Global Running Day 2018

Earlier this month, on Wednesday, June 6th to be exact, was Global Running Day! What is Global Running Day? The Global Running Day website say’s “Global Running Day is a worldwide celebration of running that encourages everyone to get moving. It doesn’t matter how fast you run or how far you go—what’s important is that you take part, and how you do it is up to you. Run a lap around your block, take your dog for a long walk, or call your friends for a pick-up game in the park. The important thing is that you have fun being active—and you inspire others to join you.”

This is something I can totally get behind and this year I helped organize a fun run event in Las Vegas for the Rock N Roll Marathon series. As most of you know, I am an ambassador/Rock N Blogger for them and I was so excited when they reached out to me about putting together an event in my town. I contacted my favorite local running store, Red Rock Running Company, and they were totally on board to having us host the event in their store. YAY!!

The event was a huge success! We had a nice turnout and after everyone ran the 5K course, they came back to the store for pizza (because runners love pizza!!) and some Rock N Roll swag to make it a true celebration! I was there to answer any questions folks had about any of the Rock N Roll races, and especially the epic Las Vegas, Rock the Strip at Night race! It was nice to chat with the other runners about their past Rock N Roll marathon and half marathon races they’d ran in various cities and share our experiences! Rock n Roll was also having a great sale on all races just for Global Running Day and so of course, I talked about that and was ready to get folks registered right on site!

I gotta say, one thing I truly love about running is the awesome community! They build each other up, give advice, and never make you feel like you aren’t a true runner. If you run, you’re a runner. It’s not about how fast you are, it’s about getting out there and doing it! And hey, if you missed out on the Global Running Day Sale and still want to take the plunge and run a marathon or half marathon, here’s a little motivation for you to get started! Nothing like a little savings, you know, so you can go snag those new running shoes too 😉

Rock n Roll Half Marathon Nashville : Race Recap

I can summarize my trip to Nashville in two words: running + eating! What could be better, right?

If you read my last post, you know that I was nervous about running the Nashville Rock n Roll Half Marathon because the course promised to be hilly and I am not a fan of hills! Plus, my friend was running it too and it was her first half marathon, so I was nervous I wouldn’t be able to support her like I wanted to. Well, to make a long story short, we rocked that run! I felt strong throughout the entire race, which I was nervous about due to the hills. Plus, I paced my friend and we made it right under her goal time! I was so happy I felt good running those hills and it was proof that you have to trust the process. I made it a point to train hills and it paid off!

My flight to Nashville was super early in the morning, but it gave us the opportunity to grab some yummy lunch at Husk when I arrived and still make it in time for packet pickup afterwards! As usual, the process was smooth and easy. There were all the usual, easy to follow signs and awesome volunteers. The actual expo didn’t seem as big or as busy as some other cities, though. I didn’t mind this, as we don’t stay too long at the expo. We got our beer wristbands for our free post-race beer and picked up our parking pass, that I prepaid for online. Since we were driving ourselves in the morning and this was my friend’s first experience, I didn’t want her to feel overwhelmed with having to search for parking and deal with the traffic too! It was a great option and one I think I will use again for sure if I plan to drive and park for a race and not get dropped off.

After checking-in to our hotel and relaxing for a bit, it was time for our carb loading dinner! I traditionally have pizza before a race so I looking for some Yelp suggestions and found Slim + Husky’s . The reviews were amazing and it did not disappoint! They have local, fresh, ingredients and all the pizzas are made to order. They also carry local craft beers, which is also part of my carb loading dinner 😉

Like I mentioned above, the race itself was amazing! It was fun and we enjoyed the music, the scenery, and all the folks who came out to cheer us on! Running through some of the neighborhoods and seeing the residents making a morning out of it reminded me of the vibe from the San Diego Rock n Roll Half Marathon last year. They too were out cheering us on, drinking mimosas, and even handing out drinks and snacks to us runners too!

