September 23, 2011

Almost there…..

Well, it’s finally in sight!

After months of planning, worrying, ordering things, making a million phone calls and losing a lot of sleep, the race is tomorrow morning. If you haven’t been following my numerous posts on Facebook, no this is not a race that I’ll be racing in. This is my first race that I’ve directed. To say that it’s been a little difficult and quite the learning experience, would be a huge understatement. I am glad that I did it though.  (Hopefully by this time tomorrow I’ll still be glad I did it!)

Over a year and a half ago, I never dreamed that I’d run at all, let alone a 5k, 10k, half, etc. So, obviously the idea of me ever directing a race was not even on the radar…not even after I started running!

The main thing I’ve done to try to make this a race that people will enjoy has been to ask myself what are the things I’ve liked about races or didn’t like. This advice was given to me by Rod Simmons and my husband, Jason. They are both experienced racers and it does make sense, after all.

I didn’t like the couple of races that we went to that had only water and limited/no fruit or the one that we attended that didn’t even have prizes for the winners. I guess it was the feeling we got when we left that we’d basically paid a huge registration fee and ran for…nothing.

Anyway, there were other races that had great refreshments, like smoothies and that was something that is a huge plus in my book. So, one of the first things on my list when I was looking for sponsors was to call our local Smoothie King. They were gracious enough to agree to provide smoothies and I am more than excited to have them at our race! We always love goodies in our race bags, so I’ve managed to get a few of those to stuff in there. Plus, we have door prizes to giveaway too, which is always fun. We decided to go with medals for our winners instead of trophies but I think they look great and hope the racers think the same.

Well, I only have a few more things to do today before the preparations are done and all we have left to do is wake up in the morning and set everything up. (Kind of reminds me of Christmas.)

With that being said, I should stop blogging and get those last things “wrapped up”.

I hope you’ll be able to come, if you can and if you can’t, say a little prayer that things go smoothly for everyone – racers included.

I want this to be a race that will be on everyone’s “To Do Again” list!  :)

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September 1, 2011

Hitting the Wall…then pushing through it


Have you ever had so much going on in your life at one time that you almost felt paralyzed from it all?  Yes?

Me too…

In these last several weeks, I’ve hit the Wall and it wasn’t just while I was running. I’ve had so much going on with family and other obligations that I was to the point of feeling completely incapacitated. A lot of this comes from having a really hard problem saying two words more often – “No” and “Help”.

Summertime busyness, birthdays to shop, clean and cook for, rearranging a bedroom (the day before a double bday party), normal household duties, a wedding to be in, planning a race, finding a time to run (and deal with the extreme heat), back to school shopping, and all of the rest of things that being Mama involves has had my head spinning! Not that women all over the world don’t have that much and more to do everyday but I can say with no doubt that my plate hasn’t been just full…it’s been overflowing.  At one point, I was having nights that I couldn’t fall asleep, even though I was exhausted because my mind was racing. When I did fall asleep, I’d wake up sweating with my heart pounding as if I’d been running speed drills and eyes wide open. Thoughts of race medals, matron of honor dresses and shoes, where can I order that Caillou toy, race time clocks, Barney birthday decorations, making birthday cakes, school clothes, cleaning the house, typing up registration forms to put online and did I leave a candle lit in the living room were going through my head so fast that I wondered if I was truly going crazy. There was a day or two that all I wanted to do was drop my kids off at their grandparent’s, turn off my phone and computer, go in my bedroom and just hide. (I never did that but boy did it sound good at the time! )

Thankfully, I’m not and never was alone in all of this. I have God, my family and I have friends and that’s how I’ve gotten through these last few crazy weeks. A sermon at church about worry came at a perfect time for me and made me realize that I had let my anxiety not only get out of control but control me. I made a decision to stop so being stressed to the point of doing nothing because I didn’t know where to begin and start moving forward.

So, what did I do once I decided having a mini breakdown wasn’t an option? First, I prayed and apologized to God for trying to do everything myself.  I also acknowledged that I need to have a little more faith and a little less freaking out going on in my life. Then I did something that I don’t always do….I asked for help and accepted help when it was offered. For example, I called my friend, who is great cake decorator, and asked if she could come over and help me decorate the 2 cakes I had looming over me to bake. As the time got closer and I still had tons to do, she insisted on just making them herself and bringing them to me on the day of the party to make things easier. Although it was very hard to accept this extremely huge gesture, I finally realized that she was right and gratefully accepted.

