A Rocking Weekend in Savannah - RnR Savannah Recap

Disclaimer: I received a free entry into the Rock 'n' Roll Savannah Half 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! 

So let me get this out of the first and foremost... I LOVE THE ROCK N ROLL SAVANNAH RACES! Seriously, this is my favorite race weekend of the year. A big group of my running buddies (27 of us this year!!) all load up and head down to the Hospitality City of the South, Savannah, GA. If you've never been to Savannah before, you should totally put it on your bucket list. It's a beautiful city, very old South, with so many amazing things to do. Heck, I could hang out on River St. for days and days and never get bored (and I practically did). 

I arrived on Friday in order to hit up the Health & Fitness Expo held in the Savannah Convention Center. Since our hotel was on Bay St. we only had to make a short walk down to the river and then take the free ferry across. FREE! Super convenient! The Expo is super well organized. You receive a link to your Bib number a few days before the event so you can walk right over to the correct area to get your bib. Or, there is also an app that you can get your information from. After getting your bib, you head over to get your shirt/shirts. You can switch out sizing if necessary, but mine were true to size. After you get your gear, you then enter the shopping/display section of the Expo. Lots of cool booths and displays to check out and the race merchandise is amazing. You also can get your wrist bands for beer so you don't have to mess around with them on race day and also check in for your VIP experience if you opted for it, or Run Club if you signed up as one like we did. Run the Rock ended up being the 3rd largest club in attendance which scored us some cool perks, extra beer tickets, 2 VIP passes and a free entry into a 2020 race for a member the group - we'll be doing a drawing for it, fingers crossed I score it!!

Saturday morning was race day for the Marathon and the Half Marathon. Since we were able to walk to the start this year, I got to sleep in a bit. Once we made it down the .25 miles to the start, everything was really well organized. The Waves were clearly marked and there was music playing to pump us up. Lots of port-a-potties on site, or several of the hotels had their lobbies open. The national anthem was sung a few minutes before the race start and then we headed into the corrals to take position. 

You may recall, I had a HUGE goal of shaving at least 5 minutes off my last year finishing time to run my first sub-2 Hour Half. The plan was to find the 2 hour pacer and become their BFF. Well, right before the start... PANIC! I couldn't find the pacer! So I made a rash decision to fall in with the 4 Hour Marathon Pace Group, who was clearly visible. BEST DECISION EVER!! They were the Party Pace Group for sure! We had a freaking BLAST. The miles seemed to just disappear with hardly any effort with this group. The pacer, Emmy, was a local and kept us entertained the whole way and right on pace. I met this awesome guy from Russia that we ended up exchanging info later to keep in touch. One guy was running his first marathon. Another was from near me. I'll be honest, I was kind of sad to leave them at the split at 11.5 miles as the marathon turned left and the half kept on to the finish. I ended us sticking around after my finish in order to cheer them as they crossed the finish line. Nothing like running 11.5 miles together to turn strangers into besties! Just one of the reasons I love running. 

Okay, let me back up just a sec to mention the course. It's awesome. You run through some really nice areas of Savannah including the beautiful historic district. The course is super flat with really only 2 hills that I can remember, near the start and finish, but they were super tame compared to what I am used to running. Spectators line the course and every 2 miles or so there is a band to keep you going. There are lots of aid stations with water and Gatorade Endurance and a few have SiS gels even, so if you don't want to carry at all during the race you don't have to. Especially near the end of race, there are spectators that give out beer, water and other beverages to help motivate. For example, my Russian friend had a Tequila shot at mile 11. And one of my friends thought he was grabbing a water and nope, it was Vodka! It was a surprise, but he did hit a new Half PR so...

So, how did I do? Did I meet me goal? YES!!!! I am crazy excited to say that I shaved almost 9 whole minutes off my time for a 1:56:50 finish!!! I was pretty stunned actually when I crossed the finish! Months of hard work had paid off in a big way. It was so amazing. The whole walk down the finisher chute, I just kinda zoned out as people gave me a medal, took my picture and handed me drinks (water, Gatorade, chocolate milk and pineapple juice) and snacks (pretzels, trail mix and fruit cups). By the time I got out of the chute, I snapped back to reality and started looking for my friends to celebrate! 

