2020 "Word of the Year" {& GIVEAWAY}

A few months back (wowser, I can't believe this conversation started in October and it's already January... where does the time go?!), my contact at MudLOVE asked if I wanted to team up with them for a collaboration. Every year they encourage their employees and fans to choose a word or phrase as a tool for living an intentional year. They were hoping I'd join the campaign and obviously I was all in! (There isn't much MudLOVE could ask I'd turn down - THEY ROCK MY SOCKS!)

To be honest, I normally try to sit down and set out goals for the upcoming year (as opposed to resolutions, which feel like they're meant to be broken), but I've never really picked a single word or phrase to encapsulate my intentions for the upcoming year. This led to quite a bit of soul searching and I was excited to get the wheels turning. #RealTalk: You'd think picking a word would be easy, but I found the task rather strenuous and a bit stressful (I doubt it was meant to be demanding, but I wanted to really find a word to capture my purpose/ aspirations, not just throw out a phrase willy-nilly).

Source

After a few weeks of deliberations (I had to get my choice to them by the end of October so they would have time to make the custom band before the craziness of the holiday season began and I literally sent my info over on the very last day because I was still going back and forth on which word/ phrase I wanted to use), I finally decided.

Source

"be kind"

I believe this phrase truly encapsulates everything that I am planning to work for in 2020. And, for me, it is three-fold.

First, I want to be kind to myself. I am often my harshest critic (aren't we all?!) and really want to take this upcoming year and work on being nicer to myself (although, let's be real, I am sure this is going to be a lifelong goal). If I wouldn't say something to a friend, I shouldn't say it about myself. I often always seem to demand perfection from myself, but that's not realistic or feasible in every situation... and when I come up less than perfect I need to acknowledge the shortcoming, see if there is something I can fix and then adjust accordingly. I don't need to beat myself up for hours days weeks upon end over mistakes (whether they be tiny or huge). We are all imperfect - I am willing to acknowledge that in others yet demand an impossible level of perfection from myself. I need to learn to give myself grace, to do my best and then to move on.

Next, I want to be kind to others. I do my darnedest to try and put others first, but this year I want to be deliberate about it. I want to be kind to others for the simple reason that they are God's workmanship. Obviously I hope my intentions are never selfish, but who knows if deep down I am actually doing something good because I hope one day they will return the favor or because I want to be known for my kindness. I want to be kind to others whether it is acknowledged or not. I want to put others first and show them love whether I think they deserve it or not. #BeKindOrBeQuiet

Finally, I want to be kind to the environment. Don't get me wrong, the hubby and I pride ourselves on being tree huggers, but again, I want to be conscious about this. I haven't worked out exactly what this will look like - whether it will be a monthly clean-up effort, donating to conservancy charities, getting involved with an environmental group, etc - but I know I want to make it a focus. We only have one place to live, we need to protect it. God has entrusted us with his creation and we need to do our part to take care of it! And, I promise, every effort (no matter big or small) matters!

I am so excited to be reminded of my intention on a daily basis because of my MudLOVE custom band. Did you know that they now offer a turquoise or coral color glaze as well as the traditional brown?! Of course I had to try one of the new colors on my 2020 band. Not only do I love the premise of the campaign (and the new glaze option), but I love what MudLOVE does on a daily basis as well! In case you aren't familiar with their work, every one of their handcrafted products that they sell provides one week of clean water to someone in the Central African Republic. AMAZEBALLS!

And now, what you've all been waiting for, a chance to win your very own custom band! Entering this giveaway is easy-peasy! Simply use the Rafflecopter widget below and cross your fingers. Some entries are available daily so I'd HIGHLY recommend entering early and often (and coming back every day until the giveaway ends). Beast of luck to you!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway will run through Monday, January 13th at 11:59pm PST. The winner will be contacted on Tuesday, January 14th via the email address on their Rafflecopter account and has 24 hours to claim their prize (make sure your information is up-to-date and you check your email regularly). US Residents only. All entries are verified, so do whatever the required action for the entry is or it will be disqualified. I'd hate for you to miss out due to a technicality, so if you're going to click the option, make sure you do whatever it asks or a new, random winner will be selected in your place. Best of luck!