I started prioritizing and making lists (which isn’t a bad thing to do anyway) and deciding on what had to be done now, in a day or two,week or so, etc. Which explains the lack of a blog lately. Slowly but surely, things have been coming together, getting done and being marked off of my to-do list. I’m now finally feeling like things are getting slowly back to the normal busy around here instead of nightmare busy.

Crying helps. Well, at least it does for me sometimes. Not because it solves any problems but sometimes it really helps me get all of my emotions/frustrations out and focused again. There was a day or two that I scrunched up in blanket on the recliner and just cried. I can nearly guarantee that after one “good” cry, the next day I come back stronger and more focused than ever. It may be just a girl thing but sometimes it just has to be done (if you can’t get a long run in). I’ve also made sure that I didn’t stop finding a time to go run. Running is a huge stress reliever for me and I knew that it needed to be done even if I thought I was too tired to go. The great thing is that lately, because I’ve been having to go nearly all the time at night, I’ve picked up a new running buddy – Jason! :) ( Our older kids keep the baby monitor with them and listen for Zach and Zoe for us.) Instead of running those boring loops at the track, we’ve been running all over Seminary. It’s been so nice to get to run and talk to each other -almost like a date!- and it’s also been neat to see the town from a different view. I took my son, Tyler last night with me and proudly gave him the tour of the town as we chatted the whole time. At first I felt like my circumstances were forcing me into running at a certain time but now, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. :)

Don’t get me wrong. All of these things that I’ve been doing and currently doing are all things I want to do because they involve, in one way or the other, people I care about. The trouble I have is when it all seems to happen at once or so close that it seems like it’s all at one time. I’m not the most organized person you’ve ever met either.  The first step is to admit it, right? :)

My big focus on my list right now is the Race for Grace 5k, planning another birthday (but at least it will be at a laser tag place), and starting my half marathon training. I’m also hoping to do a product review soon, a race report from the Watermelon 5k (Yes, the one in July…) and I’m going to feature a runner/walker from our state and do a Q&A blog with them. It may be a slow going process but at least now you know what has been keeping me so busy lately. Don’t give up on me! I’m getting there, one step at a time. :)

 

Philippians 4:6-7
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.(NLT)

 

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July 11, 2011

New Month with New Goals (And how in the world did I become a race director?!)

Well, a new month is finally here…I guess it’s been here for about 11 days now, lol.  June was very eventful around our house. So much, that I never had time to finish writing that fussy little post I began countless times!  The title was: “Does this heat make me look fat?” and I still may use it one day, lol.

That particular blog was basically me agonizing over the fact that it’s really hot and I don’t like it one bit. And because I’m not a fan of broiling when I go run, I’ve cut back my runs considerably lately. Of course, because I’ve cut back my runs, it makes me automatically feel, well…you know, fat and lazy…and if you ask my family, maybe a teensy bit grouchy at times. It also hasn’t helped that we’ve been really busy lately with lots of summertime activities and by the time I’m able to go run, it might be 9 or 10 at night. Seriously. After feeling down in the dumps over my lack of running when and how much I wanted, I finally decided that I could either keep feeling bad or put on my big girl running shoes and do something about it. (I figured I should take a little of my advice that I give my children and be grateful for what time I do have.) So, on the days that I know I probably won’t get to go and run, I have started using our elliptical machine again and then if I get to go anyway, great! At least once a week, I dress at lightly as possible, bring my water bottle and bite the bullet and go run at the Longleaf Trace. It’s my favorite spot to run my longer runs. It’s always pretty hot and I haven’t run a truly “long” run (more than 6 miles) in a really long time but it’s so much better than running in circles at the track!!!  As for the other days, I have come to peace with the fact that I’m going to be running at night and for now, that’s just the way it will be. Soon enough, it will be cooling off and it will be time to start training for our next half marathon. I think that it’s just hard, for me at least, to go from training hard during the week and running races nearly every weekend to training not nearly as much and no races. It was a shock to my system and I felt almost depressed, as strange as that may sound. In a nutshell, that’s basically the blog I was trying to write for nearly a month.

