Warrior Dash Race Recap - Rockin' Refuel Team

I am so glad that when Rockin' Refuel reached out to me a few weeks ago about the possibility of running in the Warrior Dash that I said YES!

Talk about a fun and muddy race!

If you've never heard of the Warrior Dash before, you need to check it out. And if the thought of signing up for a mud run has ever crossed your mind, even if just for a split second, then you need to sign up for one right now. Seriously, go find one and sign up now! 

The Warrior Dash is a 5k filled with obstacles and mud. Lots of mud. 

The day of the race the entire team met at my place so we could carpool to Crawfordsville, IN which is about an hour away from us. When we arrived we were able to quickly find parking, pick up our race packets and bib numbers, put away our stuff, and head on over to the Rockin' Refuel booth for our pre-race photos! 

After that we headed over to the start line and waited for our heat to start. We were the only people at the starting line along with a couple of other runners so we weren't sure if we arrived late. After the race announcer made us all do burpees, we were off and on our way to be covered in mud!

The first mile of the race was nothing but hiking through the woods. This sounds easy but it was almost impossible to run because it rained the night before and everything was so slippery, muddy, and uneven. 

Most of the obstacles on the course were totally doable - climbing over mud mounds, crawling through trenches, running (mostly walking) through the super muddy woods, and sliding into a pool of mud. And others were a bit harder - climbing ropes, climbing over walls, and completing obstacles in heavy rain. 

I think my favorite obstacle had to have been "Goliath" which was a huge slide that went straight into a pool of mud! My friend and I went down hand in hand and figured that it wasn't going to be that deep. We were wrong! We went all the way under and came up muddier than we were before, if that was even possible.

Once we crossed the finish line we headed over to the Rockin' Refuel booth to refuel! We chose to drink a delicious ice cold Muscle Recovery Chocolate drink that tasted exactly like chocolate milk! (click here to see all of the other tasty products and flavors)

After we refueled, we hit the showers, met up with our team, and hung out at the after party. 

Thanks again for an awesome day, Rockin' Refuel!

Disclaimer: My team and this blog post are sponsored by Rockin' Refuel. As always, all opinions are entirely my own.  

A Muddy Opportunity

I have been a fan of obstacle races ever since I ran in the Run For Your Lives 5k a few years ago. Something about the thrill of racing combined with the fun of getting as dirty as possible, climbing over obstacles, jumping through fire, and crawling under barbed wire is just fun to me. 

The Warrior Dash has always been on my racing bucket list and a few days ago my friends at Rockin' Refuel reached out to me with an amazing opportunity to race in an upcoming event in Indiana. In addition to sponsoring myself, they also agreed to sponsor 5 of my friends! 

I am so excited to check this race off of my bucket list! If you haven't heard of the Warrior Dash before or are looking for a fun obstacle race, check out the list of race locations and see if there is one near you.

I can't wait to share my experience and race photos with you all!

Disclaimer: I received this product free of charge in exchange for advertisement through the use of social media, race recaps, and interviews with local broadcast stations. As always, all opinions, are entirely my own. 

Chase Charlie 5K

Each year on family weekend the university hosts a 5k race called Chase Charlie. Charlie Cardinal is our school's mascot and he always begins the run! He doesn't finish it though, just runs a few yards. I mean, I can't blame him - I would never be able to run in that costume, especially with those huge feet!

Before the race I met up with a guy from the running club so we could run it together. I only ran twice the week before the race so I wasn't sure how I was going to feel while running but I did feel pretty good, despite going to bed after 1 a.m. the night before and having to wake up at 7! (bad idea)

I finished the race in 27:20 (Garmin time) for a pace of 8:49. Since I hadn't ran in so long, my goal for the race was to have a sub 9 mile pace and I did it!

After the race we rushed back to my apartment so I could shower and get all cleaned up for a Dean's List Recognition Ceremony. My mom (who also came to the race, hence the awesome pics!), my dad, and my dad's girlfriend, Liz, all came to the ceremony. My sister came and ate the cookies that were served before hand and then headed out.

(mom & dad)

(dad & Liz)

(Stephanie & I)

I'm really glad they were all able to make it, especially because they all had over an hour drive. I really don't know why I always schedule races the days that I have something else to go to immediately after. After my half-marathon, I had to go home and shower and go straight to a wedding! Talk about craziness. Hopefully after my next half nothing important pops up!

Question

Do you ever make plans after a big race or do you like to relax the rest of the day?

Run For Your Lives Race Recap

As you all know, over the weekend I was able to participate in the Run For Your Lives 5k! The race took place at Boonestown Farm - the perfect place for a creepy, zombie infested run!

