Handful Bra SUPER SALE

I shared about the FLASH SALE that Handful was extending to my friends, family and followers a couple weeks ago and promised there would be more coming in the near future. Well, thankfully you didn't have to wait too long because TODAY IS THE DAY!

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Today through November 16th, you can save an extra 20% on the already discounted Spring 2016 Line! This includes the Adjustable Bra, Y-Back Bra, and Scoop Tank that are already 15% off - which means you will be saving over 30% off of retail prices! This sale will only last for ONE WEEK so do not delay (don't say I didn't warn you)!

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Just like last time, you will use my ambassador link (handful.me/carleemcdot) and scroll to the "Adjustable Handful Bra", "Flippin' Awesome Scoop Tank" and "Y-Back Handful Bra" images. Click whichever you'd like to peruse and get your shop on. When you add any of the items from this page into your cart, the discount should be automatically added when you go to check out. In case you have any issues at all, type "CARLEE30" in the coupon code area to get the lowest price possible (PLUS FREE SHIPPING)! And, like I mentioned, this sale is only good through Wednesday, November 16th at 11:59pm PST so time is of the essence. STOP, DROP & SHOP!

I understand that the sale may not seem as screamin' as the last one, but hopefully now that you've tried the products you realize that they are worth every penny! Oh yeah, and the 2016 Spring Line is when the new materials were introduced. They are super soft and buttery. (Can you believe I don't have the 'Twerkoise" color yet?! Blasphemy!)

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And in case you haven't tried Handful bras before and are worried about not falling in love, have no fear! Handful offers FREE, NO HASSLE EXCHANGES AND RETURNS within the US. So, really, the only thing you have to lose is space in your sports bra drawer, because I promise you will want to stock up!

PS If you want to order something that isn't currently in the SUPER SALE, you can still score 10% off on any order by using code "CARLEEMCDOT"!

What's your go-to brand for sports bra?

Vegas Baby!

The hubby and I leave Friday morning to head to Las Vegas! I will be running the Rock 'N' Roll Las Vegas 5K (on Saturday evening) and Half Marathon (on Sunday evening). How awesome is it that you can run the #StripAtNight completely shut down?! I believe it only happens a couple times a year, so you better believe I'll be taking it all in! 

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We decided to make it a long weekend because apparently there are some pretty great rocks and boulders for the hubby to climb about on. The game plan is to give him all day Friday and then Saturday morning to do his thing and then Saturday afternoon through Sunday evening will be focused on the running. (Now, when I say 'focused' I do not mean these are going to be serious or fast races, I just mean that we will be spending time with the running crew, rather than out in the dust and rocks of the Vegas canyons.) Marriage (and life in general) is all about compromise, right?! 

Last year when I ran #RnRLV, I wasn't able to partake in the 5K because some crazies and I decided to run a half marathon Sunday morning BEFORE flying to Vegas to run the Rock 'N' Roll LAs Vegas Half Marathon in the evening (#SD2LV). Since we couldn't decide on a morning race this year, the crew opted to stick with Vegas for the entire weekend (and since it's drive-able from SoCal, it's a cheaper {and less chaotic} route so I ain't mad).

Left - Silver Strand Half / Middle - Flying into Vegas / Right - RnRLV Half
One day, two half marathons in two states - EPICNESS!

Originally I was thinking I might try and PR the 5K (since I would have LOVED to PR all of the major distances this year and I have been chasing my 5K time for a couple years now), but with a lot of twists and turns on the course I decided to go the OUTLANDISH COSTUME route ;) Let's just say it is complete with foam core, battery powered lights and awesomeness... [Make sure to follow me on Instagram {@CarleeMcDot}, if you don't already, for a costume reveal!]

But, like I often say, FUN is my top priority! The time on the clock will be forgotten within a couple days, but the memories (and friendships) made along the way will last a lifetime!

