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!

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?

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 😉

Rock N Blog Team 2017

I am so excited to be a part of the Rock ‘n, Blog Team for 2017! Rock ‘n’ Blog is a community of like-minded folks who love to run and have fun and earn some awesome bling along the way. This is my first year being an ambassador for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon series and I’m really looking forward to running as many races as I can with them! In 2013 I ran my first half marathon, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas and I’ve been hooked on running ever since. So, yea the Rock ‘n’ Roll has a special place in my heart.

They put on a great event! If you’re looking to run your first half marathon, I definitely think it’s a great race for beginners. The energy from the crowds, your fellow runners, and the music really keep you pumped up throughout the race. The series also offers the full marathon distance and depending on the city, they also offer relays, 10Ks, 5Ks, and kid races. There is definitely something for everyone!

Here’s what I have planned for the Rock ‘n’ Roll series this year:

Who’s ready to join me? How about a discount code to help convince you? Use code RNB15 to get $15 off your half or full marathon registration!

Being Grateful for Friends and Family

We head off to Bryce Canyon tomorrow and, like I mentioned in my previous post, I’m really excited and hoping my knee doesn’t give me too much trouble on Saturday! All my races, thus far, have been local and I’m looking forward to a bit of a change in scenery and for cooler weather. Just really hoping it doesn’t rain on us 😉

This past Sunday, I had my last long run of 12 miles and I’ll admit it was a challenge. The sun was starting to burn layers off my skin & my knees were aching, but I finished. I didn’t give up, although I did consider it! Towards the end of the run, I reflected on all the support I’ve had throughout this journey and began to think of how lucky I am to have people who really care about me in my life. Especially, my family! Yes, I started crying on my run! Please tell me this has happened to you before or I’ll be super embarrassed…Yes, you have too?!? Ok, on with my post!

I am beyond grateful and appreciative to my husband for making my favorite post-run breakfast countless times. In case you’re wondering, it’s sweet potato & bacon hash with eggs over medium and avocado! I’m grateful that he’s joining me on this adventure and running races with me! He’s never once complained about me going to the gym or when I go out for a run and he stays with the kiddos! He’s always encouraging me and never doubts I can achieve my crazy goals, even when I do! I love that about him.

I am grateful for my kiddos for embracing this active and healthy lifestyle. They love talking about my races and going on runs with me. I love that they are involved and get excited about running their own races. I’ve never felt guilty about running or going to the gym because I know they appreciate it and it’s showing them that exercise is important and beneficial in our lives and that it can be fun!

I am grateful for my friends who have stuck with me in this crazy adventure! My friends who’ve come to watch me run or even better that have come out and ran some races with me! Thanks for trudging through the mud, running through bubbles, and jumping off planks with me! Woohoo!! My friends who have gladly watched my kiddos so Jason and I could run some trails or get some training at Camp Rhino! To my friends who listen to me talk about Paleo and upcoming races: Thanks for pretending not to be too bored with me 😉

I am grateful for my parents who also support me without end. Without their support (read: they watch my kids most of the time) I wouldn’t be able to do so much of what I do. They’re on a 3 month trip now and we are totally missing them!!

Lastly, I am grateful for sister. My #1 supporter, my BFF! We’ve ran 5Ks together. We’ve ran an obstacle course race together. She was there to watch me run my first 5K and she’s been there for most of my other races too. She’s the best race photographer and cheerleader!

When I signed up for this half marathon at Bryce Canyon, she said she was coming along too without being asked. She just knew she’d be there for me and I couldn’t be more grateful to her for that. I mean, who does that? Who says they’re going to take a 4 hr road trip to wake up at 6am to watch you run by for like 15 seconds? Only the best sister in the world, that’s who!

So really, I just want to say “Thanks” to all of you. I couldn’t be here following these crazy dreams of mine without you. You all mean the world to me! xo

I’ll be off the blog scene for a few days, but I’ll be back on Tuesday to tell you all about the Bryce Canyon Half! In the meantime, follow the fun on instagram @jessieemeric!

Let the Training Begin | Bryce Canyon Half Marathon

This is the week. Week 1 of 12 weeks of half marathon training. There will be lots and lots of running in my future. I’m excited to try Hal Higdon’s Intermediate Half Marathon Training Schedule. I used his Novice Schedule for the Rock N Roll Half Marathon (my first half) and I think it went well. The training was totally do-able and hey, I finished the race, right? I decided on the intermediate schedule because I really want to work on my speed. I’d like to be a faster runner. I don’t have grandiose ideas of finishing in 1:30 or anything! My first half marathon this past November was with a time of 2:34. I wanted to finish in 2:30, but I was totally fine with my time. This year, I’d like to reach that 2:30 time or even beat it! I feel confident that I can do this mostly because the Bryce Canyon Half Marathon is mostly a downhill race 😉

What’s extra special about the Bryce Canyon Half Marathon & it’s training is that I’ll be running it alongside the hubs! Although he’s done some 10Ks, 5Ks, and of Tough Mudder with me, this will be his first half marathon! I couldn’t be more excited for him and for our upcoming 12 weeks of training. Logistically speaking, we won’t be training “together” but we’ll be able to push each other and hold ourselves accountable. Plus, there’s always that little bit of love & competitiveness that really pushes us to be the best we can and give it our al!

What’s your favorite half marathon training program? Have you ever ran a race with your spouse? Did you love it or hate it?

14 in 2014 Running Challenge | Fitness Friday

During my morning coffee and blog reading earlier this week I came across Jill Conyers 14 in 2014 Challenge. Maybe it was the caffeine rush or the lack of sleep from the night before, but I signed up almost immediately! It seemed like such a great idea and such a fun way to stay motivated. Well, now that the initial caffeine rush has subsided, guess what? I’m still excited about this challenge! Yes, it’s a little scary for me to commit to running 14 races in one year, considering that last year I ran 6 and proclaimed it the Year of the Races! Hello!! But, it’s challenges like this that keep me motivated and moving forward, so I’m up for it! How about you?

Yesterday I started researching and writing down some races that I was interested in doing. There will be some virtual races I’ll be participating in too, but so far I have 10ish tentative races on my list, 3 that I am pretty sure I am doing, and only 1 I’ve actually signed up for! Yikes, I’ve got my work cut out for me, huh? Here’s what’s on my list, so far:

Jan:

Feb 1 – Death Valley 10K (Death Valley, CA)

Mar 1 – Blood, Sweat, and Beers 10K Trail Run (Las Vegas)

April 5 or 6 – Super Spartan (Las Vegas)

April 27 – Tough Mudder (Las Vegas) REGISTERED

May 24 – Trails of Fury 10K Trail Run (Las Vegas)

June:

July:

Aug 29-31 – Disneyland 10K or Half Marathon

Sept 21- Sprint Triathalon (Las Vegas)

Oct:

Nov: Napa Valley 10K (date TBD)

Nov: 22: Valley of Fire 10K

Nov: 27: Hoover Dam Half or 5K

(There’s no way I can or want to do all of these races in 1 month, but they all have potential, so I hope to get one of them done)

Dec:

If you’re interested in reading more about the challenge or if you want to sign up, you can check it out HERE! If you know of any other races around Las Vegas, NV, Southern California, Southern Utah, and maybe even Arizona, please let me know!! I’d also love to hear about your upcoming races and fitness goals for 2014! Happy Running!!