Welcome to Club INKnBURN

So, anyone who has known me ... at all ... in the past 2 years, knows I'm a major fan of INKnBURN. There are a ton of reasons I really love this company. They are a small business that almost feels like family. They treat every customer as if they are special (unless I really am special, but I think it's everyone). All clothing is hand designed out of the imagination of the artists who are allowed to create freely and supported. All clothing is hand cut, sublimated, and sewn in a small shop in California. In order to maintain their uniqueness in designs, but to continue to be able to create, the business model changed in 2015. Instead of simply pumping out more and more of the same thing, they began designing smaller batches. Once an item/design sells out, that's it.  In the social media world, it has created quite a frenzy and on a Facebook page I moderate, we all have serious FOMO (fear of missing out) and we talk about it. Sometimes, I think you can hear squealing and jumping up and down across the world when a new design is released. Then, a thousand people (men as well as women) jump on the computer and place a frenzied order. 

2016 brought another change. In order to continue creating more and more art on apparel, they started a Club INKnBURN. So, you know, I love monthly subscription boxes. This club offering came with an initial welcome box and every month, there is a club item that members are allowed the opportunity to purchase. Could I resist? Not on your life. The memberships sold out earlier than expected and I was quite relieved that I didn't wait to purchase. No FOMO for me. 

I visited the warehouse in mid-January. Can I pulease see what's in the box? No tour of the factory because special things were going on in the back. No peeking. PULEASE!!!!!!! No sneak peak for you!!! It must be exciting. 

I waited and I waited and I waited. The boxes were to ship at the end of January. I was nervous that my box would not arrive before departing for Italy. No fears they told me. They would do everything in their power to get it to me before I left. And, if it looked delayed, they would hold it and send it to me in Italy. Customer service told me they personally put my box in the hands of the mail carrier. They had made notes about getting my box out fast if possible. And they did!!!

 I admit, I had seen spoilers as a few people did receive their boxes the day before I did. Did that stop my excitement? Hellz No!!! I was happy to see a dancing unicorn in a fairy costume with my box at the door. Well, not quite that, but the box was at my door and it felt magical. The unicorn and fairy thing is a joke in the fan club.
www.relentlessforwardcommotion.com used it first when she identified a particular shirt as her "unicorn" and asked if she could use that term. My friend, Goldilocks, sent me a mystery package one day out of the blue with an item I had wanted. She was my fairy of unicorns ... unicorn fairy was born.

INKnBURN delivers in black bags and this box was a black bag on steroids. Yes, it was the box I was looking for. I opened it up immediately, OK ... tore into it. The contents were wrapped in black tissue with a hand-written card with my name on it on top. Here is what the card said. It made me feel like one of a lucky, special, few. 

So, into the box I dove. 

 I am not disappointed to see a few logo INKnBURN stickers. I can find a fun place to put them. They won't go on my triathlon bucket because I don't want them to get lost in the gamush of other stickers.

A few years ago, INKnBURN made hand-held water bottle holders that matched/coordinated with their classic designs. I missed out on them. But, I do carry my water with me because I can't stand the hip bottles and bladders make me sweaty and feel  heavy. So, was I happy? Absolutelyfreakinglutely. It wraps nicely around the logo'd bottle and has a handy little storage pocket. I absolutely love love love the artwork. The mantras that represent INKnBURN and who they are and what they represent. The colors are vibrant and go with absolutely everything. I love that even when they change designs, they maintain the same color palette, so reds match and blues match and on and on ...

And, this next item was something new. I've never seen this before from INKnBURN. But, they did promise new and different. This small duffel bag that looks like a wooden log. Strength and Whimsy. Handy and convenient. I have big gym bags that are sometimes bigger than I need. This is perfect for those days when I just need a quick coverup and flipflops to get to the car. And, it's different than all the other bags out there.

Trucker hats seem to be the rage these days. They look terrible on me. But, I think it's cool they included one. The ambassadors have been begging for a hat. Since I won't wear a hat, not that I don't love the logo, I am shipping it to my friend UltraMama. I have made lots of friends through INKnBURN.

What's that kind of wrapped up in heavy plastic? OMIGOD!!! How cool is this. Etched glass with all the mantras. Perfect for a frosty cold beverage after a run, right? My new favorite. One thing I absolutely love, though is the Facebook post by one of the owners (BTW ... a redhead from Kansas) that shared some backstory about the company and the reason they included the glass in the welcome box. I love that they have so much thought into their productions and that each one is personal. I love that they share the personal.

