Fit Tip Friday: What to Wear and What NOT to Wear to the Twin CitiesMarathon Expo.

If you've been watching the First Time Marathon Webinars that I have been doing with Nathan from Minneapolis Running, you've probably heeded our advice, and you've given a lot of thought to your gear for race day. Great! So, you've got your race day outfit all planned out, but have you given any thought to what to wear to the expo? 

I'd like to share some advice that comes from an experienced marathoner in another local running club in Orono. My friend Abby used to run with this crew, and she shared this email with me last year, and the author, Todd, was nice enough to allow me to post.

It's all in good fun, so I hope you find it as entertaining as I did! 

(Remember, it's all in good fun...in truth, you should wear whatever you want to.)

For newbies especially, here’s a list of what to wear and what not to wear at the Twin Cities Marathon Race Expo this Friday or Saturday. The trick is, you want to look like you belong there (because you do), but you also don’t want to look like you are trying too hard to belong. The look you are going for is "confident athlete who doesn't look like you ran here, but easily could have".

Also, you might as well pick up your goodie bag and race number right away, because you look cooler walking around with it (BUT DON'T PUT THE NUMBER ON JUST YET).  

If you are going to wear a race t-shirt, here are some rankings of shirts on a scale from Really Cool down to Dork:

"Really Cool":

Super Cool Finisher's shirts- anything from the Boston Marathon, a Western States 100 shirt (or any 100 mile race shirt), or an Ironman shirt.  

"Pretty Cool": 

Last year's TCM finisher, any other year's finisher shirt (the older, the cooler - old Grandma's shirts work well for this too if they aren't too yellow and faded), a NY, Chicago, London, Paris or Berlin finisher's shirt. 

Also "pretty cool": Any obscure ultra shirt, (if it has blood stains – you are up in the super cool category as long as it was from the race and not from chopping broccoli), Border to Border Triathlon, Big Sur, Marine Corp, California International, etc.

"Cool": 

Last year's 10 miler finisher shirt, any other year's 10 miler, any TCM volunteer shirt (but be prepared to give directions to the bathrooms), TC10k, any 1/2 marathon shirt (except the Monster Dash)

"Not So Cool": 

A 5k race shirt, sprint triathlons, inline skate races, any Monster Dash shirt.

"Dork": 

An ALARC Shirt, a racing singlet, generic under armor shirt, AND especially any shirts from the Warrior Dash, Color Runs or other "pretend" races, these are especially uncool (I'm not counting the Tough Mudder - that's cool because it's more like 10 miles and really hard, not just pretend hard). Not making a judgement here, whatever gets the masses off their asses I say - and I'm sure they are plenty of fun, just don't go to the Expo and expect any respect...because while the marathon is many things to many people, it is a race after all. 

"Even BIGGER Dork": 

Running shorts. This applies to guys especially - trying to look like a runner at an expo full of runners means you are just plain trying too hard. We get it. You are here to pick up your number because you are a runner. So is everyone else. 

Funny tips- thanks Todd!

In all honesty, I do have some fitness & fitness fashion tips for the expo. 

Tip #1- Dress comfortably. Wear comfortable shoes. Don't wear high heels. You do not want to start Sunday's race with sore feet or blisters.

Tip #2- Dress in layers! It can get hot in there with the crowds.

Tip #3- Bring a water bottle. Hydration is the name of the game!

Tip #4-  Buy a poster/shirt/sweatshirt/something. You'll want some memorabilia from your marathon.  Buy a TCM t-shirt. Then in ten years, it will be a "pretty cool" thing to wear to the expo. Vintage TCM shirts...plan ahead for TCM 2024!

Tip #5- Go on Friday if you can. It will be less busy.

Tip #6: Bring a camera- you might meet some local celebrities. Heather Kampf, Carrie Tollfeson, who knows? Kim Jones will be at the expo on Saturday. She is a two-time women's champion at the Twin Cities Marathon (1986 and 1989) and author of the book Dandelion Growing Wild. 

Maybe you'll get to see Nathan from Minneapolis Running , also famous from Youtube, thanks to these webinars.

Share your pics, tweets, and words of wisdom with me for the expo @TheRightFits on Twitter. 

GOOD LUCK!

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Friday Fit Tip: Fitting Remarks from Jeff Galloway at Run n Fun.

It's time for Fit Tip Friday!

Today, I'm sharing someone else's tips- that someone being Jeff Galloway.

