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The Lone Star Legend: part one, Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio

#runalltheraces #earnalltghebling
#runalltheraces #earnalltghebling

This past weekend I rocked Rock ‘n’ Roll Dallas for the second year in a row. While I wasn’t originally planning to return to Dallas–even though I loved the races, spring is really busy–but it quickly became a must when Rock ‘n’ Roll announced the Lone Star Legend. (Seriously, I like my running bling.) The medal prototype debuted at the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio expo and, like the Desert Double-Down, is a cross-year challenge: first run San Antonio (typically December) and then run Dallas (typically March). The reward? A Texas-shaped, glittery medal, complete with a spinning Lone Star.

The only thing Texans love more than the shape of their state? The Texas flag.
The only thing Texans love more than the shape of their state? The Texas flag.

San Antonio 2015 was the capstone to my 2015 Rock ‘n’ Roll season: Rock ‘n’ Roll #11! For my friend Briana, it was also her tenth race, earning her the Gold Record. Briana’s friend Maria and our mutual friend, and Rock ‘n’ Blogger, Andrew joined us again, and the three of us all had the luxury of the VIP experience for the half marathon. The weekend began on Friday, with a quick bib pickup at the Expo. Well, it SHOULD have been quick, but one of the brilliant runners accidentally neglected to register for San Antonio and didn’t figure that out until after arriving at the Expo. Oops. This is the one hazard of having a Rock ‘n’ Roll Tour Pass–it’s easy to plan out your race calendar and then forget to go actually sign up for the races. Fortunately the Rock ‘n’ Roll team was quick to help me out, get me registered, and issue some bibs and shirts. There is a special bonus bib for Gold Record, and Briana was excited to pick it up.

By the time I’d fixed my “I forgot to register” problem, we didn’t have much time to explore the Expo. There was just enough time to snap a few quick pics of some of my favorite gear before the Expo closed and the runners were ushered out.

Orange Mud gear on sale at the Rock n Roll San Antonio Expo
Orange Mud gear on sale at the Rock n Roll San Antonio Expo
Cute food tastes better.
Cute food tastes better.

We then headed out to dinner. San Antonio is a good place to eat. Briana had a recommendation for dinner, and everything we ate there was amazing. Naturally we celebrated with a drink (when in a Tex-Mex restaurant, a little celebration is in order). After dinner we wandered down to see the lights on the River Walk, and run a few errands. Maria has a tradition of drinking pickle juice prior to every race in order to ward off cramps. I think pickles are gross, and find this a little disgusting, but there is science behind it. Plus I needed to pick up a few things at the drugstore. Turns out it is impossible to find jars of pickles downtown. We ended up talking a local Subway out of a little cup of pickle juice, and headed back to the hotel. I’m pretty sure we crashed instantly.

Saturday morning was the San Antonio 10k. The Rock ‘n’ Roll series has been adding 10k and 5k races in some markets, both in response to demand for shorter races (not everyone wants to run a half marathon), and to create the Remix (two races, three medals–no brainer for most of us who were going to do the half already). The 10k is sort of  sweet spot for me–I hate the first 2 miles of every race, so the 5k isn’t as much fun as the 10k. We got gorgeous weather for the run, and after many races that were hot or cold or wet or windy in 2015 I felt pretty spectacular. The 10k finishes right in front of the Alamo, where there was live music for the beer garden. Since San Antonio is the last race in the Rock ‘n’ Roll season, general shenanigans ensued.

Jimbob demonstrating how to drink like a Hall of Famer
Jimbob demonstrating how to drink like a Hall of Famer

Turns out that gigantic Hall of Fame medal makes a lovely drinking cup/shot glass. At one point a line of Hall of Famers that drank their Michelob Ultras out of the backs of their medals, but I wasn’t fast enough on the draw with my iPhone. (For those who are not aware, Michelob Ultra is the official beer sponsor for the Rock ‘n’ Roll races in the United States, so that is the only beer available at the finish line. Other beers might be available in VIP at certain locations, but since I don’t like beer, I haven’t researched that for you. If you run in Vancouver, there are local microbrews instead.)

 

 

 

 

Sometimes, I toast with java!
Sometimes, I toast with java! (Coffee over breakfast tacos.)

Smart folks that we are, we then hustled off to get breakfast tacos (and coffeeyescoffee). Between the other runners with their medals, and a group of re-enactors in period garb, it was a colorful brunch. (Also a loud one–muskets don’t come with silencers, and we started before the re-enactment ended.) I’m not sure why the rest of the country has not caught on, but it seems like the only place to get a proper breakfast taco is the part of Texas encompassing Austin and San Antonio. I’ve come close, but never quite hit perfection.

After lunch there was just enough time to shower and change, and take a quick stroll through the rest of the Expo (replenish my Nuun stash, etc.) before I had to lay down and rest my legs a bit. I had every intention of going to the Hall of Fame ceremony, awarding a special framed gold record to the runner who did the most Rock ‘n’ Roll races during the year, but I was exhausted from the prior week and suddenly it was time for dinner. Initially we attempted to meet up with a group of fellow fly-to-runners, but we had a little car issue and by the time we arrived our seats had been given to people on the wait list. Regardless, it was pasta time! (Yes, I know, most of us non-professional, not-running-to-place runners don’t need to “carb load.” I respect the science, but I also like pasta.) Dinner was delicious, and more moreso by the company of Briana and Andrew, since we’d shared various Rock ‘n’ Roll adventures since the Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona in January.

 

Pre-race vegetarian eats
Pre-race vegetarian eats

All three of us had VIP for the half marathon (for me, as one of the perks from Rock ‘n’ Blog). We took a Lyft or an Uber over to the stadium early enough to enjoy some of the brunch amenities: bagels, peanut butter, toast, bananas, fruit platters, and I think some other stuff….I eat vegetarian, which was fine for breakfast since I typically don’t eat much before a race (but explains why I might not remember some of the breakfast food). Most important, COFFEE. The corrals were not that far from the VIP tent, so we didn’t have to rush out too soon. I actually walked to the corrals, reconsidered my clothing layers, and went back to bag check before heading back to the corral. I loved the smaller VIP-only bag check, as well as the VIP porta-potties (no lines, hand-washing station, extra paper towels and feminine hygiene supplies).

Each race’s VIP comes with different perks, so it’s important to read what the VIP experience offers for each market. In San Jose, for example, VIP was held inside a nearby restaurant, while in Dallas and Virginia Beach the VIP area was in a hotel. San Antonio also had VIP parking (close-in, included with each VIP) and a post-race massage area. The VIP tent offered shade (which I appreciate as a white girl who burns just thinking about the sun), and had table-seating. I didn’t take advantage of the post-race massages (they are first-come, first-served and I came in pretty late, plus I didn’t have ).

San Antonio has both a full marathon and a half marathon. I was completely done with marathons by the time December rolled around, plus I had the Dopey Challenge in front of me, so I ran the half. You don’t usually think of San Antonio as hilly–at least if you don’t live there, or haven’t been in awhile–but trust me, they are there! Fortunately also there were the students and faculty from Trinity University, who served as excellent cheerleaders and had some of the best signs I’ve seen. I didn’t take many pictures along the course, but again the weather was lovely and the course support was great!

Did I mention Trinity is atop a BIG HILL?
Did I mention Trinity is atop a BIG HILL?

 

The department-specific signs were hilarious!
The department-specific signs were hilarious!

 

Trinity isn't a huge school, I think every student and staff member was out cheering
Trinity isn’t a huge school, I think every student and staff member was out cheering

After the race, I met up with Andrew and Briana in the VIP tent. I’m not much of a complainer in general, but I have one HUGE complaint about the VIP tent’s post-race food: none of it was vegetarian! Yes, I understand I was in Texas, and Texas is the home of Team Beef (this is really a thing), but I was a vegetarian when I lived in Texas, and I’ve never had a problem finding things to eat. My choices at the post-race VIP food were extremely limited. I remember wilted lettuce leaves that appear to have been the serving platter decoration for something else (as the platter was empty). There may have been brown banana pieces (brown from sitting out for 5+ hours between pre-breakfast and when I finished the race), but the rest of the breakfast food was gone. There weren’t even Power Bars or potato chips (though I did eat the ones handed to me when I crossed the finish line). I was very, very upset about this–and remember, I got my VIP as a Rock ‘n’ Blog perk, so just imagine how I’d feel if I’d paid full price! I even asked the servers if there was any food without meat. Seriously, there were chicken enchiladas and beef enchiladas, but they couldn’t make cheese ones? Or haul out any breakfast leftovers? But the servers said, Nope! NO FOOD FOR YOU. This is really bizarre since on average, 10% of the population eats vegetarian outside of the home (whether they are vegetarian, vegan, limiting meat intake, keeping kosher, keeping halal, or for other reasons). This was a gross oversight. I’ve done everything in my power to bring this to the attention of management–I’ve tweeted and repeated, slathered it all over facebook, put it on my race feedback form, put it out there to the Rock ‘n’ Blog wranglers–and expect them to correct it for this year. (If not, they can expect me to have pizza delivered AND send them the bill.)

What did the VIP tent have for me post-race at San Antonio? Champagne. Let’s just say it is a bad idea to refuse to feed me but then give me champagne.

One Hall of Fame plus Three Gold Records
One Hall of Fame plus Three Gold Records

Naturally there was also an obligatory Gold Record shot. I tried to wrangle more people for a Gold Record and Hall of Fame photo, but it turns out many of those folks are gluttons for punishment and were running the full marathon. Many of them met up at the Expo for the Hall of Fame ceremony, but I was trying to pick a time when those getting their Gold Record at San Antonio could also join the photo. So I only managed to snag one Hall of Famer.

In between champagne, Nuun-tinis, and orange juice, we got to meet the third place men’s overall finisher for the marathon, Jose Roberto Zavala Calderon. Race officials were trying to explain that they were going to go get his award, but they didn’t speak any Spanish and the message was getting mangled. By that time I’d had sufficient champagne to jump in with my espanola semi-gringa and fix the situation. Jose turned out to be a super nice guy who didn’t mind my mangled Spanglish.

