A blog about running, and thrift shopping! The first Thursday of every month I post my latest thrifting finds. I also post race reviews for the DC and Baltimore area.
Someday it'll be fall. It hit 90 degrees here yesterday in Maryland. Thankfully it'll be less cooler today, but bring on the fall running already!! After running the Dogfish Dash where it was 82 at gun time, I'm ready for it. And to be able to wear a lot of my cooler weather finds.
Except these. I want to wear these just once before it gets too cold. I don't normally wear heels, but the footbed was so cushiony and in such great overall condition I couldn't pass them up.
Korks Annaleigh Platform Clogs: Originally $99.95, paid $8
I'd like to wear flannel more, but I always feel like a lumberjack whenever I put it on. This felt feminine enough to avoid that feeling. And with the new tags? Sure, I'll give this a try!
Herringbone is back in a big way. Target has it. Oiselle had it. Lululemon had it a few years ago. I came across this and it fit well and is still in GREAT condition!
Lululemon Daily Practice Jacket: Originally $118, paid $13
I love Icebreaker and Smartwool when it starts getting colder. It's so lightweight, but such a great baselayer on a run or under a jacket. Once again, new with tags!
Sometimes I have thrifting trips where I keep finding different items in the same size and condition and even the hems are just right. (For me at 5'3'', that's really hard to find!) It makes me wish I could meet the person who donated everything I walk out with because I'm pretty sure we would be friends. These pants are SO comfortable, they even have super soft material in the pockets, and the hem falls just right so it doesn't drag.
I know I've found a few things that I haven't ever posted, but this one was too good to keep hidden. According to one of my Disneyphile friends, there's an entire store of clothing for Imagineers that the general public only occasionally has access to, and this half zip is from that store. When I found it while out thrifting, I noticed the color, then how soft it was, the Sorcerer Mickey embroidery and then the tag. I have no idea what this originally cost, but in my mind it doesn't matter. It was way too awesome to pass up!
Disney Imagineer Half Zip: Originally $?, paid $3.50
Any good thrifting finds this month? Any races coming up? Leave a comment below!
It's almost fall! Yay! The heat has finally broken and fall PRs (and cozier thrifting finds) are just around the corner.
Terez leggings are awesome and the price point definitely reflects the quality. The printing on it goes through the fabric so when it is stretched out, the pattern remains and there isn't any sheerness to it.
Terez Leggings: Originally $82, paid $7
Ibex recently went out of business, but they were known for their wool base layers. (Fun fact: Last year, Oiselle actually bought the fabric Ibex was supposed to use before they closed. They ended up making a bunch of funnel neck base layers with the fabric that were a big hit.) Saw this in my size, grabbed it, and didn't let go.
Ibex Woolies Half-Zip: Originally $95, paid $5
I know this pattern is a little out of season (there are little flowers just below the hot pink strip of fabric) but who cares? I'm probably not wearing these out of the house anyways.
Lululemon Groove Pants: Originally $98, paid $3.50
So I discovered the trekkie line of pants from Athleta after they were discontinued. (Naturally.) The fabric is a little heavier, but more durable than some of the others they've put out. The inseam is perfect for me, and I always feel like joggers make life for me easier because I don't have to worry about hemming them later. (The elastic at the bottom makes it sit right at your ankle no matter your height.)
Athleta Trekkie Joggers: Originally $89, paid $5
Brooks makes some amazing athletic wear. (Their greenlight capris are awesome!) These I was never really quite sure about, so I was happy to grab these at a lower price point and still in great condition!
Brooks Streaker Capris: Originally $85, paid $5
ICYMI: My big summer trip was going to Italy with my family. One of the things I really wanted to do was go thrift shopping in Rome because I had never done it in a foreign country before. While we were out I found Fendi pants for 29 euro (about $32). However the fit was so weird (pleats right at the hip which meant they awkwardly billowed out) so they went back on the rack.