Two Thursdays ago, I attended a Jeff Galloway Meet and Greet at the Run n Fun Minneapolis store.

Run n Fun Minneapolis

This event began at 5 pm with shopping, snacks, and an opportunity to say hello to Jeff and take pictures. At 5:30, he began his official "speech". 

He covered these topics:

1) Marathon Training with the Jeff Galloway Run/Walk program 
2) Motivation/Visualizations 
3) Nutrition  
4) Cross training

I'll start with what he shared about motivation because that was the topic I enjoyed the most.

The Power of Mantras:

I have mentioned before that I struggle with the mental side of running. My issue isn't that I lack the motivation to run- it’s my ability to push myself through the uncomfortable and control my negative thoughts during a race when the 'going gets tough...'  (like when the going got tough in the race below...) 

During his speech, Jeff went into the science of the brain a little, discussing how most of the time when running, it's our subconscious brain that is controlling the process. At some point in a race, your subconscious brain has decided "this is hard." 

For me, this is when I start to question myself. I start to question EVERYTHING.  

Why am I doing this? What was I thinking? I can’t run a marathon. I should just quit...

Ah, the negativity!

This is when mantras or positive thinking need to come into play. According to Jeff, this is when you need to take control of your conscious brain to overcome the subconscious. You need to consciously tell yourself that YOU CAN DO IT. YOU ARE STRONG. 

You need to focus on a phrase or "mantra" that allows you to block out those negative thoughts- block out the, "This hurts. I'm slow. I can't keep this pace anymore" and instead, reign in the positive- I GOT THIS.

The mantra that works for you is most likely different than the mantra that works for me. Jeff said his mantra was "Relax, Power, Glide."   He said he'll repeat that over and over again to himself during a race to block out any negative thoughts.

At the Ron Daws 25k this past spring, (which usually kicks my butt with the hills), I practiced using a mantra. "You are strong. You are awesome. You're doing great." I kept saying that to myself OVER AND OVER....I was able to avoid that point where I give up mentally. I didn't set any world records that day, but I did control my negative thoughts by not allowing them any space. 

At Ron Dawes 25k this year...

(For another interesting take on mental strength and running, check out THIS ARTICLE)

Here are few more of Jeff's suggested Mantras:

•My legs are strong

•My heart is pumping better

•More blood in the muscles

•Lactic acid, go away

•More oxygen, lungs

•The strength is in there, I’m feeling it

•Talk crazy to me, right brain

•I feel comfortable-I’m in control

•I feel good-I feel strong

•I’m floating

•Come to me-endorphins

•I’m having fun

...he didn't mention "You're so smart and pretty."

Some of you might not need these mental tricks the way that I do, but I'm an over-thinker as well as a bit of a negative thinker, and I think this tendency is only magnified in running. Even though I LOVE running, it still stresses me out.

Anyways, this was my favorite part of Jeff's chat because it resonated the most with me and my "Negative Nancy" thoughts.

Visualizations

Jeff shared some of his visualizations that help him during a race. For example, he envisions a big rubber band around his waist that he throws/lassos over a person in front of him. He visualizes that this rubber band is now around the person in front of him and that person is now PULLING HIM ALONG. He imagines that he can feel their strength and their pull becomes his pull and just like that…he gets faster!

Sound crazy? Well, I tried it a little bit at the Wedding Day 5k a few Saturdays ago. I saw my friend Rachel 200 yards or so in front of me. I threw my rubber band around her (in my head of course. That might be weird otherwise…) and had her pull me in. 

I think it kind of worked! I ended up passing her towards the end of the race.  I know most people weren't racing this Wedding Day 5k but still...it seemed to help me push it a little bit harder than I would have otherwise. 

Thanks for pulling me with your rubber band, Rachel!

2. Nutrition:

Jeff uses "Super Fruit" to fuel on his long runs, which are tiny dehydrated pellets of fruit, all natural. He doesn't use Gatorade or Powerade, but only water during a race. He doesn't believe in salt packets for regulating your body even on really hot days. This is because he believes that nearly everyone in the U.S. gets plenty of salt in their diet. (He's probably right). Even though he doesn't use GU's or any of those types of fuel, he does regularly get feedback from people that he trains that those work; he said you have to experiment a little to figure out which one you prefer, as its really a personal preference.

