That Time My Buff EcoStretch Made the Worst Race of My Life a Bit Less Worse

"Disclaimer: I received a Buff USA Original EcoStretch to use and 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 have written on this blog several times before about how much l love Buff products (here, here, here, and here). I've worn several different products for a variety of different uses and adventures. Arm sleeves, hats, neckwarmers, multifunctional headwear, you name it, I've used it. 

The latest Buff product I've been able to try out is the Buff Orignal EcoStretch. As you may know, Buff advertises that there are 12+ ways to wear their Multifunctional Headwear. Well, buckle up for this quick story about another way I found to wear mine in a time of dire need.

First, let me give you a bit more info about the Original EcoStretch. At its core is a moisture-managing microfiber fabric that is wind resistant, yet breathable. The deets from their website are as follows:

• 95% recycled REPREVE® Performance Microfiber
• 4-way ULTRA-STRETCH
• UPF 50 Sun protection*
• Recommended by The Skin Cancer Foundation**
• Multifunctional - 12+ ways to wear
• 100% Seamless
• Moisture-wicking, quick-drying, breathable
• One-size-fits-most adults

Basically, they are awesome. 

So now let me set the scene. Earlier this month I raced the Rock n Roll Savannah Half Marathon. It was cold, it was wet and it was nasty. Did I mention cold!? The weather was so bad in fact, the decision was made at 6:18 am (for a 7:30 am start) to cancel the Marathon event. The Half Marathon and Half Relay however were still on (lucky me). My friends and I decided to run our races anyway. I may or may not have whined A LOT and/or used the terms "Worst Race of my Life!" on multiple occasions. I'm honestly shocked my friends are still my friends in fact. But I digress... 

Pre-race. Don't we look absolutely thrilled?!
I am the lone runner not in a trash bag instead opting for the sleeker plastic poncho. 

I had my Buff EcoStretch around my neck for extra warmth. Cozy. But after around 5 miles, the fleecy hat I was wearing was so full of water, it kept slipping over my eyes. I literally ran into a cone at one point because my hat had slid down over my eyes. And not one of the little ones mind you, the people sized cones which luckily I just kinda bounced off of instead of completely fell over. I did manage to terrify the poor girl running next to me in the process. 

There was no way I could lose the hat, I needed it for what little warmth it was providing, plus it had a bill on it to keep the rain directly out of my eyes. So, thinking fast, I pushed up my EcoStretch from my neck to use it to hold my hat in place for the reminder of the race. It held in place perfectly (and gave a bit of extra warmth to my ears). I may have still been cold, wet and to be perfectly honest, completely miserable, but I could at least see where I was going and no longer in danger of errant road cones. 

This is a terrible pic, but it shows me crossing the finish line, hat still secure with my Buff

Multifunctional indeed 😀

But don't worry. I've also gotten to wear my EcoStretch on some more fun (and warmer) adventures too. I wore it to climb to the top of Table Rock, a super challenging 8 mile, 2000+ft hike and also on a 14 mile bike tour of Charlotte. And I know I will take it on many more adventures as well.

 

Table Rock Hike

Embarking on Biketoberfest in Charlotte

Interested in trying out some awesome Buff products for yourself? Visit https://www.buffusa.com/bibrave to register for their newsletter and you will get 15% Off your first Buff order.

Running in Costume (and in the Rain) - Costume Dash Recap

 I received entry into the Costume Dash 5K as a part of being a BibRave Pro. Check out BibRave.com to read and write race reviews. 

Even though things are starting to go back to normal (well, "New Normal") in the racing world, there are still some lingering effects from Covid as far as some races still either haven't yet returned, or in some cases unfortunately no longer being held at all. For one of my favorite Fall races, (and not just because it is my 5K PR) the Great Pumpkin Run in Rock Hill, SC is one such that hasn't yet returned. So to fill the Halloween themed race void, I decided to run the Costume Dash 5K Virtual Run this year. 

Full disclosure, one of the big reasons I registered for this event was the adorable swag. It was seriously cute. And lots of it. Everything was amazing quality (the shirt is amazing soft) and came in plenty of time before the week of Halloween when I intended to run my race.

My Thursday night Run Club (hosted by Rock Hill Brewing Company) was planning a costume run the Thursday before Halloween (Oct. 28) so I figured that would be perfect. Then I wasn't the only crazy running around Rock Hill in costume. 