Hanging out before heading to the corrals at last year's RnRLV Half (with a scary Carrot Top photo bomb)

And while I'm talking about making memories, I've gotta mention the #WeRunSocial Meet-Ups going down on Saturday and Sunday! You know the crew will be out in FULL EFFECT for both races, so make sure to stop by to say "hi", take a selfie (or seventeen), grab a donut, etc! Everyone is welcome so please come by and join in on the shenanigans!

Let's just say that I'm expecting this to be an EPIC weekend! If you're in or near Vegas, you should definitely try and make it by to hang out! I promise you will NOT be disappointed! And, normally I'd say something like "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas", but we all know that isn't the truth... And, in fact, WE ARE WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS!

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Do you have any guesses on what my 5K costume may be? One hint - it is Las Vegas themed. 

Workout Recap - Week 45

Sunday, October 30th – Rock 'N' Roll Los Angeles Half Marathon, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Monday, October 31st – Strength Training (abs, back, legs and arms), 4 progressive miles, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Tuesday, November 1st –  1.5 mile run, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Wednesday, November 2nd – Rest Day, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Thursday, November 3rd –  15 mile bike ride, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Friday, November 4th –  .3 mile run, Stretched & Foam Rolled

Saturday, November 5th – Rest Day, Stretched & Foam Rolled

This was NOT the week I was expecting for planning for, but sometimes you've gotta listen to your body (even if it sucks) and take the time to HEAL! With #RnRLV this upcoming weekend (the 5K on Saturday and the Half Marathon on Sunday), I am going to take as much rest as needed so I can run the races pain-free.

How were your workouts this past week?

Runners Not Running

I wish this was a fun post... like about how I have been doing all these super exciting things lately... but instead it is about the fact that my knee has been acting FUNKY so I have been cutting back my running...

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On this past Sunday I ran the Rock 'N' Roll Los Angeles Half Marathon with the hubby. My right knee started to feel a little tight during the second half of the race, but I figured it was due to the hills and didn't think much more about it.

We had a BLAST in our DIY costumes!

Monday I did a strength training workout, followed by 4 progressive miles. I was originally thinking I'd do 5, but cut it down because my knee was not super happy with me.

Since the hubby didn't start his new job until Wednesday, he rode
along with me as I ran and played paparazzi 

Tuesday morning I woke up early to head to the beach for an 8-miler but had to call it quits within the first mile and a half because I could tell my knee was NOT having it...

Sometimes listening to your body SUCKS!

Wednesday I took an unscheduled rest day and filled it with icing, an epsom salt bath, extra foam rolling, stretching, etc.

I can't handle ice baths, but if I can sit in an epsom salt
bath and it helps, SIGN ME UP!

Thursday it felt better (I no longer felt like I needed to limp when walking around) but decided to take it easy and biked.

My bike may not be fast, but it is definitely fun!

This morning I woke up ready to tackle the world. I didn't want to push it too hard, too fast, so figured I'd go for a 3-4 mile run and if it felt fine then I would do a longer run Saturday morning... Well, although the knee felt fine walking and biking, running was a different story. I'm sure the hills by our house didn't help, but still, within the first quarter mile I knew I needed to listen to my body (no matter how hard it was) and pull the plug.

Not my normal Garmin shot...

I thought I'd walk the rest of the 3-4 miles but once I stopped running the knee tightened up and I knew putting more strain on it would NOT be wise, so I turned around and made my way back home.

Forcing a smile on the walk back to the house...

Although I am super bummed that my knee is being wonky, I am very proud of myself for listening to my body. Normally I would push through and get in the mileage that I had planned for the day NO MATTER WHAT, but thankfully I have realized that is NOT the way to make running a lifestyle.

Once I got home I grabbed some ice and sat on the porch

Next weekend I will be heading to Las Vegas for the Rock 'N' Roll Las Vegas 5K and Half Marathon, so I'd appreciate if my knee would get it together by then so I can do those races pain free (the nice thing about those races is that they are definitely not about the time on a watch, so if I need to take them extra easy I know I will be totally fine).

Who will I see at the meet-ups?! You know I'll be at both!

