KT Tape Review: Finding the Support For You

“Disclaimer: I received KT Tape 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!”

Recently I was afforded the amazing opportunity to test out several different products from KT Tape. Now, I have been previously diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my left knee which is a fancy way to say it hurts to use my knee for long periods of time, so suffice to say I am no stranger to KT Tape. I have been using their Cotton Tape with what is referred to as the full knee support tape style for a while now with great success.

With some new products to play with, I began my quest to find the perfect KT Tape product and taping combination best for me.

First stop was the KT Tape website, which has tons of amazing information and tips. My favorite part, the How To Apply section. So many videos on so many different tape styles! There were 5 that focused on knees! I had been using the Full Support tape for awhile, so I decided to try something new. I decided to try the Inner Knee tape because that is where my pain primary is. So I busted out new roll of KT Tape Pro and taped up. The video instructions were super easy to follow.

Pro - Inner Knee

For my trial of this new Inner Knee tape job, I wore it for Leg Day for my Burn Boot Camp class and then for 2 run of 4 miles each for a total of 4 days of wear. The Pro lasted great and I probably could have worn it for a few more days no problem, but I decided that they Inner Knee style wasn't quite working for me. It did give me some support and I was way better than wearing nothing, but I felt there was a better option for me.

Cotton Tape - 
Modified Full Support

Next, after consulting the videos and a friend of mine that is a PT, I decided to go back to the Full Knee Support but with a slight tweak. I added a half strip on the outside of my knee in a "C" shape to kind of pull the knee cap from left to right. For this, I went back to my tried and true Cotton Tape (tbh, that decision was mostly based on how cute the pink Cotton Tape was.)

For this trial, it was long run day, 10 miles. I LOVED THIS TAPING! I ended up wearing it for 3 more days for an Athletic Conditioning class and another 3 mile run. This was it, this was the perfect taping for me!!

Gentle Tape

I then decided to try out the Gentle Tape, because, frankly I can be a wuss when it comes to removing KT Tape. The Gentle Tape is also cotton and has less aggressive adhesive for easier removal. So I taped up with my modified Full Support style and hit the gym. The tape held for my workout just fine, but started peeling off when I was changing, so I don't think it is my best option as I like to wear my tape for multiple days. Maybe if worn in a less sweaty place (my legs get pretty drenched tbh) or a place that didn't move quite as much (seriously, you knees do nothing but move when running) it would have worked better. I love that KT has this option even if it didn't work best for me. I'm sure it is someone else out there's favorite product.

WINNER!

So, I decided to try out what I considered the best of both worlds for my trials. I did my Modified Full Support taping with the KT Pro and DING DING DING, we have a winner!! I wore this taping for a Half Marathon last weekend and I'm not saying that it was 100% the reason that I hit a 5 min PR, but it certainly helped! I wore this taping for the race, then for wandering around a museum, then a for a rest day and for 2 more days of Burn Boot Camp and short runs. All in all, I wore this tape for 5 days and it kept me supported and happy throughout. This is the combo that will be my go to for now on for sure!

KT Tape also offers a Pro Extreme version with extra strength adhesive which I haven't tried yet, but I plan to use this summer when the SC humidity kicks it up a notch out there. How awesome is it that they literally have an option for everyone?

Two other quick things that I wanted to mention that I really love about KT Tape. First is that the strips come pre-cut for convenience. I've used other brands that do not do this and I can never quite figure out the right length and end up wasting a ton. KT Tape being pre-cut takes out the guess work! Also, I love that the KT Tape Pro products all come in sturdy storage cases. LOVE THESE! Makes it so easy to store and carry with you!

Want to try out KT Tape for yourself? Visit them online at www.kttape.com and use the promo code BIBRAVE30 for a 30% discount.

Weekend Adventure: The Road to Tobacco Road

I received entry into the Tobacco Road Half Marathon as a part of being a BibRave Pro. Check out BibRave.com to read and write race reviews. 

