Zensah Neon Compression Socks Review & Giveaway

When I found out that I was given the opportunity to review Zensah’s Neon Compression Socks I was so excited!!  I’ve heard so many great things about Zensah and I love LOVE love compression anything!!  I was sent the neon yellow socks… I absolutely love bright neon colors, so these were perfect for me! :)

When I got a package in the mail, I immediately ripped it open and pulled on the socks …they have a L and R so you know which foot they go on! Believe it or not I’ve put compression socks on the wrong feet before! ;) … then started jumping for joy… literally! ;) 

Sidenote: Do you know how hard it is to time your jump just right while using the self-timer?! :-P

Anyways… I’m sure you all have heard of Zensah compression socks BUT let me refresh your memory! ;)

Zensah is based on the Italian word "SENZA" meaning to be "without" which makes perfect sense as to why Zensah’s mantra is that athletes should be "without limits."

Directly from Zensah’s Website:

Zensah Compression Socks are the only compression socks to incorporate arch support as part of the sock - allowing your legs to last longer during marathons, races, or long rides. The compression socks have been designed and engineered by athletic trainers using seamless technology which ensures superior comfort and prevents any chafing or skin irritation common with other compression socks. The compression socks make use of graduated compression technology to provide muscle support for both your shins and calves.

What I REALLY love about the Zensah Compression Socks are the extra soft padding it has in the heal and toes!! :)  They are super comfy and super awesome! :)  Just to prove how awesome they are here are some more pictures of me “jumping for joy”!! ;)

Just one more reason why I love Zensah is that they are offering 3… THREE…. of my followers a chance to win a pair of their very own neon compression socks!!  Awesome right?! :)  All you have to do to enter is use the Rafflecopter form below!  Good luck!  Hopefully you’ll be jumping for joy in Zensah’s awesome compression socks soon!! ;)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

* Giveaway Rules:    ~ Giveaway will run from 6/28/13 through 7/6/13
                               ~ A winner will be chosen through Rafflecopter and will be notified via email by 7/10/13
                               ~ The winner must respond 72 hours after they are notified or winnings will be forfeited 
                               ~ Must be 18 years of age or older to enter or meet requirements of your state
                               ~ Must be a resident within the US
                               ~ I was given a free pair of compression socks for my review; I was not paid and all opinions are my own

Wordless Wednesday: Preview of My Next Review/Giveaway!

Flips Audio Headphones Review

Recently I was given the opportunity to review an AWESOME product… I thought long and hard about if it would be a good fit with my blog and a good product to tell all you guys about… ok, who am I kidding?!  I really didn’t think that long OR that hard about it because lets face it… FLIPS Audio Headphones are l.e.g.i.t!  For your viewing pleasure here is me enjoying my flips:

So what exactly are FLIPS?  Thanks for asking!  Let me tell you a little about them!  They are HD headphones that you can flip out to become a powerful speaker that lets everyone around you enjoy the music you are listening to.  Remember how I LOVE working out outside??  These are perfect for those times!!  I used to crank my iPod up to full blast and always worried if I was going to blow out the speaker or not… now I don’t have to worry about it anymore!

 

It comes with a great carrying case that the headphones fit into when you fold them up! How cool is that? (I almost used the word “nifty” but refrained because I didn’t want any of you to think I’m old-fashioned and out of touch with the world!) ;)

They Flips come in two different colors:

Here are some details from their website:

I was really impressed with the quality of the Flips Headphones!  The first thing I noticed when I put them on my head was that it seemed to cancel out a lot of the noise going on around me, even with the volume turned down low!  I’m also super impressed by the quality of sound both while using them as headphones AND while using them as speakers!!  This is a super awesome product!! The only con that I could come up with for these is that when I’m wearing my glasses, the headphones smash them up against my ears and my ears become sore… I don’t know if it’s because they’re new and I haven’t gotten them broken in yet or if that’s just how they roll….

I am super pumped that I got to review these (for free) because they retail for $120!  Compared to Dr. Dre Beats Headphones at $399… that’s a good deal!!  They also have a 30-Day Money Back Guarantee!

What makes it an even better deal is that Flips Audio is offering my readers $10 off of the Flip Headphones and FREE Rush shipping upgrade when you use this code at checkout:  FA0010INT
*Only good if you purchase them through the Flips Audio Website HERE and only valid through July 16, 2013. This Offer is unlimited in quantity and cannot be combined with any other offers*

 

*I was given the Flip Audio Headphones to review for free, but all opinions stated in this review are my own

 

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WW: Out With the Old, In With the New!

Progression of blog headers…
What do you think? Which do you like best? 
Be honest! :)

 

OLD (circa 2010):

 

RECENT (August 2012):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NEW (June 19, 2013):

Happy Father’s Day & My Thoughts on Spirit of the Marathon II

I know it’s been half a week already, but I have been crazy busy with doctor appointments and job interviews this past week! (more on that later)  Guess it’s just as well I post my thoughts on SOTM2 today because I got to go see it with my daddy!  Happy Father’s Day to the best daddy in the world!! :)

First of all I just want to thank Fathom Events for the passes to go see Spirit of the Marathon II in exchange for writing about it on my blog! 