In the same, store I found this skirt. No indication of the designer, so I have no information about it other than it was made in Italy and how to clean it. (Washable wool? YES, PLEASE!) I have no idea how much this originally cost, but I paid 3.15 euro (about $3.50) for a beautiful wool skirt that is tea length and fit like a dream. Sometimes I don't find out any information about an item I find while thrifting. I'll see the company info all over it, but it's simply too old to still be out on the internet (yes, this happens. In order to save space on their servers, companies basically get rid of older pages of discontinued items.) Considering the item's pedigree from the information I could get directly from the tag, I was totally fine with it.
Wool pleated skirt: Originally $?, paid $3.50
Anybody have any good thrifting finds recently? Any fun races coming up? Leave a comment below to start the conversation!
I'm almost halfway through training for my next race (a half marathon) and I cannot tell you how excited I am that summer is almost over. Bring on the cooler fall running and the PRs! And the thrifting finds for August!
It's times like this when I'm glad I can sew. These shorts are a hot mess--the seams along the bottom of each leg are barely hanging on (same for some spots around the waistband.) The right leg's seam is almost completely gone and the left leg's seam is just barely hanging on. Thankfully this is easily fixed with some simple sewing. I prefer using a zig zag stitch because it can stretch with the fabric and on black it's barely noticeable.
Lululemon Groove Shorts: Originally $48, paid $5
ICYMI: I'm apart of Oiselle's Volee running team. It's an all women group of runners and we talk a lot about running, generally being active, being supportive of one another in sport and of course, Oiselle's clothing. I've started coming across a few pieces occasionally while thrift shopping, so I pretty much always grab it. The clothing holds up really well and it's a good way to try out some pieces I wasn't sure about.
Oiselle Mio Mesh Tank: Originally $52, paid $4
I'm forever on the hunt for good casual shorts. It's hard for me to find a pair that I won't have to keep pulling down as I walk. They're still currently available on the Columbia website and fairly highly rated, so I figured why not give them a shot?
I have zero shame about occasionally wearing men's clothing. The shorts inseams are longer, they get more pockets and can also have some features you'd never find on women's shorts. Like this pair from Lululemon--there's a loop in the zippered pocket on the right hip to clip your keys. Apparently Lululemon offers this feature on some women's flowy-type shorts, but they're so short I can't wear them. These however? I wouldn't balk at wearing them. They're long. They're comfortable. They're perfect for working in the yard with my phone in my pocket, listening to music while I pull weeds and then having to make a run to the home improvement store for mulch.
Lululemon T.H.E. Linerless Shorts: Originally $58, paid $4
I'm forever looking for rash guards because I hate sunscreen. It's an easy way to avoid having to put on less sunscreen and not risk getting sunburned. Most fitness apparel can be used as a rash guard or sun shirt, but a piece with UPF would be ideal. After doing some quick research I found this top has UPF 50 fabric. (UPF is the measure of sun protection in fabric, similar to SPF in sunscreen. BUT you just have to wear the shirt.) SOLD!
Prana Eileen Short Sleeve Sun Top: Originaly $60, paid $5
And finally, a piece to add to my collection for whenever I do a Disney race. I have a nice little collection going of RunDisney swag going without any specific race or year on it. I'm always surprised when I find RunDisney shirts when I go out thrift shopping. The races are SO expensive and seem like such an ordeal (like having to get on a shuttle at 2am to get to the start at 5am!) that I for one would treasure the shirt and wear it all the time. Either way, when I finally sign up for one I'm ready!
RunDisney Minnie Short Sleeve: Originally $40, paid $4.50
Did you find something good while thrifting this month? Leave a comment below!
This year's race was somewhat of a milestone for me, because it was my fifth year running the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler. I first ran it in 2014 (no recap for that one since I hadn't started blogging yet), 2016, 2017 (part 1, part 2), and of course 2018. Except for the first year I ran the race, I have volunteered to get in every year. In 2015 and 2018 I chauffeured elite runners to the airport. In 2016, 2017 and this year I helped with packet pick up right as it opened. I definitely prefer helping with packet pick up because you get volunteering done before race weekend even really gets going. I volunteer for this race because you get guaranteed entry to the following year's race, and it's also really fun. I've enjoyed both my volunteer jobs though for sure! (My first year I took Aliphine from NAZ Elite to the airport before she ran her first marathon and she was running for New Balance at the time.)
