Disclaimer: I received an entry to Vermont City Marathon to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!
With a sad heart the Vermont City Marathon has been postponed until October 25th. The race was originally scheduled for May 24, which was my birthday weekend. I was going to be running the relay with my health coach, business colleague, and friend Dr. Chris Puglisi, and this was going to be her first race in a few years.
While the postponing of this race is rather sad there are some positive things that it has brought me.
The first is my relationship with Dr. Chris. But her and myself are part of a BNI chapter in Binghamton. BNI is a professional networking meeting that is held weekly where members pay to fill a spot for a certain occupation (caterer for me, and health coach for her). Each week we pass referrals and testimonials for each of the members as we are required to participate.
I met Dr. Chris over a year ago in BNI when I started the position I work now as a catering director. Dr. Chris has hosted several events at my venue and in return I have referred her several clients. Over this past year we got pretty close and realized that we had so much in common like running and health. So when the opportunity to run this race as a relay was presented to me, she was one of the first that I thought about.
Since we registered for the race that has made our relationship so much stronger. We joined a 6 week spin challenge at a local spin gym in January to kick start our training and hold each other accountable. And we were excited to plan different parts of our race weekend.
That in turn has helped me to have so much more confidence in her as a person which relates to how much respect I have for her as a health coach. So when I refer clients to her, I know they are going to be in good hands.
While we will not be going to Vermont in May for the race, that doesn't mean that we won't be running together in the future. There is a trail that we like to run behind the university in our city that we run together, and try to avoid as many snakes as possible.
So in the ends I'm happy that Dr. Chris and I are still sharing our love for running, even if it isn't for this race. But it is definitely because of this race!
Showing posts with label Race-Recaps. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Race-Recaps. Show all posts
Monday, March 30, 2020
Friday, November 22, 2019
Bibrave Getaway Exuma
Disclaimer: I received free entry to Run For Pompey Exuma Marathon race and a 4-night stay at The Grand Isle Resort as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!
This is the most exciting blog post I have ever wrote! I have so many things to share with you about my recent trip to Grand Exuma in the Bahamas. Where do I begin? Have you ever had the opportunity to run an international marathon? I think that was the biggest part of this whole trip for me, I've never run an international race before. So this was the trip of a lifetime for me!
The Bibrave Getaway Package
There were a lot of things that were included for us and anyone that booked the Bibrave Getaway package through The Grand Isle Resort:
After unpacking our bags we took a look at our race bags. We each were given a Vooray Pulse Active Backpack which had everything from the packet pickup plus a few extra surprises! Inside we received extra swag from brands that partnered with Bibrave for the Getaway package. We received a pair of Knockaround Premiums Sunglasses, a tube of Nuun Hydration Sport Tablets, a Go Sili hot/cold cup and two different reusable straws, and the new Buff Pack Run Cap. All the other runners who entered the Bibrave Getaway also got a pair of Aftershokz Aeropex too boot!
After opening our swag bags we headed to the pool to meet up with Team Bibrave. We hung out at the pool for a while and caught up, since I hadn't seen them in person since TRE last November. Then we returned to our Villas to get ready for the Welcome Reception.
Day 2
Then once we were sun-kissed enough we headed back to the villa to clean up and get ready for the pre race pasta dinner. This was no ordinary pasta dinner were you get some cheap buffet food. This was an action station where the chef cooked your pasta to order. You were able to choose from several different vegetables and meats, three different shapes of pasta, and three different sauces, I went on the plain side to not upset my belly and got a pesto and bolognese mixture for my first bowl and then just pesto for my second bowl. I also ducked out early to get back to the villa and make sure my gear was all organized for the morning.
Day 3: Race Day
At the aid stations they had iced bottles of water. I would take an entire bottle with me and would use the water to pour on my body to help regulate temperature, since I had an Orange Mud Hydration Pack with Nuun Endurance in it to stay hydrated. At mile 6 or so another runner caught up to me as I was slowing down and finding my rhythm. He was running the ultra for his second time and was from Nasau. So he was used to running in this heat. I ended up pulling a head of him since he was running some then walking every few minutes.
I had run my first international race, and won first place too! I never dreamed this would happen to me. Team Bibrave was so surprised that I finished because I told them to expect a 5 hour marathon from me. I finished with an official time of 4:35 which was less than 2 minutes slower than my NYC Marathon finish last year in perfect conditions and only 16 minutes off my PR of 4:19. I was and still am so proud of myself for finishing as strong and fast as I did.
I drank my post race beer and started to cool off. Then I was announced over the PA system and received my 1st place trophy and $500 from the Minister of Tourism. What an honor!!