I am going to attempt to avoid a pity party for one this weekend and be appreciative that if I was going to have some issues that they occur before I started a serious training plan. (My next goal race is the Phoenix Marathon at the end of February, which means I need to start training soon, but I also know that I should start a training cycle 100% healthy, so if that means taking it easy for another week or two then that is what I will have to do.)

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PS The pain is on the inside of my right knee. Earlier this week I thought it was due to my crazy tight legs (even with daily stretching and foam rolling they were super sore for some reason), but they feel loose today and the knee is still being a problem child. It feels sort of like I tweaked it or like a ligament on the inside of my leg is rubbing or tight along my knee. Since the hubby started his new job this week we might be between health insurance right now, but once we get everything sorted out I may have to bite the bullet and go to the doctor if it doesn't get better with all this R.I.C.E..

After my run fail I decided to go to the pool for a bit. I would stand in the cold
pool (like an ice bath, right?!) and then the hot tub... Who knows if my homemade
water therapy was helpful, but at least it felt like I was doing something.

Have you ever had issues with your knee? 

New Opportunities

Oh my goodness, I have some BIG and EXCITING news to share with you today! I've been holding my tongue for far too long and I have finally been given the thumbs up on letting the cat out of the bag...

THE HUBBY ACCEPTED A NEW JOB AS THE ART DIRECTOR AT SUN BUM!

This process has been a long (and somewhat stressful) one! The hubs actually started talking to Sun Bum way back in August but was officially offered the position a little less than three weeks ago. It was a hard decision to leave Reef, especially because he'd been there for over SIX YEARS, but once the opportunity presented itself and he compared everything side-by-side (yes, we made a pros and cons list), prayed about it and sought wise counsel, the decision was made clear. [Ry may have asked #WaltTheWienerDog to help with the decision but you'll have to ask him about that.]

We are STOKED about the move (although he is super sad to be leaving all of his co-workers {who turned into great friends} behind). The drive is similar (he will be in Downtown Encinitas instead of a business park in Carlsbad, but the commute is more expressway time so it ends up pretty much the same as to what he had been doing), the title is AWESOMESAUCE and the pay is nothing to scoff at. Change is always a little scary but this is something he has been working towards for a long time now and it is AMAZING to see all of his hard work come to fruition! In case you didn't know, my hubby is pretty much the bomb dot com and I could not be more proud of him! HE ROCKS MY SOCKS!

Just a few of the Sun Bum products we currently have in the cupboard

With that being said, it does mean that our #VanLife dreams are on hold for the time being. Originally we were thinking that we would be cruising the open road within the next year, but Ryan wants to give at least two to three years to Sun Bum (if not forever), so the vagabond lifestyle will have to continue to be a weekend adventure for now.

Walt might not look thrilled, but I promise he is stoked for Ry!

Today is Ryan's first day (which is why he had me wait until now to spill the beans)... so I won't know the specifics of how it went until he gets home tonight, but I know that he is going to be SUPER successful at the new position because he is working for the Lord with the talent He has provided! Oh, and by the way, if you haven't checked out his work, you can see his portfolio HERE. And, while I'm gushing and playing the proud wife role, you should probably follow him on Instagram if you don't already - @ruggedwoodsman. [I'll be the first to admit that he doesn't use it all day every day like some of us do, but you should still give him a follow nonetheless.]

When was the last time you changed jobs?

Rock 'N' Roll Los Angeles Half Marathon Race Recap

The hubby and I ran the Rock 'N' Roll Los Angeles Half Marathon on Sunday morning. This was our second year running this race and we had even more fun (if that's even possible) than last year.

They may not be professional costumes, but for DIY gear I think they turned out
great! AND they held up for the entire 13.5 miles ;)

*FYI - As a Rock 'N' Blogger, I received a comped entry to this race, but hopefully you know by now that 
I #KeepItReal and you will be getting the 100% honest to goodness truth outta me.*

PS There are a few 2016 Rock 'N' Roll races left... If you wanna
run AND save $$, use "CARLEEMCDOT" when registering!

