10 Days of Compression and Christmas Eve!

Hello all and Merry Christmas Eve! It's the day before Christmas and I'm at work, per usual. It's pretty empty here, lots of people with their families getting ready for the big day tomorrow. It doesn't bother me too much to be here today since I will be getting out a bit earlier today than normal, thank you to the CEO!

The extra time at home will give me a couple of hours to do some food prep for tomorrow mornings festivities. My sister and I usually take care of breakfast and pastries for Christmas morning, while my parents take care of dinner. On the menu this year is homemade cinnamon rolls (with and without pecans), two different quiches, fruit salad and mimosas. Well, no mimosas for my sister and I. :(  It will be a nice day where we get together early (7:30am, GASP!) have pastries and coffee and wake up a bit. Then we open presents and have breakfast. We then spend the rest of the day watching Christmas movies and putting together a puzzle, have an early dinner and play board games into the night. It really is a fun day and the last one we'll have with just us, next year we will have kiddos in the mix which will change the dynamic of this day going forward.

Today is also the final day of my 10 Days of Compression! Let's have a quick recap of the previous entries!

Bumpdate: 34 Weeks and Day 4 of Compression!

As the weeks creep by, or rather FLY by with the holidays upon us, I am increasingly aware that there will be a new person in my life. A little addition to our family. Family. Not a couple anymore, but a family. Gives me pause every now and then thinking about that.

Then I remember that there will be many sleepless nights and diaper changes and feedings and crying (both baby and mommy!). Stress and sleep deprivation and anxiety and frustration and confusion will abound I am sure for many months (if not years) to come.

At the same time though I think about all the little highlights that I will watch and be apart of, walking, talking, playing with other children, learning, asking questions, growing and becoming a person like you and me. It's amazing to sit back and think about it all. Marvel at the cycle of life and all the unexplained nuiances that happen. It's just crazy.

Today is my 34 week bumpdate and my weekly picture.

10 Days of Compression: Day 3

To follow along with my post yesterday, I am sharing Day 3 of my 10 Days of Compression!

Today is the holiday luncheon at work and I was feeling in the Christmas festive mood. Today's pair of compression socks is Marathon Red!

Momentum Monday: Under (com)pression

It's Monday and 9 days until Christmas. I can't believe I just typed that, 9 days away from Christmas! Single digits people, SINGLE DIGITS!! Where has the time gone? I blame Thanksgiving being a week later this year for the sudden arrival of Christmas. We have had our tree up for over a week now, but it's still not decorated. It's got lights on it, but no decorations. Sad sight indeed. I need to remedy that today.

Along with the pressures and expectations of the quickly coming holiday, there are the changes that my body is going through for the last few weeks of my pregnancy. I am officially 34 weeks today, meaning there is only 6 more weeks until the baby is anticipated to arrive and that is just crazy talk, I tell ya! Along with the consistent movement of the pumpkin and new types of discomfort, I am now starting to experience swelling.

Oh yay.

As if I don't already feel uncomfortable in my own skin, my body has now decided to start retaining water with the main collection area being my legs, ankles and feet. Typical right? Most women that I have talked to have complained of  swollen ankles and feet through the latter part of their pregnancy. Mine becomes especially prominent due to the fact that I stand at work, so my feet and ankles definitely take a beating. So how do I combat this issue?

Compression socks!

Not just any compressions socks, but Pro Compression. I have been using these socks for over a year now for my running and recovery and they are the only compression socks that I will wear. I've tried Zensah and CEP and neither of those brands provide the same type of support and comfort as I've received from Pro Compression. Starting yesterday I've started to wear my compression socks on a more regular basis to help bring down the swelling in my legs, ankles and feet and increase the circulation that is needed for those parts.

So my Momentum Monday today is to do a lead up to Christmas with 10 Days of Compression!

StrideBox: May box review

I was SO excited to see all the tweets flying around on Monday of all the people that got their StrideBox's in the mail that day, so I couldn't wait to get home that evening to see if my box had arrived.  To my total excitement...IT HAD!!!
 
Now I was curious how this box would fare after such a successful April box yielding some really great products.  Let me tell you, they did not disappoint!!

StrideBox: April box review

Today is a special post!  I am going to be showing off a new (to me) product!  A month ago I started seeing this company pop up on Twitter and Facebook.  I read up on the company and really was intrigued by what they offered, so I decided to take the leap.  I signed up for the monthly box subscription called StrideBox.  For $15 a month, they send you a box of full sized samples of items geared towards the needs of the runner.  Whether if be fuels, pre- or post- run nutrition or even objects that help make running more enjoyable.

I was so excited to get in on the subscription before they had to start a waiting list (doh!), but that is a good sign for the company when you have to start a waiting list for people wanting your product.  KUDOS!  So needless to say I was crazy excited when I saw this box arrive on Friday.