We knew there would be a technical t-shirt in the box since the boxes were ordered according to size. I hoped there would be a Tech tube as well. What's a tech tube? It is a tube. Can be used as a scarf, a headband, a cap, a balaclava, etc. Lots of handy uses. And, I've already said how much I love the art/design they chose. I laughed so hard when I saw NO FOMO. Because I definitely would have had serious FOMO if I had missed out. Someone at INKnBURN loves skulls, which may be why they "speak" to me so much. I have been a long-term skully girl. Yes, I'm conservative, but I like to have my dark side. In addition to NO FOMO and the other mantras of INKnBURN, there is a subtle skull design in the layout of the colors. Super cool. Attention to detail. 

Then, at the bottom or the box, a false bottom, sort of. A little black bag. 

What the what? A surprise gift!!! I do believe this is the shirt I have been looking for. 

 So, all told, the value of this box well exceeded the ticket price. I am glad I didn't hesitate. I have yet to be disappointed by an INKnBURN mystery. And I will jump even faster with the next one. And yep, most of this is in my suitcase for Italy.

 And, if you want to see how I really feel ... and how the rest of the INKnBURNers (I made up that term, do you like it?) feel about the box? Well, the Musician has an idea ...

Star Wars Half 2016...and Cirque du Soleil

After finishing the 10K, it was time for breakfast, shower, and then our plans for the day. There are a few things I obsess over ... like superfan. INKnBURN, Lladro, and Cirque du Soleil. Kabinet of Kuriosities was showing in LA and I haven't seen it. I had to go while we were in town.

So, the Musician and I headed to a show about an hour away. Some people say that if you've seen one Cirque show that you have seen them all. I disagree completely. The costumes, the music, the story. Always so different. Even the performances are different. It's sometimes hard to describe the differences because they are filled with feats of athleticism that should be impossible for humans to do. Each show I watch (and even if I see the same one more than once) leaves me amazed. They continue to push the envelope. Who in their right mind conceives that such things could even be possible. This show was just like that. The contortion, the balance, the strength, the climbing ... breathtaking. I knew the theme was a little steampunk-ish. I don't know why I didn't wear my INKnBURN Steampunk kit. I would have fit in perfectly.

After Cirque, we found Vegan House. It was a vegan Asian hole in the wall. It was OK, but not enough for me to write about. And we made it back to the hotel for a few fireworks and to lay out clothes for tomorrow. It's gonna be early.

With a 5 AM start, it was an early morning. Back to the same routine. Porta potties. Pictures. Say goodbye to Tigger and Sorority Girl and I headed to the back of the pack corrals.

 The course started similar today. Through the narrow streets, but it felt even more crowded.

 The costumes were fun again. I especially enjoyed the men in bikini Leia costumes. Hilarious. And there were many. Some super fit and eye-popping. Some old and grey with beer bellies. Also pretty awesome ... takes guts. I was also impressed with the women who had the guts to wear skimpy costumes. I find all bodies to be perfect, but not all bodies look like models. There were so many that I just couldn't take all the pictures I would have wanted.

   We eventually left the park and then it was the bands.

 OMIGOSH!!! The junior high and high school bands and cheer squads were AMAZING on the course. So inspirational. And clearly, competing with each other for the best, loudest, most upbeat. There were even mini-cheer squads. And, by mini I mean they couldn't have been older than 6-8 years old. Adorable. Why I don't have pictures is just beyond me.

 At one point, the fresh donuts smelled amazing, so Sorority Girl and I stopped for a donut and it was as good as it smelled. We called it "nutrition" and "energy" for the course, right? Eventually around mile 10, we came across Cosplay. These costumes were out of this world and these volunteers clearly loved being out there and taking pictures with racers. We probably lost 10-15 minutes taking pictures. They were sometimes better than the costume characters in the park. And, sometimes incredibly creative and different.

 

 

Steampumk Star Wars 

Along the course, we met a few other INKnBURNers we recognized and said "hi" as they passed us or we passed them. Near the end, I lost Sorority Girl. I got caught up in some good music as we re-entered the park. The people along the course at the finish were amazingly inspiring.

 I was surprised to see the Musician at the finish instead of waiting for me at the hotel.

So, I finished on my own and did the medal and food box route.

 Picked up 2 medals ... half and challenge. Did the required pics and headed back to the hotel for fast shower before breakfast.

 After breakfast, we had to check out of the hotel and we found a few ways to kill some time with breakfast and bloody mary's, shopping and gelato.

 We dropped Tigger and her dad off at Will Rogers airport. Sad to see the weekend come to an end so soon.

Then a quick stop by the beach before the Musician dropped me at LAX.

 

He is staying in town for a music convention. For me, back to the real world.