But, before the race shenanigans, let's get into the LA shenanigans. So, as a Conqur Endurance Group Ambassador, it's appreciated if I can volunteer for a couple shifts throughout the year at race expos that are promoting the races. Since the hubby and I were planning on staying in a hotel up in LA, I figured this would be a perfect volunteer shift to take (otherwise it normally takes 1.5-2 hours to drive each way which can be rough to only work a couple hour shift).

Little did I know that around the Convention Center/ Staples Center the world was gathering! Legit, there seemed to be five bazillion people in the area... which made the drive take upwards of 2.5 hours from our house AND I ended up having to walk the final 1-2 miles to the Convention Center because the traffic was deadlocked!

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Next time I should read the runner info a little closer... #MyBad

Anywho, when I finally got to the Conqur Endurance Group Booth it was all good! Our crew is AMAZING and the running community definitely came out in full force! We were signing people up right and left for both the Pasadena Half Marathon and the Los Angeles Marathon. [PS Use "CARLEELA17" to save $10 on your registration for either race.]

Some of the Conqur Endurance Group Ambassadors!

My volunteer shift was from 12:30pm - 5pm. While I was 'lubing the deals', the hubby was out rock climbing. He got back to the Expo around 4:40pm, just in time for us to print off our waivers, grab our bibs and shirts, and start helping the crew tear down the booth. (Can I just say, if you have never seen how quickly vendors can tear down a booth, you're missing out! That hall went from booming at 4:59pm to an empty room by 5:17pm. INSANE IN THE MEMBRANE!) PS I need to give a BIG SHOUT OUT to all of the folks who came and said "hi", introduced themselves, took selfies, registered to #ConqurLA, etc! YOU ALL ROCK MY SOCKS!

Jesus and Henry made sure to find me and chat for a few while I was getting everyone signed up for the 2017 Los Angeles Marathon!

Some of the cute tops I saw at the Expo (didn't have much time to look, so I saw these on one of my potty breaks)

After we broke everything down and cleared out of the Convention Center, the hubby and I walked back to our hotel (we stayed about a mile away, which was perfect because we could walk to and from the race but weren't in the congestion of everyone and their mom who happened to be there). We decided to 'carb load' at Pieology. Let's just say it doesn't even come close to The Pizza Press at Disneyland, but it would do ;)

Thin crust is NOT my jam... but the hubby thoroughly enjoyed it!

Eventually it was time to hit they hay (after watching some nail-biting college football and catching up on all of the highlights from the games we missed throughout the day). I set the alarms and we were off to dreamland.

Oh yeah, our costumes... So since the #RnRLA Half is normally the weekend of Halloween, it turns into a giant costume race (great news for me, right?!). This year the hubby thought he would actually dress up with me (although he encourages my craziness, he has never really taken part before). I decided I'd let him pick the costumes (if he's willing to run with me, I'm willing to run his pace, so if he is willing to wear a costume, I will rock whatever he suggests). He said he wanted to do Joker and Harley Quinn... that was until he realized to do Joker justice he would need to run 13+ miles in complete face paint and opted out of that quickly! Thankfully I came up with the Mario Brothers idea shortly after that and we had most of the gear to make it work.

I made the overalls, buttons, mustaches and logos for the hats from felt. The buttons and overalls are hot glued onto tech tees, the mustaches
are hot glued onto cardboard and then dowel rods, and the logos are hot glued together but then stitched to the hats (so we can reuse
them in the future). The PRO Compression socks, Handful bra, Sparkle Athletic skirt, etc just happened to be gear that we already owned
and worked with the color scheme!

Sunday morning we woke up, got ready and made our way down to the Magic Johnson statue for an impromptu #WeRunSocial meet-up and picture. The crew came out strong and the costumes were AMAZING! It was a little rough having to wait for the Staples Center to show a 'bright' commercial on the screens so that our photos were well lit, but, hey, sometimes you gotta work with what you got!

