2018 Recap

So here we are. The end of another year. Time for a final look at 2018 and see how things went as far as meeting my goals. But first up...

2018 Setbacks

I'll be honest, 2018 was a pretty great year for me overall. I didn't run into any real illness or injuries that kept me off the road. I owe a lot of that to an increase in cross training with Burn Boot Camp. Overall, going 2 or 3 times per week throughout the year I think kept me pretty healthy. If I had to pick a major area that I struggled with, it would have to be nutrition. I got what I felt was pretty lousy advice near the end of 2017 that set me on the path of some pretty unhealthy habits for weight loss (too few calories, too drastic loss). Right before the end of the year, I had lost 12 pounds in just 3 weeks while maintaining full activity. I felt like my body was shutting down. I think I kind of rebelled against that by not following any kind of plan once I realized that I could not keep going like that. Anyway, I need to be more sensible about watching what I eat and making better choices. I will be posting my goals for 2019 later this week, but you can be sure that nutrition will be a big one. I've been very lucky not to bounce back and gain a bunch of weight back, but that won't last forever, plus, esp with heavy training at the beginning of 2019, I just need to eat better to perform and feel better. Again, more on this soon. 

The most frustrating thing that I think happened to me in 2019 was missing hitting a new 5K PR by 3 seconds at Rock n Roll Savannah. 3 SECONDS! And yes, I know I had just set a new Half PR the day before, and I know I ran a good race, but missing by that little is super frustrating. And now that I've switched focus away from speed training, looks like that 5K PR will hold for a while. 

I also did not follow a regular planner like I had set out to do. This is one I am going to try as a do over goal for 2019, so I will be talking more about this in my upcoming 2019 goals. 2019 is going to have a pretty consistent theme of getting organized. I seriously cannot keep going on like a chicken with my head cut off. The chaos will be tamed in 2019! 

Otherwise... 2018 was kind of awesome! 

Let's take one last look at my goals and how I did. (Goals are listed in orange). Less than a month to get everything checked off! 

• Run 1009 miles - me and a friend are splitting 2018 miles
• BOOM! Mission accomplished a full MONTH early! I ended the year with 1,140 total miles! 

• Run 18 races
• Grand total of 21 races for 2018! Wow! I'll admit, I kind of got carried away at the end of the year. I will not be racing this much in 2019, but I do have a few important races lined up (see below). 2018 was EXHAUSTING! Here's what I ran - 

Baxter Trail NYD Gnome Run 5K, Joe Davis Run for Recovery 10K, Hot Chocolate 15K Atlanta, Hot Chocolate 15K Charlotte, Tobacco Road Half Marathon, Come See Me Road Race 5K, Kings Mountain Half Marathon, Warrior Dash 5K, Moonlight Bootlegger Trail 5K, Insane Inflatable 5K, Common Heart Firecracker 10K, Summerfest 5K, Color Me for Life 5K, Great Pumpkin Run 5K, Rock n Roll Savannah Half Marathon, 5K, and 1 Mile races, Run Hard Lexington 10K, Gobble Wobble 8K, Huntersville Half Marathon, and Santa Run 8K. Whew... 

• Place in 4 races
• Y'all this is one goal that I was super excited about exceeding. I managed 7 placements in 2018!! Here's the stats - 
• 3rd Place Baxter Trail NYD Gnome Run 5K
• 1st Place Come See Me 5K
• 2nd Place Kings Mountain Half Marathon
• 2nd Place Mooonlight Bootlegger Trail 5K
• 1st Place Common Heart Firecracker 10K
• 3rd Place Summerfest 5K
• 1st Place Great Pumpkin Run 5K

Here's a quick visual of all the medals and awards I brought home. Missing is a pint glass for the NYD Gnome Run 5K because the decal washed off.

Bling for days... 

• 1200 Twitter followers
• Done and Done! I just surpassed 1500 followers! 

• 1000 Instagram followers
• Did not make my original goal, but in my last update post, I said I would be happy with 900. I hit that. Currently at 926. This will be a bigger focus in 2019.

• Run 4 Half Marathons with a new PR in at least 1
• 4 Half Marathons accomplished. And 2 new PRs! Here's what I raced:
• New PR at Tobacco Road - 2:07
• Kings Mountain Half Marathon (no PR, but improved over previous year)
• Even newer PR at Rock n Roll Savannah - 2:05
• Huntersville Half paced a friend who got a new PR for her!