My dad ended up going with me and we got there about half an hour early… we were the only ones in the theater until about 6:55 and then a couple more people showed up and then a lot more people showed up about 5 minutes after the movie started.  Before the movie started there were marathon trivia questions popping up on the screen, so that was fun and definitely helped pass the time.

Upon the Greek victory over the Persians in 490 B.C., legend says that soldier Pheidippides ran 25 miles from the battlefield in Marathon, Greece, to Athens to deliver the news. After he arrived, Pheidippides yelled out, "Rejoice, we are victorious,” then collapsed and died (source).

This movie starts out the morning of the marathon with the 7 runners getting ready to leave for the race and then starts in to the introductions of each one of the seven runners and we get to hear each of their story’s.  Spirit of the Marathon II takes us on a journey with these 7 runners as they prepare for the Rome Marathon and interjects little snippets of the actual race periodically throughout with more of the race towards the end of the movie.

From the very beginning I was loving it!!  I laughed, I cried, I gasped and often times nodded my head in agreement or knowing exactly how each runner was feeling!  It’s a very inspiring movie not only for the veteran or beginner runner, but also for those who aspire and dream of one day running a marathon of their own or even to just start running!

**Insert whining here** I WANT TO BE BACK OUT THERE RUNNING THE ASPHALT!! ugh!  I can’t stand not running… and this movie made it that much harder to be sidelined with a knee injury right now… totally sucks!  Why me!?!?  **End of rant**… for now! ;) mwahahaha!!! ahem…

My dad loved the movie too, which I’m glad! I didn’t want him to be bored sitting through a running movie when he doesn’t run (he bikes)… But, he liked it a lot! After the movie ended there was a featurette about Team World Vision… it’s a great cause so click on the link and go look it up! 

Then, after we watched Spirit of the Marathon II… by the way, now I need to watch the first one! lol… we headed to Max & Ermas (my first time ever) for a little grub… just so happens it was “Free Cookie Wednesday” (BEST.NIGHT.EVER!)

We headed out with full bellies… we did have enough self-control to save a cookie for our spouses… since we each got three cookies! lol ;)  It was a great night spent with my dad and I truly loved the movie even though it made me feel worse about being injured! ;)

 
A fountain outside the theater

Did you go see Spirit of the Marathon II?? What’d you think?!

Happy Father’s Day out there to all you fit dads! :)

WW: SOTM2 - Waiting for the Show to Start

Ain’t Nobody Got Time For That & #Runchat Runbassador

My knee has been hurting since last Wednesday’s 3.23 miles for National Running Day… I think even though I walked for more than half, it was still more than I’ve done in a while so I overdid it… I don’t want to go into an all knee post right now… I’m sure I will soon, but we did go to Fleet Feet on Friday because they have a Personal Trainer that takes walk ins and I wanted to talk to her about my knee.  Unfortunately it didn’t turn out to be very helpful BUT fortunately it was also National Donut Day and there happened to be a Krispy Kreme across the street! ;)  Who doesn’t like fresh warm FREE donuts?!

BTW, I’m on instagram HERE… I have a dumb phone, one of those ancient flip deals that doesn’t connect to the internet at all… seriously stone age over here… so I don’t post a lot.  That will change once July comes because my contract will finally be over.  Sidenote commenced… Anyways… So ever since Wednesday my days have consisted of a lot of KT Tape, Ibuprofen, ice, and Tommie Copper Knee Compression Sleeves… I promise you all a post of nothing but me whining about being hurt because I know you all want to read a “why me” post, but today is not the day…

After I stopped feeling sorry for myself, for a few seconds anyway, I headed to the grocery store… It’s always a good thing when at least half of your groceries are fresh produce! ;)  (Don’t judge the delicious s’more ingredients – they are a food staple in the summer!)

After I came home I made dinner which consisted of mac and cheese and tuna, cheese, spinach, and egg on a whole wheat tortilla shell… obvi yummy!  For dessert none other than the previous stated s’more treat!  I know some of you make your s’mores in the microwave just because you’re craving one…. please don’t tell me I’m the only whacko one who does this?!  Hey, if you don’t have a campfire and you’re craving a s’more, you gotta do what you gotta do!

Last but not least, I am finally an ambassador of something!! And no, it’s not of the lame and injured!
:-P  I am a #Runchat Runbassador!!  woohoo!!  Please tell me you know what #runchat is?! If not, you may be living under a rock as discussed HERE.  If not, you will (if you read my blog that is…)  #Runchat is a now weekly twitter chat about running… whodathunkit! ;)  It’s a great time and you’re not a true runner if you don’t participate! ;)

It’s not an elite ambassador program in the fact that you have to apply and get picked through a grueling elimination process… you can be a Runbassador too! :)
If you are a company looking for an Ambassador…
I am available… *hint hint: Nuun, Brooks, Gu, Nike, Races* ;)

A Runner’s Perfect Date Night

I don’t know about you all, but for me, the perfect date night would be running, foam rolling together, and recovering with some Rocky Road ice cream and a cheese stick…

BUT, unfortunately I am still injured (update coming soon) and so the next perfect thing would be watching a movie about running!  If that sounds like the perfect night out to you, you’re in luck!!  This week, on Wednesday only,  Fathom Events is releasing The Spirit of the Marathon II: Rome in select theaters near you!  It’s a one night special event in select theaters nationwide (click here to check for a theater near you).