Source: We Run Social's Facebook Feed

With the race start time at 6:45am, we all dispersed and the hubby and I made our way to the corrals. I was seeded into the third corral and Ryan was in 12 - we compromised and joined Linzie in #9 (in case you haven't done a Rock 'N' Roll race before, your corral placement is notated by the first one or two digits on your bib... but there is zero monitoring so folks tend to start wherever they want).

Photo Cred: @SharpEndurance 
Short people problems... On my tippy toes to get in a picture with these two!

After the fastest rendition of the National Anthem, we were off! The hubby rolled his ankle a couple weeks back (which limited his training for this last month) so we decided we were going to take it nice and easy. We would walk when we needed to, stop for 'character stops', chat with friends, you name it, it was fair game!

Neither of us used the port-o-potties before the race (we were distracted with all of the amazing costumes), so decided we would jump into one of the 'real' bathrooms once we made it to the Coliseum. Around that time it started to sprinkle, but thankfully the rain stayed away until after we finished (although the humidity was out in FULL FORCE and that was NOT appreciated! #MotherNatureWasDrunk).

The course this year was altered a bit, so there were two out and back sections. Although a lot of runners give out and backs gruff, I like them. First, the race only has to shut down one street and you get double the distance out of it, but more importantly, you get to cheer on the runners on the other side! I also find it very distracting to look for friends and I tend to forget about the fact that I am running ;)

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You started at the Staples Center, did an out and back to the Coliseum, went back to the Staples
Center and did another out and back to Koreatown and back to the Staples Center

On our way out, we saw a couple 'character' stops we wanted to make on the way back so made mental notes (creepy bear by the cheerleaders, chicka-flicka cow near the traffic light, etc). And unlike runDisney races, there were ZERO lines at the photo ops ;) It's sort of like people didn't realize these were character stops... weird!

Uh... I don't know... 

No cows (or chickens) were harmed in the process of taking this picture

When we made our way back past the Staples Center we took a mini walk break to eat some PROBAR BOLT chews and for the hubby to stretch his ankle a bit. Even though we were taking the race easy, the first half seemed to fly by.

Thankfully the ankle held up and the body wasn't too worn down
after a less-than-stellar training cycle for the hubs!

Well, once we made the turn on Olympic it seemed like a pretty steady downhill... which made me a little bummed... because I know, just as well as you do, that "what goes down, must go UP"! I guess I didn't look at the elevation chart ahead of time or else I would have seen that the second half was way hillier than the first... Oops!

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I wouldn't say that the course is super interesting... which is why I appreciate the out and back because cheering on fellow runners, looking for friends and handing out high-fives keeps me entertained. 'Local' races are great because I feel like I have so many friends out and about to say "HEY" to.

Let me just say, DIY costumes are my jam... And Ivie and I can pull together some awesome ones in a short amount of time!
Her sushi and soy sauce couples costume was my FAVE!

We found some fruit along the route! (I ran Ragnar Trails with these three
AMAZING women last year.)

Even with Ryan's bum ankle and us stopping for potty breaks, characters and walk breaks we still managed a great time - 2:18:56/57 (the hubby likes sprinting his brains out at the finish and ended up beating me by a mere second).

Apparently we found some extra distance along the course ;)

We had a BLAST out on the course (mostly due to our AMAZING DIY costumes, the running community, etc)! I've gotta be honest though, RnRLA is probably one of my least favorite Rock 'N' Roll's that I've done (although, to be fair, I've only done San Diego, Seattle, Vegas and LA). The bling (and tees) are pretty terrible, the course isn't super exciting and everything sort of seems like an after thought... but when you can get a half marathon in SoCal for under $50 (I signed the hubby up when they were having a $45 sale), you've gotta gobble it up and then make the most of it!

Time to POWER UP!

We did not stay for the concert (we hadn't heard of the band and needed to get back home for a pumpkin carving contest we were having later that afternoon), nor did we stick around to enter the costume contest, but I know the Rock 'N' Roll crew always puts on a good show, so I'm sure it was a rockin' good time!

Have you worn a costume to a non-Halloween run before?