craving hot chocolate — I love when there’s tons of whipped cream on top! So good!

Reply

Holy cow you look amazing! Glad you and Andrew had a great trip :)
I’m really sad to say this, but Brooks shoes have never worked for me – I wish they did! I’ve tried Ravennas, Launch, and Pureflows – none of them were right for me :(
I’m currently wearing New Balance running shoes (I was shocked these have actually worked) and before that I wore Mizunos. Our feet are so weird.
Hope you have a great day!

Reply

Running the Chicago Marathon on Sunday and so excited to have taken Friday AND Monday off work :) Gonna hit the expo Friday and then go to the apple orchard on Monday for my post-race treat! Love the warm apple cinnamon donuts more than anything in the world!

Current running shoes – Asics DynaFlyte – Love them. I always wear the Nimbus but they’re pretty heavy. The DynaFlyte is an incredibly cushiony netural shoe but not as heavy at the Nimbus cause they don’t have the gel. Highly recommend!

Reply

I am running the Chicago Marathon, too!!! Good luck!!!

Reply

AHHH ARTHI and ROBYN!! I am so beyond excited for you both! PLEASE LET ME KNOW how it goes, I’m cheering you on from Utah! Enjoy those donuts Arthi, they sound amazing!

Reply

Good luck to you too, Robyn!! It’s an awesome race!! And thanks, Janae!!

Reply

-Thank you for the Levitate review! Do you find them a bit more cushioned than the Launch’s? I currently switch between Launch 4, Ghost 10’s (they are almost too much shoe though), and Saucony Kinvara 8’s. I am really intrigued by the Levitates though.
-Most exciting part of this week…I have an interview today and hoping to hear back on another couple of job opportunities..eek!
HAVE A GREAT DAY! :)

Reply

Leanne! I would actually say that they are about the same amount of cushioning as the Launch… they are pretty comparable to me as far as cushioning goes. GOOD LUCK AT YOUR INTERVIEW TODAY!! Let em know how it goes and when you hear back!

Reply

Let’s chat October—> Who has an October race? What about an October birthday?
I have both! My birthday was yesterday ( the 1st) my wedding anniversary is today ( #13) and I got 3 October races. The Haunted half- Salt Lake Oct 14th, SoJO 5k – Oct 21st and Haunted Half Provo 5k Oct 28th
What is your current running shoe…
New Balance but I cant remember the name of the shoe I love the cushioning on it
I would love to try Brooks one day when I can afford a pair

What is the most exciting part of your upcoming week?
not sure what the week has in store for me. working @ a school though it’s bound to be exciting

Reply

HAPPY BIRTHDAY YESTERDAY MOLLY! And happy anniversary today! You have quite the busy month! I am going to be at the Provo 5k… Let’s meet up!!! Haha yes, working at a school = something exciting is bound to happen:) Have an awesome week!

Reply

The sandwich combo with all of the condiments sounds intersting but good at the same time. It seems like you really enjoyed the rest of your time in California. Also shout out to Andrew for taking over Brooke duty for the next few months of your pregnancy and having a new born, he rocks!
I have a 10 mile race on October 22nd and can’t wait! I’m training for it now and have been for a while so I hope I hit my goal of 100 minutes or faster. No October birthday but my anniversary is tomorrow which is exciting! I also get to tell my boyfriend that his anniversary and birthday gift (his is in November) is that we’re going to Tennessee to visit his best friend. I’ve kept it a secret since July and it’s been SO hard! Waiting until Saturday when we celebrate is going to take a lot of will power but that’s what I’m most excited for this week.

Reply

Janae, don’t let Andrew tease you about taking your selfies from up high! Every time I accidentally take a selfie from too low, I look TERRIBLE. You’re just looking your best so we can all see how beautiful you are. Have a wonderful week!

Reply

You are so sweet Jen:) Yep, I am all bout the selfies from up high. Thank you and I hope you have an amazing week!

