WALT WEDNESDAY!
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
Walt Wednesday
Some people do a "Wordless Wednesday" post, where they simply share a photo or image, but I thought I'd make a little series out of my Wednesdays. And since I love alliteration so much, why not go with Walt Wednesdays (obviously everyone can use a little break from the seriousness, scariness and sassiness of life - and what better way to help put a smile on your face than with a cute wiener dog picture, am I right?!)... So, without further ado...
When life gets overwhelming, how do you de-stress?
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
#RunMerry Delivery from Brooks
It seems as though we live in a day and age where "Big Brother" is always watching. You mention something in a casual conversation in the morning and ads for said product appear on your social media platforms by the afternoon. Sometimes it's pretty annoying, sometimes it's pretty creepy and sometimes it's pretty AMAZEBALLS... like when you mention the new holiday themed Brooks shoes on a Friday Favorites post and then a magical delivery shows up on your doorstep.
Okay, so I didn't know for certain it was the coveted shoes, but I was crossing my fingers, toes and maybe my eyes when I opened the package (which can be difficult when you are using scissors... I would NOT recommend it ;)).
Well, shoot doggy, I must have been on the EXTRA NICE list because the package not only contained the new Run Merry Revel 3 shoes, but a ton of other awesomeness as well! There was sugar cookie mix, cookie cutters (including a shoe, a shirt and a running gingerbread man), decorating goodies (blue M&Ms, sparkle gel, etc), a spatula, an apron and a mini foam roller that you could use with plastic wrap on to actually roll out the cookie dough. FAN-FREAKIN'-TASTIC!
Although the hubby wanted to bust into the dough and whip up a batch of cookies immediately I finally talked him into waiting until his family comes into town for the holidays (it tends to be an annual tradition to decorate Christmas cookies with his nephews and I'm sure they would love these designs... usually, by the end, all of the frosting has been mixed together and everything is a 'festive' brown, so maybe only having blue will help keep everyone on track... maybe...).
And even though the hubby was most excited about the sweet treats (maybe it's because he can't squeeze his men's size 12 feet into my women's size 7 shoes or maybe it's just because he has a major sugar tooth and has never met a dessert he doesn't like), I was obviously more stoked to take my new shoes out for a spin. I normally run in the Ghost or Levitate models, so I wasn't sure how I'd like the Revels (and the jury's still out since I haven't logged enough miles for a fair assessment), but visually they get an A+ from me. I mean, you might not be able to tell, but they sparkle like fresh snow!
If you remember last year, the Run Happy Ambassadors were gifted some of the Ugly Christmas Sweater Levitate shoes and while I LOVE them (in fact I wore them during this past weekend's Riverside Reindeer Run Half Marathon), I feel like the red and green make them specific for the Christmas season. The blue and white seem more "winter-esk" and even though Southern California can only make snowmen from sand, I think I can rock these until at least February, right?!
I obviously couldn't wrap up this post without saying a BIG THANKS to Brooks for spoiling us Run Happy Ambassadors not only during the holiday season but throughout the entire year. I have been honored to be a part of this crew for the past few years and you know I love to #RunHappy every step I take (and #RunMerry during the holiday season ;))!
Are you on the naughty or nice list this year?
 |
| Well, HELLO there my precious! |
Okay, so I didn't know for certain it was the coveted shoes, but I was crossing my fingers, toes and maybe my eyes when I opened the package (which can be difficult when you are using scissors... I would NOT recommend it ;)).
 |
| In my mind I was thinking this picture would be like the movies, when someone opens a box and the contents are glowing... Not sure I got the effect perfect, but it's still fun ;) |
Well, shoot doggy, I must have been on the EXTRA NICE list because the package not only contained the new Run Merry Revel 3 shoes, but a ton of other awesomeness as well! There was sugar cookie mix, cookie cutters (including a shoe, a shirt and a running gingerbread man), decorating goodies (blue M&Ms, sparkle gel, etc), a spatula, an apron and a mini foam roller that you could use with plastic wrap on to actually roll out the cookie dough. FAN-FREAKIN'-TASTIC!
