Friday Favorites: PRO Compression

Since last week I was on vacation and the week before that my Friday Favorites was a free app I thought I would go BIG for this week.

If you follow my blog (or really any of my social media) then you probably know this next favorite, but let's see if you can guess it... 

They are a local company (Carlsbad, CA - actually the building right next to my hubby's office). Their products are designed and manufactured in the USA. The products can be worn before, during, and after activities (I wear them mostly during my long runs and for recovery). Some of the benefits of this product include: quicker muscle recovery due to increased blood flow, reduction in swelling and inflammation, promoting better circulation in feet, ankles, and legs, as well as all around greater comfort.

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If you haven't guessed it yet (or noticed the logo in the above picture), let me spell it out for you... Today's favorite is P-R-O C-o-m-p-r-e-s-s-i-o-n!! 

As you can see from my collection, I love me my PRO Compression gear!

My favorite product is the Marathon Sock, but also have calf sleeves and low trainers. And DID YOU HEAR THE BIG NEWS?! As of Tuesday (July 1st) they released active leggings... O.M.Geeeeee!!! I may or may not have ordered a couple pairs already... (Shhhhhhh, don't tell my hubby!)

And you can win a pair of PRO Compression Marathon Socks or Sleeves for yourself (or if you are extra nice you could even win them for a friend or loved one... Hint, hint Mr. Husband ;)). Make sure to enter the Rafflecopter below. And just an FYI - some of the entries can be done daily, so enter early and enter often.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
I know we all can't win (although I wish we could... especially seeing as I need #AllTheColors), so if your name isn't randomly selected in the Giveaway, you are still a winner in my book. PRO Compression has given me a code for my friends, family, and followers to use that gives you 40% OFF!! I LOVE that even if you don't win you can still make out like a bandit. Use code "BLG14" for 40% off of Marathon Socks and Sleeves (this deal is hard to beat, so stock up NOW)!!

Lake Powell - Fireworks

Fireworks are illegal at Lake Powell (I don't know if this is a Utah thing, a lake thing, or just an un-American thing, but that's what we were told).

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Apparently you can buy them elsewhere and smuggle them in, but we wouldn't do anything like that... (mostly because we missed the firework store on the drive to Utah from California...) But we did have a small package of "fun" from the local Walmart that we set off one night.

As I mentioned in my first Lake Powell (Night Shots) post, Ryan found a setting that he was able to keep the shutter open for as long as he wanted. Of course he had to try it out with the "fireworks".

This was my favorite shot Ryan took!

 

I know, I know, they weren't big explosions, but we were trying to play by the rules (or had to because we forgot to bring bigger options ;) ). 

Ryan is pretty pumped to take the camera to the Oceanside Firework Show tonight to see if he can capture some awesome shots (and if he can, you better believe I will share them with you here ;)).

Lake Powell - Houseboat Slide

Our vacation consisted of twenty-four of us... Eleven on one houseboat and thirteen on another. Nine of the twenty-four were kids between the ages of 6 and 13. With all those chillens running and splashing around, you can't help but get caught up in their energy for at least a bit. So of course I had to take FULL advantage of the slide on our house boat :)

Ryan caught a couple series of me going down the slide (and NO you CANNOT and SHOULD NOT make fun of me because I sometimes plug my nose :) ).

Oh crap... What am I doing?! 

It's a lot higher than I thought... 

Grab your nose and hold on!

Okay, take two... 

Here I go!

Double shakas!

Hanging 10 off the slide :)

UH OH!

Almost there!

SPLASH!

Thankfully none of the carp or catfish got me!

Third time's a charm, right?!

Oh no, I don't know what to do with my face... 

I guess I'll GROWL!

LIFT OFF!

And she still plugs her nose...

Have you ever gone down a houseboat water slide?! 

Lake Powell - Night Shots

I started pulling some of the pictures off of our camera this morning. None of them are edited (so I am sure they will look even MORE amazing once Ryan gets a chance to color correct and play with them), but I wanted to at least get a few up. {I will probably do a "Best Of" post once Ryan is able to do his magic on some of the pictures.}

[PS Ryan loves playing around with cameras. He found a setting called "Bulb", where you can leave the shutter open as long as you want, hence being able to write with flashlights and seeing the Milky Way.]

