Tuesday, June 30, 2015

#MyLockLaces

So if you follow me on Instagram (https://instagram.com/carleemcdot/), you probably noticed a few of my posts from last week had the hashtag #MyLockLaces. I have to be honest, I didn't want to bring too much attention to it before because I am selfish and didn't want more people entering the contest ;) #KeepinItReal

Anyway, LOCK LACES was having a photo contest (actually it is still going on - they are picking a new winner every week this month). You were supposed to photograph your LOCK LACES being used in everyday life and then use the hashtag #MyLockLaces. Easy peasy, right?! That's what I thought too! And the prize for last week? A GoPro HERO4!


So OBVIOUSLY I had to throw my name in the ring as many times as possible (without being too obnoxious of course!). It just so happens that I currently have LOCK LACES on 5 pairs of running shoes (and hubby has them on two pairs of his), so most of my running pictures I could tag ;) Below are the pictures I used as entries.








Ryan even entered himself with this photo from one of our many hikes during our camping adventure last weekend at Kern River.

Source: @Ruggedwoodsman's Instagram Feed

I was hoping that I could win, but knew it was a random winner (not who had the coolest picture or the most likes), so figured I would try to enter as many times as I could to better my chances, but really had no idea how many entries there were going to be.

The weekly contest runs from Monday through Sunday, so I knew the winner was going to be selected soon and was crossing my fingers and toes (and maybe my eyes) that it was going to be ME. Of course I was stalking LOCK LACES' social media, so when I got on their Facebook page this morning, LOOK WHAT I SAW...


Yup, I WON! I am sooooooooooooooooo stoked! Hubby and I have been talking about getting a GoPro for a while now and just haven't gotten around to it. THIS IS PERFECT! I think I literally let out a "Yipeeeeeee" when I saw it and physically ran to my phone to call Ryan to tell him the great news!

Oh yeah, and like I mentioned at the beginning of the post, the contest is still going on. If you would like to enter, check out their Facebook page! This week's winner will win a free pair of running shoes (I mean, one can never have enough running shoes, right?!). 

Source: LockLaces' Facebook Page

And although I am THRILLED to have won the contest, I don't rock LOCK LACES because of things I can win (even though that is a nice perk), I really like the product (or else the hubby and I wouldn't have them on 7 pairs of shoes around the house!)! You should totally check LOCK LACES out if you haven't before. THEY ARE DA BOMB DOT COM! And I'm not just saying that! 

Do you enter contests?

Monday, June 29, 2015

We Get An Extra Second

Did you know?

Tomorrow there will be a "leap second"! Meaning there will be a minute (at 8pm EST) that will actually have 61 SECONDS! Apparently this is due to the slowing of the Earth's rotation and keeping our calendars correct (or some scientific stuff like that). I had no idea until I came across an article about it for my job. (And I hear it actually occurs every couple years... EX-SQUEEZE ME?! How have I never heard of this before?!)

Sure, sure, one extra second may not be a big deal (which is probably why I hadn't heard about it in my daily life), but it got my wheels turning.

What if, instead of an extra second, we got an extra hour? How would you use an extra hour?

Would you hug your kids for those 60 minutes? Maybe you'd go for an extra long run. Would you sleep (I mean, honestly, who can say they get "enough" sleep these days?!)? How about taking that photography class you have been wanting to do? Or maybe you'd get all of those tasks that have been on your to-do list but you have been 'too busy' to accomplish crossed off. Would you lay on the beach? Maybe you'd take your pup for a hike in the woods. How about a relaxing massage or facial?

Then I got to thinking... WHY DO WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THEN TO DO THESE THINGS?! I know, sometimes there are financial constraints, time restraints, etc, but if we really think about it, if something is important to us WE WILL MAKE IT HAPPEN, otherwise, we will make excuses.

Source

Shoot, if you were to "bank" 10 minutes a day, by the end of the week you'd have that extra hour. Maybe you could go to sleep 10 minutes earlier or check social media 10 minutes less (obviously this blog is not a waste of time, so keep checking it ;)) or multi-task a little more or watch a little less of TV/ Netflix.

