*The Lola 2.0 Eyeglasses were purchased by me, and the Kona Lightweight Sunglasses were gifted to me by ROKA
TLDR:
Pros | Cons |
Non-slip, no movement while running | Can be cost-prohibitive |
Quality lenses | |
Lightweight, barely-there feeling |
I am not a fan of running with items on my face or head. In the past, if I did bring sunglasses or a hat, I'd end up taking them on and off a million times during the run, holding them or stuffing them down my bra.
I'm primarily a morning runner nowadays though I used to thrive with evening training, meeting my Hellgate Road Runners teammates for jaunts around the track or hill repeats.
However, after being a longtime Take The Bridge lurker, the powerhouse of unsanctioned city road racing hosted an event called Women Take The Night which was a female-only relay night. Sign me up! 4 girls to a team, and 2 must stay together the entire race (buddy system concept). My team made it to the Brooklyn Bridge together, heading to our second checkpoint, and I completely ate shit on my way up, right before the wood panels started.
Sure, we were cruising but I couldn't see! During the daytime, I wear glasses for work, and anytime I need to look at a computer screen, and when I take them off at night, especially when it's dark, my eyes don't adjust after having worn sight correction for almost eight hours.
To counter that with my normal morning runs, even though I don't wear my glasses when I wake up before I head out, it's dark enough that everything is blurry and I often mistake garbage cans and trees for people.
My introduction to ROKA came when I attended the VinFast IRONMAN World Championship race in Kona, HI, in October 2023. My client at the time had a partnership with the wonderful non-profit KultureCity and we were sponsoring my now close friend and client, Adrienne Bunn. She was racing to become the youngest known female with autism to complete the race (spoiler alert: she did and came in first in the disability category).
So when I completed the Strava challenge for ROKA in January 2024 and received a $50 credit, I decided to check out the website. Though most of the gear is triathlon-focused, the sunglasses and regular glasses are for any athlete.
I was over the moon to see regular glasses that came in sport mode and that was when I knew I had to try them. Though my prescription was expired, ROKA has an online eye test that a doctor then reviews before being approved. It took less than 20 minutes to complete and within an hour my Lola 2.0's were ordered.
They arrived right before Endorphins' A2A unsanctioned night race and I could not wait to test them out.
I put them on at the pre-race briefing and we were off.
It was a breath of fresh air to be able to see uneven sidewalks and street signs, both important during unsanctioned, choose-your-route races!
When I got to the finish area, I touched my face and completely forgot I had glasses on, which is a testament to both the quality of lenses, and no-slip-grip.
Needless to say, I'm completely obsessed with them. I've worn them for early morning and late evening runs, biking, and even during a cloudy early summer triathlon.
Some key features include:
Injection-molded TR 90 nylon frames
Patented biomimicry-inspired GEKO™ Pads
Premium lens coatings that are scratch and fog-resistant, anti-reflective, and hydrophobic/oleophobic
In early spring, after facilitating a collaboration between ROKA and Adrienne via my PR firm Mint & Honey, Co., I was wearing the wrong glasses in a selfie with both of us that the brand couldn't use and was still raving about my Lola's, so my contact offered to send me sunglasses (I protested at first then gave in).
Mind blown. I chose the Kona Lightweight Sunglasses in black and same as the regular glasses, these did not disappoint.
Though the Kona's I have are not prescription, everything I can see is incredibly clear thanks to the impact-resistant C3™ nylon lenses. The patented GEKO™ Pads on the nose and temples ensure the glasses aren't bouncing around or moving when I am.
Additional notes for the Kona's are:
GEKO™ fit and retention system
Carbon-reinforced air vent at bridge of nose
Weigh 24 grams
Hidden-spring hinges for shock absorption and optimal fit
Though glasses are just a minor part of what you wear while training or racing, quality can make all of the difference.
I'm officially a ROKA convert and you'll find me rocking a pair during the 2024 Chicago Marathon in October. Will I see you there?
XO,
Lynette
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