getting into the move: did you?

two weeks ago, i posted about the get into the move challenge from degree -- specifically, the facebook app that allows you to track your movements and redeem the points you earn [primarily through activity] for some pretty sweet prizes.

my goals were to stick to a consistent + moderate routine, incorporating running, strength training, and yoga. so how did it go?

i would say pretty well! 3 runs, 3 yoga practices, and 2 cross-training/weights sessions got the ol' CHECK!-mark last week, earning me 5 entries into the weekly prize drawing.

i'm not going to pretend that every move i attempted was flawless . . .

but at least i made it to the mat!

in addition, i received my sample from Degree -- their invisible solid antiperspirant & deodorant with motionSENSE in the fresh energy scent. i wasn't sure what to expect from the technology, but i definitely noticed it working its magic throughout a busy workday.

so: have any of you checked out the get into the move app? if not, it's here, via facebook, and there's still plenty of time to join in. in addition to the prizes to be found there, you can enter once more by leaving a comment on this page to win a $100 visa gift card from BlogHer!

to enter, just leave a comment telling me what best motivates you to work out? in addition to $100 giveaways, of course :)

sweepstakes info:

Dates: 7/19 - 8/15: 5pm PST

BlogHer round up page with more chances to win: Visit the Prizes and Promotions section

Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry
methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment
on this post

c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on
this post

d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about
an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older

Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.

You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be
selected.

Visit the Official Rules here

i like the way you move

you all know how i feel about movement.



flashback to thunder road marathon in '09!
whether training for a race or just working up a healthy sweat on the yoga mat, i believe that exercise is an essential part of a balanced and happy lifestyle.


sure, movement also has long-term health benefits, but to me the most valuable part of a great workout is the way i feel for the rest of the day.

as you all know, i love planning my workouts in advance -- figuring out ahead of time how i will fit movement into my week! usually, my motivation level is pretty high because i know that i will feel better having gotten in some activity. but on days when i need an extra push, some kind of tracking routine sometimes helps to push me out the door.

usually i just stick to my planner, but when contacted about the new Degree "Get Into the Move" app on facebook, i found it to be a fun alternative to my usual check-boxes. it can be found here, and it's a program designed to track your movement while helping to motivate you with prizes.

join the app, and motionMILES are earned quickly by logging workouts and other movement-heavy activities, inviting friends to "Get into the Move", answering daily trivia questions, and even just logging in. these motionMILES can then be redeemed for chances to win instant prizes, weekly sweepstakes, or bigger grand prizes [personally, i'm holding out for the yoga immersion in costa rica!].



i'm up to 12 points already!!

my current fitness goals are a bit tamer than those of my marathon past -- but i would still like to get in on a weekly basis:

✰ 3 runs

✰ 5-6 yoga practices

i will be tracking my movement using the app while dreaming about downward dogs in the sand :)

of note, Degree will also be sending me some of their newest Degree with motionSENSE to review. their formula incorporates motionSense Technology so that it is activated by motion first [before moisture strikes]. i haven't received mine yet, but i'm looking forward to trying it, and when i do i will be sure to let you know how it lives up to my high standards!

so: who's up for a movement challenge? i encourage each of you to check it out + join up for the motivation benefits and prize opportunities!

go here to check out the app on facebook, and share your weekly workout goals on this post for automatic entry into a random drawing for a $100 visa gift card. use it for a new workout outfit, a yoga mat . . . or just a relaxing spa day to celebrate your movement victories. you deserve it, after all!

sweepstakes info:

Dates: 6/20-7/18: 5pm PST

BlogHer round up page with more chances to win: Visit the Prizes and Promotions section

Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry
methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment
on this post

c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on
this post

d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about
an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older

Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.

You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be
selected.

Visit the Official Rules here

awake + fresh

This is a sponsored review from BlogHer and OLAY.

young and proud
ever since i've turned 30 years young, i have been THRILLED every time i get carded. i get a little giddy whipping out my ID, hoping that the card-er will make some comment about how they never would have guessed i was 30. usually they don't, but the other day the clerk at the liquor store [i was buying cognac for shrimp en flambé!] looked me in the eyes and said, "sarah - you're going to get carded until you are 40."

that was pretty much the best day ever.

however, i had several factors on my side. one, my hair was up (instant facelift!). two, i was well rested. i hadn't taken call for weeks! i definitely notice a difference in how i look when i am sleeping lovely continuous hours vs. a choppy and inadequate amount.

and i think that the most important difference between young + fresh vs old + tired comes from what the area around my eyes looks like.

so: when i was asked to review olay's new total effects 7-in-1 anti-aging eye cream [with line + dark circle minimizing brush!], i thought it might be fun to see if i would be able to do a little facial subterfuge -- ie: ie, trick the skin around my eyes into looking bright and rested when really, i got paged at midnight, 3 am, and 4:30.