Reply

My husband’s birthday is this month! And I have a race nov 4 so it’s close to October. Currently I am rotating thru 4 shoes….saucony guide, Saucony swerve, Brooks launch, and zoot delmar…..my favorites right now are the Saucony but I want to get another launch in 1/2 size bigger (mine are a bit snug) and I need some more Brooks ravennas! This weekend i took some days off and we are going on some fun day trips…..excited!

Reply

My birthday is October 25! I can’t wait. I’ll be 44.

I’m returning to running from injury and so afraid to wear the sneakers I wore when I got injured. I bought a pair of altra running sneakers about 5 months because of the wide toe box as my foot healed it helped immensely. I am now wearing them for running. I might go back to brooks ghost in a wide with and try that.

If anyone has any input regarding wide width or other shoes that give lots of space for the toes i would love to hear. My second toe is longer than my big toe too so I usually buy a half size larger.

Reply

I want to try the Altras! I need a wide shoe usually because of a bunion, but sometimes getting a half size bigger works for me. I loved the Pure Drift Brooks made a while back, but they discontinued them! And Saucony Guides come in wide and are incredible for long runs!

Reply

No October race but it is my fiancé’s birthday, which I’m so excited about.

My favorite running shoes are currently the Asics Kayano. Those have helped me A LOT with my pronation.

Hope you enjoy your day Janae:)

Reply

that striped dress on the beach is giving me life. lol at digging a hole for your belly! :P my friend used to do that for her boobs haha! :) oh and i started off my day with 10×400 and instead of feeling like i was about to explode, i felt STRONG, which is amazing. aaaaand now i want a donut! haha

Reply

Hahaha I needed to do it for my boobs a bit too;) WAY TO GO on a killer workout and feeling so strong! Go get a donut today!

Reply

Ive been running in the launch’s but I was thinking about going back to the Mizuno wave riders just because the Misunos have way more circulation and if you step in a puddle they drain way faster than the launches. But the levitates sound really nice and if they have more of a mesh or net top on the shoe then they might drain better

Reply

Looks like you had a great time away!
This weekend coming up is Thanksgiving here in Ontario, so I am very excited about that. We have been having amazing weather (upper 70s) so we have been doing a lot of autumn trail walking in our local conservation area and it has been wonderful. My kiddies (8 and 6) miraculously don’t complain as much on a trail walk as they do on a walk to the post office :)
My husband also has the dream of seeing the Blue Jays play in every stadium. I actually really enjoy watching them play too, so it will be a fun challenge.
Have an amazing week!

Reply

ENJOY YOUR THANKSGIVING Tiffany! That weather sounds perfect… keep enjoying those trail walks!!! Oh I love your husband’s goal! I hope your week is amazing too and thanks for your comment!!

Reply

Awe love that the sand made room for the belly! Innovative and comfortable :-) Glad you enjoyed the last of your trip, baby will be here so soon!

Reply

I don’t have any October race coming up… but I am getting MARRIED on October 21st and I am insanely excited!!!!!

Reply

AHHHH COURTNEY!!! That is so beyond exciting!!! I am so so happy for you and your fiancé! I hope it is the most perfect day and I want to see pictures!

Reply

thank you!! i’ll send some pics :)

Reply

Hi ! :) I was wondering if you had any knowledge of the difference between the Brooks Glycerine 13 vs the 14? The 13’s are my SOLE mates, but they are getting pretty hard to find. Since the 14’s are much more readily available I was thinking of trying those. I know you are a Brooks girl, so any advice is appreciated.

THANK YOU from a long time reader. <3

Reply

Hey Jessica!!! Oh I hate it when my favorite shoe gets harder and harder to find because of the newer models… sometimes I just stock up on my favorites ha (I once bought 4 pairs of pure flows because I loved them so much:)! So I actually did not try either the 13 or the 14 (I did use the 12s)… BUT the 15s are absolutely amazing. I have my full review of those here:

https://hungryrunnergirl.com/2017/06/lots-to-catch-up-on-over-the-last-1-5-days-my-video-glycerin-15-review.html

I love them so much and need to get another pair soon because I have put so many miles on my current pair. I wish I could help you out on the difference between the 13s and 14s better. Let me know what you end up doing and THANK YOU FOR READING over the years, that means the world to me!