This was the day I was looking forward to the most. I spent the morning walking along the beach and enjoying a swing that was in the ocean. Then Mai and I went to lunch at Palapa, the main restaurant for the resort. I had Coconut French Toast that was everything I had been wanting on this trip!
Then I had an 80 minute sports massage which was paired with a tri-enzyme facial. She did such a good job at finding the knots in my body and helping to get them worked out. I have had many massages in my day and can tell when a masseuse knows what they are doing. They don't work the knot the find, they work the muscles that connect to that knot to help release it. It was incredible!
I walked out of the spa feeling like a new man! The staff at the resort were so good at their job! After I left the spa the front desk agent called me over by name. She remembered my name event after a few days! She wanted to ask how my race went and couldn't believe that I had won first place! All of the staff at the resort were so happy and supportive of my win. They know how much this race means for their society with the donations made by the race.
This is the most exciting blog post I have ever wrote! I have so many things to share with you about my recent trip to Grand Exuma in the Bahamas. Where do I begin? Have you ever had the opportunity to run an international marathon? I think that was the biggest part of this whole trip for me, I've never run an international race before. So this was the trip of a lifetime for me!
The Bibrave Getaway Package
There were a lot of things that were included for us and anyone that booked the Bibrave Getaway package through The Grand Isle Resort:
- Welcome Cocktail Reception
- VIP Registration on Property
- Pre-Race Pasta Dinner
- Race Day Shuttle
- Race Registration and Entry Fee
- Post-Race Celebration Dinner
- Breakfast Included Daily
- $200 Resort Credit
Day 1
I arrived on Exuma and got through customs pretty quickly. Bibrave Pro Mai was waiting for me outside the airport along with our shuttle driver. The drive to the resort seemed like it was so fast, and I bet you can imagine my surprise when I realized that they drive on the left side of the road. A car was coming towards us and I was instantly like, wtf is going on and why are they driving so crazy.
We arrived at The Grand Resort and it was so beautiful! The shuttle dropped us off right at the reception building. We checked in and waited to be greeted by Carolyn from Team Bibrave. She had our race packets for us and welcomed us to Exuma. Then we we driven to our villa by the bellman who gave us a detailed room orientation. He made sure to showcase the different bedrooms, kitchen, laundry room, and how to open the doors to the lanai (porch).
After unpacking our bags we took a look at our race bags. We each were given a Vooray Pulse Active Backpack which had everything from the packet pickup plus a few extra surprises! Inside we received extra swag from brands that partnered with Bibrave for the Getaway package. We received a pair of Knockaround Premiums Sunglasses, a tube of Nuun Hydration Sport Tablets, a Go Sili hot/cold cup and two different reusable straws, and the new Buff Pack Run Cap. All the other runners who entered the Bibrave Getaway also got a pair of Aftershokz Aeropex too boot!
We also got the swag from the race too which included a shirt, bottle, cup, pen, drawstring bag, and stuffed plush pig. The pig is the mascot for the island since one of their main attractions is to swim with the pigs. The race medal even has a pig on it, not to jump ahead.
After opening our swag bags we headed to the pool to meet up with Team Bibrave. We hung out at the pool for a while and caught up, since I hadn't seen them in person since TRE last November. Then we returned to our Villas to get ready for the Welcome Reception.
The welcome reception was held at The Grand Isle's newest addition to the resort, 23° North which is a restaurant, lounge, and adult only infinity pool. The reception was with the managers of the resort and organizers of the race. There were several cocktails that we complimentary like the "Run" Punch. I opted not to drink since I was trying to stick to my nutrition plan for the marathon. They had some hors d'oeuvres for us to pick at like fresh fruits, cheese, and crackers, additionally they has several hors d'oeuvres that were passed. The most notable was the conch cake. Conch is one of the native ingredients that is used in a lot of island cooking. The texture was very intriguing because it was more dense in texture than scallop but more tender than octopus or squid. The conch cake was more conch than filling which made every bite so enjoyable.
Day 2
We met up with Team Bibrave for a short shakeout run early in the morning. I'm so glad that we made a point to do that because it helped me get a feel for the climate that I would be running the marathon in. It was very humid and warm at 7AM which was reminiscent of the humid summers we had in Hawaii so it was familiar to me. We ran a loop around some of the houses along the golf course by the coast, which were to die for! Big houses with the most perfect ocean views you could ask for. I didn't dare look up the price of them.
After we cleaned up from the group run we had breakfast with Team Bibrave in their villa before heading down to 23° North for a day by the pool. We ate lunch at Sandy Toes which is the beach bar operated by the hotel. I ordered the grilled Mahi Mahi sandwich and it was seasoned perfectly and so enjoyable. The coleslaw as a topping added the right amount of crunch and acid to balance each bite.
