tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19168711504997484682024-03-14T14:49:22.862-04:00fiveleveninetyRileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116982228825892049noreply@blogger.comBlogger959125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1916871150499748468.post-397251904021259982022-02-21T20:30:00.002-05:002022-02-21T20:30:00.205-05:00Race Review: Hilton Head Marathon 2022 π΄<div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b>Disclaimer:</b> I received an entry to the 2022 Hilton Head Marathon to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out <a href="http://BibRave.com">BibRave.com</a> to review find and write race reviews!</i></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgdmQ3TbTwtSRGmIGYooF4USeA4f-ITebqkDxuGOJd4GtmnXRlw7vCsb-UkvR60XQPR-EPjkNHUqxP7AKQfALJnxl6CHGdJ6neaXuJA1Rp5eZQuq0Gqa1GCbY2t6sDDgnO117oC9SHXMKK1gJPEfXMw1gy1NRYm1TsCXq7QwQFhwD6D-sYQ31BzRA=s2304" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="1728" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgdmQ3TbTwtSRGmIGYooF4USeA4f-ITebqkDxuGOJd4GtmnXRlw7vCsb-UkvR60XQPR-EPjkNHUqxP7AKQfALJnxl6CHGdJ6neaXuJA1Rp5eZQuq0Gqa1GCbY2t6sDDgnO117oC9SHXMKK1gJPEfXMw1gy1NRYm1TsCXq7QwQFhwD6D-sYQ31BzRA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Last weekend I had the privilege of traveling to Hilton Head, South Carolina to run in the Hilton Head Marathon with Team BibRave! Hilton Head was set to be my 20th state in my 50 marathons in 50 states journey, so it was sure to be a super special trip. This was going to be a quick 36 hour trip for me, so I tried to pack in as much as I could during my time in SC. I was traveling solo, but luckily I was able to meet up with my sister and two fellow BibRave Pros - Andy and KB - while I was there!</div><div><br /></div><div>I arrived on Friday afternoon around 2pm. As soon as I landed I picked up my rental car and headed over to the Palmetto Running Company where race packet pick up was taking place. Because this was a smaller race, it didn't host an expo or anything like that, so they hosted packet pick up at a local running store instead. It was actually quite a nice change of pace from my normal race experiences! I tend to run really large city races which basically require you to go to an expo to get your gear. I forgot what it's like to have a simple place to pick up your bib instead of having to build in a trip to an expo! Finding the store was really easy - about a 10 minute drive from the airport - and all I had to do was present my registration to the volunteer to pick up my packet! I was given bib #38 (which really clued me in as to how small the race would be lol) as well as an awesome puffer jacket as part of my race packet. Definitely one of the cooler pieces of participant race clothing I've gotten with a race registration!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKyJH4yl7pDuqVo6wF46sTrCxHuNkT04xy5PyacS1uHkcCtyMF4Lbdj4SnGniOd50XxuxA3MMSf1Bnz_EeiCTVi7wH6lrAYoVmVu6-XyiqXsXgywhLNanizcuS8Yde3m5YPE1u5V1iz0jo6-AA-tHrNheao9atTdta_1CHX55wbsdsyug9w1T8kg=s1800" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKyJH4yl7pDuqVo6wF46sTrCxHuNkT04xy5PyacS1uHkcCtyMF4Lbdj4SnGniOd50XxuxA3MMSf1Bnz_EeiCTVi7wH6lrAYoVmVu6-XyiqXsXgywhLNanizcuS8Yde3m5YPE1u5V1iz0jo6-AA-tHrNheao9atTdta_1CHX55wbsdsyug9w1T8kg=w512-h640" width="512" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjyi-OGqI3xL1yFv5iC5XJhQON-tYi4vPIxL6y0V66PQ3D2oGCBFKNuv94nBFxE2qvik5ErAYZilbbokaEMOwUrjhrPSvAYljcOohk_LasqCAwjZbZWHvUIahj7-jSwKCO4NjVU2pe4LwHLtLatJ6nYS-dNL-emuVlqT19MROP6NhYJK-rbJdx5Eg=s1800" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjyi-OGqI3xL1yFv5iC5XJhQON-tYi4vPIxL6y0V66PQ3D2oGCBFKNuv94nBFxE2qvik5ErAYZilbbokaEMOwUrjhrPSvAYljcOohk_LasqCAwjZbZWHvUIahj7-jSwKCO4NjVU2pe4LwHLtLatJ6nYS-dNL-emuVlqT19MROP6NhYJK-rbJdx5Eg=w512-h640" width="512" /></a></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZk6H6hAOV4HLRuFklQ7c2sAww_OaCyUw8sYE0PRQJUKN_dEjNyDMBxwGgTrwmClWEFrk8E-Us-xSb8A4kpLSM5VH_rSsOe-4Zr5pr1njIl_3mHHqDXUgIJWmDOYVqmGnnmBi9x6SeunxQuqS6VrsBdgtMlsPhexUMhEIWL-qJYtK0487VGWWgdA=s3088" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZk6H6hAOV4HLRuFklQ7c2sAww_OaCyUw8sYE0PRQJUKN_dEjNyDMBxwGgTrwmClWEFrk8E-Us-xSb8A4kpLSM5VH_rSsOe-4Zr5pr1njIl_3mHHqDXUgIJWmDOYVqmGnnmBi9x6SeunxQuqS6VrsBdgtMlsPhexUMhEIWL-qJYtK0487VGWWgdA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">I definitely forgot to take a pic of the coat while I was in SC, so here's a lil selfie of me wearing it while I type this post lol.</span></i></div><div><br /></div><div>After picking up my packet and dropping off everything at my AirBnB, I was able to meet with my sister, Andy, and KB at a local Italian restaurant for dinner called Pomodori (shout out to KB for arranging!). All of us were traveling solo so it was so nice to make arrangements to meet up and spend some time together. The food and company was so fantastic and a great way to start off the trip!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMLPSspeXR1Mlb-d_cqIPOSay3dZ3kNqJB7SJkKvfZUqtUFBP0Gijw9L2Jov76vUkZ2QuzUr5OFR9cGui6asFQPHSUOGSbEtRzUR3V13SvwNgD1WkOb7OmIsEi4SXJC3beTMUvF1Ru4_fcwbI_fpjRXWC35nZKXrkM_aSFp4SPK5rDQgno6uTAnA=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMLPSspeXR1Mlb-d_cqIPOSay3dZ3kNqJB7SJkKvfZUqtUFBP0Gijw9L2Jov76vUkZ2QuzUr5OFR9cGui6asFQPHSUOGSbEtRzUR3V13SvwNgD1WkOb7OmIsEi4SXJC3beTMUvF1Ru4_fcwbI_fpjRXWC35nZKXrkM_aSFp4SPK5rDQgno6uTAnA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I gave myself an early bed time as I was super duper exhausted from the travel, but not before laying out my traditional flat runner! I love being able to rock BibRave orange for races and this was my first BibRave race of 2022 which made things super exciting! We were looking at a chilly morning (mid-40s), but the temperatures were set to rise to the mid-high 60s throughout the race so I wanted to dress cool and comfortably. It was looking like perfect racing weather so I was looking forward to it!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPqRkaFfSfQiYxmGHm4EHLtVKBgGoP8Xct4hKe8ajimvB15qh1uFv6sX-c5SWBDu-DvKlY80AC2kCU9nUJMGjndgWpYQip9KQKK9yL5aYNDy4occbDtTr3PjoCuMp7iYpg8OM9WROxcp_gQxKu_FtyZfFlKK1NdcUGHSsd_b8KI2WCOZbO2I6X0g=s3484" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3484" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPqRkaFfSfQiYxmGHm4EHLtVKBgGoP8Xct4hKe8ajimvB15qh1uFv6sX-c5SWBDu-DvKlY80AC2kCU9nUJMGjndgWpYQip9KQKK9yL5aYNDy4occbDtTr3PjoCuMp7iYpg8OM9WROxcp_gQxKu_FtyZfFlKK1NdcUGHSsd_b8KI2WCOZbO2I6X0g=w556-h640" width="556" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I woke up around 5:15ish the next morning so I could start eating breakfast and getting ready for the race. I always like to give myself some extra time to get ready in the morning so I'm not feeling rushed and adding more stress to an already nerve wracking day. It doesn't matter how many times I've done it before - I'm always nervous the morning of a marathon! After eating, getting dressed, and giving Brett a call for a little pep talk, I was out the door and on the way over to the start line.</div><div><br /></div><div>I linked up with Andy and KB again and we all headed to the start line together. It was so great to have folks there with me to chat with and to help calm the pre-race jitters! Hanging out with these two was definitely the highlight of the trip. I always love hanging with fellow BRPs!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjvUHATn3Xo4qNDmB4XHQH7Yetnl3VCA1aVtec4ORMskSOCq8d3CsKICMpXt1m-qca1Z5gBXQWxBcSHyKzmJk-jLc7A2x_F1ZoYOL5xaZuDiC_DDQfxgUMOAtSR936bsx7GpFjYJ1ZotwewA7qS44PAbU5FTar60c2pQPkJIQyjdUy9AWSQt1u_DA=s1795" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1795" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjvUHATn3Xo4qNDmB4XHQH7Yetnl3VCA1aVtec4ORMskSOCq8d3CsKICMpXt1m-qca1Z5gBXQWxBcSHyKzmJk-jLc7A2x_F1ZoYOL5xaZuDiC_DDQfxgUMOAtSR936bsx7GpFjYJ1ZotwewA7qS44PAbU5FTar60c2pQPkJIQyjdUy9AWSQt1u_DA=w514-h640" width="514" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>After a quick warm up and bathroom break, it was time to line up for the start! Standing at the start line made me realize just how small this field of runners was. I did not find out until later but this marathon had less than 100 runners participating. I'm used to running marathons that have a couple hundred, if not a couple thousand participants, so this was definitely a change of pace for me. I was nervous that I was going to spend a lot of this race alone and I really had to mentally prepare myself for that. I tried to approach this more like a long training run than a race - I do those by myself all the time! π 8am rolled around and before we knew it we were off!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHZ6aHdTHzgH9wjcM3fCsjfpB_cG27Mpg-xxjl-iZYpfZkCIgF3s8ZF-In0riy1yBvuWcFI_JA3fxUlE6RcxJxWSCil2cWTIhUb12gQratByIP1RDarwBANQLwfdR02tQSj7ffgB1v2Kt6KvJGFNRPxgd719Bgs74Dngzu9512V-s7W9xp3qGR5Q=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHZ6aHdTHzgH9wjcM3fCsjfpB_cG27Mpg-xxjl-iZYpfZkCIgF3s8ZF-In0riy1yBvuWcFI_JA3fxUlE6RcxJxWSCil2cWTIhUb12gQratByIP1RDarwBANQLwfdR02tQSj7ffgB1v2Kt6KvJGFNRPxgd719Bgs74Dngzu9512V-s7W9xp3qGR5Q=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOQqxLaNBUvD1QoJ3LUr71RRGi8cTwZIJNVc5KAU7UVfo59xScmkgnXB1W55QEanOK6mZsQ4uVDN9zXYawbTEFXNXPhCr0IDs2C9zKhAVsodFhrUIdaNo33TlsaJCZYMQcHBZKlfg16_AXFmFTRtg15ctp2SeNRgNTxYy4WMqDHFMeqo2CDsf4FA=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOQqxLaNBUvD1QoJ3LUr71RRGi8cTwZIJNVc5KAU7UVfo59xScmkgnXB1W55QEanOK6mZsQ4uVDN9zXYawbTEFXNXPhCr0IDs2C9zKhAVsodFhrUIdaNo33TlsaJCZYMQcHBZKlfg16_AXFmFTRtg15ctp2SeNRgNTxYy4WMqDHFMeqo2CDsf4FA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8WbbF0OdnP5mExNF0f6x6iM_9TPjvI6PfEXOnLr33id7Yf7lRP3UThqAwX80WwRj-OJnl2ebKlTItKiq5jnlU0jC3cbfBK3g0De4R9847CGCL6euveJ70txZUGufPUEU4VrR7N0SSkICJTlKXU2oigbPU3tMPN7W-_sx3HrjoXvhumN38Q8SMIQ=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8WbbF0OdnP5mExNF0f6x6iM_9TPjvI6PfEXOnLr33id7Yf7lRP3UThqAwX80WwRj-OJnl2ebKlTItKiq5jnlU0jC3cbfBK3g0De4R9847CGCL6euveJ70txZUGufPUEU4VrR7N0SSkICJTlKXU2oigbPU3tMPN7W-_sx3HrjoXvhumN38Q8SMIQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>I was a big fan of this man's shirt </i><span style="text-align: left;">π</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div>This course is double-looped, which to be honest is probably my least favorite course design. It's one of the most mentally challenging designs because not only do you have to do the same course twice, but you also have to run right by the finish line and keep going while all the half marathoners get to stop π Not fun! In addition to the double-looped course, there was quite a lot of highway running which was a bit disappointing. Miles 3-6, 9-12, 14-17, 21-22.5, and 23.5-25 was practically ALL highway. We did have a bridge that went over this really beautiful inlet (which full marathoners got the pleasure of hiking up 4 times π) but aside from that one view there was a lot of time spent on a lonely highway. That was probably my least favorite part of this entire experience, unfortunately.