It took me awhile to decide what to run in. I narrowed it down to Purple Crayon or Snow Leopard (both recycled costumes from my daughter's stash) but ultimately decided on the Snow Leopard for 2 reason - 1) it was fairly cold and a bit rainy on my chosen race day and the Snow Leopard costume was warmer and 2) I ran as a Purple Crayon the year before and didn't want to repeat.

Unfortunately, it was pretty rainy that night, but I'm a runner and we run rain or shine. Though our group was pretty small that week due to the rain, so I guess not everyone shares my opinion. Oh well, fun as still had! My 5K time was ok, I tend to take things a lot more cautious on wet roads, but most of all I had fun. I got some strange looks from people in downtown Rock Hill running in the rain as a Snow Leopard, but whatever! LOL! 

Overall, it was an awesome time, and I totally would recommend doing this Virtual again. The race kept in regular contact, posted frequently on social media and encouraged participants to interact with them with hashtags as well.

 

DC Batman Run Virtual Recap and Beyond

I received entry into the DC Batman Virtual Run as a part of being a BibRave Pro. Check out BibRave.com to read and write race reviews.

Love this medal!! 

This was my 2nd year running the DC Batman Run Virtual, and as always, it was a great experience. You just cannot beat the Swag! This year was a super soft full zip hoodie, really cool medal, running visor (love me a good visor) and personalized bib. New this year was a finish line. How perfect is that for putting on your very own personalized race!?

And of course, one of the best things about a virtual race is that you can run it anytime, anywhere. My Fall race season is always full and I was able to run my Batman Run in between race weeks. In addition to my own racing, I am working with a friend that I am helping to train for his first marathon. I've been pacing him on his long runs and decided that since he was scheduled to run 9 last Saturday, that would be the perfect time to run my Batman Virtual, as I could complete both the 10K and the 5K! Plus a fun way for me to get some incentive out of running his miles with him. Win/win!

After 15K of Bat-tastic running!

Want to run your own DC Batman Run 5K or 10K (or both)? To register, visit: https://dcbatmanrun.com/virtual/. The shirts are super soft full zip sweatshirts and are gender specific cut (you can choose which shirt option no matter the gender you register). There are also some fun add ons, fanny pack, arm sleeves plus other items, that you can purchase. And if you register with Swag Code: DCBatmanPromo, you get an awesome Batman Koozie!

What's Next? 

Next up I have another super fun Virtual Race, the Costume Dash 5K. My usual local Halloween themed race isn’t happening this year, so instead, I will be running this! And how cute is the swag for the Costume Dash Race?!

Join me and register with code CostumeDash21 for a bit of extra swag! costumedash.com

Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na RACE DAY!!

  I received entry into the DC Batman Virtual Run as a part of being a BibRave Pro. Check out BibRave.com to read and write race reviews. 

So the world might still be a little in flux these days, but one big positive to come out of the pandemic aftermath is that Virtual Races have expanded in ways that have allowed races from all over to take advantage of races that they would not otherwise. This girl loves her a good virtual race! I've done several now (you can read about them all over this blog), covering the gambit of the my Top 5 Benefits of Racing Virtually - which you can check out here: https://runnerdgirl.blogspot.com/2019/03/the-benefits-of-racing-virtually.html


Now this next Virtual race I have coming up, this one I wanted to do purely for reason #2 - Earn Fun Bling. Seriously, you cannot get much cooler than Caped Crusader, and that is who this race is all about, Batman.

Just check out some of this awesomeness!



🦇 Stylish Fitted
Full Zip Sweatshirt

🦇 Finisher’s Medal

🦇 Running Visor

🦇 Bib

🦇 Finish Line (new this year)




Racers have until the end of the month to register and run their race, which is only a few weeks away, so don't delay if you want to join in. SWAG mails quickly, in fact, I have already received mine all waiting for me to run my 10K (there is also a 5K option).

To register, visit: https://dcbatmanrun.com/virtual/. The shirts are super soft full zip sweatshirts and are gender specific cut (you can choose which shirt option no matter the gender you register). There are also some fun add ons, fanny pack, arm sleeves plus other items, that you can purchase. And if you register with Swag Code: DCBatmanPromo, you get an awesome Batman Koozie!


And lastly, a portion of each race registration will go to support St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.

