2019 Wrap Up and Beyond

I'm not going to mince words. 2019 was a lot. Like A LOT. And not just for running, but overall just... well, just a lot. But hey, let's focus on the running for now...
Holy Year of Achievements!! I pulled the following list of awesomeness off:

• A TON of new PRs
  
• New 5K PR - 24:15
• New 8K PR - 40:05
• New 10K PR - 50:37
• New 15K PR - 
• New Half PR - 1:56
• Ran 19 races (placed in 5 of them)
• Ran a Marathon (my first)
• Ran a Ragnar Relay (my first)
• Placed in a Charlotte Race (my first time, 2nd Division)
• Placed Overall in a Race (3rd Overall Female)
• Hit my Milage Goal (and then some)
• Ran 1000 Miles in the Year (1st goal)
• Ran 1200 Miles in the Year (stretch goal)
• Ran 1400 Miles in the Year (even further stretch goal)

• Finally did an unassisted Pull Up and Chin Up
• Became a BibRave Pro Team Captain

Rocking my new BibRave logo gear

And those stats do not even come close to covering how much fun I had this year. I joined a new run club, met so many amazing new runner friends, embraced trail running, ran on a different continent (!), hit just under 200 Burn Boot Camps and so so much more.

Wow! No wonder I'm tired! 

So what does 2020 hold for me? Well, I've got a few crazy ideas planned that I will cover in future posts, let's just say that I had toyed with the idea of having a nice calm year going forward, but then quickly that idea faded as I learned of some really cool races, challenges and just adventures in general. I'll just leave it at, my race calendar is already starting to fill out and I don't plan on slowing down just quite yet. 

In fact, my first race of the New Year is the first DAY of the New Year! I'll be running a very tough and very technical Trail 20K on New Years Day. I did the course preview on Saturday with a few friends and let's just say, please wish me luck. I am going to need it. But if I can stay out of my own head (which is proving to be a bit more of a challenge than I expected for this one) then it will all be worth it. The post-race meal is PHENOMENAL! It's a traditional Southern Lucky New Year's Meal of BBQ, black eyed peas, greens and cornbread. Plus Legal Remedy beer! 

In addition, for the beginning part of 2020, I am participating in the 465 Virtual Challenge, an awesome challenge to help you stay motivated for the New Year. 

Basically how it works is you commit to run, walk, swim, bike, skip, crawl, whatever... for 53 miles between Jan. 1 and Feb. 29. And since it is a virtual challenge, you have the convenience of completing it anytime, anywhere! Why 53? It represents the 53 miles that make up the I-465 loop that circles Indianapolis, IN. 

There are 2 options to register if you want to join me. Basic and Premium. The main difference between the 2 is that the Premium comes with a super soft finisher shirt and a medal. Here are the exact deets:


PREMIUM

• 465 Challenger Super Soft Finisher Shirt
• 465 Race Car Slider Finisher Medal*
• Super Cool Bumper Sticker
• Training Program
• Motivational Emails
• Virtual Bib
• Certificate of Completion

BASIC

• Super Cool Bumper Sticker
• Training Program
• Motivational Emails
• Virtual Bib
• Certificate of Completion

The best part is that you can also kind of do the challenge in your own way to make it even more motivating. Challenge yourself to finish the 53 miles a by a certain date. See how many loops you can do. Do all 53 miles just running, or just swimming maybe. It's really up to you! 

To join, register here: https://www.465challenge.com/ And to sweeten the deal, I've got a discount code for you! Get 10% off either registration with code: BIBRAVE You can register anytime between now and Feb. 29, but heads up, only the first 1000 Premium 

I hope you all have also had a wonderful 2019. Let me know some of your accomplishments in the comments below. Doesn't have to be running, anything you are proud of, just let me know! And thank you for following along on this journey with me. I just know that 2020 is going to kick some serious ass!

Win a Magical Racecation from AfterShokz

Win a Magical Racecation from AfterShokz

Disclaimer: I received a pair of Aftershokz Aeropex 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!

Can you believe that it is just over a week away from 2020!?!??! 

2020! That it is like the freaking future, I swear! It's one of those dates from futuristic SciFi shows. Like I remember when I was a kid in the 80s that 2020 seemed so distant, like we'd have flying cars and jet packs and world peace. Well, here it is. And we may not have those things, I can promise you that 2020 is going to be an amazing year!

