Workout Recap - Week 51

Sunday, December 11th – 3 mile run with the hubby, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Monday, December 12th – Strength Training (abs, back, legs and arms), 3 mile walk, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Tuesday, December 13th –  7 mile run, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Wednesday, December 14th – 15 mile bike ride, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Thursday, December 15th – 5 mile run, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Friday, December 16th –  7 mile run, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Saturday, December 17th – Rest Day Stretched & Foam Rolled

Although my runs did NOT go how I would have liked this week, I got in 22 miles (which is a far cry from where I have been in the past but a huge improvement from the last month and a half while dealing with my pesky hip issues). We will be heading back to Michigan this upcoming week for about a week and a half, so my workouts may vary slightly (because FROZEN TUNDRA), but I am hoping to still get in a good amount of activity!

How were your workouts this past week?

REVIEW: Wanderer Bracelets

I know, I know, I swear I am always talking about #ArmCandy and #WristParties, but it's because there are so many amazing bracelet companies out there in the world! Another one that sought me out was Wanderer Bracelets.

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As always, the hardest part of my "job" is picking out the bracelets that I want to review. It legit took me about 30 minutes to try and narrow down my top three picks - there are just so many cute bracelets to choose from.

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Just a few of the many options that they offer

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And now you can see why it took me so long to decide... This isn't even all of them!

I finally decided on my top three. The pineapple (I mean, if I'm 'crazy' enough to get a pineapple tattooed on one of my calves you better believe it's going to make it into the top three bracelets), the three arrows (not only did I love the multi-colored cord the arrows were on, I really liked the simplicity of the charms) and the custom coordinates (I used the latitude and longitude of where the hubby and I got married over 8 years ago {a collective 'aw' rang over the crowd}).

Along with the three amazing bracelets, I also got some sweet stickers, a key chain and a few temporary tattoos!

Quick note: When the hubby and I got married, instead of flowers, we had an artist make us button bouquets (and boutonnieres) so they'd
last forever. The coordinate bracelet is on my wedding bouquet. They match perfectly; it's like they were made for each other (and for me!).

Not only are the bracelets super cute, they are hand crafted in Bali (in case you didn't know, that is where the hubby and I went for our honeymoon - so many awesome connections with this amazing company, right?!). Each bracelet supports sustainable work for local village artisans. The designs are hand-carved using traditional techniques out of discarded all-natural water buffalo bone. Also, the bands are weaved together from durable, comfortable nylon thread.

Sometimes a product is so much more than meets the eye. When you wear one of these bracelets, you support the artisan who made it. Your purchase creates reliable work opportunities for artisans in Bali; and that changes everything.

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These bracelets may just be a cute piece of jewelry to some, but they mean the world to others. Each purchase helps to sustain opportunity in multiple rural Bali villages by allowing the artists to earn a steady income, which gives families the power to save money for the future. The jewelry sparks creativity and allows the preservation of artistic traditions that have been passed down for generations. Keeping jobs local helps to strength community because when parents have reliable work, families can stay together and are no longer forced to leave their villages to find jobs.

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If you are interested in picking up one (or seven ;)) of these bracelets, use "carleemcdot15" to save 15% on your order!

What's your favorite bracelet that you own?

Day 15 of 12 Days of Carlee's Christmas

Thanks so much for stopping by CarleeMcDot.com today. Whether you've been following along on my journey since I started this blog TEN YEARS AGO or you stopped by for the first time today - WELCOME!

And no matter how long you've been visiting, you picked an AMAZING time to pop in because we're celebrating my #12DaysOfCarleesChristmas {read my post announcing this series HERE if you don't know what I'm talking about}.

Today is Day 15 of my #12DaysOfCarleesChristmas! And the prize today is pretty FAN-FREAKIN'-TASTIC! Although, to be honest, all of the prizes are AMAZEBALLS! If I could enter my own giveaways I'm pretty sure I would enter each and every one of them in this series because they are just that awesome.

Up for grabs today is: one runner's gift basket with 15 prizes.