After volunteering you get a code to be able to sign up the following December and there are all kinds of add ons. Generally I get the cotton race t-shirt, and a medal. This year I got the enhanced medal, meaning after the race I would receive a little plate engraved with my time and placement. I was feeling pretty confident that I could do well enough to PR this race again after being able to for the previous two years.
Since my volunteer shift was early enough in the day I decided to buy parking ahead of time using Spot Hero and drive into DC. (It was SO easy and I was so glad I did it.) After finishing my volunteer shift, my Dad and I had fun exploring the expo. It was a lot of the same vendors. Got a few free snacks--cheese (from Cabot), quinoa thin stacker cakes and baked grain bites (from Lundberg Family Farms) and had some 26.2 brew. After killing some time listening to some of the speakers, we went to the volunteer dinner to eat and drove home. (Since it was well after rush hour, I hit barely any traffic on the way home!)
For the first time since I started running this race, it looked like it would be legitimately warm. Like, would need to wear shorts and potentially a hydration vest warm. Going into the race, I really had no idea what to expect. After running the Shamrock Half my IT band had a flare up and was really angry. I was really just planning on finishing. If I PR'd, that'd be great but I decided wouldn't beat myself up if I didn't. (But let's face it, it would be hard not to do that.) I talked with a Volee teammate and she was having a similar issue and it flared up at the exact same time and she ran Shamrock as well. (My theory is that it was from the elevation being too flat, and then going back to hills pretty much right afterwards.) She and I decided to try and meet up at the race, we would both wear our hydration vests and run the race together as much as we could. The night before the race I looked up my picture from when I had my IT band taped up for the Marine Corps Marathon and tried to copy what my sports massage therapist had done. (Sure there's no scientific evidence that taping an injury helps, but it also doesn't show that it can hurt either!) I also planned on slipping on a compression sleeve for added stability.
On race morning, my Dad and I drove into DC (since Metro doesn't open early for this race anymore I bought parking ahead of time again) and walked over to the start. We checked out the post race food since it was a table in the middle of the field. We just walked up to a table and a volunteer reprimanded us saying the food was for AFTER the race. Once her back was turned I grabbed a Honey Stinger waffle out of spite and because I knew if I didn't, I probably wouldn't see them again. Since by that point it was getting close to gun time we lined up in our respective corrals and I told my Dad to text me when he was through the chute. My friend and I were in the same corral and since I was there first I texted her where I was so she could find me. We were both nervous and our IT bands were feeling a little angry still, and discussed our last minute strategies as we waited to start. Generally for this race, I run for at least the first mile or two (or even the first half) until the crowds begin to break up and then start doing run/walk breaks as needed. But again with my IT band, all bets were off. I was just wanting to finish.
I managed to keep up with my friend for the majority of the race and it was a lot of fun to be able to point out some of the landmarks since it was her first time running. After running past the watergate, I started seeing random friends also running. So I thought "You know what? This is like a giant party where I know I have friends around somewhere but just need to find them! I want to make this a giant party for the rest of this race." So I did just that. I ran into friends I hadn't seen in ages and some others who I knew were running for the first time and really struggling so I ran with them for a little while and gave them a pep talk and distracted them with random DC landmarks. And I had the best time.
By the time I crossed the finish line, I was had so much fun I didn't even care if I had PR'd. But when I looked down at my watch, I knew it would be very close.
My Volee teammate and I finished very close together and we walked through the runner's chute super proud of ourselves (it was a PR for her!) and got our waters and actually turned down the mylar blanket. (It was THAT warm and the sun had started to come out.) We walked over and got our post race snacks. At that point, there were still bananas and granola bars but they were running dangerously low on Honey Stinger waffles and it didn't help that the volunteers were hoarding them. I grabbed another one for my Dad and ate the one I had grabbed earlier. My friend and I saw runners taking entire boxes of canned Peet's Coffee that was offered, and we asked a couple random people with full boxes if we could have one and were ignored. So then I took things into my own hands and walked up behind a volunteer that had the last of the cans and grabbed two coffees from behind her and handed one to my friend. Afterwards my friend and I went our separate ways so she could find her husband and I could get my medal and meet up with my Dad again.