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzNBpb6CULxi245-96h9rMybyFKPMEEnYZtzdxD9Go7Sr79vucFUs_vtVFRL9znxQjlTlrrtu3pAAxiISuXDt3BR3Kns68S92Cfz-V7yOW2xbCcfroY-gb5MlX1w3De6mXVk18nWv2Zb5h07SFguEi55Wnbe0d2kvgt0pyMBAe914ZBe-M8IlZ3g=s3088" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2316" data-original-width="3088" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzNBpb6CULxi245-96h9rMybyFKPMEEnYZtzdxD9Go7Sr79vucFUs_vtVFRL9znxQjlTlrrtu3pAAxiISuXDt3BR3Kns68S92Cfz-V7yOW2xbCcfroY-gb5MlX1w3De6mXVk18nWv2Zb5h07SFguEi55Wnbe0d2kvgt0pyMBAe914ZBe-M8IlZ3g=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Going up the bridge for the first time, when I was still young and full of hope</i> π</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Luckily, I really enjoyed the rest of the course which brought us through some really beautiful park sections! As predicted I didn't spend a whole lot of time around other runners because the field was so small which I thought was going to be a really big obstacle for my mental game, but it actually felt quite peaceful. There were so many really quiet sections of the course which I thought I was not going to enjoy, but it was actually a very welcome change to the craziness of the big city marathons I tend to run. </div><div><br /></div><div>In addition to having some nice, quiet miles, ALL of the volunteers on the course from race staff, to police detail, to every one at the water stop, were SO friendly. I'm sure it wasn't the most exciting event to volunteer for considering how few runners there are, and I'm sure it was especially boring for the folks who were volunteering in the later miles where I'm sure large chunks of time went by between each runner. However, every single person I encountered on the course had a huge smile on their face and cheered me on. I definitely appreciate everyone that volunteered that day!</div><div><br /></div><div>As far as my race went, I had a FANTASTIC day of running! I was feeling nervous about how I would perform (as I always do) because to be honest, running had definitely taken a back seat once the semester got started. I was not very consistent at all with my work outs just because of how stressful work has become in the last few months. However, I felt fantastic through almost every mile of that race which I was totally surprised by! I think the weather conditions had a lot to do with how I was feeling. It was honestly a perfect day for running - mid-60s and overcast with low humidity. It felt so fantastic to be out there and cruising through the miles!</div><div><br /></div><div>This race definitely presented an interesting mental challenge with the way the course was laid out, so my main focus of the day was to stay calm and collected which really played to my benefit in the later miles. I remember thinking how great I felt at mile 18 and 19 and I don't think I've honestly been able to say I felt "great" at that point of any marathon! It really wasn't until mile 24.5 that I felt truly gassed out and ready to be done. I think it's incredible that I was able to feel so great for such a long period of time, and it's encouraging to know that I can feel that way during a marathon! It just makes me want to work harder in training just to see how much further I can go!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgV2H5BtgMW_YjiQpOofZajT2t-_Dl1SpxeKuUIEghyId49bqjilnjmFxQ5P_G9ScZbPj7jylipWpBOICfHjKeu4k0YM7QEVmH819aH3MvzTNonPn2QlZulkPFLFfrKDGXzRZwcfM9JE-NtpxwxAuLISUJnid92YiXvlz-PU7oybbzlj4GJWQcp_w=s1000" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="668" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgV2H5BtgMW_YjiQpOofZajT2t-_Dl1SpxeKuUIEghyId49bqjilnjmFxQ5P_G9ScZbPj7jylipWpBOICfHjKeu4k0YM7QEVmH819aH3MvzTNonPn2QlZulkPFLFfrKDGXzRZwcfM9JE-NtpxwxAuLISUJnid92YiXvlz-PU7oybbzlj4GJWQcp_w=w428-h640" width="428" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>My absolute favorite part of this race was the finish line. Not because I was excited to be done (which believe me, I was), but because of how hyped the finish line volunteers were for every single finisher that came through the chute and across the finish line! There were large gaps between each finisher, which allowed the volunteers at the end to really cheer hard for each runner who finished and make each runner feel special. I know I certainly did! I crossed the finish line, they handed me my medal, a water, and a shot of Nuun, and made me feel so proud of my accomplishment. π₯°</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9h2fmSQM-jtv6GQwzr0YMxJoMc7193yArtMgIeiMfWv06vi5WlAnM_gxIuWGHYiwosFXv2s42B6zaQFDXQPcMCxiBtLyAWYSlQLhgwmLOBL-q1e2qCPNDFm22i9SaqmPjhlpKgZOjQ10Wiu7z4UMQtTqaSnQPwz33WsGWNR4GmfLM0w6G2qWgUQ=s1000" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="667" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9h2fmSQM-jtv6GQwzr0YMxJoMc7193yArtMgIeiMfWv06vi5WlAnM_gxIuWGHYiwosFXv2s42B6zaQFDXQPcMCxiBtLyAWYSlQLhgwmLOBL-q1e2qCPNDFm22i9SaqmPjhlpKgZOjQ10Wiu7z4UMQtTqaSnQPwz33WsGWNR4GmfLM0w6G2qWgUQ=w426-h640" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDO7uPBJhrQgP7Vg0dJtgl80UUAZvEj0rChprYqfCcXTwR8Dz8N7ySto6ZaTuLJ7vxzvzTQogsUuJ9QTR2m-mC5wEmKgECcKqAnNbVJ3ZwBrGWxYPdvDjOW5pHZd6GtXVqmmr3azHSNlSqBmzx8SLCay88B_my5R_N9QOAejnPryu7q7Qf_wxRgw=s1000" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="667" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDO7uPBJhrQgP7Vg0dJtgl80UUAZvEj0rChprYqfCcXTwR8Dz8N7ySto6ZaTuLJ7vxzvzTQogsUuJ9QTR2m-mC5wEmKgECcKqAnNbVJ3ZwBrGWxYPdvDjOW5pHZd6GtXVqmmr3azHSNlSqBmzx8SLCay88B_my5R_N9QOAejnPryu7q7Qf_wxRgw=w426-h640" width="426" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Again, I just missed a sub-5. Similarly to my experience at Rock n' Roll Arizona, it was definitely in the back of my mind that I could shoot for a sub-5, but I didn't want to get my hopes up too high during the run and ultimately disappoint myself if I didn't accomplish that time goal. I had gone into the race with the sole goal to finish so I did my best to stay focused on that. I know that I'll get sub-5 again, and very likely I'll get sub-5 again SOON. I just gotta do all the right things to get there. For now, I'm just pumped that I finished <b>STATE #20 BABY!!! 40% done!!!</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWpTCxD653CKtt-5GskK6gsbebSZbPpVF-GtZlfRriUt1qljFhvNmOsuSGuVZ3V0TmYEudY539KF4Ndpww6yEN-GFfJuJ4v_hOVBr6xZIWQSs-tU4CDHF86z7NPEn-UW92cwTcbVr9p9gUHNOGeK8KgVhPzTxi9GlPP9AyTtAmNiPlRG6aFKaI7Q=s1800" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWpTCxD653CKtt-5GskK6gsbebSZbPpVF-GtZlfRriUt1qljFhvNmOsuSGuVZ3V0TmYEudY539KF4Ndpww6yEN-GFfJuJ4v_hOVBr6xZIWQSs-tU4CDHF86z7NPEn-UW92cwTcbVr9p9gUHNOGeK8KgVhPzTxi9GlPP9AyTtAmNiPlRG6aFKaI7Q=w512-h640" width="512" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0Afnxmuon6uxz1P3OVKKAJgNFttz0MN5IQeiFTtBMA5y733aesy44Ig0a0Z0kOdRIaCPEA6aa5RJqMKfwl7ZmM8A4I84sN1SsVm4v6PvR6lpwAz45lbN9zdiI5WeK_mGCLd1DsovRtUyKhsCy97wxnHz_14z90K8jNQFdYGtsTWRS4B_tBkQh4Q=s1800" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0Afnxmuon6uxz1P3OVKKAJgNFttz0MN5IQeiFTtBMA5y733aesy44Ig0a0Z0kOdRIaCPEA6aa5RJqMKfwl7ZmM8A4I84sN1SsVm4v6PvR6lpwAz45lbN9zdiI5WeK_mGCLd1DsovRtUyKhsCy97wxnHz_14z90K8jNQFdYGtsTWRS4B_tBkQh4Q=w512-h640" width="512" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDNrTj5yqfMPAgt7Mmvaxv5lpCjL-TuWKgYo2spx8OdfsHT8KZYCfl0d_xw_0xFgQF7kvL3OnTcSPtE6Wrypu8vb1SxmeQLnf_VyVbMOIfvPWfGpZGIfdWJEab21OofO3Hx6mZwvw3PdmMovl0izSkBiXy48nb-7SGlfI_EDg3mcdU4-CjgKbKBw=s1792" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="828" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDNrTj5yqfMPAgt7Mmvaxv5lpCjL-TuWKgYo2spx8OdfsHT8KZYCfl0d_xw_0xFgQF7kvL3OnTcSPtE6Wrypu8vb1SxmeQLnf_VyVbMOIfvPWfGpZGIfdWJEab21OofO3Hx6mZwvw3PdmMovl0izSkBiXy48nb-7SGlfI_EDg3mcdU4-CjgKbKBw=w185-h400" width="185" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhegtMxuxmS9eUDkSkTuocbHr-_xyadkogZ42Ub9wBusgn1B8k8s9wQpNz303z1pKxIQcMYulQjio__tAPtw-WyREQk8x2VlshiGHBilKMzalK0Oy93Kamf89rmGHutRAlAXrIF97U6AqYhQ4SXueW7dZ3ySkP0cmW4EOMnX1Wqia7KYmaBDhZXjw=s1792" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="828" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhegtMxuxmS9eUDkSkTuocbHr-_xyadkogZ42Ub9wBusgn1B8k8s9wQpNz303z1pKxIQcMYulQjio__tAPtw-WyREQk8x2VlshiGHBilKMzalK0Oy93Kamf89rmGHutRAlAXrIF97U6AqYhQ4SXueW7dZ3ySkP0cmW4EOMnX1Wqia7KYmaBDhZXjw=w185-h400" width="185" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6GVoUWf_scgEbKoXkBRFiMShsDW4au52p6kDhcc8h9kFXmhQMXHyw0LeK3fDPM_RTk-GL7hzLcXbvN90P8wh6S-V-OS5RW8rXAq3u_eQk0RxTvNeaw1dMUe0jea4KFCH7AsPxSUIbI9DCsjVSz4wbfGzTMgwfifkYwFS2VnUN5NA_WU-cYJpRZg=s1792" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="828" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6GVoUWf_scgEbKoXkBRFiMShsDW4au52p6kDhcc8h9kFXmhQMXHyw0LeK3fDPM_RTk-GL7hzLcXbvN90P8wh6S-V-OS5RW8rXAq3u_eQk0RxTvNeaw1dMUe0jea4KFCH7AsPxSUIbI9DCsjVSz4wbfGzTMgwfifkYwFS2VnUN5NA_WU-cYJpRZg=w185-h400" width="185" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh7z-ApKOpvV1TDCu65mKPgleE7R41PUXh8_I7-ltyr0Muq43c8MaBzOY9JqJhOMKMjaY17lhdxYK9UL8XwOEy5ZyTmj_uW8P65US4K1bAq4agCfW4hcbY-ULqAOvt5wmya0Xbat4jmoxf10629ivTKF8yMndYH6afpsLgH5kw4seAfWhuGVKKm0Q=s1792" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="828" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh7z-ApKOpvV1TDCu65mKPgleE7R41PUXh8_I7-ltyr0Muq43c8MaBzOY9JqJhOMKMjaY17lhdxYK9UL8XwOEy5ZyTmj_uW8P65US4K1bAq4agCfW4hcbY-ULqAOvt5wmya0Xbat4jmoxf10629ivTKF8yMndYH6afpsLgH5kw4seAfWhuGVKKm0Q=w185-h400" width="185" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEin2qJQMwwBC8bjonqMhXn6md-K-cPUV5fCeNf_BkcdMXvWSghElifC_q9wGOrG7ukUsHd4nkuGUfC-KbdeTlAdxsr15R_QNuiJk-Rc4zr0IcwcavosAf8YZ0Pgq2-s2F1DtaAa8d23hzCEK3sazxQV7D4hatbO4Y384-im4nbYRHnBcs3hw7JAKQ=s1792" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="828" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEin2qJQMwwBC8bjonqMhXn6md-K-cPUV5fCeNf_BkcdMXvWSghElifC_q9wGOrG7ukUsHd4nkuGUfC-KbdeTlAdxsr15R_QNuiJk-Rc4zr0IcwcavosAf8YZ0Pgq2-s2F1DtaAa8d23hzCEK3sazxQV7D4hatbO4Y384-im4nbYRHnBcs3hw7JAKQ=w185-h400" width="185" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgukJn-LpZ-GvKqqAzjtQ9z0PtCfqEkZ-jLPAPgYzzRr_Xrz4BSZNrynOU8UhGiaY-DB2maGnl_QGNfr4jJG7Hapdzj3ShuywcdQN3ld0CReI6Ob7Tey5wqPaXi-vaOFHz8xE6n2DbounGR0KDxxgNRhqSCTo_sDhzDwzW0lbGc8gHVqSoK_VGlRQ=s1792" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="828" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgukJn-LpZ-GvKqqAzjtQ9z0PtCfqEkZ-jLPAPgYzzRr_Xrz4BSZNrynOU8UhGiaY-DB2maGnl_QGNfr4jJG7Hapdzj3ShuywcdQN3ld0CReI6Ob7Tey5wqPaXi-vaOFHz8xE6n2DbounGR0KDxxgNRhqSCTo_sDhzDwzW0lbGc8gHVqSoK_VGlRQ=w185-h400" width="185" /></a></div><br /></div><div><b>FAVORITE THING ABOUT THE HILTON HEAD MARATHON:</b> The volunteers! Everyone was so stinkin' friendly and made me feel so supported on the course. I so appreciated every single person who spent their Saturday supporting me and the other runners working to accomplish their goal of finishing!<br /><br /></div><div><b>LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT THE HILTON HEAD MARATHON:</b> The course design. I'm not personally a fan of the double-loop, and I really wish we were able to get some more ocean views and less highway miles on the run. We were on an island, after all! I understand it's tricky to block off 26 miles of traffic though, so even though it happened to be my least favorite part of this race, I know the organizers did the best they could to come up with an interesting and scenic route for us. It's definitely not a deal breaker in my opinion!