IDEO | No Limits.

"Don't ever limit yourself on what you think you can do or what someone else thinks you're capable of achieving. Also, if you feel the need to tell me what you think I cannot do, I will use every effort to prove you wrong. So be warned. I don't give up easily." - Me

I posted this quote and picture on my Facebook the other day in reference to a comment a fellow racer made to me before the 10k race, advising me to move to the back with the slower paced runners. I passed her in the race and beat her in the end. Friends, you may experience comments such as these when you are out there competing or just living life, but the trick is not to let it bother you. Instead, let the words fuel your passion. A passion that we all have because of the comeback we have made. The IDEO knows no limits.

Tell me I can't do something and I will prove you wrong.

 

GE Irving Marathon 10K

Of course, it wouldn't be a full post without a couple pictures from my IDEOnista wardrobe from this past week. ☺ As I've mentioned before, the IDEO looks great with dresses! Take a quick look below. Spring is a great time to wear flowy skirts and dresses!

Tip: Black tennis shoes are definitely a staple  to have when dressing up any of your fancy outfits.



Also, my IDEOnista friend Lisa told me about some cool work shoes she bought recently that she was able to fit in her IDEO. Check these out! They are Clarks: Feature Show.

Lisa's shoes... Clarks: Feature Show

Have a great week! ♥

IDEOnista Spotlight: Iana

Today, I would like to share with you a post about a wonderful woman I have come to know in the IDEO community by the name of Iana. She is an amazing lady that I hope to meet in person one day! Read her IDEO advice, clothing style, and inspiration below.

Name: Iana

When did you get your IDEO?: June 2014

What is your clothing style: I work with horses, so my clothing style is breeches, long sleeved shirts (sun protection), dirt, shavings, horse hair and boots / hiking shoes :) ... and when I am not with horses, I wear skirts and dresses. I like being a girly girl when not in breeches.

What have you found to be the outfit you feel best in the IDEO?: Favorite outfit would probably be a maxi dress or skirt, something flowy, gypsy and fun!

Favorite shoe brand to wear with the IDEO: I found a boot called NuTec, for men. They are known as "packers". I also recently tried a pair of Ariat paddock boots and they also fit well. I must buy two pairs since my feet are pretty small in general. I have an unusual angle to my ankle and Ryan Blanck had to fit my IDEO to it... I have to walk in heels.... yup... heels... wedges are the best so in boots I have to put in an insert. I have also found a couple of sandals at The Walking Store that are wide enough to fit the IDEO. I have even found a couple transvestite shoe stores that offer high heels in men's sizes... (I didn't think about that Iana!)

Advice for other IDEOnista's: Don't make limits. Just go out there and try it on... whatever it is... life is fully of daily miracles, we just have to see them and be thankful.

What has been your proudest moment in the IDEO so far?: Gosh, it's hard to say which is my proudest moment... I think everyday, every moment is just amazing. Just knowing I can walk and not have pain is a miracle all the time.

What are your goals for 2015?: Now that I can move more, my goal is to lose 70lbs and to become super fit again.

What's your favorite quote?: My dad used to say, "Give time to time."

 

 

In Iana's words: "Be happy, be thankful and keep going forward." ☺



SPRINGing into Action :)

In the weeks since my last post, I have accomplished some pretty cool things in my IDEO! Namely, I completed my first 10K race in the GE Irving Marathon yesterday, which was such an amazing and fulfilling experience. My goal was to run it under 60 minutes and I finished with a time of 59.34, placing 111th out of 332 overall, 41st of 233 women and 8th out of 25 in my age group. Running is my passion and after my ankle injury I didn't know if I'd ever have the chance to make running a part of my life again... so to be able to do what I did yesterday is just amazing. The IDEO truly gave me my life back and my spirit and I run each race like it's a gift... because it is :)

My friend Jen and me at the finish of the 10K

Another "first" in the IDEO was indoor rock climbing... and I had so much fun! Sadly, I don't have any pictures to show, but you can definitely fit the IDEO in climbing shoes. I just went up a size or two for the IDEO side (like I do in my tennis shoes) and I was able to fit it in there just fine. In fact, I think I was a better climber than some of the regular people climbing the walls :)