For today, DAY FIFTEEN, one winner will be selected, winning a runner's gift basket with 15 prizes including: (1) Roll Recovery StretchMat, (1) RunFarGear $25 Gift Card, (1) RoadID $20 Gift Card, (1) Roll of KT Tape (Orange), (1) Pair of Shwings (Lightning Bolts), (1) Set of LockLaces (Blue Reflective), (1) Sparkle Athletic Trucker Hat, (1) #WeRunSocial Trucker Hat, (1) PROBAR BASE Bars, (1) PROBAR BOLT Chews, (1) Nathan Peak Insulated Hydration Belt - 18oz, (1) #WeRunSocial VKs Cup, (1) Clif Bar Klean Kanteen, (1) Momentum Jewelry Motivational Wrap, and (1) surprise Sparkly Soul headband.

When Roll Recovery said they wanted to send a StretchMat to be included in my #12DaysOfCarleesChristmas giveaways, a light bulb went off. I decided I'd do a giant prize pack for the final day. The StretchMat was specifically designed with the athlete in mind — the larger shape, soft-touch surface and 4mm of padding provides the surface area and sweat proof design every athlete needs to get down to business with stretching and pre/post workout rituals.

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And I was STOKED when Sarah from RunFarGear wanted to include a $25 Gift Card in my series of giveaways. I have a couple of her tees and tanks and love to rock them all they time (whether I am running or just running errands)! She offers running apparel with heart - giving 10% of all profits to the Children's Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock.

The rest of the prizes are actually not sponsored by the brands, but goodies I have been holding for the perfect opportunity to gift to others (and I would say NOW is that time!). They are all products I use or rock on a regular basis {don't worry, all of the prizes included in this gift basket are brand new!} and would LOVE to give you the opportunity to try them out and fall in love with the brands yourself!

Entering this giveaway (along with the other #12DaysOfCarleesChristmas giveaways) is easy-peasy! Simply use the Rafflecopter widget listed below on the giveaway blog post and cross your fingers. Some entries are available daily so I'd HIGHLY recommend entering early and often. (Shoot, I would even go as far as suggesting you set an alarm to remind you to come back to this page every 24 hours so you can take advantage of as many entries as possible!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Now, the nitty gritty details... All entries are verified, so please make sure to do whatever the required action for the entry is or it will be disqualified. I would hate for you to miss out on winning due to a technicality, so if you are going to click the option, make sure you do whatever it asks or a new, random winner will be selected in your place.

Also, this giveaway will last seven days, with the winner being picked (and notified) on the eighth day. The winner will have 24 hours to reply to the congratulations email from me to claim their prizes. That means, for this giveaway, it will end on December 21st at 11:59pm PST and the winner will be chosen on December 22nd. [PS I will be traveling for the holidays when this winner is selected, and will not be packing all the goodies in my carry-on, so the prize pack will be shipped once I return home at the end of the month. Hope that's okay with the winner!]

And, finally, the winner must have a US mailing address. International shipping seems to cost an arm and a leg these days, and customs is a major headache, so to make it easier (and cheaper) on the brands who have offered up their products, the winner must live in United States of America (or at least have an address we can ship to within the US).

With that said, BEST OF LUCK TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERS! I hope you have enjoyed each and every one of my giveaways (and have been lucky enough to have been selected as a winner)! A HUGE THANKS to all of the amazing brands who offered up their products for this series. If you don't follow these companies already, I highly urge you to - they're good people (with awesome products)! You will not be disappointed in any of them!

Here's to 2017's #12DaysOfCarleesChristmas being even better! 

Day 14 of 12 Days of Carlee's Christmas

Thanks so much for stopping by CarleeMcDot.com today. Whether you've been following along on my journey since I started this blog TEN YEARS AGO or you stopped by for the first time today - WELCOME!

And no matter how long you've been visiting, you picked an AMAZING time to pop in because we're celebrating my #12DaysOfCarleesChristmas {read my post announcing this series HERE if you don't know what I'm talking about}.