After the race, we spent our day exploring some of the neighborhoods and of course, eating some delicious food to celebrate our race finish! I highly recommend this race for it’s fun atmosphere, challenging course, and who doesn’t want to enjoy all the Nashville has to offer both before and after the race!

Self-Doubt Before Race Day | Rock N Roll Half Marathon Nashville

So, as I type this I should really be packing for my trip to Nashville, since we’ll be out tonight. My flight leaves at 6am tomorrow, so I have an early wake up call. Anyhow, I’ll get to it before I have to get into mommy-driver duty!

I’m super excited to be running the Rock n Roll Half Marathon in Nashville this Sat. Not so much because I love country music, hilly courses, and humidity, but because I’ll be running alongside my BFF since high school! This will be her first half marathon and I’m thrilled I was the one who motivated her to sign up. I was asking if maybe she’d like to run the 5K, but she surprised me and said she’d join me in the half marathon! You can imaging my excitement!!! She’s been training for about 12 weeks and I’ve been supporting her via text messages and phone calls. This got me thinking about my own first half marathon and how my cousin, who’s an avid marathon runner, came to run alongside me for my first half marathon. I remember how happy I was to have someone with all of her experience running with me and supporting me. It really helped make my first half marathon experience such a good one! As excited as I am to now be the one paying it forward and being the “experienced” runner, I’m also nervous about my own performance. Hills aren’t my jam, I mean, let’s be honest, they aren’t anyones jam! I’m also not as fast or fit as I was a few years ago and it’s messing with my head (see what I did there?). I’ve put in the miles and ran hills in my training, but I’m afraid I’ll be seen as a fraud. Like, yea I call myself a runner, but then I’m huffing and puffing at mile 10. I’m afraid I won’t be the best support for her or worse yet, that she’ll be the one supporting me! Won’t that be embarrassing!?!

I’m working on keeping a positive mindset and trust that I won’t fail. I need to trust that it’s going to be a fun experience, no matter the outcome. I admit, this is hard to do. It’s hard to feel your best, when you know you could do better because you have done better. Ok, I know I am overreacting to a hypothetical situation and it’s silly, but it’s the truth and I can’t be anything but honest. Have you ever felt this way before? Be it running or another aspect of your life, I bet you have. I can also say from experience that things aren’t usually as bad as you think they’re gonna be. Am I right? So, I am leaving it all here on the blog. I’m typing it out here but then I’m going to think of how happy I’ll be seeing my best friend, who I haven’t seen almost 5years. I’m going to focus on how awesome it is that I’ll be running my 14th half marathon in 2 days. I’m excited to visit and explore a new city and eat some pretty good food too!! And, I’m gonna go pack…

Who’s been to Nashville? Any recommendations on must-see or must-eats? I’ll be back next week to let you know how it went and if you are struggling with feelings of self-doubt too, stay strong and know you aren’t alone. XO

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?

Rock n Blog Team 2018 | Rock n Roll Marathon Series

In case you hadn’t seen it on my Instagram page, I’m so happy to announce that I am part of the Rock n Blog Team for the 2nd year in a row! The Rock n Blog Team is a group of likeminded peeps who love to run races and have fun doing it! Plus, we get to earn some awesome bling along the way!

Last year, I had so much fun running in new cities and experiencing the awesome races put on by the Rock n Roll Marathon series. My favorite was running the Remix Challenge in San Diego. I ran the 5K on Saturday, then ran the half marathon on Sunday. The courses were so much fun, especially the half marathon. You can read my recap of that race HERE!

The Rock n Roll Marathon series put on a great race! There is always a nice crowd of spectators cheering for you along the way and the DJs, cheer & dance teams, and bands really keep you pumped up throughout the race. The series 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:

Arizona Half Marathon | January 14
Nashville Half Marathon | April 28
Las Vegas Half Marathon | November 11
San Antonio 5K + Half Marathon | December 2 & 3
(tentative) Denver 5K + Half Marathon | October 20 & 21

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! Some restrictions apply.

Have you ran a Rock N Roll Marathon race before? What’s your favorite? Let me know!!

