ArmPocket Review & Giveaway {CLOSED}

This Giveaway has closed.  Check our most recent postings for other great giveaways.
 

 

About a year ago, DisneyBride won a contest through a fitness magazine and one of her prizes was a yellow ArmPocket.  It was barely out of the shipping box, when I decided to grab it and take it for a spin.  She never actually got to wear it. 

I have mentioned my love of pockets many times on this blog before. Well, this is a very convenient pocket that goes on your arm.  I have used it to hold my keys, phone, credits cards, nutritional products, and cash.  This thing hold more stuff than a moving truck .  This is my go-to item for runs.  You can actually see it in action in several places on this blog.

 

 

 

 

 

These are just a few pictures.  Let's just say I am a big fan! 

 

Note from DisneyBride: 
I was sad I never got to use MY ArmPocket.  But I got my revenge.  Every time we went on a run together, guess who got to carry my phone? my nutritional fuel? my ID and credit card?  Yep. That's right.  DG took my ArmPocket, so he gets to carry my stuff!
 

I bring this up for one reason:  If you are in a two-runner household, you will definitely want to get your running buddy his or her own ArmPocket.  That way they won't steal yours!

During the last few weeks of December it is too cold for this Florida boy to run outside.  I start trying a few local gyms.  Out of habit, I pack my Armpocket.  The following week, I can’t find it!  I am crushed.  I use this thing constantly, and now I don’t know what I’ll use for the 5K and 10K during Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend. 

DisneyBride was in touch with the awesome folks at ArmPocket and they have allowed us to do a review and giveaway.  My profound man-love for the other ArmPocket probably helped our case.  You may wonder if the products we review on this blog about are things we actually use.  This review in particular should let you know we will only recommend gear we actually use. 

This time, we each got our very own ArmPocket.  Conveniently, ArmPocket was going to be at the runDisney Marathon Weekend Expo, and we were both able to pick up our arm pockets in person.  Now DisneyBride has one of her own.  There are many models available and some will even fit the oversized phones.  We both have iphones and there are several options for those.  I received the  Sport i-10 and DisneyBride selected the i-25.   Maybe she purposely picked one with a mix of colors, thinking I would never “borrow” it. 

 

I started wearing mine immediately.  I used it for both my 5K and 10K Marathon Week while running the Dopey Challenge.  The ArmPocket is extremely comfortably and worked great with both of my costumes.  Plenty of room for my phone, cash, and credit cards.  It never moves from where you put it, is extremely comfortable, and most important: it is extremely functional.  This thing must have a portal to another dimension, seems like it never gets full.  DisneyBride says it reminds her of Mary Poppins carpetbag. 

 

Darth Vader at the Walt Disney World 5K

Wall-E at the Walt Disney World 10K

 

About the company:
ArmPocket is a small company based in Miramar, Florida (near Miami).  Developed BY athletes FOR other athletes, the first ArmPocket took over three years of perfecting to get it just right. After trying half a dozen other 'phone cases' for runners, I can say ArmPocket is the first I've seen to truly get it right.
 

Maintenance:

I use my ArmPocket several times a week, and after a few wearings it can get sweaty and gross just like any other piece of gear.  FYI: They clean up really well.  I was constantly getting my last one: the bright yellow one - really dirty on trail runs.  A quick toss into the washing machine and it came out looking new.  I never put it through the dryer and it always dried quickly when I just hung it up.    

Features:

The ArmPocket has a few features that have been extremely convenient for me. 

• First, the headphone jack hole.  It conveniently allows me to use headphone and keep the ArmPocket zipped closed.  This keeps everything secure in the pocket. 
• Second, the ArmPocket is water resistant.  Slipping on a trail into mud or a light rain isn’t going to ruin your phone. 
• Third, unlike other cases made for running, you can actually work the touch screen on your phone.  The ArmPocket screen protector protects the phone while actually allowing you to use it.  Sounds odd, but this is the first product that allowed me to use my iPhone while still in the pocket. 
• Finally, padding on the underside of the pocket does a great job of moving water away.  As you can see from several of my other posts, I sweat like a sinner in church.  Even with all the sweat, my phone manages to stay dry. 

I continue to run with this ArmPocket.  It is extremely helpful during my lunch runs.  It is the only thing I have found that holds my phone and my awkwardly bulky office key.  Those of you running during Princess weekend will see me running with it again during the 5K and 10K. 