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivdDUva5DZKc56HWJ8x6vGqoAMFV86StRbFpy0HkSWwChL7_NH8eG-reT6L0AZcoAEfYNS3AajoWnXVF9FXm5uI0lIwtpOxvMZniEc48-U8NIPPx45Dw9pXS2iIofyI1EJLM5vxQoEHoRJ_XwQ10zsYLilNvQyZHzP6_neGilfgR3yODb8VR2aXw=s1795" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1795" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivdDUva5DZKc56HWJ8x6vGqoAMFV86StRbFpy0HkSWwChL7_NH8eG-reT6L0AZcoAEfYNS3AajoWnXVF9FXm5uI0lIwtpOxvMZniEc48-U8NIPPx45Dw9pXS2iIofyI1EJLM5vxQoEHoRJ_XwQ10zsYLilNvQyZHzP6_neGilfgR3yODb8VR2aXw=w514-h640" width="514" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgmTJqn-GkKSjcTDGgMU9i9k7shcavWzCk6iXkB-DPHSovSWgY1gAf9yf_REwtQ-Ox74OgAPccvKT06sCdYY-SDSfags4dQarTuOZ_KwH64H12lUe9ptEZdSsMIorNkdf4a2k9RvaIcqYnIBEcBWIQzbJZ9x1WhvoajYdsw88tVI4zQV-DzbxtOrQ=s1801" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1801" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgmTJqn-GkKSjcTDGgMU9i9k7shcavWzCk6iXkB-DPHSovSWgY1gAf9yf_REwtQ-Ox74OgAPccvKT06sCdYY-SDSfags4dQarTuOZ_KwH64H12lUe9ptEZdSsMIorNkdf4a2k9RvaIcqYnIBEcBWIQzbJZ9x1WhvoajYdsw88tVI4zQV-DzbxtOrQ=w512-h640" width="512" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>If you're looking for a smaller race in a scenic location, or looking to escape the harshness of winter in your area for a racecation, the Hilton Head Marathon might be just the race for you! I honestly think that the volunteers really made this experience special for the runners. Everyone was so friendly and encouraging and kept me in great spirits through all 26.2 miles. If you decide to sign up for this race, you will absolutely feel supported the entire way through. Definitely give it a go!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihn9l51r-ggcpvDl8l1F_9qymNkMmRsMH5KmmSW7c_cdycx_b6_OpRPvhehgCVewebxcTuqmq5N6ufohIcP8U0i89kyeSTTuvEfa3G6nX6Q3vQ6Jx2l6Gmu3PY9umKSorJ25HRYiqEU2KcLl6x3rYGnj-EFqBCzh03UaRgiOqna23UzdUC_m6ueA=s1800" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihn9l51r-ggcpvDl8l1F_9qymNkMmRsMH5KmmSW7c_cdycx_b6_OpRPvhehgCVewebxcTuqmq5N6ufohIcP8U0i89kyeSTTuvEfa3G6nX6Q3vQ6Jx2l6Gmu3PY9umKSorJ25HRYiqEU2KcLl6x3rYGnj-EFqBCzh03UaRgiOqna23UzdUC_m6ueA=s320" width="256" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOUJsCWFpVzYWw6mGiz8Izr7ApS4YtMGiND_TGDDC5urZV8IDdQHqowDiWw3CMO-tVArYvFTBEkPBqLM9W_L7OIUe4MbwA6butuxLioYcDz9hfLdNah1Z47_jH7f7QFgpw4sMRR5L29wuqLV4cZlBv4l7LKiVN6Fbu7vraRJzHGFF5kPfp1UMZSQ=s1800" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOUJsCWFpVzYWw6mGiz8Izr7ApS4YtMGiND_TGDDC5urZV8IDdQHqowDiWw3CMO-tVArYvFTBEkPBqLM9W_L7OIUe4MbwA6butuxLioYcDz9hfLdNah1Z47_jH7f7QFgpw4sMRR5L29wuqLV4cZlBv4l7LKiVN6Fbu7vraRJzHGFF5kPfp1UMZSQ=s320" width="256" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaoUwmOWCn1sBKW3VaMvyu8GMh-IMKWiYQJvOxHIK4OTtH4txdH9AMDSv4LLQGXufLtLwDRgZrFYEWSqfM4BQ9SXEYyRNbPOZjbtkiTdt-xLEfKyHppeQpxd855T3WT7L4Mfgevt-YP7ItFwTvpRaxNP7WZHcSwp_0DqUPDeMt7nDJmvSEXLNW3w=s1800" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaoUwmOWCn1sBKW3VaMvyu8GMh-IMKWiYQJvOxHIK4OTtH4txdH9AMDSv4LLQGXufLtLwDRgZrFYEWSqfM4BQ9SXEYyRNbPOZjbtkiTdt-xLEfKyHppeQpxd855T3WT7L4Mfgevt-YP7ItFwTvpRaxNP7WZHcSwp_0DqUPDeMt7nDJmvSEXLNW3w=s320" width="256" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhdnXhYd7eJXWX4zKxBjttxjaFlH3czrULvS0wMtHit12lnyTe-b17DwxX69ggM_i4ikYH-9Ig4JWqVUXYBYVUIpi-a0N5HK-QRyn-XknHcT5w4S2fhCdNQe39UqEtI7zZNhtGzrjUpOhl_gMT23umchEAiedPxKlU88nElZwI_4KYt-BLZ-alLSQ=s1800" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhdnXhYd7eJXWX4zKxBjttxjaFlH3czrULvS0wMtHit12lnyTe-b17DwxX69ggM_i4ikYH-9Ig4JWqVUXYBYVUIpi-a0N5HK-QRyn-XknHcT5w4S2fhCdNQe39UqEtI7zZNhtGzrjUpOhl_gMT23umchEAiedPxKlU88nElZwI_4KYt-BLZ-alLSQ=s320" width="256" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Snowy was a fan of my medal when I got home late Saturday night! </span></i></div>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116982228825892049noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1916871150499748468.post-40792995956338603472022-02-19T10:00:00.009-05:002022-02-19T10:00:00.248-05:00Race Review: Rock n' Roll Arizona Marathon 2022 π΅<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgdPT1f63J_fDQsNB9niskg9RXsrIEt8fOPYzDo5xRF6l2KyXpiyyb7J7_LgdTgiWLv5wDwMUYoRNXkbP5NH8K_GohU9UrhQyCVqTIyEpITx1xkeaOEYeUiklV0Xka5mbvNAXBJdDV-fbtVQqB6d5_9BgMLQ_hnkdyv25Z_CeD0Sh0XWQXJF9AcBA=s6912" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="6912" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgdPT1f63J_fDQsNB9niskg9RXsrIEt8fOPYzDo5xRF6l2KyXpiyyb7J7_LgdTgiWLv5wDwMUYoRNXkbP5NH8K_GohU9UrhQyCVqTIyEpITx1xkeaOEYeUiklV0Xka5mbvNAXBJdDV-fbtVQqB6d5_9BgMLQ_hnkdyv25Z_CeD0Sh0XWQXJF9AcBA=w640-h320" width="640" /></a></p><div>The weekend after the <a href="http://fiveleveninety.blogspot.com/2022/02/race-review-walt-disney-world-half.html" target="_blank">Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend</a>, my insane self packed up my bags yet again and traveled south west for the Rock n' Roll Arizona Marathon! This harebrained idea came about when I discovered that I had some Rock n' Roll Tour Pass credits to burn from all the race deferrals I had during 2020. Wanting to utilize a credit to check off another state but not having too many options, I opted to sign up for Rock n' Roll Arizona, scheduled for the weekend after the <a href="http://fiveleveninety.blogspot.com/2022/02/race-review-walt-disney-world-marathon.html" target="_blank">Goofy Challenge</a> π¬ Look, it seemed like a good idea at the time! π
I was definitely super exhausted after my Disney trip, but I had committed so I packed up my bags and headed to the Grand Canyon State for state #19!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNlFwBgyHpdtFsH0g4EYUKxLXb1zCsaSPEE4IqJIua21jQ6sXjzNKQ0pLUI761YYdzIPk9aDP-l29rtpO_cTR-Jq_RsAj-2E8uucfT8Of0LJPN7eMf7O5VTj8U6XiXXl-CZCLNYGU1EwNhPXd6SRHp2xKZpFNvbDZEm79x8v3QiIHWRg4p36rWxA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNlFwBgyHpdtFsH0g4EYUKxLXb1zCsaSPEE4IqJIua21jQ6sXjzNKQ0pLUI761YYdzIPk9aDP-l29rtpO_cTR-Jq_RsAj-2E8uucfT8Of0LJPN7eMf7O5VTj8U6XiXXl-CZCLNYGU1EwNhPXd6SRHp2xKZpFNvbDZEm79x8v3QiIHWRg4p36rWxA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This was a quick solo trip with the only goal really being to show up and run. I didn't have any plans to sight see or anything like that. I just wanted to get there, run the race, and head out. I left early Saturday morning for AZ with the intention to fly back on the red eye on Sunday night. It was definitely going to be a whirlwind! However, it had been a while since I've traveled solo for a racecation and I was kind of looking forward to it. It's nice to not have to worry about anyone else's schedule while traveling every now and then!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I arrived to Phoenix around 12pm local time and headed straight for the expo. Like I explained in my <a href="http://fiveleveninety.blogspot.com/2022/01/race-review-rock-n-roll-san-antonio.html" target="_blank">Rock n' Roll San Antonio review</a>, once you've been to one Rock n' Roll expo you've kind of been to them all. I'm sure they change things up year to year, but I don't blame them for making the expos similar in each city. Being a traveling race company, I'm sure that makes things much easier, logistically speaking!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUDNTzVBhcUzV4Vlr9j0bBTcBPck7RwKMjSmkWhmkxsFkkI0QaCW7VGhrUHY9blQ_nr_5HFL05RsEeR-O2YclUbTwAh07M6hK3-YVSCahYOtq4ktrT6pOKNy_WB6I1OWpzKI1sfSK9Xuog-3mhKcAEPmD56i3sM-3MwslBgIG_TQDZvyAU1P185A=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUDNTzVBhcUzV4Vlr9j0bBTcBPck7RwKMjSmkWhmkxsFkkI0QaCW7VGhrUHY9blQ_nr_5HFL05RsEeR-O2YclUbTwAh07M6hK3-YVSCahYOtq4ktrT6pOKNy_WB6I1OWpzKI1sfSK9Xuog-3mhKcAEPmD56i3sM-3MwslBgIG_TQDZvyAU1P185A=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFk4ZIj3c-jbN4BBWXLOoqeyNW3VpZm30VyKfPTstaVrhETFBLLTNGjXKjgXAyROmfcvGvvu6o0GjOJsTDmE20JuvYXvOWm6hmObm2re3cGNHeqPeE9TUstccGm-gqOPmF7HrYLoYHi7nFBfcqHgIhMfEte8v-QtgHZSa1lGaOUg-H3Y_ISExnbA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFk4ZIj3c-jbN4BBWXLOoqeyNW3VpZm30VyKfPTstaVrhETFBLLTNGjXKjgXAyROmfcvGvvu6o0GjOJsTDmE20JuvYXvOWm6hmObm2re3cGNHeqPeE9TUstccGm-gqOPmF7HrYLoYHi7nFBfcqHgIhMfEte8v-QtgHZSa1lGaOUg-H3Y_ISExnbA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>I love that they do this at the RnR expos! Essentially they'll read your bib on a timing chip map as you exit the expo hall and it will generate a message for each runner! Such a nice touch </i>π</span></div></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNzirAz00sB3PqYCWkolPbdiFWZ4hl0_I-ykWVAma1C6DTSmPz_v7GAvd8qnYQQ3s3Po_WR_sxK7PGopsjluj1WWF-Qtobo27eeplEljlBhQYUeKVhK1yjpMMQUUuLbo1O6M9ud3wtvxzwW2RCLfs2lwdN9HOMG9Oq9Cz9oKCYQr4pq-Frz1LQiw=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNzirAz00sB3PqYCWkolPbdiFWZ4hl0_I-ykWVAma1C6DTSmPz_v7GAvd8qnYQQ3s3Po_WR_sxK7PGopsjluj1WWF-Qtobo27eeplEljlBhQYUeKVhK1yjpMMQUUuLbo1O6M9ud3wtvxzwW2RCLfs2lwdN9HOMG9Oq9Cz9oKCYQr4pq-Frz1LQiw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Expo haul! I picked up a Rock n' Roll trucker hat to wear during the race which I'm now obsessed with!</span></i></div></div><br />I had quite a bit of time to kill after the expo as my check in time wasn't until 5pm at my Air BnB, so I opted to grab lunch at Willie's Taco Joint (where I accidentally ordered a literal bucket of chips) and a frozen latte from Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii (which I hoped would make me feel like bad ass on race day π). It was such a nice temperature outside so I found a spot to sit with my coffee and enjoy the scenery a bit before finally heading to my digs for the evening.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiy_Obzt8JHs8a6fEdS1MBEsoNKf_OitjwBdVkaEDXFqOQFoJJmp5Ee3eEdiZDyJ9VzmEvRzrJkIZDgit52K6b_h15iMO-F_q0KnzbzG4GC9i4l69Ayu4yLiTplcDfKUg1pTfE936g8NBapIDGqscU67dGvaAxli_iYe3tbK5TVXDitFPT_j35QjQ=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiy_Obzt8JHs8a6fEdS1MBEsoNKf_OitjwBdVkaEDXFqOQFoJJmp5Ee3eEdiZDyJ9VzmEvRzrJkIZDgit52K6b_h15iMO-F_q0KnzbzG4GC9i4l69Ayu4yLiTplcDfKUg1pTfE936g8NBapIDGqscU67dGvaAxli_iYe3tbK5TVXDitFPT_j35QjQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhttKFypzYHOzBaVlhX5yGcyfr_B5W0HZIMLtypYz226AbY7mboNK3uVrjkv_ekrLMClq5BeTHWrnv7g8uUL3n4sClN1BmYZFl9VotWTSHcEHNTnqlk4IoKtpFy-nZp6k2umEEUp9-785gbgS6iO8wRAypdXxUz9UM3_95QKRn5buubR23oEDakA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhttKFypzYHOzBaVlhX5yGcyfr_B5W0HZIMLtypYz226AbY7mboNK3uVrjkv_ekrLMClq5BeTHWrnv7g8uUL3n4sClN1BmYZFl9VotWTSHcEHNTnqlk4IoKtpFy-nZp6k2umEEUp9-785gbgS6iO8wRAypdXxUz9UM3_95QKRn5buubR23oEDakA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was so exhausted from traveling that I didn't have energy to do much else besides shower, order Uber Eats for dinner (chicken & tortellini!), lay out my flat runner and head to bed. I was nervous about the race because of how I felt during the WDW Marathon and my body just being so exhausted, so I wanted to get as much sleep as possible. I'm pretty sure I passed out at 8:30pm (which to be fair was 10:30pm eastern which was what my body was operating on haha).