Since we were a part of a Run Club, we got an extra beer ticket and a tent in an area near the stage to set up plus access to the foam rolling area. It was pretty awesome. We hung out, laughed, drank and stretched. Then I took a quick stroll around Foresyth park, which is so beautiful and headed back to the finisher area to cheer on my Marathon friends. After, it was a short walk back to the hotel (just over a mile) and we stopped for coffee on the way. It was an AMAZING race day. 

Sunday was the 5K, which took place at Daffin Park a bit later in the day, 12:30, which was to get to sleep in. Since it was a bit further from our hotel (3 miles) we had to drive over, but there was plenty of parking. Just like the Saturday races, the event was super well organized. Since it was at a Baseball Stadium (Go, Savannah Bananas), there was plenty of clean bathrooms. Waves were clearly marked and there was an organized stretching session to get everyone ready to race. The course was BEAUTIFUL, the whole thing lined with trees covered in Spanish Moss in a residential neighborhood. Again it was very flat and a fast course, and easy one to PR on, which, I didn't push due to my big PR the day before, but instead ran it with a friend who did PR it! There was a water station around the halfway point and the course was very clearly marked. The finish was in the baseball stadium which was fun to do the final bit on the baseline to the cheering spectators in the stands. Like the Saturday races, there was a band playing at the finish and lots of beverage/snack options in the finisher chute. You also got a beer ticket with your bib. And because we ran both a Saturday and Sunday race, we got a 3rd medal for completing the Remix Challenge!! 

We decided to stick around for an extra day this year in order to not have to rush back and drive in the dark and it was an awesome decision. After grabbing our beer, and cheering on the ones who ran the 5K, we hung out in the stands to cheer on the 1 Miler finishers and also to watch the Kids Rock races that were a part of the weekend of events this year. It was so much fun and a beautiful day. And the kids were so much fun to watch! 

All in all, a truly amazing weekend. I left with a new Half Marathon PR, 3 awesome medals and some AMAZING memories! 

Full disclosure - I have actually already registered for 2 of the races for next year already! 

Some Like It Hot

It's getting a bit warm out

I grew up at the beach (Myrtle Beach to be specific) so I am no stranger to heat and especially humidity. So while I am still not a huge fan of running in extreme humidity, I'm no stranger to it, so it doesn't bother me quite as much as some of my local running friends. 

And while I could take the Summer months off (especially this year with no significant races on the horizon) I choose to keep up my mileage despite the 90+ degrees and 90+ percent humidity. The selfish reasoning for this is that as I've said before, Summer Running Makes Fall Races. If I can keep my pace and distances up in while it feels like I am running through hot soup, then when cooler temps and lower humidity hit, I feel like I am flying. And this Fall I am shooting for my first ever sub-2:00 Half at the Rock n Roll Savannah Half Marathon* the first week of November, so I will keep pushing all Summer long. 

But just because Summer Running is hard doesn't mean it has to be miserable. I've compiled a few of my favorite Hot Weather Running Tips for rocking your Summer Runs.

1. HYDRATE - Perhaps the number 1 rule of Summer Running is to make sure that you are hydrating. And just water may not cut it depending on the distance, heat, humidity levels. Typically, I will drink an electrolyte prior to my run if I am running late in the day, drink water during my run, and then more electrolyte drink post run. I've tried several types of hydration and think I've found my favorite recently in Ultima Replenisher. It is made with  6 balanced electrolytes plus support minerals, real fruit flavors, plant-based colors, sweetened naturally with organic stevia leaf extract and no sugar, carbs or calories. I will be doing a comprehensive review of Ultima soon.
   
   
2. TAKE IT EASY - When it gets hot and humid, it gets harder to run. This is fact. You will put in more effort on your same runs in the heat, especially in the hottest parts of the day, so take it a bit easier. Try running by feel rather than by setting pace goals and be sure to give yourself a break if your times aren't what you think they should be. Try checking out this handy calculator for adjusting your pace for higher temps - https://runnersconnect.net/training/tools/temperature-calculator/
   
   
3. PROTECT YOURSELF - Sun screen and Sunglasses and Hats/Visors are a MUST for summer running. Actually, these are a must year-round, but they are especially important in the summer. I'll be the first to admit that I am bad about the sunscreen, need to do better, but I never run without my Shady Rays X Series Shades these days. Love them! Polarized and wrap around for more coverage - you'll hear more about these soon.
   
4. GET SHADY - Seek shade where you can. If you have access to a treadmill, great! When it gets super hot out, use that instead. For those of us without treadmill access, seek out shadier routes. I have a favorite route along the Catawba River that has a lot of shady tree cover and will seek that out on super hot/sunny days.
   