If you remember, I had told you all that my mom was going to strap a GoPro recorder on me to record the race. Well she did strap me up with the camera but she didn't have it turned on! Fail! She still managed to get some awesome shots of the race.

As soon as the race began we all ran out and a huge pack of zombies was waiting for us! We all sprinted our hearts out and then sighed a sigh of relief when we realized that they weren't everywhere - they just came in packs randomly throughout the race. I didn't know anyone in my group but quickly found some people that knew my mom and ran with them. It was neat to see everyone form packs and take on the zombies all at once!

There were several different obstacles throughout the race. Packs of zombies were the main one! Other things we had to do were monkey bars, crawl under barbed wire, go through a dark house that was full of wires that put off a small electric shock if you grabbed them, go through mud puddles, jump over walls, and walk waist deep through rivers. At first all of that sounds scary but trust me, it was a blast.

Mom also managed to capture a picture of me doing the final obstacle of the race. Climbing a wooden wall to get to a slide that went into a "blood" pit - can you tell I am happy that I have almost completed the race as a survivor? Once I get out of the blood pit I will have to tackle one last batch of zombies and crawl under wire to complete the race!

And I did it! I survived! Only one other person in my group had survived and the other two had transformed into zombies! It took about an hour and a half to complete the entire course. We walked and did cool obstacles more than we ran but when we ran, we ran for our lives!

We were able to take pictures in the cool zombie infested booth that RFYL had set up.

At the end of the race they handed out our t-shirts. I was so thankful that they put them in plastic bags so we wouldn't get them all wet and muddy! They also had outdoor showers there for us to clean off in. If you ever plan on doing the RFYL race remember to bring a towel! It completely slipped my mind so I had to sit in wet clothes for an hour on the drive home.

If you think this race sounds amazing then you should definitely look into running one! There are numerous locations all across the U.S. and there may be one near you! :)

On a side note: the headband I am wearing in the pictures above is a Rockin' Ribbons Headband! I did not have to readjust it once throughout the entire race. From jumping over walls to going through water, it stayed put. You can check them out HERE.

Disclaimer: I received a free entry into the RFYL race in return for advertisement before the race and a race recap after. All opinions are always my own.

Question

Would you ever be interested in doing a race like this?
 

Run For Your Lives (Countdown)

Do you guys remember me talking about the Run For Your Lives 5k race I am doing? Well it's this weekend and I couldn't be more excited! My mom and her friend are going to pick me up from school and then we are going to head down to the race. My mom just bought a new car so she was definitely sure to inform me to bring extra clothes so I don't get it all muddy ;)

(photo source)

The other exciting thing about this race is that I am going to be video-recording the entire thing while I am running it! My mom is a photographer so she is all into the techy, photo equipment. She has a special water, mud, and shock proof camera that she is going to attach to me! I think it will be so fun to capture the race, jumping through obstacles, and running away from zombies! I will be sure to share some video with you guys.

Anyways, what are your suggestions for what I should wear?! I am going to be getting super muddy and wet and this is my first race like that!

If you are interested in running a Run For Your Lives 5k race, check out all the info here. You can also read my full review of the race.

Question

What is the muddiest, dirtiest race you have ever ran? Have you ever ran in the Run For Your Lives race?

Run For Your Lives

Are you an avid runner or do you only run when you're being chased?

I am a huge fan of the The Walking Dead, which is a horror-drama television series about a group of people fighting for their lives in a world of flesh-eating zombies. When I was watching the season finale a few weeks ago I saw a commercial for a 5k race called Run For Your Lives.

Running and The Walking Dead? Count me in.

(Photo Source)

This race is infested with zombies and obstacles that test your speed, strength, and wit. Each runner wears flags ("lives") on their belt and if they cross the finish line with at least 1 life then they are a survivor, if the zombies get all of their lives then they transform into a zombie. The main obstacles are a blood pit, smoke house, and a maze but there are other natural obstacles like mud holes, etc. I am the most nervous about the smoke house. A dark house filled with zombies scares me!

The photo gallery on the race website shows people running through rivers, covered in mud, climbing up ropes, crawling under barbed wire, and running from zombies. I think the race will be similar to a Tough Mudder but with the added bonus of running for your life.

Do you hate running but still want to be a part of the race? You can sign up to be a zombie! The Run For Your Lives crew will give you a professional zombie transformation by doing your make-up and shredding your clothes! Zombies even get a few added perks like free parking and camping.

Now you can't tell me that seeing that zombie won't make you run a little bit faster. I know it would make me sprint the entire race!

I am signing up for the race in Indianapolis, IN and you should sign up for a race near you too! You can find the complete list of race locations, learn more about how the race works, and check out the after party details on the Run For Your Lives website. Just the fact that this race is different from your normal 5k race makes me want to do it! Color runs are fun but zombie runs? It can't get much better.