3. Cross training:

Jeff said that the only cross training that really makes you a better runner is pool running...or running running. He said he does a little bit of strength training with just a few moves: running in place with dumbbells and some core work (like planks and bicycle crunches). He recognizes the benefit of cross training for a mental break as you are still getting a cardio workout without the stress on your joints; however, he doesn't think it makes you a better runner.

4. The Jeff Galloway Run/Walk Program

Now the finale- the Jeff Galloway Run/Walk Program.

I'm guessing that some of you reading this weren't interested in coming to the Run n Fun event because you're familiar with this topic and have already decided it’s not for you. I don’t blame you! I wasn’t sure if I wanted to hear about a program that I had already heard about and I had already decided that this program wasn’t for me (at this point in my life, that is.) 

Even though I don't think the run/walk program is for me, I do think it has its place in the running community, and I wouldn't write it off completely...and I'm actually glad I listened.

Basically, Jeff's program has all levels of runners figuring out a run/walk ratio during distance running that allows them to finish strong and recover quickly. The idea is that those walk breaks allow your body to recover and then you run stronger when you start running again after the walk break. 

This program works for him. He's a 70+ year old man who runs a marathon a month. He testified about how in April this year, he ran the Boston marathon. A week later he ran the Big Sur marathon, and the next day he was running on the beach in Carmel. Impressive!

I believe him. I think his program is a valid method for people who are running that many marathons a year. I also think it’s a valid approach for newer runners as well. 

However, I had to give him the side-eye when he gave an example of a man who used his program to run a 3:15 marathon. I mean…that’s fast.

According to his story, this man had previously ran 3:15 marathons but was more recently struggling  to attain that goal. He was running closer to 3:45's, as he usually ended up walking/struggling through the last six miles of the race. Jeff "dared" him to try the run/walk program for the entire marathon, with 1 minute of walking after every mile. This man was doubtful, but he decided to stick with it, if only to prove Jeff wrong. And of course....it worked. The man ran a 3:15 marathon walking for an entire minute after every mile.

Now, the reason why I gave that story the side-eye is because that would mean this mean he was walking for 26 minutes of his race, and yet he still ran a 3:15. That would mean that he had to run significantly faster than normal when he was running in order to make up that 26 minutes. See why I’m skeptical? 

If Jeff had told the same story about someone applying that method to run a 4:45 marathon, I would believe it. I think this program works best for those runners who are a 4:30 marathon and up. I get skeptical when I try to wrap my head around this program working for someone who applying this program to a 3:15 marathon. A 3:15 marathon is a 7:26 min/mile if run at a consistent pace.  If this person has 26 minutes of walking built in, this means he was running a 6:58 min/mile during his running. Possible? Maybe...but I'm skeptical.

You can see how Jeff's run walk program is a bit controversial in the running community. Personally, I won't be trying it out anytime soon. Even though I have that 50 state goal in mind, I'm still only running 2-3 marathons a year, and I generally train for each one.  If I were pursuing the 50 state goal the way that a lot of the Marathon Maniacs do, with back to back marathons in a weekend, etc, I probably would follow Jeff's plan, as I wouldn’t be concerned about time- just about completion.

Jeff wasn't pushy about his program, which was nice. He admitted that it’s not for everyone. When he was training for the Olympics or winning the Honolulu marathon, he wasn't following this plan. I think it’s an interesting topic for discussion, and I still found the chat to still be valuable. I also enjoyed hearing from someone who has been running for so many years and has completed so many marathons. If nothing else, he’s definitely experienced!

BONUS QUESTION!

The bonus question that I asked him after his official chat: "What products or gear exists now that you wished would have existed back in the 70's when you started running?"

He said that there a lot of recovery drinks out there that he thinks are really good. 

One of the most important products for runners is one that did indeed exist in the 70's, it just wasn't as accessible- the answer? Massage!

With that said, I think I'm going to call and book a massage for this weekend. Jeff Galloway told me to.

Fit Tip Friday: Are You Ready to Train for a Marathon?

Last Friday's Fit Tip was How to Pick Your First (Or Next) Marathon, but how do you know when/if you're even ready to train for a marathon?

Notice that I didn't write are you ready to "do" a marathon, but rather whether you are ready to "train for a marathon." This is because the hardest part of a marathon is the training and that statement is coming from a girl who really loves the training.  Yet there are a lot of things to think about before you determine that you are ready to train for a marathon.

Of course, you don't have to train. Nope. You could "run" a marathon without training, but I wouldn't recommend it. Sure, it’s possible, but why? I would much rather train so that the experience is a positive one. You only have one "first" marathon experience, so I highly recommend that you train for it to make it a good one.