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSHSRuAzIAmZvg1XjbGzViHMCaaU_MW65daT2hdxYGB-H-PusXSTI2Ts1gjsb1OZLtWDoQYTJYKYmK1lr90_dPZOj5P22Ko25prXurYyaR04f_I3gw7YC7xA9rUxPJK92VBqbUh0JV0viMS1L026mM2RSFmgVh0pqP5s3krs8MVfA3r1Wv51CjXQ=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSHSRuAzIAmZvg1XjbGzViHMCaaU_MW65daT2hdxYGB-H-PusXSTI2Ts1gjsb1OZLtWDoQYTJYKYmK1lr90_dPZOj5P22Ko25prXurYyaR04f_I3gw7YC7xA9rUxPJK92VBqbUh0JV0viMS1L026mM2RSFmgVh0pqP5s3krs8MVfA3r1Wv51CjXQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br />Because of the time difference, I woke up naturally before my alarm and I felt pretty well rested! I ate some oatmeal for breakfast, got dressed, packed up my gear bag and headed over to the start line. My accommodations were about a mile from the start so I just opted to walk over. Looking back on it, walking a mile to the start before running a marathon seems ridiculous, but I think I was still in runDisney mode where you're basically forced to do just that whether you want to or not π</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtxMEqlueu1r-SnHXmNUEMyyNP9umT-OQ621ah_wypV8jxqASCbzBEPetR36EF4jtN-R3zAUbUzyjsbMLYnnB500zFqm9nO8P_4T058uqRlaM_bwY-u__vCmPu3iWFxIiTiKeGL811mAbVAh3v21rG9JwSt-j203V6JJW7dWU36qRJ8emK4Smq4w=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtxMEqlueu1r-SnHXmNUEMyyNP9umT-OQ621ah_wypV8jxqASCbzBEPetR36EF4jtN-R3zAUbUzyjsbMLYnnB500zFqm9nO8P_4T058uqRlaM_bwY-u__vCmPu3iWFxIiTiKeGL811mAbVAh3v21rG9JwSt-j203V6JJW7dWU36qRJ8emK4Smq4w=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiYy_SdvIC019nYJlN0x_fG2be10KtLD6Oo8YQvd5ETu1CEp_JfpdqtcULeUSP_Z8nk-dUbdrTlPGy9CFwCB4dvM7amotRgK5q-xKYZ3sXn_8aFQjdD7E4ec3TUmaY1lyZS7M31lv8uVZbUNkG3nkSOexU8ClgVekjCN0ENJI0-n7t2-urzq_sRBA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiYy_SdvIC019nYJlN0x_fG2be10KtLD6Oo8YQvd5ETu1CEp_JfpdqtcULeUSP_Z8nk-dUbdrTlPGy9CFwCB4dvM7amotRgK5q-xKYZ3sXn_8aFQjdD7E4ec3TUmaY1lyZS7M31lv8uVZbUNkG3nkSOexU8ClgVekjCN0ENJI0-n7t2-urzq_sRBA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Beautiful AZ sunrise!</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: small; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZjAB9oFT0lG9jMF6F9RFgWBnCglMk-eM33R_BIUsvlb6vU_pZjj_hR_nxZMEJ8avh-LQQsG5Z8bmweWfw-s61BWxsgSU1lS4DpqVnOjrsDHniq6Hx6mzl38NhQvNPp7Fj6-8vC6OQC_Z3P4e_WghjDdQKdEWZgs04MWltBwfWbMnHqpvNj1ZmvA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZjAB9oFT0lG9jMF6F9RFgWBnCglMk-eM33R_BIUsvlb6vU_pZjj_hR_nxZMEJ8avh-LQQsG5Z8bmweWfw-s61BWxsgSU1lS4DpqVnOjrsDHniq6Hx6mzl38NhQvNPp7Fj6-8vC6OQC_Z3P4e_WghjDdQKdEWZgs04MWltBwfWbMnHqpvNj1ZmvA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While I was waiting for the start, I was able to meet up with a former student of mine, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/alexrunsaroundtheworld/" target="_blank">Alex</a>! She and I were actually both at the <a href="http://fiveleveninety.blogspot.com/2022/01/race-review-rock-n-roll-savannah-half.html" target="_blank">Rock n' Roll Savannah Half Marathon</a> in November and didn't realize it until after the fact, so when we realized we'd both be at RnR Arizona we made it a point to find each other! It was so great to see her, especially after so many years!</div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: small; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieuiYQJgI2ol13aDmrAg4wBP-PiXEQ-TdPvNzVdlrMgfWgBsF8o5nQ-HWct1SAMcgnammW1wv1fRsn6kPbEDhjuUGVwB6VaZYJZymSeAlGcqeLa25cvUO4H3uaw7h-26CCHskAz4i3zkzBgu9sOFbVi9QJrgBXCdYJHKgWvSRwCjMMSNYwcvPJNg=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieuiYQJgI2ol13aDmrAg4wBP-PiXEQ-TdPvNzVdlrMgfWgBsF8o5nQ-HWct1SAMcgnammW1wv1fRsn6kPbEDhjuUGVwB6VaZYJZymSeAlGcqeLa25cvUO4H3uaw7h-26CCHskAz4i3zkzBgu9sOFbVi9QJrgBXCdYJHKgWvSRwCjMMSNYwcvPJNg=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></div></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I wasn't waiting long at all before I was off and running. Compared to my experiences in Savannah and San Antonio, they got the runners out on the course very quickly in Arizona! I think waited a total of about 10 minutes or so before I was running, and we were moving toward the start the entire time. Kudos to Rock n' Roll for getting us out on the course ASAP!</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqP1xJ37tAotchamVvVFotVucSO4p9FTL3wA47E2PzrePWevsQIXeQBIrItpNP1h1HMD1ecwTwizAWkSARBQ5eKdQNEfzqBBXDXMh8pLsiRZI1l7tEN9BMZRnlPARu2SIfl5WLs4t8jkNRpJ-T_BQjYubXoBjdFabKHuQ8HqyWOIG53FkzabrO5Q=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqP1xJ37tAotchamVvVFotVucSO4p9FTL3wA47E2PzrePWevsQIXeQBIrItpNP1h1HMD1ecwTwizAWkSARBQ5eKdQNEfzqBBXDXMh8pLsiRZI1l7tEN9BMZRnlPARu2SIfl5WLs4t8jkNRpJ-T_BQjYubXoBjdFabKHuQ8HqyWOIG53FkzabrO5Q=w300-h400" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgx96YL7syG44fDcTRc4p1R1NcmzhYyKrgcYe3AEAgeo6KmxtKrrNR90j3Y7kusVNSZnVbbpTTek3SpN-Vfq9R4b9yzRq7w6jus-WkzYQ17UW7ObQ2EDb5Y3J1HoUE8DHrrT8UxRFcY67dC874UxxKLy8Ms9fQWNchzT8axTdCjljLlj-FzCPdaqA=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgx96YL7syG44fDcTRc4p1R1NcmzhYyKrgcYe3AEAgeo6KmxtKrrNR90j3Y7kusVNSZnVbbpTTek3SpN-Vfq9R4b9yzRq7w6jus-WkzYQ17UW7ObQ2EDb5Y3J1HoUE8DHrrT8UxRFcY67dC874UxxKLy8Ms9fQWNchzT8axTdCjljLlj-FzCPdaqA=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One thing that I'll say about Arizona is that it is BREATHTAKING. I could not keep my eyes off the beautiful Arizona landscape the entire time I was running. It also didn't hurt that we had absolutely perfect weather conditions for this run. I was definitely nervous to run in a warmer climate after training in the cold, but temps and conditions for this race were absolutely phenomenal and I was loving it!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgBW5tEQ9kHcGkMtXD3bXO1wfJdP1SBleWARMTmDg6rxid_gh-dAAuGx54kOggdgjb5LWQS50gzMgEQDezX0om_LeQ6NYDVrh_UQis1OyQEc8qP8sRAYYP2GN6o6vXVATglfBJ-0eBiiyNWlCb9l6k6qE1JuOHxsdHSGhtXB0TyG62Jitd_VpFrGQ=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgBW5tEQ9kHcGkMtXD3bXO1wfJdP1SBleWARMTmDg6rxid_gh-dAAuGx54kOggdgjb5LWQS50gzMgEQDezX0om_LeQ6NYDVrh_UQis1OyQEc8qP8sRAYYP2GN6o6vXVATglfBJ-0eBiiyNWlCb9l6k6qE1JuOHxsdHSGhtXB0TyG62Jitd_VpFrGQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I felt surprisingly great for the majority of this run. I really wasn't sure how I was going to feel because of how terrible I felt during the WDW Marathon, so my main focus was so get to the finish and enjoy the run. (Really my main goal was finding a giant cactus to take a selfie with π) BUT I was feeling so great, even at the half way point, and I started to realize that I was on pace to go sub-5. I tried not to let myself dwell on that possibility because I didn't want to push my body and totally fall apart in the later miles, but I would be lying if I told you it wasn't in the back of my mind through the majority of the second half!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5Ee0V3ZVQhC6-LkE26xqSoC9fGhRXhBu6n_80rFU86Hr5c4HqEgqSbgGyTJxYBrvdts3MHixfiXttAjkAzVt9pb3wg9ebrFFaFDs-uHs1qgzCcbFO_II7F_cZeHbP5KykOqwiZ3oMKpecW5vHRIpKDmqyOLQV3WO2fgFpnSQzajh8PF28NT70pw=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5Ee0V3ZVQhC6-LkE26xqSoC9fGhRXhBu6n_80rFU86Hr5c4HqEgqSbgGyTJxYBrvdts3MHixfiXttAjkAzVt9pb3wg9ebrFFaFDs-uHs1qgzCcbFO_II7F_cZeHbP5KykOqwiZ3oMKpecW5vHRIpKDmqyOLQV3WO2fgFpnSQzajh8PF28NT70pw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Mission accomplished </i>π΅</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Around mile 16.5 is where things started to get difficult. This is where we turned onto some bike trails and we stayed on these trails for about 3 miles or so. This section was GORGEOUS and we had these beautiful views of incredible red rocks everywhere you looked. However, these trails were HILLY AF, and after having a mostly flat course for the first half, it was a surprise to turn onto these hills and it definitely shook up my mental game a bit. I tried to focus on putting one step down at a time, and to also really appreciate the beautiful scenery around me because... WOW π€©</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjoMC6YUadnPuClTbCrmy0MaXpUTuGYBCD3I6jTagFSp54ZPulieQLQBLaKIOyMNCpBE91XSXG03SSnM3XeA1-P2CJj2rFfCrSGEzi00JliSvOy_CbuxvslkiGATTA6GRs7BwxAoUTMo-kk7aSM-M6k8MDXHv3fPxDWJwshzGsjTmiN0NhoVuMNng=s1795" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjoMC6YUadnPuClTbCrmy0MaXpUTuGYBCD3I6jTagFSp54ZPulieQLQBLaKIOyMNCpBE91XSXG03SSnM3XeA1-P2CJj2rFfCrSGEzi00JliSvOy_CbuxvslkiGATTA6GRs7BwxAoUTMo-kk7aSM-M6k8MDXHv3fPxDWJwshzGsjTmiN0NhoVuMNng=s1795" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhIKUMVX1l8RTUo7mdSxhfpY2FFWAUBRGTWDU5j1M73r5_V7K4KyBJY6A2f0coFbD7Ye_Zp_jKrNyHoE4EifmXOj-HDklRR3EsM3bgbBtq0hDyJ-5H1pN5rWUBpClMVKxtBE9t45DDEsdDHZrcFxNv2qPQ5LZ19iC5BPo12hYGbrL6EMRE80-wObg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhIKUMVX1l8RTUo7mdSxhfpY2FFWAUBRGTWDU5j1M73r5_V7K4KyBJY6A2f0coFbD7Ye_Zp_jKrNyHoE4EifmXOj-HDklRR3EsM3bgbBtq0hDyJ-5H1pN5rWUBpClMVKxtBE9t45DDEsdDHZrcFxNv2qPQ5LZ19iC5BPo12hYGbrL6EMRE80-wObg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_S59mv4oXvP_hNkRNMc1GWluk8BK0Z-QA1fMveEOyR6vynLMM6wMkorFaPofyLI_PAnyRyOq99HiB24lyOJ_jWPtOcvswZ7b6DtY6aG8IrK6D8eSHpP2EYTKl2iutLHNmJyBKwPpe35UqKA6zr69sY_0sBqHGopNVfbUpYUxDE1WNg0hmTBeedg=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_S59mv4oXvP_hNkRNMc1GWluk8BK0Z-QA1fMveEOyR6vynLMM6wMkorFaPofyLI_PAnyRyOq99HiB24lyOJ_jWPtOcvswZ7b6DtY6aG8IrK6D8eSHpP2EYTKl2iutLHNmJyBKwPpe35UqKA6zr69sY_0sBqHGopNVfbUpYUxDE1WNg0hmTBeedg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidbmVfcOjcieXvbwy1QD8BDGPsh7hOp8nZJzXeKkM-ZEAB92b7qEDGssXR85YZOIoUtDZbtvPD34ujKiSdKhdnC4OW-KoSPNUIR3Su0enQyWLsPFskh61JErq7pEgvBxzf68rZ5CorlmZMqfIpFxK_OxOVBeLj_mMKF3BEzjI3CHn9xhoSrPc8Lw=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidbmVfcOjcieXvbwy1QD8BDGPsh7hOp8nZJzXeKkM-ZEAB92b7qEDGssXR85YZOIoUtDZbtvPD34ujKiSdKhdnC4OW-KoSPNUIR3Su0enQyWLsPFskh61JErq7pEgvBxzf68rZ5CorlmZMqfIpFxK_OxOVBeLj_mMKF3BEzjI3CHn9xhoSrPc8Lw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div></div></div></div><br />At about 19.5 - right after the beautiful bike trails of doom - I actually got to see our BibRave Community Manager Laura, which was so incredible! She's local to the area and was so kind to come out to cheer on a few of us BibRave Pros in our race. It honestly meant SO MUCH to me that Laura stuck around to see my slow self make it to mile 19.5, and she even brought me a little baggie of mid-race pretzels and jogged with me to mile marker 20! Seeing a friendly face cheering me on at that point of the race gave me such an incredible boost and motivated me to get through the last 10K!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-ExM-tYismAxX7CatcrTH2B0Aw9863Wm8-_aRY7ZqDFV8-eONMoi_joGfiq1aaB4m2Vah_mTDGKDemW947LDJLnKMyP5QB-oDV64u3mpo8tYkpCMag95sorxfSBw0Q3moXU_SQ_BihaL70JBgrheF-MDedELVaqR2VtulG08kWbUBU7Q8Nk0Pkg=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-ExM-tYismAxX7CatcrTH2B0Aw9863Wm8-_aRY7ZqDFV8-eONMoi_joGfiq1aaB4m2Vah_mTDGKDemW947LDJLnKMyP5QB-oDV64u3mpo8tYkpCMag95sorxfSBw0Q3moXU_SQ_BihaL70JBgrheF-MDedELVaqR2VtulG08kWbUBU7Q8Nk0Pkg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMnPAjHezGQCbC2C9m8cZbmt2W3PA5mhF-mN9pcmTIccoWFL5qvW5QzuMo_rLRhT0gEK_iNZImo4oeuYTIIl57vsKxp8BbESsxqsWEnuBB3G5i7Giws8RD1Ekguq0pTci1Tos1n8d5FGf-LF1Gl_Q4quzDK3iiPdrRISuEYm9e7AK7ANYvnhgh1Q=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMnPAjHezGQCbC2C9m8cZbmt2W3PA5mhF-mN9pcmTIccoWFL5qvW5QzuMo_rLRhT0gEK_iNZImo4oeuYTIIl57vsKxp8BbESsxqsWEnuBB3G5i7Giws8RD1Ekguq0pTci1Tos1n8d5FGf-LF1Gl_Q4quzDK3iiPdrRISuEYm9e7AK7ANYvnhgh1Q=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was definitely gassed out after seeing Laura, and I knew the last few miles were going to be a slog. On top of that, the sun was really starting to take it out of me at this point and I was overall just ready to be DONE. What I do appreciate about these Rock n' Roll races is that the on-course entertainment is just top notch. It seems like every single mile there's a band or DJ hyping up the runners and it was no different in Arizona. While these last 6.2 miles were mentally and physically challenging, I tried my best to just make it to the next performer and enjoy the music they were providing for the runners on the course.