Domain change!

Hello darlings! This blog will no longer be updated. I had a fight about my domain grammarissa.com and lost. (Hence the three month hiatus…)

My new domain is www.grammarissa.me/blog/. Come follow me there. Update your RSS feed and Bloglovin' subscription too, if you're keeping track of me that way!

It's been fun, Blogger, but my own domain with Wordpress is too tempting.

Adieu!
Karissa

Taking a Break from Racing: Marshall University Half Marathon

Gosh. So it's been awhile since I wrote. My sincerest apologies… I'm juggling life not unlike anyone
else, only currently life's juggling involves less time online.

So I ran my third half marathon on 11/10! It was wonderful. I finished with a time between my other two times, so I'm pleased that I have an average to work on for next year.

Yes, I'm done racing for the year. This means I'm abandoning my goal of running a race every month. I did it for as long as I could manage, and I am pleased with that, but cold weather running has me chickening out a bit since the aforementioned juggling act leaves me such little time as it is. I'm planning to use this time away from racing as time to build more strength, particularly in my core and legs, to bolster my running in the spring time. I also think this is a good time for me to take a break because I was convinced I had a stress fracture in my right foot the day after this race… I got it x-rayed and it's fine, but the pain is enough for me. I'm prepared to take it easier on my feet for a few weeks.

The Marshall Marathon and Half Marathon were lovely. We had beautiful weather and a nice flat course. I'm delighted to announce that my Oiselle teammate Aubrey came in 2nd overall for the marathon (!) and 1st for women (!!!). What a fast bird she is! I was glad that I got to meet her again. We hugged and celebrated her victory with upbeat chatter as we both cooled down from running. I'm so proud to be on the same team as this quick lady!

This is me at mile nine. I'm still smiling!

I waited to blog about the Marshall Marathon (I ran the half--let's be clear on that) because I had a problem. The day I got my number I was told that I did not pay for the jacket and shirt… but I had. I was a little irritated that I didn't get them on the day of the race. However, afterwards the race director was kind enough to check the records to see that yes, in fact, I had paid for these items. While I am still a tiny bit irked that I got size medium (when I requested small… when I originally paid for the items…), I'm glad to have the items anyway. The jacket is really nice and it's my first race jacket. :) I'm glad that they were willing to mail them to me.

As I mentioned, the race was really nice. The water stops were well-spaced, the crowd that gathered was just enough to boost my energy, and the course varied between concrete, pavement, and even a little dirt trail. I definitely plan to run this race again. I like that it's small (with a few hundred participants, not thousand…).

I'm on Team Ignite! (plus coupon code)

I'm delighted to report that I'm now part of Team Ignite, with Ignite Naturals!

As an ambassador for Ignite, I'd love to share my initial review of the electrolyte beverage mix. I love the dragon fruit!

Want to try it? Use my coupon code for 10% off! (IN0720)

I'm looking forward to being part of the team and learning more about the all-natural approach Ignite takes with its products. Real ingredients for real health!

Adventures in Fashion: Little Black Bag (review & coupon!)

One of my dearest friends will be married next month. My dilemma? I needed shoes to wear with the dress I already have. I have ballerina flats like whoa, but the sandals I have aren't in good enough shape to pull off with a fancier dress.

I was hunting for a fresh, fun pair in a coral color to pop from my dress, which is more demure because I'm merely a reader for this small, intimate wedding, but I didn't want anything crazy. And they had to be flat. Because I'm 6'0" and already taller than my boyfriend (and almost everyone else).

Enter Little Black Bag. I had heard about this shopping site through yet another shopping site (one of the Internet's versions of Pandora's Box). Brands include BCBG, Steve Madden, Betsey Johnson, Nila Anthony, Deux Lux, Big Buddha, Coconuts, Penny Loves Kenny, Charlotte Ronson, and Chinese Laundry, among others.

What's cool about LBB is that you browse all the wares on their site and get to purchase one chic, designer item--purse, shoes, jewelry, makeup--and then you receive two additional mystery items in your "bag."