Today is Day 14 of my #12DaysOfCarleesChristmas! And the prize today is pretty FAN-FREAKIN'-TASTIC! Although, to be honest, all of the prizes are AMAZEBALLS! If I could enter my own giveaways I'm pretty sure I would enter each and every one of them in this series because they are just that awesome.

Up for grabs today are: 14 NATHAN MagStrobe Lights.

For today, DAY FOURTEEN, fourteen winners will be selected, each winning a NATHAN MagStrobe light.

I have a ton of NATHAN products - from a hydration vest to handhelds to travel water bottles and more. They are helping athletes run stronger and longer (and I know they're an asset that I'm thankful for on a daily basis in my life)!

Although NATHAN tends to be known for their hydration gear, I love that they have been releasing some AMAZING lights and reflective gear (especially since the sun seems to set at about 3pm nowadays). I have a few of their lights already (the StrobeLight LED Clip that I got after my first Ragnar because it works perfect for a light on your back and the Lightbender RX Lighted Armband that has become a staple in morning and evening activities to make sure others see me) and from everything I've seen thus far, I know they only offer quality products.

So when NATHAN wanted to join in on a BONUS day and offered up FOURTEEN Mag Strobe LED Clip Lights I knew you all would be over the moon! These things may appear small, but, man, they are mighty! This super-lightweight clip-on combines LED strobes with hi-viz reflective materials for added safety when you’re out at night. It is a featherweight reflective clip-on with a built-in strobe light. The magnetic flap clips on anywhere. It is battery powered, with 45+ hours of burn time {Steady on – 35+ hours, Fast Strobe – 40+ hours, Slow Strobe – 45+ hours}.

Seven winners will receive the Safety Yellow/ Black and seven winners will receive the Cockatoo/ Bluestone

Entering this giveaway (along with the other #12DaysOfCarleesChristmas giveaways) is easy-peasy! Simply use the Rafflecopter widget listed below on the giveaway blog post and cross your fingers. Some entries are available daily so I'd HIGHLY recommend entering early and often. (Shoot, I would even go as far as suggesting you set an alarm to remind you to come back to this page every 24 hours so you can take advantage of as many entries as possible!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Now, the nitty gritty details... All entries are verified, so please make sure to do whatever the required action for the entry is or it will be disqualified. I would hate for you to miss out on winning due to a technicality, so if you are going to click the option, make sure you do whatever it asks or a new, random winner will be selected in your place.

Also, this giveaway will last seven days, with the winners being picked (and notified) on the eighth day. The winners will have 24 hours to reply to the congratulations email from me to claim their prize. That means, for this giveaway, it will end on December 20th at 11:59pm PST and the FOURTEEN winners will be chosen on December 21st. [PS I will be traveling for the holidays when these winners are selected, and will not be packing all the goodies in my carry-on, so the prizes will be shipped once I return home at the end of the month. Hope that's okay with the winners!]

And, finally, the winners must have a US mailing address. International shipping seems to cost an arm and a leg these days, and customs is a major headache, so to make it easier (and cheaper) on the brands who have offered up their products, the winners must live in United States of America (or at least have an address we can ship to within the US).

With that said, BEST OF LUCK TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERS! And don't forget to stop back tomorrow to see what is up next in my #12DaysOfCarleesChristmas (I promise you do NOT want to miss out on any of these giveaways!)!

Day 13 of 12 Days of Carlee's Christmas

Thanks so much for stopping by CarleeMcDot.com today. Whether you've been following along on my journey since I started this blog TEN YEARS AGO or you stopped by for the first time today - WELCOME!

And no matter how long you've been visiting, you picked an AMAZING time to pop in because we're celebrating my #12DaysOfCarleesChristmas {read my post announcing this series HERE if you don't know what I'm talking about}.

Today is Day 13 of my #12DaysOfCarleesChristmas! And the prize today is pretty FAN-FREAKIN'-TASTIC! Although, to be honest, all of the prizes are AMAZEBALLS! If I could enter my own giveaways I'm pretty sure I would enter each and every one of them in this series because they are just that awesome.