The ULTIMAte Summer Refresher - Now in Mocktail Flavors

 Disclaimer: I received an Ultima Replenisher sample pack 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 hot, so humid... basically SC Summer

So you may have heard me mention a time or two that I live in the hot and humid South. Now don't take that fact as a complaint, I am the first to admit that I am not built for cold weather running. No sir, give me 90 degrees over 30 degrees any day of the week. If that means a heaping helping of humidity, so be it.

Being a hot weather runner, I've come up with a number of strategies to make things easier on myself (see my top tips here) and perhaps the biggest thing to keep in mind is to HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE!!! And in the heat of the summer sun, drinking just water is not enough, you need a balance of electrolytes in order to replenish the sweat loss during a run (or any strenuous activity really). 

And while most people just think of Sodium when it comes to electrolytes, did you know that there are actually 6 main minerals that make up electrolytes? Well if not, I didn't either until I learned about Ultima Replinisher a few years ago - a clean electrolyte supplement. Ultima contains all 6 essential electrolyte minerals - Phosphorus, Calcium, Potassium, Chloride, Sodium and Magnesium. For more information on what each of these minerals do for your body, check out the Ultma website here: https://www.ultimareplenisher.com/electrolytes/

Ultima Replinisher also boasts a few other benefits, in addition to including all 6 essential minerals, worth mentioning. 

• Has Zero Sugar, Carbs or  Calories
• Sweetened by Organic Stevia
• Gluten-Free
• Vegan
• Non-GMP
• Keto Friendly
• Paleo Friendly
• All Natural
• No artificial sweeteners, flavors, or synthetic colors
• Super fast to dissolve - fastest dissolving electrolyte supplement I've ever tried in fact
• Comes in either convenient sticks or waste-reducing tubs (including scoop)

But yeah, it's awesome for you, but how does it taste? Honestly, it is my go-to hydration choice for a couple of reasons, and the taste is one of the biggest (another is that the stick pack dissolve so very quickly).  I can honestly say Ultima tastes like something I would actually drink even if it weren't scientifically beneficial to me. That is to say, it actually tastes really good! 

But with that said, Ultima has totally outdone itself recently with introducing 3 new AMAZING Mocktail flavors. And holy heck are they good!! So refreshing and so tasty, especially on ice after a nice hot run. The new flavors are:

1. 
   
   1. Peach Bellini - My post long run choice for refueling. I think this is my favorite flavor and reminds me of one of my favorite places to race, Savannah, GA and southern hospitality.  
   
   
2. 2. Coconut Pina Colada- "Do you like Pina Coladas?" I sure do! And this one is perfect for hydrating on your rest days to prepare your body for your next day's workout. I've even sipped one in the rain... 
   
   
3. 3. Appletini - Green really means GO with this fun flavor. There's nothing quite as refreshing as putting your speed workout to the max and then refresh with a tart Appletini. 

Interested in trying out Ultima Replenisher for yourself? Sign up for the newsletter at ultimareplinisher.com and receive 20% off your first purchase

You can also purchase Ultima Replenisher locally at stores all over. To find your closest Ultima retailers, check out their store locator here - https://www.ultimareplenisher.com/store-locator/

And be sure to follow Ultima on Socials for news and product updates:
Twitter
Instagram
Facebook

Chasing the Sun: The 206 Minute Movement Challenge

I am promoting the Chase the Sun Buff Challenge as a part of being a BibRave Pro. Check out BibRave.com to read and write race reviews.

By now I think that y'all know me a bit from this blog. And one thing is for sure about me I love a good challenge. It is one of the things I love about using the Strava app, there are all kinds of cool challenges both regular monthly ones featuring distances and climb and the frequent sponsored challenges that can be anything from distances, frequency or time based. One such that is going on right now that I'm signed up for is the Chase the Sun Buff Challenge. Log 206 of running/walking activity on Strava and you’ll revive 30% off Buff products. You can sign up for the challenge through Strava anytime before June 21, but make sure you give yourself enough time to complete it.

This year, the summer solstice is on 20th June so the time challenge is inspired by the date: the 20th day of the 6th month, so complete 206 minutes between 1st and 21st of June to celebrate the official start of summer.

This was after last week's 10 miles.
This week, we're going for 12!