And guess what? Aftershokz is going to make someone's 2020 even more amazing by giving away a magical prize package as a part of their Run, Sip & Savor Sweepstakes.  

And when I say this is a Magical Prize Package, I mean MAGICAL!!

Here's what it includes:

GRAND PRIZE (Value of $3,800)

RACE ENTRY

(2) Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon, 10K, or 5K 2020 entries

AIRFARE + HOTEL

Round-trip airfare and 2-night hotel accommodations for two at the Walt Disney World® Resort

(2) one-day theme park tickets with Park Hopper® option to Walt Disney World® Resort

Provided by AfterShokz

Plus this amazing Prize Bundle: 

• From AFTERSHOKZ:  (1) Aeropex Endurance Bundle

• From OTTERBOX (1) Adventure Pack including a Symmetry Phone Case, Amplify Glass, 20,000 mAh Power Pack, 36 oz Tumbler, 20oz Tumbler, and Hydration Lid

• From NATHAN (1) Trailmix 12L Pack and SpeedDraw Plus Insulated Flask

• From KT TAPE (1) Performance Recovery Bundle including KT Performance+ Blister Prevention Tape, KT Performance+ Blister Treatment Patch, KT Performance+ Chafe Safe Gel Stick, KT Recovery+ Ice/Heat Wrap System, KT Recovery+ Timed release Pain Relief Gel, KT Tape Pro, KT Tape Extreme, and KT Tape Wide

The sweepstakes is only open until 11:59 pm on January 2, 2020, Follow this link to enter: bit.ly/2QSVXYr

And as far as Aftershokz go, if you've not tried them before, they are freaking amazing. They are my absolute favorite piece of gear, the one item I use for EVERY single run I do. Instead of sticking in your ear or covering it, these headphones use bone conduction to channel your tunes straight into your brain. 

I've been using Aftershokz Airs for 2 and half years now and love them. Just recently, they released the new Aeropex and they somehow made an amazing product even more amazing. The Aeropex are lighter, have enhanced audio, sweat and waterproof and use a magnetic charging system. I've used my Aeropex a few times now and they are also more comfortable, especially under a hat or headband which can be an issue in the colder months. 

For a great deal on Aftershockz, check out: https://bibrave.aftershokz.com/ and get $50 any wireless bundle. 

And do make sure you enter the Run, Sip and Savor Sweepstakes. And if you are the lucky winner, make sure you remember who told you about it! The prize package has Wine & Dine entries and park passes for 2. And I have my own Mouse Ears already! Just saying!! 

Flipping Out Over Being Cold with Turtle Gloves

Disclaimer: I received a pair of Turtle Gloves Lightweight Flip Mittens 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!

Look, I'm just going to come right out and say it - This time of the year really sucks for the outdoor runner part of me. I am a girl who loves her weather warm, sunny and well above the temperature most runners prefer. I just hate, hate HATE being cold!!! (No really, I've said it before: https://runnerdgirl.blogspot.com/2017/12/the-winter-running-blahs.html)

Smiling, but actually, cold AF!

But Lissa, don't you live in SC? Isn't it like 40-50 degrees most mornings? 

Yes, but you've got to understand, my preferred running temperature is above 80 degrees. Madness, I know, but hey, if we were all the same, the world would be boring, right? 

So what's a cold-natured girl to do? Why layer up of course. 

I've got all kinds of cold weather gear - wool hats, lined leggings, base layers, thick socks, gloves - you'd think I lived in the Arctic from the looks of my running gear drawer these days. 

But... I will even be the first to admit that sometimes, just sometimes, I tend to get carried away in the layering. Because of this, I love me some items that can transition as needed, like my Turtle Gloves Flip Mittens. 

I've had a pair of Midweight Turtle Gloves for awhile now and they are amazing. Just recently, Turtle Gloves developed a new, lighter weight Flip Mitten designed for Spring/Fall and that are more water repellent and wind resistant than the midweight version, which make them even better for seasons like Spring and Fall that may be a bit rainier and windy. 