• 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

• So exited to say that I have achieved this goal! I have absolutely LOVED being a BibRave Pro and am stoked about being on board for another year. I've been able to test out some really amazing items this year (my favorites probably being Aftershokz and OOFS) and run some really fun races (2 Hot Chocolate races, Tobacco Road and Rock n Roll Savannah). But more than that, I am so thankful for the community of runners that I have gotten to meet over the past year. I cannot wait for the amazing opportunities that 2019 will hold for me with BibRave. I already have my first 2 2019 BibRave races scheduled, Hot Chocolate Charlotte on Jan. 19 and Tobacco Road Marathon (my first ever) on Mar. 17. Check out the notes at the bottom of this post for details on how you can join me at these races including discount codes! 

• 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.  This post will bring me to 50 for the year, which averages out to 4.2 posts per month which is so I'm calling it a win. I am going to be focusing even more on Blog building in 2019.

• Keep a consistent training plan/journal (Using the Believe Training Journal) 
• As you read above. This was a big ol' fail for me. Hey, if you met all of your goals, that means you didn't aim high enough, right!? That's what I am going with at least. This year I am trying the Simple Elephant planner. I have it already set up, ready to go. 

Here a a few other 2018 Successes that I did not specifically have as goal, but wanted to mention:

• New PR in every distance I raced in 2018 - 5K, 8K, 10K, 15K and Half. Now I didn't PR every race, I did at one point in the year PR each distance
• Was consistent with Burn Boot Camp. Sure, I may call it Torture Camp, but it is all with love. I have gotten loads stronger, which has really helped my running and made some amazing friends. Love my #BurnSisters
• Also, earlier this year, my Burn Boot Camp Rock Hill location had a location shirt design contest, and I won it! In fact, that pictured to the right is me wearing the shirt that I designed! 
• Signed up for a Marathon. I may have mentioned this one or two (or a billion times). Signing up was one of my scariest moments of 2018. So far, I am on track with training. I just started Week 8 of 18 of training. 

Looking Forward - Join Me on the Road in 2019

As I mentioned above, I already have a few 2019 lined up. 

I'm so excited about running my 3rd Hot Chocolate 15K (2nd Charlotte one) on January 19th. Not only do I think that 15K is the perfect distance (right around the 10 mile mark, I start to think to myself - Why am I still running? - but there is CHOCOLATE at the finish. Not just Hot Chocolate mind you, but all manner of yummies! Plus, their swag is legit some of the best race swag ever (see the pic to the right) Join me and register with discount code BRHCCharlotte and you get not only the medal, the jacket (so worth the registration fee alone) the chocolate and goodies (YUM), but also a really cool branded arm band for holding your phone while running. There is also a 5K option, but heads up that you do not get a medal for this. You still get the jacket, goodies and the arm band (with the discount code). 

Tobacco Road Marathon on March 17th will be MY EVER FIRST MARATHON at Tobacco Road!! I have already started training with the BibRave and Aftershokz #262Squad and am on Week 4 of training. You can join me at Tobacco Road, register with discount code trmrave19 for $20 off either the Half or the Full - https://tobaccoroadmarathon.com 

You can also join the #262Squad Marathon Training Program here: 262squad.aftershokz.com/
Download the plan on the Motigo App and join in anytime. You will receive a full 18 week training plan that consists of 4 running days per week, many of which have helpful audio cues that play throughout your run. I'm loving it so far!. 

How about you? Tell me how your 2018 went. What were your major accomplishments? Feel free to follow me on Twitter or Instagram if you haven't already.

Are you looking at 2019 yet? If so, what do you have planned?

** Do note that I am right on schedule for the 2018 recap, unlike last year when was 3 days late 😊 See, already getting the jump on that getting organized thing for 2019. 

WIN Big with WIN - Review and Giveaway

Disclaimer: I received a bottle of WIN Sports Detergent 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! 

While running and working out make me feel really great, all that hard, heavy activity also makes me smell not so great. It's cool, it happens to everyone, that's why showers and washing clothes are things. But have you ever noticed that after a while, even when they are freshly washed, your favorite workout clothes never quite smell nice anymore?

