Run Like a Polar Bear - Week 4 (January 21-27, 2013)

Polar Bear 5K (Marietta, GA) - January 26, 2013

I first ran the Polar Bear 5K last year for my "birthday run."  The Polar Bear 5K is hosted by Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta as a fund raiser for their youth mission trips.  2013 was the 25th running of the Polar Bear 5K which is great longevity for a race.  There are 3 events in the race: the main event is the 5K and there are also a 2K and a fun run for the kids.  The start times for each event were done very well (2K at 8:00, 5K at 8:30, and fun run at 9:15).  The spacing of the events made it ideal for families to allow all members to participate since the races did not overlap.  The race typically sells out with about 2,000 participants each year with a lot of families participating.

If you have never been to JFBC it is HUGE!  There are multiple "wings" and a full gym with an indoor track.  

When racing in January, it is always great to have pre-race activities in doors especially when it is a cool morning.  I am quite thankful that JFBC has such large facilities that they can support runner registration inside!  This seems to be their standard set-up, but regardless I was happy to be warm PLUS indoor restrooms!  It is important to remember that even though you might be tempted to stay in the nice warm gym up to the last minutes before the race, you need to get outside and get your body adjusted to the cold before running.  I think many people did not do this as a lot of people came out to the start line shortly before the start.

The start line was not clearly marked - it was just a few yellow parking cones along the road.  Johnson Ferry road is multiple lanes across, however the race is only ran in the far right lane.  This poses a problem when there are about 1,500 participants all starting a once.  In addition, many participants have never taken part in a 5K, so there is a lot of confusion with the proper way to line up at the start.  The start area had a pure mix of 6:00/mile runners with casual walkers (rather than lining up according to estimated pace).  This led up to a HUGE bottle-neck for almost the entire first mile.  

Overall, the course is nice.  For the Atlanta/Marietta area it is fairly flat with some hills along the way.  I  did not do as well on my first mile as I wanted due to the bottleneck.  My first loop was fairly successful - I completed it in about 30 seconds longer than I would have liked but I figured I could make it up in the second loop since we were spread out at that point.  Well, around a quarter mile into my second loop I started feeling a horrible pain in the ball of my foot.  Every strike of my foot hurt me. I thought it might have been my shoes since I am due for new running shoes.  For the next 1.5 miles or so I just ran through the pain (big mistake probably).  I finished the race, slower than I wanted, but I finished.

The post race area was partially outside at the finish line (bananas, bagels, water, etc) and partially in the gym (awards and sponsor setups).  Once I got home, I took my shirt out of my goodie bag.  Now, I have ran probably about 75 races and I have seen all types of swag (t-shirts, technical shirts, long-sleeved, short-sleeved, hoodies).  This was the first race I have seen do a turtleneck shirt.  Don't get me wrong, it is a very nice, heavy, mock turtleneck.  This is also my first race shirt that I recall being embroidered.  The race logo was small on the left chest and "25th running" on the turtleneck part.

After getting home and taking off my shoes, I came to realize that the pain in my foot was not just the shoes.  The pain continued in the ball of my foot and top of my foot from Saturday morning until this evening still.  I cannot put weight on the ball of my foot without a lot of pain and cannot put pressure on the top of my foot.  I am beginning to think that I pinched a nerve in my foot or possibly have a stressed fracture.  I guess I will rest up the next few days and take it from there.  I am really bummed right now because I am sitting at 4 weeks out from the Disney Princess Half Marathon and I know a stress fracture would mean a 6 week rest period.....

Race Pros:

Indoor pre and post race activities

Good spacing between events

Race Cons:
Not a well-marked/organized start

HUGE bottlenecks for the first mile

Turtleneck shirts?


Overall race rating: B

Question of the Week: 

What running injuries have you suffered?