 

My first marathon finish line at TCM 2005 with my little sister Laurie

There's a big difference between finishing and running a marathon.  I’m not trying to be a snob about it. In fact, I’m sure some people think that my pace (around a 4 hour marathon) is not “running” either, but I do train for every marathon. In the end, it is all about what YOU want out of your first marathon. With that said, these are my tips for determining if you are ready to train!

Have you been running for at least a year?  

Some people say six months of consistent running is enough, but I would say it makes more sense to consistently run for a full year, with weekly mileage somewhere around 15-25 miles. This will get your body used to the pounding on the pavement and will hopefully allow you to work through any potential injuries, shoe problems, etc. before you make the commitment to train for a full marathon. This year of base building will give your body time to make some adjustments to prepare you for the training. It’s also a good idea that you vary your running terrain during this year, meaning that it shouldn't all be on the treadmill- try to make sure at least half of it is on pavement.

Do you have previous experience with races?

I had never run any half marathons before attempting my first full marathon, but I don’t think that was the smartest thing to do (I mean, just look back to see how that worked out)  You'll be better prepared for the marathon if you have run 1-2 half marathons first, or at least a handful of 10k's.  This experience will help you figure out if you actually even like training and racing before making such a huge commitment as a full marathon.  You will get a better sense of what’s involved with the training and race itself and to decide if you truly enjoy long distance running!

Do you have the time to train?

I could go on and on about how to fit in your training with working full time (it’s not always easy, and I don’t even have kids!) But really, you need to look at your personal life and determine if you can make the 18 week commitment to train (which is really how long you should train for to have a good first marathon). If your wife is about to have a baby, or you’re balancing school and work, or you know you have a few really big trips coming up, maybe now is not the time to register for a marathon. Some people don’t realize that marathon training is very time intensive. At times, it may even feel like a part-time job! It’s safe to assume whatever training schedule you follow will probably ask for at least 4-5 days a week and one of those days will involve hours of running (i.e. your long run).  You have to be realistic about your other responsibilities to determine if you would have the time to commit to the training. You will need to get family members on board before committing if you're going to need help with childcare and/or household responsibilities

Supporting my husband on one of his long runs. It's important to get the support
of your friends and/or family or a run club.

Can your lifestyle support it? 

Besides the time commitment, you will have to make other sacrifices to train. The long runs will take up a lot of time on either your Saturday and Sunday morning, and then there’s the recovery after the long runs. You won't be able to party hard the night before your long run, so if you're not ready to sacrifice your social calendar, you might not be ready to train for a marathon.

 

Don't worry...you can still have a beer or glass of wine when training...just don't go crazy on a Friday night!

How is your diet?

I’m the first to admit my diet isn’t perfect, but it’s relatively healthy (not a lot of processed food, plenty of fruits and vegetables). Unfortunately, you can’t expect to lose weight when you are training for a marathon, because you will need to eat. You’ll be hungry. A LOT.  You’ll need to eat, but you’ll need to eat well in order to train well. If your diet is pretty poor but you’re not ready to make some healthy changes, you may not be ready to train for a marathon.

Have you been cleared by your doctor?

Even if you don’t have a pre-existing medical conditions, you probably should get your primary care doctor's approval before beginning a marathon training program.

What are your reasons for training for a marathon?

Think about why you want to do it. Are you trying to prove something? Did someone bet you that you couldn’t? This isn’t necessarily bad, but I really think you need to want to run a marathon for YOU. You need to have the internal motivation. Do it for yourself.

Or..are you doing this because it's the “thing to do?”  I mean, it seems like all “runners” run marathons…right?  Nope. You don’t have to run one. You can still be a runner without ever training for a marathon.

Okay, so that’s a lot to consider…I hope I didn’t scare you off! I still think training for and completing a marathon is an amazing experience, one that I obviously enjoy enough to keep doing over and over again.

For something a little more brutally honest, check out THIS ARTICLE with 26 Reasons NOT to Run a Marathon from the Huffington Post!

Fit Tip Friday: How to Select Your First Marathon.

So you've successfully completed your first half marathon, and you're thinking it's time to move it up a notch. Or, maybe you watched a friend run a marathon recently, and thought to yourself, "I want to do that too!" You're thinking it's time to cross "Complete a Marathon" off of your bucket list.