Reply

That hot chocolate looks amazing!

I have a race in 13 days :) It’s my PR course, so I am curious to see how it’s going to go!

I am currently digging my Hokas. I’ve never worn Hokas until now and they are pretty great. Talk about an energy return & tons of cushion!

This week is going to be a good one! My middle kiddo is playing football tonight, xc race on Wednesday day, family dinner with my mom and sis on Thursday, and Friday night is family night for my little fam!

Reply

My first full marathon is in October, 22nd. It took me a while to convince myself to sign up, but now I’m sooo excited, I can’t wait :). My goal is to just finish it, without getting injured, and use the experience to prepare for another one next year, so I’m thinking of it as training for my next marathon :) I know I’ll probably will be hating it and not wanting to do another long run ever from mile 20-26 haha.

I used to practice Tae Kwon Do in college and even though I was constantly mistreating my feet in TKD, I still think running is tougher in my feet, funny right?. I’m currently using Brooks Ravenna and Cascadia(for trails), Mizunos Wave Inspire (just got a new pair and they are my favourite so far). I recently rediscovered that socks matter! I was hating the Ravenna at first and when I tried them with slightly thinner socks love happened :)

I want to try the Brooks Caldera and Launch next. Have you tried Ravenna? How do the Launch compare to Ravenna?

Hope you have a wonderful week!

Reply

I AM SO EXCITED FOR YOUR FIRST MARATHON CITLALI!! Please let me know how it goes, you are going to do amazing! I haven’t worn the Ravenna in YEARS! I think my last pair was the 4s…. I LOVE the Launch though and my review on those are here:
https://hungryrunnergirl.com/2017/02/party-launch-4-review-and-last-weeks-training.html

I hope your week is great too and yay for marathon month!

Reply

Saucony Freendom’s are totally my jam.

My little girl turns one this month so I have a birthday party to plan! That’s my big event this week.

Reply

Oh Kathy, that is so so exciting!! Tell her happy first birthday from us:) I hope the party is perfect!

Reply

Hi Janae! It’s funny, because I was searching for St. George Marathon reviews online when I found your blog. I didn’t sign up for the race that year but became a dedicated reader. Fast forward a couple years later and I’m running my first St. George ever! It’s a nice full circle. Thanks so much for all that you inspire us to do.

Reply

NOOOO WAY!!! Okay, that makes me so so happy! Jenny, I am SO excited for you and please let me know how your race goes (you are going to rock it)! Thank you for your sweet comment, it means a lot to me!

Reply

What a fun trip. And now I want a donut!

Brook’s Cascadias (most of my running is on dirt) and the Brook’s Ghosts for some extra cushion on the treadmill.

We currently have about 4 inches of snow so I will have a date with the treadmill in a bit. Not ready for winter!!!

Reply

No October birthday, but I am running the Lake Placid Classic Half Marathon this Saturday! I am super excited because this is my first post-injury distance race and I am feeling really strong. Also, the course is absolutely gorgeous, going through the heart of upstate New York’s High Peaks Region during the peak fall foliage time. Chilly temps and beautiful colors – can’t wait!
I currently run in Brooks Adrenaline and love them! Up until this pair of shoes I was a New Balance fan, but decided to change things up and so far so good!

Reply

AHHH LAURA!!! Good luck on Saturday, you are BACK and running strong! I bet that course is amazing, I want to come do it! Enjoy and please let me know how it goes!

Reply

I’ve run in Pearl Izumi shoes for years (although I might have been their only customer since they are now shutting down their running line). I love my Hoka’s for long runs, but will need to find my new short/mid distance shoe and am excited for the hunt. Regular clothes/shoe shopping stresses me out, but running shoe/clothes shopping – I’m always game ;)

So glad you guys got some great sun and sand (and sleep) in CA!