Race Recap: Royal Family 5K

I woke up to a quiet room on Saturday morning to get ready to run the Royal Family 5K.  None of my roomies were running it, nor were they waking early to come and see/cheer anyone on.

3:30am was far too early for this one to be awake, but I was and I was getting ready for my first runDisney race EVER!

 

I decided not to dress like a Princess for this race, but rather let my inner Winnie the Pooh come out!

I arrived via bus to the parking lots outside of Epcot where the drop off point was and made the walk toward the bag check area.  There were tons of signs and volunteers to help us sleepy eyed runners get to where we needed to be.

 

Got my picture taken before heading towards the corrals!  This is the first time I'd ever been to a runDisney event and was pretty happy with how smoothly the transitions were between locations.

"The Jam" Thursday - What is blowing up my iPod

It's Thursday and I couldn't be more excited.  Tomorrow starts my three day weekend and I see sleeping in on my schedule.  ::happy dance::  I've been getting crap for sleep lately and it's driving me to drink...more coffee that is.  :) 

Today is "The Jam" Thursday where I share beats that get my legs pumping and my booty bumping.  Today's "jam" is on the airwaves now and would be considered a "club beat", but I don't care, those are usually the ones I like to listen to when I need a distraction during a run.  This is a collaboration between two artists that are big in their own right and just as controversial.   I'm going to fly my girly flag here with this admission, but I've been a fan of hers since before she made it big and I still, to this day, buy all her albums.  Don't hate, you do it too.  (Or you burn her music from your friends who do buy it and keep the discs hidden and listen in secret.)

Today's "jam" is:

 

Scream and Shout by will.i.am and Britney Spears

 

It's a repetitious song I know, most club songs are, but it kinda gets stuck in your head then before you know it this song is playing in your head as you wake up in the morning.  Damn ear worms.  It's fun and good on your run or in the car.  Throw this on your music rotation, you can thank me later.

 

 

Also, today I have a deal to share with you from my favorite compression company, Pro Compression!  I am seriously addicted to their marathon socks!  I wear them when I do my long runs and then wear another pair later for recovery!  I also wear them when I travel to help combat swelling in my legs during flights and long car rides.  They are FANTASTIC!  They have just released their Sock of the Month deal and provided a discount code and I wanted to share it all with you!

 

 

FROM PRO COMPRESSION: For February's Sock of the Month, we gave our designers a selection of awesome yarn colors and let them go to work! We think you'll agree our Sock of the Month will absolutely brighten your winter workouts.

Best of all, you'll save 40% and get free shipping when you enter Coupon Code SOM213 at checkout.

 

So take a look and have some fun with these cute new socks from Pro Compression and if you haven't taken the leap into compression socks you should definitely try!  

Product Review: Energybits

Some weeks ago I saw a bunch of mentions on my Twitter feed about a company and their product called ENERGYbits.  Intrigued, I read up about them on their website and read reviews from people who'd received samples from them.  Interesting information and pretty compelling results described from fitness bloggers based on a "two dose" sample from the company.

Then a few days later the company tweeted about offering free samples to all those interested, so I contacted them for a sample.  A free sample is always nice, especially when the size of a normal order is approximately 30 "doses" of the product, that's too much for me to commit to with a new product, so the sample was perfect.

I left for vacation and when I came back the sample was waiting for me at home.  I was so excited to receive the package that I ripped it open immediately and this is what I found.

Some really interesting information that explains what the product is and how it is designed to help improve your performance and increase stamina.

Look at those stats.  Some really interesting information.  Why I was so intrigued is that I suffer from anemia and need to take iron supplements.  So I am constantly battling with fatigue.  The natural ingredient and vitamins and minerals piqued my interest as I hoped that this might give me the natural energy boost I needed without the sugar crash that most other prepared energy sources create.

It just so happened that I had a hike at Sunrise in the Mount Rainier National Park that same day, so I figured why not!  Let's take these babies for a spin today on what could potentially be a grueling day of hiking.

This is what was received in the sample tin.

This is the recommended dose of 30 tabs.  Seems like a lot, huh?  Well...down the hatch!  I've got some hiking to do!  (Just don't breathe in when swallowing them, smells like the beach at low tide!)  Oh and another thing, they suggest you swallow or chew them to consume.  I'd read unsavory reviews of the taste when chewed, so I decided to not repeat others actions and just take their advise to swallow instead.  That sounded so dirty...sorry.  Moving along...