Up for grabs today are: 13 classic MudLOVE bands.

For today, DAY THIRTEEN, thirteen winners will be selected, each winning a classic MudLOVE band of their choice.

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If you know me, hopefully you know that charity, giving to others, being a light, and helping those around me makes my heart SMILE! Also, I'm sure it comes as no surprise that I love a #WristParty. Give me a bracelet and I will wear it until it falls off, but give me a bracelet that gives back to those in need and not only will I rock it I will spread the word to everyone I know about it! And that is EXACTLY how I feel about MudLOVE!

MudLOVE was started as a way to support clean water projects in Africa. They partner with Water for Good and every product purchased provides one week of clean water to someone in need in the Central African Republic. Along with providing clean water to a country in desperate need of hope, love and basic necessities, their products are an every day instrument of encouragement and inspiration.

I LOVE to rock my MudLOVE bands as often as possible!

Not only are the bracelets AMAZING, but they give a portion of the proceeds to help build wells in Central African Republic. How fan-freakin’-tastic is that?! And not only do they give back to those in need of clean water in Africa, but they're also giving back to YOU because they wanted to team up for a BONUS day of my #12DaysOfCarleesChristmas (how could I turn down additional amazing brands who wanted to help spread a little extra Christmas spirit?!)!

Yup, that’s right, the MARVELOUS MudLOVE folks are offering up THIRTEEN of their classic bands to YOU! There will be 13 winners - each able to select the word and color of elastic on their own MudLOVE classic band.

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Entering this giveaway (along with the other #12DaysOfCarleesChristmas giveaways) is easy-peasy! Simply use the Rafflecopter widget listed below on the giveaway blog post and cross your fingers. Some entries are available daily so I'd HIGHLY recommend entering early and often. (Shoot, I would even go as far as suggesting you set an alarm to remind you to come back to this page every 24 hours so you can take advantage of as many entries as possible!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Now, the nitty gritty details... All entries are verified, so please make sure to do whatever the required action for the entry is or it will be disqualified. I would hate for you to miss out on winning due to a technicality, so if you are going to click the option, make sure you do whatever it asks or a new, random winner will be selected in your place.

Also, this giveaway will last seven days, with the winners being picked (and notified) on the eighth day. The winners will have 24 hours to reply to the congratulations email from me to claim their prize. That means, for this giveaway, it will end on December 19th at 11:59pm PST and the THIRTEEN winners will be chosen on December 20th.

And, finally, the winners must have a US mailing address. International shipping seems to cost an arm and a leg these days, and customs is a major headache, so to make it easier (and cheaper) on the brands who have offered up their products, the winners must live in United States of America (or at least have an address we can ship to within the US).

With that said, BEST OF LUCK TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERS! And don't forget to stop back tomorrow to see what is up next in my #12DaysOfCarleesChristmas (I promise you do NOT want to miss out on any of these giveaways!)!

Day 12 of 12 Days of Carlee's Christmas

Thanks so much for stopping by CarleeMcDot.com today. Whether you've been following along on my journey since I started this blog TEN YEARS AGO or you stopped by for the first time today - WELCOME!

And no matter how long you've been visiting, you picked an AMAZING time to pop in because we're celebrating my #12DaysOfCarleesChristmas {read my post announcing this series HERE if you don't know what I'm talking about}.

Today is Day 12 of my #12DaysOfCarleesChristmas! And the prize today is pretty FAN-FREAKIN'-TASTIC! Although, to be honest, all of the prizes are AMAZEBALLS! If I could enter my own giveaways I'm pretty sure I would enter each and every one of them in this series because they are just that awesome.

Up for grabs today is: a Garmin Forerunner 35.

For today, DAY TWELVE, one winner will be selected, winning a Garmin Forerunner 35.