I've found this happening especially with my Sports Bras. See, I only have 3, so they get a lot of use. I wear and wash each one at least 2x per week and after awhile, even though I know they are clean, they don't exactly smell it. This is because moisture wicking clothing tends to attract oils. The same properties that make your favorite workout clothes perform, also makes them more likely to be stinky!

My clothes from my afternoon lunch run lay waiting.
This is a common for 2 or 3 of my 5 day work week.

I also have a pretty busy schedule, which means I am often packing and carrying my workout clothes in a gym bag (I will run or go to Burn Boot Camp first thing in the morning and then go straight to work where I can shower, change, and bag my sweaty clothes) where they... fester I guess is the best word... all day before I bring them home and hopefully (but let's be honest, sometimes I don't) take them out and dump into a laundry basket where they continue to ripen. Or, I think my worst recently smelly clothes transgression was earlier this month, when I ran and 8K in the pouring rain. After the race, I changed out of my soaking wet (both sweat and rain) clothes in the parking garage and threw them in my floor board where they sat for 4 days!!! Not proud of that, but being it is what it is.

Anyway, I don't have to worry about that anymore, because I now have WIN. WIN is a High Performance Sports Detergent that targets oils and bacteria that get trapped in performance clothes and removes them. It contains specialized chemicals that are not found in general purpose laundry detergents that specifically target oil removal from synthetic clothing. For more information on how WIN works, check out their website for the details, including adorable infographics - https://www.windetergent.com/pages/how-it-works

WIN comes in 2 different varieties, Fresh Scent and Fragrance + Dye Free. This is greatly appreciated in my household as my husband and little one I swear are allergic to basically every perfumed scent ever created, so the Fragrance + Dye Free is perfect for us.

So how much am I digging Win? Well, my Sports Bras no longer smell like they could run down the road on their own. And those clothes I left in the car, they smell so fresh and clean that I wear the shirt often as a regular everyday shirt, not a just workout one. And, not only have I been using it with great results, but I also got some for my Mom. And if that is not a ringing endorsement, I am not sure what is. She's excited to use it on my Dad's gym clothes, which, WHEW, could use it (sorry Dad).

Would you like to try it out WIN for yourself? Well I have fantastic news the, because I am GIVING AWAY a bottle for one lucky person to WIN (get it)!

To enter to win a bottle of WIN Sports Detergent and get those smelly workout clothes smelling fresh and clean again just follow these easy steps:

Go to my Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/runnerdgirl

1. Like this post:
   
   
2. Follow both me (@runnerdgirl) and @windetergent
   
3. Tag a friend in the comments. You and your friend will both entered to win (winner must be in continental USA). You will receive an entry for each person you tag (ie: tag 3 friends, they all get one entry and you get three!) I will do a random draw on Dec. 30 from all entries and notify the winner via DM. 

Only 1 lucky person will win, but everyone can save 20% with coupon code RAVE4WIN on your WIN order through 1/15/2019 when you order on Amazon here: BUY NOW ON AMAZON

From Dreadmill to Treadmill with Zwift Running

Disclaimer: I received a Zwift RunPod to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.comto review find and write race reviews! 

So let me go ahead and put this out here. If you've followed my blog for any amount of time, or my socials, you may have noticed exactly 0 pictures of me running a treadmill. I legit don't like them. To me, it is mind numbingly boring. I have only ever run treadmill if I had no other choice. Even then, when given the option, I would usually choose the elliptical over the treadmill. It's just not my thing. 

BUT... I may actually have learned about a new product that just may convince me otherwise. 

Zwift Running

What is it? Basically, it is a way to make the treadmill fun by watching a cute little avatar of yourself go on virtual runs in fun places with other people while you chug along on the treadmill to power them. Think Sims, that you power with your feet. You run in the real world, and virtual you runs across virtual courses. 

To try it out, I met up with some of my BibRave Pro buddies to do a Virtual Race. It is super easy to set up and join events. There is even a companion app that you can download to your phone in order to chat during an event. 

The Run Pod clips right onto your shoe

There was just a bit of set up pre-event. First, to power your little cutie, you need to download the Zwift app to your laptop, phone or tablet. I used my iPad since I thought that it would be a bit easier to see on it than the phone and didn't want to try to prop up a laptop on the treadmill. You also will need a Foot Pod or a Bluetooth enabled Treadmill. I used the Foot Pod, which you can get online (stay tuned, at the end of this post there will be a discount code for ordering one). I connected my Foot Pod to my shoe and synced it with app and in no time I was ready to go. 

