I’d first heard about Workplay Bags at a bloggers conference in late 2013. Guy- founder of the company- had given a passionate and completely adorable overview of his range of fitness-inspired bags for women. He spoke with a real understanding of his audience, and I think I was so endeared by him because he had something of an inventor about him. You could see that a huge amount of dedication and hard work had gone into the current range.
Each bag had numerous clever little compartments and considerations that had all clearly been worked into the design after lots of careful market research, asking women exactly what they look for when exercising or moving from office to gym to home.
A few months later, I’d approached Guy to ask him about collaborating over several events Project HB is running over the next month- the Fitness 5 and our Girl’s fitness retreat, and I was thrilled that Workplay Bags not only kindly agreed to sponsor, but also offered to send across a Fleetfoot II (their waist-bag for running) so I could try it out for myself when on a jog along the Thames. Delighted was not the word!
The bag arrived and I decided to test it out that weekend whilst getting some miles in for the Nuclear Rush I’ll be running in a few weeks on the Pegasus team (I am pretty nervous about this race). Saturday morning and I dragged myself out of bed. Time to get the mind focused on the task ahead.
Workout kit; check. Early morning sunshine; check. 5km route planned; check. Time per km in mind; check.
I was ready to test this bad boy out!
I’d popped all of the essentials in- keys, ipod, debit card, inhaler, and although I usually hold a water bottle in my hand, I decided to test the Fleetfoot as it’s meant to be used, and slotted my bobble bottle into the compartment behind the main pouch. It fitted snugly and I felt a bit strange with nothing to hold! The bag clipped around the smallest part of my waist, and I slid the compartment round so it sat in the small of my back.
I usually juggle everything in my hands or else only take the bare essentials and slip them all into a little hidden pocket, so haven’t actually run with a waist bag before. It took me about half a km to jog, stop, adjust, wiggle, and really just to get the bag feeling snug and secure around my body. By the time I hit Bishopsgate, I was feeling completely comfortable, keeping a good rhythm, and I was used to the bag.
There’s nothing glamorous about me when I run- I’m an unashamedly heavy footed, loud breather, and the odd rasp for my inhaler can be heard. At least this time, with the Fleetfoot, I wasn’t jangling along noisily as well. There’s a clever little muffler-pocket in the main part of the bag which you can pop metallic things like change and a key-fob in, which meant I sounded 1% less like an escaped elephant that usual.
Not only did it help me to sound slightly more glamorous, I felt more girly wearing it. It sat comfortably on my body contours, and I liked the pink colour- I felt less like a scrut-bag with boy-hair than usual, and more like an actual woman wearing an accent of pink with a waist and hips.
The consideration into all of the little compartments inside and around the bag was impressive, and I know for a fact that I utilise every clever little feature (I’m looking forward to discovering the hidden little nooks and crannies in the bag as I use it more regularly on my runs).
I got a 5km run in, in just under 30 mins which was exactly what I was aiming for. I ended up holding my bottle half way round, not because of any problems with the bag, but just because after 8 years of jogging with a bottle in my right hand, it felt weird not to have it there! This was my first ever run with a waistbag and I am a convert- it was clever, nifty, and fulfilled its exact purpose. This company deserves every lovely thing said about them- a great little product and I am a fan.
If you’d like to be in with a chance of winning one of these fantastic little Fleetfoot II bags for yourself, then get your ticket to the Fitness 5 Challenge and you’ll find out how!