And y’all know me, cause I’m a special kind of crazy, I’ve decided to try and Chase the Sun all in 1 day. I’ll be putting in my 206 minutes all on June 12th! I am currently training for a Half Marathon on June 27th (Charlotte Racefest Half Marathon) and this coming Saturday will be my 12 mile training run, so I figured it would be the perfect day. The plan is to do a 1 mile warm up walk before, then run 12 miles with a friend also training for the same race (his first half marathon), and then cool down and walk whatever time is left to come to the goal 206 minutes. 

It's going to be a long day on my legs, but totally doable. 

And, I have already picked out how I am going to use my 30% off prize. See, your girl here loves a visor. I sweat, like a lot. I wear a visor for pretty much every run (except the couple months where warmer headgear is required). Visors keep my face shaded and keep sweat from dripping down into my eyes. Love them. But I have a few visor issues, mainly the elastic eventually stretches on me or, I'm always worried they will lose their shape/structure in the wash (cause again, they get nasty on me). I have neither of these issues with my new BUFF® Pack Run Visor. I've only used this new item for 1 run now and I am 100% sold.  

And it's a custom BibRave one too! Love it!! 

Seriously, I love this thing already. It super soft and can be folded (or more likely balled up) in a pack (or crammed into a car cupholder if you're me). Basically it is like a headband with a soft visor brim. It's perfect, and I will totally be getting another. Maybe 2, one to keep in my car and another for my gym bag since they are so packable. 

So be sure to swing by my socials (Insta and Twitter) to see how I do on Saturday. 

And if you haven't signed up for the Chase the Sun Buff Challenge, head on over to Strava and do that now! So many of my friends have already done so and it's been fun seeing their completion badges to pop up on their Strava activities! Here's the link to join in: https://www.strava.com/challenges/chase-the-sun-buff-challenge And once you register, you can invite your friends to join in too right on the app! When you're done you'll get a code for 30% off any order on the Buff website. So you can order your own packable visor, or anything else!

You know you want to earn this message and rock this badge on your Strava!

Run to Escape: Pantheon Party Edition

 I received entry into the Run to Escape: Mission Mt. Olympus as a part of being a BibRave Pro. Check out BibRave.com to read and write race reviews.

I told you I would report back when I completed the entire Run to Escape: Mission Mt. Olympus running experience, so true to my word here I am. Missed the first part of this adventure, catch up here: https://runnerdgirl.blogspot.com/2021/04/a-new-kind-of-running-experience-run-to.html

But to catch you up to speed for now, here's a quick overview of just what Run to Escape is all about. First off, let me get the biggest misconception out of the way... This is NOT a virtual race. This is something entirely new!

Virtual Races are SO 2020

So then what is it? Run to Escape is the first of its kind, fun and challenging running experience that pairs fitness with escape room style puzzles to unlock 6 challenges progressing through an interesting and engaging storyline to help the goddess Atalanta join the Olympian Pantheon. So it's not something you just sign up for, do one run and are just done with, but instead it is 6 challenges, each different as far as distances and what kind of puzzle solving skills you need to progress through the story. 

Each challenge is presented to you live while you are running through audio messages which really help to make the miles fly by. But also, you don't have to worry about missing anything important while you run as you will have an email from Hermes for each challenge with the puzzle to solve and also links where you can replay the audio at your leisure. Get stumped? Now worries there either, Hermes also gives you some links to hints if you need them. Each hint gives a bit more info and the final one has the answer just in case you are really really stuck. 

Atalanta, the goddess you're helping

So here's basically how it goes (spoliler free version). You register and an email will arrive from Hermes inviting you on your first challenge. He'll give you the details of what you are trying to accomplish, you are tasked with helping the Greek goddess Atalanta, the goddess of running to become the 13th Olympian and take a seat on Mt. Olympus. The current 12 Olympians are making her complete challenges to prove her worth, and she has chosen a mortal (you) to help her complete 6 challenges from Olympians who would deny her bid. Each of these 6 Olympians, challenge you to run a certain distance (I am being vague because your first challenge is to discover your first run distance, but each run is between 5K and 10K). 

Aftershokz, yo

These runs are powered by the RunKeeper App and there is a link in your email to add the race to the app. To run your distance, simply open the app, choose the Explore option and choose the challenge. On the next screen that comes up, make sure you toggle the Race Mode Audio button so you download the audio for the run. To make sure you can clearly hear the audio during your run, I recommend using headphones. I further recommend Aftershokz Bone Conducting headphone so you can be safe by hearing both your audio cues and your surrounds. Then tap Track Race Now and head out. Within the first minute, you will hear the voice of the god or goddess that challenged you speaking to you. They will keep you entertained on your run, give you clues and explain their puzzle. Each run has 4 audio sections spread out over the run. 