I have also been getting more into my yoga routine (#orimtryingto☺). I think it is really important to get in tune with your body because it helps be able to evaluate where you are tight and which muscles need more work / release. For me, my non-IDEO leg tends to get really tight so I focus a lot on strengthening and stretching as much as I can. Here is a picture from a Saturday morning class in the park. It's taken me awhile to be able to trust where my IDEO leg is planted but now that I've had it for awhile and my core is stronger too, I don't have to stare at my leg to know where it is. Tip: I practice yoga in my IDEO because it is painful for me to be without it, but I do know other IDEO peeps who take their IDEO off when doing yoga. You just need to decide what's best for you / your injury.

#happyyoga

Now that the weather is more spring like, I'm happy to report I am back on my road bike again! I took it out for a 25 mile ride last week around the lake and it felt amazing. I love riding my bike and it feels normal in the IDEO. I clip into my pedal on the non-IDEO side and use a regular pedal for my IDEO. Here is a pic before I left for the ride. (See, you can make the IDEO look cute in a bike outfit! ☺)

#bikehappy

I went home a few weekends ago to visit my family and wanted to share with you an awesome organization called Spike's K9 fund (t-shirt I'm sporting in this picture below). If you haven't checked out Spike's K9 Fund, you really should. It is an organization created by my friend and IDEO user - James - whose life was saved multiple times by military dogs and whose mission now is to support those military dogs who have returned home. By donating or purchasing a t-shirt, you can help to provide medical care for the dogs! Here is a picture of the shirt! 

help support Spike's K9 fund!

Lastly, I wanted to share two pictures from my Spring IDEOnista wardrobe! It makes me super happy to break out the pastel colors ☺☺ and below I want you to see how seamless the IDEO looks with jeans and a fun top. I know I show my jean outfits quite a bit... but I think that's really one of the best looks with the IDEO. So embrace your pastels and get yourself a dark wash jean and dark colored tennis shoe and smile... life is good ☺ Hope everyone has a great week. #beAMAZING #IDEOnista

 

A Hint of Spring & Travel (& of course running!)

Hope everyone is having a great weekend! I started my morning off with 29 hill sprints totaling 4.5 miles... hope your Saturday has been just as great ☺ 

29 hills sprints later... You can see we got a little muddy!

Last weekend, I ran in a 5K in Arizona and placed 3rd in my age group (26th overall and 11th in the women), with my fastest time since receiving my IDEO! I was so excited. Each race is a reminder of just how far I have come... truly amazing. Right before the race, a man said to me, "Do you really think you should be running?" Despite his discouraging comment, I think it helped me to run even faster because I was determined to prove him wrong. No matter what anyone says to you, believe in yourself and what you are capable of achieving.

This quote by Sandra King is a powerful reminder that I often repeat to myself. I hope you will remember it too.

"Unless someone can look into the core of your heart and see the degree of your passions or look into the depth of your soul and see the extent of your will, then they have no business telling you what you can and cannot achieve. Because while they may know the odds, they do not know you."



While I was in Arizona, I also went on a horseback riding adventure through the desert and hiking in the Sedona mountains. Here are a few pictures from my travels!


My next purchase will be a solid pair of hiking shoes :)

The IDEO goes horseback riding. How fun is that?! ♥

With the warm weather in Arizona, I was able to breakout some pieces from my Spring IDEOnista wardrobe collection! Below are two business dresses that I wore during my work conference. I personally prefer dresses that hit above the knee, but truthfully you can't really go wrong with a dress at any length.☺ The key for business is keeping your IDEO clean so that it looks shiny and making sure your shoes don't look too athletic.

