Warm Hands at the Flip of a Turtle

 Disclaimer: I received a pair of Turtle Gloves Weather Protect Heavyweight Warm 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)

But Lissa, don't you live in SC? Isn't it like 40-50 degrees most mornings in the winter? Usually, but not this year for some reason. We are riding into week like 3 or it being below freaking freezing in the morning!! Seriously, it was 24 degrees this morning!! And this is a girl whose preferred running temperature is above 80 degrees. Saying I am have not been thrilled is an understatement!

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

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 both pairs of Lightweight and Midweight Turtle Gloves for awhile now and they are amazing. Just recently, Turtle Gloves developed a new, Weather Protect Heavyweight Flip Mitten made with Polartec® WindBloc® Fabric that is 100% windproof, water repellent, moisture wicking, breathable and fast drying. They are perfect for outdoor sports in cold and below freezing conditions. 

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

WEATHER PROTECT HEAVYWEIGHT Mittens are perfect for very cold hands, extreme cold Winter running, outdoor sports and activities such as dog walking, X-C skiing, ice-fishing or just shoveling snow. Easy access to fingers when needed. For HEAVY FABRICS, slide mitten slightly off fingers and lightly curl fingers inside mitten before flipping elastic trim edge over all fingers and thumb, push and pull mitten as needed to expose fingers. Similar method to flip back into the mitten. - from: https://turtlegloves.com/product/convertible-mittens-warm/

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.

My favorite things about them are that they are easily convertible, and they come in smaller sizes, including XS, for people like me with small hands than most "sport" gloves I've worn in the past. It also doesn't hurt that they are cute! Mine are Heavy Gray/Silver. I just love the cute silver stitching on them. Functional and sparkly! What is not to love?

Interested in trying them out for yourself? You can order online at the Turtle Gloves website: https://turtlegloves.com/ They also have lightweight, midweight and fleece convertible mittens as well. 

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

Moving Through It with Some Support from Body Helix

 “Disclaimer: I received a Body Helix Knee Compression Sleeve 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!”

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you may remember that I have what I refer to as a dodgy knee. The technical term for what my issues is actually, Osteoarthritis, which I was diagnosed with about 15 years ago, so I am no stranger to various methods of both knee support combined with varying degrees of pushing though the pain and denial. But mostly, I try to be a good girl (hi Mom) and take care of my dodgy knee so I can keep running. So yeah, finding a good knee support is something that has always been important to me to keep me moving through it. 

It became especially important to me in the last few months because I was training a lot on trail for an Ultra and the extra wear and tear of elevation changes and uneven surfaces have been havoc on my knee. I'm not gonna lie, I've struggled a bit, even with using my usual Kinesiology Sports Tape (which has actually started to really irritate my skin lately - has anyone else had this problem?.

Anyway, with a really aggressive race season coming up (seriously, I have WAY too many races on my Spring Calendar 9 races of varying distances in the next 2 months) I was getting a bit worried about how I would hold up. Enter Body Helix Full Knee Compression Sleeve to the rescue! 

First off, I have to mention just how fast my order arrived. I received an email from Body Helix confirming my order. The same day I got another saying it had shipped. I received it 2 days later, which was awesome, just in time for my weekend long trail run. It actually came on a Friday, so I decided to take it right out for a run to make sure that it would feel good before committing to wearing it for a 15 mile run. And how did it work for me?

What about you? Can you tell which leg
has the Knee Compression Sleeve on it?
Let me know in the comments.

Pretty darn awesome to tell the truth. First off, it's super easy to slide on. It stretches a lot, but once in position compresses and stays in place. There's a handy sizing chart on their website to make sure you order the correct fit. It's also super thin, which I was concerned about when I first ordered the sleeve. See, it's winter right now and my running wardrobe consists mainly of tights currently and I wondered how bulky this would be under tights. Not at all! In fact, you wouldn't even know I was wearing them. I actually posted a pic of my legs on Twitter asking people to guess which knee had the sleeve on it and it was pretty impossible to tell. 

The first thing I noticed when running with it was that it seemed to generate a sort of heat. Like not in a distracting way, but in a, hey that feels nice kind of way. It provided awesome support, wasn't awkward when bending my knee and I felt pretty great throughout the run. 

Anticipating no issues, I was enthused about taking it out on the trails the next day. And it worked out great! Snug, supportive and a much better option than tape. Plus, a serious added benefit over tape is that the sleeve is reusable. In fact, it is machine washable and dry which is a HUGE plus for me. 

I've been using it regularly for about a month now, including my trail training and a super HILLY road race last week, and have been really impressed with how it works for me. And my run bestie, Kim, recently clued me into using it for things other than running, which, duh, hadn't occurred to me for some reason, so I have started using it on heavy cardio and lower body strength days at Burn Boot Camp as well. 

Body Helix makes a wide variety of compression products so if you have an injury, recurring pain or a joint disease like osteoarthritis like me, no matter what part of your body, odds are they have something that will help you. Check out their wide product range here: https://bodyhelix.com/shop/. And for a bit of added incentive, you can use this discount code to save 15% off your order: BH15BR. Plus, not that it is important really, but let's be honest, it low key is - they come in all kinds of cute colors. I just love my pretty teal sleeve! Super cute and super functional. 