Time to Run,

Brandi

Bring on the Snow?!?!? - Week 3 (January 14-20, 2013)

Bring on the Snow 5K (Cumming, GA) - January 19, 2013

Last week's race was quite large to say the least - about 16,000 finishers between the 15K and 5K.  I decided that this week would be a good week to do a smaller race.  I have ran races put on by FiveStar NTP previously and I knew how smoothly they run.  Through Five Star I found out about Bring on the Snow 5K in Cumming.  

After running the Hot Chocolate 5K last weekend, I have developed pain in my right shin.  At first I thought it was just a "runner's ache", but after a few days of it hurting I came to accept I probably got hit with a case of shin splints again...great!  I took it easy most of the week and laid off the miles to let things calm down.  As the week went on, I was questioning whether or not I was going to do the race Saturday morning - I have way too many bigger races that I cannot afford to have injury for.  Then, I remembered my good friend from the past - kinesiology tape.  I went to Big Peach Running on Thursday to get a fresh roll then watched the tutorial video online about how to tape for shin splint relief.  Thank goodness for my kinesiology tape or I probably would not have been good to go.

I thought the race started at 8:00 so I left early enough to get to the race around 7:00 to get through all my pre-race activities (check-in, port-a-potty trip, stretch, etc). Well, I quickly found out that the race had a 8:30 start!  Note to self: double check your start time before setting your alarm the night before a race.  Since I had extra time to kill and it was 28 outside, I decided to hang out in my car for a while.

As I sat in my car and watched other participants arrive, I quickly felt OLD!  About 1/3 of the 300 participants were under the age of 21!  Most of them were high schoolers with their soccer, cross country, and track sweatshirts on.  I knew then this would be a pretty competitive race.  I couldn't let that get the best of me.  I kept reminding myself that my #1 competitor is myself and to just run my best and if I have to slow up with my leg, it is ok.  

While waiting for the race to start, I met a woman that was doing her first 5K.  She told me she wasn't sure if she could run the whole time and didn't know if it was ok to walk.  I told her it is 100% ok to walk and to just do what she can and the best she can.  The night before as she was putting her 6 year old daughter to bed, her daughter told her "mommy, you know you won't win the race right."  I reminded her that even if it takes her over an hour to finish, she is still beating everyone on the couch.  After talking for a bit, we decided to head to the start and I wished her luck with a few last minute words of encouragement.

The start line was not easily marked and not organized well (people were starting in a very wide line that quickly had to narrow into the road), however it started on time.  They advertised the race as a "fairly flat" course, however I would say it was moderately hilly.  It was an out an back course with some good down hill sections on the way out, which we would soon be running UP.  I hit my half way point in pace to beat my PR by about 30 seconds - WHAT?!?!  I was on quite a high at 1.5 miles.  Since the back half was a little more challenging, I did not PR.  On a happy note, I FINALLY got back to my pre-marathon training time!  This is exactly the boost I needed going into my longer runs getting ready for 3 half marathons within 8 weeks.

What about the lady I met at the start?  Since it was an out and back, I knew she was just a few minutes behind me.  After I finished, I ran back a bit to find her.  Around 38:30 she crossed the finish line of her first 5K.  Even though I hardly knew her, I was so proud of her!  She did a wonderful job and is looking forward to finding more 5Ks to run.

Post race food can be a hit or miss - either you get just a banana and water or you get some amazing food.  Since this was a smaller race, I did not expect too much.  Well, they had one of my favorite post race indulgences - PIZZA!  They knew the way to this runner's heart for sure!

The shirt for the race was cute.  It was a light blue, long sleeved cotton shirt.  I always enjoy shirts that are not white and the fact that the shirt was long sleeved was nice (especially in January).

Race Pros:Nice shirt
Post race food (yummm, pizza)
On time start

Race Cons:
Not an well-marked/organized start


Overall race rating: A-


Question of the Week:  
What injuries have you had to overcome in your running/training?  How did you overcome it?