Here’s a snippet from the official website:

From the filmmakers who brought you the award-winning documentary Spirit of the Marathon comes the highly anticipated sequel: Spirit of the Marathon II.
Featuring the personal journeys of a new cast of seven athletes as they run the iconic streets of Rome, Italy, the film also includes interviews with marathon greats such as Stefano Baldini, Paula Radcliffe, Frank Shorter and many others.
An entirely new running adventure, Spirit of the Marathon II expands on the first film looking further into this legendary event, its significance in people's lives and ultimate impact on society.

I’ll be honest with you, I never saw the first Spirit of the Marathon, but I’ve heard great things and it’s on my wishlist!  I have heard that Spirit of the Marathon II was done a little differently than the first one though and have read on a couple blogs from people that got to see a sneak peek that it was truly inspirational!  I can’t wait to have a night out and watch it!!  If you’d like to watch the official trailer, I’ve embedded it below because that’s what friends do! ;) Enjoy!

 

 

 

Have you ever watched the first Spirit of the Marathon?

- Nope, but it’s on my wish list! :)  I’ve heard great things!

 

Are you going to the showing of Spirit of the Marathon II on Wednesday?

- Yeppers, I am!!  Totally excited about it too! :)

 

What would be your perfect Runner’s Date Night?

- See above! ;)

Weekly Roundup: June 3 – 9 (Bestowed Giveaway Winner Too)

Monday: .5mi in 5:51; BBC Day #9; 30 Day Fast Start – Upper & Lower (4); .5mi in 5:57; Foam Roll/Stretch
Tuesday: Rest/Foam Roll/Stretch/Stick
Wednesday: National Running Day! 3.23 miles (Mostly walking) @13:34/mi [43:50]
Thursday: Rest/Stick
Friday: Rest/Stick
Saturday: Rest/Hip&Knee Exercises/Stretch/Stick (Cousin’s Wedding)
Sunday: Rest/Stretch/Stick/Research

Total for Week = 4.23 miles 
Total for Month = 4.23 miles 
Total for Year =  78.8 miles

*** @=outside run (refers to pace) in=treadmill run (refers to minutes)

January 11.57 miles                                                       2011 329.45 miles
February 16.55 miles                                                      2012 178.67 miles
March 15.52 miles
April  25.93 miles
May  5 miles
June  4.23 miles

Last Week's Roundup

 

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

The winner of my Bestowed Box Giveaway is… *drumroll*….

Congratulations!!  I will be emailing you shortly! :)

 

Race Recap Roundup #Linkup

Don’t forget to post your Race Recaps to the Race Recap Roundup #Linkup!  It will be reset tomorrow but if you linked up between Friday and tonight, your Race Recap will automatically be resubmitted and stay up for next week too!

 

Blog Posts From The Week

Plankin' It Up Outside
Happy National Running Day!
Goals Update: May 2013

Registered Races

Unfortunately I have no plans to race at all this year… we shall see towards the second half, but I am just trying to get back into shape and figure out my knee pain!

Goals Update: May 2013

Alrighty… Happy June everyone!  Time for another goal update for the month of May!! But first, a couple reminders because I don’t want you to miss out!

- Don’t forget to enter my Bestowed box giveaway!  You have 1 day left to enter!

- Don’t forget to enter your race recaps on the Race Recap Roundup #linkup 

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GOAL #1:  Get rid of my knee pain and run at least 4 miles a month

                ~In the month of May I ran exactly 5 miles with a total of 74.57 miles for the year. 
                  Which means on average I ran 14.9 miles per month. My main goal is to rid
                  myself of my knee pain and I’ve been foamrolling, stretching, and using my stick
                  A LOT   - GOOD SO FAR

GOAL #2:  Graduate in May and land at least a part time interpreting job by June!

                ~I graduated May 10th!! :)  Working on the job part! ;) - IN PROGRESS

 

GOAL #3:  Finish all the WIPs (Works in Progress) I have on my knitting needles/crochet hooks (5 WIPS) and make something for myself this year! :)  - 4/6 COMPLETE

~Make something for myself this year “Honey Cowl” – COMPLETE 2/11/13

 

~ WIP #1:  “What a Hoot Scarf” – COMPLETE 1/5/13

~ WIP #2:  “Owl Vest for Bryce” – COMPLETE 3/8/13

~ WIP #3:  “Snowmen Ornaments” – COMPLETE 3/31/13

*These have been sitting around for a while (2008), they were my first crochet projects ever lol… since then I’ve crocheted at least 14 other things before finishing these lol… whoops!

~ WIP #4:  “Hannah’s Flower Power Rug” – IN PROGRESS

~WIP #5:  “Valentine Doily”

 

What are your goals for 2013?

What are your goals for this this month?