Napa Valley Half Marathon…All The Wine!

Disclaimer: I received free entry into the Napa Valley Half Marathon as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

Winter is always rough, especially when you go to work when it’s dark and come home when it’s dark. You get no sun and, for my entire life, I’ve lived in places where snow is involved. These days, I try and get out of the cold and to somewhere nicer. Come March of 2019, I’ll be making my way to Napa Valley for the Napa Valley Half Marathon. Somehow, California’s become a hot spot for me in the early part of the year, and next year will be no different.

What I’m looking forward to is a race that’s all downhill (I’m one of those who likes to know what I’m getting myself into). Don’t believe me? Take a look below. What’s more exciting is this is the first year for the half marathon distance for the race.

I’m also looking forward to spending some time in wine country itself. I’m hoping to get to some wineries while there and do some tours.  I’m sure that Visit Napa Valley  will become my best friend come early next year. I’m also taking suggestions if you’ve ever been!

If you register soon, you can get an in training shirt for a limited time. Currently the half is $100 and the full is $125. I’m still waiting on discount codes for this one so hang tight and follow me on social media (CGinPNW for IG and Twitter)!

Bibrave Product Review: Rudy Sunglasses

Disclaimer: I received a pair of Rudy Rydon Sunglasses to review as part of being a BibRave Pro and the film Godspeed. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

Now that Washington State has decided to skip most of spring and start heading into summer, it mean’s I’m in all out Triathlon Training and spending a bunch of time outside. Earlier this year, I had the chance to preview Godspeed, that was produced in conjunction with the Rudy Project. I also was sent a pair of Rydon Sunglasses, which have been awesome while on the bike training the past few weeks.

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Getting my bike on and using my @rudyprojectna glasses in the Spokane sun! Don’t forget, 8 Days (May 22) until #godspeed is in theaters! You have what it takes to bike across the US? #bibchat #endurance #godspeedBR

A post shared by Christine (@cgrunstheworld) on May 14, 2018 at 1:41pm PDT

 

So far, I’ve used them in quite a few half marathons and on the trails while biking (and attempting to not fall off my own bike). The sunglasses have photochromic clear lenses that adjust to light depending on how bright it is outside. I’ve worn them when it’s partially sunny out vs days where there’s not a cloud in the sky and they adjust. Be prepared, though, that they won’t get super dark though like some other sunglasses

Celebrating @Godspeedcycling release with a 14 mile bike ride with my @RudyProjectNA sunglasses! Only 2.5 hrs until it releases on the west coast! #bibchat #runchat #endurance #godspeedbr #godspeed #Endurance pic.twitter.com/1trFmAeJrh

— Christine G. (@CGinPNW) May 22, 2018

How fast do these guys change colors? Try about 10 seconds. Mine went from clear to grey, though there are others that go to red or brown; just get your tail and sunglasses into natural or UV light!. They’re super light weight, which makes it so you tend to forget about them (until you go inside and you’re looking through something clear and not grey). There’s also a bumper on the lower part of the sunglasses that’s removable. Me personally, I tried both with and without the bumper and am enjoying sans bumper).

Not a runner? Take a look at they Rydon page and figure out which lenses work best for which sports. Who knew different colored lenses worked better for different sports?! Overall, I’m a fan. They’re adaptable and a good investment to have.

Be sure to catch some Godspeed Cycling movie and let me know what you think of the movie and the sunglasses! Want your own pair? 30% off with GODSPEED!

Bibrave Movie Review: GODSPEED

Disclaimer: I received an opportunity to see and review GODSPEED prior to it being released in theaters as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

In the PNW, it’s finally deciding to warm up. It decided to go from 40s/50s to the 70s in 30 seconds (or a few days), but I’m not complaining! I’m in the mist of Ironman Training and most of biking has been my Peloton since the weather hasn’t been cooperating as of late. Normally I come on and talk about races I’ve run or products I’ve tested, but we were presented with a unique chance to catch a sneak peak of GODSPEED, The Race Across America. If you think running a marathon or doing an Ironman is difficult, try biking across America (I’m pretty sure this beats out an ultra marathon). I watched the movie a few weeks ago, but feel like I needed some time to really think about the movie

The Background

GODSPEED follows two cyclists (Jerry Schemmel and Brad Cooper) as they ride as a 2 man team across the US as part of probably the longest Endurance event I’ve ever heard of, The Race Across America (think 3000 miles). The catch? Competing against other 2 and 4 man teams to complete this sucker in 7 days. Mind Blown. Think about it, 3000 miles, 12 states, 170,000 feet of climb all in 9 days maximum. NINE  DAYS. Solo racers? You get a whole 12 days. Mind. Blown. On top of that, you’re dealing with the elements, an open course and trying to figure out where you’re at in relation to your competitors.