The problem is...how do you decide which marathon to do?

There are a lot of factors to consider.

1. Do you want to travel for your marathon? 
As you can tell from Dustin and my 50 state goal, we like to incorporate a marathon into our travels. The Berlin Marathon in 2013 (thought not one of the 50 states..who knew?) was a perfect example where we planned a trip to Europe around a destination marathon. The Newport Marathon in Oregon was another example, as we turned that marathon into an amazing week-long exploration of Oregon (such a cool state to explore! Read about that trip HERE, HERE,  HERE, and HERE!)

I definitely love a traveling marathon, but I wouldn't recommend it for your first marathon. Traveling adds another level of stress to what is already a challenging experience. For a first-time marathon, it makes more sense to select a race that is close to home. Then you can sleep in your own bed, make your own pre-race meal, and eliminate some of the inherent stress of travel on top of the stress of the marathon. Most likely, you are also more familiar with the course and the terrain of a local race. You are also better adjusted to the weather if you run a marathon close to home.

2. When do you want to train?
Some people really hate training in the cold winter, (though let me tell you, it's not so bad, as long as you have the right gear!) If so, a spring marathon might be a challenge, as most likely you'd have to start building your base in the cold months. On the other hand, maybe you can't commit to the weekend long runs in the summer- too many weddings, too many cabin weekends- I get it! If so, then a winter or spring marathon might be a better fit for you. Most training programs are about three months long with more time at the beginning to build a base if you're starting from scratch. Select your marathon accordingly based on when you want to do the training.

3. How much money do you want to spend? 
Some of the world majors like the NYC marathon are nearly $250 for registration. Add that to a potential flight and hotel and you may determine that a marathon like that is out of your budget. There are plenty of budget friendly marathons out there (Steamtown is one of my favorites, and it is only $85 for registration, and hotels are cheap in Scranton.) Do a little research into the associated costs for your selection and determine if a different marathon would fit better into your budget.

4. Consider your friends and family, a.k.a. your biggest fans! 
An expensive marathon might be within your budget, but what about your friends and family who want to be there to cheer for you at your first marathon? Selecting a local race or one closer to friends and family allows them to participate in your marathon as your biggest fan(s). After all, they supported you throughout all your training, this is their chance to partake in your joy!

Besides, cheering for a marathon is almost as much fun as running in one (like I wrote about HERE) so I guarantee your friends and family will want to be there on your big day.

5. Do you need large crowds to keep you going?
In 2012, Dustin and I ran the Marathon-to-Marathon, which went from a tiny town in Iowa called Storm Lake to an even tinier town in Iowa called Marathon.

There were only 200 marathoners at that race, and barely any fans. (Read all about that race HERE) Running a race that small can be mentally challenging for most, whereas the amazing crowds at a marathon like the Chicago Marathon or the Twin Cities Marathon might be a better fit for a first timer. The big crowds can really help you when you're struggling at the end!

Keep in mind, however, that most of the big marathons involve a lottery for entry. You may have to select a backup option in case you don't get into your first pick marathon.

6. Do you want really cool SWAG or gear? Do you need bands/music along the course?
If a really cool medal is important to you, check out THIS ARTICLE  and THIS ARTICLE for some of the best options.

The Rock n Roll marathons definitely go all out with the gear, so if that's important to you, try to find one of those that works for your schedule. They also have music and bands along the course. The Memphis Marathon that Dustin and I did in December 2012 (read about it HERE) was very music focused, and offered a lot of bands along the 26.2 mile course.

*Cool medal idea -The St. George Marathon medals are made out of granite!

7. Is it the natural beauty of a marathon location that keeps you going? 
If you're looking for a scenic route, I don't recommend the Rock n Roll marathons. The ones that I have done all included a lot of out-and-backs on concrete highways, such as in 2010 when we did the Rock n Roll Seattle Marathon (you'd think Seattle would be gorgeous!). If you want beauty, run the Big Sur marathon or St. George, Utah- those are definitely two of the most beautiful that I have ever run. Check out THIS LIST or THIS LIST for other gorgeous marathon courses to choose from.

Game face at the St. George Marathon

For more honest reviews of most, if not all, US marathons, check out www.marathonguide.com. We use this website to select our next marathon nearly every time.

I hope these tips help you select your FIRST (or next) marathon!

Any other factors that come into play for you when selecting your next 26.2 journey?