PS Even if you don't win the giveaway, you're still a winner because MudLOVE's Word of the Year campaign features custom bracelets for $12 ($4 off!). This sale will run for the entire month of January. Whether you're making custom bands as a way to 'treat yo-self', as a group gift for your runner girl gang or stocking up for future presents, don't miss this sale!

What is your word of the year?

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...

WALT WEDNESDAY!

When life gets overwhelming, how do you de-stress?

Workout Recap - Week 53 / Week 1

Sunday, December 29th – Rest Day

Monday, December 30th – 6 mile run

Tuesday, December 31st – 9.12 mile run

Wednesday, January 1st – 6.20 mile run

Thursday, January 2nd – Rest Day

Friday, January 3rd – 20.20 mile run

Saturday, January 4th – 10.10 mile run

Can you believe another year has come to an end?! Shoot, not even that but another DECADE! Time flies when you're having fun (or maybe when you grow up). Anywho, I was stoked to have not only capped of 2019 with a sunset run (and with a 9.12 mile run that put me at 2,202 miles for the year) but to also have kicked off 2020 with a sunrise run (I had recently been told of a Japanese tradition of watching the first sunrise of the year and thought I'd make it run-tastic ;)). As I'm sure you have noticed in my recap, the foam rolling and stretching have NOT become a habit again, but I have moved my foam roller back out into the living room so I am hoping the visual reminder will get my booty back in gear! PS In case I never mentioned it before, I give MAJOR PROPS to the runners who find the time to train as well as work full-time... it's no joke! But if it's important to you, you will make it happen. And I'm doing my best to make it happen!

How were your workouts this past week?

REVIEW: Daily Harvest (& DISCOUNT CODE)

#RealTalk: I don't do New Year's Resolutions, but GOALS are totally my jam. I know, I know, it may not make logical sense, especially since it is just language, but hear me out. Resolutions just scream "an activity or habit that I will fail at making a constant in my life for more than a couple weeks" whereas goals come with the understanding that it's a journey (with bumps, bruises and hiccups along the way). I'm not sure why, but resolutions, at least in my mind, tend to be an all or nothing commitment. If I fail at whatever I'm trying to accomplish I can just wipe my hands and tell myself that at least I tried... Goals, on the other hand, feel more long term and it's assumed it'll take hard work and dedication to conquer them.

With that said, I know a lot of people DO have New Year's Resolutions and many of them center around health (i.e. lose weight, exercise more, eat healthier, get more sleep, etc). Although I don't believe that change needs to occur on January 1st (shoot, we aren't promised tomorrow, so we shouldn't put off until tomorrow what we could and should do TODAY!) I know that flipping the calendar can signify a clean slate, a fresh start and a great day to start making some changes.

Whether you're planning to set a resolution (or goal) of eating healthier in 2020 or are just looking for a new product to try, I wanted to share a little bit about Daily Harvest. They deliver thoughtfully sourced, chef crafted food built on organic fruits and vegetables. Their goal is to turn your freezer into a pantry of clean, nourishing food that’s ready to enjoy in minutes.

Super convenient... the yumminess arrives on your doorstep almost as fast as 1, 2, 3!

Their products are a win-win (times like a billion and a half, but I didn't want to type "win" that many times and I figured you didn't want to read it over and over again either ;)).

Convenient -- Delivered to your doorstep.
Customizable -- Make it your own!
Fast & Easy -- Ready in less than five minutes.
Ingredients You Can See -- All are listed on the cup and visible when you remove the lid.
Clean and Plant-Based -- Top-quality fruits and veggies.
Freezer, Not Fridge -- No risk of spoilage.
Dietary Flexibility -- Gluten-free, vegan, keto ... they’ve got it!
Unique Recipes -- Flavors you wouldn’t make at home.
Variety -- A recipe for every time of a day.
Delicious -- All recipes are crafted by a chef to be equal parts delicious and nutrient-rich!

