giveaway | super generic girl

August 28, 2013
by supergenericgirl 6 Comments

Poor life choices and other stuff I want to tell you about

It might seem like I’ve got something important to tell you but, contrary to every single other time you hear from me, this time I don’t. However, it’s been a few days since I’ve written here and I know you’re bedridden with worry about the hell is going on with me. Right? RIGHT?

Well, wipe away those tears, I’m alright. Never short of things to talk about, what I’m lacking is the time to come here and write thousands and thousands of words about what’s been on my mind (Nutella crepes and Gilmore Girls marathons, for example). But let’s leave those hot topics for later and talk about other stuff. Running stuff, mostly, much to everyone’s surprise. I’m way behind on posting the result of last week’s giveaway so needed an excuse to wave a metaphorical dust cloth around this place. In the interest of time efficiency (and an obvious attempt at disguising the fact that none of these things relate to each other), I’m gonna go ahead and bullet point this bad boy so we can all go back to our lives.

NZ On Screen has a really good documentary about Kiwi running legend Arthur Lydiard. You should watch it if you haven’t. You should also watch it if you have already watched it but need a metaphorical kick in the butt to get outside and run.
Speaking of Arthur Lydiard, this happened:

Someone needs to take away my credit card privileges.

Also, lovely SGG reader Matilda Iglesias scored some pretty sweet Pro Compression marathon socks by leaving a comment in my birthday post. Matilda, please email me (the usual: supergenericgirl at gmail dot com) letting me know which socks you want and what size you wear and I’ll make sure the Pro Compression peeps get those to you!
Good news for those who didn’t win but still want to get their hands on the good stuff: the code PCBLG will get you 40% off marathon socks and sleeves on the Pro Compression website. It also gives you free shipping if you live in the US. Treat yo’self!
But enough about socks. I ran a trail in the Coromandel a couple of weekends ago that destroyed my body (and my will to live) to the point of wanting to give up on that basic feature that distinguishes me from monkeys: the ability to walk upright. I finished with pain on one foot, pain on one knee, scratches on my arms and legs, a bruised knee and a crushed ego. I also didn’t run for a week after that. It was awesome. No, really.
Speaking of trails, I’ve now said it “out loud” on the internet:

I’ve been doing heaps of running lately and most of it has been in the morning. I’m totally going to write a million words about that soon but I just wanted to use one of these bullet points to brag about it (the secret to becoming a morning runner, I’ve found it!).
Finally, when thinking about what to put on here as an update, I wondered what the hell I’ve been up to so I had a look around and the answer seems to be: making myself happy while destroying any possibility of ever being a healthy runner, through poor food choices. As a sort of public service announcement (although more like a reminder), I used my newfound Storify skills and collated a bunch of recent evidence that proves you should never confuse this for a healthy living blog. Storify is being a little bitch and won’t let me embed it but you can see it here.

And now I’ve run out of useless stuff to tell you so I’m going to have a cookie.

August 14, 2013
by supergenericgirl 99 Comments

It’s my birthday so I’ve got a gift for you

Did you notice how great yesterday was? That’s because it was my birthday.

(Also, little bit of free useless trivia for you, it was also Left Handers Day so, being left handed, I use that as an excuse to celebrate twice as hard every year. Keep that in mind when you think about buying me only one gift next year.)

I kind of love birthdays. It’s like a second chance to start on (and likely fail at) the resolutions you forgot about four days into the new year.

Also, presents and attention. I’m a sucker for both of those.

With most of my friends galavanting around the Northern Hemisphere on their incredibly poorly-timed holidays (those bastards), this birthday is a bit quieter. But it was still pretty good. It included lunch with friends in the sun (with the weather even tricking me into thinking I was having my birthday in the correct hemisphere), cool gifts, flowers, cute cards and a really nice dinner. It also included an early morning run, which even Nike was amazed at.

Weird, I know, Nike.

This birthday morning run was just one of the many responsible grown up things I’ve done in the last few hours. I’m way wiser now, you guys. Like, totally a grownup. For the first time in months, I was in bed before midnight, another “responsible grown up” move I made in the first few hours of this new, wiser age.

But wait, there’s more responsible grownup stuff. Mum gave me full access to her credit card to buy myself a nice gift. Young and cray-cray SGG, given access to this sort of thing, would have been all over the Christian Louboutin site checking the shipping options to New Zealand. This newer wiser version of me, however, didn’t even get to triple digits and spent money on things like running shorts and a new yoga mat. I could almost hear mum’s sigh of relief from this side of the world when I forwarded her the purchase confirmation email.

Oh, and I opened a business bank account. How’s that for grownup? Sure, I have no idea what to do with it and I’m dreading my first tax return filing deadline thingy, but I’m now officially a “solopreneur” which is a really fancy way of saying I’m responsible for finding my own income every month, which is equal parts exciting and terrifying.