Rare shot of me SMILING on a treadmill

Since I don't have a Treadmill or a gym membership, my Mother In Law was kind enough to let me hang out in her workout room and use hers. (Thanks again). I did a quick pre-event workout to make sure that everything went smoothly and it all went off with no problems. Which, with my level of comfort with technology (practically non-existent) I was sure there would be issues, so I arrived pretty early. Next thing I knew though, it was event time and I had already run 3 miles. 

Let me repeat... I ran 3 miles on a treadmill without hardly realizing it. It was so fun watching my cute little me running around. You get to choose your route by picking the direction you want to turn and there were so many cool things to look at like hot air balloons floating around and a volcano. It even started raining on my little virtual me for a bit. 

Virtual me, happily running in the rain

5 minutes before the official BibRave 5K event started, I got a notification that my event was starting and just had to click it to join. I was then taken to the start line with my fellow BibRave Pros. 

And the BibRave 5K  is ON!

It was super fun to see everyone's little avatars rearing to go at the start. There was a count down at the start of the race and we were off. I started running on my treadmill and my little virtual me started running her little virtual heart out. Every so often, you got asked which direction you wanted to go, left or right. I pretty much stuck to the routes along the beach, but at one point, I swear I was running underwater. It also started raining at one point, which I thought was pretty funny. All and all, watching little me run around kept me pretty distracted, but not so much that I couldn't keep a decent pace.

I must have had a connection error at some point while running because I kind of lost my BibRave Pro friends and somehow ended up running with a bunch of people on bikes, but it was still pretty neat. Since I had come to put in 5K, that is what I did. Well, actually, I put in just a bit more than that. And after your run, you get all kinds of cool stats about your activity. 

Overall, I actually enjoyed running on the treadmill. In fact, between the pre-workout, the 5K and a bit after, I put in 7 miles on it, which was a record for me (previous record being 6 miles). It was fun to look at all the neat things on the screen while running through the little virtual town of Watopia. I'd love to try out one of the other areas in the future: Central London and Richmond, VA. 

If you would like to try out Zwift for yourself, they are running a deal currently - purchase a Run Pod at www.zwift.com and the first 1000 people to purchase get 15% off with discount code: Bibrave15. 

Also, be sure to follow me on Zwift if you try it out, just download the Zwift Companion and search for me: Lissa Nypaver. Hopefully I will be able to get treadmill access again soon and put in some more runs. (OMG, did I just hope to run on a treadmill?!?!) 

Maybe I'll run into you somewhere out there in Virtual Watopia! 

Marathon Training Update: Week 6 with the #262Squad

"Disclaimer: I received access to the AfterShokz #262squad Marathon Training Experience on Motigo 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!"

Well, I am officially on Week 6 of my Tobacco Road Marathon Training using the Aftershokz and BibRave #262Squad Marathon Training Plan powered by Motigo. And so far, so good. I haven't actually gotten into unfamiliar distances as I am still in the base building portion of the program, but so far, everything has been going quite smoothly. 

The first few weeks saw me putting in very familiar distances. So far my longest run on this plan has been 10 miles while my longest run ever is 15. Well technically, I did a Half Marathon one week, so that was really my longest run in the training thus far, but that was me overachieving a bit, not the plan. What I love about this plan is that I have been able to modify it to fit my needs, so when the random race does pop up (like it did last weekend) I feel like I can easily swap out workouts.  

Successful Half, with a new PR for my friend of the right!

For example, last week, when I ran the Huntersville Half, was supposed to be my cut-back week where I drop down from 10 miles to just 6 for my long run. Instead, I switched it up a week and used last weekend as my cut-back week. I also didn't race the Half, but instead paced a friend, so as not to overexert during training. This week I will jump back into 12 miles, which again for me is not a new distance, so I feel pretty confident playing around with the schedule a bit. 