Will Run for Chocolate! - Week 2 (January 6-13, 2013)

Every now and then I enjoy doing "fun" races - basically races with a fun theme that I just go and do for pure enjoyment (vs. focusing on my time).  Running "fun" races from time to time allows me to really focus on why I do what I do - because I enjoy it!  These are great opportunity for me to do things such as run in costumes and just let loose. 

A lot of these races have themes which end up bringing a lot of participants ranging from serious/experienced runners to families walking their first 5K together.  Many of the "fun" races tend to benefit children's charities such as Children's Healthcare of Atlanta or Ronald McDonald House (as the Hot Chocolate 15K/5K did).  I always try to do races that support causes that I support, so the benefiting charity being Ronald McDonald House was a bonus!

Several years ago I heard about a 15K/5K that provided runners with hot chocolate & fondue at the finish as well as had jackets for all participants (vs. the typical t-shirt that you receive at races).  I kept reading about this race which was only available in a handful of cities and was even considering going to DC to run this race.  In early spring 2012, I found out that Hot Chocolate 15K/5K was finally heading to Atlanta!  I registered for this race on July 1, 2012 and after 6 months of waiting, it was finally my turn to run for chocolate!

With that said, I present to you: Hot Chocolate 15K/5K Atlanta!

The Expo (January 12, 2013):

The Hot Chocolate 15K/5K Atlanta had about 17,000 participants which is definitely a larger race.  People were traveling from all over the southeast (and beyond) to take part in the inaugural Hot Chocolate 15K/5K Atlanta.  As with most large races, there was no race day packet pick-up available.  In order to pick up your bib and hoodie, participants had to go to the expo held at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta (or have someone go for them).  The expo was held on Friday and Saturday before the race. 

As you entered the expo, you were first directed to bib pick-up.  There were two different lines for pick-up (one for 5K and another for 15K).  It took maybe 3 minutes total for us to get our bibs.  The volunteer scanned your registration confirmation or looked up your confirmation with your ID.  

You were then assigned a bib number and assigned a corral (based on your estimated pace entered at registration).  The corrals are used to organize runners by the pace they will run the race in and to release a controlled number of runners at a time.  5K corrals ranged from A-G and 15K corrals ranged from I-N.  I received a corral D assignment and mom received corral F.  

After receiving your bib, you were then directed to the Goodie Bag Pick-Up area where you received a reusable drawstring bag, final race instructions, and the coveted HOODIE!  Next to the Goodie Bag Pick-Up was a "hoodie swap" where you could try on samples of the hoodies and swap for a different size if needed. Kuddos to RAM Racing for thinking this through because by having samples out to try on, the next person to receive a hoodie will receive a new one (not one that was tried on).

After getting your goodies, you were free to wonder around the expo.  This was a VERY small expo.  The biggest part of the expo was the Hot Chocolate 15K/5K merchandise area.  There, you were able to purchase official merchandise with the race logo as well as "Will Run for Chocolate."  Items for sale included shirts, jackets, gloves, hats, and headbands.  The items there were not crazy priced like a lot of races which was nice.

Other than the merchandise area, the vendors were slim.  Big Peach Running Company had a booth set up with a TON of clearance items.  I got a pair of Nike shorts for $12 which is an excellent deal!  I actually ended up wearing them for the 5K.  Another vendor was the Georgia Publix Marathon & Half Marathon.  I am already signed up to run this half marathon but I stopped by to say hello to the workers.  I was very excited when I stopped by their booth because they had the medals that will be handed out.  The race will be held on St Patrick's Day this year, so they decided to give the medals a "luck of the Irish" look.  Both medals have the same sparkling clover design, just the marathon one is obviously slightly bigger and the ribbon color is different.  If you are looking for a good half marathon to do this spring, you might want to look into this one (http://dev.connectusinc.com/usrs/signature/GABeta.taf).  It is a fairly challenging course (it is held in Atlanta so you know it will be hilly).  Note: the shirt shown in the picture is NOT the race shirt - this is a training shirt used for promotions.