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After chipping my way through the 20s, I finally turned a corner, ran all the way down the bridge, and finally, across the finish line to capture my 19th state!!!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhiAexaZwphEfBQzjIkaVh302ChvYw9Aqaoo6yEaaIj_NPsp0560eUoveXGfDPrY_EHtBDM1dUPj-BkEBvdSY23CwmLOtkSNRIC85VkKaqi_5iLXhYeoJYos6Mu1FQRUi6HGmVLZLFcdtgC95S_PyY0oL5bewmYjjE3gC0UD5ebpLxivP4rgWsPWw=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhiAexaZwphEfBQzjIkaVh302ChvYw9Aqaoo6yEaaIj_NPsp0560eUoveXGfDPrY_EHtBDM1dUPj-BkEBvdSY23CwmLOtkSNRIC85VkKaqi_5iLXhYeoJYos6Mu1FQRUi6HGmVLZLFcdtgC95S_PyY0oL5bewmYjjE3gC0UD5ebpLxivP4rgWsPWw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>I definitely look more alive than I felt!</i> π</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1795" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjoMC6YUadnPuClTbCrmy0MaXpUTuGYBCD3I6jTagFSp54ZPulieQLQBLaKIOyMNCpBE91XSXG03SSnM3XeA1-P2CJj2rFfCrSGEzi00JliSvOy_CbuxvslkiGATTA6GRs7BwxAoUTMo-kk7aSM-M6k8MDXHv3fPxDWJwshzGsjTmiN0NhoVuMNng=w514-h640" width="514" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Striking distance of another sub-5!</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also earned my <b>4ever Young</b> Heavy Medal at this race! For every city you run within a Heavy Medal season (typically it's within one year, but because of COVID they're currently counting 2020, 2021, and 2022 for one season), after running the second city and beyond you earn an additional Heavy Medal! This is my fourth city with Rock n' Roll since 2020, so I earned the 4ever Young medal, which coincidentally matched my outfit perfectly!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZQOcVDRMneXzytYmFG3rdLvIExci2F5w6MUyNxydzEVrpv1fkk0mdasQewq6QenCkqOtuJ9FaOkQHZGpn4SyReWSZV4kqJWskYaauVKARFw5rrL7FTOdIDAQSfD0LSrEzb4s9MwmwsDTD_DBXHZv1qoi9Y_m4Er8riRtL4z-RXtNgzFlCZ1mCtw=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZQOcVDRMneXzytYmFG3rdLvIExci2F5w6MUyNxydzEVrpv1fkk0mdasQewq6QenCkqOtuJ9FaOkQHZGpn4SyReWSZV4kqJWskYaauVKARFw5rrL7FTOdIDAQSfD0LSrEzb4s9MwmwsDTD_DBXHZv1qoi9Y_m4Er8riRtL4z-RXtNgzFlCZ1mCtw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm also a big big fan of the marathon medal I earned at RnR Arizona! It's the shape of the state of Arizona, and it perfectly captures the gorgeous scenery of the area we ran through. If there's one thing I'll remember about this race it's definitely the scenery, so I'm so glad that it's reflected on this medal!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTiaiOB6FFMxWksSsTTvT13bjx0ajL_xrVcAik-qOHyZfEDa9rfZdrTElDZ7qO4mERLjWMRxOSwJQ5NzCOHYkHYGV2ZDiGYxtX0RNpp_1qh29BS0vqY_5nQfg1N3HnEEfOYmOszWx7vqrpkn_kSTIrCFG5BKLFHvT2jvc34HwXKjkF4BR_GjaNKQ=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTiaiOB6FFMxWksSsTTvT13bjx0ajL_xrVcAik-qOHyZfEDa9rfZdrTElDZ7qO4mERLjWMRxOSwJQ5NzCOHYkHYGV2ZDiGYxtX0RNpp_1qh29BS0vqY_5nQfg1N3HnEEfOYmOszWx7vqrpkn_kSTIrCFG5BKLFHvT2jvc34HwXKjkF4BR_GjaNKQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiBT4UfOI0XN9WKLZ38r-_qpvt_pZT3f4u79hg4NJCab78cB3JgLumrlUo5-kIgO2eyLdsI_dHkJJGOTuUysNU2ivlBD0JBY-SJ50Cs-BGz9lBmcoqvD1-APtefDmb8-3HkQzCLwVDbDxxLppOvLj2kzg-DSO73wPPcH-y5LA_PbVKhgN_g7MeZ8Q=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiBT4UfOI0XN9WKLZ38r-_qpvt_pZT3f4u79hg4NJCab78cB3JgLumrlUo5-kIgO2eyLdsI_dHkJJGOTuUysNU2ivlBD0JBY-SJ50Cs-BGz9lBmcoqvD1-APtefDmb8-3HkQzCLwVDbDxxLppOvLj2kzg-DSO73wPPcH-y5LA_PbVKhgN_g7MeZ8Q=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I had a bit of time after the race before I had to head to the airport, so after showering and resting for an hour or so, I went out to grab some dinner, a celebratory beveragino and dinner at Four Peaks Brewing Company (where I found out my server was from a town about 20 minutes from me in Massachusetts π) and - per a recommendation from a friend that said if I did nothing else I should do this - grabbed a frozen coffee from Dutch Bros. Y'all... I need Dutch Bros to set up a franchise in the northeast like now ππ. Why don't we have any good frozen coffee up here??</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgO2hUT9-I1kX7m5V9MXAgeXIHTN9-vdrns3NfSInKbkzLlQbyCZsG_wisfb1KiiUwUkmkejq_OOL_es8msg-C-AGQKe_YWZUOjF7OkzZ1ZJLiHT1MFcdDJfk_0gGZZSilYHarUh_Ke_YOWTUTTf3w_W3ILxY1AAA5DD4WR64HC65adsj3X1eljKA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgO2hUT9-I1kX7m5V9MXAgeXIHTN9-vdrns3NfSInKbkzLlQbyCZsG_wisfb1KiiUwUkmkejq_OOL_es8msg-C-AGQKe_YWZUOjF7OkzZ1ZJLiHT1MFcdDJfk_0gGZZSilYHarUh_Ke_YOWTUTTf3w_W3ILxY1AAA5DD4WR64HC65adsj3X1eljKA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9xoHl3uYyn_PD1q7fmIw2YfKfdlSjOdJEgFzztCBEIaXoVDm4D0BbslJY0NQbuTWyDf0S2sk7jDi3GAAuSdMTx7NI8GbnbpURR7p47Nc-Tl2JbI0Puu2IUIzWoMoFdhXXZupyNfut0diHxKqnPu7coLJJ_DcFDuD7Wv2WYuCiWm7NfnAfW5eoQg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9xoHl3uYyn_PD1q7fmIw2YfKfdlSjOdJEgFzztCBEIaXoVDm4D0BbslJY0NQbuTWyDf0S2sk7jDi3GAAuSdMTx7NI8GbnbpURR7p47Nc-Tl2JbI0Puu2IUIzWoMoFdhXXZupyNfut0diHxKqnPu7coLJJ_DcFDuD7Wv2WYuCiWm7NfnAfW5eoQg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhLp72OW8GU6FYXime6c4WB-tCwuQoggSbBKBZqT6Go9kIW07fgRPoeE_fFKAmiIlIeMbpAIMKXmcDckwory8C-d2yadzqP0Vf6BcV8EsnKNjm-b2wzde4_ic36_tVxR0PapkZ8bIVT6d3-SjRzSmYG5j-p7jdJLgBlplOznjP_gKMDMNg5hsf4sA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhLp72OW8GU6FYXime6c4WB-tCwuQoggSbBKBZqT6Go9kIW07fgRPoeE_fFKAmiIlIeMbpAIMKXmcDckwory8C-d2yadzqP0Vf6BcV8EsnKNjm-b2wzde4_ic36_tVxR0PapkZ8bIVT6d3-SjRzSmYG5j-p7jdJLgBlplOznjP_gKMDMNg5hsf4sA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Overall I had a fantastic time at Rock n' Roll Arizona. As usual, Rock n' Roll put on an incredible event and I would 100% return to run this marathon again. The course was gorgeous, the entertainment was incredible, and the volunteers and staff were so amazing in making sure everyone had a fantastic time. 10/10 would recommend for your Arizona race!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Want to see my race weekend in action?</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Check out my race recap vlog below!</span></b></div><p></p></div><center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LzWK5mFa3Bg" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116982228825892049noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1916871150499748468.post-58451479125044390842022-02-10T10:00:00.012-05:002022-02-10T10:00:00.239-05:00Race Review: Walt Disney World Marathon 2022 β¨ Goofy Challenge Day 2!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Today I will be talking about Day 2 of the Goofy Challenge at the 2022 Walt Disney World Marathon! Make sure you check out my review of Day 1 at the <a href="https://fiveleveninety.blogspot.com/2022/02/race-review-walt-disney-world-half.html" target="_blank">Walt Disney World Half Marathon</a> if you haven't already!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbeiGCiRJcQ4pBIp4wAdKAwi7AhvD9xyly0u08fi-MvOJ78La5QcYQfZMDrYZTxl6LyVpLy0AZd9AenmCYgbK7dBFO602Lysf5DFthLIAe4yidXe_hWA-Xhvydwfn-xIVD1twE2nn2t78-TwE7J1vk5BDQwI459E4sG1_FJI3czxAtFxPOgSATKQ=s1080" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbeiGCiRJcQ4pBIp4wAdKAwi7AhvD9xyly0u08fi-MvOJ78La5QcYQfZMDrYZTxl6LyVpLy0AZd9AenmCYgbK7dBFO602Lysf5DFthLIAe4yidXe_hWA-Xhvydwfn-xIVD1twE2nn2t78-TwE7J1vk5BDQwI459E4sG1_FJI3czxAtFxPOgSATKQ=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Marathon day started a little bit later than Half Marathon day for me because I let myself sleep for about 30 more minutes. That doesn't sound like a lot, but in runDisney time that extra 30 minutes means EVERYTHING! π I woke up around 2:15am and got myself ready. For the Marathon, I wanted to dress like the man himself - GOOFY! I figured it was only appropriate since I was doing his challenge and whatnot π</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtFZisNV10tC_zWDZ1LLucWJafg7Efm9O73mPQOuesAevqgbXSQzlY6awhL84V-7TBYwzjeh1Pnssp6Eut62ufQHWZW5nb2Hhhl_KFkDpv_TR7k3zXh_9dJeoJIJHH401JOJsXMQoAgprpP2z4wOj17EnqD3CafAxeSqeFTEDQL7j8DmlKHfU4iQ=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtFZisNV10tC_zWDZ1LLucWJafg7Efm9O73mPQOuesAevqgbXSQzlY6awhL84V-7TBYwzjeh1Pnssp6Eut62ufQHWZW5nb2Hhhl_KFkDpv_TR7k3zXh_9dJeoJIJHH401JOJsXMQoAgprpP2z4wOj17EnqD3CafAxeSqeFTEDQL7j8DmlKHfU4iQ=w300-h400" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZsRiNdmCP7mBaQHLemfS71XhVS_v0ukK-_T9S0lqu6BEKxH4vQi2Jm-QtCm2_8gPb9It3NOSoZL-6ZTv-4NHqCs1syWh5fYSM10AUiNDx8M02fEmjJDaRzU1DiMZQcWOKYxwEzVWkoX-_8qv9UnoNfBuYpq3md0mEEOmeElqNs5mAqGniO6U0tw=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZsRiNdmCP7mBaQHLemfS71XhVS_v0ukK-_T9S0lqu6BEKxH4vQi2Jm-QtCm2_8gPb9It3NOSoZL-6ZTv-4NHqCs1syWh5fYSM10AUiNDx8M02fEmjJDaRzU1DiMZQcWOKYxwEzVWkoX-_8qv9UnoNfBuYpq3md0mEEOmeElqNs5mAqGniO6U0tw=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was out the door by 2:45am, on the bus by about 2:55am, and got to the start staging area around 3:15am or so. Still quite early, but I didn't feel as rushed to get to the start. My legs were in rough shape after Saturday (which I go into detail about in my Marathon vlog!) so all I really wanted to do when I got to the staging area was find a place to sit and eat my breakfast of a granola bar and a banana. I still took some photos before settling in, but it felt so nice to just sit on the bleachers and take in the atmosphere!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiE4n4PCHhH-CHYZE2iIckvqDC1fqz_aa8chr0s4xeWmEf-t7vY5EyOh38me_YHGEUAK7yHIeIHKYtD9rAuUr8QraWYXH08O-x8mS6YYxBEHeVHqC8_wa3JZcMeO8p1DYkn1UHE_6wkrMHAHL2IFyoHnW1DVBivGp7koW0ej8v3yOHSbi2AA9-0ag=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiE4n4PCHhH-CHYZE2iIckvqDC1fqz_aa8chr0s4xeWmEf-t7vY5EyOh38me_YHGEUAK7yHIeIHKYtD9rAuUr8QraWYXH08O-x8mS6YYxBEHeVHqC8_wa3JZcMeO8p1DYkn1UHE_6wkrMHAHL2IFyoHnW1DVBivGp7koW0ej8v3yOHSbi2AA9-0ag=w300-h400" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbiJIv17pgVxwnppcjEkfAnyia4vcj8yklBwkpLP-Yue7gnWhzP7ECTAIhrS1ZCIZEzfFcOJAPhGEa8JLTDUV1wCpAJX2BMqB3YV9vxZQbsRV-Pug6ughKfywPFYCDjzqu0Fe5JaKs9295PUoVUXYBtRz9DV_fj5OPmgSZn_S1_gYfqoyqUYMINQ=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbiJIv17pgVxwnppcjEkfAnyia4vcj8yklBwkpLP-Yue7gnWhzP7ECTAIhrS1ZCIZEzfFcOJAPhGEa8JLTDUV1wCpAJX2BMqB3YV9vxZQbsRV-Pug6ughKfywPFYCDjzqu0Fe5JaKs9295PUoVUXYBtRz9DV_fj5OPmgSZn_S1_gYfqoyqUYMINQ=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Being greeted by a fully lit Spaceship Earth is just the best feeling on race morning!