Some of my other BibRave crew have tried out other compression products as well and you can read their reviews here:

Kim - https://barkingmadaboutrunning.blogspot.com/2020/02/living-with-osteoarthritis-body-helix.html
Corey - https://husbandfatherathletemarathoner.blogspot.com/2020/03/my-body-helix-arm-compression-sleeve.html

Michelle - http://www.runningwithattitude.com/2020/02/body-helix-thigh-compression-sleeve-review.html

Two of the smiling BibRave Pros are rocking Body Helix Knee Sleeves, Kim in the middle and me on the right

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/

Dropping FBOMBs - Fat Is Smart Fuel Nut Butter Review

Disclaimer: I received a 16 pack of FBOMB Macadamia Nut Butters 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, if you have read my blog at all, or followed me on socials (if not, here's my Twitter and Instagram) you know that I run. And I work out at Burn Boot Camp. A lot. I expend a lot of energy in the day, so I find myself snacking a lot to keep my energy up. And I am always on the lookout for clean, healthy snacks that provide good nutrition and clean energy, otherwise all of that running and strength training would be wasted. So when I was given the chance to try FBOMB Nut Butters, I jumped at the chance. 

Someone dropped an FBOMB on my porch, lol

First, let me hit you with a few FBOMB facts.

• They each come in around 200 calories. 
• They are Keto friendly
• They are Paleo friendly
• They are Vegetarian friendly
• They are Vegan friendly
• They have no sugar added
• They are Gluten Free
• They have no GMOs
• They are Dairy free
• They are Peanut free
• They have a unique texture that is creamy with small nut chunks
• They are DELICIOUS (this one may be opinion) 

FBOMB Nut Butters come in 4 different flavors:

• Macadamia with Coconut Nut Butter Blend
• Macadamia with Sea Salt Nut Butter
• Salted Chocolate Macadamia Nut Butter
• Macadamia Pecan with Sea Salt Nut Butter

And spoiler alert: they are all fantastic, but my absolute favorite is the Macadamia with Coconut. This stuff is seriously good! I may have even cut open the packet and licked the inside. It's THAT good!

I've used FBOMBs both as a post-workout pick me up and as a coffee break snack at work. And while they are super easy to eat right out of the pouch (just Knead, Tear and Eat), you can also use them to add a bit of extra energizing yum to other foods. I drizzled the Macadamia Pecan on a cut up apple and it was AMAZING! Another one of my fellow BibRave Pros who also got to sample them posted an amazing looking FBOMB Banana Bowl recipe here: http://www.scootadoot.org/2019/09/04/road-tested-fbomb-macadamia-nut-butters-2/

If you’re interested in trying these out, use code BRP10 to save 10% off the 16-count FBOMB Nut Butter Variety Pack on their website - https://www.dropanfbomb.com/collections/nut-butters/products/fbomb-nut-butter-variety-pack-16-count

The ULTIMAte Summer Hydration

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!

It's like a billion trillion degrees even in the shade - so sweaty

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 clean electrolyte suppliment. 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? So in the past, I have tried other hydration and electrolyte supplements and found them all to be fairly unremarkable. They've gotten the job done and tasted ok, but I've considered them pretty interchangeable. For me, I know they are good for me so I drink them. I was already very keen on Ultima due to the extra benefits, but 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! 

I set out to test each flavor I received (5 total - Grape, Orange, Cherry Pomegranate, Lemonade and Raspberry) each day after my afternoon run for a week. Day 6 I tried a combination that someone suggested to me, mixing both the Raspberry and Lemonade together. Here's how they stacked up for me, in order from favorite to least favorite.

The "Official Ranking"

1. Raspberry Lemonade - Super refreshing with a bit of tang. Hands down the best tasting combo!
2. Lemonade - Not sour at all, just sweet, smooth and refreshing
3. Cherry Pomegranate - Really good with a Cherry flavor that wasn't overpowering
4. Orange - Tastes EXACTLY like an Orange Popsicle* (more on this)
5. Raspberry - Very good still, but was missing something, maybe because I like the Raspberry Lemonade so much I just think it needs the lemony goodness. Would still drink alone.
6. Grape - Not my favorite, but still good. I'm not much for Grape in general though

Now, for the ULTIMAte test (pun intended) - Will my little one drink it. My daughter has had experience in the past of grabbing my water bottles in the past only to discover upon taste that it has an electrolyte drink rather than water in it. On occasions when that happens, there is much carrying on as she has universally hated each that she has tried, to the point, that I have taken to loudly announcing what was in a stray bottle if it was not water, as if she has some kind of rights to my drinks (which, of course she's 9 so does). 

I'd always wanted to have her use electrolyte supplements due to her being so active (she takes Taekwondo 2 or 3 days a week plus is in her school's after school Running Club, in addition to being a super active 9 year old in hot hot, SC. But she wasn't budging on it, she hated the ones she tried.

When I received my Ultima samples, first off the little was super curious about them due to the variety of flavors and bright colors. This helped me convince her to try them. The real kicker was the first one I tested was Grape - one of her favorite flavors. After a few minutes of second guessing and stalling, she tried the Ultima Grape and actually liked it! She asked me to save the rest of it for after her Taekwondo class. Heck yeah! She's since tried all the flavors and has declared the Grape, Orange and Lemonade to be yummy - the others were "okay but not my favorite". I plan to get more of each of these 3 flavors to send with her to Girl Scout Camp this summer, so total Parent-Win! 

Lastly, I want to mention a fun experiment I did. Remember above where I said that the Orange Ultima tasted exactly like an Orange Popsicles? Well, I decided to go ahead an make Orange Freezer Pops from my Orange Ultima. I mixed up some Orange, poured it into homemade freezer pop tubes and popped into the freezer. I figured these would be an amazing (and fun) way to rehydrate after a hot afternoon visit to our local Amusement and Water Park, Carowinds. 

And YAY! I was right! They were super tasty and refreshing. The little wants me to make more with the Grape and I have a feeling that these are going to be a mainstay in our freezer. 

Interested in trying out Ultima Replenisher for yourself? Right now you can get a 10% discount off your order from the Amazon Ultima Storefront with discount code ULBRAVE19 

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

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! 

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!