Monday, September 30, 2013

#CarsBirthdayProject

As you may know, my 29th birthday was a few weeks ago. I had seen an AMAZING idea by Kelly that she did for her birthday and I wanted to join in on the fun [check out her recap of her birthday project here]!!


Some of the different intentional acts of kindness that I did were:

Put out a cooler of ICE COLD water bottles on a busy biking/ running path.

It was AWFULLY foggy out

The biker in the background was very appreciative and thanked us for all his fellow bikers as well.



Put surfboard wax on surfers' cars down by the beach.


Took donuts to a local firehouse as a way of saying THANKS!


Purchased dog toys and left them at the register for the cashier to hand out (PS The cashier that we worked with at Petco LOVED getting involved, she was excited to pick out the customers to give the gifts to).



Donated most of my shoes to a family that is trying to raise money to adopt a boy from the Ukraine.


Gave out scratch-er lotto tickers (and of course a lucky penny to scratch them with).


"Dropped" money for others to find (I mean WHO DOESN'T LOVE FINDING MONEY).



Left Starbuck gift cards around town.



YAY!! Someone got it and posted about it!!



NOW PLEASE DO NOT THINK I AM TELLING YOU THIS TO TOOT MY OWN HORN! I am in NO WAY trying to do that. I am posting about it - A. because GIVING is so much better than receiving (try it out and see if you can tell me any differently) and B. because I am hoping it will INSPIRE others to spread kindness as well.


This is a post from the woman above that received one of the Starbucks gift cards
 
Do you prefer giving or receiving? 

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Sunday Funday

Today was quite the full day.

We woke up to 'fall' like temperatures.


So Ryan and I went for a 6 mile run.



Then took Walt over for a romp in the park.

Walt LOVES to climb things... Trees included


Then we hit up Oceanside's Harbor Days.


Followed by lunch with friends (to celebrate their engagement - YAY), groceries, house cleaning, laundry, looking at Christmas flights, etc.

And ended the day with a puppy bath.

Source - PS This is NOT Walt, but more or less the sentiment of him towards baths :)

Workout Recap - Week 39


Sunday, September 22nd – 5 miles by the beach, Foam Rolled & Stretched


Monday, September 23rd – Stationary bike for 60 minutes (17.65 miles), Foam Rolled & Stretched

Tuesday, September 24th – Strength Training (abs, back, arms and legs)

Wednesday, September 25th – Elliptical for 60 minutes, Foam Rolled & Stretched

Thursday, September 26th –  Elliptical for 60 minutes, Foam Rolled & Stretched

Friday, September 27th – 19 mile bike ride [extreme WINDS that I was riding INTO for the last 8 miles]


Saturday, September 28th – Active "rest" day [3-4 mile hike with hubby and doggy around Lake Hodges] 


Nothing too special about this week's worth of workouts... I got them done... Even with some pretty bad 'crampy' days... Oh how I hate being a woman sometimes... [TMI, I know, sorry guys!]

I would REALLY love to get some speed work in soon... I guess I just have to force myself into doing it. Maybe this upcoming week is THE week :)

How was your week's worth of workouts? 

Saturday, September 28, 2013

The Bible - In ONE Year

Ryan and I started reading the Bible together - as part of a DAILY plan - on September 30th, 2012. TODAY we FINISHED reading through the Bible!!


A couple people had asked me (since I had posted a few pictures throughout the past year) which plan we were using. I actually just found it online when Googling one day. The thing that we really liked about it was that it was broken up a little differently than just reading the Bible straight through. Sundays was Epistles. Mondays was The Law. Tuesdays was History. Wednesday was Psalms. Thursdays was Poetry. Fridays was Prophecy. Saturdays was Gospels. [We found this EXTREMELY helpful when reading through some of the books in the Old Testament that can sometimes 'drag on'.]


If you know me, you know I LOVE lists and crossing things off my list. I think the reading plan was very beneficial because I knew I had a box that needed to be "checked" daily. Now, don't get me wrong, I am not saying we read EVERY day, but if we happened to miss a day here or there we were sure to catch up and try to stay as 'on task' as possible.