   
5. DRESS FOR SUCCESS - Lighter clothing and moisture wicking fabrics are your friend in the Summer months. Ditch the cotton shirts and socks (well, ditch those any time of the year really) and look for performance fabrics that are breathable and designed for running in hotter conditions.
   
   
6. BE SMART - Most importantly, be smart about your Summer Running and pay attention to how you are feeling. Any signs of distress like dizziness, nausea, disorientation, sudden headache and so on) could be a sign of heat stroke and you should end your run immediately. No one run (or even week of running) will break your goals so if conditions are just too extreme, it's better to be safe than sorry. 

Did I miss a tip? Let me know in the comments. And have a safe and fun Summer so you can kill those Fall races! 

Interested in joining me at the Rock n Roll Savannah Race Weekend, Nov 2-3? I've got some awesome discount codes to share - use  code “19RNRBRP16” for $16 off the Half Marathon and Marathon distances and “19RNRBRP6” for $6 off the 5K and 1 miler. I'll be running both the Half and the 5K!

Want to try the electrolyte drink I mentioned above, Ultima Replenisher? Use code “ULBRAVE19" for 10% off at the amazon.com/shops/ultimareplenisher storefront.

And if you are interested in a pair of Shady Rays like mine, use code “RAVE” for 50% off 2 or more pairs from the Shade Shop - https://shadyrays.com/collections/shade-shop

Rocking n Rolling in Savannah: Part 2

And now for Part 2 of my EPIC ROCK N ROLL SAVANNAH ADVENTURE!! Did you miss Part 1? Find it here - https://runnerdgirl.blogspot.com/2018/11/rocking-n-rolling-in-savannah-part-1.html

Just a reminder - Disclaimer: I received a free entry into the Rock 'n' Roll Savannah half 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!

So Day 2 of Rock n Roll Savannah would have the 5K and the 1 Mile race. The races didn't start until 1 pm, so there was no reason to set an early alarm (YAY!) plus, it was actually the start of Daylight Savings which means I get even MORE sleep. It was AWESOME and much needed. I think it was the first time I've ever started a race, especially and out of town race, so well rested. 

With that said, I had never spent time in Savannah before, so my friends insisted that we head down to the Waterfront area and tourist it up a bit. It was beautiful. We leisurely strolled around on the cobblestone streets and checked out cute shops. It was just like I stepped into a Southern Living Magazine. After shopping and snacking our way along River Street, we headed back to our car to head over to the Savannah Banana Stadium.

I'll say that again. Savannah Banana. That is seriously the name of their baseball team. I love it! Okay, so it is actually called William Grayson Stadium, but yeah, it will be known in my heart as the Savannah Banana Stadium. Sorry Mr. Grayson.  

Parking was a breeze. Since it was held at a baseball stadium, there was parking a plenty. Plus, there were a lot less people running the Day 2 races. There was a small festival area set up around the stadium and pre-race the bathrooms and the stadium were open. The finish line was inside the stadium, so spectators could sit in the stands and cheer on the finishers. 

Ready for the 5K

Four of our group ran the 5K and 2 of us also ran the 1 Mile afterward. We put on our wristbands, which we received at the Expo, to pick up our Remix Medals after we finished. These medals went to anyone running a Saturday race (either Full, Half or Relay) and a Sunday race (either 5K or 1 Mile). Additionally, if you ran both the 5K and 1 Mile like I did, you completed the Sweet Georgia Pie Challenge which scored you a Pie! (I was very excited about this). 

Okay, so race time. Much like the Half, the start line of the 5K was very well organized with well marked Waves. It was a rolling start where the first wave was released and then whenever you made it to the start, you went, not official other Wave starts. I hit the timing mat and was off. Unlike the Half, I did have a goal of hitting a PR on the 5K. I had a bit of trouble getting out of the crowd at first, but it cleared fairly quickly.

Along the 5K and 1 Mile Course

The route was again beautiful. You ran through a beautiful residential area with huge oak trees draped in Spanish Moss and cute little gardens all over. The course had several turns and I have a terrible sense of direction, so quickly lost track of where I was, but had no issue following the course. There was a water stop halfway through which I passed. They were handing out full water bottles instead of cups which I thought was a bit clunky, especially for a 5K. 