Now that I’ve given myself a good kick in the rear for acting like Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh, I’m trying to use this time to work on my form and just kind of be in maintenance mode. We’re also getting ourselves ready mentally to start our half and full marathon training. I think it’s never too soon to get your mind focused and geared up towards looking forward it. I know it takes a lot of physical endurance but I can tell you that if you start thinking that can’t, your body will most likely listen.

Speaking of races, we have one coming up this weekend! Yeah, it was kind of a surprise to me when I found out too. It surprised me first when I was told that it was July 23 and then an even bigger surprise when Jason said he found out that it was actually the 16th.(Here’s a link to the race, if you’re interested.) In a way, I’m excited to have a race to look forward to and in another way, a little anxious. We went Saturday to see what the course would look like and if it’s where we think it’s going to be, then, wow. Just wow. Do you remember that time several months ago when I was so worried about a race with all of those hills? This one may be worse. Especially when you factor in the heat/humidity. I’m trying to tell myself to not fret over it. (Back to the mind over matter/visualization thing.) I know that I’m going to have to take it slow for the first half of the run because it uphill nearly the whole way. On the other hand, while I can cruise coming back, part of it is pretty steep and if I’m not careful, I’ll use up a lot of energy trying to “put on brakes”. Jeff Galloway talks about “gliding“, which is what I’ll need to concentrate on when I’m running the 2nd half of the race.

Here’s how he explains it:

What are gliders? Many of us incorporate gliders into our runs without even realizing it. When you run down a hill, using the momentum of the last few yards to relax while keeping the same speed for a few steps, you’re gliding. With practice you can stretch the distance of this glide, riding the wave of momentum farther and farther. You can even learn to adapt this technique to flat ground.

You can click the link on gliding and see his full explanation of  how to do them and why they can work for you. I will admit that I haven’t done hill work lately which means I haven’t practiced this technique lately. *Mental note – I might need to go do hills tonight…. 

I probably won’t have a PR that day but I’m going to do the best I can and go slow if I need to. The important thing is to have fun and finish, right? I’ll try to post an update on how it went and pictures. Here’s one of me from a previous race:


:)

Another thing that is going to be happening soon is the Race for Grace 5k Run/Walk and 1 Mile Fun Run to benefit Grace Link Kids which is an outreach of Grace International.This idea began during a conversation with my brother about putting on a trail race someday, even though I’m not even a trail runner and it somehow grew into this!! After having a meeting and forming a committee, I (of all people..if you know me, you’ll agree, lol) was chosen to be the race director. I have only been in races and never even helped with one, so you can imagine my surprise and panic mode that I was suddenly in since I’ve never considered myself a “leader”. Luckily, we have several other people who are great with planning and know people who can advise us on things that we have questions about. We really want this to be a fun event that is family oriented and something that runners and their families will want to participate in again. Most of all, we want to be able to have lots of folks participate so we can help as many kids as we can. By the way, if you have any race planning suggestions or advice for me, I’d LOVE to hear from you!! We are planning our second meeting this week and hope to have the final details ironed out. Here is what we know for sure: It will be held September 24 at 8:30am at the Longleaf Trace Gateway, which is behind USM (See directions below). There will be race t-shirts, prizes for the winners (age group categories to be decided on soon), water and snacks afterwards and some fun stuff for the kids too. We will be listing it on the Mississippi Track Club site and the Pinebelt Pacers site too. We’ve already listed it as an event on Facebook and made a page for it too so you can keep up with updates there. If you don’t have Facebook, no worries because I’ll update things on here and Twitter and Grace International has a page started on their website and will post info there too. I’m really excited about it coming together and I hope I’ll see lots of you there!

The temps are looking like they are going to be pretty high this week so remember to stay hydrated and take your water bottle with you when you go outside to exercise!

I hope everyone has a great week.

*Directions to the Longleaf Trace Gateway*

From I59 take the Hardy Street exit and go east on Hardy Street to 38th Street (second light).  Turn left on 38th Avenue and then right at the next light at 4th Street. The Gateway will be on your left at the foot of the water tower at the northern edge of the USM campus. 

From US Highway 49 from Jackson: At Mendenhall turn south on Highway 13. At Prentiss turn west on US Highway 84. The Trace crosses 84 just south of its terminus at the park in Prentiss. Take a side street to the beautiful park (see pictures below) and parking area. For the Hattiesburg terminus see I59 instructions above or the US Highway 49 directions below.