Who Does This

It sounds crazy, and likely something I wouldn’t do. But, there are crazy endurance junkies out there, so Kudos to them! Schemmel and Cooper ride as a team supporting Enduring Hope, an organization with goals to build orphanages in Haiti.

Take Aways

If you’re looking to see what some grit, team work/camaraderie, strength and a little bit of faith can do, go see this movie. There are some spots where the faith/Christianity theme is obvious, but it’s not overwhelming (think a prayer or two trying to get the two cyclists through the race).

My Thoughts

Overall, a well done movie. I don’t want to give away who wins, who finishes, who doesn’t, etc, but for any endurance buff, this is a good movie to go and see. To see what goes into something that’s a pretty decent sized endurance event is insane. You’re on the edge of your seat trying to figure out which 2 person team will win, will any 2 person team beat 4 person teams, who will finish, who doesn’t. Expect some twists and turns, some correct turns, coupled with some missteps and circumstances (like weather and mechanical issues) out of the riders control. Faith weaves its way into the film, but it’s not intense or overpowering.

Interested? Not Convinced? Take a look at the teaser

GODSPEED comes to theaters on May 22, 2018. Tickets are on sale through Fathom Events. To find a location and purchase tickets, head over here and get on board!

RUNCRANDIC Race Week!

Disclaimer: I received free entry to Run CRANDIC as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming aBibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

Race week is here for RUNCRANDIC! Not signed up yet?! What are you waiting for??? Be sure to sign up before 11:59 CST tonight online so you don’t miss all the fun (and Bibrave18 saves you 10%).

Now that we’ve gotten the hurry up and register before you miss out on this inaugural race, here’s some things to be on the look out for this weekend!

Not quite there in terms of being ready to run? Volunteer! We’re still looking for some help in terms of packet assembly, packet pick up, aid stations, parking and traffic control. Wonder how to sign up? Take a gander at these websites. We’ll love you more for it@

• Johnson and Washington County United Way
• United Way of East/Central Iowa

The fun stuff. Some shake out runs are happening on Saturday (4/28/2018). There’s a group meeting in Cedar Rapids and from Iowa City (I have a feeling I’m going to see a lot of Kinnick Stadium this weekend). If you’re in town/local or just looking for something to do, come run with us!

The Logistics 

Packet pick up happens Friday and Saturday. Can’t make it to the expo? Someone can pick up your bib it up for you

Friday, April 27: 12:00pm-9:00pm at  Robert A. Lee Recreation Center, Iowa City

Saturday, April 28: 12:00pm-7:00pm at NewBo City Market, Cedar Rapids. Also be on the look out for the Expo (same location) with a pre race party

Sunday, April 29: NO MARATHON RACE DAY PICK UP! The half marathon pick up will start at 630 at the University of Iowa Community Credit Union. The 5K pick up starts at 730 AM at Northwest Junior High in Coralville

And what’s a race without a party! Post race party all day (or at least from 10A-6P) at Big Grove Brewery in Iowa City.

RunCRANDIC has provided some useful information for runners and spectators, as there’s good information about parking, the weekend, start times, etc.

Photos: FREE downloads available after the race (give them a few days post race to get them up). But they’re FREE!

Be sure to follow RunCRANDIC on social media. They’re providing updates on Twitter and Facebook.

 

 

Bibrave Product Review: Weav App

Disclaimer: The WEAV Run app is currently free but I will be receiving a lifetime subscription in January 2018 as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro(ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

If you’ve been in a situation where you’ve been trying to adjust your tempo while running, here’s something new for you. Weav Run is an app that’s fairly new on the market that was developed to adapt songs to your cadence or whenever your foot hits the ground to match the beat to your step. Pretty fancy huh?

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The multitude of speeds of music based on your speed on the @weavrun app. Used it tonight on my run and manually set it! #bibchat #runchat #weav #weavrun

A post shared by Christine (@cgrunstheworld) on Dec 1, 2017 at 8:01pm PST

Weav itself has beats ranging from 100-240 beats/minute, which works out to be perfect for remixing music. Within the app, you can either have the app detect your tempo and adjust the music based on your tempo or you can adjust the tempo yourself depending on how you feel. Being a few days post marathon, I’m in the adjust your own tempo ballpark.