Then once we were sun-kissed enough we headed back to the villa to clean up and get ready for the pre race pasta dinner. This was no ordinary pasta dinner were you get some cheap buffet food. This was an action station where the chef cooked your pasta to order. You were able to choose from several different vegetables and meats, three different shapes of pasta, and three different sauces, I went on the plain side to not upset my belly and got a pesto and bolognese mixture for my first bowl and then just pesto for my second bowl. I also ducked out early to get back to the villa and make sure my gear was all organized for the morning.
I also drank a Nuun Rest before bed to help calm my mind. This was a great choice since I had some pre-race jitters.
Day 3: Race Day
I remember looking at my clock and seeing that I had an hour before my alarm was going to go off. Then the next thing I knew my alarm was blaring! I was out of bed right away and didn't skip a beat with my race day routine. I went right to the kitchen and grabbed the iced coffee I made the night before and a big glass of water. I wanted to make sure that I first off could get some water to flush through me and that I could use the bathroom before I left for the race. No issues in that department. All my gear was gathered up and I was off to meet a couple from Ireland, who were staying at the resort nearby, and graciously agreed to pick me up and drive me to the race since they were also running the marathon.
The race start was in Georgetown and took about 15 minutes to get there. There were only 3 runners for the ultra and 3 runners for the marathon. Both races started at 4AM. The EMT's were kind enough to let us give them a bottle to give us when we got to the halfway turn around. So I froze a bottle of my Nuun Endurance so that it would be thawed but still chilly by the time I got there in a couple hours.
The race started on island time about 15 minutes after the hour. I'm totally used to island time from living in Hawaii but I was thinking that that means I get 15 less minutes running in the darkness before the sun comes up. But I didn't let it bother me.
We were off! I took the lead right away and tried to keep a conservative pace so that I wouldn't burn out too quickly. A cop car was keeping some distance in front of me to make sure the path was clear and any drivers on the road wouldn't hit us. There were 8 aid stations on the course for marathoners, and 7 of them I hit again on the way back. It was more than enough in my opinion.
At the aid stations they had iced bottles of water. I would take an entire bottle with me and would use the water to pour on my body to help regulate temperature, since I had an Orange Mud Hydration Pack with Nuun Endurance in it to stay hydrated. At mile 6 or so another runner caught up to me as I was slowing down and finding my rhythm. He was running the ultra for his second time and was from Nasau. So he was used to running in this heat. I ended up pulling a head of him since he was running some then walking every few minutes.
I reached the halfway point just before the sun rose. Which was perfect since the sun would now be behind me. I brought my Knockaround sunglasses but never had to use them. I was consistent with my Spring Energy gels and Nuun Endurance, and never really hit a wall during the race.
I stopped several times to walk when I would pass a house with unleashed dogs. I didn't want to appear intimidating to them and thought walking was the best option. Then once I was out of visual range I would run again. There was one stop in the race when I was in trouble. The ambulance that had my extra Nuun Endurance wasn't at the turnaround, so I never got my refill but I was drinking like I was going to get a refill.
At about mile 22 I ran out of Nuun in my hydration pack and didn't have any water left in the bottle I took from the aid station. I was started to overheat and get thirsty which was not a good sign. Just when I was about to take a break and figure out a new plan, I saw the aid station around the corner. I drank a whole bottle of water, took a bottle to pour on me, and filled my shirt collar with ice. I was SAVED and made it the rest of the race strong. There was one point whenI was climbing one of the last hills I had to tell myself that I am a Spartan and can endure this, which was what I needed to hear to finish the climb.
As I entered Georgetown I started to get nervous because I wasn't super sure of the direction of the course. Luckily there was a volunteer who pointed me the correct way at an intersection. As I rounded the last turn and could see the cones leading to the finish line I immediately started crying. That was the point when I knew that I had won the marathon.
I had run my first international race, and won first place too! I never dreamed this would happen to me. Team Bibrave was so surprised that I finished because I told them to expect a 5 hour marathon from me. I finished with an official time of 4:35 which was less than 2 minutes slower than my NYC Marathon finish last year in perfect conditions and only 16 minutes off my PR of 4:19. I was and still am so proud of myself for finishing as strong and fast as I did. 
I drank my post race beer and started to cool off. Then I was announced over the PA system and received my 1st place trophy and $500 from the Minister of Tourism. What an honor!!
Then we headed back to the resort on the shuttle. I had a very uncomfortable shower as I chafed all around my man parts, which I used so much Body Glide on. But I was wet for most of the race since I was pouring water on myself. I have never had an issue with Body Glide, just for the record. Then we all met back up at 23° North for more pool time. I opted out of the pool to let my chafe burn heal but still put my feet in the water.