</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgkSP-wyY4aDj1bMqCVJrTBBBm5dBjvHewryh4zqS1Ji08_0xxrSQOxjxbfCvgQAmEbdI6KdOasA7Kp2vIB3txbi4by69cTobdaXj5l54zjALuSGzAI9jG3aS_8yEiVMR5y7-9MychPKI2Ikc1aL6BA4dbzQDr1gGSMUVdwHbqK5toXOTa-zOQYmg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgkSP-wyY4aDj1bMqCVJrTBBBm5dBjvHewryh4zqS1Ji08_0xxrSQOxjxbfCvgQAmEbdI6KdOasA7Kp2vIB3txbi4by69cTobdaXj5l54zjALuSGzAI9jG3aS_8yEiVMR5y7-9MychPKI2Ikc1aL6BA4dbzQDr1gGSMUVdwHbqK5toXOTa-zOQYmg=w300-h400" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMT5IwPxb7IsBtWLJHzkpnCPjDlbs5GFb1dIFaUeDZ3uvRZFTbHLftHRUin08ZjpWHzm8c4EuVs0f4WnOFhw3_IbhAxCrNdN9CRoVD_7tfywjF8W2rWWK8Nf9N1BSjAtIiXcmaETvzW5cbcob5TQ_-TypcllKcp8T6kJgnZKoEk0xJQJeoKm3yJA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMT5IwPxb7IsBtWLJHzkpnCPjDlbs5GFb1dIFaUeDZ3uvRZFTbHLftHRUin08ZjpWHzm8c4EuVs0f4WnOFhw3_IbhAxCrNdN9CRoVD_7tfywjF8W2rWWK8Nf9N1BSjAtIiXcmaETvzW5cbcob5TQ_-TypcllKcp8T6kJgnZKoEk0xJQJeoKm3yJA=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiBrLvnhGBuK3Ws45ccTfNHh1ab5ialCDKepu8HRNwYMo-6XB19MRMHf06ugBevHxLWvaoL2kcrNpgI347h0cdtUchAPyRx9n69pGZaAwLg0vHTNk9qLErDP2_O80ZSt-rUoEycnlHOSXC-RsFcdkgz419P7bftUvP-V0tm5CmOLH7WOUv7-zVdSg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiBrLvnhGBuK3Ws45ccTfNHh1ab5ialCDKepu8HRNwYMo-6XB19MRMHf06ugBevHxLWvaoL2kcrNpgI347h0cdtUchAPyRx9n69pGZaAwLg0vHTNk9qLErDP2_O80ZSt-rUoEycnlHOSXC-RsFcdkgz419P7bftUvP-V0tm5CmOLH7WOUv7-zVdSg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Sitting on the bleachers with my legs up was so necessary on Marathon morning!</i></div><p>Like the Half Marathon, I made my way over to the start staging area around 4:30am. It was a muggy morning and it was supposed to be really warm that day, so I did not have to wait long before they sent us on our way. I think I was running by about 5:15am, so much earlier than the Half Marathon. A cool moment for the Marathon is that I ended up very close to the start line with my wave of starting group 4, so I got front row seats to the starting fireworks which was so incredible! An amazing way to start my race!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8oOjAu9V3GOhHY1Uqr9yqeruJXn36l0JI25ZBcfA28lXKvInjf5OSkEIA3jzpnV-ylLzRaUxK67J7wXCvQE9VW6UJ12EPBSaIpnN3UR-dCDNAMhQ9cM-D7Y7aXBDGxUwT9i-F23t-Tg30_9ydRUM3Xkjf_rQW-wmcyeeR7_H3_IrYrWroV3TtAw=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8oOjAu9V3GOhHY1Uqr9yqeruJXn36l0JI25ZBcfA28lXKvInjf5OSkEIA3jzpnV-ylLzRaUxK67J7wXCvQE9VW6UJ12EPBSaIpnN3UR-dCDNAMhQ9cM-D7Y7aXBDGxUwT9i-F23t-Tg30_9ydRUM3Xkjf_rQW-wmcyeeR7_H3_IrYrWroV3TtAw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPeNfvnrk0gAYDnjv92QMrRyMXfdvPB-HDYP3urH1XeeMp2ZUg6ba-r5IAwNOIXPes-av9GB9rjaZEh6swwh3UAEGb166cpbDxSMTTT49njZGAOhyd8yPsR3nUU68md59RFq_pIVeoL2YeB5Ti_ZFmXZVRAWnuAUc4gq1kg_xvLrZkhGyaeCDHWw=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPeNfvnrk0gAYDnjv92QMrRyMXfdvPB-HDYP3urH1XeeMp2ZUg6ba-r5IAwNOIXPes-av9GB9rjaZEh6swwh3UAEGb166cpbDxSMTTT49njZGAOhyd8yPsR3nUU68md59RFq_pIVeoL2YeB5Ti_ZFmXZVRAWnuAUc4gq1kg_xvLrZkhGyaeCDHWw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Unfortunately I had a hard time pretty much all the way through this race. During the first few miles I was feeling pretty nauseous and the humidity really wasn't helping. I knew early on that this marathon was going to be tough, so I stopped and walked whenever I felt the need (which was awesome) and used character stops for breaks. As you'll be able to tell through the photos in this post, I stopped A LOT π It really was so stinkin' humid through the first 10 miles or so, so I tried really hard to get as many miles behind me before the sun got too high in the sky.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjl511tA2MDKlJUh8OT2i3CllsnaWB94cOu9Ea0go_DfIl-raug1GN_MDRLt3PWGNcS3PMWSefaenocj0HvWRu2p2T_81Pv4mer49GX-vAzUPpLzOJHKElR60mRj7bXLryibNsKyVUBm7evVwNTADVsoL4qYRd2gX0FLmcnGvvc4cNqK_zw78ZLwQ=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjl511tA2MDKlJUh8OT2i3CllsnaWB94cOu9Ea0go_DfIl-raug1GN_MDRLt3PWGNcS3PMWSefaenocj0HvWRu2p2T_81Pv4mer49GX-vAzUPpLzOJHKElR60mRj7bXLryibNsKyVUBm7evVwNTADVsoL4qYRd2gX0FLmcnGvvc4cNqK_zw78ZLwQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Pluto during the first mile!</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhowGELgTeA9pNEBl771VmxL1tzce9Ln6UWDPKthiah09jCBbabq17eyP_04E1kt5DEVxIc-hMMbH0AMBky1DQzMTV6Ax1wazylrs1_rdz3iytS5br8gttSryhaB0aKBqw-7-VGieY9VuDhpphRLIHKQR7Ha7GgsIJkKpvhdEh706z8LlPylqwcVg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhowGELgTeA9pNEBl771VmxL1tzce9Ln6UWDPKthiah09jCBbabq17eyP_04E1kt5DEVxIc-hMMbH0AMBky1DQzMTV6Ax1wazylrs1_rdz3iytS5br8gttSryhaB0aKBqw-7-VGieY9VuDhpphRLIHKQR7Ha7GgsIJkKpvhdEh706z8LlPylqwcVg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Dark Wing Duck during mile 4!</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>The start to the marathon isn't the most entertaining part of the course. It's tough to really enjoy your surroundings when you're running in basically pitch black darkness, but I think they did a pretty good job of putting out a lot of characters during these miles. You do run through a bit of Epcot in these first few miles but because it's so dark you basically can't see anything haha. Luckily the day started to break around mile 7 for me which made the race a bit more interesting. It's nice to actually be able to see the folks around you!<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwebBQsY_hmpyorZHg9RJ9_-wOluJ15AYzEN3E8Zl5oaeDYk_lw0GEjCteps_iHsn0cLrMCyIVP7J4wEJ6iJg8Knmxbwkabvu1n-lfLXECnkpjqUAotQ3isAAI-XbRSyEsG23P-1eo3KykMupOQWmxZN0PY4vna-2VgpsAZL_spyKb5uqWYr08Hg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwebBQsY_hmpyorZHg9RJ9_-wOluJ15AYzEN3E8Zl5oaeDYk_lw0GEjCteps_iHsn0cLrMCyIVP7J4wEJ6iJg8Knmxbwkabvu1n-lfLXECnkpjqUAotQ3isAAI-XbRSyEsG23P-1eo3KykMupOQWmxZN0PY4vna-2VgpsAZL_spyKb5uqWYr08Hg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Elastigirl and Edna Mode during mile 9!</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFKgN1P304t7rd5jdLCBj1pT48foFUIcBYXRGIyGD74IcRSVQHLYaB9AX2ck6c0lSyyFBW8IJex1oasqShVQnbgSbjanJEsYtWl8g5Bfj6z0vmPJA2q1z0N7R-uXYg9FJBTo-VvZo4aW4aAom6I5db1bXpcvuXBH15v6KlDOQCWos3-zPvXwD-Iw=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFKgN1P304t7rd5jdLCBj1pT48foFUIcBYXRGIyGD74IcRSVQHLYaB9AX2ck6c0lSyyFBW8IJex1oasqShVQnbgSbjanJEsYtWl8g5Bfj6z0vmPJA2q1z0N7R-uXYg9FJBTo-VvZo4aW4aAom6I5db1bXpcvuXBH15v6KlDOQCWos3-zPvXwD-Iw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Frozone during mile 9!</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9E4Chb6dcY0DbW8uT5oGYw1pMqRfiqgNJV0oPOCybjWYEsWbZHG_rXd-Rt_boX83B8OCG3MsE0FhaEMNjEkbWvXSlVU-JiPrBaRGaZykpVFlWVt4RHQzJxTXBfUA4EdBcueozLrUkA1fsRz7ovKxtGdK3MIL3a6oeC_WDfp3npIVsqgNKQzBG7A=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9E4Chb6dcY0DbW8uT5oGYw1pMqRfiqgNJV0oPOCybjWYEsWbZHG_rXd-Rt_boX83B8OCG3MsE0FhaEMNjEkbWvXSlVU-JiPrBaRGaZykpVFlWVt4RHQzJxTXBfUA4EdBcueozLrUkA1fsRz7ovKxtGdK3MIL3a6oeC_WDfp3npIVsqgNKQzBG7A=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Figment during mile 10! Had to get this photo for my friend Brittany who is a Figment superfan haha.</span></i></div><div><br /></div>Magic Kingdom isn't until about mile 10 on the course for the Marathon so I didn't get the same magical moment of seeing the castle lit up in the dark, but I definitely still teared up coming into the park and turning to see the castle π Something about the crowds, the music, and the sight of Cinderella Castle after putting in so much effort to get there just gets me so choked up everytime! I hope that the joy I feel running down Main Street never fades. π</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhhtYW7DOdrVxGr4tGOKpqM4OaUwCmDqiYD9RS0Aj13w_VbQtCTeWJONhs7zn-UB-aCt7komDhfKrfu2cTTq_DF--aYACRKtpfbEVDSgaxY2JRRqjtxWCoWDxak-mjkaRp8daMEvQjf8JnqghMy2hYvrxvwcXfKW0iSQ1nrRjJ1oDfvnQoYmVRiuA=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhhtYW7DOdrVxGr4tGOKpqM4OaUwCmDqiYD9RS0Aj13w_VbQtCTeWJONhs7zn-UB-aCt7komDhfKrfu2cTTq_DF--aYACRKtpfbEVDSgaxY2JRRqjtxWCoWDxak-mjkaRp8daMEvQjf8JnqghMy2hYvrxvwcXfKW0iSQ1nrRjJ1oDfvnQoYmVRiuA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgiQlhyZlgif-57ppnhBdqa7efAw6p5AdUHOdbBGTNlh6RP7jznO8XCfuumFPy2wxwELI-iGQRtX-Kqyc0snhV28kE-xHCnj3l1FL5zpTYjpdBduiSbTe1MAssfzsBvjzGgjDa-II3kU6eHU1wJC0zuq7h6ybu6f6x4qfIxXaa8K_4ahTgX78Ly7Q=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgiQlhyZlgif-57ppnhBdqa7efAw6p5AdUHOdbBGTNlh6RP7jznO8XCfuumFPy2wxwELI-iGQRtX-Kqyc0snhV28kE-xHCnj3l1FL5zpTYjpdBduiSbTe1MAssfzsBvjzGgjDa-II3kU6eHU1wJC0zuq7h6ybu6f6x4qfIxXaa8K_4ahTgX78Ly7Q=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I didn't spend as much time in Magic Kingdom as I did during the Half Marathon since I still had SO MUCH left of the race to run and the sun was rising quickly, but I did take my time getting a couple of character photos and just taking in my surroundings. Running through Magic Kingdom will literally never get old!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCLEpL3nj3gYhRNxI8PilXCkdRCBKdUcskoU9bWEeG2Ryxb2BCwAvdiT4TgLJ5AUpJZfxvQRg2q_HYnzfpP1A8zE4W2siCTcM54OUOKsHIV7qPFDNx8adUMIVkryVafKVLq7j_2yGNCJWtSvWsWLj7n603T8IkP_on9W8Pu_XNvkZdmA__wrAN5Q=s3696" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3696" data-original-width="2456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCLEpL3nj3gYhRNxI8PilXCkdRCBKdUcskoU9bWEeG2Ryxb2BCwAvdiT4TgLJ5AUpJZfxvQRg2q_HYnzfpP1A8zE4W2siCTcM54OUOKsHIV7qPFDNx8adUMIVkryVafKVLq7j_2yGNCJWtSvWsWLj7n603T8IkP_on9W8Pu_XNvkZdmA__wrAN5Q=w426-h640" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Cruising through Tomorrowland!</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjT2180JnsRuQgXcEPQteS0zFVcEZP6-6EeBUtW3cka_Q5qogtTwNlAieI9hNNirrfEFXcXQeDg2jDfXnHbIp9TlHxamc2yzb1f2UpuY4nr9lpiwdyMZkq1RyyEc1ENjz_qH1pcJP-bdJFyeI4QeSzyN0PZBq_eQBpsKBKCV9LUkYY1FkSPJoaV2Q=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjT2180JnsRuQgXcEPQteS0zFVcEZP6-6EeBUtW3cka_Q5qogtTwNlAieI9hNNirrfEFXcXQeDg2jDfXnHbIp9TlHxamc2yzb1f2UpuY4nr9lpiwdyMZkq1RyyEc1ENjz_qH1pcJP-bdJFyeI4QeSzyN0PZBq_eQBpsKBKCV9LUkYY1FkSPJoaV2Q=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Stitch in Tomorrowland (~mile 10.75)</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I actually got a pretty solid castle photo from Photopass during the Marathon! Not only do I look like I'm feeling 1000x better than I actually was π