Once you check out, you learn what your mystery items are, but the fun isn't over. You can trade any of your items with other LBB buyers. People will propose trades and you can accept or reject. Ultimately, you choose what items you'd like to have (no one can take something from your bag without your permission) and you click "buy my bag" when you're pleased with your selections.

So when I found some cute coral colored flat sandals at a great price, I bought them and got my mystery items. I went into the trading site and ended up keeping all my original items, even though some of the trades people offered were pretty cool.

Here's what I received when I got my box today:

My first Little Black Bag order

I got my Penny Loves Kenny sandals, some skyn Iceland makeup removal wipes, and a pair of All the Rage earrings. I see the wipes and earrings as a bonus because I really just wanted shoes, but these extras came at no real extra cost. I'm happy to try new things too.

So what did I pay? $32 including shipping. I say LBB FTW...

Also, my package arrived pretty quickly. The whole transaction, from purchase and trade to shipping to delivery took exactly one full week.

Have you tried Little Black Bag? My readers who use this link will receive 25% off their first order! (Discount will be automatically applied at checkout.)

Adventures in Hydration: Ignite Naturals IN Refresh Electrolyte Drink (review)

This month I was delighted to have the opportunity to try out Ignite Naturals IN Refresh Electrolyte Drink mix. I sampled the Dragonfruit lemon lime mix.

I learned about Ignite Naturals on Twitter. Their approach to active hydration is different than most other sport drinks. Some sport drinks are sugary or salty to the taste and contain food coloring and other unnatural ingredients (e.g., Gatorade*, which includes long explanations for use of food coloring, sodium, and isomaltulose in the FAQ for the product). Other sport drinks created with tablets are more balanced when it comes to sugar and sodium and contain natural flavors and colors, but the ingredient list reads like a chemistry textbook (e.g., Nuun*).

IN Refresh ingredients are simple, non-GMO, whole foods.

from IgniteNaturals.com

So I started my trial with a small glass of Dragonfruit lemon lime.

Whoa! Flavor!

The directions indicate one level scoop (about a teaspoon) for 6-8 oz. of water. That, my friends, produces a rich, bright, tasty beverage. 

Scoop & mix from Ignite Naturals and my resulting beverage.

The flavor is sweet, but it doesn't taste like a sweetener or sugar. It's more fruity than anything, which I really enjoyed. My tastebuds were dancing freestyle.

I tried the drink mix in water several more times, experimenting with more water (up to 16 oz.) to experience the diluted flavor (which I associate more with drinks like Nuun). My personal preference is to mix one scoop into a 12 oz. glass of water. That hit the perfect level of saturation for me. Not too sweet, not too dilute.

In other experiments, I mixed the drink powder with other liquids. (Bold, I know!) Since the ingredients include freeze dried organic coconut water, it seemed like an obvious choice was coconut water.

Let the chemistry begin!

I mixed one scoop of the mix with 8 oz. of coconut water. The result? Spectacular. Coconut water is not my favorite on its own, but I usually don't regret mixing it with other things. It tasted like the IN Refresh Electrolyte mix was made for coconut water, really. The thicker feel of coconut water combined with the fruity taste of Dragonfruit lemon lime made me smile on even the hottest afternoon.

I also tried mixing the powder with coconut milk (nah), in a banana coconut-milkshake (okay), and orange juice (meh--the OJ overpowered it).

But what about the actual hydration component of this drink?

I don't let myself get dehydrated on purpose, so I just incorporated this mix into my daily routine of water, water, protein shake, water, and more water. :) I almost ALWAYS need to drink water while I am running. I am one of those people who sweats just thinking about sweating, so I need to replenish my fluids pretty quickly. (I'm also a "salty sweater," meaning after a really sweaty workout I get little salt crystals on my forehead and temples. Sexy, I know.) So my IN Refresh mix came along for a few runs too. It felt a little too high-maintenance for a run because of having to make sure the mix was, well, mixed. (Some powder does separate in the solution.) I would say that it helped me recover from my workouts best of all. I didn't feel like I needed to chug it in order to rehydrate and I felt better sooner, even in humid, hot weather.