The 5K finished in the baseball stadium which was a bit awkward because you had to run into the stadium and through a side gate with a bit of a step down in to sand, but there were race volunteers warning about the step down, so it wasn't really an issue. 

I checked my watch as I crossed the finish line and I knew it would be a squeaker whether or not I hit my goal But alas, I missed it by 3 seconds with a 26:53 finish. Much like the Half, there were plenty of volunteers handing out the cute medals (the 5K was a Trolley, keeping with the transpiration theme) and again there were pretzels, trail mix and water bottles given out.  I waited for my friends to finish, got my free finisher beer, picked up my Remix Medal and refocused for the 1 Mile which started at 2:30 pm. I had about an hour in between. 

And then there were 2

There were even less people running the 1 Mile, so there were no waves, just one big start. Timing started when you hit the mat. Even though over the last 2 days I had already put in 16 miles, I gave that last mile my all. It followed basically the same course of the 5K leaving the stadium/park area and then doing a hairpin turn back into the area and finishing the same as the 5K, inside the stadium. I think frustration fueled a bit of that final mile and finished under 8 minutes with a 7:58 mile. The 1 Mile medals were Riverboats. Volunteers again gave me trail mix and pretzels. My friends who didn't race the 1 Mile were cheering in the stands and we found them quickly. 

With my 5K and 1 Mile bib in hand, I headed over to the Pie Society booth to claim my hard earned pie. You could choose either Peach or Apple and, since we were in Georgia, I of course picked Peach. 

PIE PIE PIE PIE PIE PIE PIE PIE PIE PIE PIE PIE PIE PIE PIE

All in all, it was an absolute amazing weekend with amazing friends and amazing races. I highly recommend this race to anyone wanting a fun and well organized race experience. We are already  making plans to return in 2019. I have unfinished 5K PR business... 

Rocking n Rolling in Savannah: Part 1

Wow! What a weekend I had last weekend. Is there anything better than combining a Girls Weekend and a Race Weekend? Can't think of many things. Last weekend, a few of my running besties and I tacked Rock n Roll Savannah. Here's how it all went down:

First off, this was my first, not only Rock n Roll Savannah race, but my first Rock n Roll race in general. A few of my crew had run this race before and highly recommended it, so when I had the opportunity as a BibRave Pro to run it (Disclaimer: I received a free entry into the Rock 'n' Roll Savannah half 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!) I jumped at the chance. As a BibRave Pro, I signed up for the Half Marathon. I then decided to sign up for the 5K (to earn the Remix Medal) and also the 1 Miler (cause the Sweet Georgia Pie Challenge). The other members of my group signed up for the following - 1 the Half Marathon, 1 the Half Marathon and 5K, 1 the Relay and the 5K and 1 the Relay, 5K and 1 Mile. 

The Crew!

Signing up for the race was a breeze. Like most races, the earlier you registered, the less expensive and there were ample discount codes, including a $15 off one from BibRave. Emails were aplenty from the Rock n Roll team and I always felt like I knew what was going on. One of our group's MIL lived in the Savannah area (right off Tybee Island) and she was gracious enough to offer us a place to stay, so that was super lucky. 

The 5 of us road tripped down to Savannah a bit after noon on Friday to make the 3.5 hour drive to the Expo, held at the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center. It was super easy to get to (the previous year there had been some construction that caused issues) and we arrived around 4:00. There were attendants to help with parking, but there were ample spaces. 

The Expo was super well organized. The packet pick up area was large and had great signage. The race had sent out your bib numbers the week before so as long as you had those (which we did) you walked straight up to the correctly numbered table and got your bib. Those of us who were running multiple races were also given a wrist band to collect our Remix Medal after the 5K on Sunday. After bibs, you took your bib to the area for shirts and they tore the tab off your bib and gave you your shirt. There was an exchange area for you to change out your size if necessary. The shirts were a bit snug, so I'm glad I traded up. It was super easy, barely and inconvenience. 

Look, it's ME!!

After we had all our race items, it was time to make your way through the shopping portion of the Expo. The largest part of the Expo, at least half of the space, was occupied by Brooks, who was the official merchandise partner. There were all kinds of cool shirts, gear, and souvenirs specific to the race. The one cool thing my friends and I flocked to was the walls where all the participants names were listed. That was fun to see. On the other half of the Expo were smaller booths from other sponsors and vendors. We all got temporary tattoos from the Toyota booth. One of my friends bought some sunglasses and socks and I purchased a pair of CEP compression socks (they had orange ones!!). It was neat to check out the Rock n Roll area that displayed all the medals for Heavy Medal participants (multiple races per year) and overall, it was a decent Expo. My only complaint would be that there were no food vendor and no food samples. Otherwise, easy peasy to get in, get our stuff and get out. 