Lastly, the IDEO goes on a date. Haha just kidding... but for real my date didn't even notice the IDEO until I said something about these being dress shoes! It just goes to show the IDEO isn't always the first thing people see☺

My next adventure planned is a 10K so stay tuned!  And I'm having good thoughts that the weather will continue staying warm so that Spring can get here and we can talk more about Spring wear!  Hope everyone has a wonderful week and remember, you can do anything if you believe you can. #beAWESOME #beYOU

the IDEO goes undercover.

Happy Saturday! I don't know about you guys but it's been freezing in Dallas! We are on our third day of snow & ice... It's definitely made it more challenging to get my workouts in but I do have to say it's been fun to have a little winter weather mix for a change!

Today's post is about proving to you just how easy it is to make the IDEO streamlined (aka undercover) with your outfits all while not having to hide it. Take a look below. Do you even notice the IDEO...? ☺


find yourself some cool running tights :)

These long running tights fit great with the IDEO

Black workout tights are even more stealthy...

Another great staple to have is black workout tights. Your local running store will carry these. Nike & lululemon also have a wide selection but they are $$... so I recommend checking out TJ Maxx or Marshalls - you can find some great deals there!

Note: Make sure that the workout tights you are buying are fitted near the ankle. The last thing you want is the material from the pant bunching up, so definitely make sure when you try them on that the material fits snuggly all the way down (don't buy too big). Another point to mention is that if your tights are a little loose at the bottom, you can do what you normally would do with skinny jeans and pull the pant on over the lateral side bars at the bottom. I personally prefer the tights to be snug so that I don't have to do that but it is an option to consider if you like it looser. 
----


black IDEO. black tights. grey shoes. black top. blue dress ♥

Just another day breaking the stereotype that you can't wear tennis shoes with your nice clothes and look cute at the same time :) Style tip: Look for flowy dresses that you can wear with tights. This will make for some fun outfits!

Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak. - Rachel Zoe

Enjoy your week everyone. Next weekend I'll be in Arizona for work and will be running in a race while I'm there so stay tuned!

As always, please don't hesitate to comment or reach out. Would love to hear from you guys!   

XOXO                                                              

Colored Denim: A Girl's Best Friend.

Hi IDEOnista's! Today I wanted to share my first experience wearing colored skinny jeans.☺ I purchased these jeans from Ann Taylor Loft (style: AT Modern Skinny Jeans). If you are looking for a pair of colored jeans - definitely check them out! As you can see below, these jeans fit really well tucked under the knee cuff and they give you a couple more outfit options if pants are your thing. Also, you'll see (as in all my pictures thus far) that I am wearing dark colored tennis shoes. I think it's really important to find a shoe in grey, tan, or black as these colors can go with a multitude of outfits. White tennis shoes are a no go for me as they tend to stand out too much as athletic shoes. Don't get me wrong I'm all for being athletic, but when it comes to work attire / casual wear - finding a dark colored shoe will help you feel more dressed up and less like you are wearing a "tennis shoe."

See below for a quick look at how the IDEO looks with colored denim. What's your favorite pair of jeans to wear? Would love to hear from you! I hope everyone has a great week!





 

This picture was snapped right before

I spilled my protein shake all over my outfit... :)



In the right denim, a girl can conquer the world. ♥

#beYOU #beAMAZING

Fearlessly Fabulous.

Happy Thursday IDEO friends! Today's post is about feeling fearless to wear bright colors. ☺ I've added a few images below from my IDEOnista wardrobe from the past week. Hoping this post gives you gals some inspiration and ideas on how to make your outfits work with the IDEO. I just want you to know that you don't have to hide the IDEO under your pants and jeans - you can feel comfortable and fearless to be fabulous! For me, that means wearing bright colors. What does it mean for you? #behappy #beYOU

 

"Believe in yourself so strongly that the world can't help but to believe in you too."

 

 

 

The Power of the Human Spirit

We all face challenges in life, but it's through our deepest struggles that we find the strength within. Had you asked me in June 2011 (pre-injury) if I thought I was a strong person, I would have probably told you that I was. But now looking back at the last four years since my injury, I've seen a strength in myself that I didn't know I had. Through all the struggle, when my body seemed to fail me and things weren't looking up, God kept my spirit alive. 