Indoor vs Outdoor runs: initially, the app was only programed for outdoor recorded runs. Within the past week, magic has been done and there’s now an option for indoor runs on the treadmill…or dreadmill! This is a win for the people of the Inland NW!

Music Availability: currently, 25 songs are available with more in the works. Part of what’s being worked on is comprehensive licensing for more songs. What would be awesome if there was some way for the app to read your own playlists to remix songs already downloaded

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Messing around with the @weavrun app at home in prep for my next run (read I should have done hat earlier than 5 minutes before the start of the @seattlemarathon half). Being able to adjust the song tempo is going to be huge when I feel like I need to pick up the pace! #bibchat #runchat #weavrun

A post shared by Christine (@cgrunstheworld) on Nov 27, 2017 at 6:36pm PST

iPhone vs Android: currently only available on the iPhone, sorry Android users! The hope is to get the iPhone app ironed out and have an Android app down the line

Recorded Runs: I haven’t tried this part out yet, but it definitely works. You also can connect your runs to Strava. Like they say, if it’s not on Strava, it didn’t happen 😉

Subscription: Currently free, though after the new year, will be subscription based

I’ve tried the app a few times on the road and a few times on the treadmill. Be sure to try outside first so the app can detect your tempo. They have some catchy songs already on board, but I think it’d be fun to be able to use the app the mix up your own songs on the app. I feel like it can drain the battery a little bit on my phone, which can limit how far I run with it, but that’s a minor detail. The app can be running and you can be answering phone calls or getting directions, etc pulled up on your phone. I also feel like I have to set the tempo faster to get the speed effect I want, but I’m all for that. Overall, It’s a fun app to have. I’m hoping I can use it for shorter runs and come up with my own interval type thing for the app. There’s also some fun stuff for the app coming down the pipe, that’s currently getting the kinks worked out.

Sound interesting? Join us for Bibchat with Weav on Dec 26, 2017 at 9 EST/6 PST! Also see how they come up with their music here

Bibrave Product Review: BOCO Head Gear

Disclaimer: I received an BOCO Gear Visor to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews

Hats and visors. I’m usually not a fan, just because I usually feel like I get a headache or some sort of odd sensation around the band site. That and I’m of the ‘less is more’ mindset, so the less I have to take with me and/or wear, the better. We were given the opportunity test some BOCO Gear Products so I figured I’d give it a shot. I ended up opting for the Visor, just because hats and I generally don’t get along.

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Smoke has cleared in the PNW which means I can run outside and not choke to death! Trying out the @bocogear visor today #bibchat #bocogear #runchat

A post shared by Christine (@cgrunstheworld) on Sep 12, 2017 at 4:16pm PDT

Earlier this summer, the PNW was dealing with fires, which meant in the Inland NW, we were dealing with all the smoke. It definitely prevented me from getting out and trying my visor initially, but once things cleared a bit, I was glad to be able to get some good runs in. The visor itself is light weight so you tend to forget about it. It’s also good if you wear sunglasses, because I found that it would hold them in place behind your ears. This last weekend, I was in Seattle for the Seattle Half Marathon and whenever people think Seattle, they think rain. We got rain at least 8 miles of the race and my visor did a decent job of keeping rain out of my face. I’ve done a few other races since having my visor and some have wind. My only concern is when there are wind gusts, I worry about it flying off (felt like at one point I was going to be chasing it across the street while running in Tucson and Phoenix).

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Seattle bound for the Seattle half marathon. Last race before the Dallas Marathon! Hoping my @bocogear Visor protects me from the rain #bibchat #runchat #bocogear

A post shared by Christine (@cgrunstheworld) on Nov 25, 2017 at 10:19am PST

Curious about the specifics of BOCO Gear Visors?

• Lightweight wicking woven or dry tech polyester outside
• wicking internal sweatband on the front inside to help with sweat
• Soft elastic band back
• Relaxed fit
• If you’re looking to do custom designs
• Black underside of the bill prevents glare

I’ll also say they’re quick to dry of sweat (or rain) when left out to dry. The website says that they can be machine washed, though the tag on mine says hand washing cold. The 360* visors have the soft elastic band in the back and can’t be adjusted (which is the one I have), though the run visors have the adjustable velcro in the back, which is a plus if you want to adjust sizes.  I didn’t test the trucker hat, but there were definitely pros that did. Still not convinced? Check out what some other Pros thought and join us for #bibchat on December 5th at 6 PST!

Jeannine     Lindsey      Amy W.

Check out BOCO Gear online as well!