but this photo makes me giggle so much because I'm totally Mike Wizowski-ing the two men running behind me π I hope they got these on their Photopass app as well and laughed!</div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiz4OT1rg6Ni34J0MZqLgLz3DQ_UKuaP58uyApRnKjXP50cpYmmZYSW-oz90Ak5eOoZhV-QRjeauwsYZt5c83oD7qKLiJk71ZVNtIZD0JRP6tUkUw5u1YRLgOg8HuF44qmPJse5TVlHX52KZbi28OryYUdwIpgrND4eA5Aoo29WZABXnK5EWVU-Hw=s3696" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3696" data-original-width="2456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiz4OT1rg6Ni34J0MZqLgLz3DQ_UKuaP58uyApRnKjXP50cpYmmZYSW-oz90Ak5eOoZhV-QRjeauwsYZt5c83oD7qKLiJk71ZVNtIZD0JRP6tUkUw5u1YRLgOg8HuF44qmPJse5TVlHX52KZbi28OryYUdwIpgrND4eA5Aoo29WZABXnK5EWVU-Hw=w426-h640" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I saw Goofy in Liberty Square and of course I HAD to stop! This was the cutest character interaction I had. He absolutely loved my outfit and gave me a little round of applause π₯° It was so so cute and it's another moment I will never forget! π§‘π</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwtkR79xtUqjbJHpdROEmpz-x-OoqRVWa4Krwo0HwtHGTBdfcuBFzNxm3-1BvJdbYfgL3HqRr0U1vJNZ6N4X1HXAlDDQHzFdo7izFuJ-nPz5GdXWLQyvsaVRz39HX4l5OElHMgBBumcBNqfKZfCa4tWl8todHbKufRyyLwpFXXQKHSeN4kx9QVXA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwtkR79xtUqjbJHpdROEmpz-x-OoqRVWa4Krwo0HwtHGTBdfcuBFzNxm3-1BvJdbYfgL3HqRr0U1vJNZ6N4X1HXAlDDQHzFdo7izFuJ-nPz5GdXWLQyvsaVRz39HX4l5OElHMgBBumcBNqfKZfCa4tWl8todHbKufRyyLwpFXXQKHSeN4kx9QVXA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUE952wQI_8feW4B6s4zjH_xtK5KQaQeQBGWjpjtXn5s175VJuwMgta4BifYoKUCiin11LeHo3aUHNqC0OzHgkwt9JpW49k96fVDDgFAzRtyHbTpt4JVek9WsbnON9aShmcMslDnxNcats-sq5MOGwHTGUu5WPM6EYzZv1edRE5und54VgCIcHQA=s6000" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUE952wQI_8feW4B6s4zjH_xtK5KQaQeQBGWjpjtXn5s175VJuwMgta4BifYoKUCiin11LeHo3aUHNqC0OzHgkwt9JpW49k96fVDDgFAzRtyHbTpt4JVek9WsbnON9aShmcMslDnxNcats-sq5MOGwHTGUu5WPM6EYzZv1edRE5und54VgCIcHQA=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Goofy in Liberty Square (mile marker 11)</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There were a couple more photo opportunities before leaving the backstage area of MK that I wanted to take advantage of. I knew that the next stretch of highway was going to be a long one headed toward Animal Kingdom, so I was basically trying to delay that experience for as long as possible π</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyHro-N5F0lIl6P4a33HmXMF_Iozzvkqn2smWKTl09qDEvUfggOlK23Hl_WKkbm0af2hA6Ez8U6yhy_1O24Sss4lb9mhqGAwSphPUC3TO4OojIihINiG-Eu5Jp5yd_WnAb883jbdbjWnwcjqP513vQMWU_bOdSXzhrRTCqMkEg3O7Ty14zlp7Cxw=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyHro-N5F0lIl6P4a33HmXMF_Iozzvkqn2smWKTl09qDEvUfggOlK23Hl_WKkbm0af2hA6Ez8U6yhy_1O24Sss4lb9mhqGAwSphPUC3TO4OojIihINiG-Eu5Jp5yd_WnAb883jbdbjWnwcjqP513vQMWU_bOdSXzhrRTCqMkEg3O7Ty14zlp7Cxw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Panchito & JosΓ© at mile 11.25</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5gwgTRQYIfq23YyfctmOVj_Z2utrQXuxA-E6ROn29OEqpomsTNBuGieB8kH_aeiC6oYyQcsG9mmv43cXkGbw9yrdaOuacBkAUAID4fJYoWbrm6QPzXwy5IDfojjWu7e4IGhj2mKXVIv7nHSVjka_e6niRj8T5czlh6uyOuI-yl-LnUOgAGY4fAA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5gwgTRQYIfq23YyfctmOVj_Z2utrQXuxA-E6ROn29OEqpomsTNBuGieB8kH_aeiC6oYyQcsG9mmv43cXkGbw9yrdaOuacBkAUAID4fJYoWbrm6QPzXwy5IDfojjWu7e4IGhj2mKXVIv7nHSVjka_e6niRj8T5czlh6uyOuI-yl-LnUOgAGY4fAA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Daisy at mile 11.3</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I felt really great going through Magic Kingdom, but mainly because I was so distracted by how much fun I was having haha. Really once we exited the park and we hit mile 12, panic kind of started to set in. I had already been on the course for so long, we had so much further to go, and I felt pretty terrible. Luckily I didn't really feel that nauseous anymore which was a major plus, but my feet and legs were really in shambles. On top of that, the sun was starting to get higher in the sky and it was already so warm. I was really questioning whether I would be able to get myself to the finish line at this point.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhg10uCRFDEZ9_th0lChFn5KhJvKTf4S-veZvl-mKgw7m9m1MrXnie9-GpawGwA9Z4Bf32p4DS54EChJSYrs-FjciV_EG8amOyxCqSL5Q0ctaUqJNOBmFaW01Uce-ysETKO8T2QKMb7RCRCp950Yt8EZCLz4nqbzigHU82AF_QE3FYYcGzM09BLFg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhg10uCRFDEZ9_th0lChFn5KhJvKTf4S-veZvl-mKgw7m9m1MrXnie9-GpawGwA9Z4Bf32p4DS54EChJSYrs-FjciV_EG8amOyxCqSL5Q0ctaUqJNOBmFaW01Uce-ysETKO8T2QKMb7RCRCp950Yt8EZCLz4nqbzigHU82AF_QE3FYYcGzM09BLFg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Rabbit & Piglet at mile 12.5</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgS18Y2gyondVRLbySLhxO_C3AFAp8-9LvjPy04YMwyuXjvXLooIdCJt8J0yFUy-SpBuHFY6fHrbLWfwkkam7cU64t8LaqjLhR9HavRDmppJZOwlfi0dG6ti1gv3NvS39RR6ywLY_YngSId9Jv97yVEfML78z0lS77HkoGNATV4Ml-OM03VzhaXbA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgS18Y2gyondVRLbySLhxO_C3AFAp8-9LvjPy04YMwyuXjvXLooIdCJt8J0yFUy-SpBuHFY6fHrbLWfwkkam7cU64t8LaqjLhR9HavRDmppJZOwlfi0dG6ti1gv3NvS39RR6ywLY_YngSId9Jv97yVEfML78z0lS77HkoGNATV4Ml-OM03VzhaXbA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Tigger at mile 12.75</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Luckily once we got to about mile 13.5, there was a bit of tree coverage and shade so we weren't in the direct sunlight for most of the way to Animal Kingdom. Not to mention that just like the miles leading up to MK, the lined the roads leading up to AK with plenty of character stops and entertainment to keep the fun going through the tough miles! I didn't get too many photos along the way to Animal Kingdom but I did get quite a few video clips, so make sure to watch my vlog to see what I saw along the way π</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQ5qvugcuHu_ddtC3EJtciYBEOLp0LZOJmpaWkloKoW9qR1w67DKgKr9152t2hptG4hBp1ii0uGZU1WCjjx7Tst6KTvbKdc7MIPPyUawLEhWS3b-Hc9s2zTX2cQr8NLytjxk4sZ5od2zf5rx5GXSbpvdzNp19gOEexTqbKwy8RAQ5EFq8U-eEFpw=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQ5qvugcuHu_ddtC3EJtciYBEOLp0LZOJmpaWkloKoW9qR1w67DKgKr9152t2hptG4hBp1ii0uGZU1WCjjx7Tst6KTvbKdc7MIPPyUawLEhWS3b-Hc9s2zTX2cQr8NLytjxk4sZ5od2zf5rx5GXSbpvdzNp19gOEexTqbKwy8RAQ5EFq8U-eEFpw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Robin Hood & Little John right after mile marker 15</span></i></div><div><br /></div>Finally making it into Animal Kingdom was a welcome distraction! I'm disappointed that this year Expedition Everest was closed for refurbishment during Marathon Weekend because I totally would have taken advantage of the opportunity to sit down at that point in the race π I was hoping to find a Simba waffle to snack on because I have heard of folks getting snacks and drinks while in AK (I definitely saw quite a few folks with beers!) but I didn't really feel like stopping to wait in line at the concession stands so I just kept it moving.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgH4iSCCr7Vxo8ShMj8MWJY0JrZW-bih5j__y2jAplVBDYyyg9u2G7ARr8_eIs_Prmh4UNifhnJky1_8WU15-3uyMc_iQD0GpCZDjHhAKEU5XFCt4CBRSaAIT0VZ60WREXV5uVQTKl6Xsiw7qGDQQqg6pvRsBsFlHhUtqRBubCYnLARrB27JD3xJQ=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgH4iSCCr7Vxo8ShMj8MWJY0JrZW-bih5j__y2jAplVBDYyyg9u2G7ARr8_eIs_Prmh4UNifhnJky1_8WU15-3uyMc_iQD0GpCZDjHhAKEU5XFCt4CBRSaAIT0VZ60WREXV5uVQTKl6Xsiw7qGDQQqg6pvRsBsFlHhUtqRBubCYnLARrB27JD3xJQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The few miles after exiting Animal Kingdom were quite brutal. It was all highways and zero tree cover. All we were doing is baking in the sun for about 3.5 miles before making the turn to Blizzard Beach. We did get wet sponges at mile 19 which were honestly life savers. I was bummed because there were so many Toy Story characters (prob one of my top 3 Disney movies!) along this stretch, but I did not want to wait in line for characters in the blazing hot sun when I already felt pretty terrible. I did snap a selfie with Bullseye though because when do you ever see Bullseye out?!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZD78KEBUtwMnLs8FxYzY4ENMvE6dvrkCN_gbycFEoPD6JBA4hY70pCE6an59fTAHmuyNyYai3tW3vPQDPzM2n-veopXIci8sNZkSUW6jE37bJYuVnSz6QFb8xeuL8GpCYlcfP2yzzKUe5Mw5tlnMXpdE7cb3WBIhqt8tnzke_yExN7fa483BH4Q=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZD78KEBUtwMnLs8FxYzY4ENMvE6dvrkCN_gbycFEoPD6JBA4hY70pCE6an59fTAHmuyNyYai3tW3vPQDPzM2n-veopXIci8sNZkSUW6jE37bJYuVnSz6QFb8xeuL8GpCYlcfP2yzzKUe5Mw5tlnMXpdE7cb3WBIhqt8tnzke_yExN7fa483BH4Q=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Bullseye around mile 19.5</span></i></div><div><br /></div>Eventually we turned right toward Blizzard Beach and honestly this is where I started to break down mentally. My feet had never hurt so much during a marathon, I was hot, I was sleep deprived... I straight up was not having a good time π There was a moment right before mile marker 21 where I was just in tears because of how bad I felt, and a man checked in with me to make sure I was okay. I love how supportive the running community is and I appreciated so much that this stranger checked in on me in this moment. Even though I felt terrible, I told him I would be okay and that I appreciated him. Another unforgettable moment. β¨</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgaD9CZtp7ZxCd9A6BI1keqKQb4dt3i-nVJXHlf-u4rOzz1G2Qn98lJoUruciZg3njq4WTyrxI6VDc8tzDL4vsZ-lS-D16w-HD2eCaL0h_jzAHXA43Vjj1q1chyI-RDv8vWUQLSSHkB-DgCql0wxWkm_HVPJxX0m0I9Gszm273wtqeGMXavMXoL5g=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgaD9CZtp7ZxCd9A6BI1keqKQb4dt3i-nVJXHlf-u4rOzz1G2Qn98lJoUruciZg3njq4WTyrxI6VDc8tzDL4vsZ-lS-D16w-HD2eCaL0h_jzAHXA43Vjj1q1chyI-RDv8vWUQLSSHkB-DgCql0wxWkm_HVPJxX0m0I9Gszm273wtqeGMXavMXoL5g=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Shannon and I had a running joke on our trip where we would ask if every building we saw was the Tower of Terror. As soon as the Tower of Terror was in my line of sight, I had to send her this photo and ask "Is that the Tower of Terror?" </i>π</span></div><div><br /></div>I was still hurting pretty badly all the way to Hollywood Studios. As soon as we entered by the Tower of Terror, I knew I had to sit and take a break in the shade on one of the benches. I sat down for about two minutes or so to kind of collect myself before hopping back out into the sun and running through the rest of the park. I will say that Hollywood Studios - both in the park and outside by the skyliner - had GREAT energy and even though I felt terrible, the energy really did perk me up a bit. I knew I only had a few more miles to go before I could officially be done!</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj1nj9NLnU5soHHH0HlAYotzKFf-Ks4lm0GyhBVFG6yC8-_gUEqMBjrd1QoqdswbuH34gejWbO8Jvx7VOqARslLIKXiY0Om_zdP2QDLfU5oy3tr0T-MQL7qj1JUPmIY7RL1hXEzMi-TmgkB0mAdq4F0c2SLtaiZthyr3g5Xv_W9_K7IH4-31jTHTg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj1nj9NLnU5soHHH0HlAYotzKFf-Ks4lm0GyhBVFG6yC8-_gUEqMBjrd1QoqdswbuH34gejWbO8Jvx7VOqARslLIKXiY0Om_zdP2QDLfU5oy3tr0T-MQL7qj1JUPmIY7RL1hXEzMi-TmgkB0mAdq4F0c2SLtaiZthyr3g5Xv_W9_K7IH4-31jTHTg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>All I wanted to do in this moment was jump into this body of water </i>π</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Eventually I made my way into the Boardwalk area, which then leads you into Epcot again! The crowds in these areas were so fantastic. Even though the park goers looked slightly confused, so many of them were cheering for runners which was so encouraging! I actually saw two park goers wearing Patriots jerseys, so I made a point to scream "GO PATS!" as I was running by which they really enjoyed π</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiood4uBcvln0lqB58RBR0kz-ZVR0LnIlu2tzghFLjCKmPPdqVPnW-DqL4MPfF9J8Q8U5Zk9osnOA878Z7OiMeoRfJWx78DglDoqYU2WGxaW9bln2aEn6euMJ5NfKRtI-SnvpmdzF70OqOAi_LSj7zIgihFQ9DaZX1YttRxCkRbeiJVpohC67_YgQ=s4928" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3280" data-original-width="4928" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiood4uBcvln0lqB58RBR0kz-ZVR0LnIlu2tzghFLjCKmPPdqVPnW-DqL4MPfF9J8Q8U5Zk9osnOA878Z7OiMeoRfJWx78DglDoqYU2WGxaW9bln2aEn6euMJ5NfKRtI-SnvpmdzF70OqOAi_LSj7zIgihFQ9DaZX1YttRxCkRbeiJVpohC67_YgQ=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0CL6GkGcSUzd87TL9bX5hdD1nkwbZFtsOWQaHKDoZubYYbHVpRQz_WMBzqC1CKeyoj3NozxI1urn-YkveHBlD7IK5Ki_CQNhJYIAzuC7U0_Ol51SKMAqi0xhIgYMDGXh0IyG3892DdlOyAy5JljjBIAA_LwTcjYRWm8fNnB6Z-q-l4hFeXREczw=s3696" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3696" data-original-width="2456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0CL6GkGcSUzd87TL9bX5hdD1nkwbZFtsOWQaHKDoZubYYbHVpRQz_WMBzqC1CKeyoj3NozxI1urn-YkveHBlD7IK5Ki_CQNhJYIAzuC7U0_Ol51SKMAqi0xhIgYMDGXh0IyG3892DdlOyAy5JljjBIAA_LwTcjYRWm8fNnB6Z-q-l4hFeXREczw=w426-h640" width="426" /></a></div><div><br /></div>At this point of the race (miles 24-25), every step was agony. As you can tell from the Photopass photos above, I