Disclaimer: In return for writing this review I am receiving a discount on my race entry, however all opinions are entirely my own.

Question

Have you ever heard of the Run For Your Lives 5k race? 

What is the craziest, most original race you have ever done?

Prayers for Boston

I don't know how to explain how I felt when I found out the news about the explosions at the Boston Marathon today. Because I am a runner I felt like it touched me a little bit more. And the fact that I had just finished a run without any injuries, pain, or suffering made me feel guilty.

For some people the race is a tradition and they run it every year, for others their dream of running in such an amazing race came true and this was their first time participating. I cannot imagine what those running today felt when they were so close to finishing a race they have been training for for months, some even years, all to be over with just like that.

I cannot imagine being able to celebrate after completing the race when some families are now without their loved ones. Knowing that most of the people who were injured or killed were spectators saddens me. They were there to support and cheer on their loved ones. As a runner I know that my support group is so crucial to my training and without them I don't know if I could push myself as much as I do. Knowing that a member of my family was hurt cheering me on would break my heart. I cannot imagine why someone would want to do such cruel things to a group of people.

All I do know is that as runners, we have to stand up. We can't stop running just because of the acts of one person. We have to keep doing what we love for those we love and for those who lost their lives at the Boston Marathon today. We need to take a second to pray and send our thoughts to the families who are suffering.

5k Race for Hunger Recap

Last weekend I signed up for a small 5k race in my hometown. One of the fraternities at Indiana Tech was hosting a 5k race to raise money for St. Mary's Soup Kitchen. I don't know exactly how many people were there but there were around 50 which I thought was a good turn out for a cold, Saturday morning. Pretty much everyone there was around my age and there were also a few older adults that ran making for some good competition. The worst part about this race was the temperature outside. It had been super warm all week so I had packed clothes for warmer running temps - little did I know it would be 30 some degrees and windy that morning! My hands were mighty cold.

I signed up for this race for a few different reasons:

1) I haven't raced since last fall and thought it would be good to get another race under my belt before the half-marathon.
2) The race was for a good cause and didn't cost an arm and a leg to enter
3) Free t-shirt! (this is what I am always most excited about when it comes to races)

I had told my mom when I signed up for the race that she had to go with me. I think she forgot about it because Saturday morning I dragged her out of bed for the race! She was happy with her hot Starbucks coffee and camera though! (My mom also wrote a review of the race, check it out here)

My Garmin time ended up being 25.59! I am happy with this time because I was running into the wind for a good portion of the race which made it a bit of a challenge. And not to mention that my hands were numb for half of the race (not that that has anything to do with time, it was just painful!)

The best part about this race? I won first place in my age group! This is also my first plaque ever! I have a handful of ribbons and medals but no plaques so this is a fun one to add to the collection.

And here are the winners from all the age groups. Doesn't the guy in the blue look so excited to have won?

After the race I went home and put on my ProCompression Marathon Socks to help with recovery! I am seriously in love with them! See my full review of the socks here.

And speaking of ProCompression socks, the winner of the ProCompression Marathon Socks giveaway is Julie M! Julie I am e-mailing you, be sure to check your inbox and spam folders just incase.

If you didn't win the giveaway you can still use the promo code SOMF4 to receive 40% off and free shipping on any baby blue or purple pair of ProCompression socks throughout April!


* All photos taken by Michelle Davies of Michelle Davies Photography

Question

Have you ever under or over dressed for a race?

Putting Training on Hold

On Tuesday I went to take a half hour nap and woke up 4 hours later, yesterday I had a killer headache, and today I woke up feeling like complete crap.

Because of this I am putting the half-marathon training on hold.

I feel awful doing that because this week I was really going to step up the training and make sure to do everything exactly like I have planned out on the training schedule but haven't had the energy to do so.The last time I felt sick like this and continued running I ended up having a fever for a week so I am worried that it could happen again!

Not doing anything for a few days will make me feel like all the progress I have made with my paces will go to waste. I don't want to be walking across the finish line of the half-marathon, I want to run across it and not feel completely dead.

 (Source)


I have 6 weeks and 2 days left until the race and I have read about people training for races in 4 weeks so I feel like I will be ok. I have already done a few really long runs so I feel like I have a good base but I haven't ran 13 miles on any of them so I hope to get this done soon.

Until I feel better I am putting up my racing shoes and taking a break. I am going to focus on eating healthier and drinking tons of water in an effort to stay healthy this next month and a half. I also know that the last week of April (a few days before the race) I will barely have enough time to train as it is finals week and I will be packing up to move but this is a tapering week so I should be ok. I will be looking for people to guest post that week so if you are interested keep an eye out for that!