Website       Facebook      Twitter       Instagram

Destination Races Santa Barbara: Race Week

Disclaimer: I received an entry to the Destination Races Santa Barbara to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

It’s race week! Who knew after a short work week (only 4 of my scheduled 7 days) that I’d probably need enough wine from the race to make up for it. Here’s some need to know information for Destination Races Santa Barbara

Registration: Register Online Through 5/11/2017 and save $10 with BIBRAVE10. Don’t forget, you gotta be 21 or over on race day to enjoy the wine at the finish!

Want to be a VIP: Upgrade and get:

• Personalized Race Bibs
• Express Packet Pick-Up at Expo with a VIP Gift
• Exclusive Warm-up, Stretching Zone, Private Restrooms, and Breakfast at Start line
• Transportation to Race Start from Select Pick-Up Locations
• Private Gear Check
• VIP Finish Line Tent, Recovery Brunch
• Charity Donation

Packet Pick Up

• May 11, 2017: 3-7 PM at Santa Barbara Running Company
• May 12, 2017: 12-6 PM at Solvang Visitor Center (1639 Copenhagen Dr, Solvang, CA 93463)

Welcome Reception: May 12, 2017 from 630-830 PM at the Kalyra Winery. Tickets are still available!

Runner Tracking: Get all Set up here!

Race Day: May 13, 2017

• 7 AM start time in Santa Ynez
• Post race Party (with wine!): 930-12 in Solvang Park

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bibrave Product Review: Ekiden Coaching

Disclaimer: I received a trial of Ekiden Coaching as part of being a BibRave Pro.  Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out www.bibrave.com to review, find and write race reviews.

Running Coaches. I’ve never had one in the however many years I’ve been running. When we were offered the chance to try out Ekiden Coaching, I was interested in trying it out. With just coming off of studying for my Internal Medicine Boards where my running was bare minimum and with working every other week, minimum 80 hrs, it seemed like something that would help me get ready for Honolulu in December.

Ekiden was started by Peter Duyan who was at a whole number of active sites before starting Ekiden. He’s joined by Mario Fraioli, the Head Coach, who was at Competitor Magazine prior to Ekiden and has worked with a number of high profile coaches and athletes. The idea? Help athletes reach their goals. Since not everyone can physically meet up with a running coach, they brought it online.

How It Works

1. When signing up, choose how long of a program you’re looking for depending on what race you’re looking at training for
2. Fill out their multi question questionnaire. Everything from training, to what you’re looking to improve and what your goals are
3. Look out for an email about what’s coming next
4. You’ll get a call from your coach, then your plan is adjusted for you!
5. Weekly training updates on line and daily texts coming your way!

My Experience

Pre Coach Jenny

The first few weeks were a little rocky, not going to lie. Ekiden is still new, Just started over the summer, so there were some kinks that needed worked out. I filled out all the online info and signed up like I was suppose to and then I didn’t hear anything. There were behind the scenes stuff that in turn, led to some of us not hearing anything. After a little frustration and things being reworked, I finally got assigned to Jenny M.

My first week however, she was out of town on vacay. I can’t fault anyone for taking vacations, so Mario ended uploading a schedule for me. In a sense, it was nice just because it gave me something to go off of and to figure out if it was something that I liked and wanted to continue. What I learned (more of confirmed what I already knew), is I like something mile based and not timed based. No two people are the same and some people love the time thing. I’m not one of them.

Post Coach Jenny Conversation

After I was finally able to connect with Jenny, things were finally going in the right direction. With my job, I work at least a week straight and (mostly) get a week off. In the weeks I work, long runs don’t happen. If you’re at a hospital 14 hours a day, getting up 3 hrs before you work for a long run isn’t going to happen. What we were able to work out is more of a macro plan for me, with the goal being for me to adjust around work as needed. If it means long runs get pushed to during my off week, that’s what ended up happening and I would send a message to Jenny. How you might ask? Either through the online message function or the text messaging capabilities of Ekiden. The other bonus is that she adjusted things based off prescheduled races (read Surf City 10 Miler a few weekends ago). Right now I’m in the mist of training for the Honolulu Marathon so I think we’re going in the right direction.

Thoughts

I’m still on the fence about running coaching in general (and it has absolutely NOTHING to do with Ekiden). I’m trying to figure out if it’s right for me, but I think seeing things through to Honolulu will definitely help things. I think Ekiden is definitely going in the right direction and spot on for a lot of people. The communication part of things when it comes to getting coaches assigned needs a bit of tweeking just so people aren’t left in the dark (some of us had 2 weeks of coaching before others even had a coach). Love the idea and can’t wait to see how this grows!

Want to try Ekiden: get a free month when you sign up for 3 months with Bibrave 16

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