So, if you read my last post, you'll remember that I was worried about feeling well enough to do well at the Tobacco Road Half. Well, the good news is that I was probably 95% back up to full strength. I still had persistent stuffiness (sorry all the runners that had to see me shooting snot rockets, I don't think I hit anyone), but overall, I was feeling pretty decent, so yay for that!

This was my first time running the Tobacco Road Half Marathon and I really enjoyed it. Race Management sent out ample emails to communicate leading up to the event and the race website was one of the most comprehensive I've ever seen complete with training plans, event maps including the runners village and inspirational stores from some of the people registered. I felt well informed coming into the race. This was a destination race for me, so I decided to pack up the family and make it a fun weekend excursion.

We drove in from about 2.5 hours away so that meant finding a hotel. Decided on the host hotel for the Expo for the ease, an Embassy Suites, which is a bit fancier than I usually stay, but since I brought the family with me, figured it would be easier. Not only was it easy, since packet pick up was on site, it was SO worth it as the hotel totally catered to the runners offering a discounted rate, evening reception, super early (4 am) breakfast and automatic late (1 pm) check out for runners. It was about a 20 min drive to the race. Would HIGHLY recommend any travelling runners to stay there!!

The Expo was a bit small but well organized. You checked in, got your bib number, went the area marked by your number, went to another area for your parking pass, went to another for your shirt and one more to pick up your Feetures Socks (race sponsor). I didn't mind the moving around cause I like to browse Expos, but if you were in a hurry that could be annoying. All your info was on your bib, so once you got that, it was quick and easy to get your other items. There was a store area with anything you may have forgotten from apparel to shoes to nutrition, massages, food vendors, other races and area clubs. I picked up a cute singlet and took the obligatory picture with the race themed wall (and a few goofy ones with the family) and was off. I will say that the race shirts were WAY on the small side. As in I usually wear a M and I got a L and it was super snug. You could exchange shirts, but only at the race site and it wasn't worth it to me to bring it with me. It should work as long as it doesn't shrink in the wash.

After the Expo, the family and I checked into the hotel and decided to find some low-key fun in the area. I'm not terribly familiar with the Cary/Raleigh area being there only once before, so we asked at the hotel desk what would be something fun for us to do with an 8 year old. We were sent off to a place called Frankies Fun Park. It was one of those amusement centers with arcade, mini golf, go carts, rides, laser tag and so on. So, heads up, this place was NUTS for a Saturday afternoon. We chose a few activities, including mini golf and spent about 2 hours having fun before grabbing a to-go dinner and heading back to the hotel for the evening. I had me a super early wake up call after all.

Again, not being local, I decided to opt for the optional parking pass. Best $12 I ever spent! It gave me access to one of the 900 spots close to the finish line so I didn't have to take the shuttle in. My biggest (well, only) complaint about race was they told us that even with a parking pass they could not guarantee our spot if we were not there by 5:30 am! Umm, I got the pass so I could sleep in. Well, it turns out you did, because I guess the shuttles buses only ran until 5:15 am! I understand wanting everyone on time, but making it so that everyone is there an hour and a half early, especially when its fairly cold out is a bit much. I hit the potties, but since not much was going on and there were no heaters (there were tents) I went back to the car and hung out in there for over an hour. Around 6:30, I hit the potties again (plenty on site) and then made my way to the start. It was low 40s and I had borrowed a light hoodie from a Kim and thankfully so as the sun never fully came out, but not terrible for a race day.

Let's get this party started!

The start line was well organized and the Half and the Full started at the same time at 7 am. There was ample paces, about every 10 min interval, and since I was aiming for a 2:10 finish, I found the 2:10 pacer and started a bit in front of them. Prior to the start, the National Anthem was sung and we were off.