Check out that overall award!
Check out that overall award!

 

Would I do San Antonio again? Well, if I play my calendar correctly, San Antonio could be half marathon #100 for me…stay tuned for more!

 

P.S. I’m definitely ordering a pizza sent to VIP post-race!

 

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This Girl Is On Fire! (or at least her lungs are) The Sedona Marathon

Disclosure: I received a free entry to the Sedona Marathon because I am a BibRave Pro. (Per usual, all opinions are my own–you should know by now I don’t need any help with that, I’ve got plenty of ’em!) Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro here. Read and write race reviews at BibRave.com! It’s a great way to choose between conflicting races, to help runners find the best races, and the help race directors improve each year.

The Sedona Marathon taught me this: if you live on an island that is 6’ above sea level, running a marathon at 4500+’ just might not be the best idea.

I worked Friday, and missed the expo. Sedona offered race-day pickup with almost no lines, so it took about five minutes to get my bib. My friend Jackie had come along to be my race crew, so I put what would have been my checked bag, as well as my race shirt, in her Jeep. (The shirt is great—a royal blue Greenlayer brand tech shirt—a classic run shirt design with a line drawing of the scenery, sunrise, and some runners. During the pre-race, there were also various vendors of running gear, natural foods, and Sedona-themed merchandise. Race staff announced interesting facts about the race, including that there were 47 states represented (note to South Dakota: time to represent!) and 80 runners from Japan!

After posing for a quick selfie with Emily (running the 10k), I hopped into the corral for the final announcements, a few dynamic movement warmups, and the national anthem. (Does anyone else want to yell “Play Ball!” at the end?) Then we were off!

BibRave Pro Emily pre-race
BibRave Pro Emily pre-race (thanks to Emily for the pic!)

I spent the week before the race waffling about whether to drop back to the half marathon. This was in large part due to my late realization at the elevation of the race (hey, I’d never been to Sedona!) and the fact that a hectic work schedule to got in the way of training. After weighing the merits of both options, and of course taking a poll on facebook, I decided to stick to the marathon. First, I’d accepted a bib to the race on the premise that I’d run the marathon. Second, I’ve only ever technically DNF’d one other race (The New Year’s Double marathon on New Year’s Day) and I still finished, which is more important to me than pretty much anything else. Finally, I figured if I got swept it would just give me more to blog about, right?

So I took off with the marathon start, with very good intentions and the knowledge that I was probably about to get my butt handed to me. The first little piece was downhill and I tried to pace myself. I once ran the fastest mile of my life at the beginning of a race—caught up in the excitement!—and regretted it about eight miles later. The course turned a few times, spent a block on the main road through Sedona, and then turned towards the hills. Uphill, naturally.

The starting line (see the lady dressed like a cactus)
The starting line (see the lady dressed like a cactus)

I am not a fan of running uphill. I am REALLY not a fan of running uphill at elevation. It quickly became apparent that sticking to a 1 minute run/1 minute walk interval was not happening, so I adjusted to a terrain-based interval: run downhill, walk uphill, do intervals on the flat pieces. By the first aid station, I was almost the last marathoner.

We passed the 10k turnaround, and I wondered if Emily wasn’t the smartest person I knew running this race. The half marathon runners caught up with me around mile 3 or 4 or so and I got another burst of energy from being in a crowd again. Jeremy came up from behind me, and then snapped an epic selfie.

Faux-to Bomb!
Faux-to Bomb! (thanks to Jeremy for the pic)

Despite my newly-made terrain-based plan, my lungs were really unhappy with me. My legs were fresh and eager to run, but my lungs were on fire. I shortened my flat intervals from 1/1 to “until my lungs start to smokle”/the remainder of that 1 + 1. I attempted to distract my lungs by looking at the gorgeous scene unfolding before me. Scenically, you could not ask for a prettier desert-mountain course. The “urban” portion was less than a mile of the course, and even then it was set against the majestic backdrop that is Sedona. I’d never been to Sedona before, so I spent a lot of time gawking at the red and white striations in the rock formations. The greenery was pretty much all foreign-to-me desert-y stuff, so also fun to look at.

Scenery and runners
Scenery and runners

As I approached the half marathon turnaround, I looked for Jackie. The plan had been for her to camp out near that aid station. I didn’t see her, which turned out to be a good thing—I had planned to shed my long-sleeved base later at that point (the sun had come out and unlike the Arizona natives I was no longer cold). Later on as the chilly breezes came through I was glad to have the sleeves!

At half marathon turnaround the course shifted from paved to dirt roads. The paved section was the nicest pot-hole-free blacktop I’ve run on in quite some time. The dirt road entrance was flanked by U.S. Park Service (or was it U.S. Forest Service?) signs warning “primitive road” that is “not regularly maintained.” They totally overstated it—I’ve run on paved roads in California that aren’t as nice. The road was open to traffic, and multiple ATVs, Jeeps, and other vehicles passed while I was running. (Jeep tours are A Thing in Sedona.) For the most part this was no big deal, as most drivers were courteous and went rather slow. I was glad I had a Buff with me, as I used it over my nose/mouth when drivers kicked up a little too much dust.

The crowd had thinned out completely by mile 7. I had two runners in sight ahead of me, and one close behind. As I ran-walked-woggled I heard the sound of ice cracking where the sun hit the frozen water drainage at the side of the road. Sedona rocked my concept of Arizona; first it was “cold” (the Arizona runners all had on winter gear!), and then I saw cactus surrounded by snow!

Believe it: snow on the cactus!
Believe it: snow on the cactus!

As I passed the spotter at mile 8, I overheard his radio: the lead marathoner had just passed mile 17! We exchanged pleasantries and he clapped and said, “I’m proud of you!” as I passed. That reminded me of Mom, and I powered on to the next aid station. The aid stations were the best! All of them were staffed by themed-groups, including “run from the zombies” and a group with big flowers on their heads.

The majority of the marathoners passed me on their way back as I hit miles 10 and 11. Everyone with breath to spare told me to keep it up and encouraged me onward. One of the last inbound marathoners passed me at mile 12.5—in a particularly hilly section of the course—and I’d bet she was old enough to be my grandmother. Inspired, I ran down the hill to the marathon turnaround and did a funny little dance as I went around the cone. There was a runner there awaiting transport back to the start, which I wished I’d noticed before I danced around the cone. Then it was back uphill towards the start.

A few miles in, I found Jackie! Or rather she found me. If you’re running a marathon and suspect you’re doing to DNF or otherwise come in close to the end, I cannot recommend this highly enough: bring a chaser! First, it was great to see a friend encouraging you on. Second, Jackie had gone absolutely nuts and brought enough snacks, drinks, and treats for pretty much the entire field of runners. She said the Japanese runners were confused by red vines (I guess those don’t exist there) and she had to explain that they were food. “Sugar?” one asked. Anyway, from that point forward, Jackie met me every mile or two. In addition to providing moral support, she also refilled my water bottles, mixed Nuun for me, and had every snack imaginable on hand. While I had put snacks in my Orange Mud vest, knowing I’d be out on the course all day, the Honey Stinger gingerbread waffle was the perfect treat when she offered.

"sedrona"? Completely blue skies made for good photo drone weather at the start
“sedrona”? Completely blue skies made for good photo drone weather at the start

By that time there were only two runners behind me. The famous Pink Jeeps that I’d recently seen on an episode of the Food Network’s “The Great Food Truck Race” drove up and down the course checking on us back-of-the-packers. At several points the Pink Jeep crew or their leader pulled up and offered me bottled water or Clif Shots. Around mile 22 or so, the crew leader tol me the crew was starting to close down the course. I said if course policy was to sag-wagon/sweep the last runners, I would completely understand, but I did have my own race crew to watch over me (and sweep me if necessary) and would prefer to finish. The Pink Jeep crew leader obtained the “a-okay” to carry on, once all were assured that I knew what I was doing and would be safe. The U-Hauls taking down the course also offered me water and provisions. Part of their job was also to sweep any trash that had landed on the side of the road. (Aid stations had garbage bags, but some runners forgot that when running through a National Park, you don’t drop your snack wrappers on the ground.) I let them know I had talked to the Pink Jeep crew leader and that I had my own crew, and was going to carry on.

Which I did, meeting Jackie every mile or so for more water, Nuun, and at times a snack. My pace was somewhat erratic, with little bursts of run until my lungs got fiery again. The Pink Jeep leader vacillated between thinking I’d hit the finish line before it closed at 4:00 and assuming I wouldn’t. At mile 24 I must have been looking somewhat pathetic. Jackie asked, “do you want to go another mile?” I said OH HELL NO, I’m going to finish this race.

The last 1/4 of the course returned to pavement
The last 1/4 of the course returned to pavement

Less than a mile before the finish line, I hit the intersection of the highway that is the main road through town. I sent Jackie a text to try to figure out whether to turn right or go straight and then realized that DUH I had the course map on my phone. As I turned, a woman in a Sedona Marathon shirt came running up. “Finish line is this way!” Sadly, I have forgotten her name, but she is definitely The Spirit of Running embodied. Having finished the half marathon, she had showered, changed clothes, and come back to first cheer, and then help the last marathoners find their way to the finish line! As we walked/ran small spurts toward the finish line I learned that she had flown in earlier in the week (a smart thing to do, as it gave her time to adjust to the elevation). Jackie met us a few hundred feet from the finish line.

Just before the finish line there is a little hill, and most runners take off from the top and run to the finish. I gave it a shot, my legs willingly and my lungs grudgingly, and crossed under the finish line truss as the race director and his crew were removing the signage. Everyone cheered, which was pretty cool. Even though the timing mat was gone—as were all the non-race-personnel, the finish line festival, and pretty much any other trace of evidence that a race had happened—The Spirit of Running made sure to present me with a finisher’s medal and some cookies.