So let's break it down...

Benefits

• Made from 100% plant-based, natural, non-GMO food
• Ingredients list is readable (not chem class all over again)
• Sweet, not sugary/sweetener, taste
• Fruity, tastebud dance-provoking taste
• Serious electrolyte recharge for post-workout
• Makes coconut water a worthwhile beverage
• 1% of Ignite Naturals sales go to onepercentfortheplanet.org

Drawbacks

• Some of the powder separates and sits at the bottom of the glass after mixing. (I just kept my spoon in my glass, but it was a little weird to see a little bit of mix at the bottom of my glass. Also makes this drink higher maintenance for running or other activities for which you might bring along a beverage.)
• "Pepper" in the glass. I let several friends try the mix and they all brought up the little black specks floating in the mix and sticking to the sides of the glass. I'm sure they're from the food ingredients, but it's worth mentioning since several friends told me about it.
• The canister for the powder is too large. It arrived with 30 servings, less than half full. Proper packaging is important for shipping, marketing, etc., but the canister seemed like it could've contained 90 servings, not 30, so psychologically it was a "glass-half-empty" feeling. (Also, smaller canisters would mean less packaging, which could result in savings for the company.)

Overall reaction: I'd encourage you to try Ignite Naturals if you're looking for an all-natural solution to your hydration needs. IN Refresh comes in four flavors: Dragonfruit lemon lime, Tangerine passion fruit, Blueberry, and Prickly pear.

*Don't get me wrong--I drink Gatorade at races and I love Nuun. I am just pointing out the differences between these popular drinks and the Ignite Naturals drink mix I'm reviewing. 

How to Organize Your Running Gear

Ah, yes, organization... one of the few aspects of life that still makes my heart skip a beat despite all the daily doldrums and temporary crud I'm dealing with.

Back before I lost my job, Wendy at One Tough Mother Runner wrote a post about organizing her running gear. At that point in time, I had "gizmos and gadgets a plenty" and "whozits and whatzits galore." (Wendy loved my Little Mermaid reference, natch.) :)

Since I'm an organizer at heart, I thought I'd share my process here on my blog on the off chance that it might be helpful to one of you!

I used Wendy's post as a starting point with my own gear. Since I had started running, I had a small snack table next to the kitchen door that served as my running things station--it's where I kept my shoes, my inhalers, my earbuds, and my gym bag. But my clothing was stored separately in a single drawer in my dresser. As my collection grew, I had to shift things to other drawers and it became annoying and time consuming to find what I needed. Things needed to change!

Here's what I did.

This makes me happy. Neat & organized!

1. Pick a location. I chose a closet in my spare bedroom as the new location for my running gear. I had been leaning towards making this spare room a "workout room" anyway since I have a 60 lb. punching bag hung in the corner. I decided that I wanted all of my gear, clothing, shoes, and fuel to be kept in the same spot. That way I could grab what I needed (or just get dressed right there in the spare room) and be on my way. I already had things in that closet: rubbermaid containers of seasonal clothing, sporting equipment (bike helmet, gorilla lock, tennis racket, rain boots, softball glove, ski helmet... I have a thing for helmets... I like my brain), and an organizer for my winter items like gloves, scarves, and hats. But these things don't have to relocate just for my running stuff. My running items actually make a welcome addition because it's technically sporting equipment and I have some seasonal items I'll want to swap out at some point.
2. Decide on a structure. My closet doesn't have doors, and I already had one of those long hanging organizers for my gloves, hats, and scarves (it attaches to the pole in the closet with velcro). I liked the way it looked and worked. Because I wanted to be able to *see* all of my things at once--and not have to root through drawers or boxes to find what I want--I found this solution to be best for me. I went to a local discount store (Ollie's, but I'm not sure if that's a national chain or not) and found precisely what I wanted. It was billed as a "sweater" organizer, but this kind had extra mesh pockets on the sides. Perfect! For people who want a more closed, "put away" look, this kind of organizer is not for you. You might like a tower of drawers or one of those cube structures with the little boxes you can use for storage. Then again, if you have closet doors, the sweater organizer might still be an option for you!