Like my awesome mid-run trail photo, lol

The Half and the Full followed the same route for the first 2.5 miles. This covered leaving the Ball Park and through the neighborhood leading to the American Tobacco Trail. Once we go to the trail, the Full turned right to follow the North Trail and the Half left for the South Trail. Both legs were a down and back with the Full doing the North down and back and then continuing onto the South down and back. There were a few pockets of crowds leading to the trail, but once you got onto the trail, space became limited and basically it was the other runners and the trees to keep you company. The miles were marked clearly and regularly and there were several aid stations with Water and Gatorade, so many that I skipped 1 or 2 and didn't have any issues even without carrying. A few stations were also giving out Gu packs. There was minimal elevation and for someone like me used to running hills, it felt super flat. The woods were pretty, but with bit of a grey day, the scenery pretty much all looked the same so it was a bit of a long 8 miles on the trail without much excitement. 

On the trail, you basically ran 5.25 miles, turned around and ran back the same 5.25 miles to the trail entrance. It has rained a bit overnight which was nice as the trail was what I would call hard packed gravel/dirt mainly and that little rain was enough to pack the trail a bit without making it muddy. I could see where dust might be an issue on a drier trail. The trail was also a bit on the narrow side which started to become an issue later in the race when you had runners going both directions, plus the faster Marathoners coming into play. I was off the trail before the bulk of the marathon runners made it over to the half side, but I can imagine you would have a bit of weaving in and out of slower Half runners on both sides of you. Once back off the trail, it was back the same 2.5 miles to the Ball Field for the Finish Line. It was a bit hillier on the road, but again, nothing terrible, especially some of the races I do in the Charlotte area.

PR = Ring the Bell!

At the finish an announcer called everyone's number and there was lots of cheering. There was a PR bell right before the medals which I got to ring! I was swinging for 2:10 (my previous PR was 2:12) and I hit 2:07:11! The medals were really cool, pretty big with a train on them. See, flat and fast course! Past the finish area was the Runners Village where there was lots of food/drink options. You had your standard fruit, but also Papa Johns was giving out pizza slices. There was free water bottles, Gatorade, juices and coffee (YAASS) and a Beer Garden with several beer options that were unlimited for runners. There was also a pretty good band playing on stage at the end of the Beer Garden. I grabbed a quick beer, chatted with a few friends and made a quick easy exit to head back to the hotel in time for breakfast still being served.

After refilling with yummy breakfast foods, I took a quick shower. Thank goodness that Feetures was a race sponsor because I forgot to pack a pair of socks for the day, but thanks to getting a free pair with my race packet, I was set! We checked out of the hotel and headed into downtown Raleigh for some more family adventures. Decided on the Museum of Natural Science, which I didn't even realize was free until we go there, and spent a fun few hours exploring the exhibits there. It was time to take the almost 3 hour trip home, but everyone had a great time and I am really glad my family came with me on this trip.

Such dorks

Snake love

Overall, it was a GREAT race and a super fun weekend! Had a blast and will hopefully do it again next year.

Official Results! 

Race Week: The Road to Tobacco Road

This weekend will be my first Half Marathon of the year, the Tobacco Road Half. And, if you are interested in running it as well, let me go ahead and give you the link and info right off the bat because you are not going to want to even wait long enough to finish this blog, seriously, REGISTER NOW as last I heard, there were only 25 spots left open.

Register at http://www.tobaccoroadmarathon.com/participate/fees-registration and use code “bibrave1” to save $20 on race registration!

There, now that's taken care of, let me tell you a bit about my goals for the Tobacco Road Half. If you had asked me a week ago, I would have said my goal was to run a new Half PR. I've never run Tobacco Road before and hear that it is a wonderfully flat course with parts of it on soft surfaces and is great for hitting PRs. I've been training really steady for it and was in a great place for this race. First glance at the weather 10 days out was looking like perfect conditions. Everything was coming up ME! 

I'm coming for you awesome medal!

