My Top 10 Reasons You Should Buy a Fresno LIVE Card

Hey there blog fans!

OK, I am pretty excited. I'm going to be selling Fresno LIVE cards as a fundraiser for Team In Training. What is the Fresno LIVE card? Basically it's a local discount card which offers over 200 different discounts in Valley restaurants, stores, and other types of shops. At only $12, the card is a super deal, and will pay for itself in no time. But, $6 of that goes right back to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to help pay for medical research, patient programs, family education, and tons of other services to help cancer patients and their families.

Still not sold on the card? Let me give you MY top 10 reasons to buy a Fresno LIVE card. Yes, these are legit - I had one last year before they partnered with the Leukemia Society and I used that bad boy all the time!

Ok, top ten.

No. 1

Campagnia offers buy one lunch entree get one half off with the card, or $10 off any two entrees at dinner. If you've lunched at Campagnia, you've probably had their Phyllo wrapped crab & shrimp melt with pasta primaverasalad & three aiolies, or the Sesame seared ahi tuna salad with field greens, cucumber,carrots, tomatoes, crispy onion rings, miso-wasabi vinaigrette & sweet soy drizzle. And if you haven't been there for lunch - don't you want a Fresno LIVE card now??

No. 2

Ooops, I meant for this to be my number one. BEST DEAL EVER. With the Fresno LIVE Card, you can buy one entree get one free at Old Spaghetti Factory. Anytime. As many times as you want. Seriously. As many times as you can go and not be embarrased to be Fresno LIVE card girl. Use it once, and you've basically paid for your card. Use it 18 times like Dan and I did last year, and save some serious cash.

No. 3

Ok, to be honest, I don't even like Deli Delicious. But since everyone else seems to, I will go ahead and point out that Deli Delicious offers a free bag of chips AND a free drink every time you buy a six-inch sub and show 'em your Fresno LIVE card.

No. 4

50% off miniature golf at Blackbeards. You know it's fun.

No. 5

Also fun - drinking! 50% off wine tastings at Vino 100. If you've never been into the shop, it's very cool, and they have very knowledgeable people to serve you lots of yummy wines. And when you're saving 50%, you can drink twice as much! With a responsible sober driver who is enjoying water and carting you around, of course.

No. 6

While I may have given up sweets until the San Diego Rock-N-Roll marathon, I wouldn't encourage you to even consider doing the same. It's horrible. Instead, you should buy a Fresno LIVE card, and head on over to Marble Slab Creamery to enjoy a 2nd original size ice cream for free when you purchase one at regular price. You can even eat both - just order two different ones so it's looks like you're sharing.

No. 7

If you are a cyclist, triathalete, runner, or heck, even someone who likes to buy gear and not use it - your Fresno LIVE card will get you 10% off at Tri-Sport. Not valid on bikes or sale items, but elligible for everything else, including all those energy chews and gus and all that madness.

No. 8

If someone was going to treat me to a massage or facial, I'd treat them to a Fresno LIVE card so they'd get 10% off at Zena's Island Day Spa. Dan, honey? Are you reading my blog?

No. 9

Oops - another really good discount way at the bottom of my list. Buy one entree get one FREE at Twist. Not only is Twist all fancy and atmospheric, but they have yummy food like apricot rum glazed porkchops AND whiskey bread pudding. Did I mention bananas foster prepared and served tableside?

No. 10

The best reason of all to buy a Fresno LIVE card? That's easy! Every four minutes someone is diagnosed with Leukemia or a blood related cancer. Lucky for them, Team In Training athletes across the country are out doing what we can about it, raising funds for a cure while raising awareness about our cause. Show some support, help find a cure, and get super good discounts on good things to eat. Easy decision!

If my top ten list didn't do it for you, that's ok. You can totally buy a card anyways and give it as a gift! YAY, right??

Ok - here's the deal. If you want to order a card, send me an email at brittneekao@yahoo.com with your mailing address, and I'll send it right out to you with a return envelope for you to send your $12 in! Sound super great? Ok - good! I'm sitting by my email inbox waiting for you!

Until next time...

xoxoxox,

Brittnee

P.S. My leg still hurts, but thanks for asking.

Hello, IT Band.

Dear Blog Readers,

What gives?? Team Kickoff has happened and still no posts about running and training for the San Diego Rock N Roll Marathon. Trust me, I am probably way more sad about this than all of you are.

Instead of details about a fun trot down 10 miles of Clovis canals, or anything like that, this post is about running injuries. Hoorray!

This is your IT band. Yep, you have one, too - it's not just us runners. However, this fun little band in the body causes us runners far more trouble than it generally causes the non-runners out there. Why? Well, let me copy paste from another person's blog and tell you all about it.

First - what is the IT band? The iliotibial band is a thick, fibrous band that spans from the hip to the shin; it lends stability to the knee joint, and is attached to muscles of the thigh. People who suddenly increase their level of activity, such as runners who increase their mileage, often develop iliotibial band syndrome. Others who are prone to ITBS include individuals with mechanical problems of their gait such as people who overpronate, have leg length discrepancies, or are bow-legged.

Now, before you go laughing because you think I'm bowlegged, I am pretty sure I brought this all upon myself doing two nine or ten mile Sunday run at a nine minute pace. Not fast for you, maybe, but fast for me. Two weekends in a row of those long, speedy runs back up to Coach Ray's killer intense six-mile Saturday workouts (through Sierra Challenge Express), and I think we have a diagnosis.

So, three weeks have gone by and I've been missing my running buddies quite a bit. I've attempted getting myself into spin class, but that also seems to have caused my dear friend IT band some irritation. So, here is what my workout looks like:

Pilates - M, W, and F with a very nice group of senior citizens at GB3 since apparently no one under 60 goes to the morning class.

Yoga - attempting my first hot class with my friend Joanne at her studio, Perfect Balance Yoga, tomorrow! That's right - I don't even CARE about you, super bowl!

Stretching like nobody's business. Here is the calf stretch Barrow's Physical Therapy has recommended for me to be doing 5 times a day.

Rolling - not anything illegal. Just working this band out on the dreaded foam roller. Basically, you put your weight onto the roller and roll it up and down your IT band. Looks easy, feels like COMPLETE misery. Like grit your teeth don't hurl expletives at innocent by standers in the gym misery. It's intense.

Now, yesterday my physical therapist said running may be back in the picture soon - like maybe by next Saturday's Team in Training workout. (Which, by the way - it's not too late for you to sign up! Email me for more information about upcoming informational meetings at brittneekao@yahoo.com) But in the meantime, here is my advice for all of you runners out there:

1. A day off won't kill you - take it easy once in awhile! Missing one day's run is much better than missing three weeks with your friends, while also paying for icky PT that your crappy insurance doesn't cover. (Tangent.... sorry)

2. Don't try to be first when you're not speedy. In my blog writing research, all the IT band injury related posts say most injuries come from runners trying to be too fast on their long runs. Yes, Nichole, you are too speedy for me! I need to just admit it! =) Keep rocking girl!

3. STRETCH. Really well, after every run. I am so so bad about this, and I am so sorry now! My new training resolution is to stretch. Hardcore. After every run, and every evening. You should, too!

Ok bloggy friends, that's all I have to post for now. Hopefully this information will prove helpful to you and prevent you from being dumb like me and messing up your own IT band....

XOXOX,

Brittnee