 |
| Isn't this just about the most perfect surprise delivery EVER?! |
Although the hubby wanted to bust into the dough and whip up a batch of cookies immediately I finally talked him into waiting until his family comes into town for the holidays (it tends to be an annual tradition to decorate Christmas cookies with his nephews and I'm sure they would love these designs... usually, by the end, all of the frosting has been mixed together and everything is a 'festive' brown, so maybe only having blue will help keep everyone on track... maybe...).
 |
| Love is always the most important ingredient! |
And even though the hubby was most excited about the sweet treats (maybe it's because he can't squeeze his men's size 12 feet into my women's size 7 shoes or maybe it's just because he has a major sugar tooth and has never met a dessert he doesn't like), I was obviously more stoked to take my new shoes out for a spin. I normally run in the Ghost or Levitate models, so I wasn't sure how I'd like the Revels (and the jury's still out since I haven't logged enough miles for a fair assessment), but visually they get an A+ from me. I mean, you might not be able to tell, but they sparkle like fresh snow!
 |
| The laces are even glittery! SO FUN! |
If you remember last year, the Run Happy Ambassadors were gifted some of the Ugly Christmas Sweater Levitate shoes and while I LOVE them (in fact I wore them during this past weekend's Riverside Reindeer Run Half Marathon), I feel like the red and green make them specific for the Christmas season. The blue and white seem more "winter-esk" and even though Southern California can only make snowmen from sand, I think I can rock these until at least February, right?!
I obviously couldn't wrap up this post without saying a BIG THANKS to Brooks for spoiling us Run Happy Ambassadors not only during the holiday season but throughout the entire year. I have been honored to be a part of this crew for the past few years and you know I love to #RunHappy every step I take (and #RunMerry during the holiday season ;))!
 |
| Source |
Are you on the naughty or nice list this year?
Sunday, December 8, 2019
Workout Recap - Week 49
Sunday, December 1st – 6.2 mile trail run with the hubby
Monday, December 2nd – 4 mile run
Wednesday, December 4th – 120 minutes on the stationary bike
Thursday, December 5th – 4 mile run
Friday, December 6th – 13.13 mile run
Saturday, December 7th – Rest Day
Another week full of running and I am feeling great and thankful. Okay, maybe great is pushing it a bit, but my groin is feeling a ton better than it has, so I am stoked. I am taking it slow and not pushing myself as to not aggravate it again. I would much prefer to run slow than not run at all, so I an take what I can get. I put together my next training plan and am stoked to tackle my next FOUR races (a half marathon this morning, the Mesa Marathon in February, the Los Angeles Marathon in March and then culminating at the Old West Trails 50K in March)! WHOO HOO! Let's do this thang!
How were your workouts this past week?
Friday, December 6, 2019
Friday Favorites
It's Friday - WHOO HOO! And since it's Friday in December, that means we can resume our chips and salsa dates because we are no longer practicing our No Spend November - EXTRA WHOOO HOOO! But before I go gorge myself on my favorite Mexican food, I've gotta share some of my recent favorite finds with some of my favorite folks - YOU!
Momentum Jewelry recently released a new product, called "Mini Sparks". And I am IN LOVE! They sort of remind me of Pura Vida bracelets, with less string strains of course. Currently there are three in the collection - hearts, petite arrow and waves (but word on the street is there may be more designs coming... and coming soon!). I think I need them ALL (along with whatever new designs are coming down the pike). I can hardly wait to see what's next!