Then Saturday morning I woke up unable to breathe out of my nose and with the worst sore throat. NOOOOOOOOOOOO! I ended up taking the weekend off from training to rest, skipping my last long run (9 miles) and figuring that since it was a taper week anyway, I could still pull this off.

PR Bell, I could still ring you!

And that is where I am now. Hoping to purge myself of this blasted cold quick enough to have a good showing. Either way, I am still looking forward to a great race. I am still holding on to the possibility of being able to ring the PR bell at the finish, but both my health and the weather forecast since are not being quite as promising as previous to this weekend. 

Either way, I am trying to look on the bright side and planning to have a fantastic race. So far everything I have seen about Tobacco Road looks amazing. First of all, when you sign up for the race, you have access to a training plan that is posted on their website. This was super helpful in planning out my long run schedule. Also, they have been steadily sending out communications both about the status of the race and some really amazing stories about some of the athletes who will be at the races and some of the challenges they are overcoming to run Tobacco Road. Check some of these stories out here: http://www.tobaccoroadmarathon.com/news-press 

I almost don't look like I'm dying

I did head out for a short 3 mile run last night where I pulled things way back as far as speed and I did hit Burn Boot Camp this morning. I'm trying to convince myself that I am not really sick. Luckily, it is mainly just a head cold which, while annoying, isn't terrible. The trick is getting enough sleep with a plugged nose waking me all night long, but as the week progresses, hopefully that will improve. The other concern is that the weather has take a bit of a turn to the worse with the temperature dropping a degree or 2 every time I check it, but luckily it looks like no rain, so there's that. Trust me, I am so OVER racing in the rain. 

I will be travelling a bit for Tobacco Road which is always fun, even more so this time since I am bringing the family along. Cary, NC is about a 3 hour drive for, so packing up the family early Sat morning and going to try to hit something fun in the Raleigh area for the afternoon. I am staying at the host hotel so it will be quick and easy to attend the expo on Saturday and sprung the extra $10 for the parking pass for the race so I have a bit more wiggle room and a bit less stress on race day. 

So that's where we are. T-minus 5 days to race day and slowly overcoming a head cold while obsessively watching the weather. But, I'm still going to enjoy it!! 

Do you have any tips for getting rid of a head cold quickly? Maybe you have an awesome rain dance just to make sure that this one is a dry race for me? Share in the comments below! 

Wrapping Up Running Safety Month

Disclaimer: I received a pair of AfterShokz Trekz Air and a multicolor assortment pack of Brilliant Reflective Strips 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!

Over on Twitter, Facebook and the BibRave.com site, the BibRave team has been celebrating BibRave Safety Month during the month of February. This is because winter running can present a whole slew of challenges unique to the season for outdoor runners like me. 

More than likely, especially if you have a day job, your runs will be in the dark due to reduced hours daylight. Another big challenge, and one I struggle with the most, is finding the motivation to get out the door when the weather is less than perfect. Cold is not my friend. Throw in rain or heaven forbid, snow and just NOPE, not a happy girl. There's a reason I live in the South. 

So how do I say motivated and safe in the winter? I get by with a little help from my friends. AfterShokz and Brilliant Reflective to be specific. Each provide me with necessary tools to help me to Be Prepared, Be Aware, Be Seen and Be Open.

Be Prepared

For me, being prepared is both a motivational tool and a safety aspect. The less barriers to me getting out the door, the better. So being prepared mean having your clothes picked out in advance, having your gear all together including any water bottles filled and nutrition stored, making sure your clothes/gear are reflective for dark runs, and having your Aftershokz charged and ready to go. Trust me, I can be super creative with coming up excuses when I don't really want to go out. Having everything ready ahead of time and knowing that what I have ready is safe takes away most of my arguments against myself. 