When you finish your run, it's back to your email to solve the puzzle. Think basic logic puzzles, or the kind of things that you would encounter in an Escape Room. Gain, don't stress too hard as if you need some help there is help available. Also, you will be invited to a Slack discussion board where you can discuss the challenge with others who are participating as well. Each challenge has an In Progress board and a Completed board so you can avoid spoilers.

So yeah, that is basically the process. You can kind of go at your own pace, and do your runs whenever is most convenient for you. You will know the distance of your next run before you set out so you can plan your runs (super key for me). Want to finish all in one week, you can. Want to do one run per week, no problem. I finished the whole quest in just under 2 weeks cause I'm impatient. 

I mean, look at these prizes!! 

In addition to the fun, immersive storyline and experience, the mortals who embark on this quest will have lots of opportunities to win really cool prizes from Run to Escape partners like Aftershokz, Knockaround, BibRave, RunKeeper and others. Every week someone who is registered will win a pair of Afershokz, a pair f Knockaround sunglasses and a truly epic pair of gold and white Adidas sneakers. 

And once you complete all of the challenges you get invited by Zeus to attend an epic Pantheon Party where each of the 6 gods and goddesses who challenged you awards you with goodies such as music playlists, godly recipes and partner brand discounts. Plus, finishers are also eligible to win the same prizes as above! It's more like a Prize Party than a Pantheon Party! 

To embark on this awesome new running experience, register here: https://www.runtoescapeseries.com/ I have a discount code to sweeten the deal. Use code BIBRAVE10 to save 10% off your entry. 

Still a bit unsure? I get it, new things can be scary. Well, since I've completed the challenges, feel free to AMA: ASK ME ANYTHING!! (Except spoilers, though I may be open to sending you ar few hints). Also, RtE has a very flexible refund policy if you try it and decide it’s not for you. So why not try something new for once?

Spring Ready.Set.MOVE Box Inside Look

"Disclaimer: I received the Winter Ready.Set.MOVE. Box to use and 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 my 2nd Ready.Set.MOVE Subscription Box came and y'all this one was just as great as the first one I received (check out my review of the Winter Box here: https://runnerdgirl.blogspot.com/2021/04/an-inside-look-readysetmove-box.html


Spring Box Contents-

• Bob’s Red Mill Almond Protein Powder
• Bob’s Red Mill Bob’s Peanut Butter Banana & Oats Bar 
• La Colombe Nitro Cold Brew with Lemon
• Mueller Kold Towel
• KT Performance+ Chafe Safe Anti-Chafing Wipes
• SPIbeams LED Reactors
• Earhoox
• Brooks journal and pen
• Floyd’s On The Go Chewable Gems
• Floyd’s On the Go CBD SoftGels
• Bracoo ankle sleeve
• Discount Offers from Bracoo, Flyod's On the Go, KT Tape and the P3R Store

So YUMMY!!

I've not had a chance to try out everything in this box quite yet as I just received it last week, but I know just about everything in it will be useful. I can already say for sure that the Bob’s Red Mill Bob’s Peanut Butter Banana & Oats Bar was DELICIOUS (it did not stand a chance, I ate it like right away). I have also tried the Floyd’s On The Go Chewable Gems and again, I am newer to CBD so I am not 100% sure that I am noticing the full benefit, but they do taste good! I used my first KT Performance+ Chafe Safe Anti-Chafing Wipe (another awesome KT Tape item I didn't even know about before this box) on a very humid and rainy run and had no chafing issues at all. I liked that they were in wipe form and not as messy as slathering on lotions or oils can be. And I've also gotten a lot of use out of the Brooks Journal and Pen, always useful item! I look forward to trying the Bob’s Red Mill Almond Protein Powder in the next Protein Shake I make. 

I really liked that the items in the box appear to be themed to the season. While the Winter Box had items to keep you warm (Brooks Greenlight Headband) and visibility items for dark runs (SPIbeams LED Hat and Nathan Sports HyperBrite Strobe) the Spring Box included items for running when the season starts to warm up like the Mueller Kold Towel and KT Performance+ Chafe Safe Anti-Chafing Wipes). That's really appreciated! 