Post-race margarita and hard-earned bling
Post-race margarita and hard-earned bling

As I pointed out in my BibRave.com review, in addition to having no reason to complain, I have extra reasons to be thrilled with race management. First, after assuring themselves that I would be safe, they allowed me to finish even after the course officially closed. Second, as I turned the last corner off the main out-and-back portion, The Spirit of Running made sure I found my way and got me to the finish line. While I didn’t get an official time (the timing system was shut down after 7 hours, well beyond the 6.5 hour limit advertised) I was presented with a medal and allowed to raid the snacks. Finally, the race staff taking down the finish line and packing things up thanked me for coming out to run the race and were sincerely interested in what I thought of the race. It felt like pretty amazing hospitality for one of the very slowest runners out there.

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2XU Hyoptik: compression and reflection

Disclosure: I received complimentary 2XU Hyoptik tights to review because I am a BibRave Pro. (Per usual, all opinions are my own–you should know by now I don’t need any help with that, I’ve got plenty of ’em!) Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro here. Read and write race reviews at BibRave.com! It’s a great way to choose between conflicting races, to help runners find the best races, and the help race directors improve each year.

The Hyoptik tights are made of material that is substantially thicker than the Elite MCS Compression Tights I previously reviewed (and have been wearing to every possible race). While the material feels like a single layer, 2XU describes the material as two (fused) layers: “A soft brushed thermal inner layer helps retain warmth in cold climates.” Not that the San Francisco Bay Area qualifies as a cold climate, usually, but I did scrape hard frost off my car before my January runs AND see actual hard ice on my run.

See how misleadingly tiny they look? And this is AFTER washing them!
See how misleadingly tiny they look? And this is AFTER washing them!

Anyway. I ordered a size large, because that’s the size I have in every other 2XU product. When I first took the Hyoptik tights out of the box, I was afraid I’d made a mistake. They looked like they might be 3/4 length, and made for a pixie. I held them up to my waist, and the bottoms barely touched my knee! I was seriously worried. Fortunately, there was nothing wrong. I did order the right size. There must be something about the fabric that just makes them look itty-bitty when fresh out of the box. Whew.

After my initial worry about the size, I played with the tights a little bit, even before I first put them on. The thicker fabric definitely seemed appropriate for cold weather, and I love it when my winter gear has a little bit of fuzzy-wuzzy on the inside. It’s also soft on the inside, which I liked.

Then I put them on. The thicker fabric of the Hyoptik was both easier and more difficult to stretch over my legs when compared to the MCS and other, thinner compression tights. On the one hand, it was easier because I could get a better grip on the fabric as I worked the tights onto my leg. I also found I was much less likely to snag a nail on the Hyoptik fabric (for whatever reason, I have a problem with this and thinner compression tights/shorts). On the other hand, this thicker fabric tends to want to snap back to the original shape a tiny bit more, so I have to work harder to adjust and keep the upper portion appropriately on my body. (Ladies, you know all about how bad a “drop crotch” is with pantyhose, right?) I went so far as to apply a small amount of Body Glide, just in case, the first few times I wore them. (It wasn’t necessary, but a runner can’t be too careful about chafing.)

2XU in my kitchen
2XU in my kitchen

Since I grew up in Michigan, I joke that California doesn’t have a real winter, at least not in the San Francisco Bay Area. (Jenzenator knows what I mean–she chose the 3/4 length because it isn’t cold where she lives either.) We have calendar months they call “win-ter” but not actual winter weather. A few days each year there is some frost on my car and I can see my breath, but that’s about it. So as far as a field test wearing these in  the snow and icy hey-the-wind-chill-is-double-digits-below-zero of my childhood, I would have needed a field trip to a cold place.  If that’s your situation, you want to check out reviews by the other BibRave Pro team members who live in colder climates. If you read Daddy Did You Win? you know the tights are cut out for Northern Indiana winters. (While you’re at it, Cass Gunderson has tips on winter running too.)

First test race, Brazen Racing New Year’s Day, was one of those frost on the windshield days. While I was running I actually saw frosted patches of grass along the trail! This is as close as I was going to get to a cold snap, so I took Hypotik out for a run. (The Fun Size Athlete and Heather Runs 13.1 also took Hyoptik to the trails.) Now despite being a native Midwest girl from two long lines of white, pasty people from far northern climates, I’m not big on being cold. I really dislike running with cold legs. When the weather drops below a certain temperature–and it’s not that low since I’ve moved to the West Coast and gone soft–it’s like my thighs and butt freeze into solid blocks of ice and just don’t un-freeze. (I don’t know if Sweet Blonde’s Fit Life has the same problem.) It’s hard to run when your biggest muscles, which should be warm and pliable, more closely resemble a side of beef in the deep freeze! 2XU Hyoptik kept me just the right amount of warm. Sure, I was a little cold at the start, but once I started moving I was fine. The fabric kept all of it’s promises: compression, sweat-wicking, and warmth.  By the time I finished, the sun had come out but it wasn’t actually warm outside. My legs cooled off a little bit after I stopped running, but didn’t hit the point of being actually cold. Since I spent part of that time sitting at a picnic table and eating an It’s-It, I’m attributing the lack of chill on my legs to the tights. Not that it gets as cold as, say, Colorado where Miles of Abbie lives, but hey.

Bain shares her compressions, er, IMpressions of @2xu_usa #RunHyoptik and a discount!

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Once I’d confirmed the 2XU Hyoptik worked well in cold weather that stayed cold, I wondered what it would be like in weather that started cold, and then warmed up significantly. I packed the tights and headed off to Disney World! (Okay, so I had planned this trip months in advance…but I did take the Hyoptik with me.)  If you ran during marathon weekend last year, or have any friends who did, you know it was ridiculously cold last year. So much so that I bought all new running clothes off the clearance rack at a local sporting goods store, plus a hat and gloves from Target! This year I wanted to be better prepared for cold. While my pre-trip weather check said it would be warm for all the races, it wasn’t. It even rained. But back to the Hyoptik tights. I decided to wear them for the half marathon, because I expected the sun to be out in full force by the time I finished the full marathon. (I did wear the 2XU MCS compression tights for the full.) When I pulled them on at 3:45 a.m., it was quite chilly. (I even took an old heat sheet to the corrals with me.) As before, the 2XU Hyoptik kept me warm once I started running, wicked away sweat, and didn’t leave me freezing when I stopped running–which was important, as I had to stand in line for a little bit to wait for the bus back to my hotel.

By the way, these tights are not “just a chick thing.” Running For the Average Joe declared his love for them, and Confessions of an Amateur Athlete also gave them some blog love.

A dynamic duo from the BibRave Pro team!
A dynamic duo from the BibRave Pro team!

The last appropriate opportunity I had to run in the 2XU Hyoptik before my deadline for this post was for the Inaugural Sin City Run. It didn’t seem cold at the hotel or standing waiting for my cab, but I was fooled: Las Vegas is a desert climate, and it gets COLD when the sun isn’t out! When I stepped out at the park in my Hyoptik tights and short-sleeved t-shirt, I thought I was going to freeze. I wondered if I had made a serious error in failing to pack a long sleeved shirt for running. I pulled my Buff up over my head to cover my ears and line my hat. BibRave Pro Laurel ran these races too, and she had also worn her 2XU Hyoptik tights, so we were twinsies! When the 5k started, my legs were chilled. After a few intervals–Laurel and I ran 2/1–my legs were warm and toasty but my upper body was still quite cold. (Hm. Hyoptik top layer for cold days? I’m going to go check out the 2XU website.) My legs felt good and stayed warm through the end of the 5k, and through the pause between the 5k and 10k. While it wasn’t a super-long break, it was sufficiently long enough that my arms were cold and I was a little chilly from the sweat on my head. Then the 10k kicked off, and my still-warm-and-happy legs took off and banged out a 10k. During the course of the 10k, the sun came out and the day warmed up substantially. The volunteers who had been wearing warm coats, hats, and mittens started to take off layers. I took the Buff off my head. By the time I finished, my upper body was also warm, and the sun felt really good. I spent the rest of the day in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, but I could have gotten away with short sleeves. (I was afraid I’d be cold inside the hotels and casinos.)

BibRave: #OrangeIsTheNewFast
BibRave: #OrangeIsTheNewFast

After multiple washes, they still look brand new (only slightly less tiny). I didn’t even read the care directions (oops) but have been washing them in cold water, mild detergent, no fabric softener, hang to dry (except that one time I wanted to pack them in a suitcase and they were still damp). The only aspect of the 2XU Hyoptik that I didn’t really field test is the reflection factor on the print. (Okay so technically I didn’t have a good way to test the SPF or the antibacterial properties either…but I’m not sunburned or itchy, and they don’t stink, so there you go.) Fortunately, Run Gina Run has some great pictures showing off the reflective qualities of the logo on the Hyoptik tights. During this time of year the days are still pretty short, and even where I live a lot of running takes place in the dark before work or the dark after work. I’m a big fan of taking safety precautions when running in the dark. Here are just a few:

  • Run in well-lit areas whenever possible.
  • Avoid running on the road if you can, especially if it is icy. If you must run on the road, dress as visibly as possible.
  • To increase visibility, at a minimum wear a reflective vest, jacket, and other clothing, like the 2xu Hyoptik tights.
  • Other ideas to increase visibility: wear light colors on top, add reflective tape (it’s temporary, you can remove it), use/wear lights or gear that lights up
  • Stick to headphones that are NOT noise-cancelling, and leave the volume low enough that you can clearly hear what is going on around you.
  • Carry your phone (the iPhone has a flashlight mode, in case you get somewhere crazy dark).
  • Wear or carry ID

Of course, you don’t have to wear them only for running. Run Jen Run sported hers for runs, housework, expo attendance, and the flight home!

Have you tried anything from 2XU? Have you worn the Hyoptik compression gear?

No? Yes?

Either way, here’s your chance to score a discount! Code RUN20 will save you 20% off gear from 2XU, but only until February 29th. Run right over to the website and pick your new compression gear.

