Winners and Controversy. Because what's a blog post without a little variety?

Before I get into the juice of this post, let's announce the WINNERS of my Bob Harper Inside Out Method DVDs giveaway, shall we?

There were eleven entries for the strength DVD.

With a little help from random.org...

Congratulations, Alyssa! Maybe after mastering this DVD you'll be able to climb that rope ladder; no problem.

Thirteen people entered to win the Cardio DVD.

Random.org liked lucky number six...

Way to go, Autumn1329. Now you can continue to be a weather wuss and still get your cardio in this Winter. Send me an email (hinkle.emily[at]gmail.com) with your mailing address and I'll ship that out to you!

And now onto the story of why I will no longer be pining after Lululemon clothing (yes, I completely  changed my mind about them in less than 24 hours). After yesterday's post, I was alerted that they've been in the news lately and that I should check it out before deciding I want any of their products. And so, as a good little consumer, I did. And I'm horrified.

The first article I found is titled: Murder at Lululemon: Yoga's "Heart of Darkness"?  This is where I started to get worried. Basically, one Lululemon employee stabbed and bludgeoned another to death...inside a Lululemon store. 

It would be tempting to dismiss the savage murder—Norwood stabbed and bludgeoned Murray an estimated 330 times over the course of 20 minutes, severing her spinal cord—as a bizarre and random event. That's surely what the Canadian-based Lululemon, which seems to have nine lives when it comes to recurring scandal and controversy, is hoping for.

When I got to the "recurring scandal and controversy" part. That's when I was intrigued. Is it all this bad? Why are they still in business?

The article goes on to say that the former CEO Chip Wilson came up with the name "Lululemon" because he enjoyed making fun of the Japanese, and he knew it would be difficult for them to pronounce. And then in 2005, he announced that the company would begin using child labor and "sweat shops" in China. (Check out that link for more atrociousness.) 

Holier than thou, Chip Wilson.
(If he came put his nasty feet on my couch, he'd be eating it).

That was 2005. One year later, in 2006, yet another controversy. Lululemon started selling a line of bags said to be made with seaweed fiber, which, they boasted, offered health advantages to the consumer, including stress reduction. Skeptical, the New York Times sponsored lab tests and found there was no seaweed in the bags. Executives of the company refused to apologize.

There was no difference, in fact, between the Lululemon bags and other bags made of cotton - except that Lululemon's, of course, were a lot more expensive.

Apparently the company has also disseminated several ads poking fun at its customers. Now that's smart. They even produced shopping bags with controversial messages on them. Who wouldn't want to buy overpriced workout clothing from a company that makes fun of, and then offends them? Sign me up!

 

Who needs ethics when you've got a shit-ton of money, right? Never again, Lululemon. Never again.

My dog ate my gym card

This is how I'd define "puppy"

On the off-chance it still works, I'm still gonna use it.

I think she's pissed that I leave her to go to the gym. She didn't, however, destroy my staff ID to get into work and the campus gym. I suspect that one's next. If the card doesn't work in this condition, it's going to cost me $20 to replace. Friggin A.

Last night when I got home from work, Amanda started taunting me with "something healthy that you're going to liiiike". My first guess was pizza. What can I say, I was hungry. Well, I was wrong. She and Jeremy purchased an elliptical!

The newest member of the household.

I'm so jealous it's not mine! I secretly hope someday they'll upgrade and I'll end up with this and my mom's treadmill. Wishful thinking is what I do best.

Normally I would have been all over the assembly of this lovely machine, but I was having way too much fun listening to the conversation that ensued between the two of them. It was all about greasy shafts and wavy washers and "those red-handled plyer things". I kind of wish I'd recorded it.

One thing I was doing last night was putting together new Noodle Hugger designs. Not too long ago someone requested skull-and-crossbones. Done.

This reminds me of pirates. I have problems.

I wanted to name this one "Awesome" because, well, it is.

I've also been racking my brain to decide what shirt to wear for my first half marathon in Myrtle Beach in...39 days (yikes)! any suggestions are welcome.


Have you entered my giveaway yet? I forgot to mention that I'll pick the winners (yes, two winners!) this Friday, so get on it!

Workout DVD giveaway

I've finally decided it's time to "cleanse" my workout DVD collection and you could reap the benefits. In case you missed my review of Bob Harper's Inside Out Method Cardio Conditioning and Super Strength workout DVDs, you can find it here.

While these are not my favorite workout DVDs, they just might be yours. They've both earned almost 5-star reviews on Amazon, so it's probably me who is the strange one. Lucky you!

I'm giving away both of these gently used DVDs.

Want to win?
Everyone gets one chance at winning each DVD. Here's how:

Want to win the Cardio DVD? Include the word "cardio" in a comment.
Want to win the Strength DVD? Include the word "strength" in a comment.