We headed to our home for the weekend, had dinner and tucked in early for our Half Marathon in the morning. Of course I had to lay out my gear before hand.

Ready to Race!

First thing we tried to do the next morning was book and Uber to take us to the race. We didn't want to bother with navigating the closed downtown streets and parking. It must have been that many had this same idea as no drivers were available! After a brief panic, our kind host offered to drive and drop us off at the race. She was able to get pretty close even with lots of the streets closed and we only had to walk about 3 blocks to the start area. The area was really well organized with lots of PortaPotties and the Waves were well marked. We were all in either 5 or 6, so we decided to line up at the back of Wave 5. It was a bit chilly (about 50) so we waited for race time inside a parking deck just around the corner to keep out of the wind. I knew I'd warm up as soon as I started running so I opted for short sleeves with easily to remove Buff arm sleeves. 

The race started right on time, immediately after the singing of the National Anthem, the first Wave was released and each Wave made their way continuously to the start. When I arrived to the start, I took off as I hit the start mat and didn't have too much trouble getting out of the crowd as the waves were broken up nicely (I think I heard someone say there were 16 waves. My friends and I kinda scattered at this point to run our own races, but I knew I would be seeing one of my girls at the 7 mile mark as she was the second leg of the Relay, so that was nice to look forward to. 

So pretty! And look at all the spectators!!

I really enjoyed the course. Savannah is literally what you would expect a city in the deep south to be. Charming, beautiful, draped in Spanish Moss and pretty darn flat. And the people of Savannah were super kind and gracious to the runners. It truly lived up to it's nickname of Hostess City of the South. There were people on the side of the course cheering THE ENTIRE ROUTE. I have never run a race where that has happened before. And not only cheering (which let me say just how many sweet older ladies I saw ringing bells and waving, so cute), but offering things as well. Impromptu aid stations, with things like boxes of tissues (which, by the way AMAZING thing to offer, had never thought about it or seen it on course before, but OMG, tissues!!), water, food, and I swear I ran past 4 or 5 groups offering beers in the last 2 miles alone. If you feed off crowd energy, HIGHLY recommend Savannah Rock n Roll. The parts through the downtown area were absolutely beautiful. The only part I wasn't a fan of was the conditions of some of the older roads, running on brick and large cracks in some areas were not my favorite, but it was only an issue briefly. 

On course aid stations were plentiful and had Water and Gatorade Endurance. I don't carry during a race, so I took advantage of each station (except the last) and alternated Water an Gatorade. There were also a couple stations that handed out gels, but I bring my own, so I did not take any of these, but it was nice that they did. 

As far as my race strategy, I had planned to take it conservatively. I wasn't aiming for a PR because I had just set a new one in the Spring, and a few times, I purposely slowed my pace, esp early on. But by mile 10, I realized that if I had a good last push, I would PR. I felt good, so I picked up speed. I ended up crossing the finish at 2:05:26 - an almost 2 minute PR. Made me wonder if I had run more aggressively earlier, could I have hit a sub-2? Maybe next year... 

At the finish, there were tons of volunteers handing out medals, which were cute and transpiration themed (the Half was a bike and the Relay was a tandem bike, which, adorable!) and the crowds were immense. I felt like a RockStar when I finished. They were also handing out bags of pretzels and trail mix, but that was the only food there. There were also bottles of water and Gatorade Endurance. I was quickly able to find one of my friends who finished 3 min ahead of me (also a PR for her) and we went back to the Relay meet up area to find the other members of our group. Those running the Relay met up near the end and ran the last .20 together. Rock n Roll has an App which I had not downloaded previously, but it became apparent I needed to. You could track runners on it and it also posted your results immediately. The girl running the Relay had it and It was kind of fun watching the progress of her partner on it so we knew exactly where she was and when she'd be there. Needless to say, I downloaded the App too. 

I LOVE THIS SHIRT!!