So how do they work? I'll let Turtle Gloves tell you themselves: 

CURIOUSLY ENGINEERED – TURTLe-FLIP® Patented Functionality.Wear on left or right hand – Low-bulk flip-over design – No buttons, magnets or hook & loop – No cumbersome mitten piece to get in the way – Thumb piece naturally folds into place in Fingerless Gloves mode – Simply curl fingers and flip elastic trim piece over all fingers and thumb together – Fold over or under to adjust length of finger exposure – From fingerless mode; tuck in thumb and slide to wrist, pull up full length for arm warmer or fold twice neatly into cuff or roll as desired – From Fingerless Gloves mode, use similar flipping method to turn back into mittens - from https://turtlegloves.com/product/running-mittens-lightweight/

Basically, they go from being full mittens, to fingerless gloves with a quick flip. So when I start out my run and am cold AF, I can have them in full mitten mode. Then a few miles in when (if) I warm up, I can flip them easily into fingerless mode without even breaking stride. And, when I start to get chilly, I can can flip them back just as easily. And I do, near constantly. Flip/Filp/Flip - easy peasy. Perfect for a girl like me who's temperature sensitive.

Interested in trying them out for yourself? You can order online at the Turtle Gloves website: https://turtlegloves.com/ and for a limited time, you can save 15% off your order with discount code TURTLEGLOVESBR. I recently used it in fact to order a pair as a Christmas gift for someone (but don't tell!)

Best of the Bay City Guide

Disclaimer: I am promoting the Best of the Bay City Guide 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!

Travelling for a race in an unfamiliar city can be a bit daunting, especially if it is somewhere you've never been before and don't know anyone locally. How do you know which places are worth the visit, and which places are flat out tourist traps?

Well for anyone travelling to the 2020 San Francisco Half Marathon, things got just a bit easier. The Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Half Marathon put together a guide featuring their Best of the Bay picks so you’ll know exactly where to satisfy your sweet tooth and where to shake-out those race day nerves. From breweries to tea gardens, this guide has all of your weekend planning covered!

Get the low down on things such as:

• Best Pre-Race Dinners
• Where to Run
• Best Post-Race Brunch
• Best Post-Race Drinks
• Best Coffee and Sweets
• Best Places to Stay
• Best Running Stores
• Most Insta-Worthy Locations
• Favorite Things to Do in San Francisco

Check out the Pinterest Board here: https://www.pinterest.com/BibRaveGuides/best-of-the-bay-san-francisco-city-guide/

And interactive Google Maps page here: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=12_o5qhAjz0rnBukWKtHFNpXMwAqfoYEJ&ll=37.81170941982896%2C-122.5136152578392&z=11

And if you haven't yet registered for the San Francisco Half Marathon Weekend, you can register here with discount code “KPSFBIBRAVE” good for $5 off the 5k, 10k and half marathon: https://www.getfitkpsf.com/race/

Turkey Trotting - Virtually

Disclaimer: I am participating in the NYRR Virtual Turkey Trot 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 love running races. There's a certain excitement to running with a big group of people, all focused on the same goal of getting to the finish that just cannot be beat. But I will be the first to admit that racing isn't easy. 

Racing is fun, but a bit chaotic

Besides the actual running part of the race, which of course is hard, racing can be difficult for the sheer amount of time involved. You've got to drive to where the race is, find parking, get there early enough to wait in line for the port-a-potties, and be to the start line. Then after you run the race, there is usually the after party, while fun, is even more time outside in the elements, which I don't usually mind unless the weather is bad. For example, last weekend, I had an 8K. The actual running portion of the race only lasted me 40 minutes. But when all was said in done, the race experience lasted almost 4 hours! 

Sometimes, I love it, but some days I've got things to do! One of these days was today, Thanksgiving Day. I really really wanted to do a Turkey Trot, cause, FUN! but I really really needed to get on the road to drive to my brother's house 2 hours away for our big family meal. Solution - Virtual Turkey Trot!

The NYRR, who host all kinds of fun (and usually free) Virtual Races (see here for my blog on the Virtual 13.1 Half I ran in September: https://runnerdgirl.blogspot.com/2019/10/virtually-crossing-that-finish-line.html), is sponsoring the NYRR Virtual Turkey Trot 5K. All you have to do to participate in this FREE Turkey Trot is to register on the NYRR Virtual Race site (https://www.nyrr.org/races/nyrrvirtualturkeytrot5k) and accept the Challenge on your Strava account. That's it. All you have to do is run your 5K anytime between the challenge dates (Nov. 23 - Dec. 1) and mark your run as a Race on Strava and you've done it! You'll join over 14,000 other Virtual Turkey Trotters all over the world in Virtual Turkey Trot glory.