 

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Beat the Blerch

It was a dark and foggy morning...
It was a dark and foggy morning…

If you run and have internet access, you’ve probably heard of The Oatmeal and the book, “The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons Why I Run Long Distances.” (If you haven’t, hie thee to the website and go read it already!) After the book was released last year Mr. Inman (that’s The Oatmeal, and the author of The Oatmeal) announced a trail race in Washington state. The 2,000 available slots sold out so quickly he added a second day. While there was also a virtual option for the inaugural Beat The Blerch, there is nothing like being there–virtual racing is not virtual reality.

Appropriately decorated starting line!
Appropriately decorated starting line!

For 2015, Beat the Blerch became a series: two days in Carnation, WA plus a race in Sacramento and another one somewhere in New Jersey. While Sacramento is closer to me in terms of travel, it happened to conflict with another event I’d already registered for, so it was off to Carnation for me! My friend Jennifer asked if I’d like to share costs on a hotel and car, and just go for one night. It might seem goofy to fly up on one day and fly back the next, but I’ve done so much travel for running and work this year that I am starting to cherish the nights I get to sleep in my own bed.

It’s just a quick hop from Oakland to Seattle (I #LUV Southwest Airlines!) and we packed in carry-ons only, so we were quickly at our destination. Jennifer introduced me to the game Ingress (another post for another day) as we grabbed a quick meal and then headed off to bed.

 

As promised, there was cake
As promised, there was actual cake on the course.

 

One of the things I love about run travel is hanging out with other runners. When sharing space to prep for a race, I often find I learn sweet new running tips, and this race was no different. Race day morning we laid out our stuff, grabbed some items from the hotel’s breakfast buffet, and headed over to Carnation. We we’re sure about parking and logistics, so we arrived super early. Like I think we were the fifth car parked in our lot. It was a quick maybe five minute walk over to the packet pickup area, where we got bibs, shirts, and other Blerch-based swag in our runner packets (packaged in a Zappos bag with an adorable Blerch right on the front).

 

 

 

Mugs, water bottles, books! Christmas in September!
Mugs, water bottles, books! Christmas in September!

 

Exploding Kittens: Kickstarter Edition
Exploding Kittens: Kickstarter Edition

Naturally we also had to check out the Blerchandise. In addition to water bottles, coffee mugs, Oatmeal graphic novels, stickers, shirts, and socks, runners could also get copies of the newly released Exploding Kittens card game. I already had mine–and the NSFW edition–since I participated in the KickStarter. These were the last of the KickStarter edition decks, so any runners who missed out had one last chance…

 

 

 

 

 

Who knew a pre-race donut could be so relaxing? (Probably my friend Angie, but that's another story)
Who knew a pre-race donut could be so relaxing? (Probably my friend Angie, but that’s another story)

After dropping our stuff in the car and putting on the bibs, it was time to loll around in the Zappos lounge. I was glad we were early enough to enjoy the pre-race festivities! In addition to the soda and junk food buffet, there were warm grilled cheese sandwiches and a DIY marshmallow treat station. After indulging we lounged on some giant airbed sofas with furry cushions while watching junk TV.  I’m not going to lie, I was a little worried about eating half a grilled cheese right before the race. (To save you the suspense: I’m now wondering whether I can hire a grilled cheese truck to follow me to races.)

 

 

 

 

Marshmallow creation station--who knew whipped cream on a marshmallow could be so good?
Marshmallow creation station–who knew whipped cream on a marshmallow could be so good?

Actually I had no desire to eat most of the things inside the Zappos lounge. The lounge staff encouraged us all to languish on the fuzzy sofas and watch just a few more episodes of Real Housewives. (“You don’t really want to RUN, do you? It’s so cozy and relaxing here!”)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buffet pants!
Buffet pants!

Over in the Zappos tent, I also learned something new: “buffet pants” (and bought a pair, of course). Buffet pants are for post-race loungewear….or lazing around the house, or perhaps on the way to a basketball game. (I’ve actually never worn mine outside the house…)

 

 

 

 

The buffet: part two, baked goods
The buffet: part two, baked goods

 

Not the "boob wizards" of the NSFW edition of Exploding Kittens, but pretty good wizards
Not the “boob wizards” of the NSFW edition of Exploding Kittens, but pretty good wizards

Prior to the race I indulged in not just the grilled cheese, but also a donut, and a marshmallow covered in chocolate sauce, and a few other carbolicious snacky items. I decided not to eat the packaged candy, passed on the chips, and left all of the soda in the cooler. Past races have taught me that carbonated beverages before a race–no matter how tasty and appealing they may be–BAD IDEA. (Save the champagne for after the race. Or practice belching. ’nuff said.) Seriously though, the grilled cheese was a great idea. The truck just kept bringing them out, and I’d watch to see if there was a plain cheese (some had bacon in them, of course). I was trying to figure out how I could make my own grilled cheese on race day mornings, but frankly I hate mornings and usually  barely get up in time to press play on the coffee pot. So until I manage to find a grilled cheese truck to follow me around, this is likely my last race with tasty gooey cheesy goodness for breakfast.

 

 

Blerchy advice
Blerchy advice

As promised, the aid stations featured cake. Nuun was a great stand-in for the magical purple fizzy beverage. (Seriously, just go read “The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons Why I Run Long Distances.” You might just want to buy the book, too–then you can bring it to the 2016 Beat The Blerch race to have it signed.) There were also multiple photo opps with Blerches, Sasquatch, and sofas. Shenanigans ensued. Some actual running happened as well, but I was busy taking pictures and enjoying myself, definitely not gunning for a PR or an age group award. For the most part, people seemed to be having a good time. The only drawback is that when you put cake in a Dixie cup, it sticks to the sides, and you have to either pull apart the cup or use a finger (questionable when running) to pry it out. The forks were at the finish line.

 

 

 

On-course Blerch!
On-course Blerch!

I posted a few pictures online for my friends, and the ones who are not runners were notably confused. (“I’m not judging,” wrote one, “and I’m willing to be educated, but…why does that giant marshmallow have nipples?”)

 

 

 

 

Did you Beat The Blerch? @TrainWithBain wants to know!

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Every race should have sofas at the aid stations.
Every race should have sofas at the aid stations.
Shade on the course
Shade on the course

The trail run was pretty cool. It’s an area I’ve never run, so all new to me. There was plenty of shade, and the terrain wasn’t particularly crazy or steep. I’ve never fueled with cake, and expect most of the other runners hadn’t either. The hardest part is that the icing sticks to the inside of the dixie cups, so you have to either tear the cup open or use a clean finger to swipe the cake out. Much to my delight, I did not see piles of churdle on the trail, which means people were not over-caking themselves. (This was, by some reports, a problem last year.)

At one point I high-fived The Oatmeal himself. Naturally I had no idea who he was at the time. (“Um, why is that dude running in an inflatable green suit?) Oops. Fortunately he didn’t seem to remember when I had him sign my book after the race, or if he did he didn’t hold it against me. Probably the former, since there was a giant line of people who wanted him to sign things.

 

 

Crossing the finish line
Crossing the finish line

 

Clif Bar & Company, a little business from Emeryville, CA
Clif Bar & Company, a little business from Emeryville, CA

The start and finish area did have a few of the normal race booths, including Clif Bars, Naked juices, etc. (but that’s not really why any of us went to Beat the Blerch). Just in case some real runners showed up an expected to see race-related types of things.

 

 

 

 

 

Blerch love
Blerch love

 

 

Moment of transparency, I can’t seem to get these freaking photos to behave themselves. Argh. If you happen to be reading this and are a WordPress ninja, please let me know! I need some help wrangling photos and layout, and I suspect that is going to require me to change the template (which I don’t have the mad skillz to do personally).

 

 

 

 

While we didn't eat directly from the buckets, there were Nutella sandwiches to be had at the aid stations and finish lines
While we didn’t eat directly from the buckets, there were Nutella sandwiches to be had at the aid stations and finish lines

We did stick around to take some photos with the absurdly large Nutella buckets. One nice perk of this race: free photo downloads. (You can also buy copies for a pretty reasonable price.)

Then it was off to Starbucks for some real coffee. I don’t know about you, but hotel breakfast buffet “coffee” doesn’t really do it for me. While waiting for the taste lattes to appear, we ducked into the restroom for a hobo bath. I am ever so thankful to Shower Pill for making this much easier–and I am sure those who shared the flight home with me were also thankful! (Shower Pill is like a baby wipe, only made for adults and intended to tide you over until you can take a real shower. The wipes are stronger than baby wipes, maybe the thickness of a washcloth, and one wipe is enough to do an entire adult body.) I’m a packing ninja, so it was a quick Shower Pill, face wash and rinse, quick pat down with a towel (you don’t need one with the Shower Pill, but I’d used regular face cleaner to do my face/neck), lotion, deodorant, and fresh clothes all around.

 

The sun came out, and it was a beautiful day to run
The sun came out, and it was a beautiful day to run

Did you run in one of the Beat The Blerch races this year? I’d love to hear what the California and New Jersey events were like!

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Two Times ME!

Disclosure: I received complimentary 2XU MCS Elite Compression Tights to review because I am a BibRave Pro. (Per usual, all opinions are my own–you should know by now I don’t need any help with that, I’ve got plenty of ’em!) Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro here. Read and write race reviews at BibRave.com! It’s a great way to choose between conflicting races, to help runners find the best races, and the help race directors improve each year.

Oooooh! Shiny!
Oooooh! Shiny!

Compression! Before getting my hands on these 2XU MCS Elite Compression Tights, I had a little experience with the 2XU brand.  I had tried the 2XU compression capris (purchased at the expo for the Oakland Running Festival), and knew their products are designed in Australia, and made in Taiwan. At another race, I’d packed in a hurry and left my sleeves at home, so at the race expo (I think) I paid $40 for a pair of size M “Unisex Compression Performance Run Sleeve(s).” Sadly, the combination of the two makes me look a little bit like one of those biscuit packages after you’ve popped the roll and there are bits of dough poofing out on the sides.

The only other compression tights I had tried were CW-X winter-weight Stabilyx tights. I do like them, but I have a very difficult time wriggling into them (there is always much swearing and gnashing of teeth, and usually a broken fingernail or two), in part due to the stiffness of the fabric while trying to wrangle the compression web into the correct places. The 2XU MCS Elite Compression Tights are a completely different garment. If you’ve tried compression before, you should definitely try these. They might just rock your socks off.