Fits Do Race Reviews: The Urban Wildland Half Marathon

Two Saturdays ago (August 2nd), I ran the Urban Wildland Half Marathon.

I “previewed” this race in THIS POST, and in THIS POST I talked about what I did to pump Erin up for the race.

Spoiler alert...Unfortunately, my sister didn’t reach her goal of running under two hours this time around, but I have all the confidence that she can do it next time! But it was just too hot and humid on race day. 

In fact, we were right on pace for the first 8 miles (9:10, 9:05, 9:14, 9:12, 9:18, 9:00, 9:06, 9:18…) but then she needed to walk a bit (and then I think she might have given up a little mentally. She agrees!)  I tried my hardest to keep her positive and be a good pacer, but it wasn't the day for a PR for her. The last five miles were significantly slower: 10:28, 10:22, 10:26, 10:33, 10:05.

We came across the finish line around 2:06, which wasn't what we'd hoped for, but I'm okay with it. I enjoyed running with her. We don’t get to see each other that often (she lives outside of Chicago). Running 13.1 miles together was a great opportunity for us to catch up, though  I did most of the talking, especially in those last 5 miles!

Anyways, the race itself is really a great half marathon. It starts at 7 am sharp at the Richfield Ice Arena. There were plenty of porta-potties there and water available as well at the start.

The Course:

The course is partially trail/dirt and partially pavement/residential. The parts through the nature preserves are nice and shaded. The course has a lot of twists and turns, which keeps it interesting. There are plenty of half marathons that are just an out-and-back (particularly along Shephard Road in St. Paul <-- here's looking at you, Team Ortho) and those courses can be a little tough mentally. But this course was much, much better. Highly recommend it.

Support:

I was actually surprised by the number of people cheering along the course. People came out with sprinklers (so refreshing) and signs, which is impressive for a half marathon in the ‘burbs. There were also plenty of support stops with both water and Gatorade.

Finish Line:

The fresh oranges at the finish line are the things dreams are made of! Or at least, the dreams of runners during a hot race. They were so good.  

There was also water, Gatorade, and cookies. The finisher's shirts were handed out at the finish and you could quickly look up your official results too.

Even though the weather isn't generally on my side, I still recommend this half marathon. It's a good one!  I will be back next year. See you there??

Fits Do Race Reviews: The Esprit De She 5k

Last Thursday, I ran the Esprit de She 5k at 50^th/France in Edina

This 5k is for women only. Its co-sponsored by Lifetime and Athleta. I ran this last year, which was the first year of the race. That makes me a “founding finisher!”

(You can read last year’s review here.)

The race definitely grew from last year. It was capped at 2,500 runners this year…I’m not sure what the cap was last year, but if felt WAAAYY bigger this year, and there was a whole lot more going on!

Registration:

Let me start at the beginning- registration.

I actually registered several months ago, and I received a packet in the mail. I just assumed the packet included my bib, so I set it aside…Then when I volunteered to pick up packets for a few friends, and didn’t pick up my own, since I still assumed it was in that packet…well, it wasn’t!  All that was in the packet was a "bonus" tank top for early registration. Don't get me wrong, the tank is great and all, but I needed my bib!

The problem was that packet pickup was on Tuesday at the Athleta store until 8 pm, and I realized I didn’t have a bib around 8:30 on Tuesday night...

There was one other option though, and that was packet pickup on race day. THANKFULLY, my dear friend Abby was able to get out of work early enough on race day and pick up both of our packets that day. Whew!

SWAG:

We all received an Athleta bag full of coupons and discounts, but the nicest piece of swag was the Athleta tank pictured below:

The Start Line

We met at my house and took a scenic route to the race along Lake Harriet as a warm-up. By the time we got to the start, we had three miles under our belts, and we were all parched! The kind people at the medical tents gave us a few water bottles, as there didn’t appear to be any other water around... Then we pushed our way through the line-dancing/Zumba/warm-up that was going on, and we found ourselves pretty close to the start line. It was interesting that no women were toeing the line. Why are we all so timid?

The Race

After the national anthem, there was a quick countdown, and then we were racing!  The course was an out-and-back through the Edina neighborhood surrounding 50^th/France. There were some rolling hills, and the temps were high (I was SOO sweaty afterwards) but a nice course. There was a support stop, though I didn’t use it. My one complaint about the course is the same as last year- since it’s an out-and-back, there were a lot more people still coming “out” when I headed “back” and they were crowding the course. There were cones set up to divide the lanes, but it wasn’t working very well. It was a little chaotic on the "back," and I can only imagine a little farther back in the pack, it might have been worse. 