And as you can see - DisneyBride is happily wearing her very own ArmPocket out on her runs.

Now to the part you are all looking forward to: the giveaway.  The kind folks at ArmPocket are going to send our lucky winner one of their very own.  Wear it during your runs, wear it to the grocery store, wear it to a business meeting or just wear it around the house. 

If you are headed to the Princess Half Marathon Expo - be sure to look for them in Booth 515. 
 

Enter the rafflecopter below and take note of all the terms and exclusions.  Note: We do verify entries.

~DisneyGroom

Terms of the Giveaway:

 

1) Giveaway begins Sunday February 9, 2014 and ends Monday February 17, 2014 at midnight. Winner will be announced on this blog, and notified on Tuesday, February 18, 2014.

2) Must be 18 years or older to enter. Must be a U.S. resident. 

 

3) Sign in through Rafflecopter below to enter. With your first entry, the app will only capture your e-mail or facebook name. This is so we can reach you if you win, in accordance with sweepstakes terms. Your contact info will ONLY be used to contact you if you win.

 

4) There are additional opportunities for multiple entries.

 

5) One (1) winner will be selected. the winner will receive one (1) ArmPocket of their choice.

 

6) The winners will be chosen at random using the rafflecopter app below.

 

7) In the event winner does not respond to contact attempts via e-mail or facebook name provided within a one week period, another winner will be selected at random.

 

8) Void where prohibited.

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Disclosure of Material Connection: No financial compensation was received. We each received one product from ArmPocket in exchange for this review and promotional giveaway. Regardless, we only recommend products or services we believe will be good for our readers. All opinions stated on this blog are our own. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” 

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How to Survive Princess Half Marathon Weekend – A Guide for Men

Preparation:

In some ways, Princess is just like other race events.  You sign up months ahead of time.  You do your training runs.  You make your travel arrangements. And, I'd say here is where the similarities end.

Long before the race weekend, your wife/girlfriend/daughter will begin talking  excitedly about costumes.  Don't bother fighting it.  Running in costume is actually a lot more fun than it sounds.  Go ahead and agree to cute, coordinated, or matching costumes.  She will likely ask as you to run as a Prince.  You should be flattered.  It will mean a lot to her, and keep in mind that Princess Weekend is about your princess, not you.

She might try to trick you into dressing as a Princess.  However, feel free to take a stand against tutus, tiaras, and sparkle skirts.  It is not mandatory, no matter what she tells you.  I managed to hold my ground, and run as myself, as a ‘DisneyGroom’ to be more precise.   Be prepared though, many dudes will be running dressed as Princesses.  They are easy to spot and they range from hilarious to…   

…let’s just say I’m still having nightmares.  (You will be grateful I am not posting pics here.  But feel free to google and don't say you haven't been warned.)



Expo:

The weekend starts with the expo.   Guys, this might well be your least favorite part of the weekend.  Tiaras, sashes, and pink sparkly things are everywhere.  

The wife is absolutely giddy here.  GIDDY! Maybe it is the shiny pants worn by the footmen.

Even if you don't particularly think of your wife as a 'girlie-girl', some magic spell seems to come over anyone that walks into these expos.  This is a place where your Princess can very easily go crazy with the Visa.  If you are married, try to pick-up your wife’s race packet without her attending the expo.  Good luck with that.  If you actually do manage to pull this off, please let me know how you did it.  Just a heads up, this race was chosen by my wife because she wanted some sort of expensive limited edition purse that you can only get at the Princess Half expo.  She is not alone.  The more popular merchandise booths resemble Black Friday doorbuster sales at your local big box electronics store.     

Line inside the expo, just to get into the runDisney booth

While at the expo, be prepared to be both a pack mule and a placeholder in the long lines.  You are there to take care of your Princess.  She will ask you to get in line and pay for items that she absolutely has to have.  She will turn into a teenager again, squealing excitedly when meeting and running into her Princess friends.  Soldier on my friend, it’s all worth it. 

Last year’s expo was held at Coronado Springs, a too small and entirely too crowded venue.  The cramped quarters and disorganized flow have been referred to by many as the Third Circle of Hell.  Not my words, but having experienced it firsthand, I’m not disagreeing.  Thankfully, it returns to ESPN Wide World of Sports complex this year - where there is an abundance of parking, expo floor space, and even a place to grab a beer and a bite to eat.  (Insert huge sigh of relief here!)