T-Shirts

The other day on the blog I announced that the t-shirts I am selling for my aunt's fundraiser are ready to be sold! So if you haven't done so yet please check them out and consider purchasing one to help raise ovarian cancer awareness! You can find more info about the shirts and the giveaway that goes along with them by clicking here. To buy a shirt please click HERE. There are only a few days left until the offer is over!

Question

What are some tips that you have for staying healthy while training?

Half Marathon Training Plan

It's officially half marathon training time!

I have spent some time putting together various different training plans and finally found one that would work well with my busy schedule while allowing me to pack on the miles. The race is about 13 weeks away and I couldn't be more excited. I have doubts some days that I won't be able to run 13.1 miles but I think the long runs are really going to help and are the most important part of the training.

On the days I don't run I am going to do other forms of activity. I am going to get in either 30 minutes of circuit training or cross training (ie. elliptical, stair master, bike), incorporate some strength training either upper or lower body depending on the day, and do some stretching.

I am currently on Week 2 of training and completed 6 miles earlier today. I had to run them on the treadmill but I felt great the entire time. It wasn't until around mile 4.5 that I felt some pain but I pushed through it. I ran at a 9:30 pace for a majority of the run and ran at 9:15 pace every now and then.

Have you ever ran a half marathon? Did you follow a training plan?

Wishful Thinking

Today was absolutely beautiful outside with a high of 68. Yes, you read that right, it was sixty-eight degrees in December. I enjoyed every minute of the warm weather when I was outside walking to classes and during my run but personally it feels weird being completely comfortable in shorts and a t-shirt outside at this time of the year. All I know is that I want snow for Christmas. That may be wishful thinking but Christmas just isn't Christmas without snow.

This week I am planning on making up my marathon training schedule. As of tomorrow, the mini-marathon is 5 months away! I have never ran that far before, so I assume that getting started a little bit earlier and adding on the mileage will help out in the long run (long run, get it? haha).

On Tuesdays I normally do a track workout with the other members of Run Club but club now meets at 4 and I am still in class at that time. Because I ran both yesterday and today I am thinking about hitting up the machines at the rec center tomorrow. My workouts are normally all free weights, cardio, or body weights only so I think that using machines will be a good change.

Workout

Today I enjoyed a nice 3.7 mile run outside. This is the first time I actually felt good working out since my fever last week. I am still taking my medicine, although I often forget to take it 3 times a day and only do twice, but hopefully this sickness is over with.

Also, the workout log has been updated and I added a new link at the top to the workouts so they are all in one place. As I post new workouts, I will link them all in there!

Are you happy without snow on Christmas or does snow make the holiday more enjoyable for you?

Galloping Gobbler 2012

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving spending time with friends and family! My Thanksgiving break was filled with fun activities, some running, and some light traveling.

To kick off the holiday my brother and I did the Galloping Gobbler 4 miler walk/run. I tried talking numerous people into doing the race with me but most of them had to get ready for Thanksgiving festivities. My brother, Chris, decided to walk it because he hasn't ran in months (maybe even years). Even though he didn't run with me I'm still glad he came! Also, I was super excited about my bib number because the number 3 is my favorite number! Maybe it was my good luck charm? :)

Being 8am on Thanksgiving morning, we just had a few fans who came to support us. Luckily for them, the weather was nice and it was pretty sunny out. My cousin from San Diego came to visit for the holidays and came to support us!

My sister was also there cheering us on!

It always means a lot to have support at races, even if they can only see you start and finish.

Race Results

The first time I ran this race was back in 2010 with some of my family members. When I ran it two years ago I finished with a time of 47:19, which is horrrrrible! I'm even embarrassed to say it. Thanks to the internet I was able to easily look up my time for that race in order to compare it with this year's, and I am really impressed with my improvement. In 2011 I didn't do the race because I was still recovering from my leg surgery and was not up for running that far.

This year I finished with a time of 36:22 with an average pace of 9:24! I am much more happier with that time and can tell all of my running is paying off. I was in the top 50 out of more than 200 runners for my age group! There were over 3,000 runners there total and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves! We started running on the college campus and then headed into a cemetery that was full of HILLS, where we were for a good portion of the race. Most of my runs lately have all been on flat surfaces as there aren't any good hills to run on in my area. I was hurting at some parts but was able to push through it and make it up all of the hills.

 

Workout

When I woke up today my throat was sore and my head was throbbing so I took some cold medicine and crawled back into bed until class. Later in the day I felt a little better so I decided to go on a run that was a little over 4 miles. When I started running I was hurting everywhere and had to do a run/walk combo for my workout. I am glad that I made myself run but now I am headed off to take a warm shower and grab some soup for dinner!


Did you take part in any holiday runs/walks this year?