   

   Mesh pockets rock.

3. Organize! Put things where they make the most sense. I took a top-down approach. I put my shirts on the top, my shorts and pants in the middle, my socks and shoes on the bottom. The smaller slots near the bottom also fit random items like hats, water bottles, my SPI belt, and shoe pouch. The side pockets are excellent for holding my gloves, hats, facemask, reflectors, Road ID, heartrate monitor, and bag tags. I use the other side for fuel options--chews, gels, Nuun, and Picky Bars. (Note: I keep wellness items like wrap bandages and pain creams in the bathroom cupboard because, for me, that's where they're most likely to be used. I keep my asthma inhalers in my gym bag and in my purse so I always have them with me. Also, I keep my iPod near my computer because that's where I sync it and charge it.)
4. Keep it organized. Organization is a commitment. It means putting things back where they belong every single time. When I do laundry, I fold things so they fit into the organizer I bought. I always return my shoes to their slots and refill my fuel pouches so I can grab and go. If you take a few small steps to restock your gear and keep the area neat, you should feel less anxious and more ready to conquer whatever run you're doing.

   

   Again: je t'aime, mesh pockets.

Pre-run: I grab the clothes I want to wear, my socks and shoes, and any accessories I'll need. If the run is the next morning, I set these things out on my small table so I can dress and be on my way.

Pre-race: The night before, I lay out what I'll wear, what fuel I'll use, and what water bottle I'll take. I put my clothes on the small table and my food and water bottle choices on the kitchen table next to my keys and phone so I have everything I need in the morning. My focus then will be eating breakfast and leaving for a wonderful racing experience!

If you have any questions about organizing your gear, or want any help, let me know! I love to organize and I'm happy to advise if I can. 

I'd also love to hear about your solutions for your gear! Tell me about what you're doing or what you've done to deal with the swell of stuff. :)

Box Subscription Madness

The box subscription fad is taking the world by storm.

In January, I won a three-month subscription to RunnerBox ($20/mo. bimonthly), which I love.

I bought a three month trial to Bark Box from Fab ($49, normally $69).

I co-bought another one with my boyfriend (because I'm watching my spending, but we wanted to use the credit before it expired!) to Love with Food from Fab just the other day (I paid $18 because I had a $10 credit; $28, normally $36).

There are box subscriptions to get DIY project ideas and supplies every month.

There are box subscriptions to get shirts every season.
(This is currently a Fab deal--expires 3/26. You can buy three months for $35, normally $20/mo. Use my link, please! Pretty please! I earn credit if you place an order. I'll love you forever. And you will love Fab! I know I do.)

It seems you can get just about anything delivered via box subscription these days. At least, this Pinterest board suggests that you can...

Boutique food samples, hosiery, "mantry" (man's pantry) items, undergarments, stationery, healthy snacks, eco-friendly baby gear, hot cocoa and cookies (I particularly like the name Knoshbox), kids books, cigar of the month, cheese of the month, bacon of the month, loose leaf teas, paleo snacks, "art in a box," kids clothing, items for pregnant ladies, fashion accessories, gluten-free foods, cosmetics, and fitness beverage mixes.

Among others.

When did this happen? How did I not notice that I had three, three-month box subscriptions until my first Bark Box showed up today?

In a matter of seconds, I opened the Bark Box, saw a green bone-shaped squeaky toy, squeaked it, and my dog was hopping up and down because she knew it was for her.

A lively game of fetch ensued in the living room. Surely many more good things will come from these boxes I've gotten.

Made in the USA!

I was already really proud to be part of the Oiselle Running team, but as items from their spring collection have slowly trickled out my pride in this organization has grown exponentially.

Nearly EVERY piece in the spring collection boasts "Made in the USA." This is phenomenal, considering that most sports apparel companies manufacture at least the synthetic materials overseas.