Like I said, amazing, right?! They offer a ton of goodness including Smoothies, Harvest Bowls, Soups, Oat Bowls, Bites, Chia Bowls and Lattes (although, as you will see from my review below, I have only tried the smoothies thus far... but everything else looks and sounds just as amazing). My first box arrived last week and I wanted to tell you all about it.

So excited to give this subscription a try!

Thanks to my new partnership with Daily Harvest I was able to pick six smoothie cups to try out (truth be told, I had been eye ballin' these for a while now and just hadn't gotten around to placing an order, so when they reached out I was STOKED and did a little happy dance). I first looked to make sure what I was choosing from was vegan and did NOT contain cucumbers (you can filter the product based on likes and dislikes, the key benefits and any dietary needs). With those two parameters I was given 57 results from the assortment of products, including 20 smoothies. Talk about choices! I finally narrowed down my decision to the Tart Cherry + Raspberry Smoothie, Strawberry + Peach Smoothie, Acai + Cherry Smoothie, Dragon Fruit + Lychee Smoothie, Blueberry + Hemp Smoothie and Mango + Papaya Smoothie.

The ingredients are simple, delicious and organic!

As you all are hopefully aware of by now (either thanks to my Instagram announcement or my previous blog post), I recently started a new job. Along with my part time role helping Sparkle Athletic with their social media, at the beginning of the month I took a position with my local running store. Going from very part time (10-15 hours a week) to full time (40 hours a week between the two positions) means I need to on top of my time management. Not only are these smoothie cups a healthy and nutritious way to grab a meal on the go, they are a major time saver as well! Literally all you have to do is choose your liquid base (almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, coconut water, water, etc), fill the cup to top with liquid and toss it all into a blender, then blend and pour everything back into the cup. It's so easy peasy even a caveman can do it!

You can choose the liquid base. We normally have some type of non-dairy option on hand
(when the box first arrived we had THREE different options - silk, almond and oat "milks").

Now that I've worked my way through all of my smoothie cups I wanted to share my thoughts. I did want to mention that a few people sent me messages via social media saying they added ingredients to their smoothies (ranging from a banana or greens to yogurt or coffee). While I think adding things to jazz up the smoothies is a great idea, I decided to prepare them by strictly adding a liquid base so I (and you through reading my review) could get an untainted assessment.

Overall I'd give these smoothies two thumbs up. If you're expecting them to be overtly sweet or taste like a milkshake, you may be a bit disappointed, but if you're wanting a convenient way to add extra fruits and veggies into your diet this is a great option. A few of the smoothies felt as though they were missing a little in the flavor department (so I could totally see adding spinach and a banana to the mix), but overall I was stoked with the nutritional value and yumminess. The process is super easy and I was able to make one quickly before heading out the door to work. (Since I didn't add anything extra to my smoothies I was able to blend them in the single serving cups that came with my blender - which made clean-up afterwards a breeze!) I was a little surprised that more of them didn't have greens in them (only the Blueberry + Hemp Smoothie had greens in it), but I also appreciate that you can add them in yourself if you'd like them. I'd say taste testing the smoothies during the winter may not have been super ideal (they' be amazing in the summer, but when I'm already chilled from my morning run it is hard to rally for a frozen drink), but I took one for the team and drank them down ;)

Like I mentioned at the jump, whether you are looking for a way to help set yourself up for success with your New Year's Resolutions or just looking for a new food subscription box, you may very well be interested in giving Daily Harvest a shot. And, if you want to save money (because, let's be real, who doesn't want to keep some of their hard earned dolla dolla bills y'all in their own pocket?!) you can use code "CARLEEMCDOT" to save $25 off your first order. And, in complete transparency, I want to let you know that I do make a couple bucks when someone uses my code, but hopefully by now you know that I always have to #KeepItReal and wouldn't recommend a product I didn't use and enjoy myself!