This has been one of my consistent pieces of feedback for this race. The organizers have ample time to set up food within the runner's chute and I know this as someone who has worked in the running event industry. And they already put stacks of cases of water in there, why not the tables with food? There is absolutely no reason to have it out in the open so runners (and random people) can come up and grab whatever whenever they want. The food should be in the chute so you only have access immediately following the race and once you leave the chute you can't come back and get more. It was downright disgusting to see how greedy the other participants were. I just wanted enough of each thing for myself, my friend and my Dad who had no chance at even seeing one of the waffles. (I didn't bother getting him coffee because I knew he wouldn't like it.) Sure, keep medals in a tent off to the side. They have that system down because generally people aren't going to try and get multiple medals and bibs are marked showing that they've been paid for and picked up. Food needs to be more secured so everyone gets a fair chance at getting a little bit of everything that's offered. Once my Dad texted me he had finished, I met up with him and all that was left were bananas and granola bars so I handed him my extra waffle.
As my Dad and I walked back to the car we talked about our races. Despite the ugliness at the post race food, I really had a good time during the volunteer shift and then during the race itself. I would recommend the race for people who haven't done it before and for out of towners because of all the DC landmarks you get to see up close. I'll probably do the race and volunteer to get into the 2021 race, but I'm also getting to the point where I kind of want to see what other races are out there that same weekend.
Once my Dad and I got back to my parents house, I opened my laptop and checked my spreadsheet of all my finishing times. (I highly recommend doing this--it has all my split times and shows all the statistics that is offered by race organizers.) I had in fact PR'd by 7 whole seconds! I know it doesn't sound like a lot, but considering the conditions (my IT band and it was the warmest year I've run this race) I'm pretty darn happy with it.
Hope everyone had a great 4th of July! Mine was super chill--workout in the morning followed by a run so I could get my total mileage in for the day. I usually go out thrift shopping on Thursdays, but since it was a holiday I chose to avoid the crowds instead.
Sometimes going for a run in a skirt can be fun, and the shorts on these have silicone grip so they're less likely to creep up while I'm out.
(ICYMI: I have a tutorial on how to add it to compression shorts!)
Lululemon Circuit Breaker Skirt:Originally $68, paid $8
I really don't understand why Athleta discontinued this style of pants. They came in full length, capri and even lined (with super soft jersey knit) for cooler months. The capris have an elastic band on the bottom so I can pull them up on my calf and they don't move. And as an added bonus, the fabric for the unlined versions is so lightweight I can even wear them when it's oppressively hot outside!
Athleta Viva La Vida Capri: Originally $79, paid $7
Water resistant hiking pants that are the perfect length and dry super fast? Sold!
Athleta Dipper Pants: Originally $89, paid $6
Trying to find good pants for travelling on planes in the summer is no easy task. I have a long plane trip coming up and I don't like wearing shorts on planes since I get cold easily, but at the same time I want something lightweight so I don't overheat the second I step outside. These seem like they could work very well, at the very least for the plane. And as someone who's short, I'm very happy that there's elastic around the bottom so the hem doesn't drag on the ground.
UA Slim Air Woven Cargo Pants: Originally $100, paid $7
I've found the tank top version of this exact short sleeved shirt in the past, so I was super excited to find this one. This line of tops from Athleta has little dots of silicone in the bottom hem so they don't creep up. It's not perfect, but the silicone definitely helps!
(And this is another awesome line that Athleta discontinued.)
Athleta Fast Track Short Sleeve: Originally $49, paid $5
Any good races coming up? Or how about any good thrifting finds? Leave a comment below!
I swear spring is way too short. It feels like it lasts maybe 2 weeks--there's that short, glorious time when you can wear a light jacket or even just short sleeves, enjoy a beverage in the hammock outside comfortably then before you know it you're hating life because it's just too hot to do anything outside besides swim. (Or maybe it's just a Baltimore/DC thing because the humidity is terrible for about 90% of the summer. That sweet 10% is right after the rain evaporates after a thunderstorm.) That being said, I'm still shopping for cool weather clothing because Fall will be here eventually and I miss it.
