Pro Compression Socks (Discount Code Included!)

I bought some new Pro Compression Marathon Socks today! I've been thinking of getting compression socks for awhile and a lot of people I know recommend this brand so I figured I would give them a try.

I figured I would go with a nice neutral white and bright pink, to go with all my running outfits. They have all different colors on their website for you to check out!
 

 img source: Pro Compression

If you want to get them, make sure to use the code "SAVE40" to get free shipping and 40% off. Hurry and buy them soon though because the code expires on December 18th!


Also, don't forget to check me out on Instagram. I've posted my picture for today's Holidayaday challenge (@livecraftsweat)!   

I'm running the Inaugural NWM Half DC!

I still can't believe it!!

Last night I was looking through pictures on instragm, as usual, and I saw that one of my friends posted that she received her email saying she wasn't accepted into the NWM Half DC (for those that don't know, to run the race you have to apply because it's a lottery system). I applied the first day that the registration opened and then just kinda "forgot" about the race lottery. I figured, if I got in GREAT, if not I know of another great all women's half marathon (Iron Girl Half Marathon) the same day that didn't have a lottery that I could register to run.

So, off to my email I went to check and see if I got an email from Nike. To my surprise my second email subject line read: Confirmation XXXXXXX - NWM Half DC Random Draw Results! I didn't even have to open the email to know that I was accepted! I was so happy to open the email and see the following image.

So, did anyone else get in? Do I know anyone else running? I'd love to have some people to train with (run behind). I usually run my half marathons with my husband, so this will be a new experience for me, one that I will of course be blogging all about!

Thanks, Nike! I can't wait to get that pretty Tiffany necklace when I cross the finish line!

Nuff Said..

This week has been a little stressful for me, but then I saw this image today and it really hit home!

img source: pFIT blog

Nuff Said..


Also, don't forget to check me out on Instagram. I've posted my picture for today's Holidayaday challenge (@livecraftsweat)!   

Dead Lift Day!!

Today was heavy dead lift day with my hubby! Surprisingly it's one of my favorite exercises, probably because it's one of my best. :) Today's main lift weights were:

Deadlift

135 1x2

145 2x2

170 12x1

Here are some pictures from our lifting today (sorry they are a little blurry took them with my iPad)

My husband lifts a lot more than me at 360 pounds, 190 pounds more to be exact...

Also, don't forget to check me out on Instagram. I've posted my picture for today's Holidayaday challenge (@livecraftsweat)!  

Fitbit One - My Motivation to MOVE!

My wonderful husband, knowing that I love gadgets and wanting to help me get inspired to move more, purchased a fitbit one for me last month. I've worn my fitbit everyday and I love the reports, graphs and data that I get. I love that my fitbit syncs with MyFitnessPal. It also has an iPhone app where I'm able to keep track of my activity data throughout the day when I'm not near my computer. Below is an example of one of my weekly progress reports.

One of the first days I wore my fitbit I had around 8,000 steps and it was 8pm at night. Anyone who knows me also knows that around 9pm at night is the time that I'm usually ready for bed. :) This particular night I went with my husband and some of his friends to a Maryland basketball game (GO TERPS!) Not only did my husband walk up and down the stairs at the stadium so that I could get in additional stairs to make sure I would get my "10 floors" badge, but we also did laps of the stadium during half time! At the end of the game I had 9,458 steps, I was so close to my daily goal of 10,000 steps! He really wanted to make sure I was going to hit my step goal, so we walked around the parking lot and that was the first night I hit my 10,000 step goal.


The step goal that I have I set for myself, I can move it up or down based on how much activity I get in a day and how much I want to push myself. There is also an option to sign up for a premium account for $49.99 a year which has many options, one of which is a digital trainer that learns about my activity habits and then pushes me to gradually increase my movement over the course of 12 weeks. I personally don't have the premium account, but it is something that I have thought about getting in the future.

Please note: I was not compensated in any way to post this or share information. All thoughts are my own. 

The Columbia Ale House - Soft Opening

Last night I went to the soft opening for The Columbia Ale House with my friend Emily. She got a VIP invite and I was her "plus one," lucky me!

My experience 

Directions (because I think they are important)

I'm familiar with where the location is and you can see if right off Route 175 if you are coming south from Route 29. It's also in the same location that "Rocky Run Tap & Grill" was in if you are familiar with that old restaurant, I loved that place and used to get their "Crabby Patty" all the time. If you put the address in Google Maps it drops you off at the end of the street once you turn at the light, so just continue all the way to the end down by the "LA Boxing." It's a new restaurant and not in Google yet, hopefully they will get that fixed soon. I'm not sure about anyone else's navigation system, but mine wanted me to go over near the MVA express when I put in the address, so just another thing to be aware of with the directions.