My favorite part of the expo was the chocolate table!  You can't have a Hot Chocolate 15K/5K expo without chocolate!  There you could sample the chocolate that would be waiting for you at the finish line as well as hot chocolate.  Yummmmm!

After mom and I were done exploring the expo, we volunteered at the expo.  We were assigned to the bib distribution area.  All of the volunteers were amazing and had so much energy which made the shift go by so quickly.  Runners were getting their bibs very quickly and moving on to other parts of the expo with little to no wait.

As a thank you for our time we were given the volunteer shirts (which you wore during your shift).  Without volunteers, races would not be possible.  From the volunteers that distribute bibs to those who distribute water on the course to those that prepare/distribute post race food, volunteers can either make or break a race.  I have volunteered at other races previously and I strongly encourage runners/walkers to volunteer from time to time to experience what things are like on the other side of the race as well as help give back to the running community.

Expo Positives:
LOVE the hoodie
Hoodie swap area
Great volunteers
Decent priced & nice merchandise
CHOCOLATE

Expo Cons:
Very limited number of vendors

Overall expo rating: A

Hot Chocolate 5K (January 13, 2013):

Hot Chocolate 15/5K communicated via Facebook message and email prior to the race that there will be a "heavy traffic advisory."  Mom and I figured we needed to leave early.  We were instructed that we needed to be parked by 6:30 because the roads will begin closing.  We left the house at 4:55 and arrive in Atlanta around 6:00 with little issues.  There was no traffic at that time, but we did have one hiccup with Atlanta police directing us the wrong way - hey it happens!  According to Facebook there were some traffic issues as time went by, but everyone was well warned.  There are 17,000 trying to get to the same place - traffic is expected.  

Since we got there so early, we decided to take advantage of no porta-potty (which there were TONS of) wait and no waiting for prime photo-ops.

We then went back to the car to gather our things for the race (bibs, iPods, water, etc).  After getting our stuff, we met up with my running buddies Megan and Heather.  Megan's sister, Andrea, was in town from NY for the weekend and did the race as well.  

Mom, Andrea, and I did the 5K and Heather and Megan did the 15K in final preparation for their half and full marathons (half for Heather and full for Megan) in 3 weeks.  The 5K started about 30 minutes before the 15K so while Megan and Heather finished their race preparation, the 3 of us headed to our corrals.  I was in corral D while Andrea and mom were in F.

It is always a HUGE plus when races start on time - especially one of this size.  At 7:45 corral A took off as scheduled.  Every 3 minutes, the next corral was released.  My favorite moment of this race (other than the chocolate, obviously) was my "Ryan Hall moment" (Ryan Hall is a USA Olympic marathoner and my favorite runner).  The race started by exiting the Turner Field parking lots and heading towards the capitol.  About 1/4 mile in, we ran under the Olympic Rings from the 1996 Olympics!  I have ran in Atlanta...a lot, but I have never been able to run under the rings and by the torch.  

Overall, the course was what is expected from Atlanta running - hill after hill.  It was a very nice course that allowed us to utilize the entire width of the road which was perfect for the number of people.  As instructed, most people that were slower runners and walkers stayed to the sides to allow for runners to pass through the middle.  I was quite impressed because a lot of people were doing their first 5K today. In pre-race briefings they asked how many people were doing their first 5K today and about 1/3 or so raised their hands.  The race went very, very smoothly.

The course took us in front of the capitol around a lot of Georgia State University.  After 3 miles, there it was - the finish!  Everyone knew what was waiting for us...CHOCOLATE!

The crowd and volunteers at the finish were AMAZING!  The announcer made sure to constantly give shout-outs to groups, people in costumes, people completing their first 5K, etc.  Nothing is better than a great finish line!

I knew going into today's race that I would not PR.  

