Disclaimer: I received the Zensah Well Rounded Shorts to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (Ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews!
Hi everyone! Week 7 of Gold Nugget Tri training is complete, which means that I only have one more week of tri training left! I’m honestly so shocked that this time next week I will (hopefully!) be a triathlete! In my last week of training I plan on taking things easy and doing some last minute training sessions to feel as prepared as possible for the race. Here’s what I was up to this week:
Monday: I went to the First Time Racer Clinic at the high school where the swim portion of the tri will be held. We got to check out the pool and ask tons of questions about race day. I felt a million times more prepared for the race after that! Then I did an hour of swimming with my coworker and cut some time off of my 500 which was really exciting!
Tuesday: Rest day.
Wednesday: Another hour of swimming. I’m now consistently under 15 minutes for my 500 which is so slow but very exciting to me given the fact that I just started swimming 7 weeks ago! I also tried out my tri kit for the first time and it worked out really well!
Thursday: My husband had a work retreat in Girdwood on Friday, so we drove down there a night early. We managed to hike an hour on the Winner Creek trail in the rain.
Friday: My husband had to attend his work retreat, but I had the day off to do whatever I wanted! I started by sleeping in, and then I rode 12 miles on the Bird to Gird trail. I did the 6 mile portion from Girdwood to Bird Point along Turnagain Arm, and it was so hilly. I’m definitely thanking spin class for all of the hill practice! But the views along the way were perfect and it was worth all the tough pedaling!
After I got back to the resort I did some yoga in my room and then spent the rest of the afternoon sipping coffee and reading by one of the outdoor fireplaces. It was the best day off ever!
Saturday: We packed up the car to head back to Anchorage and then realized that we couldn’t let the first perfect spring day go to waste! So instead, we drove down to Seward to spend the rest of the weekend there with our friends. We hiked around at Exit Glacier as soon as we got there. We also spent lots of time in town visiting our friends and old coworkers from the time we worked there 2 years ago. The weather was unnaturally sunny and warm there and we did everything we could to enjoy it!
Sunday: We took a National Park Tour with the boat tour company we used to work for in Kenai Fjords National Park! Technically this was a rest day for me since I spent the whole day out on the ocean. Also, the winds were pretty crazy so the ride was very bumpy and I spent hours trying not to throw up! But the views were incredible and not only did we get to see Aialik Glacier up close, we saw orcas and humpback whales too!
This weekend I got the opportunity to try out the newest item that I was sent to test out as a BibRave Pro, Zensah’s Well Rounded shorts. I was initially really excited to test these out because I’ve never had tight shorts before and wanted to see how they compared to regular shorts. Whenever I wear regular shorts they ride up and my thighs rub together, so I was curious to see if these would do the same. After debating on size, I got a small because I hoped they’d run like normal running pants. When I opened the package they looked so tiny! I tried them on right away and while they fit really well in the waist and stretched out a lot, they did have a tight band around the thighs and created a small sausage effect. It wasn’t too noticeable, but I do feel like maybe my thighs were not built for shorts like these or maybe I should have sized up (although I’m not sure if they would have fit as well in the waist then). Or maybe this is just how tight shorts are meant to fit, in which case this is something I need to get used to!
I showed them to my husband and we debated if I should wear them out in public. He thought they looked fine, but I was feeling pretty self conscious in shorts that were so small and tight because they’re not my usual style. I decided to start easy by wearing them to the gym over my swimsuit on days when I was just doing a swim workout. I did this a few times until one day I randomly decided to look in the mirror from behind and realized that they were totally see through with my black swimsuit showing through! After talking with some other BibRave Pros, I discovered that these shorts only work with light colored underwear or with going commando. After that, I decided to wear them for my yoga sessions at home, where they fit great and didn’t move around as I twisted into different positions. I also wore them on my hike in Seward and felt that they worked really well. I was a bit nervous testing them out with so many tourists around, but they had full coverage this time and didn’t ride up at all so I felt pretty good about wearing them!
Overall, I’m glad I had a chance to try these shorts out before buying a pair for myself. I was self conscious while wearing them in public after I realized they were sheer sometimes, so these shorts honestly weren’t my go-to bottoms for the gym. I do think that they are extremely comfortable and I wore them more while lounging around the apartment and doing yoga in my living room than I did outside in public. I didn’t get a chance to run in the them because of my injury, but they stayed in place while hiking so with the proper underwear I’d definitely wear them on hot weather hikes, runs, or even to the gym. They are cute and comfy, but I just might need to figure out how to handle the sheerness of them before wearing them in public again! If you want to try out a pair for yourself, make sure to participate in Bib Chat tomorrow at 5 pm AST/9 pm EST!
What did you do this weekend? What kind of shorts do you wear when you run?
Mom in the Mtns 
Thanks for the review of the shorts I was laughing all the way through thinking if you bad this many issues with them, what it would be like for me.
Lol
Glad to hear training has reached a point of confidence, always a challenge and touch and go whether this will happen for me, for a new race distance.
Have a wonderful day!
Haha yes they are definitely a women-only product! I’m pretty sure they have fitted shorts for guys but they’d have to be made differently and definitely would need to be longer!
Yes I believe the company I work for makes a pair, but not for me. I have been thinking of trying the stretchy pants
I can’t see a “sausage effect”, but know what you mean. I wouldn’t like to go out with too tight shorts either.
At the weekend we did a recce in the Yorkshire Moors for a coming race.
I have worn a thin sleeveless t-shirt and Nike running shorts with sewn in short tights underneath.
And it was soooo hot. And soooo hilly. AND I didn’t take enough to drink. It was a half marathon distance and boy was that hard work!!!
The sausage effect is really obvious when I sit down so I was avoiding all sitting activities while wearing these! I think they’re just a new style that I need to adjust to. That race sounded tough but great job on doing it!
I’m not a big fan of shorts (i usually look awful in them) but these look pretty awesome, like the fit well and dont move and bunch up awesome 😉
You should definitely check them out! Some of the BibRave Pros loved them, and I think I’m just weird for not really liking shorts when I run.
I can’t believe how far you have come with swimming in just 7 weeks! You are going to crush your first tri!
I don’t see the sausage effect on you, they look quite flattering, but I completely know what you are talking about. I don’t really wear that style short because I feel like they always give me that stuffed sausage look. The sheerness would concern me as well.
Thanks Heather! I’m so nervous but so excited to see what I can do on race day!
It’s crazy how the sausage effect does not come through in pictures, but it’s definitely there a little bit when I’m standing and a lot when I’m sitting down. I know they have to do something to keep the shorts from riding up, but it’s just something I need to adjust to a bit more. And I was so sad about the sheerness. If anyone can make a non-sheer fitted short I will definitely try that one out!
The shorts look good! I think the sausage effect happens to the best of us, the tight band on the bottom is what keeps them from riding up, so it’s a tradeoff!
I really like Under Armour compression shorts, they come in a few different lengths. I usually just wear them under something else though, when I’m going outside.
So true about the sausage effect! It’s just crazy to see it happen to you for the first time 🙂