WAIT. What about the science? But first, a nod to science and personal experimentation. If you’ve read the published studies on athletes and compression, you’ll notice most of them have really unsexy names like “Mechanical compression during repeated sustained isometric muscle contractions and hyperemic recovery in healthy young males” and deal with compression and circulatory diseases. (There’s a reason why doctors prescribe those awesomely beige compression stockings.) Studies on compression and athletic performance, with equally sexy titles like “Changes in Tissue Oxygen Saturation in Response to Different Calf Compression Sleeves” often reach conclusions that are difficult to apply to running. (That last study? “This study shows that wearing compression sleeves from various brands differently affects tissue oxygen saturation.” Super helpful.) When user-friendly summaries are reported in fitness magazines for popular consumption, it seems like each investigation had a very specific limitation (for example, male professional cyclists on indoor bikes) or comes to a conclusion that contradicts the last one. Or both.

[On a happier note, compression for recovery seems to be a good idea–but as the latest review notes, the fairly uniform data are suspect.  See Marques-Jiminez et al. Are compression garments effective for the recovery of exercise-induced muscle damage? A systematic review with meta-analysis. Physiol Behav. 2015 Oct 29. pii: S0031-9384(15)30156-6. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.10.027. You can read the abstract HERE.)  At least  a few BibRave Pro members, Angie and Heather, prefer compression for recovery.]

My suggestion? Get some compression gear and take it for a test run. I personally love running in compression (but don’t like to wear more than calf sleeves for recovery) so I was SUPER excited to try out the 2XU MCS tights. When I put on compression tights, I feel like I’m wearing a sweet little hug all over my legs. BibRave Pro Sarah totally felt that way about these tights too. When I run, my body feels much more like an action hero, as the compression holds everything in place, close to the bones, and minimizes any jiggling or lateral movement. If you’re a woman, think about the difference between running with a really good sports bra, and running with a ratty old sports bra that doesn’t give you support and control.

What distinguishes these tights from others?

The first is in the name, MCS, which means “muscle containment stamping.” It’s a pattern of rubber-ish stuff (like uncovered elastic) stamped on the inside of the tights. (It is unrelated to the gold design on the outside.) The patterns are specific to the muscles they cover, so the stamp for the quads is different than the stamp for any other part of your legs. The 2XU site describes it like this: “MCS is a revolutionary fabric support system traced over key muscle, tendon and fascia groups to focus greater compression power to wrap precise areas and reduce muscle oscillation and damage.”

Inside view, MCS on the calf (and you can see the waistband drawstring, too)
Inside view, MCS on the calf (and you can see the waistband drawstring, too)

I’m all about reducing that oscillation, thanks. BibRave Pro Kim took a much better picture of the MCS than I did, also showing the tights turned inside out.

The other thing that differs from other compression is that the 2XU MCS Elite tights use two different fabrics. There is a lighter-weight technical fabric on the front, and a heavier weight one on the backside. It isn’t awkward though, and I bet you wouldn’t notice the difference if you picked up a pair and started to try them on, unless you started out looking for that difference.

Exterior view (read: I took a photo of my thigh); you can see thinner anterior fabric, and the shadow of the MCS
Exterior view (read: I took a photo of my thigh); you can see thinner anterior fabric, and the shadow of the MCS

To me, these felt very lightweight. I didn’t struggle to get them on, though I did take care to put the MCS pieces in their correct locations. (It’s not rocket science–once you have it in your hands, it’s obvious what should go where.) They felt good on my body, and other than the mini-muffintop I get from any compression wear (I’m not the only one, BibRave Pro Jenny also noticed that) I’d like to think they looked good, too (BibRave Pro Sarah pointed out that she was turning heads in 2XU, and BibRave Pro Jess felt like a superhero). It’s not just about the looks, and it’s not a “girls like black pants” thing–check out BibRave Pro Tom’s review  or read how BibRave Pro Jeremy credits these tights with a shiny new PR.

Other features:

Graduated compression. Like medical compression garments, the 2XU MCS Elite is graduated compression. In practical terms, that means assistance with venous return (at least theoretically), as the compression helps your circulatory system work against gravity. 2XU states this also increases blood circulation for recovery and reduced muscle stiffness post-exercise.

Fabric that wicks, but doesn’t stink. The fabric wicks sweat away from your body quickly. I’m a sweaty woman when I run, and was happy these never felt wet (or even damp, really!) after a half marathon. The fabric has antibacterial properties, which probably explains why it didn’t stink even after I wore it for a ten-miler and then it had to wait a week to get washed. Care is the same as other tech fabrics (wash cold, no fabric softener or bleach, hang to dry). Bonus, it also has UV sun protection.

Attention to details. The waistband has a drawstring, so if you’re not a natural mini-muffintop like I am, you can cinch the drawstring to get a custom fit. The seams are completely flat. No matter the humidity or other conditions, I’ve never had chafing. There is also a tiny pocket to hide your key when you run.

The Verdict: Invest in 2XU MCS Elite

Yes, these tights are on the pricey side–MSRP is $149.95 (Lululemon, eat your heart out). Think of this an an investment, and if you take care of them, they will last for many, many runs. (Personally, I’d rather have one really great pair of tights that lasts than several crummier ones that fall apart and need to be replaced faster.)

As I write this, these giths are on sale for $119.95. You can save 20% with the code BIBRAVE20. Psst! Pass that code on to Santa (or Hanukkah Harry, if you’re like my friend Liz!), it is good until 12/31/15!

I love a good discount as much as I like bling! This is me sporting the 2XU MCS Elite Compression Tights at Rock 'n' Roll San Jose
I love a good discount as much as I like bling! This is me sporting the 2XU MCS Elite Compression Tights at Rock ‘n’ Roll San Jose

But hey, don’t just take my word for it. Just about ALL of the BibRave Pro team members who tried these tights LOVED them. Katherine rocked hers at the Hot Chocolate 15k. Laura killed the North Face Endurance Challenge in hers. Brenda likes them for trail running. Read more reviews from Allison, Haley, and Samantha, or watch a video review by John (I’m not quite cool enough for video yet). A legit criticism for many athletic pants, BibRave Pro Rachel would have preferred a wider waistband, something several others noted too (see Danielle’s Review).

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Rock ‘n’ Roll Virginia Beach 2015

Disclosure: I’m a member of the 2015 Rock ‘n’ Blog Team. In exchange for helping promote the 2015 Rock ‘n’ Roll race series, I received some swag and a discounted Tour Pass. To save $15 on any race in 2015 (other than Vegas), use code TrainWithBain. 

Gratuitous shot of me with a turtle mascot. (Seemed appropriate, since I ran with a group called the Running Turtles.)
Gratuitous shot of me with a turtle mascot. (Seemed appropriate, since I ran with a group called the Running Turtles.)

After running that mile in the sand, I was both thankful it was just a mile, and ready to run on pavement again. (By the way, if you go run the Rock ‘n’ Roll Mile in the Sand, or any sand race, a few tips for you: take a Buff to cover your nose and mouth, be prepared to rinse/wash your sunglasses due to salt water mist accumulation, and buy sand socks.) Saturday night my hostess Meghan introduced me to a crowd I’m affectionately calling “the pod people” because  John Thompson recorded part of Episode 44 of his podcast, Runner of a Certain Age, at dinner. Several of them are part of Team Shenanigans, which I’d describe as fun runners who are all about being encouraging and following good racing etiquette.

To find Runner of a Certain Age, you can go to the facebook page, the podcast blog page for this specific episode (see pictures of me and the crew at dinner, me and John before the race, and the “unofficial Fireball aid station” from Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego), or right to where you can play the podcast itself.

Dinner was great (Sirena EATalian, if you’re looking for good food; sorry but you’ll have to find your own good company). After dinner Meghan and I went over to the end of the Team RWB pre-race dinner (which was BBQ, so definitely not for this vegetarian–and I’m not sure about the wisdom of fueling a half marathon with massive quantities of meat, but hey…). I met some really cool people (re-met a few from the morning’s pre-Mile in the Sand photos) and cooed at a few cute babies. Since Virginia Beach has a big ol’ Navy installation right there, Team RWB is gigantic. If you’ve never heard of Team RWB, you should check them out–it’s all about camaraderie and integrating members of the military, who are often on the move, into community and fun. Anyway.

We got up early on race morning, to avoid traffic and make sure we got to parking and all of the pre-race photo meet-ups. There was more than ample parking at the ampitheatre, and then a free shuttle over to the race staging area. Some people didn’t read their pre-race emails and ended up driving around confused they couldn’t get into the parking lot for the convention center, which was CLEARLY explained in the pre-race emails (that was the VIP parking area). Seriously people, don’t be that runner–read all the pre-race emails. (If it turns out they are just ads or whatever, go ahead and delete them, but at least read them, there might be important information in there.) The free shuttle was easy and dropped us off right at the start.

After dousing myself in sunblock, eating a banana, and checking in my bag, we walked across the parking lot to the memorial near the convention center. Conveniently, this is where everyone plans their photos, so as long as you can move fairly quickly, it’s a simple matter to get into pictures for the Sparkle Skirts lovers, Half Fanatics/Marathon Maniacs, etc.

Rain clouds and wind at the Veteran's Memorial (aka group photo meet-up spot for every running group)
Rain clouds and wind at the Veteran’s Memorial (aka group photo meet-up spot for every running group)

Then we wandered over to the convention center near the VIP entrance for some snaps with the pod people, and I attempted to meet up with the Rock ‘n’ Blog team and local Ambassadors of Rock. Sadly, that was a Facebook fail; only three of us managed to find each other in the designated location. The only people in front of us were either in handcycles, or in race chairs, or pushing race chairs, and two of the three of us we wearing Rock ‘n’ Blog shirts, so it should have been fairly idiot-proof. Nope. Oh well. I blame the clouds.