That's it! Happy winning :)

Jealous of the dogs' lives

Ever wonder what dogs do during the day when you're gone?

I was working at home yesterday, so I spent most of the day sitting at the table, meaning they took a break from their normal following me around every single place I go routine, to get a LOT of sleep. I mean geez, who wouldn't want this life?!

Hearing all these stories about people running and working out in the morning is making me miss my morning workouts. Tomorrow afternoon I'm having a procedure done which will leave me immobile through Thursday (hopefully not longer than that or I may burst), so my plan is to wake up early and do a workout video, just like in the old times when waking up early was my "thing". It's been pretty difficult just getting out of bed lately, but I want to change that.

 

Since I'm afraid of running outside in the dark, I'm going the workout video route in the mornings. Andrea informed me today on her blog that research shows it takes 66 days for something to become a habit. I'm hoping that I'm not the "norm" and it will take me, like, two days. I mean, I used to do it several times a week, so for me it shouldn't take as long, right?

On a side note, head over to Kari's blog and enter her Noodle Hugger giveaway!

Make it work

Last night, after a soul-crushing run attempt, I decided it's time for a change in my workout plan. I've been seriously neglecting cross-training lately, and it's just not good for morale to cheat on your best friend like that. To be completely honest, I haven't exactly been following my training plan. I've been getting in the miles and doing the work, just not necessarily on the prescribed days. So, anyhow, I'll be making running my bitch on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays and the rest of the days are up-for-grabs. Yeehaw!

It really has been way too long since I've seen hot gym guy.

Yesterday I received the knickers that I won in the mail. I put them on and, while they are super comfy (like, I might order another pair, comfortable), compressing, they are not. They're called compression knickers, but I wasn't feeling it. Maybe whomever named them had on a pair that was a couple sizes too small.

I only wish these were my legs.

So, remember when I talked about going for a run in my dark neighborhood early in the morning? Yeah, I just couldn't. The thought of being dragged into the woods by a creeper and never seen again scared me, as did the thought of being attacked by wild boars or a giant snake. (Anything can happen in the wilderness!) I am not so naive, however, that I don't understand I will soon have to run in the dark, as the dark and dreary winter is approaching. Since I doubt I can afford to hire someone to follow me with a spotlight, I'm thinking of putting a pair of knuckle lights on my Christmas list.

(Thanks to Alyssa for introducing them to me!)

Now, someone just needs to invent toe lights and knee lights and waist lights. Or, you know, my neighborhood could just spring for some street lights, except that wouldn't make me look like a lit up moron. What's the fun in that?

Are you afraid of running in the dark and being eaten by a wild boar?

Are you already planning your running gear Christmas list? What's on it?

Oink oink

Sometimes you just need to vent in a passive-aggressive manner.



...and now my day may begin.


I'll fill you in on my weekend at the beach with my mom a bit later.

What do you think? Do we look alike?

But first, my best friend had her baby! I told her she had to wait to come into this world until after I got back from the beach. Did she listen? Nope! I got to meet her and hold her yesterday. All six pounds of her. SIX POUNDS! That's so crazy to me. I lift up a five-pound weight and think she's only one more pound than that. So tiny! The craziest thing is I was only a little over five pounds when I was born. I was that tiny at one point in my existence.

Sorry for the rant, this is all just blowing my mind.

Do I look scared enough?

Adorable times infinity...squared. I'm an "aunt" to a two-legged being now! (Not that I'm any less of an aunt to my nephew-dog, Rocco. It's just a different kind of love :)

And I must end the recap there (to be continued), as I have a lot of work to catch up on. But before I close, I need to pick the winners of my giveaway!

There were sixteen total entries. I've decided there will be four winners (giving everyone a 1:4 chance of winning), and that the winners get to choose, from my etsy shop, either two headbands OR one collar.

And now, random.org, do your thing!

The WINNERS are:
1. Kara
9. Sarah
13. autumn1329
8. Alyssa (who, I'm sure, will be choosing a dog collar ;-)

Congratulations to all four of you! Leave a comment on this post and let me know which two headbands or which one collar you'd like. If you didn't win this time, don't worry, I sense many other shop giveaways in the future!

My brain hurts

I admit my blogging this week has been lame. To put it plainly, I'm stressed out. The icing on the cake came last night when my sister-in-law let Pippi out without a leash and she ran after a couple deer and vanished in the woods. Aside from the fact that I was mad she didn't put a leash on her, I was FREAKING OUT on the inside. I walked through woods, getting spider webs stuck to my face, past a "No Trespassing" sign, which made me think I'd get shot by a deer hunter, and was sure I had ticks all over me. But I didn't care because I was finding my damn dog! 

At about the point when I was going to go inside and start making "LOST DOG" signs, she just...came back. An hour and a half of yelling her name and getting assaulted by wildlife and she comes back on her own. Pissed and relieved at the same time is a tiring combination.