I have mad respect for Crossfitters. I love watching the Crossfit games qualifiers and then the finals in August. (Last year they did a marathon row. Yes, 26.2 miles of rowing. It was fascinating to watch and had it on in the background. The slowest time was around 4 hours.) I came across this when I was thrifting and immediately had to get it. It's my favorite color, lightweight and shows my respect for Crossfit.
Crossfit Activechill Tank: Originally $45, paid $6
I grew up in the 90s. Therefore, Lisa Frank anything was a must (especially the stickers.) I still love the bright, fun designs! The Lisa Frank line put out by Rage On is definitely pricey, but when I found this while out thrifting I couldn't resist!
I'm always on the lookout for fun printed leggings that I could potentially wear for a late October race (even though lately it's been so hot leggings are out of the question.) But I can still wear them when I go to the gym! And since they're high waist you can fold the top over for a lower rise and to make it fit a little more snuggly around the hips.
Constantly Varied Gear Sugar Skull Leggings: Originally $60, currently $49.99, paid $10
I found this pair right next to the sugar skull pair! The only difference is that these have pockets, which lets face it--athletic gear can never have enough.
Constantly Varied Gear Mermaid Leggings: Originally $65, currently $39.99, paid $10
I love wearing super bright colors when I workout and run. This tank from Athleta is awesome because the back also has venting in the back which makes it versatile so I can wear it comfortably in the gym or outside if I dare to run when it's hot outside.
Athleta Kettlebella Tank: Originally $49, paid $2.50
Found a great somewhat retro print cropped leggings from Victoria's Secret Sport. These have held up very well and are only a couple of years old too!
Victoria's Secret Sport Crop Leggings: Originally $54.50, paid $8
Anyone racing this weekend? Have any good thrifting finds? Post a comment below!
I've had Shamrock on my bucket list for awhile now. Last year some of my friends in the Oiselle Volee decided to go down and roomed with a friend who lived close enough that I would be on her way to the race anyways. If I was going to be in the car for at least four hours, I was going to do the Dolphin Challenge--the 8k on Saturday and the half marathon on Sunday. I didn't go into the weekend really having a plan of either race being a "goal race" since the weather can either be great or notoriously bad. Fortunately this year the weather was pretty good both days!
I don't usually talk about the training aspect of a race, but a race challenge is a whole new beast for me. Training wasn't that much different from how I usually train for any half marathon. I generally used Kara Goucher's half marathon plan for mileage. (I do speed and hill work at OrangeTheory and I run a little further on Wednesdays after class so I felt it was enough.) The only difference I made was flipping my rest day on Saturday and a short(ish) run on Friday so I would have a short run then a long run the very next day. Training went pretty well and I was able to do the majority of my runs. (I ended up missing my last long run before race weekend, but still got in 11 miles so I just went straight into a taper.)
EXPO
The expo was pretty similar to a lot that I've been to with some slight variations compared to others. Getting my bib was super quick. Afterwards my friend and I got our IDs checked so we could get bracelets for our beer. (We ended up having to wear them the whole weekend. At first I was a little nervous but they held up pretty well!)
After getting our shirts we had to stop at a little spot for a photo opportunity!
J&A Racing had a big area with all kinds of merch for the race--some of it generic with just the race logo, others saying a distance and then finisher. (I got a generic black gaiter with the green race logo printed all over it.) They also sold a few things if you forgot anything green for race day--beads, glasses, headbands, basically anything you could find at a party store. (I had picked up a few things at Target so I was all set.) The other vendors were an interesting variety because there was the usual home improvement companies, other race companies showing off their race calendar, running stores selling fuel and other last minute necessities, and a few new racing gear booths (like Koala Clip, which I also bought.) But the standout in my mind were all the CBD vendors. There were at least 4 of them around the expo. I got a sample of a salve from one of them, but truth be told--I haven't used it yet as of this writing. On our way out we saw some familiar faces taking their picture in front of the leprechaun welcoming you to the expo.
