Product Review: INKnBURN's Sweater

INKnBURN launched a new "sweater" this year...the Navy Holiday Sweater Long Sleeve Tech Shirt.  I love the design and had to have it for my holiday races.  I also purchased last year's release, the Holiday Sweater Vest Sleeveless Tech Shirt.  The ugly sweater craze this year was fun but INKnBURN's sweaters are far from ugly.  They're cool looking and fun to wear.  I was inspired to write an acrostic poem to convey just how cool the INKnBURN sweater is to me and why we all need this in our collection.

SWEATER

Santa Monica-Venice Christmas Run!  I ran the 10K and PR'd in this outfit!  Yeah!  I ran the 5K afterward, in the rain, and still felt good in my gear!

S is for seasonal.  Wearing the sweater is perfect for the holidays!  I ran several holiday themed races this year and sported the Navy Holiday Sweater and Sweater Vest proudly!  You can continue to wear the sweater throughout the year though because it'd be awesome to have holiday cheer all year long!

Holiday Half Marathon in Pomona!  I ran into fellow ambassador, Linzie, at the start!

W is for wicking fabric.  INKnBURN's gear never leaves you wet and oddly sweat stained.  (You know what I'm talking about!  I have photos wearing a tech shirt with stains on my front side that were not attractive!)

My outfit helped my running club win Best Dressed Running Club at the Holiday Half!  We won $250 for the club!  Awesome!

E is for excellent and exceptional quality!  INKnBURN's apparel is all well-made and extra care is taken to make sure each piece is just perfect. The designs are methodically placed and sizing is just right.

Holiday Half Marathon!  I got lots of compliments during the race and it was fun to see so many runners dressed up!

A is for art on apparel!  Wearing INKnBURN will make heads turn as people study the designs and color.  Each design has a story behind it, too.  

Ugly Sweater 5K in Los Angeles in my not-so-ugly sweater and Red Denim Shorts!

T is for tremendous.  It is a formidable task to create new, awe-inspiring designs.  INKnBURN's goal is to bring more color, originality and innovation into the world of workout gear.  This is not an easy thing to do.  Yet this small company is doing it and everything is made in the good 'ol US of A!

Operation Jack Half Marathon at Dockweiler Beach.  I saw several INKnBURN sweaters at this race!

E is for entertaining!  Every time I wear the Holiday Sweater or Sweater Vest, I get tons of compliments.  At a race, someone asked, "How did you wear that sweater the whole time?"  It was a warm 80 degrees in SoCal in December.  They really couldn't tell I was wearing a tech shirt!  Awesome!

Ugly Sweater Run!  I was cozy by the fire in my sweater!

R is for relaxing fit.  INKnBURN's gear is comfortable to wear and never has you pulling tags (because there aren't any) or wishing for a longer length or lower collar line.  The fit and feel is incredible.

Turkey Boogie race in Santa Monica!  Sweater Vest with Denim Skirt.

I hope you can get your hands on the Holiday Sweater, Sweater Vest or any of INKnBURN's awesome gear.  As an ambassador, I am not paid to write this review.  I'm just a big fan of the product and am happy to spread the word about gear that makes me happy.  I feel good when I wear INKnBURN and am more motivated to run!  What more can I ask for?  

If you haven't already given INKnBURN a try, check out www.inknburn.com, create an account and get 15% off your first purchase with my code "tamtoldme."  You'll be excited to workout and you'll look good, too!  Happy Holidays, everyone!

Long Beach Marathon and a PR! Finally!

This year’s Long Beach Marathon was very special because it marked my 10 year anniversary running the Long Beach events.  I joined AREC in March of 2003 when I decided to run my first marathon.  Since then, I’ve run every year—whether it be the 5k, the half or the full.  I trained hard for this full.  This was my 16^th marathon and some fulls I haven’t trained as hard or felt as strong.  I wanted to feel strong—goal #1.  I wanted to beat my time that I ran this past March at LA (6:06:13)—goal #2.  I wanted to make it to the Shock Top beer garden for Beach Bums in time, before they ran out of beer—goal #3.  