Food & Drink

On tap The Ale House is serving Oliver Breweries, I had the "Irish Style Red Ale" and Emily had the "Pagan Porter." I believe we both enjoyed our beers and they went well with our meals. As our appetizers we ordered Mussels with Cilantro & Jalapeño and Flatbread with Goat Cheese & Prosciutto, both were absolutely delicious! The flatbread was quite a large portion (as you can see from the picture) and definitely large enough for two or three people to share. The mussels were also a generous portion, but I wouldn't say they were large enough to share with more than two people.

The food did take a while to come out to our table; however, we were having a good conversation and didn't mind the wait. We also knew there would be some "kinks" that needed to be worked out since this was their "soft opening." As our entrees, we ordered the Braised Filet Tips (note: these have to be ordered medium) with Mashers and the 8oz Filet with Mashers and Brussel Sprouts. Again, the food was delicious and we had no complaints! 

Overall
Overall I would give The Ale House 4 out of 5 stars. I'm curious to see what the menu pricing will be like when they open. Since it was a soft opening our food and drinks were complimentary.

Got word about my knee...

I went to see my Doctor again on Monday (I went back in May as well) because I started having  pain again around my knee. I know that in order to be able to stay active for any long period of time I need to figure out the cause of my knee pain and get it taken care of before it gets any worse. My doctor sent me for x-rays and it turns out that I have exostosis (the formation of new bone/cartilage on the surface of a bone) on my knee.

The next step is that I get to see an Orthopedic Doctor/Surgeon on Monday to discuss my options. I'm hoping that there are some nonsurgical options, because I'm really not looking forward to knee surgery. I have been reading online about exostosis - I know, nothing good comes of reading about medical conditions online - even though from everything I read it's outpatient and a short recovery.

In light of everything that has been going on this week with my knee pain, I've still been able to workout a good amount when I've felt that my body could handle it and I weighed in this morning down one (1) pound! :)

img source: http://reasonstobefit.tumblr.com 

How was everyone's week? Anyone have first hand experience with knee surgery in the past?

Also, don't forget to check me out on Instagram. I've posted my picture for today's Holidayaday challenge (@livecraftsweat)!   

Thankful Thursday - Jason :)

I've decided that at least twice a month I'm going to do a "Thankful Thursday" post for something that I'm thankful for in my life. For my first Thankful Thursday, I'm going to write about how I'm Thankful for my husband, Jason, otherwise known as "J".

Everyday he shows me unconditional love, generosity and an unbelievable amount of support. He is also my biggest supporter in all things I do (healthy living and crazy crafting). I can't wait for the day when we finally have crazy kids of our own (not just our furry four) to share our lives with. He will be an amazing father, NO DOUBT! Instead of going on and on, I just want to say. Babe, I love you with all my heart and soul. Forever and ever.

 

img source: Deborah Hemingway Photography

Me and you, silly yet serious, always (GO TERPS and RAVENS). 

xoxo, 

Linda

Secret Santa Exchange

In 2006, I was lucky enough to met an awesome bunch of ladies online. At the time we were all planning our weddings in Las Vegas, Nevada (my first wedding). Even though that wedding didn't last, those friends are still some of the best friendships that have I have to this day. We have formed numerous online message boards in order to stay in touch and over the years we have always done a "Secret Santa" exchange during the holidays.

This year, I was lucky enough to get a friend who actually lives close by and whom I have met IRL before. Below is the gift I sent her (no worries, she received it today, so it's not a spoiler).

Leave me some comment love and let me know what you think about my gift. Also, let me know about your secret Santa exchanges! What do you have planned for gifts?  

Run the Dirty Girl Mud Run with Me!

I'm going to run the Dirty Girl Mud Run: Baltimore MD on August 10, 2013 with some of my girlfriends, we we would love for some lovely local ladies to join us!

image source: Dirty Girl Mud Run

Overview
Dirty Girl is a 5k mud run for women of all ages and athletic abilities. Don't worry - it's not a "race" in the traditional sense. It is an untimed obstacle course designed to push you slightly out of your comfort zone, but only as far as you are comfortable going. Forming teams is encouraged, and so is helping your fellow Dirty Girls get through to the finish. At a Dirty Girl Mud Run you'll find excitement, laughter, and camaraderie—as well as lots of music and even some adult beverages. It's a day you'll never forget.

Course Description
Run, walk, climb, crawl—you will experience it all. With obstacle names like H2OMG and PMS (Pretty Muddy Stuff), you can expect to laugh until your cheeks hurt. But don't worry, if you get to an obstacle that's more than a challenge for you—hey, take one of the detours. Also expect safety throughout. Expect the event to go on rain or shine. Expect not to be timed.

Sign up now and you can get 20% off your race registration!!