To access the Trace at Sumrall or Epley from Highway 49: Turn west on 42. Turn left on Epley Road (first paved road) to go to Epley, or straight to continue to Sumrall. In Sumrall turn left on 589 and the parking area is a few blocks on your left. 

If you are coming from Mobile on US Highway 98 or from the coast on US Highway 49 (they intersect just south of Hattiesburg): Continue (or turn) west on US 98 to I59 north to Hardy Street. Then follow the directions from I59 above.  

US Highway 49 Directions: If you are familiar with Hattiesburg and USM, another more scenic way to get to the Gateway Southern Miss is to stay on 49 into Hattiesburg, and then turn west on 4th street (watch for signs directing you to the Gateway. You will get onto a frontage road that will take you to 4th Street (4th Street passes over US 49). The Gateway will be on your right across from the football stadium. That way you get to see more of the fabulous hub city and USM. To start at Epley or Sumrall, follow the directions above. Going North, Highway 42 will be on your left about 3 miles after you cross under I59.

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July 2, 2011

The SPIbelt Giveaway Winner Is…..

Thank you so, so much to everyone that participated in my SPIbelt giveaway!! It was truly overwhelming when I saw the responses! Because there were so many participants, I used RandomPicker to choose the winner.


So, for the moment you’ve been waiting for….

The person that has won the SPIbelt of their choice is: Elizabeth Shaw!! Elizabeth has a blog called See Lizzie Tri.


Congratulations Elizabeth!!! Now, head on over to SPIbelt.com and pick out the SPIbelt of your choice. Next, email me (gcmjjm03@gmail.com) with your mailing address and belt choice, I’ll send it over to Debbie at SPIbelt and she’ll make sure it gets out to you. When you do receive it, I’d love for you to post a picture to SPIbelt and Slow is the New Fast‘s Facebook pages! 

I’m going to be doing more giveaways soon so stay tuned to my blog, Facebook and Twitter pages!!

Congrats again, Elizabeth!!!!

Thank you again to everyone that took the time to enter. I have more giveaways coming in the future!! :)

Have a happy and safe 4th of July!

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July 1, 2011

First Time As a Guest Blogger!

Hi everyone!

I was invited to be a guest blogger for July for a good friend of mine, Courtenay.

I really hope that you’ll head over to her blog and not only see what I have to say but more importantly read her blog posts too. She blogs lots more than me (which is a good thing) and has made huge strides with her running despite injuries! She has worked really hard and is truly an inspiration. 

I was so excited to be able to do this and can’t wait until I can “have her over” to guest blog for me!

Click here to check out what I had to say and explore her blog!! Also, you can find her on here on Twitter and here on Facebook.

I hope you have had a great week!! Things have been super busy around here, but that’s just business as usual.

Have a happy and safe Fourth of July holiday!!




**Oh and don’t forget that my SPIbelt giveaway ends tonight at midnight!! If you haven’t already registered for it, click here to do it now!**

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June 24, 2011

SPIbelt Giveaway!

Here’s the fun part! :)

The lucky winner will receive a SPIbelt of their choice!! (Thanks to Debbie at SPIbelt for making this possible!)

I hope you’ve already read my review about SPIbelt but if you haven’t, click here to read it now. 

Here’s how to enter:

1.   Become a follower of my blog and leave a comment to let me know.  Already a follower?  Check in with a comment on this post. (+1 entry)

2.   Become SPIbelt’s fan on Facebook. Leave your Facebook name on this post’s comments section. (+2 entries)

3.   Follow SPIbelt on Twitter. (Please let them know I sent you.) Leave your Twitter nickname on this post’s comments section. (+2 entries)

Optional/Extra Entries:

1.    Follow me on Twitter.  Leave Twitter nickname in comments on this post’s comments section. (+2 entries)

2.   Become a fan of Slow is the New Fast’s Facebook page. Leave your Facebook name on this post’s comments section. (+2 entries)

3.   Spread the word about this giveaway via Twitter or Facebook.  Leave a comment on this post and let me know. (+3 entries for each one)

4.   Announce this giveaway on your own blog, and let me know. (Leave a link to your blog, please!) (+5 entries)

5.   Add me to your blogroll. Leave a comment and let me know. (+2 entries)

6.   Tell me how a SPIbelt might be useful for you. (+1 entry)

7.   Go to SPIbelt and pick which belt you’d choose and what activity you’d be using it for. (+1 entry)

Giveaway ends on Friday, July 1, 2011. A winner will be picked on Saturday, July 2. Remember to please leave a separate comment for each entry and please enter only in the ways listed above. I reserve the right to delete comments not adhering to the above entry guidelines.  You must be 18+ years old & live in the USA or Canada. The winner will be notified via email, they will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner will be chosen.