We cleaned up back at the villa and them headed back to 23° North for our Celebration Dinner. Dinner was a family style meal which started with rolls, sushi, and salad. Then they brought out Grouper, Lamb Chop Medallions, Jerk Fried Rice, and Tempura Vegetables. The grouper had this amazing sauce that it was braised in, the fried rice had the perfect amount of kick, and the tempura vegetables were the best I ever had. We finished dinner with a deconstructed Key Lime Pie which was reminiscent of a Hawaiian haupia.
Day 4
This was the day I was looking forward to the most. I spent the morning walking along the beach and enjoying a swing that was in the ocean. Then Mai and I went to lunch at Palapa, the main restaurant for the resort. I had Coconut French Toast that was everything I had been wanting on this trip!
Then I spent the next three hours at the Seastar Spa. My three hour experience started with an Island Manicure and Pedicure. I had never had either of these before and had no idea what to expect. I learned so much about how to take care of my nails and cuticles. The pedicure also included a foot fixation massage which included a salt exfoliation.
Then I had an 80 minute sports massage which was paired with a tri-enzyme facial. She did such a good job at finding the knots in my body and helping to get them worked out. I have had many massages in my day and can tell when a masseuse knows what they are doing. They don't work the knot the find, they work the muscles that connect to that knot to help release it. It was incredible!
I walked out of the spa feeling like a new man! The staff at the resort were so good at their job! After I left the spa the front desk agent called me over by name. She remembered my name event after a few days! She wanted to ask how my race went and couldn't believe that I had won first place! All of the staff at the resort were so happy and supportive of my win. They know how much this race means for their society with the donations made by the race.
We ordered delivery from Palapa for diner that night. I had a BBQ Jerk Chicken Wrap with a pineapple salsa. It was a wonderful balance of spice and tang.
Then we sadly went home the next day.
I'm truly thankful for Bibrave for allowing me to take part if this race and being their for my victory! I can happily say that I'm ending 2019 on a runner's high and cannot wait to see what 2020 has in store!
Saturday, October 19, 2019
Race Recap: GAP Trail Relay
Disclaimer: I received free entry to The GAP Trail Relay race as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!
Running a race can be hard, but it's even easier when you do it with friends! I was able to run the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) which is a 150 rail trail from Cumberland, MD to Pittsburgh, PA. A daunting task when you try to run it alone but the race is a relay.
You can have groups of 4, 6, or 8. I'm pretty sure you can have some mix in between but those are the sizes that you choose from. I was super pumped for this race because they sent the Bibrave team a little swag in the mail months before the race. It was a Read, Set, Move Box with so many goodies. This here really set the expectation for the race because they never lacked in the swag!
At race day check in I was the team captain so I picked up our bibs and welcome bags. Each bag had Balega socks, a tube of Nuun, Honeystinger gels and waffles, GU gels, a Nathan's tail light, a water bottle, Body Glide, and a gift card to Sheetz (local gas station). WOW! As a captain I got a few extra perks like a Brooks Run Happy Hat and a free pair of Brooks shoes of my choice. WOW again!
At the start they also had NYC bagels that were still warm, and photo opts with backdrops and frames. Brooks also had a booth to made signs to cheer along your team.
There was a mandatory safety meeting before the race started that detailed what to expect on the course for markers. This was super helpful since there are other people on the rail trail, so we knew what we had to look out for. They also set the expectation for safety gear during the night runs. Each runner was required to wear a reflector vest, headlamp or knuckle lights, and a tail light after 6:00pm and until 8:00am. This was important for people to see you and you see other people.
The race started prompt at 11:00am with the first leg. We printed out the directions to each of the exchange locations which was the best thing we did and a MUST do for anyone running the race. They did not print them for you. On the directions were turn by turn directions however there wasn't distance for each turn. So we got lost a few times because we were sure how long we were supposed to stay on each road. But then we realized that there were GPS coordinates for each exchange area. When we put those into our phones they took us right there.
The exchange areas always had a staff member from he race at them and a coned off area so we knew where to hand off the slap bracelet. As the race progressed there was so much food for us at the exchange areas. I'm talking pizzas, bagels and coffee, or Uncrustables and chips. They did not skimp out of make sure we had food throughout the race.
I ran the 2nd, 8th, 14th, and 20th legs. My total mileage was 24 miles. Scott had 30 which was the most of us all. Since the legs aren't the same length each time, we all ran different total distances.
In terms of what to expect from the course, the trail is relatively flat. It's a rail trail that follows the train tracks for the first maybe quarter of the race, then its just a trail through the woods. Not technical at all. A few of the legs had some hills but they were isolated legs, not consistent. The longest leg was 11.5 miles and the shortest leg was only 3 miles, so there was definitely a lot of variation between legs. The shorter legs didn't give us much time to drive to the next exchange area but we made it.
We did encounter some rain for the last half of the race. It wasn't the best but we had plenty clothes to change into so that we were stuck in the wet clothes freezing our butts off.
We all waited for Jenn to get close to the finish line and we ran as a team through the banner. The medal we got were HEAVY like a centimeter thick, like a said they didn't skimp on anything. We each got a pine tree sapling to bring home and plant.
Then we headed to the restaurant by the finish line and had beer, pirogies, and pretzels. That was the best was to celebrate, hot food and beer!
I really think you need to get a team together to try this race! It's a lot of run and has some beautiful views like waterfalls, rolling hills, windmills, and mountain top vistas. It was a soul feeding race for sure!
Running a race can be hard, but it's even easier when you do it with friends! I was able to run the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) which is a 150 rail trail from Cumberland, MD to Pittsburgh, PA. A daunting task when you try to run it alone but the race is a relay. You can have groups of 4, 6, or 8. I'm pretty sure you can have some mix in between but those are the sizes that you choose from. I was super pumped for this race because they sent the Bibrave team a little swag in the mail months before the race. It was a Read, Set, Move Box with so many goodies. This here really set the expectation for the race because they never lacked in the swag!
At race day check in I was the team captain so I picked up our bibs and welcome bags. Each bag had Balega socks, a tube of Nuun, Honeystinger gels and waffles, GU gels, a Nathan's tail light, a water bottle, Body Glide, and a gift card to Sheetz (local gas station). WOW! As a captain I got a few extra perks like a Brooks Run Happy Hat and a free pair of Brooks shoes of my choice. WOW again!
At the start they also had NYC bagels that were still warm, and photo opts with backdrops and frames. Brooks also had a booth to made signs to cheer along your team.There was a mandatory safety meeting before the race started that detailed what to expect on the course for markers. This was super helpful since there are other people on the rail trail, so we knew what we had to look out for. They also set the expectation for safety gear during the night runs. Each runner was required to wear a reflector vest, headlamp or knuckle lights, and a tail light after 6:00pm and until 8:00am. This was important for people to see you and you see other people.
The race started prompt at 11:00am with the first leg. We printed out the directions to each of the exchange locations which was the best thing we did and a MUST do for anyone running the race. They did not print them for you. On the directions were turn by turn directions however there wasn't distance for each turn. So we got lost a few times because we were sure how long we were supposed to stay on each road. But then we realized that there were GPS coordinates for each exchange area. When we put those into our phones they took us right there.
The exchange areas always had a staff member from he race at them and a coned off area so we knew where to hand off the slap bracelet. As the race progressed there was so much food for us at the exchange areas. I'm talking pizzas, bagels and coffee, or Uncrustables and chips. They did not skimp out of make sure we had food throughout the race. I ran the 2nd, 8th, 14th, and 20th legs. My total mileage was 24 miles. Scott had 30 which was the most of us all. Since the legs aren't the same length each time, we all ran different total distances.
In terms of what to expect from the course, the trail is relatively flat. It's a rail trail that follows the train tracks for the first maybe quarter of the race, then its just a trail through the woods. Not technical at all. A few of the legs had some hills but they were isolated legs, not consistent. The longest leg was 11.5 miles and the shortest leg was only 3 miles, so there was definitely a lot of variation between legs. The shorter legs didn't give us much time to drive to the next exchange area but we made it.
We did encounter some rain for the last half of the race. It wasn't the best but we had plenty clothes to change into so that we were stuck in the wet clothes freezing our butts off.
We all waited for Jenn to get close to the finish line and we ran as a team through the banner. The medal we got were HEAVY like a centimeter thick, like a said they didn't skimp on anything. We each got a pine tree sapling to bring home and plant.
Then we headed to the restaurant by the finish line and had beer, pirogies, and pretzels. That was the best was to celebrate, hot food and beer!
I really think you need to get a team together to try this race! It's a lot of run and has some beautiful views like waterfalls, rolling hills, windmills, and mountain top vistas. It was a soul feeding race for sure!Sunday, September 22, 2019
Race Recap: Rock 'n' Roll Philly
"Disclaimer: I received free entry to Rock 'n' Roll Philly Half Marathon race as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!"
It's September and I finally ran my first running race of the year! I'm just getting my race season going this fall and I'm so excited that I was able to run such a fun Half Marathon! This year I have run two Spartan races and two triathlons, so my year has been far from boring.
I've been looking forward to running another Rock 'n' Roll (RNR) race since 2015 when I ran my first one in Chicago. Let me tell you, this race did not skimp out on any of the anticipation.
Since moving back home to NY, in 2017, I've been wanting to run a race in PA. I have family that live just outside Philly so this was the perfect opportunity to visit them for the weekend and get my race on!
I drove straight to the expo from work which was about 4 hours. The expo was easy and seamless. I met up with Bibrave Pro Joe at the expo and together we walked around to the booths and checked out the different vendors that they had. There were a lot of different vendors than you would typically expect at a race expo, like Purple Carrot and Daily Harvest. I found it interesting that they were both there.
I had all day Saturday to spend with my family. The best part was going out for a real brunch, duh!
Sunday was race day and I was nervous about parking since I know the race had a large number of people expected and it's in the downtown area. So I parked in one the recommended parking garages. The staircase led me to the understreet area which was terrifying. Luckily I found another runner in the race and we found our way together to the race start.
There were plenty of port-a-potties so the lines went quickly. The race started right on time and the corrals started quickly as well.
The first 5 miles of the race went through the downtown area. We were in China town the day before so it was nice to see a familiar setting. The course took us close to Independence Hall but not right past it, but I knew we were close. These miles were tough because of the wind tunnels that the buildings caused.
The next four miles took us down along the river which was very scenic and enjoyable The surrounding trees created fresh air which was a sharp contrast from downtown. Along these miles were live bands typical with RNR races. Most of them were pretty good but I do remember that there was one band that was singing "September" and they were so off that it was actually bad.
These miles by the river, though beautiful, were intense with the humidity and the micro-rolling hills. The slight up and then slight downhill definitely added some challenges, constantly changing your form. When we crossed the bridge to head back toward the finish the sun was in our eyes which just made it feel hotter. Then the uphill finish was unexpected. Not complaining about anything but I didn't look into the course beforehand so these elevation changes threw me off. I still managed to finish in under 2 hours which was my goal!
At the finish they had water, Gatorade, bananas, chips, Philly pretzels (FUCK YES), and multigrain crackers. The beer garden was close to the stage so you could enjoy a beer and listen to the awards which was a nice touch. Overall I loved the race and the challenge. I'm starting my race season strong and I'm ready for more!
It's September and I finally ran my first running race of the year! I'm just getting my race season going this fall and I'm so excited that I was able to run such a fun Half Marathon! This year I have run two Spartan races and two triathlons, so my year has been far from boring. I've been looking forward to running another Rock 'n' Roll (RNR) race since 2015 when I ran my first one in Chicago. Let me tell you, this race did not skimp out on any of the anticipation.
Since moving back home to NY, in 2017, I've been wanting to run a race in PA. I have family that live just outside Philly so this was the perfect opportunity to visit them for the weekend and get my race on!
I drove straight to the expo from work which was about 4 hours. The expo was easy and seamless. I met up with Bibrave Pro Joe at the expo and together we walked around to the booths and checked out the different vendors that they had. There were a lot of different vendors than you would typically expect at a race expo, like Purple Carrot and Daily Harvest. I found it interesting that they were both there. I had all day Saturday to spend with my family. The best part was going out for a real brunch, duh!
Sunday was race day and I was nervous about parking since I know the race had a large number of people expected and it's in the downtown area. So I parked in one the recommended parking garages. The staircase led me to the understreet area which was terrifying. Luckily I found another runner in the race and we found our way together to the race start.
There were plenty of port-a-potties so the lines went quickly. The race started right on time and the corrals started quickly as well. The first 5 miles of the race went through the downtown area. We were in China town the day before so it was nice to see a familiar setting. The course took us close to Independence Hall but not right past it, but I knew we were close. These miles were tough because of the wind tunnels that the buildings caused.
The next four miles took us down along the river which was very scenic and enjoyable The surrounding trees created fresh air which was a sharp contrast from downtown. Along these miles were live bands typical with RNR races. Most of them were pretty good but I do remember that there was one band that was singing "September" and they were so off that it was actually bad.
These miles by the river, though beautiful, were intense with the humidity and the micro-rolling hills. The slight up and then slight downhill definitely added some challenges, constantly changing your form. When we crossed the bridge to head back toward the finish the sun was in our eyes which just made it feel hotter. Then the uphill finish was unexpected. Not complaining about anything but I didn't look into the course beforehand so these elevation changes threw me off. I still managed to finish in under 2 hours which was my goal!At the finish they had water, Gatorade, bananas, chips, Philly pretzels (FUCK YES), and multigrain crackers. The beer garden was close to the stage so you could enjoy a beer and listen to the awards which was a nice touch. Overall I loved the race and the challenge. I'm starting my race season strong and I'm ready for more!