Registration Information
Click here to register
Our team is "Girls Gone Muddy"
Running at 11:15 in wave #14
Promo code "DGCyberMonday2012" for 20% off
Code expires on Monday, December 31st

 

image source: Dirty Girl Mud Run

It's A Lifestyle

So True!!

  image source: healthemily

Also, don't forget to check me out on Instagram. I've posted my picture for today's Holidayaday challenge (@livecraftsweat)!  

Join My Color Run Team!!

I'm running The Color Run™ Washington D.C. on May 19th, 2013 and would love for you to join my team!

What is the Color Run?

The Color Run™ 5k is a unique experience focused less on speed and more on crazy color fun with friends and family. Color runners come from all different ages, shapes, sizes, and speeds; but everyone toeing the start line has a blast. Whether you are a casual morning mall walker or an Olympic athlete, the 3 miles of The Color Run™ course will be the most memorable and colorful run of your life!

How does it work?
The Color Run™ event pretty much has TWO SIMPLE rules: 1)  White shirts (any mostly white T will work great) mandatory at the start line.  And 2) color plastered EVERYTHING at the finish!  Runner/walkers begin the 5k at the start line like a brand new pristine coloring book. By the end, they look like they fell into a Willy Wonka… tie dyed… vat of colored goodness.

What is the Color?
Each kilometer of the event is associated with a designated color: yellow, orange, pink, or blue.  As the runners/walkers reach the Kilometer COLOR Zones, they are blitzed by our volunteers, sponsors, and staff with COLOR.   All products are 100% natural and safe.

Sign ups are open now and will fill up soon!

How to register (the nitty gritty):
Click here 
Fill out your information
Sign up as a team registration ($35 registration fee)
When you get to the Team information ("Do you want to put this person on a team?") Click Yes and view all teams.
Look for team "Run or Dye Trying (Koch)"
When you are on the checkout page, put in the promo code "TCRVIP13" 
(makes your registration $32.95 with fees)
The code expires on Saturday, December 8th at midnight or when registration is full.

 

image source: The Color Run

Deadlifting PR and My Black Friday Fashletics Gear Received!

On Black Friday I went a little crazy shopping online, after my Thanksgiving 210 lbs PR deadlift. Did you happen to see it? Here it is for your viewing pleasure just in case you missed it ;P

One online small business that benefited from my workout fueled craziness is Fashletics. They have really awesome clothing and jewelry related to lifting and crossfit. Needless to say, since I've started to lift with J, I've been eyeing some of their stuff. I felt that since they had a really nice Black Friday sale ($19 for tanks and tees/20% off charms) and I hit an awesome PR the day before, I just had to buy, buy, buy! So much so that J had to help me get my shopping cart down from over $400 to a manageably low $100 something!

Here is what I ended up with:

 1.  Knee High Socks 3.0 (white/teal)    2. LIVE LOVE LIFT Tank (Tahiti Blue Burnout)  3.  LIVE LOVE LIFT V-Neck (Dark Charcoal) 
  4.  LIVE LOVE LIFT Hoody (no longer showing on website)  5.  LIVE LOVE LIFT Leather Accessory Pouch (Free on Black Friday)  
  6.  LIVE LOVE LIFT Headband (no longer showing on website - Free on Black Friday)   7.  I am ENOUGH Charm   
  8.  Dig Deep Rise Up Charm     9.   Weight Plate Charm (45lb/20.4kg) and Black Gunmetal Chain   

Also, don't forget to check me out on Instagram. I've posted my picture for today's Holidayaday challenge (@livecraftsweat)!  

Leave me some comment love and let me know what you think about my new gear.

Please note: I was not compensated in any way to post this or share information. All thoughts are my own. 

#Holidayaday Photo Challenge

Today I'm starting over... again! I'm starting a month early if you're thinking in terms of new years resolutions, beacuse like a said before, you can start over whenever you decide you need to. I find that I tend to fall off the wagon alot, and it's always hard for me to get back on. This time, hopefully I'll just stay on!

I'm also going to try and do this Holidayaday Photo Challenge that a friend of mine Kat from Sneakers and Fingerpaints posted on her page..

Follow me @livecraftsweat on Instagram to see my pictures!!

101 in 1001 days

I love lists. I write them all the time. I also lose them all the time. The one list I never make is a new year’s resolution list because I know I'm a procrastinator! For me a year isn't long enough; however, I am gonna give this a try. I think if I make all my goals semi-realistic I should be able to do everything in 1001 days!

The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific {i.e. no ambiguity in the wording} with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching {i.e. represent some amount of work on my part}.

Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as new year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organizing and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities. You can find out more regarding the project here.