(1) there are 1500 other people starting at the same time as you (which is hard to get moving)

(2) its Atlanta, and it is VERY hilly

(3) I just want to have fun and enjoy myself!

The only real "hiccup" would have been the measurement of the course.  A 5K is 3.1 miles, however my Nike+ watch as well as everyone else's running trackers (Nike+, mapmyrun, Garmin, etc) showed the 5K being around 3.25 miles.  I was a little disappointed with my time at first, then I realized the extra .15 ran plus time was not my goal today.

The finish shoots were filled with wonderful volunteers handing out LOTS AND LOTS of Gatorade and water.  I have ran races were they have ran out of water on the course and races where there was no/little hydration at the finish.  

After I finished, I waited for Andrea and mom to finish.  I found Andrea almost immediately after she finished then we waited for mom.  It seems like a pink top and the white hats from the expo were quite the outfit of choice because we missed seeing mom finished.  However we did see some pretty impressive costumes like Willy Wonka, Umpa-Lumpas, and my favorite the girls with "hot chocolate" hats and chocolate brown tutus with marshmallows!

We finally met up with mom and the 3 of us headed to get what we all came for...the chocolate!  On our way, I ran into my sorority sister Kayla who ROCKED her 5K today and PR'ed - way to go Kayla!

You would think that having 17,000 runners (about 5,000 done at this time) would create long lines to get your fondue - nope!  There were so many awesome volunteers there that we were in and out of the line within a minute or so.  

                           

We got our 'finisher mugs' filled with hot chocolate, chocolate fondue, and fondue dip-ables (banana, marshmallow, Rice Krispy treat, pretzels, and cookies).  After that we proceeded to gather with all the other finishers and enjoy our chocolate.

I ate everything in my bowl - minus the banana!  

                                              

After we finished, we knew Megan would be finishing soon so Andrea went to watch for Megan at the finish line.  I obviously did not get enough chocolate, so when I was throwing my trash away, I decided that it would be a wonderful memory of the day to spill hot chocolate all over my running socks.  Sad :(

Mom and I had to get going so we did not get to see Megan and Heather finish.  On our way out, there was no wait for the finisher photo, so we quickly did that before starting our journey back home.

I am so happy that Hot Chocolate 15K/5K finally came to Atlanta!  By the responses on Facebook, everyone had a blast today.  Experienced runners enjoyed themselves as well as first timers.  I strongly encourage everyone to do these types of fun runs.  They are a great starting point for those looking to do their first 5K as well as a "not so serious" run for runners that need to step back and just have fun with racing.

Race Pros:

CHOCOLATE (obviously)

On time start

Swag (hoodie, hat, finisher mug)

Amazing volunteers

Plenty of Porta-potties

Quick results posted

Race Cons:

A little longer than 3.1 miles (I can live with that)

Overal Race Rating: A+

QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK:  

(1) Did you take part in the Hot Chocolate 15K/5K?  How did you like it?

(2) What other kinds of "fun runs" have you done?

Have a great start to your week!

Time to Run,

Brandi

Starting 2013 with a Brrrrrr - Week 1 (January 1 - 5, 2013)

I decided to start 2013 with a bang, but it ended up being more of a BRRRRR!  Within the first 5 days of 2013, I did two 5Ks.  I have not ran much since the marathon on December 2nd since I had to let my body go through recovery as well as those pesky blisters that took two weeks to heal then reformed in Vegas.  It was physically quite tough to get going again after about a month off, but I have been mentally ready for weeks!  

My biggest challenge this week was my pace.  Since September, I had been focusing so hard on controlling my pace in all of my runs in to to prep for the marathon.  My pace had gone from 11:00-12:00/mile to 13:00-14:00/mile during training.  Now that the marathon is over, I now have to start focusing on getting my pace back to where it once was - especially for my shorter runs/races.