(Actually, it’s mostly just terrifying but I’m trying to keep this upbeat so play along and don’t ruin my birthday post, please.)

The other thing that comes with being a much wiser, mature and responsible adult is the ability to accept that other people can have nice things too and it’s ok if someone gets something nice for free and you don’t get it too. Apparently.

I think you’ve noticed I love a bright running outfit. Bright running gear makes me happy and anything that makes me happy should make you happy because otherwise you’re a jerk who wants me to be unhappy and no one likes jerks like that. So don’t do it.

Knowing how much I love my bright Pro Compression socks, the lovely folks at Pro Compression decided SGG readers should get another gift, even though it’s my birthday and not yours. Trust Pro Compression to teach me this invaluable lesson about maturity and selflessness (and missing out on free socks).

One of the lovely people who were patient enough to read this entire post will win a pair of Pro Compression Marathon Socks – a sweet, sweet gift valued at US$50. You get to choose which ones you want but if I see you wearing the retro ones and I don’t have a pair of my own yet, then we’ll have problems (how awesome are those? I KNOW!).

Old photo because I couldn’t be bothered taking a new one and, really, they’re the same damn socks.

I’m going to make this really easy for you. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post telling me what kickass thing you think I should do in the next 364 days before I reach the big three-oh. Did you do anything super cool in your twenties? Are you still in your twenties? Have you got long to go before your thirties? If you said yes to that last one, I don’t think I like you that much. But anyway, tell me everything! I’m going to leave the giveaway open until 21 August and you come back and comment as many times as you like. Each comment is an entry so the more ideas you give me, the more chances you have to win.

Clearly, the older I turn the nicer I become – I bet you can’t wait for next year!

Well, I can, so settle down.

—

Now, the not-so-fine print:

– Pro Compression is sponsoring this giveaway because they’re awesome. This means they’re providing you with the socks but that’s where the deal ends. They don’t pay me to tell you they’re awesome. But they are.

– This giveaway is open to anyone anywhere in the world. Yes, even you. I live right at the bottom of the world and their socks get to me which means they can get anywhere on the planet.

January 20, 2013
by supergenericgirl 5 Comments

Pro Compression giveaway winner

My 10 days of reading about the awesome stuff that happened in your days are over (unless you want to keep telling me what is brightening your day, which I’m totally ok with).

I combined the comments with the Facebook likes (in the order they happened) and then used a random number generator to pick a winner because, if I had to choose, I’d probably guilt-trip myself into going bankrupt by buying compression socks for everyone who commented and, also, I don’t really have the energy to go through all comments and pick a winner.

Congratulations Leon Klijmeij, one of your comments made you the winner of this giveaway. Please head over to the Pro Compression website and choose the pair of marathon socks you would like to have, then email supergenericgirl at gmail dot com with the socks you want, your size and your postal address so I can give the good guys at Pro Compression all the details.

Thank you so much to everyone who entered. In an ideal world, you’d all get socks (and not just the ones distant relatives give you for Christmas) but I’m not Oprah so there’s nothing under your chairs. I know, it disappoints me too.

January 12, 2013
by supergenericgirl 23 Comments

Putting together a marathon playlist

I have a problem. Well, a few. But one, in particular, for today. I’ll bother you about the others another time. I like to think I’ve got a broad musical taste but the music I tend to listen to on a day-to-day basis is not even remotely close to being good running music.

To be honest, now that I’ve typed that, I’m not actually sure I know what defines “good running music”. Sure, stuff like BPM (beats per minute) is important but, then again, everyone’s pace is different so it’s still very hard to find music that suits a particular style of running.

Sometimes I notice what I’m listening to at home or at work and I wonder whether the appropriate sport for these songs is kind of restricted to “bawling your eyes out” (that’s a sport, right?). But that’s okay. Like I said, I’ve got a broad enough range of stuff I listen to that I can put together a playlist for my workouts. So I did that about, hmm, a year ago. And I’ve stuck with it since then.

Last week, during one of my runs, I caught myself skipping pretty much every second song, which completely distracted me from the run. This, buddies of mine, is a clear sign that Lady Gaga and I need to spend some time apart.

There are a few songs that, for some reason, I haven’t gotten tired of (yet). In case you’re looking for some good songs to keep you going, here’s the list of stuff I’m currently happy to run to:

Florence and the Machine – Dog Days Are Over (actually, pretty much all of her songs)
Chemical Brothers – Galvanize
Eminem – Lose Yourself
La Roux – Bulletproof
Bloc Party – Banquet
OK Go – Get Over It (or, you know, any of their other songs)
Iron Maiden – Run to the Hills (pretty self-explanatory)
MGMT – Kids
Kids of 88 – My House
Arcade Fire – No Cars Go
Franz Ferdinand – This Fire (or any other of their songs, basically)
Vampire Weekend – Run
The Killers – Mr Brightside
The Postal Service – Such Great Heights

That’s it. Fourteen songs that probably won’t make me hit the “next” button while running. You know who can run a marathon within the time that it takes for these fourteen songs to play? No one, that’s who.