Just in case your Princess does want to devote an entire day to the expo, you can escape and find some relief.  Go off-property to the Bass Pro on International Drive and bask in the giant man-cave that it is. 

Ahhhhhh! I'm home.

  

Meet ups

Before the race last year, my wife attended a “Princess Tea” at the Grand Floridian.  I’m not exactly sure what this means other than she drank some tea and ate some sandwiches that are about the size of a Ritz cracker.   Regardless of the cost, send your wife!  She still talks about this event and will be attending another Princess Tea again this year.   This is a great opportunity to bank brownie points for the future (I used mine to buy a rifle.  Yes, enough brownie points to buy a rifle!).  Also, you can use 'Tea Time' to track down a few other guys visiting for the weekend and have a beer.

There are many other meet ups over the weekend.  Many bloggers and various facebook groups organize gatherings at runDisney weekends.  To find out more about these for this upcoming Princess Half weekend, you can check out this blog post from Just Me and My Running Shoes.  Some of these meet ups will have a group of men off in the corner looking confused.  Feel free to introduce yourself to them.  Much like you, they are making sure their wives/girlfriends/daughters have a good time – and a large part of this includes meeting other women to discuss sparkly Princess things.  Every moment you facilitate her spending time with other Princesses, is time well spent.  Keep in mind: the brownie points.

The Race itself

A few quick facts about the 10K and the Half Marathon. 
1) These are women’s races.

2) Guys are allowed to run.  Unlike other races themed for women, the Disney Princess Half Marathon (and the Tinker Bell Half marathon) does allow men to register. 

3) Men are not permitted into the first two corrals.  So, even if you’re an elite athlete, you will be further back that you expect to be.  This all goes back to allowing your Princess to shine. 

I can provide you with firsthand information about the Princess Half Marathon.  It is a bazillion women and about 87 guys.  OK, not quite:  2013 saw 21,238 female finishers and  1,501 male finishers.  This isn't counting the number of runners swept at the event that didn't finish.  But the ratio is still impressive.

On race morning, surrounded by tens of thousands of Princesses, you can't help but feel like a king.  Never in your life will women be as excited to see you as they are during this half marathon.  There are so few of us that it seems like you get all this extra attention, extra high-fives, extra cheers, extra photo ops, etc.  You will have a taste of celebrity status.  Don’t let it go to your head.  Your celebrity status disappears after race weekend. 

I had fears about throngs of angry women annoyed to have a guy running the Princess Half Marathon.  I've been thinking that perhaps this only applies to the guys that run really fast and finish up front. It was definitely not the case for me.  Everyone was very kind and I did not hear a single negative remark.  I really had an amazing time!  My recap of the 2013 race can be found here.

This is probably the best time to add a little advice for any single male runners looking for a single female runner.  SIGN UP AND RUN THIS RACE!  The weekend is full of thousands of single, active, and beautiful women.  I am tired of hearing guys saying they can’t find a girlfriend that 'gets' his endurance running.  Skip a step and find a woman who runs.  It’s a win-win situation. 

Yep. Win-Win.  We are both exhausted and extremely
happy here upon completing our first half marathon.

After the Race

It is standard practice to wear your medal the rest of the weekend.  It’s a little awkward because the medal is a small tiara, however, your Princess will appreciate it.  I admit I was relieved to see that the 2014 medals are not on pink ribbons.

Upon your return to your castle, enjoy all the benefits that you have accrued by running with your Princess.  She will fondly remember the weekend for quite some time.  You may find yourself encouraging her to attend in future years.  You may even find yourself looking forward to running with her again. 

I'll be back this year running the Royal Family 5K and the Glass Slipper Challenge, made up of the Enchanted 10K and the Princess Half Marathon.  If you find yourself at Princess Half weekend, feel free to tweet me @Disney_Groom.  Whenever I’m not ensuring my Princess has a great time, I am always up for a beer or a trip to Bass Pro. 

To paraphrase the words of the World’s Most Interesting Man- "I don’t always run the Princess Half Marathon.  But when I do, my Princess has an amazing weekend. " 

Princesses, please share this post with your Prince/Space Ranger/Husband/Boyfriend accompanying you.  They need to know what to expect.