"Hey, where is everyone?"
“Hey, where is everyone?”
Suddenly there were three of us!
Suddenly there were three of us!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During this, I learned a handy safety tip: if you’re getting photos taken in a shirt you haven’t run in yet, get the pics done early enough that you can change shirts–put the photo shirt in your gear bag and check it.

Speaking of the clouds, it started to rain during the starting actions. Since I was in corral two thousand, I sat down under a tree on the grass and waited for the first dozen plus corrals to go by, while keeping my glasses dry. (I hate running with my eyeglasses, but until I get the new contact lenses, I hate colliding with inanimate objects more and so I wear glasses.) Then when it was my turn, I hopped into my assigned corral and started the run.

It was a dark and stormy morning...
It was a dark and stormy morning…

The rain actually felt quite good, and I think it kept the feeling of humidity down for the first part of the race. It was still more humid than my body likes, so I was trying to be conscious of my running pace as I did my 1 minute intervals. At the halfway point, I was on pace to be able to match my PR, but then the rain had stopped and I felt the full effects of heat and humidity. Since no race is ever worth hurting myself, I decided to back off a bit to make sure I didn’t feel horrible or get sick before the end of the race.

A view of the marina, on the way to the finish line!
A view of the marina, on the way to the finish line!

Since I had never run in Virginia Beach, every piece of the course was brand-spankin’ new to me. I understand some of the locals regularly run parts of the route, and that parts of it are used in other courses, so it might not have had the same effect on everyone. I liked getting to run through both the street-side part of the first block away from the beach, and on the boardwalk-type area next to it.

Now that I play Ingress, I am sure this is a portal.
Now that I play Ingress, I am sure this is a portal.

 

I also enjoyed running through so much lush and green! Since I live in California (and psst, in case you are living under a rock and haven’t heard, we have a mad drought going on here) I don’t see a lot of lush and green of the wet and squishy kind. Part of the course runs through Camp Pendleton, which seriously confused me because in my head, Camp Pendleton is in California. (By the way, THAT fact took my brain a while to assimilate because actual Pendleton–like Pendleton blankets–is in Oregon.) Also I was at that point in the course where the really obvious becomes profound. Example thought: “running negative splits is so simple–you just have to run faster on the second half of the course!” (No kidding. Good thing they don’t let me play with the science after a long run.)

Course support!
Course support!

One road has runners going out down one side, and back up the other (after completing a loop beyond the street). I was surprised and super happy to see No Meat Athlete, Team RWB, and others had set up unofficial aid stations. I had a tasty vegan cupcakelette from No Meat Athlete on the way out, and the squeeze ice from Team RWB I had really helped with the heat on the way back. (To find a No Meat Athlete running group near you, choose the “running groups” option in the menu. Most of the links go to group Facebook pages. To find a Team RWB chapter, choose “get involved” and then “join the team.”)

The rain did not return, though some really nice people cheering and/or brunching outside provided some sprinklers for us to run through.

Not going to lie, I DANCED through every garden hose and law sprinkler possible!
Not going to lie, I DANCED through every garden hose and law sprinkler possible!

Race sponsor Humana provided wet-down sponges and a mist tunnel to try to help keep runners from overheating. The mist tunnel faked out some runners, who saw it and thought it was the finish line (despite being tiny, inflatable, and announcer-less). I hit the finish line, collected a bunch of bling–half marathon medal, remix medal, and the Rock ‘n’ Roll Heavy Medals series “Stairway to Seven.” The finish line was well-stocked with water, Gatorade, chocolate milk, Power Bars, bananas, and chips–the usual Rock ‘n’ Roll past-race fare.

I collected my bling for the half marathon, the remix challenge, and the Stairway to Seven “Heavy Medal.”

This Stairway to Seven is brought to you by Crazy Richard's Peanut Butter Burst
This Stairway to Seven is brought to you by Crazy Richard’s Peanut Butter Burst

There was a Remix medal too, of course (otherwise why run in the sand?). Bling collecting was followed by brunching with my new running buddies. I don’t remember what I ate, but I had two of these really fantastically tasty brunch beverages. Eventually, the drive home, showers, and–to the great puzzlement of the three-year-old living in the house–voluntary napping. But first, one mug shot for posterity (because in the age of the internet, it’s all “selfies or it didn’t happen”):

Proof I went to Virginia Beach and ran with Meghan!
Proof I went to Virginia Beach and ran with Meghan!

Overall, I really enjoyed the Rock ‘n’ Roll Virginia Beach Remix experience. I swore I’d not do another mile in the sand, but I think now I would if I had the proper gear (Buff to keep sand out of nose/mouth; “sand socks” for running, so my feet didn’t get filled with sand; and pack a spare cloth/towel for wiping the glasses after rinsing them in the drinking fountain). I’d run the half marathon again for certain! The course support from neighbors/residents and local running groups definitely rivals San Diego (minus the unofficial aid stations offering some questionable hydration strategies).

Next in the Rock ‘n’ Roll series (at least for me): Rock ‘n’ Roll San Jose! Not quite my home-town race, but within driving distance. The only drawback of running races is the travel costs. I was really lucky to be able to run Virginia Beach, and look forward to returning for one of the locally produced J&A races next year.

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Who’s Buff? No, WHOSE Buff?

Disclosure: I received a free UV Half Buff because I am a BibRave Pro. (Per usual, all opinions are my own–you should know by now I don’t need any help with that, I’ve got plenty of ’em!) Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro here. Read and write race reviews at BibRave.com!

What’s a Buff?? If you’ve ever watched the TV show Survivor, you see tribe members with these matching cloth thingies. Some of the skinny-minny women wear them as bandeau tops, while the men tend to use them as headgear. I only ever heard the show’s host mumble the name a few times, and I had no idea what he was talking about when he asked for their buffs. Um, they have to turn in their butts? The teams are getting a new bus? What-the-what?

Maybe you have a few more clues and knew that he was saying BUFF. (That wouldn’t have helped me, as I would have been all like, “um, what’s a ‘Buff’?”). If you were in my boat, THIS is a Buff:

UV Half Buff as packaged
UV Half Buff as packaged, in Inked Yellow

Basically it is a piece of fabric shaped like a tube that doesn’t have any seams. You may have seen something like this, or even used something similar, but if you haven’t used a Buff, you don’t know what you are missing. Case in point: I belong to two distance running clubs that sell knock-off buff-like items emblazoned with the club logos. I found them hot and sticky to wear in even the slightest humidity. They reminded me of some of the polyester duds I sported in the ’70s. I couldn’t figure out how Buff was popular if it just trapped the sweat inside and made your skin itchy. But that was NOT a real Buff!

I picked a half-Buff, in part based on my past experience with the wanna-be-buff. (The other part is that this Buff provides UV protection, and I am uncertain I could get a full-sized Buff to sit still instead of gliding right off of my slippery baby-fine hair.) Turns out the REAL Buff is NOTHING like the pretender I’d previously tried.

Test Runs. To test the Buff, I took it on several runs. Primarily I used it as a hat-liner and head-band, sweeping all of my hair off of my neck and face, and once covering my ears (which I’d forgot to put sunscreen on). I also tried it out as a wristband for sweat-blotting. Not only did the Buff absorb sweat and quickly get it off of me, it also air-dried fairly quickly. Once I washed it out with shampoo, rinsed it, and hung it on the shower rod to dry overnight. It was soaked through when I hung it up, even though I’d wrung it out. It was 100% dry when I got back to it in the morning.

Construction. The Buff is seamless and has no edges. The material is a stretchy, soft knit. There is nothing to catch, snag, run, pull, or otherwise fall apart. Granted I’ve only washed mine about four times, but the print colors have not run or faded. Further, the good folks at Buff confirmed that washing does not affect the UV protection.

Fit and wear. I am not brave enough to attempt to wear mine as a Survivor-style bandeau. (It’s also not in the “ways to wear” suggestions!). I’ve got a big ol’ melon, and the Buff went all the way around, no trouble. When it was on my wrist I just double (triple?) looped it, and it stayed. I could also see myself wearing it as a headband (folded over a few times), or as a wind-protection layer around my neck when it is colder. Each time I’ve taken it off and washed it, the Buff has returned to its original size/shape.

Does this Buff make my head look fast?
Does this Buff make my head look fast?

Perhaps the best part? Even after multiple wears with just a rinse (as opposed to a washing machine wash), it does not stink. I sweat when I run, so this is a major bonus.

In addition to the UV Half Buff, there is also a UV Full Buff. Other Buff products include the regular ol’ Buff, wooly winter Buff, balaclava, Buff for Fido, and all manner of other cool stuff. For a limited time, you can score a discount with code BIBRAVE10–you’ll save 10%.

Buff was really generous and gave many of the BibRave Pros a chance to try out their products. (They also sponsored a #bibchat!)  To read more opinions, check out these blogs:

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Up 1000+ feet! Foothill 5k Challenge 2015

Disclosure: I am a BibRave Pro and received a free entry to the Foothill 5k Challenge in exchange for helping to promote and review the race. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro HERE and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

Beautiful.

That’s the single word that sums up the entire Foothill 5k Challenge this year. Before I became a BibRave Pro, I’d never heard of this race and I’d never heard of Back on My Feet, the charity beneficiary. The fact that there is an elevation gain of over 1000′–and what goes up must come down, so that gain isn’t evenly spread out–might have scared me off. If you’re contemplating this race, don’t make the same mistake!

I made it to the start...now what did I sign up for??
I made it to the start…now what did I sign up for??

The website says, “participants are welcome to run or hike” and they mean it. There is plenty of time for everyone to finish. Also, it might interest you to know that the first person to cross the finish line was a 15-year-old who did the whole thing in just over 20 minutes, but the second person to cross the finish line–just about a minute later–is 59! You definitely want to be there in 2016.

Such tidy penmanship in the chalk
Such tidy penmanship in the chalk

Just over 300 people finished this low-key event in Glendale. Now that I’ve done it, I’m surprised there weren’t twice as many people there. Since I don’t live nearby and was occupied with a conference in Los Angeles on Saturday, I didn’t attend the Saturday packet pickup hosted by Run With Us (one of the race sponsors). Early Sunday morning I packed up my stuff, donned a running kit, and headed over to the Glendale sports complex. Timing being everything, my tiny blue rental brought me to the parking lot just in time to take the last space in the lot (everyone behind me was sent back to overflow parking). I popped out, doused my very-pale-self with sunscreen, and headed in.