Overall, the two boxes I have received have been awesome. From my experience, it's a really useful subscription box for runners to learn about and try out new products, and to get products from brands they already know and trust like Nuun, Brooks and HoneyStinger. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, cats just love the empty boxes! Seriously I cannot keep my two away from the boxes! They fought over the first one when I just had one and the stalked the 2nd one until I finally emptied it and gave it to them. 

EMPTY THE BOX SO WE CAN HAVE IT!!!!

Interested in receiving quarterly goodies for yourself from Ready.Set.MOVE.? The boxes are $49.99 each and deliver quarter, January, April, July and October. You can save $20 (or $5 per box) by paying for an entire year upfront. Need just a bit of extra incentive? When you order a yearly subscription and use discount code BibRave10 for $10 off the first box for all first-time subscribers hooking yourself up with a full year of awesome boxes for just $169! Subscribe here: https://p3rstore.com/collections/subscription-box/products/subscription-box

Ready.Set.MOVE. Box is Chonky Cat Approved!

A Quick Update - On the Road Again!

 So.... I'M RUNNING AGAIN!! Yay!

My first "aggressive walk"
I completed the Run to Escape 
Challenge #1 for Dionysus

Okay, if I am being completely honest, I started running (or as I was calling it - Aggressively Walking - a few days earlier than I was technically allowed, but I did wait until I was at the 12 week mark past my knee surgery. Mostly I wanted to test out the knee because it was feeling strong and ready to go. And It was! I can feel a bit of pull in the knee, but not what I would call pain and not in the actual joint, but in the quad muscle around the VMO area, which is totally normal and expected. But I did intervals, 1 minute run and 1 minute walk, so as not to start out too hard and too fast. And you know what, my times were pretty good for the running portion! I was averaging below 12 minute miles with even the walk breaks. I couldn't do that the last time around!

On April 28 (last Wednesday) I had a follow up appointment with the doctor that did my knee surgery. This was 13 weeks and 6 days since my surgery (but who's counting) and long story short, he said that my progress was "beyond expectations" and I was released for activity as I saw fit. YAY!! I was so super excited.

This is the face of a girl who was just told she could run again!

That afternoon I went to PT and shared the good news. And they FINALLY let me on the treadmill. I ran a mile that was pretty slow TBH, but I ran a mile. Then after, I went home to run another road mile! But I am trying my best to not overdo it, because, well, I want to keep being able to run. Once I was officially allowed to run, I switched to 2:1 intervals. This week, I switched to 5:1 intervals. So far I am holding strong, even though of course I am frustrated to not be faster already.

So that begs the question - Now that I can run again, what races am I signed up for. TBH, probably too many and considering more. Here's my upcoming calendar of races I am already registered for (I may pick up a few more along the way)

My 2021 Race Calendar (so far)

• May 15th - Detective Mike Doty Memorial 5K
• June 2nd - Sundown Series 5K Race #1
• June 27th - Charlotte Racefest Half Marathon (discount code RUNCLTRUN2021)
• July 4th - American 4 Miler
• July 7th - Sundown Series 5K Race #2
• Aug 4th - Sundown Series 5K Race #3
• Aug 28th - Greekfest 5K
• Sept 5th - Around the Crown 10K
• Sept 11th - Hit the Brixx 10K
• Sept 26th - Novant 15K
• Oct 10th - Craft Beer 5 Miler
• Oct 16th - Rocktoberfest Half Marathon
• Nov 6th - RnR Savannah Half Marathon
• Nov 7th - RnR Savannah 5K and 1 Miler (both)
• Nov 13th - Charlotte Half Marathon (discount code LISSAHN2021)

So yeah, a few races... But I am super excited to get back out there and racing in person on 2 properly balanced knees with fresh new cartilage. 