Have you read through the Bible before? If so, did you stick with a reading plan?

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

47 Signs You’re From Michigan


SEP. 23, 2013 By KOTY NEELIS 

1. You show people where you’re from by pointing to a spot on the back of your left hand.
2. You know it’s called pop, not soda.
3. You’ve clapped or witnessed people clapping at the sun setting on Lake Michigan.
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4. You know how to pronounce Mackinac, Kalamazoo, Charlevoix, Ypsilanti, and Sault St. Marie.

5. And yes, you know Kalamazoo actually does exist.

6. You’ve frenched a juggalo.

7. You had to wear your Halloween costume over your winter coat at some point during your childhood.

8. You joined other Michiganders in shared confusion and outrage when Wisconsin tried to claim itself as the Mitten state a few years ago. Don’t get it twisted Wisconsin.

9. You’ve gotten into a legit argument about which is better, Rock N Rye or red pop. Obviously Rock N Rye.

10. You’ve received a paid day off of work to celebrate the opening day of deer season.

11. You can easily drive 60 mph through two feet of snow during a blizzard like a boss.

12. Ohio State are the two dirtiest words someone could say to you.

13. You’ve been to Hell or know it’s not too far from you.

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14. You know what a Yooper is.

15. You can easily experience at least two seasons in one day, sometimes within a few hours of each other. This usually means wearing shorts and a sweatshirt or winter coat at the same time.

16. You calculate the measure of distance in minutes, not miles.

17. You drive 80 mph on the highway and pass on the right.

18. You’ve been to an Oberon release party.

19. You learned how to drive a boat before you learned how to drive a car.

20. You go “up north” every summer, which is anywhere north of Grand Rapids. This usually means driving up I-75 and vacationing in a cabin in the woods or a cottage on the lake.

21. You’ve been on a Michigan fall colors tour or taken a drive through the country in the fall just to see the leaves changing.

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22. Some people still side eye you if you say you own a foreign car.

23. You refer to Ann Arbor as A2 and Kalamazoo as Kzoo.

24. You know how to play and pronounce Euchre.

25. You don’t think it’s weird when it’s 75 degrees today and the forecast is predicting three feet of snow for tomorrow.

26. You’ve been to a Friday night fish fry.

27. Someone in your family or a friend’s family have worked for or been laid off by the auto industry.

28. You know it’s perfectly normal to live inside of a thumb.

29. You grew up knowing how to load and shoot a shot gun.

30. You got excited about turning 19 so you could drink in Windsor.

31. Your summer vacations as a kid consisted of either going “up north,” to Cedar Point, or to Mackinac Island.
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32. You remember it was a big deal when Olive Garden opened in your town.
33. You go to another state and can’t get used to throwing your pop or beer cans away.
34. School was never called off in the winter unless there was at least two feet of snow but you were still hopeful the night before you might have a snow day.
35. Even if you’re not a big football fan, you hate Ohio regardless.
36. You aren’t sure if any other hockey teams exist except the Red Wings.
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37. You think 40 degrees is a perfectly acceptable temperature to put shorts on.

38. You know a pastie is something you eat and not wear.
39. It’s pretty normal for family members to stop speaking after a Michigan-MSU game.

40. Fudge and salt water taffy remind you of summer.

41. When someone says they’re driving coast to coast you know they’re driving from one side of the state to the other.

42. You’ve been to Ted Nugent’s house or hung out with one of his kids.

43. You remember when Biggby Coffee was called Beaners and prefer it to Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts.

44. It’s a family tradition to cheer on the Lions, even though you know they’re going to lose.

45. You drink Vernors when you’re sick.

46. You know the difference between a coney dog and a chilli dog.

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47. Superman or Blue Moon ice cream were your favorite ice cream flavors as a child.

REVIEW: PRO Compression (& GIVEAWAY)


PRO Compression is a local company – headquartered right down the street from me in Carlsbad  that was born of a runner/golfer’s desire to introduce superior compression socks to ALL outdoor athletes and everyday people.