Having everything laid out beforehand can help motivate you out the door

Be Aware

Being aware of what is going on around you is just basic common sense. As runners we can encounter a number of potentially dangerous situations including distracted drivers (and bikers) loose animals, other people who might want to do us harm and even nature itself in the form of falling tree limbs or loose running surfaces. When you are out there, it is important to have all of your senses fully engaged to keep yourself safe. On a recent run, on a fairly deserted stretch of road, I came up on another runner who was blasting music with her ears fully covered and I scared the absolute heck out of her when I passed her. She had no idea I was there until I was running past her and she jumped about a foot in the air and let out a little yelp. I felt terrible, but there is no way I should have been able to come up on her like that without her noticing if she had been playing it safe and paying attention to her surroundings. That's why I love my Aftershokz. I can hear my music and I can hear my surroundings thanks to bone conduction technology. 

See, they don't cover you ears!

Be Seen

If you are going to be running in the dark you absolutely must have reflective gear to help you be seen. Period. End of story. Even if you tell yourself, I only run on sidewalks, you eventually have to cross a road here or there. My preference for reflective gear is Brilliant Reflective Safety Strips because I am able to add them to my existing clothes/gear instead of having to purchase specialty reflective clothing, which can be expensive, or wearing vests or belts that can add bulk to already bulky winter running outfits. Simply iron on or stick on to your items and you are good to go knowing that you can be seen. 

Now my Hot Chocolate half zip can be seen on dark runs

Be Open

Being open during a run refers to being receptive to all the information that is available to you out there. I stands to reason, if your ears are covered by headphones or blocked by ear buds, you can't hear what is happening around you, even if your music is down low. The importance of being open really hit me this weekend. I was running though a neighborhood when all the sudden I heard a click clacking behind me. It wasn't that loud of a noise, but thanks to wearing my Aftershokz instead of ear buds like I used to, I was able to hear it. I turned and a large dog was running full speed up behind me. I was able to turn and shout NO! before it reached me stopping it in its tracks and giving me the time to get away. Even if it were just running up to me to be friendly (which it probably was, but you never know) it could have knocked me over in its enthusiasm or startled me enough that I fell over on my own upon seeing it come up suddenly. By having my ears and my senses open, I was able to avoid a potentially dangerous situation. 

Perfect for those dark winter runs

What about you? How do you stay safe and motivated during the dark and chilly winter months? 

For more information about Aftershokz Trekz Air, visit my previous blog post here: https://runnerdgirl.blogspot.com/2017/11/be-open-with-trekz-air.html

For more  informationa bout Brilliant Reflective Strips, visit my previous blog post here:

https://runnerdgirl.blogspot.com/2018/02/be-safe-be-seen.html

And be sure to follow me on Twitter and Instagram if you don't already! 

Shoe Review - Under Armor's New HOVR

Disclaimer: I received a pair of the Under Armour HOVR Sonic Shoes 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! 

For the most part, I am a creature of habit. When I find something that I like, I tend to stick to it. This counts double for my running shoes, or at least it did until recently. I had been running in the same brand for basically the last 3 years, just re-upping the model. When I was given the opportunity to test out a brand new pair of shoes that Under Armor was introducing, at first, I almost didn't. But a part of me thought - Be brave, try something new and most importantly, THESE SHOES SOUND SO COOL! And boy and I glad I tried them.

First, let me tell you a little about the HOVR Sonics.

Here's the info from the Under Armor website -

Product DNA 
(for Women's model)

• UA HOVR® technology provides ‘zero gravity feel’ to maintain energy return that helps eliminate impact step after step
• Compression mesh Energy Web contains & molds UA HOVR® foam to give back the energy you put in
• Microthread upper dries fast & provides a breathable, compression-like fit that delivers lightweight directional strength & unmatched comfort to help you go the distance
• Ventilated midfoot panel increases breathability
• Unique tongue construction is attached to the footbed by stretchable support wings to maintain a snug fit throughout the foot
• External TPU heel counter for additional support & structure
• Removable, anti-microbial Ortholite® sockliner molds to the foot for customized comfort & cushion
• Blown rubber under the forefoot is lightweight yet incredibly responsive
• High-abrasion rubber placed under the heel to help absorb ground contact
• CONNECTED: These shoes are equipped with UA’s Record Sensor™ & will pair to your phone
• Offset: 8mm
• Weight: 8oz/225g

Cool, right?