This is me, unable to move after a
Caroline Jordan Ab workout

In other fitness news, I also have been doing quite a bit to keep up on cross training which I fully credit for my quick improvement. I found the Caroline Jordan Fitness YouTube channel and have been doing a lot of her workouts. They are fantastic and most are geared to people with range of movement issues. That's how I found her originally in fact, looking for Chair Cardio workouts before I was able to properly walk. I've since become a Paetron so I can have access to her Monthly Fitness Calendar, which I faithfully followed in April. When I was released for high impact on the 28th, I also rejoined Burn Boot Camp and will primarily do their workouts again, but I do plan to incorporate some of Caroline's shorter specialized videos on a daily basis (like 5 Minute Abs - trust me, it is TOUGH) and some of the stretching videos. Check her channel out here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkadh1ZnrCDOF8awC9NbAbA She's super motivating, and I am NOT a perky fitness girl, but somehow don't mind her constant cheerfulness. It's super endearing in fact. These workouts have helped loads in returning to regular activity by helping keep my endurance up and working the muscle groups that I could like my core, glutes and just overall helping me to keep a bit sane when I couldn't run. Moral of the story, you no matter your mobility situation, you can keep moving no matter what. I've been tracking my workouts all this year and I've only gone 1 day in 2021 without some kind of workout, the day after my surgery. That's it. Every other day I have found some way or another to move. 

So what's going on in your life? Tell me about your future plans, your wins and your challenges in the comments below. 

A New Kind of Running Experience: Run to Escape Launches This Week!

I received entry into the Run to Escape: Mission Mt. Olympus as a part of being a BibRave Pro. Check out BibRave.com to read and write race reviews.

So we've all been doing this "New Normal" thing awhile now, yeah? We've all changed the way we work, socialize, exercise, basically everything over the past year plus. And while I know races have been doing the best that they can as far as offering Virtual options to keep us motivated to still get out there and pound out the miles, really, all the innovation has been up to the individual runners to make things fun for themselves. You know I've been the champ at that with creative routes, coming up with my own special challenges, hosting live events for friends and so on, but even I have gotten to the point where I am tired of more of the same.

But finally, I've found something truly new: a brand new, immersive running experience where you embark on an epic adventure to test your wits and your fitness. Think running paired with escape room style logic puzzles and that will give you a good idea of what the new Run To Escape experience is. 

Run to Escape is launching their first (of hopefully many) missions: Mission Mt. Olympus. The storyline in a nutshell (without spoilers) is that the Greek goddess Atalanta, the goddess of running is trying to become the 13th Olympian and take a seat on Mt. Olympus. The current 12 Olympians are making her complete challenges to prove her worth, and she has chosen a mortal (you) to help her complete 6 challenges from Olympians who would deny her bid. 

Atalanta, goddess of running and who you'll help claim a place on Mt. Olympus

HOW IT WORKS
(from the Run to Escape webpage here: https://www.runtoescapeseries.com/)

"Run to Escape: Mission Mt. Olympus, presented by Runkeeper™, is a first-of-its-kind, virtual experience that mixes running with the clues, codes, and explosive popularity of escape rooms. For those seeking a more immersive, fulfilling virtual experience, Run to Escape is an addictive blend of motivation, dopamine, entertainment, and endorphins."

Basically, once you register for the mission, you will get an email from Hermes with all the details that you need to get started. You'll need to download RunKeeper if you don't have it already, and through the email link, you will send your mission to your RunKeeper account where it will be waiting for you when you are ready in the Races tab. You then download the race audio and press Track Race Now. As you run (or walk) you will hear audio cues when you reach certain distance markers that will guide your challenge. Because of this, the experience is only available to those physically moving for the challenge, so no treadmills. It is highly recommended that you use some sort of headphones so you hear the clues clearly while you run. I use Aftershoks (see pic to the left) so I can hear not only the clues, but also have the benefit of hearing all of the surrounding noises around me like traffic and so on. Safety first, yo!

Each of the 6 challenges is presented by a different Greek god and Hermes acts as the official messenger (as expected) and sends emails with important information before and after each challenge. I've only done 1 challenge so far, but it was really fun listening to the audio and over the course of 5K, I want to say I got 4 messages in addition to the introduction message that played about a minute after I first hit go. 

I don't want to give away any spoilers but I completed my first mission on Sunday and well, let's see if you can guess which of the Greek gods was the one to sponsor my challenge by my post run celebratory picture. It was good luck that I chose to start and finish my 5K at a brewery is all I am going to say. But doing the challenge was really neat. There was a nice gentle harp sound that played right before the audio did both to keep from startling you and to give you a moment to pay attention to the information that was given. And no worries if you missed hearing something, when you finish your miles, Hermes sends you an email with the challenge information including the audio recordings in case you need to hear them again. If if you are really stumped, there are also hints. When you solve the clue, you enter the answer into the registration page on your Race Roster page (there will be a link emailed to you also) and if you are correct, you will get the next mission emailed to you. 