When I started on my running journey a little over a year and a half ago, I had no idea what compression gear was. When I saw folks wearing compression sleeves or socks I just thought it was a “cool” way to keep warm or to add to a costume [my first half marathon was the 2012 Disneyland Half Marathon {FULL RECAP HERE}, and a lot of folks dress up for the AWESOME runDisney events, so I am sure you can understand my assumption]. Little did I know what a great benefit compression gear can be.

Once I got my first pair of PRO Compression Marathon Socks I started wearing them after my long runs (I would say over 10 or 12 miles). I felt that they really helped me in my recovery process – helped the blood flow so that my muscles weren’t as sore, limited the amount of swelling in my feet and ankles after pounding the pavement for the extended period of time, and seemed to speed up my recovery time.

Lately I have actually worn my PRO Compression Marathon Socks in a couple of my races (originally because I thought they ‘went with my outfit’, but more recently because I have felt the positive effects DURING my races, not just afterwards for recovery).




I have been suffering from slight shin pain in my right shin (only when I try to go faster than my normal pace though) and it has been suggested to wear my PRO Compression socks to see if that helps alleviate the pain. I am looking forward to testing it out (and of course reporting back my findings :) )!

The AWESOME folks over at PRO Compression were gracious enough to offer a FREE PAIR OF MARATHON COMPRESSION SOCKS as a GIVEAWAY!! Make sure to enter below (there are even some options that you can do DAILY for additional entries). 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And even if you don’t win the Giveaway, PRO Compression is offering my readers an AMAZING deal of 40% OFF PLUS FREE SHIPPING for any pair of Marathon Socks or Calf Sleeves [a pretty great consolation prize if I do say so myself!]! Just use the COUPON CODE "BLG13" during your online purchase.

Sunday, September 22, 2013

30 Second Stretches


Make Every Minute Count: 30 Second Stretches

A quick post-run stretching sequence to loosen up your whole body.





Thank you Runner's World! I am going to make sure all of these are part of my daily routine!! And YOU should too!!

Toledo Color Me Rad 5K

This morning my dad, mom, brother and his girlfriend ran in the Color Me Rad 5K at the University of Toledo. I am so proud of them!! They are all ROCKSTARS!! My mom ran the Color Me Rad 5K with Ryan and I when she was out in San Diego earlier this summer [check out the recap here in case you missed it the first time around - FULL OF PICTURES], but I hear this course was a lot rougher (full of hills - which is MUCH different than the flatness of the Petco parking lot we were cruising around :) ).

Looking clean and ready to run!

My parents are cooler than your parents!

Kyle blew everyone out of the water I hear :)

LOVIN' THE COLOR PADRES!!

Ryan and I wish we could have been there, but there will be MANY RACES in our future I am sure of it!

WAY TO GO PADOT (plus Mitchell) CLAN!!

Workout Recap - Week 38

Sunday, September 15th – Easy pace 6 miles, Foam Rolled & Stretched

Monday, September 16th – Strength Training (abs, back, arms and legs), Foam Rolled & Stretched

Tuesday, September 17th – Elliptical for 60 minutes


Wednesday, September 18th – Rest day

Thursday, September 19th –  Elliptical for 60 minutes, Foam Rolled & Stretched

Friday, September 20th – 19.25 mile bike ride [first time I had been back on my bike since being hit by a car - and this time I was unscathed] 


Saturday, September 21st – Easy pace 3 miles with the hubby 


This week was "interesting". I was at the doctors twice after work, which required me to switch around some workouts. (Don't worry, nothing too bad with me - one for some lab work and one for an 'annual' appointment. I did find out on Tuesday that I am anemic, and have to go back to get more blood work in a little over a week to see what type of anemia and how best to treat it.) 

Still trying to get the hang of my 'fall' workouts - now that our small group is starting back up again and the sun is setting earlier. Hopefully I can master my routine soon and get into a groove again. I also need to get back on the foam rolling and stretching train. This week I was pretty bad with it - and can really tell! 

How was your week's worth of workouts?