So I took them just before we got to the trails and when I was going along the trails I had a freshness in my legs that I'd never felt before.  I was light and my pace was quick, I felt springy in my step.  The tough terrain was nothing I couldn't handle, my legs were chewing through the trail with ease.  I couldn't believe the difference I felt with the ENERGYbits.  I didn't feel like I was on a sugar buzz and all jittery like I do with gel's.  I also didn't hit a wall when the energy wore off.  These bits literally helped to propel me up the mountain terrain during my 10 mile hike!  Talk about impressive!  But I wasn't completely sold yet, I had to see what they would do for me during a run. 

Cue the Iron Girl 10K race this past Sunday!

I'm not one for trying something new on a race day, as a general rule that is just good practice.  However I hadn't had a long run in weeks and this was my soonest one.  So I figured why not?  I didn't have any adverse reactions when I had taken them on my hike, so I felt pretty safe taking them before the race.  During my stretch time before the race is when I took them, so about 15 minutes before race time.  34 tabs, down the hatch...and then the tin was empty.  Sad face, no more sample!

I didn't really notice a huge difference in my energy until something happened that I hadn't experienced in a race before.  I was passing people...with ease.  Wait, what? What did you say?  I know, I was actually picking people off and it felt so good.  My legs felt good, churning and burning through the miles.  I had never felt that good physically during a race, well, ever!  Usually my legs are fatigued easily and I begin to slow down.  My pace was good and I never really felt fatigue until much later in the day.  Now only if my lungs had cooperated with me that day I might have had better mile splits, but that's neither here nor there.  

Regardless, I felt the great effects of the ENERGYbits during the run as I had during my hike.  Strong sustained energy, no jittery buzz, easy let down, no crash at the end.

My verdict: I'm a fan...a HUGE fan.  I liked the energy it gave me and the natural let down when they wore off.  I felt propelled when I moved and the energy boost was noticable.  My predicament?  I have none at my house anymore.  Looks like it's time for me to bite the bullet and move onto the big bag!

UPDATED: ENERGYbits has contacted me and has given me a discount code if you would like to order. Simply enter BLOG when ordering and get a 10% discount!  Thanks ENERGYbits!

Question for you:  Have you tried ENERGYbits? If so, what did you think?  Have you checked out their Facebook page?  Or follow them on Twitter?  They occasionally announce sample giveaways, follow them and you may get lucky with your own sample! 

Getting my Click on!

The week before I left on vacation, I won a giveaway where I received a canister of my flavor of choice of Click protein powder.  See here.  So when I got home from my vacation, I couldn't wait to dive into my stash of yummy stuff from Click!

The next morning I put it together per the instructions.

12oz of water, two scoops of the Mocha flavor powder, combined in the shaker.

Check!  Now what do you do?  That's right, shaking time!

 Like my action shot?  Yup, I'm shaking it good!  Hahahah...

All done being shaken...now what do you do?

That's right!  Open the top and enjoy!  First thoughts?  I can taste the espresso flavor right off the bat and the protein grit you usually get with powders wasn't noticable.  I liked it...I liked it a lot.  I even started playing with flavoring it, hello PB2...meet Mocha Click...match made in HEAVEN!  I even made a smoothie with it this morning by blending it with PB2, ice and banana.  TOTALLY reminded me of my favorite smoothie from Emerald City Smoothies, just with a coffee kick!  I loved how it kept me satisfied for hours in the morning, not needing a mid-morning snack to get me through to lunch!

I think Click and I will be having a lot of beautiful mornings together for a long time to come.  Hands down this is one of my favorite protein powders I've had!  I even tried it with milk instead of water and it's fantastic!  Creamy and smooth, almost feels like drinking a milkshake without the guilt!

Shoe Porn

So...I have a confession to make...I think I'm in love. 

I was a lucky winner of a drawing in March where I received a free pair of Brooks shoes.  I was ecstatic, I never win anything and I got a pair of shoes from a company that only makes shoes for runners.  Double score!

So why did it take so long to get them?  Well that's a long story, I lost the postcard for the shoes, then found it, then yadda yadda yadda.  Nevertheless, I found the card and sent it in. 

I knew exactly what I wanted.  I had scouted the store shelves, checked their inventory online and finally made my choice.  So you could imagine the excitement I had when I saw the box at home from their shipping center.  I literally jumped up and down!

Now I had to savor the moment...this was a process and I was not going to rush it.

Almost there...time for the big reveal!

Ah yes...JACKPOT!



My brand new Brooks Adernaline GTS 12's!  Aren't they pretty!!!  LOVE the color combo!  Gotta sport my purple!

See...HAPPY GIRL!

I was so excited I had to put them on immediately!  Yup, felt just like they did at the store.  Brooks makes their shoes that are PERFECT for my feet.  My ankles taper in the the back and the backs of their shoes cradle my ankle area so nicely.  The ball of my foot is also much wider than the rest of my foot, so I benefit greatly from the wide toebox they provide.  I am a mild pronator on my left foot (my right is completely neutral) so these shoes provide the perfect amount of support for me and my high arches!