Reply

Who has an October race? What about an October birthday?
i do, i’ll be doing my 2nd half (ever and this year), the haunted half. no birthday! trying to understand how to not overtrain but increase my speed somehow!

What is your current running shoe… what one are you wanting to try next or are you sticking with what you are using for a while?
mizuno wave riders. prior to that it was the asics cumulus which were a tad too wide for me. i’m open to hear about neutral running shoes tho! i went back to mizuno wave riders bc i have tiny ankles and narrow feet. i have a high arch which is why i branched off of mizuno wave riders for a bit to find something else but i couldn’t find anything.

What is the most exciting part of your upcoming week?
camping for the long weekend with the family and a friends family. so some parents and a bunch of kids. excited! i have to figure out a 12 mile run while i’m there though.

Reply

Looks like you had a beautiful weekend! (By the way, you look AMAZING). I ran St. George last year and loved it, sad I am missing it this year. I am thinking about doing it next year though!

No October races for me. I am taking a little break from training because I ran the Jackson Hole Marathon over Labor Day.

Most exciting thing this week.. trying a new Korean restaurant with a friend of mine!

Reply

I have a funny question for you about the Levitate shoes. How does the height where it hits your achilles compare to the Launch? I have achilles issues and the Launch are low enough they don’t hit my achilles.

Reply

Funny story about the Hash House…we lived one mile away for three years and always planned to eat there…but never actually did. Despite driving, running and/or walking past it at least three times a week, every week – lame us!
Current shoes: Brooks Ghost for short and medium runs, Asics 2100 series for longer runs. Next shoe to try: probably Brooks PureFlow as a safe start to lowering the drop on my shoes.

Reply

Running my first St. George this year as well! I’ve heard such great things about the course (including from you) and I’ve had a great training cycle but I’m going for a big fat PR and the forecast keeps climbing! Hoping for a freak cool-snap on Saturday. Hope to run as smart as you did in 2016.

Reply

I don’t have a race scheduled (yet) for October, but I am looking at registering for another half marathon, in November! I am looking to break my PR! Current shoe rotation is Brooks Launch 4s which I am OBSESSED with! The Levitates look super exciting too! I might look into those for my next pair :)

Reply

You won’t be able to sleep on your stomach in 10.5 weeks because you’ll have kajungas full of milk. :/ Jesse is 5 weeks old and still no stomach sleeping happening over here. SIGH

Reply

I’m not really a fan of the song, but the video for “Glorious’ is absolutely adorable. It actually made me cry!

Reply

This Sunday is my first full marathon. I’m also looking forward to Halloween and finishing my practicum class and being one step closer to graduating from grad school this December!

I rotate between two shoes: Brooks Ghost for shorter runs and Hoka One One for my long runs.

Reply

What a fun trip!

I am excited to just have a normal week =)

Reply

I ‘m currently in the new Kinvara 8- I AM a Saucony girl! I try and try to switch it up and I am forever back to Saucony- they just make my feet happy. I moved to these from the Freedoms and I have to say I wasn’t sure if I’d love them as much. It wasn’t even about the price ( these are about a $30 savings) it was just how they felt when I tried them on- like running on clouds of cushy fluff… but I love them! I shop at my local Runners Roost store because the folks there are the BEST here in Denver, and unbelievably patient. You can also return them no questions asked after 30 days of trying them ( which I’ve done before after a small NIKE trial last year).
Glad your baby moon was so fun! xo

Reply

I am running the Salt Lake Haunted Half next week. My first time in costume for a half marathon. It should be fun! My hubby celebrates a birthday this month. So I get cake out of the deal too. It’s just as nice when someone else is celebrating a birthday in the family.

I wear Brooks Ghost 10s. I love them! I may give the Levitates a try. They look like a great shoe.

Reply

No October races, but October birthday #48 was yesterday (10/3).

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *