Race Recap: Revel Marathon | Big Bear

On October 14th I ran my 2nd marathon. I said I would never run another marathon after the LA Marathon in 2016 because it was one of the hardest things I’d ever done. But, I don’t think anyone believed me. So, this summer while training with my son for his first half marathon, Cedar City Half Marathon, I caught the bug to run another marathon. Mostly, because I felt that my time was so slow, I had to beat it. I decided I’d sign up for a fast downhill marathon and I would be almost guaranteed to finish faster than LA! The good news, I did! I beat my time by almost a full hour! The bad news, marathons are still hard.

Look at all these goodies that came in my swag bag!!

Big Bear was my first Revel Race Series race and I gotta tell you, they put on a great event! I had volunteered at packet pickup last year for the Mount Charleston race here in Las Vegas and felt they did a great job with the expo here and I think the expo for Big Bear was also excellent. Everything went smoothly, the volunteers were friendly, and I loved their free photo booth and photo ops! When we got to our hotel room, I went through my bag and I was super impressed with the swag. I really liked that they provided a space blanket and even some gloves since the start line was going to be cold! They also had all kinds of other goodies and coupons!

I had listened to Coach Paul’s videos on their facebook page and those videos were awesome. Coach Paul is the online training coach for Revel Races and he gave a lot of really good and useful information about downhill running, what to expect from the course, nutrition, etc. I highly recommend checking out those videos!

On race morning the weather was perfect for running! Cool and overcast most of the way. The course was as expected, thanks again to Coach Paul’s video! At the expo, I grabbed a pace band and was really impressed that it wasn’t a generic bracelet, but rather the pace was calculated by the actual course. So, the sections towards the beginning of the race that were uphill and had rolling hills were accounted for and the downhill parts too. Now, this is the first time I had used one of these bracelets, so I honestly don’t know if that’s the norm or not, but like I said, I was impressed! I can also say that it was really helpful to me! Thanks to the hubs for insisting I check them out!

Most of the course was beautiful and although I was nervous about there being no spectators cheering us on from the sidelines, I don’t think it affected me too much. I had my curated playlist to help me along and the volunteers at the aid stations were all cheerful and friendly, so that helped too! The first 9 miles were pretty hilly (as expected) and not the fast downhill start I was used to from my training. I stuck to my pace band times and was pretty on track until I had to use the lovely port-a-potty so that was 3 minutes I lost. I tried to make them up and by mile 13 I was back on track. This was also when the course started to get “faster” and downhill! I don’t know if I pushed too hard trying to regain those 3 minutes or what but by mile 18, I started to lose my momentum. By mile 22 I was really struggling! I tried to pull it together and find some inner strength but there just wasn’t much there! I was grateful to my playlist for keeping me going, but it didn’t stop the tears from coming! What is it with me and crying during a marathon!?! Tell me I’m not alone! I managed to pull myself together and thanks to a few friendly runners who cheered me on and the spectators once I reached the finish line area, I finished strong. Or as strong as possible and I even managed to not cry again when I got my medal and saw Jason at the finish line! I came close, though!

One thing I didn’t like about the race was that once we got into the town, the drivers were not too careful of us runners! Although we kept to the right of the cones on the street, some cars still drove on the side that was for us and came super close! We mostly ended up running behind each other on the shoulder to not risk getting run over! No pun intended! I know the race directors can’t control the drivers, so I can’t fault the race itself for that. The town was not scenic either and this is is the end of the race so I could have really used some nice distractions, since I was beat!

All in all, I would recommend this race or any of the Revel Races to anyone looking for a downhill marathon or half marathon course. It’s not a huge race event, like the Rock n Roll events, but it’s not a small bare bones event either. Personally, I think it’s just the right size! You get great support on course, have a fun finish line festival area with music, beer, pizza, and donuts, FREE race photos, and even a video slideshow for you to share on social media!! I’m looking forward to adding another Revel Race to my calendar for 2019, but most likely it will be a half marathon 🙂

Race Recap: Cedar City Half Marathon

Oh hey! It’s only taken me a month to jump back on the blog and share how our race actually went! My bad! It took me a while to figure out how I would approach this one. Since I was super open and honest in my last post about what it was like running and training my 13 year old son, I figured I’d keep it open and honest here too.

I really wasn’t sure what to expect on race day. I didn’t want to have high expectations of what running a half marathon with my son would be like. I didn’t want to dream of bonding while on the course and such! I just wanted him to finish and most importantly, to enjoy the race. I’ve been running races, mostly half marathons for about 5 years now and my family travels with me pretty often, so they know about packet pick up, early morning start times, banana for breakfast, long lines for port-a-potties, etc. But it was still pretty cool to actually be experiencing these routine and normal pre-race activities with my son and seeing his reaction to them for the first time as a runner. EEK! I just called him a runner 🙂

We’d been training together all summer, so running alongside him was nothing new, yet it still felt like a completely new experience anyhow. I couldn’t help but smile when I thought that we were finally doing it. After all those months of training together and the ups and downs, we were finally running Cedar City Half Marathon together. It was pretty cool to think about and really made it a special race for me!

I could not have been happier with our experience. Diego pushed hard and enjoyed most of the race. Unfortunately, his phone battery died at about mile 10, so he was pretty bummed out about that since that meant he’d have to run the last 3 miles without his music. When we realized it happened, I braced for impact. I was pretty sure he’d be super upset since he depends on his music so much for running and honestly so do I! So, I was really proud of him for not overreacting and just going with the flow. He was upset, sure, but he took it in stride and moved forward. I took my headphones off too in solidarity and we finished together with big smiles on our faces!

The actual course was great! It was a nice downhill run. The scenery was pretty, the weather was cool, and the aid stations were plenty. Even when we ran outside the canyon and into the town itself, we ran through trails and sidewalks in parks that were nice and even provided some shade as it started to warm up towards the end of the race for us. The race medals and shirts were also excellent and the post-run snacks were great! We especially liked the ice pops they were handing out! I would highly recommend this race to anyone who is looking for a fast downhill half marathon in the fall!

Rock n Roll Arizona Half Marathon | Race Recap

Earlier this month, I ran the Rock n Roll Arizona half marathon for the first time! I chose to run Arizona because it was close enough to drive there from home plus it advertised a flat course. My training was not great for this race. I missed most of my long runs and just managed a few short runs in the weeks leading to the race. There was no real excuse for missing them other than I was feeling lazy and made up all kinds of reasons why I couldn’t run. So yea, going into this race I was not feeling too confident and was just hoping I would finish.

With a race start time of 7:50 am, I didn’t have to wake up too early in comparison to other half marathon start times, so that was a really nice perk! The weather in the morning was brisk but I knew that it would warm up quickly so I wore a running skirt and t-shirt, plus my new favorite Rock n Roll trucker hat that I picked up at the expo on Saturday!

The first 8 miles of the course are not very scenic. You’re running through industrial and business roads and such so there aren’t many spectators either. I was also going really slow, which didn’t help and I never really found my groove. Since it’s a Rock n Roll event, they did have bands and DJs at about every mile and of course the aide stations and port-a-potties were plentiful. It did hold true to it’s advertised flat course, though, and there were no major inclines. Once we got to Papago Park, the scenery changed and it felt so good to run through some nice desert scenery and see the iconic Arizona saguaro cacti. This was also the only part of the course that had a slight incline. But, it was a short out and back section so getting to run a little decline was nice too. It was right around mile 10 that I started having some major discomfort on my left heel and then also on the outer right side of my foot, from heel to pinky toe. I pushed along and tried to ignore it since I still had 3 miles to go and figured it was probably time for new running shoes.

I enjoyed running across Mill Ave. Bridge. Not only is it a pretty view, but it’s also close the finish line and by then, my right foot was really hurting!! Once we crossed the river, spectators were lined up all along the finish line area and cheering us on for the last stretch! That’s always my favorite part of running a race!! I also really liked that they had big screens at the finish line to view the runners coming in.

The finish line festival at Tempe Beach park was really nice too! There was plenty of grassy areas (albeit the grass was dry since it was winter) to sit and stretch. The gear check trucks were clearly visible for those picking up their bags. There were food trucks lined up to for hungry runners! I sat and stretched for a bit, then went over to get my free beer!! I listened to the headliner, Everclear, for a bit. I was happy it was a band I knew and listened to from the 90s!

We couldn’t stay too long since I had to make it back to the hotel to shower and check out! By the time we got to the hotel, my foot was really hurting and I was having a hard time putting any pressure on it. The next day was the same, a significant amount of pain and not able to walk on it. I was concerned, so I went to an urgent care, where they did an X-ray. The x-ray did not show a hairline fracture but the Dr. on staff still thought it was this since hairline fractures don’t usually show up in x-rays and based on my symptoms. He gave me an ugly ortho shoe to wear to keep my foot from moving too much when I walked and said to wear it for 1-2 wks and no running for 4 weeks. It’s been a week since my visit and my foot feels great. No pain at all! I’ve ordered new running shoes, but I’ll stick to Dr’s orders and won’t run just yet. It’s going to be hard but I want to make sure that I don’t injure myself again. I’m doing Pilates and upper body workouts that are non-weight bearing on my leg, but I can’t wait to get out there and run!!!! Have you ever been sidelined from running? How did you cope?

Run Laughlin Half Marathon Race Recap

Earlier this year, I was contacted by the Run Laughlin race director and asked to be part of their ambassador program for their race. In return for promoting their race, I was given 2 race entries for myself and a friend PLUS 8 race entries to giveaway! Although I was given this race entry, my review and opinions are my own.

This was my 2nd year running this race. I ran it in 2015 and really enjoyed the course, you can read my review HERE. The course for 2017 was slightly different, so I was looking forward to comparing the course. I also was excited because this was the hubby’s 2nd half marathon and I was looking forward to running together for part of the race and and seeing him cross that finish line!

The race began at the high school and had us do a loop around the track. The higher elevation of the school, meant we got some great views of the mountains around us! After the track, it was a steady uphill climb for the next 3 miles or so. Not the best start to a race for me, but at least it was at the beginning and not the end! Like the saying goes, “What goes up, must come down!” and the next 3 miles were gloriously downhill and fast! I knew that we’d get another uphill section as we ran towards the dam and across the bridge and I took it slow and steady because that section was out and back so it was going to be a nice downhill after the turnaround. The last portion of the race was along the river. It was pretty flat with a few slight inclines, but nothing major. Of course, after 10 miles, any slight change uphill can feel like a mountain! I kept pushing on that last mile and was really happy with my time! I beat my 2015 time for this race by 1 minute and finished 2017 strong!

I really enjoyed the course and the smaller race size, after having ran a lot of bigger races this year. The volunteers were all super friendly, even though a lot of the aid stations were running out of cups for water! Thankfully, I run with my Nathan’s hydration pack, so this didn’t affect me. The other not-so-great- thing about this race was the fact that they ran out of medals. It was such a let down to cross the finish line and not get our finisher medals. According to the new race directors, it was a problem with their supplier. I will say, they have communicated with us and are in the process of mailing our medals and even got the suppliers to engraving our name and finish time on the back of our medal at no cost. It’s been 2 weeks and we’re patiently waiting for them to arrive.

In the meantime, I’m working on my race schedule and goals for 2018! Can’t wait to share them with you next week! Tell me, what are your health and fitness goals for the new year?

Seven Tips for Making the Most of Your Next Racecation

What exactly is a “racecation”? Well, it’s a race + vacation in one! I love to travel and I love to run races, so racecations are the best of both worlds for me! For others, it could be a dream race they’ve had on their bucket list or part of their goal to race in every state. Whatever your reasons, if you’re traveling for a race, I say bring the family, stay a few extra days and make it a vacation!

I’ve traveled to quite a few races and with a little planning it is totally possible to run a great race and enjoy the sights! Here are my Top 7 Tips for planning your next racecation!

1. Plan Ahead. This may seem obvious, but it’s important to note. Make sure to check out all the race details and final emails for any transportation logistics, last minute changes, and any race add-ons, such as carb loading dinners, seminars, or VIP Packages. Some of these can sell out, so be sure to sign up early if you plan to take advantage of them. It’s best to print any waivers or forms beforehand, so you don’t waste time once you’re there. Believe me, your family will thank you for it. Some race sponsors also offer discounts or deals to race participants, so it’s good to go to the race website and see what’s available. I’ve found great prices on hotels and even a good deal on a city tour in Seattle this way! Also, know where the expo is being held! Sometimes it’s at the start/finish but other times, it could be in a completely different area, so map it out and know where you’re going!

2. Book a Nearby Hotel. Like I just mentioned, most races will have a list of recommended lodging and they may even offer a discount to racers. I’d check these out first, but if they are no longer available, as these do tend to book up soon, look for other nearby hotels. It’s up to you if you prefer to be near the start or finish line and it may also depend on what you’ll be using for transportation. A lot of races do offer buses to the start line from specific locations. Personally, for my racecations, we’ll book a hotel near the finish line, so my family can easily meet me with me afterwards and they don’t have to ride in the car with stinky mom for too long!

Use Eagle Creek Pack-It Sport Cube. This post in not sponsored by Eagle Creek, I just really love their products. As a Rock N Roll Marathon ambassador, I was given a Sport Tote to try out and I really liked it. Then, when I saw their booth at one of the expos, I purchased the Pack-It Sport Cube and it’s since been with me for every overnight race and racecation! I pack everything I need for race day in it: sneakers, Garmin, hat, top, bottoms, socks, sport bra, undies, glide, gels, Nuun! Even a change of clothes for after the race! Basically, if I need it for race day, it’s going in that cube. It keeps me organized and I love knowing that it’s all together. Plus, the cube is small enough and fits nicely in my suitcase. I highly recommend them to everyone!!

Don’t Arrive Too Early. I’ve learned from experience that it’s best to run your race and then start your vacation, not the other way around. Leaving the race for the end or even the middle of your trip may give you added stress and who needs that! You’ll possibly worry about things like getting enough sleep or worry about walking too much and running on tired legs. You may even have to plan a short training run. There’s also things like your diet to consider and let’s be honest, we all like to indulge a bit while on vacation, right? I’ve noticed that the best time to arrive is 1-2 days before your race. I prefer to arrive the morning before the race. This gives me enough time to visit the expo, pick up my race big, settle into our hotel room, grab dinner, and have an early bedtime. However, if you’ll be traveling to a different time zone and will experience some jet lag, then plan to arrive 2 days early and use that day in between to relax and acclimate to the time change.

Stick to your Pre-Race Routine. When we’re traveling, we tend to go on hyper-mode and want to do and see everything! I speak from experience! Since most races are super early in the morning, you’ll want to be sure to get to bed early. Then, stick to your morning routine as much as possible. I always make sure to get my go-to race day breakfast of a banana and a Justin’s almond butter packet the night before. I also lay everything out the night before, so I can just go into auto-pilot and get dressed, grab my things and go. It’s usually to early for me to think straight, so doing it the night before gives me peace of mind on race day!

Use Waze. This one only applies if you’ll be driving to your race. If so, then rather than using Google Maps, I suggest using the Waze app. It’s free to download and since it’s crowd sourced, the road closures due to the race will show up and it will give you better routes to take. It’s been really helpful for us!

Enjoy the Race. Most of us who plan racecations do so because it’s a new city or new place we want to explore. Running through a city or park we’ve never been to is exciting, so don’t forget to look around. Don’t get so focused on just running the race and watching your pace that you forget to look around and take in the new scenery. This was probably the reason you signed up for the race to begin with! Enjoy the race and scenery and think of all the fun you’ll be having after your race is done! You’ll get to see and visit new places because running got you there! And, that is pretty cool!

Napa to Sonoma Half Marathon Race Weekend

Last month I ran the Napa to Sonoma Half Marathon and although it was one of my slowest half marathons to date, our weekend in wine country was amazingly fun and a much needed summer getaway! This post is much more about the weekend than the race itself! OOPSY!

We have some really good friends who flew out with us to show their support of my running and cheer me on during the race! HAHAH Who am I kidding, they came along for the wine tasting!! Either way, it was so much fun having another couple to enjoy the weekend with. We arrived to San Francisco Friday just in time for lunch! We picked up the rental car and made our way to Francis Coppola’s Cafe Zoetrope for lunch. Such a nice treat! Afterwards we walked around Chinatown and couldn’t resist picking up some steamed dumplings and sticky buns at our friend’s favorite spot! We took the food to go and seriously enjoyed them during our long drive in traffic up to Napa.

Saturday morning we went straight to packet pickup right when it opened at 10am. The location was so pretty and it was a nice expo with some good vendors who handed out some nice samples 😉 That’s always a plus! Once I had my bib + shirt and my fair share of samples, we were off to do some wine tasting!

Our first stop was our favorite winery, which we are also wine club members, Benzinger Winery. They use bio dynamic and organic farming, which is such an interesting process and we learned so much more about their history and sustainable farming practices during the tour. Afterwards we enjoyed wine tasting in their private members only tasting room. We lost track of time chatting and tasting, but our tummies soon let us know it was time to eat, so we bought a bottle of wine and found a nice picnic table with some shade to enjoy the snacks we had purchased earlier. Had the weather been just about 10 degrees cooler, it would have been perfection!

Our next stop was their sister winery, Imagery Estate Winery, which was such a cool artsy place and the grounds are beautiful! It was packed inside because it was just way too hot to be sitting outside by then, but we found a nice spot in the members only area and enjoyed a bit more wine tasting and fun conversation.

The last stop before dinner was Domaine Carneros! I absolutely love bubbly wines and pinot noir so I’d been looking forward to this visit for a while. Plus, the grounds were so pretty! We ended up sitting outside and again if only it had been 10 degrees cooler, it would have been so dreamy! The view of the vineyards from the terrace were beautiful and the flights of champagne were super yummy! By this point in the day, we were really getting hungry so we ordered a small charcuterie plate to enjoy while we finished our flights. Thank you so our server who recommended the best place for us to grab a casual, yet delicious dinner, which of course included lots of water and my go-to pre-race meal of…PIZZA!!

Unfortunately, for as much as I tried to stay hydrated during wine tasting on Saturday, it was still not enough! I started off ok. I wasn’t going for any PR or anything, but I was hoping the idea of another fun-filled wine tasting day would be enough to make my legs go fast! The race course was beautiful and running alongside rows and rows of vineyards was amazing. The weather was unseasonably warm and I soon started struggling with the heat and the sun beating down on me. After I saw the hubs and friends at mile 7ish I got some renewed energy and I was doing good and keeping a nice pace till about mile 9 or so. At that point my calves started to feel super tight and by mile 10 they were cramping terrible. I was dehydrated and in pain! I managed to pull through, but I had to slow down and even walk those last 3 miles. I felt bad and was so disappointed in myself. After I limped my way across the finish line, I chugged some coconut water and stretched my legs as best I could. I met up with the hubs and our friends, plus some running friends from Vegas who ran the race too and together we grabbed our wine glasses for post-race wine tasting festival! Soon enough, my pain was gone and I was back to feeling great! lol

After the race, it was back to the room to shower and get ready for round 2! We visited my hubby’s favorite winery, Sequoia Grove. Talk about another good time tasting, laughing, and making new friends! Afterwards we had some time to kill before our dinner reservations at Ad Hoc, so what else is someone to do while in Napa waiting? We found a wine bar, enjoyed another charcuterie platter and waited patiently 😉 Dinner at Ad Hoc was amazing! Thomas Keller’s take on family style casual dinning was spot on. We just wish we would have had more room to fit more food in our bellies!!

The next day we started our trip back to San Francisco! We spent some time walking around Fisherman’s Wharf and enjoyed some clam chowder and some delicious Irish coffee from the iconic Buena Vista. Then, as all good things, our trip came to an end and it was time to catch our flight back home to our little ones!

I learned a valuable lesson on this trip: Although I love running and I love wine tasting, the two shouldn’t really be paired up! At least not for me!!! The next time I go to Napa, it will only be for wine tasting. And the only drinking I’ll do on race weekend, will be my post-race celebratory beer! Live and learn, right?

Seattle Rock n Roll Half Marathon + VIP Experience Recap

Last month I got to run the Seattle Rock N Roll Half Marathon as a member of the Rock ‘n’ Blog team. As part of the team, I received a Global Tour Pass, which allows me to run any of their races worldwide (travel costs not included). I also received 1 complimentary VIP Experience upgrade for my choice of race.

Having not been to the Pacific Northwest before, we decided to turn this into our summer family vacation and we added Portland and the Oregon coast to our trip. I’ll be sharing some of the highlights from our trip soon, but for now I’m just going to recap the race 😉

We arrived at the expo for packet pickup early Saturday afternoon and it was super quick and easy to get my packet. The expo was busy and felt a little crowded, but this is normal for such a big event. I waited in a small line to pick up my VIP Pass. I was super excited to check out the VIP experience since I’d never done it before and let me tell you, it was fancy! VIP Experiences range in price per event. The Pre-Race Experience begins at $45 and the full VIP Experience is $75+, with Las Vegas being the priciest of them all at over $200! This is in addition to the cost of the race registration.

Here’s what you get when you upgrade to VIP status + my experience from each of the perks.

Reserved Parking: There was no on-site parking at the start line, so the reserved parking for this race was for parking at the shuttle area. Since I was being dropped off, this did not really apply to me.
VIP Shuttles: Didn’t use it since I was being dropped off, but it was super early and I want to say it was even earlier than the general shuttles.
Private Gear Check: This was awesome! The gear check truck was located right by the VIP Lounge area both for the start and finish line!
Pre-Race Continental Breakfast & Coffee: This was another great option. They offered all the basic runner breakfast foods: bananas, peanut butter, muffins, bagels, yogurt parfaits, plus coffee, tea, water. There were plenty of tables and chairs too.
Private Restrooms: Worth it! Oh, so worth it! Indoor bathroom with no line and actual flushing toilets! That would have been good enough, but they also had feminine products, deodorant, hair spray, Vaseline, sunblock, wipes, etc. Talk about being spoiled! For the Seattle venue, they offered the restrooms that were inside the stadiums and adjacent to the VIP area, inside the stadium.
Private VIP Lounge: The set up was really nice and private. There was plenty of seating. However, I will say that I’m not a real social butterfly, so it was kinda lonely. Normally, if I’m running alone the hubs will be with me for moral support and company until it’s almost race time. I did speak to a few other runners and such, but I think this would be way more fun with a friend or group.
Post-Race Massage: When I went over to check this out, there was a pretty long list of names ahead of me. Since I didn’t purchase VIP passes for my family that was waiting outside for me, I didn’t want them to wait too much longer, so I didn’t stay. However, there were about 4 massage therapists and it looked like some legit massages. Not chair massages and they were about 10-15 minutes long.
Yoga Stretching Area: They also had an area with mats for stretching and foam rollers. I took advantage of this and loved it!
Post-Race Changing Tents: At the Seattle race they didn’t offer the tents, but we were able to change in the indoor bathrooms in the stadium. It was so awesome to just grab my bag from gear check and be able to change into clean dry clothes and freshen up! Seriously, it was awesome
Catered Buffet: They offered a post-race brunch too at Seattle and I’m not sure if they offer this at every race but it was a great spread. They had fruits, salad, sandwiches, pasta, fish, bread, desserts! Lots of options to choose from!
VIP Bar: The Bar only had beer, but a mimosa would have been nice too! The beers were unlimited but I didn’t want to be a lush, so I only had 2 🙂
Exclusive View of the Post-Race Concert: For Seattle this was awesome! Because the VIP area was at the top of the stadium stairs and the concert was at the bottom courtyard area, we had a great view of the entire post-race festival.

So, is it worth the extra cost? In my opinion, yes, it can be worth it. If you only run a few races or even just one race a year, if you have the extra funds and want to treat yourself, or as a gift from someone! It’s definitely a fun experience to try at least once!

Now, on to the race itself. It was a lot better than I expected. Coming from Las Vegas, I was really enjoying the cool overcast weather and all the green!!! The course was beautiful and ran alongside the water and gorgeous homes. It wasn’t as hilly as I was expecting it to be and I was very grateful for that! There weren’t as many spectators on the on-course as other Rock N Roll races, but I still think it was a great race with plenty of entertainment, scenery, and fun!

Gear check and then right up those stairs to VIP area or you can use the VIP elevator. I'll let you guess which one I chose ;) — Gear check and then right up those stairs to VIP area or you can use the VIP elevator. I’ll let you guess which one I chose 😉

The post-race brunch spread! So tasty!!!

Great vantage point of the post-race concert!

Have you ever purchased the additional VIP Experience package? What are your thoughts? Worth it? Wast of money? Would love to hear what you think!

Rock N Roll San Diego Remix Challenge | Race Recap

During the first weekend of June I completed my first Rock N Roll Marathon Series Remix Challenge in San Diego! The Remix Challenge medal is earned when you complete two days of running during a Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series event. Any combination of distances qualifies for the Remix Challenge Medal. You need to complete one event on Saturday and one event on Sunday during the same Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series event weekend. I chose to run the 5K distance on Saturday and the half marathon distance on Sunday.

This is my first year as a member of the Rock ‘n’ Blog team and I am loving it so far! As part of the team I received a Global Tour Pass, which allows me to run any of their races worldwide (travel costs not included). My next tour stops will be Seattle, June 18th for the Half Marathon and Las Vegas on November 11-12 for another Remix (5K and Half Marathon).

We left a little later than we wanted to on Friday afternoon from Vegas, so we arrived for packet pickup with just under one hour before the expo closed. The good thing about cutting it so close was that there was no line to get my packets 🙂 I was given a specific wrist tag with my bibs and was explained that I was to wear it on Sunday’s race to pick up my Remix Challenge medal after the race (woohoo!). Afterwards we walked around the Gaslamp Quarter and grabbed some sushi for dinner before checking in to our room and crashing!

This was my first really big 5K event and it was a great experience. The atmosphere was relaxed and everyone was ready to have a good time. Although, I told myself I would take it slow, I couldn’t help but get carried away by all the excitement and I took off a little faster than I wanted to. But after the first mile or so I slowed myself down and started to enjoy the sights of Balboa Park. Jason was right there cheering me on at the finish line and then we made our way to the beer tent. As ya’ll know, I am much more of a wine girl myself, but after a race there’s nothing better than a cold beer. Trust me on that one!

The rest of the day was spent doing a little shopping and catching a movie, which is a rare treat for us to do without the kiddos. We then made our way to Ocean Beach for burgers and beers at Hodad’s and to catch a glimpse of the ocean! Do yourself a favor and check it out next time you’re in the San Diego area. It’s got a great vibe and the burgers are delicious!

The next day, was a little less relaxed, as thousands of half marathon and marathon runners made their way to the starting line. But, it was still a Rock N Roll event and the atmosphere was one of fun, if not a little more focused on the longer distances to be conquered that day. I know I was feeling nervous and excited too! The half marathon course was a blast and although my legs felt a little sluggish the first few miles, I found my groove and had a strong finish! The best part of the race was running through the Normal Heights neighborhood, where the neighbors were out supporting the runners with everything from jolly ranchers to alcohol. Loved the makeshift bars they set up serving beer, mimosas, and even shots of liquor! I chose to pass on the libations, but it was super entertaining to run by and see other brave runners take their shots! Another favorite was when we finally got the the nice downhill area along the park! Running downhill is my favorite, so a downhill finish was a great relief from an otherwise kinda hilly course.

As with all big races, the finish line area was crowded and busy. Jason was looking out for me so we met up soon after. We made our way to the festival area and to the Heavy Medal tent for my Remix Medal! And then of course, it was another race so another beer at the finish! It was also great to see some friends at the festival who had ran the relay race. We chatted a bit with them before we had to get going to check out of our room and make our way back to Vegas!

But, first we had to stop at our favorite Temecula winery, Wiens Family Cellars, for some wine tasting. We brought a few bottles home with us too and way may have also signed up for their wine club (again!)

If you’ve never ran the Remix Challenge, I definitely suggest you try it at least once. Not only do you leave the weekend with 3 awesome medals, it really makes it for a fun-filled running weekend. Plus, you get to doubly enjoy what the Rock N Roll Marathon races are all about: fun, community, bling, music, and just an all-around good time!

Even though it was a weekend with 2 back to back races, the hubs and I still got to spend a much needed weekend away without the kiddos. It was the perfect start to summer break and I think we may have to turn it into a yearly tradition, with or without a race 😉

Badass Dash Las Vegas Race Recap

This past weekend I ran the Badass Dash for the first time at Sam Boyd Stadium. I ran 2 other Badass Dashes a few years ago, both were at Silverton Casino and they were lots, so I was looking forward to checking this race out. I ran with a team of 4 others, 2 girls and 2 boys, plus me! The Badass Dash is a 7K (4.4 mile) obstacle course adventure race.

We had a 9am start time and by then it was pretty warm outside and we were ready to get started. Unfortunately, they don’t stagger wave start times the way Spartan Races or larger marathon events do. So, there were hundreds of people lined up for the 9am start. They couldn’t let all hundreds of us go at the same time since that would cause major congestion on course, so they let us go about 50 at a time every 5 minutes. It worked out great because there was no bottlenecking at obstacles however we waiting in the sun for almost an hour and that was no fun. I would suggest they give us staggering or wave start times, so we don’t have to just wait in line for so long! That would help us prepare a lot better and we wouldn’t have to wait an hour in line!

The Badass Dash is not intended to be a super intense race like the Spartan Races or Tough Mudders. They are geared towards having fun and are a great introduction to obstacle course races. They have over 40 obstacles, from super easy to difficult, throughout the course which is nice! I felt like the walls were challenging but also achievable for most, so that was a big plus! Being in a stadium, I was totally expecting the stairs to be part of the race, and boy did I feel the burn on those! Once we got through the up and down of pretty much the entire stadium stairs + all the ones outside, they set up the last 10 or so obstacles in the middle of the field. I really thought that was pretty neat and totally different for me, since I haven’t ran a Spartan Stadium Sprint yet. Lastly, they cooled us off with a fun car wash/spider web obstacle before crossing the finish!

Once my team was finished, it was then time for the kiddos to race! They were running with their friends which made it super fun for them. Both Diego and Elysse did the 2K (1.2 mile) Kid Dash. Remember those killer stairs I mentioned? This was also part of their race and I am so proud that they pushed through on those! The rest of the kid obstacles were also all in the middle of the stadium. They did most of the same last 10+ obstacles we had during our race as well. All 4 of them finished strong and had a great time, even if they did complain a bit about the heat!

I would totally recommend this race if you’re new to obstacle course racing and even if you are an OCR junkie! It’s challenging and fun 🙂 Go out there and give it a try. You just might surprise yourself 🙂