Good luck!

If you would like to sponsor a giveaway on my blog (or you know someone that does) please contact me by sending me an email to gcmjjm03@gmail.com.  I will always disclose whether or not the giveaway is sponsored by someone else or if it is one of my very own.

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June 24, 2011

SPIbelt Review and Giveaway!!

SPIbelt Review

SPIbelt (Small Personal Item Belt) has given me the opportunity to do a review and giveaway for their awesome utility belts! 

Here’s what their website says, “Sleek, expandable, secure and does not bounce. Can hold an iPod™, Blackberry™, cell, keys, up to five GU™ packs, and other small personal items. The SPIbelt does not bounce, ride or shift while running or doing other activities.”

At one point or another  as runners, walkers or even as tourists, we’ve had our hands full and with either no pocket or not enough pockets.  Well, SPIbelt has a solution for that!!

I’ve been on way too many runs that have consisted of me running with not only my iPod in my hands but with my keys and Sport Beans! I purchased another utility belt that, while roomy and water-resistant, was really heavy and never fit me just right. In fact, it would bounce and move around my body and even would have to be pulled up to keep it from falling off completely. That’s not what I want to deal with when I’m out training for a half marathon or even out running 5 miles! We first purchased a SPIbelt at the Crescent City Classic Expo in April of this year. My husband actually tried it on race day and loved it. I had  After trying the SPIbelt out on a run one day, I was ready to switch. What a difference in the two!! I actually forgot that I was wearing it!

When you first look at the belt, it seems as though you’ll barely be able to fit your keys in there, much less a phone, Sport Beans or wallet. I was able to stuff my keys, my Samsung Galaxy phone (which may be smart but it isn’t small), $20 and 2 GU gels on the outside elastic loops, although it can fit up to 6 on the outside of the belt. 

This is what I ran with the first time. (Minus the money which was only to check out the water resistance.)

Here's my phone, keys and gels

All zipped up and ready to run!

The SPIbelt is super lightweight, doesn’t bounce – not even when it’s loaded down! It fit securely around my waist but didn’t feel uncomfortable. Its stretchy fabric expands impressively to hold pretty much everything you might need to bring with you when you’re out for a run. 

SPIbelt makes numerous versions: the basic belt, the inner pocket belt, a waterproof belt, a water resistant belt, the energy belt, a belt for diabetics that has room for an insulin pump and even belts for kids!  It is one size fits all so all you have to do is adjust the band to fit your body whether you want it around your hips or waist Although the SPIbelt we own is black, it isn’t the only color. They have a variety of colors to choose from, as seen in the picture.

You can find them all by clicking here. 

Here’s what my husband has to say about his SPIbelt:

“Recently at the Crescent City Classic expo in New Orleans, I picked up a water-resistant SPIbelt. I was hoping to have a means to bring a little money and my pocket camera with me so that I could catch a few pics of the amazing crowd (22,000+ participants) and post race party. The SPIbelt was super slim and under $25.The belt that I purchased has several elastic loops for energy gels and has loops for attaching your racing number. The SPIbelt that I was looking at looked so small that I questioned whether it would be able to hold all that I needed it to. The company rep was confident and was able to pop my large Samsung Galaxy cell inside with ease. I was sold and so was another SPIbelt. I know it’s never a good idea to try something new on race day; but, I really wanted to bring my camera!!! I packed it, the room key, and some money inside of the super stretchy pouch with no trouble. The pouch conformed to the shape of its contents, keeping the size to a minimum. I was able to strap it around my waist, and with my shirt pulled over it, it was not really noticeable. The run that day was a nightmare with the heat and humidity, so I was definitely sweaty! After running through a few sprinklers and dumping a couple of cups of water on my head, my SPI-belt was definitely tested. It was comfortable to wear and I really had forgotten that I had it on while I was running. After crossing the finish line, I was able to remove my dry camera and had a few dollars to spend! Test passed! I have since used it on several runs with my cell phone in it, and remain very satisfied with my purchase.”

SPIbelts retail from $19.95-$29.95 and as you read, it can double as a belt for your racing number.