Generally speaking, the cotton items are easier to find state-side, and Oiselle cotton and cotton-blend items were made in the USA consistently (one of the reasons I really wanted to represent this brand!). However, the synthetic poly-blend, nylon, polyester, and spandex items were usually made in China, Malaysia, etc.

Not anymore. It seems that Oiselle is pushing hard to make more items in their line in the United States. Many of the new items using synthetic materials--most surprisingly, the new line of sports bras--are made in the USA!

Oiselle is breaking down barriers, in my humble opinion, by offering women the choice of apparel made in our country. At a time when jobs are disappearing (mine included), it's exciting to know that people who enjoy the same freedoms as I do are on the other end of the product line.

Kudos, Oiselle. :)

Adventures in Customer Service: Fab (review)

The Internet is home to a labyrinth of coupon and deal websites and services, and I thought I was familiar with most of the best of them. That was until I found Fab.

Fab is a unique version of the deal/coupon website, driven by good design (their mission). I came across the site by happenstance. I ordered a poster from LivingSocial (a well-known, mostly app-driven deal site) and the order was fulfilled and delivered by Fab. I didn't know that these services intermingled... Turns out that's kind of a like a bait and bait, instead of a bait and switch. There is no switch. Only more things to like...

Actually, since learning about Fab, I've paid more attention to what they're selling than what GroupOn or LivingSocial or Hautelook have because the organization of the website and app is cleaner and easier to use and the items for sale are generally more interesting to me because they're things I may not have otherwise found on my own. I like that.

For example, I bought a Goorin Brothers hat. These are fantastic, American-made, well-designed hats. I remembered liking them quite a bit when I visited their store in San Francisco two summers ago, but I didn't have the funds to splurge on a hat at the time. Fab brought the hats to me and, at a good price, I found a cloche I liked.

Another benefit in contrast to the other deal sites I mentioned above? The "flash sales" are a little longer. There's a little less pressure to "buy now!" and I can think through a purchase and how it will fit in my life. That's really great, considering Fab offers some really terrific options on modern-styled furniture that, honestly, I wouldn't want to get on an impulse buy... If you're giving me a good product, give me the time to make a good decision. Fab does, and they're expanding their market because of it.

So now comes my customer service story... I received a $10 credit (like a coupon) from Fab to use by Valentine's Day. I was excited about having a chance to get a little something special, so I took my time to peruse the shops, marked a few favorite items, and eventually decided to purchase the Aviary Table Lamp.* (Those of you who know me well will not find this to be a surprise at all... haha.) I was excited to include this lovely lantern in my office.

The lamp arrived, I assembled it, and plugged it in. No light. I tried another plug. No light. I tried another light bulb. No light. I tried more plugs and more light bulbs, and still no light.

I wrote to Fab to let them know that I was disappointed and that I wanted instructions on how to return the lamp for another one, or how to process a refund. They wrote back (within two hours) apologizing for my sad experience and promising to help me remedy it. The person signed with their name.

They wrote back again to say that I should keep the lamp and that they were going to send me a replacement, no questions asked. (!) Again, the person signed with their name. In my mind, I know that this is a large company, but because the person signed with their name, the personal touch made me feel like this person was taking charge of my problem and addressing it, making sure that it would be resolved, as though he were an extension of myself, solving the problem how I would solve it for myself. This is good customer service. This is the personalization businesses are missing in the 21st century.

I got the lamp yesterday morning, assembled it, and plugged it in. Light! A beautiful bird lantern! I was thrilled. It's in my office now, replacing a tired old glass lamp I had. The lantern's design updates the space considerably and I'm pleased with the amount and color of the light.

Fab went the extra mile to satisfy my needs. I'm pleased that I have a working lantern. I'm not sure what I'll do with the other one. (Maybe give it to my engineer boyfriend to look at.) But I have a working product. This all took place within ONE WEEK.

So thank you, Fab, for making my shopping and even problem resolution experience such a positive moment in time. Thanks for taking the time to not stress me out. Thanks for taking responsibility for the problem and fixing it.

Fab, you rock.

*Note that I bought this before I lost my job. Le sigh. My purchases are few and only of necessity these days.