So the first thing that I noticed when I received my shoes was just how crazy bright they are. I mean, as a rational person, I know that shoe color has no impact on the performance, however, there is just something crazy fun about running in a super bright shoe. And let me tell you, people notice them. I have yet to wear them without getting some kind of comment about how bright/pretty they are. 

They were really easy to set up the connection to Map My Fitness (they connect to either Map My Run or Map My Fitness, I just happened to already have Map My Fitness). Basically, you just open up the app next to the shoes and like magic, they connect. They are able track all kinds of neat things while you run. The data nerd in me just loves that. 

I mean check out all this neat data collected on my run. And this was all gathered with just the shoes on. I didn't have my phone even with me during the run. When you are finished with your run, simply open the app and it will automatically sync. Now, I will say, that the tracking seems to be slightly off from what my Strava reports. For example, I will put in a 4 mile run and typically my shoes will track around 3.8 miles. If you are wanting exact stats, I would recommend also using a GPS form of tracking, but the data from the shoes is still really neat and really useful. 

My first impressions were that the shoes were super comfortable and had some really amazing cushioning. I was more used to wearing a heavier shoe and really could tell the difference. Another first impression was how thin the mesh on the shoes is. Now at the time of my first run, this wasn't the biggest positive ever since I first tested them in January on a really cold and windy day. The wind whipped right through the mesh and my feet were pretty cold, but I thought to myself how great these will be in the middle of the South Carolina summer! 

I wore the shoes off and on (mostly on warmer days) and each time I wore them I liked them more. After a while I realized that all of my recent runs where after I thought to myself, wow, I ran way faster than I had expected, I was wearing my HOVRs. This includes one run where I was with friend who is quite a bit faster than me. We had gotten to chatting while we were running and I was thinking to myself that he must have slowed down so as to not leave me behind, but after 3 miles, I checked my Strava and my average pace was a full minute faster than I usually run for the same difference!

Armed with this knowledge, I decided to wear them for the AllState Hot Chocolate 15K Charlotte. Actually, the decision was based on not only the speed that I had been displaying in them, but also how light they were. See, there was rain in the forecast for race day and the previous week when I ran in the rain, my shoes (a different pair) go SO soaked they became SO heavy! I figured since the HOVRs were so light to start with, if they got soaked, they would still be much lighter making the run easier. Luckily, the rain mostly held and while my feet got a bit wet, the shoes didn't retain water and become any heavier. I ran a great race in them and scored a new 15K PR! 

Yesterday in fact, I did my longest run ever in them - 15 miles. And guess what? Today, I feel great. 

I am 100% sold on these shoes. I plan to wear them next month for the Tobacco Road Half Marathon where I am confident that they will score me a new PR.

The Under Armor HOVR Sonic shoe is priced at $100 for non-connected or $110 for connected versions and is currently available online and at retailers all over. Also, be sure to follow Under Armor Running on social media to keep up on the latest news - 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/UARunning 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uarunning

Super light and super fast! I love my HOVRs! 

Be Safe, Be Seen

Disclaimer: I received a multicolor assortment pack of Brilliant Reflective Strips to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com  to review, find, and write race reviews! 


Well it's winter. Still. And that means that I am still running mostly in the dark. Running in the dark offers several challenges, but one of the biggest is that it is less safe for runners due to lowered viability. And I don't just mean what you can see, but also the ability of others (drivers, bikers, other runners) to see you.

There are several safety options out there for dark-thirty runners. Some use blinky lights that clip onto your gear, some use safety vests and others use clip on or wearable reflectors. I've used all these in the past, but have had issues both with bulk, weight and things simply falling off - seriously, I have lost more than a few blinky lights out there. But perhaps my favorite way of being seen out there are Brilliant Reflective Strips.