Las Vegas Rock N Roll 5K + Half Marathon Race Recap

Another half marathon done! This is my 11th half marathon since I started running! There are lots of reasons why this year’s Las Vegas Rock N Roll Half Marathon was special to me, but the main reason is that this year my running came full circle back to where it all began. The Las Vegas Rock N Roll was my first half marathon ever in 2013. I remember how nervous I was about running this event. Everything was so new to me and I am so grateful to my marathon running cousin, Anel, who traveled from Texas to Vegas to run my first half marathon with me. I will never forget that and how helpful it was to have a pro showing me the ins and outs of race day.

My first time running the strip at night, I had all my family and some friends cheering me on from the sidelines. They held signs and gave me high-fives as I ran past them around mile 5. It was such a rush! They were there for me at the finish line and we even got a hotel room for the night so we wouldn’t have to deal with traffic leaving the race. We ordered In N Out (fancy!), did some tequila shots, and celebrated together this accomplishment! Well, as you can imagine by the 11th half marathon and countless other races in between, the fanfare has diminished. Can you blame them? There were no family members giving me high fives along the half marathon course or waiting for me at the finish. But, no matter what, I know I still have their support and encouragement always.

This year, I got to run as part of the Rock ‘N’ Blog team and I couldn’t be prouder to be a part of this running community! I decided to run the Vegas 5K on Saturday and the half marathon on Sunday, as part of the Remix Challenge. You can read more about what’s a Remix Challenge HERE, on a post I wrote for Rock N Roll Marathon Series Tempo Blog!

For the 5K, my hubby and kiddos came to cheer me on, along with a friend and her 2 daughters who came from California and were also running the half marathon the next day. Parking for the race was pretty easy. The race started at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds across from the SLS Hotel at 6pm. The security was tight, which we were definitely expecting, and they were only allowing the clear Rock N Roll swag bags we got with our registration. I honestly don’t remember seeing this posted at all during the registration process or at the expo and of course, my husband had a camera bag they wouldn’t let him in with. At least we had enough time and he was able to make it back to the car and drop it off before the race started. Being a Las Vegas local, I wasn’t too excited about the course for the 5K, it was an out and back and ran down Industrial Blvd, a side street that is parallel to the strip but nowhere near as glamorous! Although the course was not amazing, the energy and the participants made it fun! There was plenty of lights and music along the course and lots of runners in costume and neon flashing lights on them! After the race and once I met up with my family and friends, I went to get my finisher beer and we sat together for a bit before heading out to our cab loading dinner at Bucca Di Beppo. We didn’t stay for the concert. My kiddos have no idea who the Goo Goo Dolls are!!!

Sunday morning I had a good brunch and took my time prepping for the race. I met up with my friend, Emily and her friend, Mike, who drove us to the race (no entourage this time!) We parked at Mandalay Bay and took the monorail to the start line area. Although it was crowded and busy, everything was still organized and calm. It was nice to have some friends who were running while we waited for our start time. Bonus: This was the first race where I didn’t have to wait in a long line for the port-a-potty! Total Win!!

Wasn't this announcement for start times just awesome?!? — Wasn’t this announcement for start times just awesome?!?

The race went well for me. I started slow, felt good in the middle, but by mile 10 I lost steam and struggled to keep my pace. The energy from the crowds along the strip was great and I especially loved the lights and music towards the finish line!! There was even an acrobatic performer hanging from a crane and swinging and twirling at the finish line. Only in Vegas! Also, only in Vegas do you get to walk openly with your finisher beer and take photos with Elvis!! These are some pretty fun perks for sure!

Of course, getting to run on the strip is pretty epic! But for locals the traffic due to so many street closures can be pretty bad, so getting picked up after the race was kind of a nightmare. I think next time I run this race, I’ll play tourist and book a room on the strip like we did for my first one. I’m never one to say no to a staycation! All and all, it was a great time and I’m so happy I got to run this race again!

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 😉