At the same time, I did like this out and back though for a 5k as I was able to cheer for my friends as I saw them. In fact, one former member of my run club, Julie Running (yes, her last name is Running and she’s a great runner!) actually won this 5k by a landslide. She was so far ahead of everyone else, it was almost comical! But I was also able to cheer for Kelly, Abby, Ellen, and Gina as they came back and I went “out”.  

This race was also really walker/beginner friendly. In fact, it was a bit of an ego boost to be so far ahead of the rest of the participants (I think I was 48th out of 2500 runners). 

Even better, I do think I might have set a  PR, which hasn’t happened in a LONG time. My goal was to run 23 minutes, and my official time was 22:59. Just barely squeaked in but I did it! That time was 22 seconds better than last year (I ran a 23:21 last year). Its not much, but its an improvement, and I’ll take it! Honestly, I needed a little boost to my confidence, as its really been a long time since I set a PR. I know that 22:59 is not that fast compared to the majority of my running friends, but its fast-ish for me, and I was happy.

The After-Party

The after-party for this race was pretty impressive. 

All the stores at 50^th/France were having special sales. Steele Fitness had a wheel to spin, and I won a one-hour private training session! Each runner also received two drink tickets, and there was wine, champagne, or beer to choose from. 

Edina Grill also had turkey burgers for everyone. We actually passed on the turkey burgers, as we had already made plans to eat at Mozza Mia (their fig and prosciutto pizza is phenomenal!)  We still hhung around the after-party for a little while. 

Athleta was giving away my favorite hair ties! Score!

Eventually we made it to Mozza Mia and had a great meal with ladies, and then we walked the mile or so back to my house afterwards.

Overall Rating:

I give this 5k an 8/10.  I think the start line was a little crazy, and I think they should add a 7 minute pace staging group at the start. 2500 people is a lot of people, so maybe they can try to encourage people to really line up in the right staging area. I also think the out-and-back course was a little chaotic. But the swag and the after-party were really fun, and I definitely enjoyed “racing” a shorter distance.

Fits on the Road: Hiking in Willow River State Park

Go USA/Happy 4th of July- I definitely dressed the part today for work, donning every piece of red/white/blue I own. Overboard? Failed Fit?  I also enjoyed a red/white/blue bomb pop at the office as part of the soccer viewing activities. So good...

Are you a big soccer fan? I will be honest that I am not, but a lot of my coworkers are, so its easy to get caught up in the excitement.

So let me change topics here from soccer to hiking!

Last Sunday, we took advantage of the gorgeous summer weather and drove to Willow River State Park. Located in Hudson, Wisconsin, this park is about a 45 minute drive from Minneapolis. My friend Vicki (an avid hiker with lots of good advice!) had told us we should check this park out with Matilda, particularly because of the cool waterfall there. 

The daily fee to enter the park was $10, and the park ranger gave us a helpful map of the trails upon arrival. We drove about five minutes into the park before we parked our car and headed out for a hike. 

The trail we took was about 2 miles long to get to the waterfall. It was mostly shaded and had nice views of the nearby lake.

We could definitely hear the waterfall before we could see it; with all the recent rainfall, it was really moving fast!

Vicki had told me that they went swimming by the falls when she was at this park last summer, but the water was just too wild to swim this year. There were a few brave souls wading in the shallow areas on the sides, but most people just hiked around the water for the view. I'd love to come back when we could swim there!

Matilda seemed to enjoy her first waterfall.

A family photo at Willow River State Park.

I posted HERE with some tips for hiking with your dog. As a reminder, we are always sure to bring plenty of water for her. We also checked her for ticks afterwards, in addition to using Frontline.

More recently, we have to be sure to keep an eye out for the blue-green algae that has been blooming on some Minnesota lakes. Read this article for more information on what you should be looking out for. This algae is highly toxic to dogs, so you really want to be sure to avoid it. There were signs up at the park warning patrons of this algae in standing waters, so we did not let Tilda get in the water.

The trails we walked were all very easy. There were some more challenging trails in the park, but we only had limited time. We will have to come back to check out more of this cool state park. The campsites looked pretty nice too, so we discussed potentially camping here for a night as well this summer.

More things to add to my Minneapolis Summer Bucket List!

Have you been to Willow River? Did you go swimming in the pools by the falls?