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
Race Recap: Runner's World Half Marathon & Festival
Disclaimer: I received free entry to Runner's World Half & Festival Grand Slam race as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!
Post-race, I was able to jump on Athlinks.com and claim my race results. You can check out how I did it here, and while you’re at it, jump on and make an account too. Don’t forget to add me as a friend so we can go head-to-head in future races!
The Destination
Friday Trial Run
Before the race started we got some trail tips from the Altra sponsored Pros which was helpful. The race itself was very fun and the perfect distance to get the weekend started. There was pizza and popcorn to snack on afterwards, which I thought was a neat idea, even though I'm vegan and don't eat cheese.
Click here for my trail run recap from Bibrave.com.
Saturday 5K and 10K
Click here for my 5K recap from Bibrave.com.
We had a quick break after the 5K to snack, hydrate, and use the bathroom before starting the 10K; which started promptly at 9:30 am. As expected the beginning of the course was just the same as the 5K. It wasn't until we crossed the bridge that the course differed. There was a nice scenic path that the course took by the creek before we got into some hills. I love me some hills but I was still trying to be conservative with my energy. There was a nice long stretch of downhill that felt great running a bit faster and knocking some time off. When I came up to the final hill, that I knew was coming, I climbed faster than the 5K because I conserved some energy. Click here for my 10K recap from Bibrave.com.
I finished strong in both races and was happy with my time and pace. I wasn't anywhere near PR pace for either race but I wasn't trying for that. I figured that if I tried to PR then I would spend too much energy with one race and not do well in the others.
Sunday Half Marathon
I spent a lot of time checking out the course map for this race so I would have a better idea of what hills to expect. The course was pretty much all uphill until mile 9 where we went back down. I planned out exactly when to take in my gels and felt very prepared for the course. I kept telling myself that I just had to get to mile 9 and then I would be golden. Just as planned after mile 9 the end was in my sights. I had just enough energy to get up that last climb before the final stretch. Again I finished strong and within my goal time.
Click here for my Half Marathon Recap from Bibrave.com.
Final Reflections
So to the runners out there that are wondering if they should run a multi-distance race I say go for it! Plan a head and then crush your goals!
Thursday, September 6, 2018
Race Recap: Tough Mudder Western NY
My First Tough Mudder Experience
Since moving back home last year I reconnected with a friend who loves running. So we decided to plan a race together, and that race was a Tough Mudder. I was so excited to finally commit to a race and for it to be an obstacle course race (OCR). I had never run an OCR before so it was a new avenue of running to me.
He had already run the Western NY race and enjoyed it enough to want to run the race again. The race was hosted in the quaint town of Andover, NY which was 2 hours from my house. We decided it would be best to find a place to stay in the area so that we wouldn't have to do that drive twice in one day.
The Tough Mudder website did have a list of suggested lodging however I was able to find a Bed & Breakfast less than 5 minutes from the race. The B&B owner had recommended several restaurants in the nearby town only 15 minutes away so everything was pretty convenient.
Race morning we got the event early since we still had to park and walk to the race start. There was plenty of parking, which we paid for in advance to save $10. However it was almost half a mile's walk to the race start from the parking area.
At the race start they had all the booths for merchandise and other things you would expect at an expo. We knew we would have time after the race to explore so we went right to our corral to get started. The MC for the race was very motivational and shared a great story which really got us excited for the run. Our corral started promptly at 10:30 am.
As an overall summary, the course was all trail with some parts being muddier than others due to rain the night before and added effect for the course. We were far from the first wave so the course was well traveled already. I luckily had on my On Running Cloudventure Trail Shoes which still gave me great traction even on the muddy ground.
At this location the full runners ran two lap on the course, with alternate routes on lap two with different obstacles. On lap 1 we had obstacles like Kiss of Mud, Mud Mile, Hero Walls, and Hero Carry to name a few. The one that stuck out the most was the quagmire. This obstacle was a trug through a very thick mud pool, think cake batter thickness. One girl slipped and fell and went all the way under and then couldn't open her eye due to the thick mud.
Lap two had many more memorable obstacles, that tested you more than the first lap. We started with electroshock therapy which was running through a mess of live electrical wires. Other fun obstacles were Funky Monkey and Kong which were both climbing challenges. The Arctic Enema was a very challenging obstacle, we had to swim under walls in a tank of ice water. I couldn't believe how quickly we froze to the bone.
The hardest part about lap 2 was that the trails had been destroyed at this point from all the runners on their first lap, and the runners ahead of us on their second lap. So it was slow moving since we were trying to keep our footing.
I definitely loved this race, and plan to do more in the future, I was bit by the OCR bug.
Pros
The pros of this race would have to be the course itself. It was on ATV grounds so it was very spread out. Lots of distance between the obstacles gave us time to run off the sore muscles.