After we had all crossed the finish line, we headed over to the post-race party/concert area. 3 of my friends immediately got in line for massages. Another girl and I got in line for our free beer. The lines were long, but went quick. In face, I stepped out of line to go to the merchandise tent to pick up a shirt (I got cold real quick after the race) and by the time I got it and came back, my friend had already gotten her beer, so I had to start over at the end of the line. Oh well. And, my shirt was AMAZING. Remember how I had said at the Expo they had walls with participants names? Well, they made shirts with them too, and I totally snagged one! You had to be careful, because 1 shirt was names A-K and the other L-Z, and luckily I grabbed the right one on the first try. I say luckily, because I actually grabbed the LAST one. There was also a shirt with the 5K names on it which one of my friends got, and all names were on 1 shirt for that one. 

We hung out for a bit, listened to the band and kind of wandered around the area. The finish line was near Forsyth Park which was beautiful, like picture perfect with beautiful statues and fountains. 

This was right behind the Finisher Post-Party, so PRETTY!

We then walked a few block to a cute coffee shop to warm up with some coffee and wait for an Uber (which came super quick) to take us back home.

Here's how we celebrated our accomplishment!

Aren't we a lively lot

All and all, it was an AMAZING race! But, it was only Day 1 of our Racing Adventure. Stay tuned for Day 2 - the 5K and 1 Mile!  

Medal Monday - RnR: Savannah

Full post coming soon, but just wanted to get these bad boys out there! Such an amazing weekend at Rock n Roll Savannah, such amazing races. Stay tuned...

It's Rock n Roll Savannah Race Week!!

It's RACE WEEK!! And not just any race week, but a Racecation Race Week! Starting Friday, I am Savannah, GA bound for Rock n Roll Savannah!! 

This weekend I will be running my very first Rock n Roll race(s) and I am super excited! I've always heard amazing things about Rock n Roll races and finally, I get my chance to experience one for myself. And so far, everything I have experienced has been amazing. I love receiving frequent updates from races (I'm a bit of an obsessive over planner and tend to worry over small details) so the updates have been super welcome. In fact, yesterday, I received 3 Final Preparations Updates (one for each race that I am registered for). 

The shirt's I'll be earning! That Peach KILLS me!! 

So here's the plan. Friday, I leave Rock Hill with a group of amazing friends who have all run this race before (there will be 5 of us total) and will hit up the Expo. Then, we are spending the night with the MIL of one of my friends, so that is awesome. Saturday morning, it is up bright and early for the Half Marathon - 3 of us are running the whole thing with the other 2 doing the Relay and sharing the miles. 

I'm personally earning 3 of these beauties! 

Saturday after the race, who knows what adventures we'll embark on. I've only been to Savannah twice ever (once 15 years ago and once when I was 9) so I have no idea what to do. If you have any suggestions, let me know in the comments!

PIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Then Sunday afternoon, we head back to the Race Site and 4 of us will be running the 5K and thus earning the Remix Medal. Then, 2 of us will be also doing the 1 Mile earning a pie for the Sweet Georgia Pie Challenge. You heard (read) that right, I GET A PIE!! 

Overall, I am super excited about both the race and the trip. I'm trained and ready (well as ready as I'll ever be). I'm still trying to decide my strategy for the Half, but since I scored me a pretty decent PR earlier this year and have like a billion races coming up, PLUS start Marathon training next week, I feel like I am going to run this pretty conservatively. But then again, as soon as the start sounds, my dumb self will probably run all out. But no matter my time, I know it's going to be an awesome race and an awesome weekend. 

Here's what I'll look like, be sure to say HI!

I'll be rocking out bright BibRave Orange shirts for all 3 races and a BibRave Trucker Hat for the Expo, so if you see me there, be sure to stop me and say Hi!! Also, I am sure I will be posting a ton of pictures on both my Twitter and Insta, so if you don't already follow me, make sure you do. Links below:

RunNerdGirl on Twitter
RunNerdGirl on Instagram

3rd Quarter Check In

First of all here are my 2018 goals along with the current status (Goals are listed in orange). 

• Run 1009 miles - me and a friend are splitting 2018 miles
• I'm a bit ahead on this goal as I've banked a few miles here an there each month just in case something comes up. Luckily this year I have yet to run into any extended breaks (please don't have just jinxed this!!) so as of today, I am at 813 miles of the 757 I needed to be on track for 1009 for the year. My partner is training for an Ultra (it's this weekend, wish her luck!), so she's well ahead of schedule at 892 miles. Combined we are sitting pretty at 1705/2018. Each of us only need just over 150 miles each to finish out the year which will be no problem, esp with me training for 2 more Half Marathons and starting training for my first ever Marathon.