I saw this in a Runner's World tweet and watched the whole video. Holland is on the west side of Michigan, while I grew up on the east side, but Michigan is still Michigan so I'm gonna claim pride on this one nonetheless! PS Running in a winter wonderland may "seem" fun, but I promise you, it is not all it's cracked up to be. Having cleared sidewalks to run on in the thick of winter is a MAJOR blessing! (Although, let's be real, I'd prefer to run in sunny SoCal any day of the week ;))
OMGEEEEEEEE! Some of the new gear that just hit the Yeti Trail Runners site is AMAZEBALLS! I am pretty sure Santa is going to get a list complete with at least six items from the shop. I narrowed it down to my favorites (it was tougher than you'd think), but I think my top choices are the Yeti Unicorn Capris (although I'm not sure how I feel about white...), the Yeti Unicorn Leggings, the Yeti Unicorn Sports Bra, the Rainbow Yeti Unicorn Sports Bra (although, real talk, I'm not sure how I feel about the lack of padding... #HelloHeadlights), the Yeti Trail Runners Tee and the Yeti Can Tee. Like I said - AWESOMESAUCE, right?! But if I "had to" pick just two, it'd be the leggings and the black and white sports bra... I think ;)
The hubby and I keep our tree very simple - red, silver and white bulbs (with one Mickey and one Minnie ornament hidden amongst the tree). Even still, I signed up for the #WeRunSocial Ornament Exchange. If you want to participate you have until TONIGHT to register. It is simple - enter your name into the Elfster Exchange and then the system does the rest (this year it is only for US addresses, since there hasn't been a ton of participants in the past when international options have been opened). It will randomly connect you with another runner and you will send them an ornament ($10 limit) that says something about you or the area in which you live. I have a couple ideas of the ornaments I want to get, but need to wait to see who I "draw" to see which I prefer to send. The ornament needs to be in the mail by Tuesday so everyone can put it on their tree for a few days before Christmas! Can't wait to see who randomly gets me and what ornament arrives!
What are you loving lately?
Momentum Jewelry Mini Sparks
Momentum Jewelry recently released a new product, called "Mini Sparks". And I am IN LOVE! They sort of remind me of Pura Vida bracelets, with less string strains of course. Currently there are three in the collection - hearts, petite arrow and waves (but word on the street is there may be more designs coming... and coming soon!). I think I need them ALL (along with whatever new designs are coming down the pike). I can hardly wait to see what's next!
Heated Sidewalks in Holland, Michigan
I saw this in a Runner's World tweet and watched the whole video. Holland is on the west side of Michigan, while I grew up on the east side, but Michigan is still Michigan so I'm gonna claim pride on this one nonetheless! PS Running in a winter wonderland may "seem" fun, but I promise you, it is not all it's cracked up to be. Having cleared sidewalks to run on in the thick of winter is a MAJOR blessing! (Although, let's be real, I'd prefer to run in sunny SoCal any day of the week ;))
New Yeti Trail Runners Gear
OMGEEEEEEEE! Some of the new gear that just hit the Yeti Trail Runners site is AMAZEBALLS! I am pretty sure Santa is going to get a list complete with at least six items from the shop. I narrowed it down to my favorites (it was tougher than you'd think), but I think my top choices are the Yeti Unicorn Capris (although I'm not sure how I feel about white...), the Yeti Unicorn Leggings, the Yeti Unicorn Sports Bra, the Rainbow Yeti Unicorn Sports Bra (although, real talk, I'm not sure how I feel about the lack of padding... #HelloHeadlights), the Yeti Trail Runners Tee and the Yeti Can Tee. Like I said - AWESOMESAUCE, right?! But if I "had to" pick just two, it'd be the leggings and the black and white sports bra... I think ;)
#WeRunSocial Ornament Exchange
The hubby and I keep our tree very simple - red, silver and white bulbs (with one Mickey and one Minnie ornament hidden amongst the tree). Even still, I signed up for the #WeRunSocial Ornament Exchange. If you want to participate you have until TONIGHT to register. It is simple - enter your name into the Elfster Exchange and then the system does the rest (this year it is only for US addresses, since there hasn't been a ton of participants in the past when international options have been opened). It will randomly connect you with another runner and you will send them an ornament ($10 limit) that says something about you or the area in which you live. I have a couple ideas of the ornaments I want to get, but need to wait to see who I "draw" to see which I prefer to send. The ornament needs to be in the mail by Tuesday so everyone can put it on their tree for a few days before Christmas! Can't wait to see who randomly gets me and what ornament arrives!
 |
| Source |
What are you loving lately?
Wednesday, December 4, 2019
Walt Wednesday
Some people do a "Wordless Wednesday" post, where they simply share a photo or image, but I thought I'd make a little series out of my Wednesdays. And since I love alliteration so much, why not go with Walt Wednesdays (obviously everyone can use a little break from the seriousness, scariness and sassiness of life - and what better way to help put a smile on your face than with a cute wiener dog picture, am I right?!)... So, without further ado...
When life gets overwhelming, how do you de-stress?