I am a numbers girl. I'm sure it wouldn't surprise you to find out that I started college thinking I was going to be a math major (and only switched to Economics when I found out I 'only' needed 4 semesters of Calculus for Econ instead of the 6 for Math). So when I started running outdoors I knew I needed some sort of watch that would help me track my data.

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Let's be real, I am frugal and since I wasn't sure if running was going to 'stick' I decided to opt for a refurbished watch I found on eBay. I ended up with the Garmin Forerunner 110 and loved it. It was one of my first running purchases and I had it for the first 2.5 or so years of my running career.

When I realized running was here to stay (and I found a great deal on a new watch so I could "splurge"), I upgraded to the Garmin Forerunner 220. This watch offered many new features (bluetooth connection to Garmin Connect, the ability to set up intervals, a less chunky appearance, etc). I kept this watch for about 2 years until I recently upgraded again.

My current GPS watch is the Garmin Forerunner 735XT (sensing a pattern here?!). This one allows for multi-sport (so instead of everything recording as 'running', I can choose my activity before I begin to include things such as hiking, biking (both indoor and outdoor), swimming (both indoor and outdoor), trail running, strength training, etc). I'm loving my watch, and, if the pattern holds true, will probably have it for another 2 years before upgrading to another Forerunner ;)

Anywho, because Garmin is AMAZING (I have been beyond blessed to have been on their ambassador team for a while now) and they recognized my love for the Forerunner line, they offered up a Forerunner 35 for one of YOU!

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The Forerunner 35 is slim and lightweight — perfect for daily runs, training and racing. It features built-in wrist-based heart rate as well as GPS that tracks your distance, pace, intervals and more. And since all these stats are captured by the watch, your watch is all you need — no phone, no chest strap. Just put on the Forerunner 35 and go.

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Entering this giveaway (along with the other #12DaysOfCarleesChristmas giveaways) is easy-peasy! Simply use the Rafflecopter widget listed below on the giveaway blog post and cross your fingers. Some entries are available daily so I'd HIGHLY recommend entering early and often. (Shoot, I would even go as far as suggesting you set an alarm to remind you to come back to this page every 24 hours so you can take advantage of as many entries as possible!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Now, the nitty gritty details... All entries are verified, so please make sure to do whatever the required action for the entry is or it will be disqualified. I would hate for you to miss out on winning due to a technicality, so if you are going to click the option, make sure you do whatever it asks or a new, random winner will be selected in your place.

Also, this giveaway will last seven days, with the winner being picked (and notified) on the eighth day. The winner will have 24 hours to reply to the congratulations email from me to claim their prize. That means, for this giveaway, it will end on December 18th at 11:59pm PST and the winner will be chosen on December 19th.

And, finally, the winner must have a US mailing address. International shipping seems to cost an arm and a leg these days, and customs is a major headache, so to make it easier (and cheaper) on the brands who have offered up their products, the winner must live in United States of America (or at least have an address we can ship to within the US).

With that said, BEST OF LUCK TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERS! And don't forget to stop back tomorrow to see what is up next in my #12DaysOfCarleesChristmas (I promise you do NOT want to miss out on any of these giveaways!)!

Workout Recap - Week 50

Sunday, December 4th – 3 mile run with the hubby, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Monday, December 5th – 45 minutes of yoga, 3 mile walk, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Tuesday, December 6th –  Strength Training (abs, back, legs and arms), 5.5 mile walk, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Wednesday, December 7th – 3.5 mile run, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Thursday, December 8th – 15.5 mile bike ride

Friday, December 9th –  6.5 mile run, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Saturday, December 10th – Rest Day

Sorry about the lack of pictures earlier in the week. I ended up focusing on "treasure hunting" during the walk portion of my workouts and totally forgot to take a 'workout' shot. {If you are confused about what that means, you must not follow me on Instagram ;)} Anywho, I am STOKED to report that I am now running PAIN-FREE! My hip is still not 100%, but I would prefer 'wonky' to painful ANY DAY! I am going to continue to take my come-back slow and cautious, but I'm thrilled that I won't have to give up running completely... at least not yet ;)

How were your workouts this past week?