Chalk arrows led the way to everything at the start/finish area
Chalk arrows led the way to everything at the start/finish area

Registration and packet pickup at the event took place on one of the baseball fields. There were maybe ten people in line ahead of me when I arrived, and the volunteers doled out shirts and bibs with speed and cheer.

Day of race, Packet Pickup
Day of race, Packet Pickup

They had even connected the safety pins in groups of four (to pin the four corners of your bib). While there wasn’t an official, organized bag check, I had plenty of time to walk my shirt and bag back to my car before the race started. Some other runners handed theirs to family or friends. It was a pretty small field, and I think a few people might have stashed their bags under the Bimbo or YogaWorks tables near the start/finish line.

Near the registration tents, race sponsor Mizuno had a table showing off their newest kicks. I visited my new friends, the Mizuno Wave Enigma 5, since I was wearing my trail shoes. Mizuno had a deconstructed shoe with the layers separated so you can see and better understand the engineering of the soles. (I love that kind of stuff.) They also had wristbands with “Every Mile Changes You” and I added one to the morning’s arm party.

Gorgeous shoes showing off the Mizuno Runbird
Gorgeous shoes showing off the Mizuno Runbird

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Break it down: the components of the Mizuno sole
Break it down: the components of the Mizuno sole
Mizuno Wave Enigma 5 you read my review, right?
Mizuno Wave Enigma 5
you read my review, right?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The sun wasn’t quite out yet, but it was easy to tell it was going to be a humid day. Due to the nature of the course there were no aid stations–there’s literally no place to put them–though the apex backed into a road where volunteers had bottled water. The announcer directed runners to the water and Gatorade table near the finish and encouraged everyone to hydrate.  Most of the runners that didn’t have hydration belts or packs grabbed a bottle of water to take out on the course.

Hydration station, pre-race
Hydration station, pre-race

Before the race, a large number of runners gathered on the baseball diamond. They put their arms around each other and I got a solidarity vibe from the crowd. While I was not close enough to overhear all of the discussion that took place, I did hear someone announce that one specific runner couldn’t be there and ask those running to remember him on their run. My impression that this is a standard Back on My Feet running group ritual was confirmed later as I walked over to the starting line and heard a recent arrival ask his friend, “oh rats, did I miss the circle?”

In addition to thanking the sponsors, and thanking the runners for coming, the announcer took a few minutes to remind everyone of the purpose of Back on My Feet. (If you’re not familiar with Back on My Feet, take a look at the greater Los Angeles area website. Similar to Girls on the Go, Just Run, and Running For A Better Oakland, Back on My Feet uses running as a medium to teach and cultivate goal-setting, commitment, and other life skills leading to self-reliance and independence.)

Camera-shy but microphone-bold
Camera-shy but microphone-bold

As the announcer explained, “the purpose of Back on My Feet isn’t to turn homeless people into runners, but to use running to help those who find themselves homeless learn to see themselves as hard-working, self-reliant individuals.” When I look at all the positive things running has brought to my life, and to the lives of my friends, it makes perfect sense to me. Looking around the group of runners, you couldn’t tell which runners were formerly homeless, currently homeless, or never homeless. There were many people in shirts with the Back on My Feet logo, including the shirts from last year’s events; there were also groups of people in matching team shirts too.

The starting line had one long corral; runners were asked to self-seed based on their expected speed. As more people hopped into the corral, I continued to move back. Minutes before the start, race director Lesley Brillhart took over the microphone to make a few safety announcements: watch for single track areas, pass on the left and announce yourself first, take the switchbacks carefully, alert course monitors to any injuries, and during the two-way traffic sections keep to your left. (Yes, left. It sounded off to me when I heard it, but once I was up on the hills and understood the course better, it made perfect sense.)

Do you eat hills for breakfast? #Foothill5k review by @TrainWithBain

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View of the starting line, before the runners lined up
View of the starting line, before the runners lined up

The race team set the runners off in three large groups, separating each by about two minutes. Once I got up onto the dirt, I was very glad they had done this, as most of the trail was fairly narrow. Even before I hit the dirt, I saw the faster runners like little white dots streaming across the browns and greens of the San Gabriel Hills.

Runners first circled around the sports fields and then took a hard right to start climbing. Despite the scary-sounding 1000′ elevation gain, the majority of the climb was a gentle up, with an occasional downhill. It would have been pretty easy to stay 100% focused on the trails, but it was just wide enough to comfortably walk while enjoying the scenery. I stopped to take many pictures on the way up. Race volunteers served as course monitors along the route (and as your traversed the course you realized each of them had to hike up to their designated spot).

The micro-view, looking down on the trail
The micro-view, looking down on the trail
Vegetation around the hills
Vegetation around the hills
That tiny bright green spot in the center? The start/finish line!
That tiny bright green spot in the center? The start/finish line!

Near the end of the climbing section there was one bigger, steeper hill; at that point you’d gotten out of bed and schlepped all the way up, so no matter how steep it seemed you just kinda had to keep going.

The final climb
The final climb

As I was making my way up I caught glimpses of the start/finish line, which seemed impossibly far away. On the trail I saw  men and women of all ages and sizes, running, walking, and hiking. The views from the top were beautiful.

Veni, Vidi, Vici! Now, where's the way down?
Veni, Vidi, Vici!
Now, where’s the way down?

On the way down I paused to read the plaque about the history of Glendale (it’s not like I was going to hike back up to read it after the race). Just because YES, I AM that kind of nerd.

I will stop to pet cute dogs during a race, and apparently I will also stop to get my history on!
I will stop to pet cute dogs during a race, and apparently I will also stop to get my history on!

 

View of Glendale (adjacent to the plaque)
View of Glendale (adjacent to the plaque)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finishers were welcomed back, and the hydration station was just past the finish line. YogaWorks led a post-race stretch session, and Bimbo bakeries handed out bagels (enough that many of us took home a whole package).

 

 

Deep, static stretching is for AFTER an event, not beforehand.
Deep, static stretching is for AFTER an event, not beforehand.

Then the winners were announced in a low-key awards ceremony.

Five of the six award winners (top three men and top three women) who scored Run With Us gift certificates and other goodies
Five of the six award winners (top three men and top three women) who scored Run With Us gift certificates and other goodies

I headed back to my car to finish chugging down another bottle of water and grab a wipe for my face. While I had set my phone to get me directions to the after party, it basically wasn’t necessary–pretty much every car from the event was in one big caravan to the Golden Road Brewing Company.

The bar and part of the open-barn structure at Golden Road Brewing
The bar and part of the open-barn structure at Golden Road Brewing

As a race sponsor, Golden Road offered $1 off each of their beers. In addition, 15% of all sales went to Back on My Feet. True confession: I don’t like beer. (No, it’s not “you haven’t tried the RIGHT beer,” because I dislike hops.) Fortunately they had a guest cider on tap, which I enjoyed with a breakfast burrito from the brunch menu.

It pretty much does not matter if you can actually read this, since you could have just pointed randomly and had tasty food appear
It pretty much does not matter if you can actually read this, since you could have just pointed randomly and had tasty food appear

With excellent food and drink, attentive service, and a brunch filled with runners, you can’t lose! The raffle drawings were held outside, though the tickets had a name and phone number on them in case you missed it. Since I was already pretty well sunned, I chose to sit inside.

Excellent advice from the author of 1984
Excellent advice from the author of 1984

Don’t fear the elevation.

If you ran this year, what did you think? (Have you left a review on BibRave.com?) If you’re interested in running this race next year, keep an eye on the Foothill 5k Challenge website.

My new trail attitude
My new trail attitude!
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Novato Wild Horses Half Marathon & 5k 2015

On Sunday, April 12, 2015 I joined a small group of runners at the Novato Wild Horses Half Marathon & 5k. Produced by Titanium Racing, this is the first of the three events that make up the Triple Crown Series (all of which are part of the 2015 California Half and Full Marathon Series).

Not wild, but still horses
Not wild, but still horses

Novato is in Marin County, which has designated a huge amount of land for permanent preservation through a variety of means, such as the Marin Agricultural Land Trust. As you might imagine, that has driven property values through the roof, but it has resulted in some gorgeous places to run.

Part of the course runs through a park
Part of the course runs through a park

The Triple Crown Series races do not have an expo. Instead, you can pick up your bib at one of the designated sponsor locations. This year, that was Whole Foods in Novato and Road Runner Sports in Berkeley. That’s all you pick up, just the bib–the other swag is waiting at the race.

Wild Horses starts and ends at the San Marin High School. Given the smaller size of the race, this is an ideal location: plenty of parking and an accessible building for swag pickup and post-race refreshments.

I'm sure the locals thought I was nuts as I talked to the horses and took this picture
I’m sure the locals thought I was nuts as I talked to the horses and took this picture

I thought I had a picture of the starting line, but it turns out I don’t. You can get a good idea of the size of the field by looking at the picture on the Wild Horses Half Marathon website. It’s a pretty small group, so if you’re a faster runner, your chances of taking home one of the awards. The course is an out-and-back, mostly along paved roads but also on some blacktop. It winds through residential areas, and by the College of Marin Indian Valley Campus. It’s a mostly flat course, with actual “gentle rolling hills” (not a euphemism for once, but an accurate description). Many of the homes are on large lots with animals; I like imagining what they think of the parade of runners.

Not a horse, but still a cutie
Not a horse, but still a cutie!

The course ends back at San Marin High School, where you do a victory lap around the school’s track before crossing the finish line. I have to say, it is pretty awesome to end the run on a softer surface! Also, race staff were there to run in the very last runners, which I really appreciated.

Titanium racing has a history of good-looking race shirts. The long-sleeved shirts for the Tiburon Half Marathon, for example, have side panels in contrasting colors. The Wild Horses shirt featured a full-face design this year.