Muti-Color Assortment Pack - Black, Purple, Blue and Red

Brilliant Reflective Strips are pre-cut sticky reflective strips that you can either stick on or iron on to your clothing and/or gear. They are made with 3M™ Scotchlite™ Reflective Material and really light up when the light hits them.

You can get the strips in either iron-on or stick-on. Either as super easy to apply. For the stick on (recommended for non-cloth items, but can also be used on cloth) simply peel off the backing of each strip, apply onto a flat, dry surface and press down firmly.  That's it! Easy-peasy. The whole process takes literal seconds. (Note: depending on your individual situation, you may have to also add an extra step - remove cat from application area). 

For the iron-on, there are just a few more steps, but equally as easy (and this from a girl who is practically allergic to using an iron). Here's what to do:

1) Lay out your materials, 2) Heat test your garment, 3) Place the strip where you want it

4) Place paper towel between iron and strip & iron, 5) Please off plastic, 6) Enjoy new shininess!

That's it! It's that easy. I did up a few darker colored outfits that I love to run in, but due to their darker color are not the safest to run in when the sun isn't out. 

       

I have even added some to my shoes. 

The weather forecast coming up is looking to start getting warmer and before you know it, I'll be hitting the road in tanks and shorts again. To prep for this, I plan on having a Brilliant Reflective Tank Top Application party later this week. When the temps and humidity creep up into the ugh range I'll be glad to not have the extra weight of a vest or wearable reflector on!

Want to purchase some for yourself? Follow this link to the Brilliant Reflective website where a 25% discount on Multi-Color Assortments will automatically be added to your cart when you check out - http://bit.ly/BRP25 . If you visit the site on your own later, use code " BRP25" saves 25% off of all Multi/Assortment Packs.

Hot Chocolate 15K Charlotte - Second Verse, Better Than The First

So I have always wanted to do a Hot Chocolate 15K and had been dismayed that there wasn't one near me. I finally bit the bullet and signed up for the closest one, which was Atlanta, determined to get my chocolate on. Well, to my surprise, shortly after signing up for Atlanta, they announced that the Hot Chocolate series was coming to Charlotte!! Could I handle double the chocolate? I knew I could!

Scenes from the Expo

Having done Atlanta the week prior, I kinda knew what to expect for the most part, however, each city has their own way of doing things and their own charm so it did not feel like I was doing the same exact race twice in a row. The Expo was much smaller, held in the ball room of a hotel just on the outskirts of Uptown Charlotte. It was pretty easy to get in and out of and if you stayed less than 20 minutes, your parking was free. I didn't stay long so I wouldn't have to pay, and was in and out easily while still getting everything I needed - the Bib system is like magic - they scan a QR code from your email and print a sticker to put on your bib - and exchanged my shirt (it was a bit on the tight side), picked up some Nuun, got some goodies (Hot Chocolate, chocolate dipped marshmallow and 2 small chocolate bars) and still was out in time. There was also a retail store set up with both Hot Chocolate gear and Charlotte gear.

Decided to rain coat up after all

This race was a local one for me so I knew the area and set out to arrive and get parked and settled with about 30 minutes or so to spare. With the horrible weather I had in Atlanta the week prior I had been obsessively watching the skies and while it was by no means a dry race, it was not terrible. Mostly it was damp and misty with a few minutes here and there of light rain. The roads were a bit puddled and my feet ended up fairly wet after, but I was just glad there was no downpour. I had planned ahead and wore a light waterproof jacket just in case and I am glad I had it, but would have been OK without. 