WALT WEDNESDAY!
When life gets overwhelming, how do you de-stress?
Tuesday, December 3, 2019
No Spend Challenge Thoughts
At the end of last year I put together 19 goals I wanted to try and tackle during 2019. Now I realize there are still a few days left in the year, but let’s just say I am far from crushing the majority of them. We won’t go into the specifics now (it’s probably a topic for another post), but one of the goals that I DID conquer was doing a No Spend Challenge.
If you remember my post from back in October, the hubby and I set aside November to attempt a No Buy Month. Now, we had to allot for two exceptions - gas and groceries - but other than that, if it wasn’t in one of those two categories (or emergencies, but thankfully we didn't have any of those) we put the purchase on pause (at least for those 30 days).
Since we are now on the other side of the challenge I thought I’d share my thoughts about the experience and what we learned from our little experiment. (Side note - you can read all about the reasons behind taking on the challenge HERE, but suffice it to say that although increasing our savings would be an added benefit, the main goal for the month was to become more aware and conscious of our spending and to see if the money we were spending was actually increasing the joy in our life {or, said a slightly different way, if we would miss any of the things we weren’t spending money on}.)
I guess I always expected November would be a tricky month because we were getting into the holiday season and our culture focuses on “buy, consume, spend”, but with a ticking clock and since we were nearing the end of the year (not to mention I knew December would be impossible) we had to make it work. #BlackFriday #BuyBuyBUY
If you know me, you probably know that I am alreadya fairly an extremely frugal person. Friends joked with us that the only thing that'd change would be we'd miss our weekly Friday trip to our favorite Mexican restaurant, and in the back of my mind I was thinking that might actually be the case... Even still, I was interested to see how the 30 days would go.
Let me start off by saying we had quite a few events planned for November that we had paid for before the month began, so it may seem like we did a lot “for free” but really we had planned ahead of time and had already spent the money before our No Spend Month came around. For example, we went to a Saves The Day concert and a Detroit Red Wings game in the middle of the month. Although we had bought the tickets ahead of time we were creative with parking for both events and utilized street parking about a mile away from each venue instead of paying to park at the designated lots. We also refrained from buying food or drinks at the event, choosing to eat at home before we went.
Another trip that we had booked prior to the month starting was to Las Vegas for the Rock ‘N’ Roll race. We paid for the hotel when we made the reservations a few months prior and brought food with us for our meals instead of going out to eat. (There is also free parking at a few of the casinos on the strip so we parked at a different hotel and walked to where we were staying.) We realized that often times we pay for convenience and comfort, but that if you use a little creativity (and leg-power) you can save a few extra of your hard earned pennies (and get in some extra steps while you’re at it).
We also went camping for Friendsgiving for a week, but had booked our campsite at the end of the summer and were able to eat all of our meals out of the AdventureMobile. I’ve seen a quote online about camping that goes something along the lines of “camping - where you spend a fortune to live like you’re homeless”, but for us it couldn’t be further from the truth. The hubby and I have found camping to be a very inexpensive way to travel and this trip was no exception. Sure, we bought food (groceries) for the trip, but we would've had to eat at home just the same so no additional money was spent.
I’ll be honest, we don’t eat out a ton (maybe once or, at most, twice a week), but I think that was what I missed most during our month. The hubby LOVES this pizza place in Vegas (Pizza Rock) and he may have been a little heart broken when he realized we wouldn’t be going during our trip (and that he "missed" Secret Pizza). Also, eating is a social event and sometimes it’s nice to go out with friends and share a meal together. We have lucked out and have some pretty amazing friends who are fully supportive of everything we do, but there was a time or two during the month where we had a little FOMO because we were missing out on a meal here or there. PS We were able to go to a couple restaurants during the month thanks to a gift card and a Yelp Elite Event, but our normal go-to trips were ixnayed for the month.