Instead of going through the specifics of everything that's on my mind, you're getting an..."interesting facts" post. You're welcome.

• After Monday's post about how I won a pair of compression knickers, there was much discussion over the definition of "knickers". For me, it reminds me of another word my grandma (who is from England) would use to refer to pants. Most people commented, however, that it reminds them of another word for underwear. Well, apparently we're all correct, according to handy dandy Mac dictionary app, we're all right. (hurray!) and, bonus, an awesome piece of clip art is provided for our entertainment.
  
  

• I brush Pippi's teeth every night. It's part of our bedtime routine. Laugh if you must (I know I would if I were a bystander), but hopefully this will save me from ever having to pay money to have her put under for a "professional" cleaning. The supposed "chicken flavored" toothpaste I use says that it freshens breath. It makes her breath smell like chicken. I'm not really sure how much "fresher" the smell of chicken is from what her breath normally smells like.

The "doggy dentist" creeps me out. I turn it around so he's
not always staring at me.

• Whenever I see ads for companies like Victoria's Secret, which uses actual runway models to advertise their underwear, I think how unfair that is because I certainly don't look like that with skimpy clothes on. FALSE ADVERTISING! I wonder how many people buy their stuff and then send it back, claiming it didn't make them look like the model in the picture. If I had my way, I'd be able to order my legs and stomach from that catalog. Screw the underwear. 

I'm pretty sure if I posed like this on a
beach, people would throw things at me.

 

•  I've already alluded to the fact that I can't stand loud noises. They make me nervous/anxious/want to run far far away. This includes emptying the dishwasher. If I could afford it, I'd pay someone to come and do just this chore. Not because I hate doing it but because I can't take the sound. The sound of glass breaking is no exception. We take our trash to a recycling center because it's free to do so, instead of paying for trash pickup. I'll touch any stinky disgusting trash you want me to (as long as I can wash my hands afterward), but if you want the glass recycled, you've got to toss it into the bin yourself...while I sit over here with my hands over my ears.
  

•  For some reason last week I noticed people making Friday plural by typing it "Friday's". I don't understand this. Did we all not pass fifth grade? To make something plural, simply add an "s". That's all! And that's your grammar lesson for the day. You're welcome.

• I had a dream last night that my brother's friend chopped both of his arms and legs off with a wood chipper. Dream experts, define that one!

If you made it through this post, congratulations. Because it's time for another giveaway!

I'm giving away items from my etsy shop, Little Slice of Awesome. I haven't made up my mind yet on just how many items I'm giving away, but it will definitely be more than one. All you have to do is like my shop on Facebook and/or follow it on Twitter, and then leave a comment letting me know you did so. So easy! One entry per person. I also haven't decided when I'm picking a winner. It could be tomorrow and it could be next week, so "like" and "follow" soon!

Winners winners everywhere!

I feel like on Monday morning a weekend recap is a necessity, but I'm pretty sure that recapping my weekend and making you read it would be a form of torture, and I like you all too much for that.

Instead? A picture of a spoiled rotten puppy that almost got sold this weekend.

Whatever. My life is rough. I'm so misunderstood.

One fun thing did happen on Friday, though.

I won a giveaway from Kelly's Running Warehouse! Interestingly enough, the prize is a pair of compression knickers. (How fun is the word "knickers"?) After trying out my Aspaeris pivot compression shorts, I wished they also made pants because I feel like compression pants would be way awesome. Well, compression "knickers" are almost pants. I'm getting there...slowly.

Ok ok, onto the goods. You want to know who won my giveaway for a pair of sweet Aspaeris pivot shorts, right? Well, my friends, there were 49 entries. FORTY NINE!! Thanks to everyone who entered (and stay tuned for another giveaway coming up later this week!)

The winner of a brand spankin new pair of Aspaeris Pivot compressions shorts is...

"Gourmet Runner" and fellow FRIENDS fan, Vanessa!

Congratulations, Vanessa! Email me at hinkle.emily(at)gmail(dot)com for the deets on how to get your winning swag!!


Wow, this was fun. I'm going to have to hold giveaways more often! :)

My first giveaway!

On Monday my run sucked...until the 2.5 mile mark. Does anyone else have this issue? I am realizing with more miles under my belt, that it takes more than a three-minute brisk walk before a run for me to get sufficiently warmed up. My calves were killing me (still) yesterday, which didn't help, but I'm thinking maybe I need to do some sprint intervals or something before a long-ish run.

So, anyhow, that's not why you're here. You're here for that magic "g" word up there in the title. But first, all the reasons why you want to win the product that's being given away. And that product is?

A pair of Aspaeris Pivot compression shorts!

What are they, and how do they work, you ask?

"Aspaeris Pivot Shorts are designed to maintain proper position during repetitive motion. They help adjust your legs and hips to avoid injury. [They] lead to proper joint "loading," to help you improve performance and avoid injury."
(For more information, visit their website.)