So, today, I got up bright and early and bundled up for the chilly Fall morning to put in my Turkey Trot 5K. It was really awesome to just get up, head out, run my 5K and then be done. No fuss, no muss. I was able to get home, get cleaned up and get on the road in time for a yummy Thanksgiving lunch with my family. All bases covered. 

And more good news, you can still compete! You can register for the NYRR Virtual Turkey Trot until December 1st. Just head on over here: https://www.nyrr.org/races/nyrrvirtualturkeytrot5k and register.

How about you? Did you celebrate Thanksgiving with a Turkey Trot, virtual or otherwise? Maybe you decided to sleep in and focus on the meal instead. Either way, I hope that you have and amazing Thanksgiving. And hopefully, unlike me, your 9 year old won't lick the drumsticks before your meal is served! 

Really, kid!!

Win the Paris Marathon Racecation of Your Dreams with Runderwear

Disclaimer: I received Runderwear products 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!

Like anyone else, I have big dreams. These dreams involve running around the world, literally. So far I've been lucky enough to run in 4 different countries other than the US (Spain, Italy, China and Hong Kong), however, I've not actually raced in them, just gone for runs. 

One country I've never run in, but always dreamed to, France! Well someone out there is going to be getting this dream opportunity totally FREE thanks to an amazing sweepstakes being hosted by Runderwear.

Runderwear is hosting a Paris Marathon Sweepstakes where 2 lucky runners will get the Paris Marathon trip of their dreams!

The Paris Marathon is one of the most iconic in the world. Here's a bit of what you would get to experience if you are one of the lucky winners. 

The Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris is now one of the biggest marathons in the world, as much for the size of its field as the performances of its runners. Each finisher comes home with incredible memories.

Nearly 145 nationalities and 60,000 runners come to tackle the most fabled long-distance discipline in athletics. In April, this race across Paris, taking in the Champs Elysées, the Bois de Vincennes and Boulogne, offers an incomparable backdrop, with spectacular views and landmarks all along the route.
The Salon du Running fair at Porte de Versailles, taking place three days before the marathon, is also an occasion not to be missed, a gathering of over 80,000 visitors with more than 200 professionals from the running world.

The marathon itself combines personal challenge with the chance to discover one of the world's great cities. The athletes will pound the pavements of the French capital's most famous avenues and plazas, from the foot of the Arc de Triomphe, where they take the start, towards the Place de la Concorde. From the Rue de Rivoli they'll then sweep through the Opéra Garnier, the Place de la Bastille. After a glimpse of greenery in the Bois de Vincennes, views of Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower point the way home. - from the Paris Marathon website: www.schneiderelectricparismarathon.com

And it's not just race entries you receive, the amazing prize package also includes the following :

Read all of the details and ENTER NOW at http://bit.ly/bibraveparis

To learn more about the sweepstakes sponsor, Runderwear, check out their website here: https://www.runderwear.com/

And be sure to follow them on social media:

Facebook: RunderwearOfficial
Twitter: Runderwear
IG: teamrunderwear

PS: One last "Unofficial Rule" - If you enter after reading this and win, you totally have to bring me!!!

All the Glory With Just Some of the Pain!

Disclaimer: I received a Relay Team entry in the Charlotte Marathon 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!

This past weekend, I ran my very first Marathon Relay at the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon. Basically how it works is you, and up to 4 of your friends split up the marathon distance and tackle the course together rather than have to put in the full 26.2 miles by yourself. Since doing a Relay is a bit more complicated than doing a straightforward solo race, let me break it down a bit for you. 

The Race - Novant Health Charlotte Marathon

Real quick run down of the race. The Charlotte Marathon was formally known as Thunder Road Marathon from 2005 - 2015. Then it changed names to better reflect the fact that this was Charlotte's hometown race. 

There are 5 races that make up the Charlotte Marathon race day - the Marathon, Marathon Relay, Half Marathon, 5K and Kids 1 Mile. All races are run the same day with a 7:30 am start for the Marathon, Relay and Half, 7:45 start for the 5K and 7:50 for the Kids 1 Mile. So really there is a race distance for everyone. The races start at the Charlotte Knights Stadium and finish at Romare Bearden Park (across the street) and each course winds through Uptown and some of the most iconic parts of Charlotte. Immediately after finishing, a volunteer gave you your medal and there was a backdrop up for finisher photos Further down, the finish line chute had small Publix bags to pack with food (bananas, cereal bars, fruit cups, Gatorade, water and if you finished early enough Chocolate Milk (they had run out by the time our team finished). NoDa Brewing was giving out free craft beer in a roped off area with space heaters (yay), there was a band playing and several vendor tents set up in the park. 

