ThermaCare Heat Wraps {Review and Giveaway}

As I've shared, Hubby and I have taken up running once again.  I completed my second 5k a few weeks ago (the first being last year's 5k, which I ran, survived and then promptly stopped running), and I have at least two more on the schedule (email me if you are local and want to run with me!).  

Yay!  Last weekend's 5k - I rocked it!

Getting back into the running groove has been difficult, with many days of near-death experiences and near-puking experiences.  

But each run has been a little better. I've gotten a little stronger. My runs have gotten a little faster. My lungs and legs recover more quickly. Each run is a practice for the next, and I'm excited to see where my running ability is in a week, a month, a year from now.

That being said, there is an important aspect of running: resting. Well, for me anyways. At this stage in my training, I can't go on a big run every day. My legs hurt, my lungs don't keep up or I get awful side cramps. I've found how important it is to have some rest days in my week, especially when I get some aches and pains that need some attention.

So you can imagine how providential it was when I was asked by the lovely people of ThermaCare to try out their lower back and hip heat wraps.  DIVINE INTERVENTION, I tell you. Because let's be honest: after exercise (particularly a run), what hurts? YOUR BACK AND HIPS. I couldn't say yes fast enough, and I knew that with the training I've been working through, it would be the perfect fit.

Wrap wrap. I love to wrap. I could wrap all day.
How about that?!

The boxes arrived on a week of several runs, so that night I popped one open and placed it on my lower back.  Oh heavenly. The constant but gentle heat was like a sweet sweet salve to my achey back. The wraps offer 16 hours of relief: 8 while on your body, and 8 after you take them off. 

Sweet heavenly heat.

Here's what I love: ThermaCare heat wraps are for everyone. Sure, it is great for me as a runner. But if I wasn't running, it would be great for me as the Mom: the mom who picks up her kids (sometimes two at a time); the mom who grabs several heavy grocery bags out of the trunk of her care with reckless abandon; the mom who simultaneously stirs simmering tomato sauce with her left hand and holds a lower cabinet door shut with her right knee so her 21 month old does not get into the cleaning supplies (again). 

Even when I wasn't running, I needed the relief!

To celebrate bringing consumers 16 hours of relief, ThermaCare is running a super fun sweepstakes on their Facebook page called Rally for Relief. Here are the deets:

Rally for Relief Sweepstakes:

How to Enter

·         Simply ‘Like’ the ThermaCare Facebook page to access the ‘Rally for Relief’ app

·         The 16^th of each month is known as a ‘Rally Day’ – Facebook fans can access the ‘Rally for Relief’ app on the 16^th of each month to receive an additional entry into the Grand Prize drawing and enter the monthly drawing for their chance to win cool prizes

Prizes include:

One Grand Prize: $16,000

Five Trips:

·         Scuba Diving in Cancun, Mexico

·         Hiking in Grand Canyon

·         Tennis in Phoenix, Arizona

·         Bicycling in Sonoma/Napa Valley, California

·         Skiing in Park City, Utah

·         Golf in Palm Beach, Florida

16 Monthly Prizes:

·         One-year supply of ThermaCare products

~~~~~

Also? ThermaCare rocks so hard that they want to give one of my lucky readers 5 boxes (that's 10 heavenly heat wraps, people!) of ThermaCare Heat Wraps.

WHAT??

Entry is easy: Just fill out the Rafflecopter below. Winner will be picked next Friday, September 28, 2012!

a Rafflecopter giveaway