 I was really hoping to come in between 5:45-5:30.  Last year at Long Beach, I ran my personal worst marathon.  This year, I ran my personal best time at 5:19:05!  My last PR was in 2005!  It’s been a while since I’ve PRed in any distance and it felt great!  Hard work pays off.  I worked hard to lose 30 lbs. (since January.)  I trained hard and got in the miles.  I tease my running buddy, June, for not letting me take walk breaks during training. (She can be so mean!  Tee hee!)  Thank you, June, for pushing me and helping me be a stronger runner!  During the race, I didn’t walk until Mile 14 and after that just took a few short walking break.  I never hit the wall.  I felt really good and kept pushing myself.   

It was so great to see so many friends on the course!  Thank you to Colleen, Amy and Tom for running with me!  Thank you to Rosie for waiting at Livingston to cheer me on and give me water!  I’m so thankful to Kristen, for running the first 20 miles with me!  The marathon is a journey that culminates months of training, icing, stretching and pain.   It is such a challenge and I’m so grateful to share it with awesome running buddies who trained with me for months and met with me at 5 am, 5:30 am, 6:00 am…because my schedule was so crazy in the summer.   

Thank you to Tina, Stephanie, June, Kristen and James for being amazing friends and running buddies!  Thank you to all AREC friends…you are what makes this club so great.  You all mean so much to me and I am a better person because of the friends I have made here and for all of the inspiration you’ve given to me.

Thank you, AREC!

Proudly holding my Female Runner of the Year certificate and my 

Century Club certificate with a total of 351.7 miles for the 

AREC year (September 2012-August 2013.)

Thank you to my running club, AREC, for naming me 2013 Female Runner of the Year!  It is such an honor to be selected by my fellow runners and just to be mentioned with the other nominees is very humbling.  All of my friends in my club are an inspiration to me.  We have runners who are super fast and some who are slower but go the distance, like me!  We have runners of all shapes and sizes.  We have runners who are new and runners who have been running for a long time.  We have people of all ethnic backgrounds, religions, political views, occupations and sexual orientations and doesn't matter...we pound the pavement and we are a running community.  I love that running brings us together.  Thank you, AREC, for an amazing 10 years!  Here's to many more!

Runner of the Year trophy presentation at my club's 

Jingle Bell Run and Christmas Party night!

Product Review: INKnBURN's Flutter

I love INKnBURN’s clothing because it is art on apparel.  It’s quality apparel made in the good ‘ol US of A!  One of my favorite designs is Flutter.  I love my Flutter tank and skirt. 

Flutter resonates with me because the Monarch Butterfly’s journey in many ways, parallels the journey I take each time I run a marathon.  As marathon #16 approaches, I am reminded of the journey I take in the many months of training all the way to race day and then the daunting 26.2 miles.  Each time I train for a marathon, I go through a life cycle, just as the Monarch Butterfly does. 

The training begins with short 6 milers and progresses to 16 milers to 20 and 22 milers.  Each marathon I have run is analogous to the migration journey the Monarch takes.  The Monarch travels long distances and similarly, the marathon is a long distance.  In the marathon, mile by mile, step after step, the pain and hurt starts to build.  The mental journey is the toughest and I have to dig deep to push through even though my body screams in anguish.  But I know I have trained and I know the many miles I ran in the months prior will help me get through the 26.2. 

And when I have finished the race, I am a changed person in some way.  I am stronger in mind and spirit.  No matter how slow I am going, I am going.  I have met the challenge I put forth for myself.  I am taking the journey again, as I train for my 16^th marathon at Long Beach.  I am glad to have my running buddies along side me, too, as this is the best part of the journey.

Check out INKnBURN’s amazing apparel at www.inknburn.com.  Use my code “tamtoldme” for 15% off!