Disclaimer: I received an entry into the Salinas Valley Half Marathon as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!
It’s race weekend!
Man, that one came up fast! Well, actually, how is it August? 😛
It’s time to head on up to Salinas and meander my way through back roads enjoying the sites of crops, check another Mission off the list, and enjoy half marathon #27 in Steinbeck country.
My training has been ummm, a little absent this month. With work going through a conversion, I tried but my running took a hit. As did my sleeping.
So with that in mind, I have zero goals for this weekend other than to have a good time. I plan to just go out there and enjoy the views and the course. I know I will be slower than normal and that’s fine. More time to enjoy the course, right? I here there’s a great BBQ at the finish- I think I’ll finish just around the time a BBQ craving hits. 😛
I am hoping this odd heat wave with mugginess breaks though. The weather stalking has commenced and right now it’s looking like a warm morning. I will be drinking lots of water.
We interrupt regularly scheduled programming for a little announcement. 😛 My workout recap will be up on Wednesday.
Disclaimer: I received an entry into the Big Sur International Marathon as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!
I thought it was fitting that I drop the news about marathon #2 on the anniversary of marathon #1.
One year ago today, I crossed the finish line of my very first marathon. Unlike some, I hadn’t planned on running a marathon, in fact when asked, I usually said “oh hell no”. It was never a goal of mine, it just kind of happened. All of sudden I was registering for it, training for it, hurting over it, and then running it. And I didn’t hate it. 😛
I kind of always knew I was going to run another one but nothing ever seemed right. Every time I looked at websites or checked dates, it all seemed too forced. Nothing clicked for me. Then a chance to run the Big Sur International Marathon came up. Once again, it just seemed to happen.
Views along Highway 1
Big Sur is an amazing race that runs point to point along Highway 1 in CA with some of the most amazing views. It offers a marathon, 21 miler, 11 miler, 12K, 5K and 3K. You name it and there is a distance that will work for you. It is also is extremely popular and registration for the marathon runs by lottery system, the remaining distances are first come, first served. A few years ago, I ran the Monterey Bay Half Marathon (then named the Big Sur Half) and the loved it. We drove Highway one home and the scenery is just amazing.
That said, I had my hesitations before throwing my name into the hat. I know I say I prefer races with hills but this has HILLS. It took me 5+ hours to run San Francisco, could I do this? But it was calling my name, so I took a chance. When I found I was in, I was torn between jumping up and down in excitement and wondering what I gotten myself into.😛
But self doubts aside- I am so looking forward to this race. My hotel is already booked and I have a starting day for marathon training- Christmas Day. 😂 Now I just need a training plan. I got this.
Disclaimer: I received a Phone.Flask.Vest from Orange Mud 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!
I have a couple of Orange Mud products- the handheld and the Transition towel. I love them both but I’ve really had my eye of their hyrdation/ gear packs. Have you seen them?? So pretty! You know runners love their gear right? Then I saw the Phone.Flask.Vest and was like- wait, what?
source
I mean logistically how was that going to work? Don’t get me wrong, looked awesome but that mannequin looks noticeably flat chested- I may not be Dolly Parton but I’m also not flat chested. I was confused. At the time, they weren’t any pictures of the pack on women on the site either (there are now). I was intrigued enough to want to try it.
It arrived and it was even smaller than I thought it was going to be. However there were plenty of pockets. On the front side- there was the flask packet, another pocket directly in front of that, a key pocket, and a pocket on the shoulder. The entire back was a pocket complete with an extensive shock cord. The included flask was 450ml. Which if you’re like me, I had to look that up-15oz. 😛
Getting it on was a little tricky- silly me forgot to loosen any of the straps, ha! Once I did that it just a matter of finding the right fit. Which, I am not going to lie- I have to adjust the fit every run. However, the fault for that lies purely on my abnormal upper half- most of the time I’m a Cish cup, however there are times I’m above a D cup. Yeah, it’s fun, but I guess you could say I tested the pack in a variety of ways?😛
Ok- now for the running with it part. As long as I had it tightened properly- I never had any bounce. It only moved around on one run and I think I was just too tired to get it properly situated. Either that I was freakishly small that day. One quirk about the straps is that they tighten towards the back- so to tighten it- you pull it to the back. It was a little awkward at first but then I adjusted. It’s super lightweight and I can barely feel it when it’s on.
A full flask fits perfectly in it’s pocket and it worked great but to be honest I didn’t use it much. There were a few reasons. I kept forgetting it, I was only running a few miles and didn’t need water or I needed more so I carried a handheld too. My phone was also problematic. I have Iphone 7+ and the thing is huge. It does fit in the front pocket with flask in place but it’s a very snug fit. I preferred to run without the flask and put my phone in the flask pocket. Then I kept my pepper spray and chapstick, sometimes and entire body glide in the front pocket. My inhaler went in the shoulder pocket for easy access. The only pocket I had issues with was the key pocket. It’s small- very small. But then my new car key is huge- I was bemoaning that fact while buying the car. I didn’t even have the pack yet. 😛 Instead I keep a little hook on my key and attach it to the shock cord and place it in the pocket on the back.
Not only have I run with the pack every run since I got it, it has so far stood up to my treatment of it. I am hard on gear. I have a tendency to toss things around and I expect them to be able to handle that. For example- when I run after work, I am often parked in odd locations. The only door I open is my driver side door. I won’t open any other doors or the back of the car. I don’t want to dump the sweaty pack on the passenger seat post run ( I need another transition towel!) so I slingshot it from my seat to the back of the car. With all my stuff still in it. I don’t care how it lands as long as it’s on the very back of the car. 😛 So far, this hasn’t hurt it!