Here's what the actual workout looks like -
Each entry includes distance, tips and # of messages

As for the actual audio recordings that I get to experience during the run, I've been loving them. The recordings come every few miles, at least once per week, during the long run, but on occasion I have had a recording during my Thursday training as well. These recordings have been everything from tips about practicing nutrition during the run, to fun stories that the trainers share to keep the mood light and fun. Some even give me tips while in the moment, like urging me to sprinkle in some strides throughout the run. Each message is preceded by a tone that allows me to turn up the volume if need be so I can hear more clearly if I have my Aftershokz turned down for whatever reason, like when I'm chatting while running. 

All in all, I have been very thankful that I have gotten to experience this training plan. Marathon training can be pretty lonely if you are on your own. For some reason, unless they are in training as well, no one else really jumps at the opportunity to join you for a 20 mile run, lol. But sharing my training on socials and being a part of the #262Squad I am able to connect with others going through the same challenges, even if they are not physically with me. Also, seeing the success that Kim Fassetta recently had completing the same program for her first ever marathon - the Honolulu Marathon 2 weeks ago has given me a huge boost of confidence. You can read more about her journey here - https://aftershokz.com/blogs/news/join-me-in-hawaii-for-my-first-marathon 

If your are considering your first marathon, and are interested in checking out the AfterShokz #262squad Marathon Training Experience, you can find out more by heading over to their website here - https://262squad.aftershokz.com/. The plan only costs $34.99 but the #262squad Marathon Training Experience is FREE with the purchase of Trekz Air or Trekz Titanium headphones!! It is perfect for training for your first Marathon, or any Marathon.

Or, if you'd like to join me specifically at the Tobacco Road Marathon, you can register here: http://www.tobaccoroadmarathon.com/ and use discount code:  trmrave19 for $20 off your marathon or half marathon registration.

The End is Nigh - The End of the Year That Is!

Here's a quick update on my 2018 goals along with the current status (Goals are listed in orange). Less than a month to get everything checked off! 

• Run 1009 miles - me and a friend are splitting 2018 miles
• BOOM! Mission accomplished a full MONTH early!

Accomplished on Nov. 29!

• Run 18 races
• Well, even if I just count the Savannah Rock n Roll races as 1 race (when I actually ran 3) I would be at 18 races as of right now and I still have 2 more this year. I will be running the Huntersville Half Marathon this coming weekend and The Santa Dash 8K the following weekend. So I'm calling it 20 races for the year.  

• Place in 4 races
• Y'all this is one goal that I was super excited about exceeding. So as of last check in, I had hit 6 placings. And guess what?! I managed one more since then! I placed 1st AG in the Great Pumpkin 5K!!  I went in with the goal to bring home a pumpkin and I DID! Total of 7 placements for 2018. Not too shabby! 

I came, I ran, I achieved pumpkin

• 1200 Twitter followers
• Done and Done! I just surpassed 1400 followers! 

• 1000 Instagram followers
• Not sure if I am gonna make this one. Currently at 879. I've upped my Instagram game a bit, but it is still slow going. Will be happy if I can get to 900. If you have any Insta tips, please post in the comments. This will be a bigger focus in 2019.

• Run 4 Half Marathons with a new PR in at least 1
• 3 down, with 1 more registered for: 
• New PR at Tobacco Road - 2:07
• Even newer PR at Rock n Roll Savannah - 2:05
• Running Huntersville Half on Dec. 8th, but not racing it. Gonna pace a friend.

• 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

• So exited to say that I have achieved this goal! I have absolutely LOVED being a BibRave Pro and am stoked about being on board for another year. I've been able to test out some really amazing items this year (my favorites probably being Aftershokz and OOFS) and run some really fun races (2 Hot Chocolate races, Tobacco Road and Rock n Roll Savannah). But more than that, I am so thankful for the community of runners that I have gotten to meet over the past year. I cannot wait for the amazing opportunities that 2019 will hold for me with BibRave. I already have my first 2 2019 BibRave races scheduled, Hot Chocolate Charlotte on Jan. 19 and Tobacco Road Marathon (my first ever) on Mar. 17. Check out the notes at the bottom of this post for details on how you can join me at these races including discount codes! 

• 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 46 (including this post) for the year, which averages out to 4.1 posts per month which is so I'm calling it a win. I am going to be focusing even more on Blog building in 2019.

• 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. Training is mainly on an Excel spreadsheet. Recommend a system that you love for me to try in the comments below to help a girl out. 