You can find SPIbelt by clicking the following links:

SPIbelt’s Official Website

SPIbelt’s Facebook Page

SPIbelt on Twitter

Win one here!!

As required by the FTC: I already owned this particular product. I received no monetary compensation. 
All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

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June 4, 2011

The Bondi Band Giveaway Winner Is….

No Slip, No Drip

Thank you to everyone that participated in my Bondi Band giveaway!! It was so much fun reading through everyone’s comments. There were a total of 196 entries!!! Because there were so many, I used a system called RandomPicker. 

So, here’s the moment you’ve been waiting for…..

The winner of the Bondi Band of her choice is: Haley!!! Haley has a blog called Climb Run Lift Mom.

Congratulations, Haley!! Now, head on over to BondiBand.com and pick out your choice of headband that you would like. Next, email me (gcmjjm03@gmail.com) with your mailing address and headband choice and I’ll send it over to Rebecca at Bondi Band and she’ll get it out to you!!! When you receive it, I’d love for you to post it on Bondi Band and Slow is the New Fast’s Facebook page!

I’m going to be doing more giveaways soon so stay tuned to my blog, Facebook and Twitter pages!! One in particular I’m very excited about!

Congrats again, Haley!

Thanks again for taking the time to enter – I wish everyone could have won!

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May 30, 2011

Bondi Band Giveaway!!

No Slip, No Drip

This contest is now closed. Click here to find out who the winner was!!

Ok, now here’s the fun part I’m sure you’ve been waiting for! I hope you’ve already read my review about Bondi Band but if you haven’t, click here to read it now.

Here’s how to enter:

1.   Become a follower of my blog and leave a comment to let me know.  Already a follower?  Check in with a comment on this post. (+1 entry)

2.   Become Bondi Band’s fan on their Facebook page. Leave your Facebook name on this post’s comments section. (+2 entries)

3.   Follow Bondi Band on Twitter. ( please let them know I sent you). Leave Twitter nickname on this post’s comments section. (+2 entries)

Optional/Extra Entries:

1.    Follow me on Twitter.  Leave Twitter nickname in comments on this post’s comments section. (+2 entries)

2.   Become a fan of Slow is the New Fast’s Facebook page. Leave your Facebook name on this post’s comments section. (+2 entries)

3.   Spread the word about this giveaway via Twitter or Facebook.  Leave a comment on this post and let me know. (+3 entries for each one)

4.   Announce this giveaway on your own blog, and let me know. (Leave a link to your blog, please!) (+5 entries)

5.   Add me to your blogroll. Leave a comment and let me know. (+2 entries)

6.   Tell me the biggest reason why you’d like to have a Bondi Band. (+1 entry)

7.   When w0uld you wear your Bondi Band? (+1 entry)

Giveaway ends on Friday, June 3, 2011. A winner will be picked on Saturday, June 4. Remember to please leave a separate comment for each entry and please enter only in the ways listed above. I reserve the right to delete comments not adhering to the above entry guidelines.  You must be 18+ years old & live in the USA. The winner will be notified via email, they will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner will be chosen.

Good luck!

If you would like to sponsor a giveaway on my blog (or you know someone that does) please contact me by sending me an email to gcmjjm03@gmail.com.  I will always disclose whether or not the giveaway is sponsored by someone else or if it is one of my very own.

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May 30, 2011

Bondi Band Review and Giveaway!!

Ok my fellow sweaty runners! I told you that I’d be doing reviews and giveaways soon and here is my first one! (Bear with me as I am new to this and learning as I go.) Thanks to Rebecca from Bondi Band who has graciously agreed to help me out!


Review: Bondi Band

“The simple premise of Bondi Bands is to offer comfy, colorful, and creative headbands to fit every lifestyle and personality. By using stretchy and breathable material, we allow Bondi Bands to fit virtually every head size comfortably and fashionably.” ~Bondi Bands

You may already be familiar with this cute yet extremely hard working little pieces of material. If you aren’t, I’m sure you’ve seen pictures of my husband and me sporting them at different runs. We are both really bad sweaters and since we live in the Deep South, we don’t catch much of a break as far as the weather goes.

Jason and me sporting our Bondi Bands!