Surprisingly I received a bit of flack for this challenge. A few folks mentioned they thought the idea was a bit silly (they didn’t say it in those words exactly, but it was sort of implied in the conversations) because they thought we might be spending less one month but we would be spending more the following month so it would net out to be the same. While this may be the case (although I don’t think it’s exactly true since most of what we weren’t spending money on were things like going out to eat or entertainment that we wouldn’t be doubling up on in December to “make up” for what we missed), like I mentioned at the beginning of the post, the savings was an added bonus but the real hope behind doing this was to be more conscious of our spending. I definitely feel as though this was an eye opening experience. There are some things that we think we “need” to spend money on (parking at the hotel you are staying at, eating out while on vacation, etc), but if you do a little research there is often a free (or at least cheaper) alternative that may be available.
I'm sure this won't surprise you, but I'm almost always down for a cheaper or free option (What can I say?! I'm a saver!) . Well, sometimes the hubby wants to pay for convenience, and seeing as he is the bread-winner I need to be "okay" with that. (Obviously this wasn't a new revelation, but was definitely reinforced throughout the challenge.) I think I might be able to talk him into a few less expensive options on some things (like where we park as long as we will be walking in safe areas and aren't hauling a ton of stuff with us), but when it comes to things like removing eating out that definitely isn't something we are considering. Sometimes it's the small things that really add up (like getting a coffee from the gas station when you're filling up or grabbing a t-shirt because it was on sale and too good of a deal to pass up) and I think this challenge really forced us to ask ourselves if those purchases are things we really need or want BEFORE we make them.
PS Just in case you were curious as to what my first purchase would be once the challenge was over, it was my registration for the 2020 Chicago Marathon ;) I had a time-qualified race I could use for a guaranteed entry, so submitted my application on the afternoon of November 30th and was approved and charged as of 12:38am on December 1st! The deadline to register was December 2nd, but I figured it would take at least a day or two for them to confirm my submission... Thankfully I waited as long as I did or it may have charged me before the end of the challenge!
Have you ever tried a No Spend Challenge?
If you remember my post from back in October, the hubby and I set aside November to attempt a No Buy Month. Now, we had to allot for two exceptions - gas and groceries - but other than that, if it wasn’t in one of those two categories (or emergencies, but thankfully we didn't have any of those) we put the purchase on pause (at least for those 30 days).
Since we are now on the other side of the challenge I thought I’d share my thoughts about the experience and what we learned from our little experiment. (Side note - you can read all about the reasons behind taking on the challenge HERE, but suffice it to say that although increasing our savings would be an added benefit, the main goal for the month was to become more aware and conscious of our spending and to see if the money we were spending was actually increasing the joy in our life {or, said a slightly different way, if we would miss any of the things we weren’t spending money on}.)
I guess I always expected November would be a tricky month because we were getting into the holiday season and our culture focuses on “buy, consume, spend”, but with a ticking clock and since we were nearing the end of the year (not to mention I knew December would be impossible) we had to make it work. #BlackFriday #BuyBuyBUY
 |
| Source |
If you know me, you probably know that I am already
 |
| Source |
Let me start off by saying we had quite a few events planned for November that we had paid for before the month began, so it may seem like we did a lot “for free” but really we had planned ahead of time and had already spent the money before our No Spend Month came around. For example, we went to a Saves The Day concert and a Detroit Red Wings game in the middle of the month. Although we had bought the tickets ahead of time we were creative with parking for both events and utilized street parking about a mile away from each venue instead of paying to park at the designated lots. We also refrained from buying food or drinks at the event, choosing to eat at home before we went.
Another trip that we had booked prior to the month starting was to Las Vegas for the Rock ‘N’ Roll race. We paid for the hotel when we made the reservations a few months prior and brought food with us for our meals instead of going out to eat. (There is also free parking at a few of the casinos on the strip so we parked at a different hotel and walked to where we were staying.) We realized that often times we pay for convenience and comfort, but that if you use a little creativity (and leg-power) you can save a few extra of your hard earned pennies (and get in some extra steps while you’re at it).
 |
| We weren't going to Vegas for the shows/ food/ nightlife... we were there for a race, so it made things a little easier because we could pack all of our own meals and bring them with us. |
We also went camping for Friendsgiving for a week, but had booked our campsite at the end of the summer and were able to eat all of our meals out of the AdventureMobile. I’ve seen a quote online about camping that goes something along the lines of “camping - where you spend a fortune to live like you’re homeless”, but for us it couldn’t be further from the truth. The hubby and I have found camping to be a very inexpensive way to travel and this trip was no exception. Sure, we bought food (groceries) for the trip, but we would've had to eat at home just the same so no additional money was spent.