So I need more music. I’ve been trying to find the right kind of stuff and have been pretty successful with some discoveries. Rock My Run, for example, is one of my new favourite websites and some of their mixes have kept me really happy during some lonely runs. The problem is that I’m far too OCD to risk running a marathon with a playlist someone else put together.

I’ve also tried audiobooks and I’m even considering giving them another go but I find that they require a level of concentration that I cannot give them while running (I kept getting distracted and then going back to listening and not knowing a thing about what was happening to the characters).

So this is where you come in. I need to block out the sound of my lungs trying to pop out of my mouth (lovely image, I know. Sorry, it’s out there now). So tell me: what song really gets you going? Have you mastered the perfect running playlist? What’s your power song for when you feel like maybe you should just turn around and walk back home? Is it really embarrassing to have the Eye of the Tiger on your playlist? Tell me everything!

***

After telling me about your favourite running songs, don’t forget to enter the Pro Compression giveaway that will be running (running, hahahahaha, get it? So clever) until January 20. You can enter as many times as you like since I love hearing about what’s brightening people’s days. And since we’re sharing, my day today was brightened by a lovely picnic with a bunch of fellow runners followed by a delicious gingernut latte. What about yours?

January 10, 2013
by supergenericgirl 88 Comments

Pro Compression socks giveaway

No, I’m not giving you my own compression socks. That’d be a little gross. But I’m giving you brand new socks, cooler than the socks your grandma gives you for Christmas!

Alright, you lot, listen up. Having Super Generic Girl in your browser history, as embarrassing and hard to explain as it might be sometimes, might finally pay off.

The good people over at Pro Compression decided you deserved to be rewarded for coming here and, among other things, reading me as I go on and on about how much I love compression socks and running and anything else that may or may not be even remotely related to running. Aren’t they cool? I agree.

Remember how I got my lime Pro Compression socks earlier this month and it gave me extra motivation to go out for a run? I’ve been practically living in those things (fashion tip: lime green goes with EVERYTHING) and getting compliments from a bunch of people (who obviously have great taste). Some people make a distinction between compression socks for recovery and performance compression socks, that you can wear while working out. My compression socks get worn during that really technical period of a training programme commonly known as “whenever I feel like it”. I find that they really help me if I wear them while running, as my legs don’t get tired or feel as heavy. They’re also great for post-running recovery (I sleep in compression socks more often than I’m prepared to admit).

Now it’s your turn to give them a try. Yours don’t have to be as bright as mine, even (but if you ask me, they should). Pro Compression is giving one lucky Super Generic Girl reader a pair of their marathon compression socks, whatever size or color suits you. If you want to go for the more neutral black or white, go for it. I won’t judge. Much.

These socks are unisex and can be worn before, during and after your workout. They are designed and manufactured in the USA using high quality materials. Plus – and this is where my technical expertise comes in – they look really good. So, yeah, you need to be rocking these out while you’re running, cycling, or whatever it is that you do to stay fit.

I’m going to keep it real simple. Since I love my bright Pro Compression socks, all I’m going to ask you to do, to enter the giveaway, is leave a comment on this post telling me what is brightening your day today. Are you having a day off work? Did you have a really spectacular coffee at a place you can’t wait to tell me about? Did you bump into an old friend? Just say it! For a bonus entry, head to Facebook and “like” Super Generic Girl on there, then leave me an additional comment telling me you’ve done so. You can enter as many times as you like by leaving comments over the next 10 days and the more you comment, the higher are your chances of winning.

On January 20, I’m going to announce the winner so, basically, you have 10 whole days to tell me what’s making you happy on that particular day. Sharing positive stuff and all that jazz. Couldn’t be easier, right? Right. In the mean time, get commenting and share the love among those you know. If you already have enough pairs of compression socks (if there is such a thing as “enough pairs of compression socks”), then you should enter on behalf of the special runner in your life and automatically qualify for part of their inheritance.

Not so small print because I’m not even changing the font size:
– This giveaway is sponsored by Pro Compression. The socks come from them, the opinions come from me.

– The giveaway is open to anyone anywhere in the world. This is the internet, after all. World Wide Web and stuff. The folk at Pro Compression get that. I live right down here at the bottom of the world in New Zealand so, if my pretty lime socks got to me, they can get to wherever you are.