Just look at those shoes POP

Another pre-race decision I made was to do my run in the Under Armor HOVRs that I have been testing since January. Last week when I ran Atlanta, my shoes got so wet that they gained about 10 lbs each worth of water. The HOVRs are a remarkably light shoe so I figured they would retain much less water if they got soaked. And, while I hadn't raced in them yet, I'd put about 40 miles on them and really liked the way they were performing for me. In fact, the week before I had done a 3 miler in a 8:45 pace without even realizing it until after, I beleive due to the advanced energy return that reduces foot impact. At a minimum, I thought having such bright shoes on such a dreary day would make me feel happy. I am happy to say that all of the above were on point. My shoes were bright and happy and my feet were much lighter which I know contributed to my pace. 

There was lots of parking options around the area as the race was held just outside of Uptown Charlotte on the campus of a local community college (CPCC). I would have liked to see more signs directing parking options, but once you parked, there were lots of signs pointing to the start line and even with parking almost a half mile away, I knew exactly where to go. There were tons of port-a-potties available near the start and corrals were well marked with signage.

This pic was taken literal seconds before the start

Now the start was where you could tell that this was a first year race, as it was a bit confusing. The race was slated to start at 8:05 and I was in Corral D, so I thought that meant I had an actual start time of 8:21 as they said that waves would be released every 4 minutes. Well, joke was on me as Corral D was actually the first one (Apparently A-C were the 5K Corrals which started at 7:45). By the time I found a place to park almost a half mile away (it's a downtown area after all), used the ports, said hello to a few friends and got into position, I literally had 15 seconds before starting!! I was a bit frazzled but took off.

Official race on-course race pic. I'm super focused!

As for the actual course, there was a lot of volunteer support at the 4 aid stations. Each had some kind of yummy treat first - chocolate chips, flavored marshmallows, candy hearts and M&Ms - followed by Nuun and Water. There were port-a-potties at the halfway point and a few others throughout the course. A full lane of traffic was closed over the entire course. It wasn't the most scenic run I've done, but to be honest, once you leave the Uptown area of Charlotte, there isn't too much to look at. The course was basically a loop to the Southeast of Center City. It would have been nice to run through more of the Uptown area - the big buildings and stadiums, but it was a typical suburban course - neighborhoods and retail areas. It was pretty darn hilly though so I can't say I was ever bored on course. 

That finish time is a lie, oh well, still a PR

With the conditions being better I convinced myself I should have a faster race this week despite the fact that it had been only 6 days since my last race. I pushed myself pretty hard on the super hilly Charlotte roads and found myself in trouble around mile 7. I knew it was coming too. There was a pretty big hill on mile 6 that I said to myself on that I should have pulled back some and I paid the price. I had a horrible side cramp that I had to slow to a walk to manage. I walked about a quarter mile to get back where I could manage and somehow was able to get myself back in it. I finished not nearly as strong as I started, but still pulled a PR at under my goal of 1:30 with a 1:29:15 finishing time. I had initally thought I had done better as the timing clock was wrong at the finish (it read 1:27 when I crossed) but a PR is still a PR!

Coming into the finish, there was an announcer that called everyone's name as the crossed the finish and kept up some awesome encouragement. Thanks to him, everyone crossed with a smile on their face. After, I was given my awesome candy bar shaped medal with a hornet key chain to represent Charlotte and there were cups of Nuun, full water bottles and Nuun tablets available in the finisher chute. I hung out at the finish cheering on runners until my friends finished up and then we took a walk over to the post-race area to get our goodie bowls. There were lots of cool inflatables for photo ops and of course the finisher mugs full of Hot Chocolate and goodies were amazing. And before I had even left the race, I had received an email with a link to my free race photos. So that's really cool! I will for sure return again for next year's race!

And as for the shoes, I will for sure race in them again! My feet felt 100% better after the Charlotte race than they did for the Atlanta one. While my feet did end up wet (again) being so much lighter and not retaining the water made a HUGE difference. I can't wait to see how they race in perfect conditions. I have a half marathon coming up where I will find out because I will for sure race in my HOVRs for Tobacco Road.