The race website has a ton of excellent information including course maps, elevation maps and extremely detailed information about the races, the schedule, basically anything that you need to know. I consulted it frequently and found everything I needed easily. Check it out here - https://runcharlotte.com/ 

The Team(s)

The teams at one of our pre-race planning sessions

In September, while attending the the Around the Crown 10K Expo, a few of us from my Fleet Feet Fort Mill Running Club started floating the idea of doing the Charlotte Marathon since it was the goal race for the Half Marathon and 5K runners in our club. See, several of us were training for other events, me for my Rock n Roll Savannah sub-2 hour Half and several others for the Kiawah Marathon in December. So the idea come up to run the Relay and split the distance instead of each of us racing a full race on their own. When all was said and done, we had 2 teams worth of runners that wanted in, that is 10 runners ready to tackle the Queen City! After a ton of coordinating and detail planning, we settled on our team roosters and assigned legs. Easy peasy! Registering as a team was super easy, basically one person registers as Team Captain and makes the payment and the other team members follow a provided link to enter their information like shirt sizes and emergency contacts and so on. Each team member receives a shirt and medal at the finish. According to a pre-race Q&A session, there were 200 teams registered for the Marathon Relay.
The Expo

Harman posing with the giant #RUNCLT sign at packet pickup

Unfortunately I was unable to attend the Expo because I was working on Friday, but luckily one of our team members worked just down the street and picked up our stuff for us. For the Relay, just one person needed to pick up everything anyway, so it worked out perfect. Relay runners received an envelop with 5 bibs (all the same number), an Velcro armband with the tracker on it that was to be handed off at each leg, and a shirt for each team member. The shirts were short sleeve Recover shirts, navy with green writing for the Relay and really quite nice. They were true to size and I love the way mine fits. I probably won't run in it, but wear for everyday. I had Harman take some pictures for me and he said that everything was very well organized. You could be in and out quickly if you wanted, but there was lots to see and merchandise to browse if you wanted. Plus some cool photo ops like this awesome #RUNCLT sign.

Race Day

Team 1 - Ready to Race (my team)

Our teams met up early and carpooled into the Charlotte together (about a 30 min drive) in order to save on parking fees. There were plenty of places to park with easy access to the Start which was located at the Charlotte Knights Baseball Stadium (BB&T Ballpark). We parked in a parking garage about 2 blocks from the start and made our way over to the surrounding area where lots of groups had tents up. Music was playing and the ball park had their bathrooms open so it was nice to be able to use a real bathroom pre-race. 

Team 2 - Ready to Race

The weather was kind of a mixed bag. On one hand, it didn't rain, which we were all worried about with a 40 - 50% chance during the race times. And at 42 degrees, it wasn't terribly cold. But the WIND! OMG the wind was insane. A really cold wind blew steadily pretty much the whole race with 20-30 mph gusts on occasion. I'm fairly cold-natured and was never really able to warm up too much, but had dressed for it, so I wasn't miserable or anything. Just cold. I think I took my gloves off for about 2 miles, but that was it. The sun peeked out every once in a while, but I was fine without sunglasses. If it were not for the wind, I would say it was near perfect race conditions for most people. 

The start was right on time with the Marathon, Half Marathon and Relay starting at 7:30 am, immediately after the National Anthem. There was also a 5K and a 1 mile race that both started later, 7:45 for the 5K and 7:50 for the 1 Mile. For there 7:30 start, there were pace groups positioned throughout the start chute. I stuck around to cheer on our starting runners and then jogged over a few blocks to hop into our team's car to drop off our runners at their Relay start points (more about this in a bit). 


The Course

Here's a quick heads up to those who have never run in Charlotte before. Charlotte is hilly. Like a lot hillier than you would expect. The 10 miles of the course I ran were challenging, but not what I would consider super hard. As long as you added some hill work into your training, you would be fine. Just don't expect a flat course.