So a few things that could make it better-
2 buckles. There is only one buckle on the left side. While I can now get it on and off without taking my hat or glasses off, it would be a lot easier with 2 buckles. Sometimes it’s like taking off a sweaty sports bra. I also have a small head, so this would a very snug fit for those with more of average size head. Hmmm, that sounded odd.
I’ve got a theory (it could be bunnys) While I have plenty of leftover space on the straps, I wonder about the sizing. I measured multiple times and ordered a S/M because according to the site that’s what I needed. However I’m kind of wondering if the L/XL would have made the pack itself fit even better due to my ummm, upper half. It makes me wonder if the sizing for woman should be more like S/M for those who wear A/B and L/XL for C and higher. But again that’s just a theory and not one that I could test out.
Want to your own or anything at Orange Mud? Use “BRPPFV” for 10% off.
Disclaimer: I received an entry into Salinas Valley Half Marathon as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!
Summer running- happened so fast, summer runnin’- had me an asthma attack.
Haha, couldn’t help myself. 😛
Every summer for the past few years, I’ve run a half marathon in July. Always near the beach, sometimes on the beach. Last year the heavy marine layer and my asthma conspired together to make me want to swear that off. 😛 Combine that with what is shaping up to be a crazy busy July and it seemed like a good idea to pass on running a half next month.
Instead, I’m taking it inland. I’ll be running the Salinas Valley Half Marathon on August 5. Salinas isn’t that far away so it will an early morning drive up to run the race before driving back home. This is actually a race that has been on my radar for a few years. The course is through vineyards and crop fields which is my favorite and it seems to be the perfect size crowd for me. Last year’s race was actually canceled due to the smoke from the Soberanes fire, we were on fire for what seemed like forever last summer. 😢
Ok back to some fun stuff-
13.1-mile course along the agricultural fields and vineyards of Salinas Valley
– Begins at historic Soledad Mission, ends at Pessagno Winery
– Travels along River Road Wine Trail, passing several wineries and tasting rooms
– Post-race wine tasting, music, awards, bbq lunch and more
– This is in the heart of “Steinbeck County” where many of Nobel Prize winning author John Steinbeck set his novels and short stories. (A humorous sign placed at one of the hills calls it “Beast of Eden;” a play on words to Steinbeck’s novel, East of Eden.)
– Crops are identified along the route
Beast of Eden- how awesomely punny is that? Plus, it starts at a Mission. Fun fact- California has 21 Spanish Missions. I’ve been to 3- used to sing in the choir at one actually- so this will be #4 for me. And it will be half #27. 😛
As for that beach race in July? I may run the 10k. We shall see. 😛
Disclaimer: I received a pair of Adida’s Ultra Boost X 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!
I think I’m in love.
If you’ve been following along for awhile now, you know I’ve bee struggling with shoes since last year when they changed my beloved PureFlows to an unrecognizable shoe. I’ve been through numerous shoes since- various brands and types. Some I’ve suffered through and then “donated” to my mother’s emergency stash for her tennis team and others I full on returned to the store. Sorry Running Warehouse. I hate returning shoes, I feel bad. So when an opportunity came up to try the Ultra Boost X from Adidas you’d think I would jump on it. But I deliberated- I’ve become leery of new shoes and these looked different. Curiosity won me over. Then I was overly impatient to get my hands on them or more like my feet in them. 😛
These are so different than any of my other shoes. In some ways they feel like more shoe than I am used to and in other ways they feel like less shoe. The more shoe comes from the sole- I went from a 4mm drop to a 10mm drop. Whereas my previous upper was more of standard upper and the Ultra Boost X foots your foot like a sock. In the beginning I wondered if I even needed the shoelaces or if they were just for looks. And a floating arch? I could stick my finger through it- how would that work?
Ok- first some data straight from Adidas-
Ok, first impressions- what the heck is on my feet? They felt so tight. I kept loosening the shoelaces. Turns out I just wasn’t used to the arch support. I kept trying thinner socks before I realized the shoes are actually slightly too big. Oops. Thicker socks and 3 runs in was all it took and I was all adjusted to the extra support and cushion. 🙂
Then I started to notice something. My shin pain was going away. My knee pain was a thing of the past. My feet and ankles were happy. Was this for real? It had been so long my legs hadn’t hurt in some way I felt like it was a trap. I was to the point that I was wearing them for every run but the longest run I had completed was 8 miles. I didn’t know what to do about San Diego. Should I try the Ultra Boost X for 13 miles? Spoiler: I did and they were awesome, my feet felt great for all 13 miles.
In short I am loving these shoes. I do have some concerns though. 1- go to a store and try them on. Mine are big, which I correct with either thick socks or 2 pairs, but I think I probably could have and should have sized down. Never thought I would say that. 2- the cost, these shoes are not cheap but then again injuries and pains aren’t either so it’s 6 in one, half dozen in another. One of the Pro’s who met with an Adidas rep said that they were made to last longer than most shoes so we shall see. You know I will report back on that. 😛 That said, I have already added a price alert to ShoeKicker to let me know if they ever go on sale. 😀😀. Too bad Adidas doesn’t want to give me a pair in every color. Until then I’ll just keep running in these.
Slacker Runner 