Since the race was two lap, the aid stations were in the same spot, so we knew when we would be approaching one for water and fuel.
Lastly the overall camaraderie among the runners was something that you don't normally see in a typical running race. Everyone was willing to lend a hand to help at obstacles which made it much more rewarding when you helped others back.
Cons
There were a few things that I would note about the race that I wasn't thrilled about. I didn't see that many photographers throughout the course. When searching through the pictures after the race, I saw that there were pictures from specific obstacles but when we had run those obstacles there wasn't anyone taking pictures. I feel like I really missed out on this because it would have been nice to have more memories captured. More consistent photo locations would have been nice.
I also wasn't a big fan of the parking situation. After running the full mudder we were pretty worn out, so for us to have to walk another half mile to the car was annoying to say the least.
Even though these two things weren't the coolest, that doesn't sway me from wanting to get another Tough Mudder under my belt. Apparently there is a special headband that you can get from running 3 Mudders in one year. I want that so bad for next year!
Have you run an OCR before? Do you have any favorites?
Since moving back home last year I reconnected with a friend who loves running. So we decided to plan a race together, and that race was a Tough Mudder. I was so excited to finally commit to a race and for it to be an obstacle course race (OCR). I had never run an OCR before so it was a new avenue of running to me.
Pre-Race
He had already run the Western NY race and enjoyed it enough to want to run the race again. The race was hosted in the quaint town of Andover, NY which was 2 hours from my house. We decided it would be best to find a place to stay in the area so that we wouldn't have to do that drive twice in one day.
The Tough Mudder website did have a list of suggested lodging however I was able to find a Bed & Breakfast less than 5 minutes from the race. The B&B owner had recommended several restaurants in the nearby town only 15 minutes away so everything was pretty convenient.
Race morning we got the event early since we still had to park and walk to the race start. There was plenty of parking, which we paid for in advance to save $10. However it was almost half a mile's walk to the race start from the parking area.
At the race start they had all the booths for merchandise and other things you would expect at an expo. We knew we would have time after the race to explore so we went right to our corral to get started. The MC for the race was very motivational and shared a great story which really got us excited for the run. Our corral started promptly at 10:30 am.
The Course
As an overall summary, the course was all trail with some parts being muddier than others due to rain the night before and added effect for the course. We were far from the first wave so the course was well traveled already. I luckily had on my On Running Cloudventure Trail Shoes which still gave me great traction even on the muddy ground.
At this location the full runners ran two lap on the course, with alternate routes on lap two with different obstacles. On lap 1 we had obstacles like Kiss of Mud, Mud Mile, Hero Walls, and Hero Carry to name a few. The one that stuck out the most was the quagmire. This obstacle was a trug through a very thick mud pool, think cake batter thickness. One girl slipped and fell and went all the way under and then couldn't open her eye due to the thick mud.
Lap two had many more memorable obstacles, that tested you more than the first lap. We started with electroshock therapy which was running through a mess of live electrical wires. Other fun obstacles were Funky Monkey and Kong which were both climbing challenges. The Arctic Enema was a very challenging obstacle, we had to swim under walls in a tank of ice water. I couldn't believe how quickly we froze to the bone.
The hardest part about lap 2 was that the trails had been destroyed at this point from all the runners on their first lap, and the runners ahead of us on their second lap. So it was slow moving since we were trying to keep our footing.
Reflections
I definitely loved this race, and plan to do more in the future, I was bit by the OCR bug.
Pros
The pros of this race would have to be the course itself. It was on ATV grounds so it was very spread out. Lots of distance between the obstacles gave us time to run off the sore muscles.
Since the race was two lap, the aid stations were in the same spot, so we knew when we would be approaching one for water and fuel.
Lastly the overall camaraderie among the runners was something that you don't normally see in a typical running race. Everyone was willing to lend a hand to help at obstacles which made it much more rewarding when you helped others back.
Cons
There were a few things that I would note about the race that I wasn't thrilled about. I didn't see that many photographers throughout the course. When searching through the pictures after the race, I saw that there were pictures from specific obstacles but when we had run those obstacles there wasn't anyone taking pictures. I feel like I really missed out on this because it would have been nice to have more memories captured. More consistent photo locations would have been nice.
I also wasn't a big fan of the parking situation. After running the full mudder we were pretty worn out, so for us to have to walk another half mile to the car was annoying to say the least.
Even though these two things weren't the coolest, that doesn't sway me from wanting to get another Tough Mudder under my belt. Apparently there is a special headband that you can get from running 3 Mudders in one year. I want that so bad for next year!
Have you run an OCR before? Do you have any favorites?
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