I am pleased to say I solved the first challenge and have received the info for my 2nd, which I plan to complete tomorrow morning. I plan to do another update on the series as a whole once I complete all 6 missions, which should be by the end of the month. So stay tuned! And if you have any questions, feel free to comment below or DM me on any of my socials. I am @runnerdgirl on Insta, Twitter and FB if you don't follow me already. 

If you think this sounds fun and you want to try out this brand new running experience, you can learn more about it here: https://www.runtoescapeseries.com/ The registration hasn't quite gone live yet (as of this blog post going live that is), it opens up on Wednesday, April 21, but you can enter your email address in to get notified as soon as it goes live. And, when it does, I have a discount code to sweeten the deal. Used code BIBRAVE10 when you do register to save 10% off entry. 

In addition to the fun, immersive storyline and experience, the mortals who embark on this quest will have lots of opportunities to win really cool prizes from Run to Escape partners like Aftershokz, Knockaround, BibRave, RunKeeper and others. Serious, I know I keep saying I do not want to spoil anything, but I saw one of the upcoming prizes and let's just say I really really hope I am eligible to win. Cause WOW! 

And lastly, let me leave you will a little challenge to whet your whistle. See if you can solve the riddle below. If you can, you're totally ready to embark on Mission Mt. Olympus! 

Women's Half Marathon - Rock Hill Edition

By now, you've learned that I love any excuse for a party. Like I am literally game for about anything. So when I was asked about hosting another live event for a virtual race, I was totally in. This time, I hosted a Women's Virtual Half Marathon event. 

So there were a couple of things that appealed to me about this event.

1. The event celebrates ladies. Not saying that men were not welcome to join in, but hey, ladies celebrating ladies is an awesome thing. Of course I wanted to gather my girl squad together for this race!
   
   
2. The race benefitted Girls on the Run. Love GotR! I typically volunteer at their local races here in Rock Hill but due to the whole Covid thing, there haven't been any GotR races, so this was another way to throw some support their way.
   
   
3. The SWAG for this race was NEXT LEVEL! I'm talking $100+ worth of cool stuff including tech shirt, Bondi Band, adorable medal with detachable charm, reusable shop bag, Ultima Replinsher powders and sunscreen. Some really cool stuff. Everything was really brightly colored and everyone received a different Bondi Band so it was fun to see everyone's. (Fun fact: my daughter has already stolen mine)

Next level SWAG

About 15 of us registered for either the 5K or the 10K cause options are awesome and welcoming for every level. I am still on injured reserve or I'd have done the Half (next year). I was registered for the 10K, cause I'm totally fine with walking 6.2 miles. You could even do double and triple play events to earn multiple medals.

For the race day event, I came up with some scenic routes in downtown Rock Hill and gathered supplies for a finish line party on our race day of April 10. The official race dates were the 10th and 11th. The weather was a bit damp, but another beauty of a Virtual is that you can play with the time. 2 ladies decided to do their races the day before to stay dry and 1 was out of the area so she did hers solo but posted on our FB event page. We had coffee, donut holes, Ultima, water and bananas to celebrate after. 

And since I was technically RD for my event and manning the finish line I went out the next morning to put in my 10K at my favorite local trail. Again, Virtual Races = Flexibility.

My solo 10K the next morning

I was very impressed with everything about this Virtual Race. As far as the race management, they were super communicative and supportive. If you tagged them on social media, they always commented. They had a Facebook group for the event that encouraged lots of posting and even had photo tags to decorate your pictures. They held several giveaway events, one of which I won a visor. A friend of mine also won a visor as well so that was cool. One of the ladies was missing something out of her packet and sent them a message and it was immediately resolved. You could tell that they really cared about their racers. 

It was a great event and I'd for sure do it again. I am not sure what next year will hold, whether the event will go live or stay virtual, but either way, I would highly recommend this one. 

A Few Photos From Race Day

*You may have noticed, no disclaimer at the top of this one like many of my other race reviews. As a BibRave Pro, I get lots of great opportunities to run cool races for free in exchange for my honest opinion. This was not one of those opportunities. This race was one I chose to register personally for. Just thought I should mention that so there was no confusion.