Mr. Potter, inspecting the race shirt
Mr. Potter, inspecting the race shirt

The medal and cinch-sack feature the same race logo. Runners were treated to a variety of snacks at the finish line, including Nuun hydration. Whole Foods provided a take-away bag filled with goodies including Purity Juices and Hint water.

There were more snacks, but I eated them. #EatAllTheFoods
There were more snacks, but I eated them. #RunAllTheRaces #EatAllTheFoods

This year, Titanium Racing also hosted a virtual run option for those unable to attend the race in person. I found out about it by accident, when I received a virtual kit in the mail–cinch-sack, medal, and shirt. I contacted the race organizers to send them back, but they said I should keep them.

Race medal featuring a fancy ribbon
Race medal featuring a fancy ribbon

So…got a little runner in your life? Or a horse-crazed girl? Or some other good purpose for a medal, a cinch-sack, and a race shirt?
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In Giveaway!

WIAW: Run Where I Live Edition

If you haven’t checked out the Run Where I Live Tour, hop over to Live Run Grow and start your tour in Cape Cod, then follow the links to see where your fellow runners run. (Maybe bookmark a few for your next vacation?) Since runners love to eat, the topic of running local easily leads to eating local. So I’m dedicating my first “what I ate Wednesday” post to edibles for runners (and other athletic types). Read on to learn about my newest discoveries, and to win some of your own!

Disclaimer: I received the products reviewed in this post from Clif Bar & Company. Clif Bar did not ask me to publish a review (though they are probably hoping for at least a shout-out). Clif Bar did not ask me to use these products in a giveaway (so count yourself lucky that I’m not greedy and that I promise not to eat all the coconut-flavored samples!). All opinions are my own. Trust me, I have so many opinions I don’t need to borrow anyone else’s. 

Clif Bar & Company is headquartered in Emeryville, the “rottenest city on Earth” according to Earl Warren, about two blocks from my first California apartment. If that’s not local food, I don’t want to hear about it. Ha! The original Clif Bar in coconut chocolate chip kept the rumbly-in-my-tumbly from disturbing my classmates when I had 12-hour days in grad school. I love the relatively new Clif Mojo Bars, so I was excited to get the opportunity to try the new Clif Organic Trail Mix Bars, which debuted in April 2015.

According to the Clif website, “Clif Organic Trail Mix Bar is made for mixing it up and discovering all the good stuff the day has to offer. Combining simple and organic ingredients that are good for both our bodies and the planet, our trail mix bar comes in flavors for just about every occasion no matter where the trail takes you.” If you like Clif Mojo Bars, chances are very good you will also like the Clif Organic Trail Mix Bars. Mojo Bars inspired the Organic Trail Mix Bars, which have 95% organic ingredients (Mojo is 70% organic).

These bars? I eated them.
These bars? I eated them. (LOL. All of them.) But I have another one of each flavor just for you!

Clif Organic Trail Mix Bars are gluten free, certified kosher, and delicious! These wouldn’t be a go-to running food for me, exactly, because you have to chew them and I’ve got a talent for choking on things, but they make a great post-run snack. Or a hiking fuel snack (nuts + chocolate = protein, fat, and carbs). I have a stash in my desk so I can successfully treat myself to something healthy instead of grabbing a donut at the cafe. Each is at or under 200 calories, so it is a good size for a snack. The protein and fats from the nuts up the satiety factor (you actually feel like you ate something).

Don't you love it when you look at food, and you can tell what it is?
Don’t you love it when you look at food, and you can tell what it is?

My favorite flavor is the coconut almond peanut. (I’m still a sucker for coconut.) Just look at it, and you can tell most of what is in it. The dark chocolate almond sea salt is a close second, because it’s a little bit like a candy bar–chocolate and almonds, right?–but without the candy bar fake ingredients. Dark chocolate peanut butter rounds out the top three for my favorites, but I think dark chocolate cherry almond deserves an honorable mention; it has cherries in it, so I need it for muscle recovery, right?

Clif seems to have a flavor for everyone in the Organic Trail Mix Bar, with or without chocolate. The other flavors are cranberry almond, wild blueberry almond, and dark chocolate pomegranate raspberry. (If you enter my giveaway below, you could win a box with one of each flavor!)  Certified USDA organic, the ingredients list for my favorite illustrates what is inside:

INGREDIENTS: Organic Peanuts, Organic Tapioca Syrup, Organic Almonds, Organic Coconut, Organic Rice Crisps (Rice Flour*, Dried Cane Syrup*, Salt, Calcium Carbonate), Organic Inulin, Organic Honey, Organic Roasted Soybeans, Organic Coconut Oil, Sea Salt, Natural Flavors, Mixed Tocopherols (Antioxidant). ALLERGEN STATEMENT: Contains soy, peanuts, almonds, and coconut. May contain traces of other tree nuts.

Good stuff! Clif Organic Trail Bars are available in a variety of grocery stores, sporting goods stores, Target, and online through companies like The Feed. MSRP for a single bar is $1.69-$1.79 but you might as well buy a box (it’s more cost-effective, and you know you’re going to want more than one…and if you don’t want more than one, just send me your leftovers and I will take care of them for you).

If you’ve been to any race expos in the past year, you’ve probably noticed an interesting trend in athletic fuel. While athletes have used itty-bitty pouches for years (think Gu, Clif Shots, Honey Stinger, Hammer Gel), the larger pouches have been reserved for toddlers (think Mott’s Snack & Go, GoGO Squeeze, Chobani Tots). Until now.

Pizza parlor-themed sample presentation
Pizza parlor-themed sample presentation

When I opened the box with samples of Clif Organic Energy Food I was excited, but also a little bit terrified. The pack was super cute and pizza, themed, complete with a red and white checked napkin and seeds to grow basil, oregano, and tomato.

Organic seeds to grow organic ingredients
Organic seeds to grow organic ingredients

Then I looked at the contents. Pizza Margherita? Really? My runner friends who found the pizza and the Sweet Potato with Sea Salt flavors were quick to snap a selfie and post an expression of similar skepticism. Is this for real? I love pizza as much as the next runner, but pizza squeeze? Yum or Ew? (The answer is yum, by the way, but I’m getting to that part.)

Have you seen these? Would you eat them in a box? Would you eat them with a fox?
That’s my hand, so you can see the size. Have you seen these? Would you eat them in a box? Would you eat them with a fox?

Clif Organic Energy Food comes in four flavors. According to the Clif website, these were inspired by recipes used by Clif athletes. The two you would thing of as “more normal” (banana mango with coconut, and banana beet with ginger) are sweet, like you expect runner food to be, and come in at 90g and 100 calories per pouch. They taste just like you’d expect them to taste (only if you expect to get a vegetable flavor from the beet, that’s not quite right.) The two savory flavors (sweet potato with sea salt, and pizza margherita) have a higher protein and fat content and are 120g per pouch, with the sweet potato at 200 calories and the pizza at 160, making them more suitable for longer activity. But let’s take a look at that freaky-sounding pizza flavor, shall we? What the heck is inside?

Organic Tomato Puree (Water, Organic Tomato Paste), Organic Carrot Puree, Water, Organic Quinoa, Organic Sunflower Seed Butter, Organic Dried Cane Syrup, Organic Olive Oil, Yeast Flakes, Sea Salt, Organic Garlic Powder, Organic Oregano, Organic Basil, Citric Acid.

What is NOT inside? GMOs, trans-fat, partially hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, weird fake sugars, preservatives, artificial colors, and artificial flavors. Okay, so far, so good.

Would you eat pizza during a run?

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Since I didn’t want to try a new food on a race day, but I also didn’t want to open a pouch and risk throwing most of it away just to get a taste–with no preservatives, these foods are designed to open and eat immediately, not be served up as leftovers–I decided to make my own version of the recipe for Scott Jurek’s Long Run Pizza Bread included in the box. But first, a taste of the Clif Organic Energy Food:

Looks like baby food, no artificial colors here!
Looks like baby food, no artificial colors here!

It tastes like pizza. Not like “pizza flavor” but like you took a bite of pizza toppings and chewed it up. Most of my Instagramming and Facebooking friends doubted that they would want to consume anything tomato-based while running. This doesn’t have the acidic, sharp flavor of pureed tomatoes. Notice the second ingredient is actually carrot, which gives the Pizza Margherita a smooth, creamy texture. The starch from the carrot balances out the tart tomato. So I was happy to make myself some dinner!

Clif Organic Energy Food in Pizza Margherita, a Prezilla bun, and a little dish of cheese. (Just add wine and it's dinner!)
Clif Organic Energy Food in Pizza Margherita, a Prezilla bun, and a little dish of cheese. (Just add wine and it’s dinner!)

I sliced the Pretzilla in half and toasted it, cut side up, in the toaster oven. After it started to tan, I pulled it out and spread a generous heap of the Clif Organic Energy Food on top. (It looked really orange–not like tomato sauce.) Then I topped each half off with a sprinkle of shredded pizza cheese, and popped it back into the toaster oven until the cheese started to melt.

Yes, it's an indulgent dinner. But hey, it's actually Monday as I'm eating this.
Yes, it’s an indulgent dinner. But hey, it’s actually Monday as I’m eating this.

Moral of the story? Your parents were right: try it, you might like it. (This recipe used about half of a pouch. While you’re supposed to consume it and toss the leftovers, I’m going to take a calculated risk. I put the remaining half pouch in the refrigerator, and plan to put it on eggs and potatoes for breakfast.)

By the way, another aspect of the Clif Organic Energy Food I really approve of: the lid can be recycled, and Clif partners with Terracycle so you can upcycle the pouch itself.

Clif Organic Energy Food is available in a variety of locations. Check your local running store first, then your grocery store. MSRP for the sweet flavors (90g) is $2.29 and MSRP for the savory flavors (120g) is $2.99.

Do you want to win some Clif Organic Trail Mix Bars AND Clif Organic Energy Food? One lucky winner will get a prize pack that includes one of each flavor of bar, and one of each flavor of Organic Energy Food.

 

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