Looking Foward - Join Me on the Road in 2019

As I mentioned above, I already have a few 2019 lined up. 

I'm so excited about running my 3rd Hot Chocolate 15K (2nd Charlotte one) on January 19th. Not only do I think that 15K is the perfect distance (right around the 10 mile mark, I start to think to myself - Why am I still running? - but there is CHOCOLATE at the finish. Not just Hot Chocolate mind you, but all manner of yummies! Plus, their swag is legit some of the best race swag ever (see the pic to the right) Join me and register with discount code BRHCCharlotte and you get not only the medal, the jacket (so worth the registration fee alone) the chocolate and goodies (YUM), but also a really cool branded arm band for holding your phone while running. There is also a 5K option, but heads up that you do not get a medal for this. You still get the jacket, goodies and the arm band (with the discount code). 

Tobacco Road Marathon on March 17th will be MY EVER FIRST MARATHON at Tobacco Road!! I have already started training with the BibRave and Aftershokz #262Squad and am on Week 4 of training. You can join me at Tobacco Road, register with discount code trmrave19 for $20 off either the Half or the Full - https://tobaccoroadmarathon.com 

You can also join the #262Squad Marathon Training Program here: 262squad.aftershokz.com/
Download the plan on the Motigo App and join in anytime. You will receive a full 18 week training plan that consists of 4 running days per week, many of which have helpful audio cues that play throughout your run. I'm loving it so far!. 

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. 

Are you looking at 2019 yet? If so, what do you have planned?

Time is Running Out To Conquer the Bridge!

I’m promoting the Savannah Bridge Run as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to find and write race reviews!”

You may have seen my post about 2 weeks ago on the reasons why you should run the Enmarket Savannah Bridge Run - if not, check it out here: https://runnerdgirl.blogspot.com/2018/11/5-reasons-to-conquer-bridge-savannah.html

Race day is THIS SATURDAY! (Dec. 1st) And you only have until Thursday, Nov. 29th  to register online!!!  Don't be like me and miss out on this amazing race over the 

Register here: http://www.savannahbridgerun.com/ and use discount code "BIBSAV20" to save 20% off the registration price. You can also get more information and see course maps plus helpful links for planning your trip to Savannah. 

CONQUER THE BRIDGE!

EARN THE MEDAL!

So It Begins: Week 1 of Marathon Training

"Disclaimer: I received access to the AfterShokz #262squad Marathon Training Experience on Motigo 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, I am officially in training for my first ever Marathon, the Tobacco Road Marathon on March 17th, 2019. 
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHGHGHHGHGHGH!!!!!!!

Perhaps the hardest part so far of training for a marathon has been selecting a training plan. I am SUPER Type A, especially when it comes to planning my runs. Since I started racing almost 5 years ago now (WOW) I have been on some sort of plan or another. I started out using the Couch to 5K plan. After that, I used Runkeeper plans, plans found online, plans though local training groups, and finally, I've started making up my own plans based on what has and hasn't worked for me in the past. But marathon training was a whole new level of insanity that I've not experienced before, and I'm pretty much doing it alone which in itself is scaring me a bit. 

Lucky for me, as I was agonizing over this, I was given an amazing opportunity though BibRave to check out the Aftershokz #262 Marathon Training Experience through the Motigo App. Basically, it is a fully realized 18 week marathon training plan that consists of 4 run days per week. Also, for each week, 1 or 2 of the runs will have Audio that provides motivation and tips that pop up as you run so even though I am training alone, I'm not really alone. 

So I had a wee bit of a rocky start (mainly because I thought this week - Nov. 19 - 25th was Week 1, instead of last week - Nov. 12 - 19th). Oops! Luckily, I figured it out half way though the week and really only missed 1 running day (but actually put in the correct number of total miles, so in the end, it all worked out anyway. 

For the first week, I had 2 days with Audio cues. Since I am early in the program, the audio mainly was motivational, a preview of what was to come. I liked how I got a little chime right before the audio cue came on because sometimes I have a tendency to zone out a bit while running, so when I heard the chime, I had a moment to turn up the volume on my Aftershokz so I could make sure I could really hear Jessica or Tim talking. I'll be honest, during my first run with Audio, when I heard Jessica encouraging me to increase my pace near the end of my 5 mile run, at first I was like, nah, but then I did and I am glad that I did. It was nice to have that bit of an extra push and I look forward to more of this in the future. 