Dean Karnazes sums it up best.

"The body has limitations. The human spirit is boundless." - Dean Karnazes

Remember that though your injury or others may make you feel like you are limited - thank God for the IDEO but also thank God for the human spirit. #nevergiveup


Look on the Sunnyside of Life :)

Hi fellow IDEOnista's! I’ve been a little under the weather lately but now that I’m on the upswing I wanted to give you an update on last weekend’s IDEO adventures. ☺

On Saturday I placed 3^rd in my age group in the 5K I ran in!! I hope this inspires you to know that anything is possible with the IDEO. If running makes you happy, get out there and run again. If walking makes you happy, walk your socks off. Get back to doing what you LOVE again – whether that’s hiking, walking, running – start small and never give up. Pre-injury, when I ran in races, my goal was to beat my previous time and just get faster and faster and now – post-injury, running with the IDEO, I run with a sense of gratitude and thankfulness and each race is special to me because I know the challenges it took to get to where I am today. Before the start of each race I look down at my IDEO and remind myself just how far I’ve come. It’s not about winning anymore (although that is fun and I certainly haven’t lost my competitive nature!); but to me it’s now about enjoying the race because I remember the times when I didn’t know if I’d be able to ever run again. The IDEO is truly a life changing device.



 

Saturday evening was the first time since receiving my IDEO that I’ve been to a black-tie event and I wasn’t sure how my Brooks Glycerin’s and IDEO were going to look with my dress…but I’d have to say I think my inner IDEOnista shined through. ☺ I wore a floor length one shoulder dress and you couldn’t even tell I had a leg brace or tennis shoes on – it was awesome. This is good news for IDEOnista brides out there – I think you could easily fit your dress over the IDEO and your tennis shoes and no one would even know! Pre-IDEO, there would have been no way I could have danced at the wedding, let alone gone to the wedding without my crutches. The IDEO has allowed me to live life again. For that, I am thankful.

 

 

Wishing you all a great week.  Just remember, it’s not about what you don’t have, it’s about what you do with what you have left. Focus on the positives and remember though your injury may have taken a lot away from you and your life, it’s the choices you make with the life you have now. The IDEO opens up a lot of possibilities – don’t let your injury be a setback that stops you from achieving your dreams for your life – choose to make the most of what you have today. Choose to see what you can do with the IDEO – look for the positives that have resulted in your life because of the IDEO and most importantly, never give up. ♥

“I don’t think of all the misery, but of the beauty that still remains.” – Anne Frank

#IDEOfabulous

January 26 | Week in Review

Happy Monday Everyone! I don't know about you guys but I'm super excited about this year and what is to come. ☺ If you put in the effort, anything is possible! I'm currently going on week 3 of my 10K training program with a local running store here in my hometown and LOVING it. Like I said last week, my goal this spring is to build up my core and really focus on my form. I think I may have started out too fast too soon last year (I have a tendency to push myself too hard!) which caused some IT band issues with my non-IDEO leg... so in 2015 I am starting with working on my form and core strength. #gettingstrongereveryday

This weekend I have a 5K planned and a wedding to go to so fun pictures to come! Can't wait to see how the IDEO fancies up for the black tie wedding in my floor length dress! So stay tuned...

 

My advice this week: Take time to reflect on how AMAZING it is that you are even able to walk without pain again, let alone RUN. We are so fortunate to have the technology of the IDEO. When I am out running and start to get tired and feel like stopping, I remind myself of all the pain and the times when I longed to just be able to run again... and it keeps me going. I smile because I am reminded each day of how much the IDEO has changed my life and that is something I will never take for granted. #IDEOstrong What are you grateful for?

Of course, I can't sign off without showing an outfit and a little inspiration. ☺

 

The IDEO looks pretty sleek here if I don't say so myself :)

 

Getting more flexible - feels good!

 

I run every chance that I have because to me it is a gift. ♥

 

 Have a great rest of the week! Never stop trying. #beAMAZING