Now, I'm a newbie to compression wear, so I have nothing to compare these to. I can only speak highly of the way fit, feel, and of their magical compressing powers.

I first wore them after a long Saturday run for recovery purposes. Because I'm a little slow sometimes, I tried to put them on after lotioning up after a shower. Don't do that. When they say "compression,"  they mean they're tight. Adding lotion to the mix will only make you work harder to put them on, and that's the opposite of recovering.

(It made me think of this FRIENDS episode)

I wore them a couple of hours after the run, and then during that night while I slept. I really enjoy the compressing powers of these suckers. It's like they've finally developed a way to give your butt and thighs a warm, comforting hug. I did get a mark on my thigh where the bottom of them indented my skin, but I chalk that up to the fact that my thighs were really meant for someone much larger than me.

As for wearing them on a run?

Ahh-mazing! Not only do they feel like they hold everything in (or "compress", if you will), but I definitely felt more stable, like I was running with better form. I officially want about five pairs so that I can wear them on every run! Believe me, you want a pair.

And now you want to know, "How can I win a pair?" I'm going to make this quick and dirty. One entry per person, everyone gets a fair chance to win.

All you have to do is "like" Aspaeris Pivot Shorts on Facebook and/or follow them on Twitter, and leave me a comment to let me know that you did. 

Everyone who enters will get one entry in the giveaway
BONUS
If you enter this giveaway, I'm also giving you an opportunity to get 15% off at my etsy shop! After leaving a comment on this post, letting me know that you like Aspaeris on Facebook and/or follow them on Twitter, email me at hinkle.emily@gmail.com and let me know you'd like the coupon code.

I will be choosing the winner this upcoming Monday, September 26, at 10am.

GOOD LUCK!!

From heckled to heckler

To start out, I need a favor. PLEASE (yes, I'm begging) enter Kari's giveaway today! Here's her plea.

It's a sad day if I don't get some more entries in the giveaway by the end of the day today. If I don't, I'll have to cancel it :(. Please don't make me cry and beg (plus Emily is offering those of you that enter a promo code for 20% off her Etsy shop if you enter).

 DO IT DO IT DO IT!!!

And now a quick confession before I get into the nitty gritty. I had breakfast dessert today and it was one of the most unhealthiest, delicious things ever. A package of Double Stuf Oreo Cakesters. I have one rule when it comes to eating such things and that is, if you're craving it, eat it. And if you're going to eat it, never look at the nutrition information. It's ok to splurge once in a while. Except now I have an entire box of them and I am no longer craving them. I should offer a pack to the next five people who order from my shop ;-)

Mmmm devilish deliciousness.

And while we're on the subject of confessions, I'm taking an unplanned rest day today. I did my four miles yesterday (it was supposed to be 4.5, but I decided to switch days and Thursday will be 4.5) and it wasn't easy. My legs are very tired, my left calf is mooing (heh), I mean hurting, and my knees felt weak (and no, not because Hot Gym Guy was there :). Amanda ended up coming and jumping on the treadmill next to me, which somehow made the time go by faster, although I'm not sure why since we both had on our iPods and didn't speak until we were doing weights afterward. And since I don't want tomorrow's 4.5 to suck, I'm resting today.

Come rest with me, mom!

At the gym yesterday, the guy who interrupted my treadmill run a couple weekends back, to heckle me about how I'm going to "wear that thing out" showed up yesterday just as I was getting off the 'mill. Of course he had some words, thought he was funny, ha-ha-not-so-much, and then I went on my merry way with some weights. About ten minutes later he stopped his treadmill and went to get off. I then decided to heckle him, "You're getting off already?" He said that I was training for a race, while he's training just to get out of bed a little earlier and then made some crack about how there needs to be a step at the back of the treadmill so the drop isn't so far when you're getting off. Never a dull moment at the gym when you've got your headphones off.

So I'm now two days away from a haircut and I've decided there's not even any sense in doing anything with my hair anymore. I get out of the shower, brush it, and go. Around the end of the day I get so fed up that it's normally in a headband, ponytail, and out of my way. My hair is stick straight and boring, except now that it's short, it's decided to grow funny.

One side under, the other side out. WTF, hair?!
Also, man, I'm looking more like my mom!
P.P.S. I was making a face. I don't smile scarily
on a regular basis.

 

Oh. yeah. About a year ago I got 10 inches cut off. That's why I'm so duh about my hair. I still have no idea what I'm supposed to do with it. It used to be a lot shorter than this!

Here's how long it was the day I got it cut:

I don't miss it one bit!

That's probably enough randomness and scary photos for today. Are your eyes burning yet?

Have you ever taken an impromptu rest day, going against your training plan?

Does your hair grow funnily? I refuse to believe I'm the only one.