Happy Handana Giveaway!

By the time you read this, we will have hosted the first ever Booher Family Turkey Day 5K (or whatever the random distance is between this farm and another farmy back road). I was going to try and run an official 5K race, but it was about 30 minutes to drive there. I think I'm making my new rule if it takes me longer to drive there than to run it, I'll run it at home. Except that rule won't apply with marathons. And half marathons that have really cool medals.

Last night we watched an inspiring interview with Nick Vujicic, the author of Unstoppable: The Incredible Power of Faith in Action. Vujicic was born without arms and legs, and travels all over the world to share the message that there is hope even in our darkest moments and thickest trials. He talked about getting depressed, especially when he was younger, about the things he couldn't do, but as he focused on the things he could do, he found happiness and fulfillment.

This is relevant in every life, but of course my mind immediately hones in on how this applies to whatever we're trying to accomplish with our running. I'll never be Meb (even though I'm going to meet him Monday in hopes that he rubs magic fairy marathon dust on me), but I can strive for the fastest my legs can carry me. And I can try to push my edges to discover where I can eek out a few more ounces of strength.

We make our own magic with our lives when we act on what we uniquely have to offer the world. Today, I'm thankful that we're all different and that we teach each other through our differences.

And remember that I promised a T-day giveaway? The creator of this product used a trial in her personal life to create something positive. Here's her story:

My name is Katie Niemeyer and twenty-six years ago, a
severe reaction to a medication sent me to the burn unit at Barnes
Hospital in St. Louis. I was diagnosed with Stevens-Johnson
Syndrome (SJS), an autoimmune reaction causing your skin to
blister to the point that you have 2nd and 3rd degree burns. Unlike
many with SJS, I survived and was not left blind or severely
scarred. I felt so blessed by this outcome.

Yet, as I started running, I discovered that SJS did leave my
eyes very sensitive. If sweat drips into my eyes, it burns so badly
that I find it hard to focus on anything else. Wearing hats and
sweatbands help, but in the Texas heat, I found that the sweat still
dripped, causing extreme pain and an excuse to stop my workouts.
With my first marathon in sight, I needed a solution.

That’s when I created Handana. It is a high performance
fashionable sweatband that wraps around your hand. You can use
both sides of your hand to wipe sweat from your neck or forehand,
while leaving your hand completely free. And if you’re like me,
you need those hands, either to keep your stride smooth or to open
GU packets and water bottles.

Handana does more than protect my eyes: It has become a
powerful reminder to cross my finish lines, to persevere. And I
hope that is what others take away from my story and from this
product, that it becomes a symbol and an inspiration for all of us to
cross our finish lines, no matter what they are in our lives, and
empower others to do the same.

I used my Handana for the first time at the Oak Mountain 21K. It was not as hot outside as it has been, so instead of my normal buckets of sweat, I was producing buckets of snot. I sincerely hope you already ate your turkey for the day.

But back to that race, I am not a rocket launcher. I've never perfected it, and I'd usually rather treat myself like I treat my three year olds and wipe it on the inside of my shirt collar (while running -- in regular life I swear that I use tissues, mostly). Handana was an awesome replacement for my collar and much easier to maneuver while running.

Also, when I was nursing my skinned and bruised knee at the end of that race, I realized that my hand was also bruised and might have been bleeding too if I hadn't worn the Handana. I love unexpected ways a product saves you. 

Dirty from the falls, but no scrapes on my hand!

I will definitely try this out in the summer too. I am a heavy sweater and usually wear some kind of bandana wrapped around my wrist for wiping sweat out of my eyes, but I really liked the material this is made of and that it never felt too wet even though I thoroughly soaked it again and again. My bandanas are always dripping wet in no time.

And it makes a great replacement for a bulky towel at the gym.

Handanas are $15 and come in a variety of colors and sizes.

Want to try one out? Handana sent me another blue size small to share.

To enter: 

Tell me what you would use Handana to wipe. Get creative. I want to laugh today.

For bonus entries (make sure to leave a separate comment for each so I can count them all!):

* Follow Handana on Twitter. Leave a comment telling me you do.

* Follow (or already follow) Yo Momma Runs on Twitter. Leave a comment telling me you do.

* Like Handana on Facebook. Leave a comment telling me you do.

* Like (or already like) Yo Momma runs on Facebook. Leave a comment telling me you do.

* Follow (or already follow) Yo Momma Runs via Google Friend connect. Leave a comment telling me you do.

* Share this giveaway via Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or your blog. Leave a separate comment for each share!

I'll pick a winner on Thursday, November 29th.

***Edit: Also this weekend, they are offering free shipping and 20% off any order with the code THANKFUL. 

P.S. The twinners also wish you a very happy Thanksgiving. 

Handana provided a free product for me to review and one to give away. I received no other compensation, and all thoughts, opinions, and snot rockets are my own.