• Run 18 races
• I'm well and good on the 18 race goal. As of Sept 30th, I have run 11. Currently, I have registered for 5 more (Color Me for Life 5K, Great Pumpkin Run 5K, Rock N Roll Savannah Half Marathon and 5K, and Huntersville Half Marathon. I know for sure doing 2 others (Gobble Wobble 8K and Santa Run 8K), just have not registered for yet. I also may do another 10K in Nov but haven't fully decided. (You can join me at Savannah and save $15 on the Half or Full with discount code- RNRBRP2018).

These are the 2018 Savannah Rock n Roll medals. Pleased to say I'll be earning 3 of these beauties! 

• Place in 4 races
• This goal is already met and then some! I'm now at SIX placings! 3rd at New Years Gnome Run 5K, 2nd at Kings Mountain Half Marathon, 1st at Come See Me 5K, 2nd at Moonlight Bootlegger, 1st at Common Heart Firecracker 10K and 3rd at Summerfest 5K!!!  I'm half hoping for one more at the Great Pumpkin Run in October, but it's kind of a long shot, so we'll see... 

• 1200 Twitter followers
• Done and Done! Current follower count is 1,284

• 1000 Instagram followers
• Not sure if I am gonna make this one. Currently at 793. I've upped my Instagram game a bit, but it is still slow going. If you have any Insta tips, please post in the comments. 

• Run 4 Half Marathons (Tobacco Rd., Kings Mtn, Run & Ride, Rock n Roll Savannah) with a new PR in at least 1
• 2 down, with 2 more registered for 
• New PR at Tobacco Road.
• Running Rock n Roll Savannah Half on Nov. 3rd
• Running Huntersville Half on Dec. 9th

• Do an Obstacle Race (Warrior Dash) 
• Done and done! This was a total blast. So much fun! I can't wait to run it again Although one of my friends is trying to convince us to upgrade to the Spartan. We'll see...

Our crazy messy crew

• Renew as BibRave Pro

• This doesn't happen until late Fall, so no update on this goal, but I *think* I am doing a decent job as a Pro. I've met all my requirement and try to post quality content. And I have been LOVING some of the awesome things I've gotten to test! Some of my favorites include Aftershokz Trekz Air bone conducting headphones and my Bedgear Performance Pillow. Love getting to try out such cool things and tell others about them!  

• Blog more - 4 per month at least 
• Some month's have been better than others (I'm looking at you, May and August) but I can say that I have overall done a much better job of blogging than in 2017.  So far I am at 33 (including this post) for the year, which averages out to 3.67 posts per month which is ALMOST 4, so I'm calling it a win. 

• Keep a consistent training plan/journal (Using the Believe Training Journal) 
• Ummmm... pass. Yeah, I suck. Said amazing training journal has sat in my desk drawer, cold and unloved. I am having a bit more luck with the pocket calendar, but mostly for scheduling BibRave stuff, not training. Recommend a system that you love for me to try in the comments below to help a girl out. 

And I am not sure of you noticed me slip it in there at the top, but I already have my MAJOR 2019 Goal lined. I'M RUNNING MY FIRST MARATHON at Tobacco Road in March!! That's crazy! I'm still not ever sure why crazy me has decided to do this, probably so I can answer yes once and for all when people ask if I've run a marathon. Feeling like it will totally be a one and done kind of thing, but I have to get that one. I ran the Half at Tobacco Road this year and loved it, so I think it will be a great first Full. Training will officially start in Nov. after Savannah. You can join me at Tobacco Road, register with discoutn code trmrave19 for $20 off either the Half or the Full - https://tobaccoroadmarathon.com/

How about you? Tell me how your 2018 is going so far. Feel free to follow me on Twitter or Instagram if you haven't already to help me meet those 2018 number too. 

Summer Training Makes Fall Races

After having no specific goals for several months, I am back in the swing for things for training for a litany of races that will keep me on point until my (gasp) first Marathon on March 17th. 

After Sat. long run. I am wasted! - So hot, So humid!!

And let me tell you kids, I may be in Fall training, but it is still hot as Hades out there. I've been trying hard to keep a positive outlook about the heat, especially since longer and longer runs will creep into my schedule. My mantra these days is: Summer Training Makes Fall Races. If I can maintain my speed and endurance in 90+ degrees, I am going to KILL my Fall and Winter races for sure. 