Lesko (Corp Dev at Oiselle), Courtney (EatPrayRunDC), Sally Bergesen (founder of Oiselle) and Emily (another Volee teammate)
After the expo, my friend and I went back to the hotel to start to unpack and look at the swag we got at the expo. We ended up staying about halfway between the start and finish of the half marathon. Close enough to see some of the race preparations, but far enough away that we couldn't hear any of it.
I got a shirt for each race, beads from the pub making the post-race Irish stew, a chip clip, a Koala Clip and Buff, and we got animal crackers from Wegmans! (They were delicious.)
We then had dinner with our Oiselle teammates in downtown Virginia Beach.
After dinner we put out our race gear, took pictures and called it a night. We had our first race (the 8k) in the morning.
Race #1: Shamrock 8k
I was feeling pretty good. Got up plenty early so we could meet up for a pre-race team photo.
Neptune!!
Obligatory selfie with Neptune!
Obligatory Volee photo! I loved seeing so many familiar faces before the race. Shortly after the picture, we headed over to the start.
The race starts out two streets over from the beach (on Pacific) and then you turn onto Atlantic Ave, which runs parallel to the beach. You run about two miles on the street, then turn onto the boardwalk where you get some great beach views. Right around a mile and a half I was about ready to be done. Seeing buildings (mostly hotels and tourist traps) wasn't really all that exciting and the flatness of the race also didn't help when you're used to hills.
So at about this point I knew this wouldn't be my goal race. I had the half tomorrow, and weather was still looking good. Honestly despite the beach views, I was bored. And just as you thought you were about to cross the finish line and can see Neptune, they turn you off the boardwalk and back along Atlantic Ave. There was still a mile left and I was starting to get frustrated because I just wanted to be done. It had been awhile since I had been really glad for a race to be over with and didn't bode well for my longer race the next day.
I walked through the finisher's area and got my water, chips, granola bar, banana, medal and solo cup coozie and was pleasantly surprised when I was also handed a drawstring bag with the race logo on it! (Race directors take note: It's amazing for food to be accessible to runners only and to get a place to put all of it!) I also surprisingly ran into a Radford alumni table--completely random since the school is at least 5 hours away (I know, I've driven from Radford to Virginia Beach!) They gave me some alumna swag and took a picture with a couple other alumnae that came over. I then went over to the celebration tent and got my cup of Irish stew and beer (no lines because they had so many stations!) Once I staked out a spot in the tent I sat my beer down and texted my husband to see how everything was going. (It was his first weekend taking care of my cockatiels so I wanted to be sure everyone was okay.)
I was so ready to get a shower and find real food. Then the word got out that most of the Volee was meeting at Pocahontas pancakes for post-race breakfast. I have major respect for the woman who waited on our tables because there had to be at least 20 of us split among one long table across the width of the middle of the restaurant and another couple tables of us.
I was so thankful for coffee and banana pancakes!
Once I got back to the room I had to check out everything in my new drawstring bag because I felt so zombie-like post-race I didn't even know what all was in there.
And of course there's the medal! After spending some time in the hot tub with a couple of friends in the Volee, I was so ready for a shower and put on some real clothes. My friend and I also wanted to relax in the room a little bit more before finding food.
Course sweepers so you know the race is basically done!
We settled on going to a Buffalo Wild Wings. I got boneless Buffalo wings and we shared an order of Buffalo chips (basically potatoes cut into slices rather than julienne and then fried.) It wasn't anything too spicy since I didn't want to go too crazy, but at the same time it was a vacation to the beach! I also still knew there was cake and wine coming at a Volee leader's home. And there was yoga too, but cake was of course the priority. (Yay, carb loading!)
I was really glad to do some yoga post-race and to loosen up for the next day, and get to spend more time with some of my Volee teammates too. And the cake was amazing!!
Isn't that beautiful?! It was also delicious. The design was based off of the Moody Floral pattern that Oiselle released this season.