 |
| Obviously the purchase of the AdventureMobile was NOT cheap, but once we bought it, everything else is fairly inexpensive. |
I’ll be honest, we don’t eat out a ton (maybe once or, at most, twice a week), but I think that was what I missed most during our month. The hubby LOVES this pizza place in Vegas (Pizza Rock) and he may have been a little heart broken when he realized we wouldn’t be going during our trip (and that he "missed" Secret Pizza). Also, eating is a social event and sometimes it’s nice to go out with friends and share a meal together. We have lucked out and have some pretty amazing friends who are fully supportive of everything we do, but there was a time or two during the month where we had a little FOMO because we were missing out on a meal here or there. PS We were able to go to a couple restaurants during the month thanks to a gift card and a Yelp Elite Event, but our normal go-to trips were ixnayed for the month.
 |
| Thanks to a Yelp Elite Week Event I was able to try out a new-to-me smoothie place. |
Surprisingly I received a bit of flack for this challenge. A few folks mentioned they thought the idea was a bit silly (they didn’t say it in those words exactly, but it was sort of implied in the conversations) because they thought we might be spending less one month but we would be spending more the following month so it would net out to be the same. While this may be the case (although I don’t think it’s exactly true since most of what we weren’t spending money on were things like going out to eat or entertainment that we wouldn’t be doubling up on in December to “make up” for what we missed), like I mentioned at the beginning of the post, the savings was an added bonus but the real hope behind doing this was to be more conscious of our spending. I definitely feel as though this was an eye opening experience. There are some things that we think we “need” to spend money on (parking at the hotel you are staying at, eating out while on vacation, etc), but if you do a little research there is often a free (or at least cheaper) alternative that may be available.
 |
| Source |
I'm sure this won't surprise you, but I'm almost always down for a cheaper or free option (What can I say?! I'm a saver!) . Well, sometimes the hubby wants to pay for convenience, and seeing as he is the bread-winner I need to be "okay" with that. (Obviously this wasn't a new revelation, but was definitely reinforced throughout the challenge.) I think I might be able to talk him into a few less expensive options on some things (like where we park as long as we will be walking in safe areas and aren't hauling a ton of stuff with us), but when it comes to things like removing eating out that definitely isn't something we are considering. Sometimes it's the small things that really add up (like getting a coffee from the gas station when you're filling up or grabbing a t-shirt because it was on sale and too good of a deal to pass up) and I think this challenge really forced us to ask ourselves if those purchases are things we really need or want BEFORE we make them.
 |
| Source |
PS Just in case you were curious as to what my first purchase would be once the challenge was over, it was my registration for the 2020 Chicago Marathon ;) I had a time-qualified race I could use for a guaranteed entry, so submitted my application on the afternoon of November 30th and was approved and charged as of 12:38am on December 1st! The deadline to register was December 2nd, but I figured it would take at least a day or two for them to confirm my submission... Thankfully I waited as long as I did or it may have charged me before the end of the challenge!
Have you ever tried a No Spend Challenge?
Sunday, December 1, 2019
Workout Recap - Week 48
Sunday, November 24th – Rest Day
Monday, November 25th – 7 mile hike with the hubby
Wednesday, November 27th – 5.17 mile run with the hubby
Thursday, November 28th – 13.1 mile run
Friday, November 29th – 8 mile run
Saturday, November 30th – 10.10 mile run
Originally the game plan was to be camping from last Saturday until this Saturday (in Big Bear), but with the winter weather that blew in we were forced to move locations (Idyllwild) and eventually cut our trip short. While camping I was going to let the running happen if it happened, but wasn't going to force it (figuring the extra off time would continue helping my groin to heal). When we came home early I decided to hit the pavement. I'm still working my way up to marathon distance training, since I had to drastically cut down my distance when my groin started hating me. Thankfully we're moving in the right direction. Now I just need to put together a training plan for the Mesa Marathon seeing as it is less than 10 weeks away now (followed quickly by the Los Angeles Marathon and another 50K)! Feels great to be "back"!
How were your workouts this past week?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)