See you at PHM!

-DisneyGroom


Check out other 2014 Princess Half Marathon Weekend related blog posts on the Virtual Blog Hop.

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Are you ready for the Inaugural Enchanted 10K?

Last spring runDisney made a big announcement in conjunction with Princess Half Marathon weekend.  Following suit with the most recent Disneyland Half, Walt Disney World Marathon, and Tinker Bell Half weekends, the Princess Half Marathon weekend would have a new 10K event added as well.  The Enchanted 10K could be a stand alone race, or done as part of the Glass Slipper Challenge, when combined with the Princess Half Marathon.

 

The popular event sold out months ago as Disney runners seem to be especially eager to try out Inaugural races.  With the addition of the Glass Slipper Challenge, there were even fewer spots available for runners 'only' completing the 10K.

 

While runDisney 5Ks and Half Marathons continue to be extremely popular, the 10K distance provides a nice 'bridge' in distance for runners ready to try a distance beyond 3.1 miles but not quite ready for 13.1.  Or like me - you may just like the 6.2 mile distance and crave anything associated with Disney Princesses.  I did not need any convincing to sign up! 

 

 

The Bling:

Check out this pretty medal!  This beauty will be presented to all finishers of the Enchanted 10K.  I especially like the pumpkin coach - as that is also the symbol used by Disney Fairy Tale Weddings.  And I love things that reminds me of my wedding.

 

When: 

This Inaugural event is scheduled for Saturday, February 22, 2014 with a start time of 5:30am EST. 

 

Where:

Like the 5K and Half Marathon taking place this weekend, the start area will be at EPCOT.

 

The Course: 

This course is certified by USA Track and Field and is labeled EPCOT 10K.  This is the same course as the new 2014 Walt Disney World Inaugural 'Minnie' 10K that took place in January.

 

 

 

 

For a detailed description of the course, you can view the official map on the USATF site here.

 

DisneyGroom and I both ran the Inaugural Walt Disney World 10K so this will not be our first time running this course.

 

Course Breakdown:

 

Mile 1 Loop around and out of the EPCOT parking area

Mile 2 Enter Osceola Parkway (the on ramp contains a long but not steep, gradual hill)

Mile 3 Continue on Osceola Parkway

Mile 4: Head into World Showcase

Mile 5: Starts when you are halfway through World Showcase, continue through the park and run out International Gateway and through the Boardwalk Resort area

Mile 6: Begins at the Yacht & Beach Club Resort area and goes back into EPCOT, ending just beyond Spaceship Earth.

Finish chute: Takes you right back to the starting area.

 

Pace/Chip Timing:

This event is chip timed and runners are required to maintain a 16 minute per miles pace.  If not, they run the risk of being swept.  Runners were swept at the 10K during Marathon weekend, so it is reasonable to expect this will be enforced at the Enchanted 10K as well.

 

Awards:

There will be overall and age group awards. Men running are not eligible for awards - keeping in mind that the races held during Princess Half Marathon weekend are still classified as 'women's events' that have permitted men to run.

 

Character/Photo opportunities:

 

Prior to the race start, there *might* be some characters out in the staging area.  If they are not there pre-race, some will definitely be there after the race, so runners can get photos wearing their medals.

 

Generally, when one goes through World Showcase, the characters match up with the countries/region - e.g. Mulan in China, Snow White in Germany, Jasmine in Morocco, Sleeping Beauty in France, etc.  There is much speculation on the appearance of the new Princesses: Anna and (Queen) Elsa from the hit film, Frozen.  Norway seems to be a likely choice.  Character locations on the course are no longer published by runDisney.  Since this is a new event, we can't know for sure which characters will be out.  Of course, I am hoping to see the Princesses with their Princes. (fingers crossed)

 

 

 

Be sure to take advantage of the beautiful backdrops available in World Showcase. Each of the countries represented has wonderfully designed buildings and create a beautiful setting.  My personal favorite is Italy.

 

So are you excited for this Inaugural race?

DisneyGroom and I will be running this event together in coordinating costumes.  Be sure to check back after the race for our recaps!

 

See you at Princess weekend!

Run Happily!
~DisneyBride

Check out other 2014 Princess Half Marathon Weekend related blog posts on the Virtual Blog Hop.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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