Did you set any New Year's Resolutions?

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...

WALT WEDNESDAY!

When life gets overwhelming, how do you de-stress?

2019 Races

2019 was quite the year for races. To start with, I had a goal of running at least 19 races (3 of which I wanted to be ultra marathons {over the standard 26.2 mile marathon distance}). By the end of the year I was able to accrue exactly 19 races - four ultra marathons (one 52.4-Miler, one 50-Miler and two 50Ks), one ultra relay race, four marathons, one 28K, seven half marathons, one 15K and one 5K. I guess you can say it was a successful, busy and RUNDERFUL year!

Avalon 50K/50M Benefit Run {1/12}

Rock 'N' Roll Arizona Half Marathon {1/20}

Mesa-PHX Marathon {2/9}

Griffith Park Trail 50K {3/2}

San Diego Hot Chocolate 15K {3/24}

Encinitas Half Marathon {3/31}

#Ragnar4Rett Ultra Relay Race {4/12-13}

Boston Marathon {4/15}

Silicon Valley Half Marathon {4/28}

Food Truck 5K {4/28}

Fremont Canyon 28K {6/1}

Rock 'N' Roll San Diego Half Marathon {6/2}

Black Mountain 50K {6/29}

San Francisco Ultra {7/28}

Diablo Trail Marathon {8/25}

Ventura Marathon {10/20}

REVEL Big Bear Half Marathon {11/9}

Rock 'N' Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon {11/17}

Lexus LaceUp Riverside Reindeer Run Half Marathon {12/9}

And with that, 2019 comes to an end! It has been an honor and a privilege to run all of the races I have. I thank God for the ability to not only run my little heart out but to also be able to do it with a HUGE smile on my face. Running is something I truly enjoy and am beyond blessed to have found an obsession a hobby that allows me to meet so many amazing people and see so many amazing places. Running has given me a platform, running has given me a passion, running has given me peace of mind, running has given me pleasure, running has given me a push to pursue dreams that I never knew I had (or thought I would be strong enough to tackle). Here's to 2020 being even more amazing!

PS I was able to tally up my mileage from the year and along with the 19 races, I ran a total of 2,202 miles (yes, I did count before the end of the year and then made sure my runs hit specific mileage so I could end on an even number [I'm that crazy] ;)). {January: 197.91 / February 204.83 / March: 238.23 / April: 138.41 / May: 205.11 / June: 244.28 / July: 188.23 / August: 167.06 / September: 187.78 / October: 148.76 / November: 103.67 / December: 177.73} BOOYA!

How many races or miles did you run in 2019? Or do you even keep track?

December Books

I can't believe my goal of reading 17 books in 2017 (ha, I ended up with 88 in 2017 and 77 in 2018!) has morphed into this passion for books. Let's be real, not having cable TV to keep me "entertained" also gives me more free time to dive into a great book or seven ;) {PS One of my goals for 2019 is to read 19 books, let's see how many times over I did that.}

There were SIXTY-TWO books in the first eleven month, so when I add December's FIVE that brings my total for 2019 to SIXTY-SEVEN! If you're interested in what I read (or how I'd rate them and whether I'd recommend them to you or not), make sure to check out my previous book recaps! {January's Books, February's Books, March's Books, April's Books, May's Books, June's Books, July's Books, August's Books, September's Books, October's Books, November's Books}

• The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang - If you read last month's recap you probably remember that I started using an app called Hoopla, which works with my Oceanside Library account and allows me four audiobooks a month. This was one of the ones I grabbed last month because I thought I had heard good things about it. Well, let's just say it is not my typical genre of reading ;) (If you've followed my reading for a while you probably know that I enjoy the Young Adult genre, biographies, etc.) As with the majority of the books I pick up, I didn't know anything about this one when I started it. The premise is a woman with Asperger's is trying to get better at "relationships" so she hires an escort in hopes of picking up some tips and tricks. In the process, as I'm sure you can guess because this is how the majority of romantic books goes, she falls in love. I obviously won't give away any spoiler alerts, but let me warn you - there is a lot of sex. Maybe I'm just a prude, but I was a little thrown off at how much sex there was. I mean, I was glad I was listening to the audiobook on my headphones because had someone heard some of the chapters they may have thought I was listening to a porn or something. The story was cute, but I guess I wasn't expecting so much sex. I would give it a 7 out of 10.

• Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens - Yet another book that I had heard great things about but knew absolutely nothing about when I got on the wait list at the library... But when you have to wait a few months for the book it's gotta be good, right?! I noticed when I checked this book out that there was a "mystery" sticker on the side of it, so assumed it would be some sort of thriller, but wasn't really sure what to expect. I somewhat pride myself on my ability to "figure out" the plot twist or ending in most movies/ books (probably thanks to my extensive history of watching Law & Order), but this one kept me guessing. I couldn't put it down and despite its long length I flew through it (I think it took me two afternoons). Although the storyline jumped around a bit (different times in the character's lives not being in chronological order) I didn't have a hard time keep things straight (and actually thought it gave it a little more interest the way it was written). I do have to say that some of the story doesn't seem super believable, but even still I enjoyed the novel. I would give it an 8 out of 10.

• Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez - This was the fourth of my November audiobooks I had checked out on my Hoopla app. I've gotta say, I am glad I listened to this one as opposed to reading it. This book is based on the idea that there is a data bias in a world designed by men. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely found it fascinating (and found myself shaking my head and saying "Yes, yes, YES" to many of the points), but it is definitely data heavy. I think had I been physically reading this one I may have got lost in some of the nitty gritty facts and figures. With that said, I definitely think this is one worth listening to. Whether you consider yourself a feminist or not, there were a lot of points the author brought up that most people don't ever even think about... and there in lies the point... how it has been ingrained that men are the default. There were a ton of interesting topics discussed in this book (from snow removal to health care). I appreciate the intense research that seems to have gone into the writing of this book. I would give it an 8 out of 10.

• Maybe You Should Talk To Someone by Lori Gottlieb - I don't remember how this one got on my list of books to read, but it sounded interesting once I snagged it at the library so I was excited to give it a go. The book is written by a therapist about her going to therapy (along with some stories from her patients mixed in as well). I have never gone to therapy but have thought about it more than once and I appreciated seeing the inner workings of it (both from the therapist's perspective as well as from the patient's perspective, since she was both at different times throughout the book). The flow of the book was very conversational (I was worried that maybe it would be too clinical or boring for some reason, but it absolutely was not). It is a fairly long book and it took me a while to get through it, but more because this season was extremely busy and I had less time to read than because it was tough to read. I would give it an 8 out of 10.

• Forward by Abby Wambach - This was one of my audiobooks I grabbed with my December allotment. I actually had it on my "to read" list at the library but hadn't gotten around to grabbing it yet so figured I could listen to it instead. I played soccer in high school, but didn't follow much professional soccer so didn't know Abby's story prior to this book. Although I would've still been interested in it, I was a little worried that the whole book would be about her soccer career. I was pleasantly surprised when the memoir was a more personal look into her life (including her relationships, family dynamics, drug abuse, etc). I hope this doesn't come out wrong and I absolutely never wish hardship on others, but reading this book reminds you that even "superstars" have their faults and issues. The life people portray to the world around them isn't always what they are living inside. This book couldn't have been easy to write and I appreciate Abby's honesty and raw-ness. I admire the courage it had to take to put all of her shortcomings down on paper. I would give it a 9 out of 10.

With that, December has come to a close. My reading may not be going gang-busters like it has in the past, but I hope it never completely stops. If you have any suggestions, let me know! I'm always willing to add them to my library wait list!

PS I created an Amazon list that includes all of the books I've read and would recommend to others. Check it out!

What was the best book you read this year?