We first discovered Bondi Bands last summer when we were looking for a way to control our profuse sweating while we were running. I may be a girl but when I run, I don’t “glisten” -  I SWEAT! After realizing that a cap is great for shade but not so much on sweat control, my husband and I decided to try out Bondi Bands. The “No Slip, No Drip” catchphrase caught our attention. Wouldn’t it be nice to not have sweat pouring into my eyes and blinding me while I run?! YES! We looked up their site and I found that they have a HUGE selection. They not only have headbands but they also have wicking hats, wicking ponytail hats, wicking pigtail hats, swim caps, wicking neck gators,  and wicking sweat towels. They offer styles for men, women, children and even your dog!! You can get them made of lycra that will help with light sweat wicking. If you need extra  help, you can get the heavy wicking ones that, according to Bondi Band’s website,  “Will absorb every bit of sweat you have to give them!”

This Bondi Band was working some serious overtime at the Crescent City Classic!


Since I’m on headband overload (not that I mind!), Rebecca at Bondi Band sent me a brown wicking ponytail cap with the word “RUN” on it. LOVE IT! It’s thick and my ponytail fit perfectly and looked super cute. I simply cannot wait for cold weather to get here because it’s going to be a staple when I go out for my runs. I have another brand ponytail hat that I wore last winter and it’s not nearly as thick and the hole for the ponytail isn’t designed as well. I already know which one is my favorite.

Here's my super-cute wicking ponytail hat that Bondi Band sent me!

Sporting my Bondi Band wicking ponytail hat



Here’s what I really like, besides the fact that they hold my sweat back like the Hoover Dam. They are cute! I love all of the different styles!! They have so many colors/patterns/sayings to choose from! We stood at the Bondi Band booth at the Crescent City Classic expo for much longer than most booths simply because I couldn’t decide on the ones that I wanted but somehow I managed to finally pick 2. I also like that they are wide and you can wear them like that or you can fold them for a different look. My hair stays in place when I run, which is a major plus, especially on windy days. I’ve even worn my Bondi Band underneath my cap so I can have shade buy also not have to worry about the sweat. Keep in mind that you don’t have to save these for just your workouts! You can wear them anytime! Another wonderful thing about the folks at Bondi Band is that they are a company that gives back! I love this! Each year they donate 10% of their pretax profits to charity. For 2011, they have chosen the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.


One of you will get to win one!! 


Here’s what my husband, Jason, has to say about Bondi Bands:

“I have been using Bondi Bands for about a year and couldn’t imagine running in the Mississippi heat without one. It’s not uncommon for me to head out to the track right after work in a t-shirt and my scrub bottoms, not taking time to change into my running clothes. Rest assured, however, I will take time to put pop in my ear buds and put on my Bondi Band…every time. Basically it does what the Sham Wow does on the infomercials…just on my forehead during a run. It never fails to amaze me when I wring it out after a run at just how much sweat it holds, knowing that it would have all been running in my eyes if I hadn’t been wearing one!!! I have been basically running in the same Bondi Band for the better part of this past year and it continues to do an excellent job of absorption. I did make a point to swing by the Bondi Band booth while in New Orleans at the Crescent City Classic Expo to pick up another one to put in a rotation. The selection was great with a multitude of colors and witty sayings (ie…In my dreams I’m a Kenyan), all for around $8. Of course with all of the options and designs, i picked plain black…it matched my shoes. In conclusion, if you sweat…and I’ll bet you do…I think you too would be well served to pick up a Bond Band!”

Here's our Bondi Band collection. You can see that several have the "used look". I will admit, I don't wash after wearing everytime but if I did, I'd just throw them in the wash with my workout clothes.

Win a Bondi Band!!


Wear and Care

The answer is, there is no proper way to wear a Bondi Band. Some people wear them rolled, others fold them in half, but most wear them wide open. Try different styles for yourself and see what you like the best.

Traditional Method:

1. Put headband on and pull out hair from back

2. Pull up from top of fabric, until above eyebrows and over ears

3. Fold back of headband under, and leave the front FLAT

4. Relax and look cool caring for your Bondi Band

Care

Fashion Light Wicking Material: Hand Wash/ Hang Dry

Heavy Wicking Material: Washer/Dryer

No fabric softner for all products.

You can find Bondi Band by clicking the following links:

Bondi Band’s official website

Bondi Band Facebook page

Bondi Band on Twitter

As required by the FTC: I received a product sample in order to write my review.  I received no monetary compensation.  All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.


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