Start: Wednesday, September 26, 2012
End: Wednesday, June 24, 2015

1. Think of 101 things to do in 1001 days {101/101} finished 9.26.2012
2. Write in my blog on a regular basis for the next 1001 days
3. Travel to the Caribbean - Christmas 2012
4. Travel to Europe
5. Go to the library 10 times and leave nice notes in the books {0/10}
6. Prepare and send 5 care packages for the soldiers overseas {0/5}
7. Take a camping trip and stay in a tent
8. Go in a hot air balloon ride
9. Learn to sew {for real}
10. Sew a pretty apron
11. Read at least one book a month for a year {3/12} 10.12, 11.12, 12.12
12. Donate all my clothes that I haven’t worn in over 3 months {not seasonal}
13. Throw a message in a bottle into the ocean
14. Take a knitting class
15. Spend a weekend in a Bed and Breakfast
16. Watch the sun rise and set in the same day - Cruise 2012
17. Give to a charity - anonymously
18. Take a real cooking class
19. Take a real baking class
20. Go see an Opera
21. Go to the Renaissance Festival
22. Go to another public winery in Maryland other than Linganore Cellars
23. Go to a winery in Virginia
24. Get pregnant
25. Organize my crafting supplies
26. Walk the entire DC Zoo
27. Go to the Holocaust Museum
28. Go to the Spy Museum
29. Host a slumber party {not the adult kind ;P}
30. Send a thinking of you/appreciation cards to 5 friends {0/5}
31. Go out of my way to make plans with a friend that I haven’t seen in ages {0/12}
32. Build a sandcastle
33. Keep a regular backup of my computer
34. Plant a tree
35. Make a painting for the house 1.19.2013
36. Sing karaoke
37. Send holiday cards to friends and family {not just address them :)} Holidays 2012
38. Do cartwheels in the park
39. Plan a girls trip with my besties
40. Plan a Halloween party 10.27.2012
41. Have a movie night
42. Host a wine and cheese night
43. Start to volunteer again!!!
44. Try three new restaurants in DC {0/3}
45. Go to a Maryland Terps Football game
46. Go to a Maryland Terps Basketball game 11.12.12
47. Visit my brother
48. Visit my sister
49. Go to Disney world
50. Go to Niagara Falls 1.26/27.13
51. Go shooting at the gun range
52. Go to the outer banks
53. Work out 4 days a week for 1 month
54. Watch fireworks 1.26.13
55. Lose 15 Pounds
56. Lose 25 Pounds
57. Lose 35 Pounds
58. Reach goal weight
59. Go to an aquarium
60. Cook 10 new recipes {0/10}
61. Bake bread {not tastefully simple beer bread}
62. Go one month of only buying the bare necessities
63. Take a bartending class
64. Learn CPR
65. Have a picnic in the park
66. Take a walk in the rain
67. Get a bikini wax
68. Take a floral class
69. Carve a pumpkin
70. Learn to kayak
71. Do a crossfit class
72. Go ice skating outside
73. Get a Mac computer
74. Do a 26 things project
75. Take a pottery class 1.20.2013
76. Host a cookie exchange
77. Do a kickboxing/martial arts class
78. Send a secret in to PostSecret
79. Learn to drive a stick shift
80. Take 10 day trips {0/10}
81. Do something green
82. Bake a pie from scratch
83. Learn how to make soft pretzels
84. Volunteer for habitat for humanity
85. Take trapeze lessons
86. Go skinny dipping
87. Go apple picking and then make apple sauce
88. Take flying lessons {airplane}
89. Go snorkeling 12.28.2012
90. Learn to make my own beer
91. Learn how to take a compliment
92. Finally move all of my stuff out of my old condo
93. Be a member of the audience in a TV show
94. Sleep under the stars
95. Eat only home prepared meals for two weeks
96. Learn how to sail
97. Make my own wine
98. See a drive in movie
99. Go out to a club on a Thursday night
100. Go paragliding
101. Make a soundtrack of my life

My Crafty Side

As you can tell by the title of my blog, one thing I love to do is be crafty! Today I had my second official pottery wheel class and it went just like this...

image source: The Movie Scene

NOT!

Let's just say, I intentionally hid my camera  forgot to take a picture of my piece from tonight.

I will surely be attending studio open hours on Sunday! I need additional practice before class on Tuesday.

I Gave It A Try

So, I tried fitness pilates at the gym today. End of story.

Maybe I'll revisit in a couple of months...

Trying New Things

Usually, I go to the gym and head straight for the elliptical. I listen to my iPod and look at everyone's workout around me.

Sometimes I even venture into the fitness classes like Zumba or Kickboxing, but they aren't really all the fun because I don't have a workout buddy in the class.

Today I decided I would try something new at the gym.

 image source: Lifetime Fitness

Enter Studio Cycling! I had a blast! My butt hurts a bit from those tiny seats (seriously, whose idea was it to make super skinny bike seats?), but(t) I will be back again next week for sure.

Change Your Life

I saw this image over the weekend on a friend's facebook page.

image source: fit.twin cities

I decided that TODAY was my Monday.