PT Solutions Resolution Run 5K (Kennesaw, GA) - January 1, 2013

The PT Solutions Resolution Run 5K/10K is a Atlanta Track Club sponsored event that takes place on New Years Day.  Thank goodness the race acknowledges the fact that it IS New Years Day and most people have been up late the night before to ring in the new year, so this race has a "later than normal" start time.  In order to prevent significant bottlenecking at the start, the 5K race started at 11:00 while the 10K took off at 11:10.  Since this would be my first race in a month, I decided to opt for the 5K distance.

Mom decided to start off her new year with a 5K as well, so we planned to leave the house around 9:30 to get to Kennesaw in time to get checked in and stretch.  Well, mother nature had a different plan for us!  There was a little chill in the air (around mid 40s), but it was POURING DOWN RAIN!  Well, races are "rain or shine" and mom's motto for the past 9 months has been "no excuses" so off we went to the race.  Needless to say, we went to the race...

We arrived to the race around 10:00.  We were greeted by countless smiling (and soaked) volunteers working the parking lot, setting up the start line, and handling check-in.  Nothing makes a race more enjoyable than wonderful volunteers - without them, the race would not be possible.  Mom and I walked up to the check-in with umbrella in hand and received our bibs and t-shirts.  The race shirts were great - long-sleeved Brooks technical shirts.  However, there was no goodie bag given out.  A lot of races have started doing "virtual goodie bags" which have coupons and race advertisements emailed to you.  I am not a huge fan of these, but I like to put the fliers/cards in my race stuff and look through them when searching for races.  I do see the reasoning behind this - it helps save money and best of all it helps the environment.  Overall, the check-in process was very well organized and went smoothly.

After we checked-in we decided to sit in the car where it was dry and warm.  Around 10:45 we decided to brave the elements and go to the start line so we can get warmed-up and in line to start.  The start took off on time (which is always a huge plus - especially when raining).  Despite the weather, there was an excellent turn out!  I was hoping that with the races taking off at separate times that the bottle-neck at the beginning would be minimal.  With the rain, many people decided to take umbrellas with them.  As if dodging other people during the first 1/2 mile isn't challenging enough, add umbrellas into the mix.  

I hit my first mile in about 12:30 which I was alright with.  I run the course several times a year and I knew I could make my first mile in about 10:30-11:00.  Considering the challenges at the start, I accepted the time.  Most of the course was like running through rivers.  My shoes were completely water-logged before I made it 1.5 miles.  While still dealing with healing blisters, my wet shoes/socks were not helping.  Every step taken felt like Lake Superior was in my shoes. After 39:52 I made it to the finish line.  Even though this was about 4 minutes slower than what I am used to, it was still about 3 minutes faster than my time last year and a great first race after a month hiatus.

I was a little disappointed with the post-race options.  There were excellent Panera bagels (one of my favorites), however past that the options were limited (bananas and water).  There were very few vendors set-up which is perhaps due to it being a holiday and the weather.

Mom and I were both SOAKED from head to toe, but we were both glad that we did it and did not make excuses to not do it.

PT Solutions Resolution Run 5K was a great way to start off 2013!  I cannot wait to see where my 2013 running schedule takes me.  I have a lot of exciting races on schedule to run, and I cannot wait to share my experiences with you.

Race Pros:
Great shirt!
Energetic volunteers!
On-time start (always a plus)

Race Cons:
Lack of vendors in post-race area
Virtual goodie bag
Weather (I realize the race director could not control this)

Overall race rating: A-


Wonderful Days of Winter 5K (Marietta, GA) - January 5, 2013

I often enjoy choosing to run smaller local races.  They are a great opportunity to really interact with other runners/walkers and race organizers.  Last year I ran the Wonderful Days of Winter 5K which is hosted by St. James Episcopal Church and benefits their preschool program.  After a wonderful race last year, I decided to run it again in 2013.