Getting one of each of these shirts

First Fall race is the Rock n Roll Savannah weekend, Nov. 3-4. I am officially on Week 4 of my training plan for the Half Marathon, but I am also running the 5K and the 1 Mile races cause, well, if I do I get a pie. No serious, they do a Sweet Georgia Pie Challenge where if you run the 5K and 1 Mile races on Sunday, you get a Peach Pie. I'm 100% in. I'm pretty psyched that my training plan is pretty much aligned with the Fleet Feet Sports Fort Mill, so I get to long run with my peeps, so yay! Their goal race is the weekend after mine, and I am still deciding if I am going to crash that race too. If I do, I'll probably run the 10K or even the 5K cause I have done two back to back Halfs before and am in no hurry to do that again. Especially since my second Fall season Half will be just a month later on Dec. 9th - the Huntersville Half. 

After those 2 Half Marathons, up next will be the Hot Chocolate 15K Charlotte on January 19th. Last year was Charlotte's first year hosting a Hot Chocolate race and it was pretty darn great. I actually ran 2 back to back (Atlanta and then Charlotte) and pushed way too hard after not recovering from the Atlanta race so and in bonked the last 2 miles, this year I have high hopes of setting a new 15K PR. It will be mainly up to the weather, so fingers crossed that it cooperates. Either way, PR or no, there is chocolate and lots of it at the finish line and the swag for Hot Chocolate races are always amazing. 

After that, it is pretty much Marathon on my mind until March 17th when I run my first at the Tobacco Road Marathon in Cary, NC. January and February will have me doing the longest runs I've ever done and I am 100% already sweating it. Here's to hoping I can find another crazy to long run with me in the dead of the winter. At least I won't have to get up at the crack of dawn to avoid the Summer Heat like I am for long runs now, so there's that. But either way, the long runs will get done. At least, that is the plan.

So, an ambitious schedule for sure, but I'm pretty excited about it. And if you are interested in joining me on any of these races/adventures, I'd love to have the company. And I even have discount codes to tempt you.

Want to join me in Savannah? Register here: http://www.runrocknroll.com/savannah/register/ and use code “RNRBRP2018” to save $15 on the Marathon or Half Marathon.

Want to join me for Hot Chocolate Charlotte? Register for the Allstate Hot Chocolate 15k or 5K Charlotte with coupon code: BRHCCharlotte and get a free HC Arm Band. http://bit.ly/2J81tPw

How about joining me for Tobacco Road? I have a sweet discount for either the Full or the Half Marathons - $20 off with code trmrave19 when you register at www.tobaccoroadmarathon.com. I could use all the support I can get!

In Between Times

Summer Running = UGH

So I am at that weird part of the year where I just don't have an upcoming race to train for. My next race that I have registered for is Rock N Roll Savannah on November 3rd, which I am super excited for, but until then, nada. I mean there are a few races here an there that I plan on signing up for but have yet to, but they would be all for shorter  distances, the longest of which I am considering is a 15K the last weekend of Sept. 

Since it is a bit too early to officially kick off my training for Rock N Roll Savannah, I'm now in this weird "in-between time" where of course running is going to happen, but with no real tangible goal in mind. Well, at least not a race goal that is. I still have my 1009 miles for the year goal (which I am currently sitting at 605 miles or 60% complete) so that is keeping me moving. As far as runs though, I have just been running whatever I feel like as long as I meet my weekly minimum (19.4 miles). 

With all that said, it's not a terrible thing to no be racing right now. After all it is summer which means it is crazy stupid hot out. And this year, it's been a lot tougher on me because unlike previous years where I did a lot of morning runs in the summer, I've been doing most of my runs at or near the hottest part of the day. Since I joined Burn Boot Camp in November, I pretty much go there in the mornings instead of running and the only other available time to go out is during my daughter's taekwondo classes which are at 4:30 and 5:30 pm. Just think how fast I'll be in the Fall though... 

The good news is I don't have much longer to wait. I officially kick off Rock N Roll Savannah Half Marathon Training the first week of August. But until then, I'll keep plodding along in this nebulous time putting in my miles haphazardly. 

What about you? What's your next race that you are registered for? Want to join me in Savannah? Register here: http://www.runrocknroll.com/savannah/register/ and use code “RNRBRP2018” to save $15 on the Marathon or Half Marathon. 

Or maybe you have a race to suggest for me to sign up for. What are your recommendations for an Aug/Sept/Oct race?