After cake, wine and yoga, it was time for dinner. (Yes, this is normal for a runner especially on a runcation. You run, then you eat. And eat. And sleep. Then run some more.) Another Volee member met us at Mannino's, and it was perfect. I ate a big bowl of gnocchi with some chicken for added protein. After dinner, it had been such a long day and I was so ready for bedtime. But of course first I needed to lay out everything I would need in the morning. It would be a little colder than the first day, but I could easily get away with wearing capris, and a light jacket over a tank top. (Naturally I had to wear green since it was St. Patrick's Day!)
Race #2: Shamrock Half Marathon
I was definitely more nervous for this race than the 8k. My training had gone okay, but not great. (I'm a wimp when it comes to cold weather and it was really hard some days to get out for a long run.) I questioned every long run, but I still lined up. I had come that far, I might as well! As always, the Volee got together for a pre-race picture. There were definitely more people spectating and racing so it was exciting for there to be such a big group of us together!
Shortly after we took the picture, it was time to line up! I was going to be in the same corral and pace-wise as the friend I was sharing a hotel room with, but we got split up on the walk over.
Can you tell I was anxious?
For this race the starting area had expanded to both sides of the road with a median strip running down the middle. There were a lot more people for the longer distance races. This race was also a slightly different course because you headed north then south, where the 8k had you go south then back north.
This race was definitely hard for me. I had trained on hills and you would think that would make running on a flat terrain easier--it didn't. This race was more scenic than the 8k because you got to run through the woods and a good part of it was also on a military base (which may have slowed down some runners because those with hydration packs had to have them checked by security at the gate.) I ended up stopping to use the bathroom at about mile 6 (which I rarely ever do) and I started to feel better, but I was still struggling. The constant pounding on flat pavement with no change in elevation was SO HARD on my body and I paid for it later. After the halfway point you're closer to the beach and having the wind pushing against me didn't make it any easier. I stuck with my usual fueling plan of having a chew at every mile and the majority of the time it's enough. But this time, it wasn't. I was starting to feel hunger pangs for real food right around mile 11. I was too far along in the race to change things up even though I grabbed a gu when it was offered. (Since I've never used gu specifically, I didn't want to risk it upsetting my stomach.)
I was SO happy to see familiar faces cheer for me as I got to the last miles of the race. And I was so ready to be done, especially since my chews were done. (I usually have a few leftover at the end of a race.) When I stopped my Garmin it said I finished the race in 2:24:58. Not my worst time, not my best, but I was still kind of shocked that it was so much slower than my previous half marathon time in Richmond of 2:16:20.
Once again after I crossed the finish, I was handed the same snacks as the previous day, but this time there was the addition of the finisher hat and blanket (and another drawstring bag to stash everything.) This time, I went straight back to the room to get a shower because my temporary roommate and I were going to head back to Maryland after hanging out at the finishers festival.
The light was hitting Neptune beautifully! I definitely had to take a moment just to appreciate the sculpture on the walk back to the hotel. After my shower I shoved my bib, id, medals and phone into the drawstring bag, loaded up my friend's car with the last of my things, and headed over to the festival to get one more beer and cup of Irish stew.
And of course I had to take lots of pictures of my medals!
And an obligatory selfie
And a lineup of all three medals together!
After finishing our beers and soup, we started to head over to the car to head home. But when we saw the somewhat infamous sand sculpture, we had to stop for a picture!
It's HUGE! Pictures really don't do it justice, because it is really impressive in person.
The drive home felt like it took forever, probably because it took so much longer than the drive to the race itself. I was really eager to get home. When I got home, I washed everything immediately and put my new race blanket on the couch. Almost immediately one of my cats claimed it, and he looked so cute snuggled up in it I didn't even care.
TL;DR
Overall, despite my crappy race performance I would recommend this race. (In fact, I signed up for the dolphin challenge again because I want redemption.) The expo was really well run and getting my bib, shirt, and beer bracelet went super quick. The course support was great for both races, and the atmosphere was so much fun that it makes it worth it to me. The finisher's area was definitely one of the best I've ever experienced--Getting through the chute was easy and snacks and water were plentiful, and I cannot complain about the beer line because there weren't any! (That NEVER happens!) For the most part I know now what I need to work on, and I hope to get my redemption next year.