The kids were watching Space Balls on the roof while the
adults hung out on the beach (this is our view of the boat)

We started off small with our flashlight writing - a heart <3

Ryan was using the term 'frothy' the night before, so when Kelly had to think
of something to write, she thought she would choose that... Only problem
was, she forgot what the word was :)

She got it correct the second go around :)

Lake Powell BABY!! 

I give Kelly props - It is hard to write backwards... with a
flashlight!

Ryan made a fun SMILE :)

Andy walked around the Boatel 6 to light it up! Turned out AWESOME!

There were SOOOOO many stars!

Although the boat got overexposed on this one, CHECK OUT THE SKY!

Andy lit up the inside of the Boatel 6... AND LOOK AT THOSE STARS!

We got to sleep out under these EVERY NIGHT! 

Couldn't you stare at these FOR...EV.... ER?!

This was the first time ever playing with this setting on the camera. We are so stoked we found it though and can't wait to mess around with it more in the future! {Ok, ok, in all honesty, I probably won't play with it, but I am pumped for Ryan to experiment so I can share the pictures ;) }

Oh Happy Day!

Today has been quite the joyous day :)

It started off with work, which isn't too exciting, but hey, nothing went terribly wrong, so I will count that as a win! While I was at work my brother sent me a text with a picture of their new puppy, Lambeau!

Then I ran six STRONG miles (all between 8:17 and 8:25 in some pretty heavy humidity)! I even finished my 6 miles UNDER 50 minutes (although I was a little ways from my car so kept running, which is why my watch doesn't show my actual time of 49:57 :) ).

And when I got home I was checking my Instagram, double tapping pictures, and came across one of Nate Burleson (you know, my favorite Lions' player before he got traded) surprising his daughter for her 4th birthday to a trip to Cali and a visit to Disneyland. Well, of course you know I had to like it (and post a few little "party icons" in the comments) and GUESS WHAT! Now Nate Burleson is following ME on Instagram!

Then, to round out the evening, I got to meet and hang out with two AMAZING runDisney friends - Joe and Brooklyn! It's soooooo fun to meet people IRL (in real life) for the first time. It is even better when they are WONDERFUL folks. Oh yeah, and even most bestest that it feels like we know all about each other through the magic social media :)

What made your Wednesday WONDERFUL?! 

Running Alone

Do you prefer running by yourself? With a partner? In a group?

Honestly, I LOVE running alone. Sure, every once in a while I will be able to talk a girlfriend or two into running with me (and we always have a great time) and I try to get my hubby to pound the pavement (or the trails) with me once a week, but for the majority of my runs, I am running on my own.

Maybe it is because when I started running I was doing it by myself so that is what I am most comfortable with. Maybe it is because if I run alone I won't compare myself to others (either having to match their speed or worrying if I am slowing them down). Maybe it is because you don't have to rely on anyone else except yourself (if you haven't figured it out by now, I am a bit independent). Maybe it is because I am somewhat selfish and running is "my" time. My time to work through issues. My time to think about life. My time to pray and praise God. My time to get in to my head (and other times get out of my head). My time for ME.

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When I am training (not that I am professional or even a fast runner, but I guess what I mean is when I am in a "training mode"), I tend to be more focused and determined. When I run with friends it is more of a social event. We aren't necessarily running for time, but more to be active ad healthy together (don't get me wrong though, I will still wear my Garmin and calculate distances and splits in my head...).

I have realized that not every run will be my fastest ever, not every run will end with a smile, not every run will lead to ground shaking decisions or earth shattering conclusions, not every run will be fun, so sometimes it is worth switching it up. Remember why you started... and ENJOY the journey!!

Although I prefer running alone, I know if it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you. I find it rather fun to try to be comfortable with being uncomfortable.

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So here is to changing things up and continuing to run with others :)