Overall, the plan looks gradual and pretty straight forward, and not quite as intimidating now that I have it all set out before me. My biggest concerns are being able to fit in the longer mid-week runs. Any thing above 5 miles on a week day is a bit of a challenge to schedule in, so I may have to get creative for a few weeks, especially seeing that the bulk of the plan is squarely in the winter months, which can be pretty unpredictable here in SC. Mainly, I am trying to think positive and not let it overwhelm me. It helps that a few other of my fellow BibRave Pros are also training with this program, so even though I am technically alone, I do have a squad out there who know what I am going through. 

Let's just hope it doesn't end the same for me as it did Theoden... 

Would you like to join me on this epic adventure? There is always room on the #262squad. To join in on the Aftershokz #262 Marathon Training Experience visit: https://262squad.aftershokz.com/ for instructions on how to access the program. 

And if you'd like to join me specifically at the Tobacco Road Marathon, you can register here: http://www.tobaccoroadmarathon.com/ and use discount code:  trmrave19 for $20 off your marathon or half marathon registration.

5 Reasons to Conquer the Bridge: Savannah Bridge Run

I’m promoting the Savannah Bridge Run as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to find and write race reviews!”

On December 1st, runners will descend upon the beautiful Southern city of Savannah, GA with one goal in mind. CONQUER THE BRIDGE. Here's just a few reasons of why you should join them for the Savannah Bridge Run. 

1. Running over a bridge, especially a huge one, is just plain cool. Have you ever ran over a bridge over a huge river before? I've done it a couple of times now (Cooper River in Charleston and Allegheny River in Pittsburgh) and let me tell you, it's pretty awesome. The views are magnificent and there is something just beautiful and calming about being high up over the water like that even during a race. Plus, for the rest of your life you can point to the Talmadge Bridge and say to your friends and family - "Guess what, I ran over that" and revel in their ooohs and ahhhs. 

Pic taken at RnR Savannah - 11/3

2. Savannah is BEAUTIFUL, especially on foot. Close your eyes and picture an imaginary city in the deep south. Marsh-lined beaches, palm trees, grand oaks draped with Spanish Moss, beautiful old homes, charming parks with statues and grand fountains, quaint riverfront areas with shops and amazing seafood and soul food. Except this isn't imaginary, it's Savannah. It is practically oozing with Southern Charm and beauty. 

3. Savannah is one of the most welcoming cities for runners I have ever experienced. I recently ran the Rock n Roll Savannah races, and seriously, the town was THE BEST. There were cheer squads the ENTIRE route of the Half Marathon. People handing out supplies like water, snacks, tissues, heck, I was offered at least 5-6 beers in the last 2 miles alone. And not by course volunteers (though there were plenty of these as well) but by kind spectators. Savannah truly lives up to it's nickname as the Hostess City of the South.

4. The Savannah Bridge Run has race options for every type of runner. No matter your level, there is an option for you. Wanna cross the bridge once? Run the 5K. Want to cross it twice? There's a 10K. Still have more in you? Boom, run the Double Pump Challenge, both the 5K and the 10K for 3 awesome bridge crossings. Need an even bigger challenge? There's even a Rucking division! Want to involve the whole family? There is a FREE kid's challenge, and though it does not go over the bridge the kids get their own awesome medal when they cross the finish. 

5. The Savannah Bridge Run SWAG/Finisher Rewards are straight up AMAZING!

Here's what you get:

All 5K, 10K and Double Pump participants receive the following:

• Awesome Finisher medal
• Long sleeved participant shirt 
• Access to the Post-Race Party for beer and live music
• Brunswick Stew
• Virtual SWAG Bag
• Bragging rights that you completed the South's toughest Bridge Run!
• *5K runners will get a complementary shuttle ride back to the Post-Race Party area

Unfortunately for me, I am unable to attend this year's Savannah Bridge run due to a conflicting family schedule, but I'm for sure adding it to my 2019 list. Don't you miss out too! 

Register >> http://SavannahBridgeRun.com and get 20% on your entry with discount code "BIBSAV20". You can also get more information and see course maps plus helpful links for planning your trip to Savannah.