It was yet another COLD morning here in Metro Atlanta.  Friday night I was upset because the forecast showed that it would be in the low 30s at race time.  Well, mother nature decided to play a dirty trick on me yet again!

Check-in and restrooms were inside - HUGE plus in general, especially when it is 28 degrees.  Check-in went fairly smoothly - the volunteers were great.  My only complaint was the way the room was set up there check-in area was a little tight (the race day registration table was very close to the check-in tables).  

This is another race that you get your shirt at check-in.  The shirt design stays the same each year, but the color of the shirt changes yearly.  Last year we received cotton long-sleeve red versions of the shirt, and this year it was a cotton short-sleeve light yellow version.

The race had about 300 people in it.  A majority of the racers were church members and a lot of them walked the 5K.  Before the 5K began, a fair number of people were anxious about the 5K an whether or not they could do it.  As I put it to a group of three ladies:  Can you walk around the mall for a hour?  Then you can walk a 5K.  The women gained quite a bit of confidence at that point.  

Everyone made their way to the start line and we took off on time!  LOVE IT!  The course is quite difficult.  Some describe the course as "rolling hills throughout" - I call it "mostly uphill."  I hit my first mile in about 11:30 so I was pretty pumped at mile 1 - I was back!  However, the hills of the course took their toll on me and I finished in 39:13.  Once again, this was an improvement of about 3 minutes form last year.  My biggest competition is myself, so improving from last year is a big accomplishment. I finished 6th in my age group and 113 out of 300+.

After the 5K there was a 1 mile fun run.  A lot of the children and families from the preschool participated in this race and it was great to see the families being active together.  This just shows that it is never too early or too late to get active!

The post race area was held inside - AMAZING!  The post race food consisted of food prepared by church members.  Yummmm, home cooked food!  The biggest hit was the chili.  I am not a chili fan, but I did enjoy the post race party.

After the race, I decided to see if it ever did warm up during the run......

NOPE!  The entire 5K was done with it being 28 degrees.  Once again, this goes back to the motto of "no excuses."

I have some great races lined up in the up coming weeks.  Next week I am doing the Hot Chocolate 5K (there is a 15K too).  I have waited several years for this race to finally come to Atlanta and I cannot wait to share my experience with you next week.

Pros:

Inside check-in, restrooms, and post race

Smaller/intimate race

Inexpensive race fees

Cons:

Weather (race directors have no control over this)

I wish the shirt was long sleeved like last year

Overall rating: A-

Question of the Week:

How many miles did you get to run/walk this week?  Did you partake in a Resolution Run/Commitment Day race?

Time to Run,

Brandi

Happy New Year

First, HAPPY NEW YEAR and welcome to Girl On The Run!

Over the past 2 years I have met many people that where either apprehensive at the start line of their first race or people that say they "can't" do a 5K.  Fitness is such an important part of life, and I want to share my knowledge and experiences with you to help you achieve your fitness goals.  Whether you are an elite runner that runs a 5:30/mile or a walker that does a 20:00/mile, you can still do a 5K (and you beat EVERYONE that is on the couch).

After talking to several runners/walkers at my 5K this morning as well as reading my friends resolutions for 2013, I decided to start this blog to be an open platform for everyone that is currently active in running/walking or want to start being active and conquer their first 5K, 10K, etc but just don’t know how to start or want encouragement along the way.

In 2012, I completed 40 races including 3 half marathons and my first full marathon (26.2 miles) on 12/2/12!  My goals for 2013 include beating 40 races, training harder and smarter to improve my times, and run my 2nd full marathon.  I hope that by sharing my experiences throughout the year that I will be able to help you learn more about getting started to do your first 5K, meet and beat your goals, and of course HAVE FUN!

Whether you want advice on training, running gear, races, etc please feel free to contact me and I will be happy to help!  Of course, sharing of all your triumphs and accomplishments are highly encouraged.

With all of that said, what are your fitness goals for 2013?

Time to run,

Brandi