I took these babies out for the last Torchlight Training Run and got them nice and dusty, dirty!  My assessment of them after my first full run: still in love. 

The store advised that I order a half size larger than my normal shoe size.  I was skeptical at first, but once I tried on my true size and the half size above (having run around in both), I realized they were right, the half size up is more comfortable.  Now my ankles/achilles usually feel fatigued after a long run, however with the way the shoe is shaped it gives me the perfect support I need in that area.  No fatigue during my training run or during the actual 8K race.  With other running shoes I've had, I've always felt like my foot was encapsuled in plastic and fabric, fit tightly around my feet.  However with the Brooks Adrenaline's, I hardly felt the shoes there!  They were so light and breathable, my feet never felt weighed down or bulky.  It was such a bizarre feeling, but very cool!

I <3 these shoes!  I've been a fan of Brooks for a while but never could afford their shoes, nor understand why they were so expensive.  Yet over the time I've been researching, buying and running in clearance cheapie shoes and now finally have and run in a pair of my own Brooks, I get it.  I understand the difference and I can feel the difference in my own bodies performance.

Lightbulb moment! 

All the time and effort Brooks put into their technology isn't just for good looks, it's for performance and about you getting your best perfromance.  It's amazing what a pair of shoes can do and how they can change your run.  I'm a believer, a fan and now a groupie.  I have plenty of goals to beat, and I'll crush them all with Brooks on my feet!

Momentum Monday: Fresh Start

Good Monday to you all!  How was your weekend?  I'm fresh off a crazy busy weekend and couldn't be sleepier if I tried!  The weather is GOR-GE-OUS and I'm thrilled that summer has finally arrived in the PNW!


With my weekend having been so busy and not a whole lot of sleep, I woke up super sleepy today and have been borderline falling asleep at my computer most of the morning.  I brought my workout clothes to work with me so that I could go for a lunch time run, though my sleepiness was trying to talk me out of running.  Wait...are you kidding me?  You're gonna listen to that voice, nuh uh.  Yeah, I was looking for an excuse to be lazy, but I realized that I will have more energy if I go for that run.  Wait, you get energy from exerting energy?  That's crazy talk!!  But it worked, I got changed and headed outside. 


The weather was PERFECT, lower 70's with a light breeze coming off the water.  I was about 3/4 of a mile in when my body started fighting back...HARD!  My shins were really weak feeling and started to hurt.  I wonder if that is because I'm wearing heels today?  Can any one answer that riddle?  Everything else was good, I had a bit of a longer stride today which felt good, but I wonder if that was aiding in my tired shins, and my legs felt fresh overall.  For some reason this run was hard and it shouldn't have been.  I know that I'll have good runs and bad runs, so I'm not getting down on myself, I'm just curious as to causation of these more labored runs I encounter.


I got back to work and took a quick shower (gotta love the small changing room and one stall shower available!), now I'm at my desk feeling more energized now then I have all day.  It's amazing how exercise can get you feeling energized, it's such a great byproduct of your hard work.  I have got to remember this nugget of information!  When I got back I drank a bottle of chocolate milk I picked up at the store this morning, Lucerne's Protein + Refuel Chocolate Milk.  It advertises that it has 20g of protein per serving, which is the full 12oz bottle.  It was a buck at the store so I decided to try it, I love chocolate milk and it's a great recovery drink.  The taste is meh at best, don't get me wrong, it tastes like chocolate milk on the tongue, but the after taste is chalky like one of the Premier Protein shakes.  This almost had a malted flavor for those of you that like malt flavor, though I'm not a fan.  Overall, I wouldn't buy it again, but I would drink it if it was available.


It is Momentum Monday and today's run has helped me to feel like I'm creating a good exercise foundation for this week.  Thursday is the first of three weekly training runs leading up to the Seafair Torchlight Run on Saturday July 28th, where I will be running the 8K portion.  The training runs are being put on by Brooks and will be meeting up at Road Runner Sports on Greenlake at 6:30pm.  I feel lucky to be a runner in Seattle where Brooks is heavily involved in the race and running community, and puts on these types of training runs where the community can get together and enjoy a good run and good times in preparation for a race.  Brooks has quickly become one of my favorite sponsors and I just got a pair of their shoes, all I can say is...WOW(!) I'm in love, though I'll save the review for later.  So the momentum mantra for this week is:

This mantra couldn't ring more true for me today.  I have no regrets lacing up my shoes and going for a run this afternoon, it was the best decision I've made all day.


Question for you:  Does wearing heels affect your running? Obviously you aren't going to run in heels, but does it tire your legs out differently than if you weren't wearing them previously?