Source

I was chatting with a friend before the hubby and I went on vacation last week (mostly about cleaning and chores I "had" to do) and said something along the lines of, "I have a ton to get done before we leave. But honestly, if it doesn't get done, either it didn't need to be done or it can wait until we get back."

Source

Let me be honest, this is normally NOT the attitude I have. Like I have said MANY times, I am a list maker and I NEED to cross things off said list. But I am coming to a point in my life where I am realizing I need to put things on my list that I WANT to do too! And maybe a little re-prioritizing is needed.

Make time for things that REALLY matter to you. I don't want to hear (or use) the excuse "I'm too busy", okay?! Let's make it happen!

What could you do to save 10 minutes a day? And what would you do with that extra hour every week?

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Workout Recap - Week 26

Sunday, June 21st – 10 mile run, Foam Rolled & Stretched


Monday, June 22nd 13.1 mile run, Foam Rolled & Stretched


Tuesday, June 23rd –  Strength Training (abs, back, arms and legs), 3 mile run with the hubby, Foam Rolled & Stretched


Wednesday, June 24th –  7 mile progression run, Foam Rolled & Stretched


Thursday, June 25th – 5 mile run


Friday, June 26th – 3 miles worth of hiking with the hubby and puppy


Saturday, June 27th – 4 miles worth of hiking with the hubby and puppy


Even though we were out of town this past weekend and I might have had to switch up my runs to get them in, I would say it was a VERY successful week! I got in 38.1 miles of running, 7+ miles of hiking (in triple digit temperatures) and a strength training session. Sometimes you just have to be okay with mixing it up :)

How were your workouts this past week? 

Saturday, June 27, 2015

Sharing Saturday - Halo Headband

It has been a couple weeks since my last Sharing Saturday post and for that I am sorry! I guess I just get caught up on the daily happenings and forget that people want free stuff ;) {Don't worry, I am in that SAME CATEGORY, so don't feel bad if that is why you pop by my blog occasionally :)}


Although living in Southern California means most of the year feels like summertime, we are now OFFICIALLY in the summer season! Summer brings with it lots of amazing things - sunshine, bonfires, laying at the beach, stargazing, s'mores, fireworks, more sunshine, etc. (I am not ashamed to say that summer is my favorite season of the year!) Along with the awesomeness, some not so stellar things also tend to accompany summer... The main one that comes to mind is SWEAT!

I know there are some "girly" sayings out there, like "I don't sweat, I sparkle" and the like, but let me tell you - I SWEAT... LIKE A LOT! (I guess you can say I sparkle WHILE I sweat, but I am definitely letting out a lot of liquid awesome when I am getting my workouts in :))

I have blogged about Halo Headbands in the past (I actually even worked for them for a short period of time trying to be a sales rep, but I quickly found out sales is NOT my forte). The main thing that sets Halo apart from other brands is the sweat block patented seal! This little piece of wonderfulness helps to channel the sweat away from your eyes and face!

Source

I have two, brand new Halo Headbands sitting in my room right now and I figured now was the PERFECT time to give them away to two lucky readers!

The first one is the USA Halo Headband - Tie Version. Just in time for the 4th of July, right?! (PS If you don't win this or if you want one BEFORE your 4th of July race, you can use code "HALOUSA" to save 20% on your order of a USA Flag Headband.) {I did want to mention, I see more guys wearing the tie version and more girls wearing the pullover version, but obviously you can wear whatever floats your boat!}

Source

The second one is the Paisley Red Headband - Pullover Version. This one reminds me of an old school bandanna print.

Source

I figured I would put the two headbands in two separate Rafflecopters, that way you are sure to get the print you want. There will be a winner selected for each of the headbands. You CAN enter both giveaways (and if the same person wins them both, then they are just a lucky duck and I can save on shipping :))!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Enter early and often (some of the entries are available DAILY). I did want to mention, this giveaway is NOT sponsored or affiliated with Halo Headband in any way... I am just sharing some of my gear {brand new, of course} with YOU! It will run through Friday, July 3rd at 11:59pm PST. I will contact the winners via email (using the email address listed through Rafflecopter) who will have 24 hours to respond and claim their prize. Also, the entries ARE verified, so please make sure you complete the task or I'll have to pick a new random winner.