so? what do you think?
personally, i think it worked!


all right, all right . . . in for a close-up:


i liked how well the cream blended in with my skin tone [read: uber-winter-whiter-shade-of-pale] and i did think it gave me a more 'awake' look on a post-call day. the brush-style applicator is fun to use [click and the product is dispensed onto the brush] and it felt nice on my skin.

perhaps it's not quite as ideal as a solid 8 hours in bed, but i'll take what i can get. may the carding continue for AT LEAST another decade!

to WIN a $100 spa finder gift card from blogher (details below), leave a comment on this post with your best strategy for looking wide-awake in the morning (even when that's really not the case)!

-------------------------------------------------------

[please note this is a compensated review, and i received this product free of charge. my true thoughts on the product are reflected in this post]

giveaway details
for additional chances to win: Visit the Prizes & Promotions section
Giveaway Dates: 4/14 - 5/14
Prize: $100 Spa Finder gift card

Sponsor URL: Visit the Official site

Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.

Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.

You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here: Visit the Official Rules.

winner announcement

thank you to all who entered!


the notorious random number generator has chosen . . .


buzzd! congratulations, buzzd. blogher will be contacting you . . . enjoy your fall shopping! everyone -- thank you for entering! some of you have truly been through a lot and your comments inspired me.

a roundabout journey to 26.2

This is a sponsored post from Disney and BlogHer.

when i was contacted about writing a post about overcoming an obstacle in honor of the new disney film secretariat, several options came to mind.

✭ i could write about the decision to go to medical school, and about the work it took to get where i am today in my career.

✭ i could write about continuing to write about my life daily (at my main site, the SHU box) in the face of mucho time constraints (especially during those residency years!).

but really? neither of those feats would surprise those who have known me since childhood. i'm a nerd at heart (with slightly OCD tendencies) who always loved to write and who never minded sticking her nose into books -- even of the text variety, if it was important for a grade.

however, i am pretty sure that no one expected this girl to become a runner.


no -- i spent my formative years as a cheerleader, and not a very good one at that. this photo was taken during middle school on halloween night -- i figured that my uniform would make for a convenient 'costume', and besides, i was immensely proud of it.

when high school finally came around (and i lost those ridiculous glasses), my cheerleading became more of an athletic pursuit and less of a costume party. we didn't just cheer at the sidelines of games; we competed, and i actually ended up enjoying it a great deal.

still, though -- i had athlete envy. friends that i had who played field hockey or soccer would jeer that cheerleading wasn't a real sport. while i had no desire to grab a stick and compete with them on the field (court? uhh . . . yeah, you can see why i stuck to back handsprings and dance moves), there was one breed of athlete that i often sized up from afar with a wistful admiration . . .

the runners. oh, the runners! not only was my HUGE UPPERCLASSMAN CRUSH on the cross-country team, but the girls clad in their shimmery spandex always looked so healthy, fit, and happy. i thought about joining the track or cross-country team each fall, but always backed out, fearing that i could never run as far or as fast, and rationalizing that it wouldn't mesh well with the cheer schedule, anyway.

so i never did it. sure, i might have hit the treadmill for 20 minutes or so as a teenager, trying to get in shape. and when i went to college, i finally figured out that the trick to improving my endurance was to SL-O-O-O-W down and build up my mileage gradually. but it wasn't until i met josh (medical school classmate who became my boyfriend who became my husband ♥) that i really started to view myself as a runner.

josh taught me that with a little planning and a lot of perseverance (and sweat), anyone can become a runner -- even tackling distances that i never dreamed of! it turned out that running is a sport that fits my previously mentioned OCD-ish tendencies like a glove: training plans ignite a fire within me, and yet each run is a relaxing trip away from it all. racing is a chance to just break free and do something without having to be perfect -- because i'm only competing against myself!

fast forward a mere 17 years from the cheerleading picture, and you see me, running my 4th marathon.

clad in spandex that are all my own
i never said it became EASY . . .
but it certainly has become one of the most rewarding pursuits in my life.
and no, i'm not just talking about the post-race burrito!

though that was pretty rewarding in its own right as well.
so there you have it: a journey from ragamuffin cheerleader to marathoner. if i can do it (did you SEE those glasses!?), anyone can.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
this post was written as part of the BlogHer reviewers program. check out the BlogHer.com special offers page for a chance to win a $100 VISA gift card from the BlogHer company (official rules here).

more information on the film secretariat (in theaters friday, october 8th!) can be found here, and you can check out the associated facebook and twitter pages as well. and you can see even more on youtube.

what is an obstacle that you have overcome that might surprise your middle school classmates? or, equally as important, what would you buy with a $100 gift card?? feel free to share in the comments!