Course elevation

Leg #4 was my official leg, but because some of us are a bit crazy, we actually ran an extra leg to both put in a few more miles and to keep each other company. So I ran legs #3 and #4 which spanned from mile 10 to mile 20. I wasn't the only one on our team that doubled up. Leg #2 runner, Robin, ran with Katie and I for leg #3 and Harman, our final leg runner, joined me for #4. I had asked the Race Director during a Facebook Live event if it was okay if we ran multiple legs and he said that as long as we had a bib and were respectful of other racers, sure, why not. 

Me, super happy at the end of both my legs

So like I said, my 10 miles were hilly, but not unenjoyable. I started off with Katie at Mile 10 in the Dillworth neighborhood. We then made our way back towards uptown Charlotte where the Half Marathon and Marathon routes split with the Half heading in to finish (the Marathoners could see the finish line down a side street to your right, but didn't run through it) and the Half headed out towards the NoDa neighborhood which is always fun and interesting to run through. There were LOTS of spectators throughout the course and it was super nice to get cheered on, especially at the some areas where there were organized cheer stations. Two that were notable during my legs were at Mile 16 where the Around the Crown 10K had set up a cheer station with NoDa Brewing and were giving out high fives (which I took) and beer (which I didn't) and a huge cheer station around Mile 19 that had a big cut out in the road that said Don't Hit the Wall that you could run through (which I did). There were several bands and and DJs blasting music along the course also, but I don't really remember at what intervals. Every 2 miles or so there was an aid station with Water and Gatorade. I also heard there were gels at a few stations, but I didn't pay much attention as I carried my own water and nutrition. 

When you finished your Relay leg you had to pass off the Velcro armband tracker to the next runner who had to run over a timing mat in order to officially start the new leg. Once finished, there was a table at the exchange point where volunteers would give you a bag of goodies that had a water bottle, Gatorade bottle and cereal bar. There were also a couple of portapoties at the exchange points. The first exchange point was a bit chaotic, but I think that was because it was only 4.2 miles in and runners were still pretty bunched up. The others were much less so and everything went smoothly. 

The Logistics 

Post race celebrating - that's our awesome driver Kyle on the far right

The thing that I was most worried about was getting around from exchange point to exchange point. At first I thought that each of us would have to hang out at our starting point until our hand off, and then we'd each have to make our way back to the finish on our own. There was no transportation provided by the race as far as shuttles or anything like that. What we ended up doing was one of our team member's husband gracious drove us around and picked us up at our stations. It was a bit more challenging in that we were trying to coordinate 2 teams that were different paces, but with the help of an extra key and a 2nd car at the 4th exchange point, a GPS and the map/directions provided by the race, we were able to successfully navigate the exterior of the race and drop off and pick up as we needed with no one being late to their start and no one waiting long in the cold. Both teams even were able to meet up near the finish before the chute so we could run in as a team with no problems. It went WAY smoother than I thought it would and only a few wrong turns. Shout out to Kyle for being our chauffeur for the day (and occasional photographer).

Now for the really only complaint I had about the whole race experience, the runner tracking. The race sent out links to a partner company that handles their tracking, RaceJoy. The app was super clunky and not the greatest to use. First off the bat, it kept crashing on me. So much that I uninstalled and reinstalled and had a bit better luck. Secondly, in order to track a runner, you had to have the app running in the background, which drained the battery some. Also, for the Relay, you had to not only have the app running, but had to physically take out your phone and hit a button on the app to start your leg for it to record your leg. So not only did you have to run with your phone (some people don't) you had to have you phone out, app on, start the leg and then store your phone at the start of your leg. Our final leg had so much issue with this that he somehow managed to delete himself from the team on the app while trying to start his leg, which took up valuable time and led to us having issues tracking him. I've run other races with tracking and this one was by far the least user friendly. 

The Epic Finish

All good things must come to an end, and we were are so excited to see the final leg member of our team round the last corner and head towards the finisher chute. The whole team hopped onto the course and ran in with him in one big, beautiful line of orange with an overall finish time of 3:51:11. 

The other team came in the same way, shortly after with a finish time of 3:35:31. After pictures and beer and celebrating at the after party, we made our way back to our cars (just a short walk) and left Uptown Charlotte feeling victorious, ready to do it again next year.

Team 1 Finisher Photo

Team 2 Finisher Photo

And of course, Epic Shot of the BLING

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!