Friday, June 26, 2015

GUEST POST: "Running While On Vacation" By LetsRun4Ever

Summer is here, and unless you are someone who lives in a warmer climate year-round, you can’t imagine the excitement we here in the Midwest look forward to our summertime. It may not last all that long, but when the leaves start to turn in a few months we will have all squeezed every ounce out of summer that we could.

With warm weather – and time off from work and school – summer is a perfect time for travel and vacations. Well, I think anytime is a perfect time for travel and vacations, but I digress. One challenge for runners is finding the time, resources and even sometimes the motivation, to keep running on vacation.


I’ve been fortunate that already this year I have traveled to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, as well as Dubai, and had some great runs at both places. Later on this fall, I’m going to Rome and have discovered that they appear to have a great running community there.

Not to mention, sightseeing while on a run is a wonderful way to see a new place. So what’s the best way to make the most of your runs while on vacation? Here are a few things I’ve discovered that might help.

*Do your research ahead of time. You will probably start looking into other aspects of the trip before you travel, and figuring out the running portion of your vacation shouldn’t be an exception. Look into routes near your hotel or places that are a short ride away, or pick a place that you might like to see on foot.

When I was in Milan, Italy a couple of years ago I spent an afternoon at the Formula 1 race track in Monza. I found out when I arrived that the circuit actually sits in the middle of a beautiful park with lots of great places to run, including certain days where they let you actually walk or run on the track! Milan is part of our trip this fall and I’m definitely going back there to take advantage of a gorgeous place to run.

*Reach out to the local running club. Find local clubs and check out their websites and social media. Most clubs have fun runs or even some more serious runs once or twice a week if you are looking for people to run with or really want to get in a good workout. Most club website lists places to run and tips on how to run safely, which come in really handy.


It’s a great chance to meet new people and have a new experience. The views in Dubai are stunning, but it’s not the most runner-friendly place in the world with its very urban landscape. But I contacted the local club ahead of time and they directed me to a park that was a literal oasis in the desert, complete with grass, flowers and a huge pond in the middle. That and the park offered a marked, 1500-meter running path that was made up of a nice rubberized surface. I also joined a couple of club members for a run one evening and had a blast.


One thing a local club can also help you with is the local customs. For instance, Dubai has a dress code that, while it still allows people freedoms to wear what they want, stresses and expects modesty in most situations. So you can wear a singlet or a sleeveless shirt, you just can’t go shirtless or in a sports bra, for example.

Be a polite guest and find a way to blend in with the culture where you are, the locals will greatly appreciate it.

*Make your runs true “fun” runs. You’re on vacation for crying out loud! Run slower, look around more, take pictures. Don’t be afraid to stop and look around, or explore something interesting. When I was running in Puerto Vallarta I stopped and walked through a park and sports complex that was really interesting.


Even though there weren’t a lot of people there, taking a really close look at the details of the park helped me learn a lot about the area and their culture, and I think it helped me understand the people who live there even more.

I can get intense when I run and miss a lot of my surroundings, so it was a little hard to dial it down a notch, but it was well worth it. Treat your runs like any other excursion you take, as a chance for a new experience.

I think the last point is the most important…have fun! Whether you are going somewhere for some rest and relaxation, or traveling to a race, it’s all about doing something new, fun and exciting. You’ve got the rest of the year to be serious, when you go somewhere and lace the shoes up, make every run a once in a lifetime experience.

Mike Knapp is a dad, husband and runner who lives in Bartlett, IL and is the owner and head writer for the blog Let’s Run Forever. Mike has been running for 16 years and has run eight marathons, and will soon begin training for the St. Jude Marathon in December. You can find him running at the Hawk Hollow forest preserve, and online in all sorts of social media places.

     Blog: letsrun4ever.blogspot.com
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