was SO ready to be done! I was actually trying to actively avoid the Photopass photographers altogether but they still managed to beautifully capture my pain as we made our way through world showcase π Don't worry though, I still managed to take at least one cute Photopass photo even though I felt dead:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhch4IwMckMeAi6mBfj365-evCv-ObGxGEHKj-b3WDDu937UmiIj9XiR1MQlfREPFAciv_BUQy8hi-rerlZzBTRbws8syj3wNuNX7X9KjHmSAO59I4VZFflCRkpqJ58cjblA1axXGhJD4dqqpC0RR4T_NWdR9PMn-Vp1O20IPAVjNHhzj-8iK8fxg=s3696" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3696" data-original-width="2456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhch4IwMckMeAi6mBfj365-evCv-ObGxGEHKj-b3WDDu937UmiIj9XiR1MQlfREPFAciv_BUQy8hi-rerlZzBTRbws8syj3wNuNX7X9KjHmSAO59I4VZFflCRkpqJ58cjblA1axXGhJD4dqqpC0RR4T_NWdR9PMn-Vp1O20IPAVjNHhzj-8iK8fxg=w426-h640" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Proof that you should never believe what you see on social media because I felt like dying in this moment </i>π</span></div><br /><div>I knew that Shannon was waiting for me at the finish line and I was SO DANG CLOSE so I kept telling myself to keep moving forward. I could NOT wait to get to the finish so that I could finally sit down π Honestly when I turned the corner and saw the finish, all of the pain left my body because I was FINALLY AT THE END! If you look at my finish line photos, you would not be able to tell how awful I felt. Again, NEVER TRUST SOCIAL MEDIA! π<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDwXfYg5zIHAHRHtRuoRQ4GoqWPl4oHg7nLKnA2_aXAsmj5f4j6NKnnDP4Pc_xGWXVBdrsAt4Jfm_5UHZU30EfxByzkfJGvZGM9aFaC6fAZRjXutlCYhYnFtmambBFabtdGrX9hyEbNxaewzCVnLaIzmaD3vGnvYDyV8FHynuU4sMM63wAF_UxsA=s4928" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3280" data-original-width="4928" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDwXfYg5zIHAHRHtRuoRQ4GoqWPl4oHg7nLKnA2_aXAsmj5f4j6NKnnDP4Pc_xGWXVBdrsAt4Jfm_5UHZU30EfxByzkfJGvZGM9aFaC6fAZRjXutlCYhYnFtmambBFabtdGrX9hyEbNxaewzCVnLaIzmaD3vGnvYDyV8FHynuU4sMM63wAF_UxsA=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjmwcEtdaH-4_rszAYZuAJYOAV8o-uHrreOO8UBcP6hxI9Ym7-B3u3Zu_ia20AetM8n_GdNdNytGzI_B5pj1xj58EcHGMJOpI42W7sRKxrcEnJ3n1M4I9_tLDNycsbKgJVJBv9N_pwxkQiD2Og2JqQRDOaZrkwQ4a3irjmdWSdnJs0IRDFTMSGKUw=s6000" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjmwcEtdaH-4_rszAYZuAJYOAV8o-uHrreOO8UBcP6hxI9Ym7-B3u3Zu_ia20AetM8n_GdNdNytGzI_B5pj1xj58EcHGMJOpI42W7sRKxrcEnJ3n1M4I9_tLDNycsbKgJVJBv9N_pwxkQiD2Og2JqQRDOaZrkwQ4a3irjmdWSdnJs0IRDFTMSGKUw=w266-h400" width="266" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgD9HpF2z83P-B_-jCrRzdNiBLA95aawYubq0cjQFxuCMSggxcFRO4ELhpDCsJDDPe3ZkZXmppEQrDY7JaRwETJUm4FAISTcbBqbREBdUgCVJMkrqRJJGyUYb9vL0J_15shXv1tyF-zLblHwgpITLyQrVyGseMDuMocKqImklEdeYI6VYaFChqsRA=s6000" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgD9HpF2z83P-B_-jCrRzdNiBLA95aawYubq0cjQFxuCMSggxcFRO4ELhpDCsJDDPe3ZkZXmppEQrDY7JaRwETJUm4FAISTcbBqbREBdUgCVJMkrqRJJGyUYb9vL0J_15shXv1tyF-zLblHwgpITLyQrVyGseMDuMocKqImklEdeYI6VYaFChqsRA=w266-h400" width="266" /></a></div><br />All I could think about when I crossed the finish line was this moment from <i>The Incredibles</i>:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizdGhseljp1wfywLQUnZI5ieobK4hoNAxFc3U04waX7rKY5mmQ14r_9HFtc2aB4PEfd2mrNbnLzQ3b8Y5i-UuVpRPE56yuyhpP9iTy-zV44kxeuUTpSaXICTVg_ivbmPbeVdyjS19CvLoyU32VdoZFXIYbU5ws5TerqcW-3qF1uNDBiPwFdU9-tw=s500" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="202" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizdGhseljp1wfywLQUnZI5ieobK4hoNAxFc3U04waX7rKY5mmQ14r_9HFtc2aB4PEfd2mrNbnLzQ3b8Y5i-UuVpRPE56yuyhpP9iTy-zV44kxeuUTpSaXICTVg_ivbmPbeVdyjS19CvLoyU32VdoZFXIYbU5ws5TerqcW-3qF1uNDBiPwFdU9-tw=s16000" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I was so so SO happy to be done with that race! As much fun as I had, I felt terrible basically the entire time and unfortunately I was a lot more focused on finishing than enjoying the moment. A lot of how I was feeling was totally my fault and 100% preventable, and I've learned a lot of lessons through my first Goofy Challenge experience, so I definitely think I need to go back so I can do better next time!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I waddled my way through the finisher's chute, grabbed my Marathon medal, my finisher's Mickey ears (which, by the way, is my favorite thing that they do for marathon finishers!), and my Goofy challenge medal, and wobbled my way to find some shade to sit in while I waited for Shannon to come find me. My phone almost died and I was pretty concerned it was going to turn off and we wouldn't be able to find each other π but thankfully we found each other and could kick off our celebration together!</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhahLW8haW70Fm95qoXdlmktoyaWcHEqBpyNE5AzrUG1BCB0Vh8KJaKG-PosxpqUNyJzKlxIb4XY6gFNBwU86IHVrRSfx5ivEnaObn-mvAOuwUL4WSvjYYO5jnvGYtAhWrf-K9NdLv_ryFDHKQ49vcYlNWNpHaJFe1rnB0kRRoCiA7dmBmTug3Sxg=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhahLW8haW70Fm95qoXdlmktoyaWcHEqBpyNE5AzrUG1BCB0Vh8KJaKG-PosxpqUNyJzKlxIb4XY6gFNBwU86IHVrRSfx5ivEnaObn-mvAOuwUL4WSvjYYO5jnvGYtAhWrf-K9NdLv_ryFDHKQ49vcYlNWNpHaJFe1rnB0kRRoCiA7dmBmTug3Sxg=w300-h400" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8Fyl1hmIjuIt2IbtdJFogIpLFSIJVGsxyLGUpu4H-ugCO6DxPiPz_PCERtOb7A3g0-Qh9hvn8rwPKOckwgusUqhIw1vtk9DKY3joCDbeOElYlb6YV1VQGzOoRAW2NejVI92O21VjzcnK-XHnfGUhd63beADMn9eaycA4CTEVK60ih5zdGVoy_Zg=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8Fyl1hmIjuIt2IbtdJFogIpLFSIJVGsxyLGUpu4H-ugCO6DxPiPz_PCERtOb7A3g0-Qh9hvn8rwPKOckwgusUqhIw1vtk9DKY3joCDbeOElYlb6YV1VQGzOoRAW2NejVI92O21VjzcnK-XHnfGUhd63beADMn9eaycA4CTEVK60ih5zdGVoy_Zg=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjIzSr1jvd9G1oB5G8wKPx-9dLpi0mSjgo8Kfa_ZB_VXVGEicZFZ8JvgxbngXHhXCXUFqp-8gzVoG_itz3KvWI1LmrxFL4BDHeiVa11ypocQfDU4QKj0ZBhSa-gtqSFQXxdwzEUicbPKGU9gbzwW33veoDf05S_SYW_JZUBdOQ9if-xZpQEE5Yy8g=s1800" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjIzSr1jvd9G1oB5G8wKPx-9dLpi0mSjgo8Kfa_ZB_VXVGEicZFZ8JvgxbngXHhXCXUFqp-8gzVoG_itz3KvWI1LmrxFL4BDHeiVa11ypocQfDU4QKj0ZBhSa-gtqSFQXxdwzEUicbPKGU9gbzwW33veoDf05S_SYW_JZUBdOQ9if-xZpQEE5Yy8g=w512-h640" width="512" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">To celebrate, we spent the afternoon and evening in Magic Kingdom doing so many fun things! I will cover our theme park adventures in a different post, but I wanted to end this review with some of my Magic Kingdom medal photos because I love them so much! π (Shout out to Shannon for helping me out with these photos! She 100% has a future in medal photography π€©)</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOoMIEVCD-x_28G614NmEXedlvZn8w1Ixfv0ms83BZ92pL9gL05LYqX8aGjLhFwHheWrEqnPSla0hqj77tZpdN_jd4bc1yLYwgKxpmslL9rXjB8vfO86sKwc6PAU9Aam9lxEAtJsf4HQQBKajv1JtM8uL5LaIwUTEKLKIPHoQ_THu1UC5XUh05OQ=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOoMIEVCD-x_28G614NmEXedlvZn8w1Ixfv0ms83BZ92pL9gL05LYqX8aGjLhFwHheWrEqnPSla0hqj77tZpdN_jd4bc1yLYwgKxpmslL9rXjB8vfO86sKwc6PAU9Aam9lxEAtJsf4HQQBKajv1JtM8uL5LaIwUTEKLKIPHoQ_THu1UC5XUh05OQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiF6JsqDILbjbs5mfD1BcLyIWLSPP0VkSb8prJ3jHTZcPDqdkMflXLlgvGT_RZ0oGx2By7cwkDAMkT8lMGVHsr7xIqCNjrE0hmebzLUkz09WvsaYktgTCHp1TQyJQdEMKK0I_BQmCeXO9bBwtc-vOAmdSJZOTTtQ3E22pCNPEBNc3gamN-BdigSVA=s1800" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiF6JsqDILbjbs5mfD1BcLyIWLSPP0VkSb8prJ3jHTZcPDqdkMflXLlgvGT_RZ0oGx2By7cwkDAMkT8lMGVHsr7xIqCNjrE0hmebzLUkz09WvsaYktgTCHp1TQyJQdEMKK0I_BQmCeXO9bBwtc-vOAmdSJZOTTtQ3E22pCNPEBNc3gamN-BdigSVA=w512-h640" width="512" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZtKa1hjYwO-E6nddi_GbUF-y7BSQQb23JkiIxyXGEPdz0ojz9tIZ1X2T1gnIOaK390eAfZtOwhuSJMC0QjDFRurRzqstd7ZLs_fcxOEXmZBs7a10-jbcA6Ht6KtmzRvrzv7BXCSuM2uwzxHfyliSKiFLuFBeLk1kqTC-_Iipay2DYdiATeoEhMw=s1800" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZtKa1hjYwO-E6nddi_GbUF-y7BSQQb23JkiIxyXGEPdz0ojz9tIZ1X2T1gnIOaK390eAfZtOwhuSJMC0QjDFRurRzqstd7ZLs_fcxOEXmZBs7a10-jbcA6Ht6KtmzRvrzv7BXCSuM2uwzxHfyliSKiFLuFBeLk1kqTC-_Iipay2DYdiATeoEhMw=w512-h640" width="512" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEcumOQX3G4KoZmdCNxTSNqcVJczu1RYWf5uF1DviGfiPmyov03GQfY0qU79V0G-UrWf6G09naSqH7ozYC0xEKpTejb2QhrkvWTfGkGTl9OPUbiN8VNxV8hzRp0_3lczJ--EYtTuMXum5Dzds_M9B6znKbDWLAqEvDUzhj9xikgN03acJ9BceSFA=s1800" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEcumOQX3G4KoZmdCNxTSNqcVJczu1RYWf5uF1DviGfiPmyov03GQfY0qU79V0G-UrWf6G09naSqH7ozYC0xEKpTejb2QhrkvWTfGkGTl9OPUbiN8VNxV8hzRp0_3lczJ--EYtTuMXum5Dzds_M9B6znKbDWLAqEvDUzhj9xikgN03acJ9BceSFA=w512-h640" width="512" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Walt Disney World Marathon is a challenging marathon, and I really wasn't expecting it to be. I think the biggest challenge is being mindful of the run with all the distraction around you. It's so easy to forget to fuel, it's so easy to spend way more time on your feet than you're used to, and generally it's really easy to underestimate this marathon because you're at Disney. My biggest lesson from the weekend is to take better care of myself. It's a race weekend and even though I want to pack all the fun I can into my time at Disney, that's going to have some serious repercussions when it comes to race day. I know when I return I will be approaching these races VERY differently!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That being said, this race was incredible. Running 26.2 miles through the parks was amazing. There were dozens of characters and entertainers stationed all around the course, the volunteers were all so lovely and cheerful and encouraging, and the runDisney community is unlike any other. The way these races make you feel keep you coming back, and I cannot wait for my next runDisney race. Maybe Marathon Weekend 2023? π</div><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Check out my Walt Disney World Marathon vlog below to see all the action, and hear more about the story of my race through all four parks!</span></b></p>
<center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yIz-tukaBZM" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center></div>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116982228825892049noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1916871150499748468.post-60445666747588546822022-02-09T10:00:00.002-05:002022-02-09T10:00:00.272-05:00Race Review: Walt Disney World Half Marathon 2022 β¨ Goofy Challenge Day 1!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVxVf78tjTyQ02csyf3eiCiB4bP2BHNjfx_jo7I67LluqHq2U_H-ScRD0WG_FbYcNUhH905MwZmFZZeC3gpl5PB4VDrvmJbmGyuEzkbO0svyn0RDQBbrYP8ZTedKjvFFNHiWVcSS8Q2QciXbPo4fbCvxS-IwUrX9qlGmjunRUvnRxJv7LP-e7Ldg=s1080" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVxVf78tjTyQ02csyf3eiCiB4bP2BHNjfx_jo7I67LluqHq2U_H-ScRD0WG_FbYcNUhH905MwZmFZZeC3gpl5PB4VDrvmJbmGyuEzkbO0svyn0RDQBbrYP8ZTedKjvFFNHiWVcSS8Q2QciXbPo4fbCvxS-IwUrX9qlGmjunRUvnRxJv7LP-e7Ldg=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></div><p>If you follow me on any platform, you'll know that I participated in the 2022 Goofy Challenge at the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend back in January! I apparently can't shut up about it π I'm going to break up my reviews into two posts as I have a LOT to talk about, but I'm here today to give you a review of my experience running the Walt Disney World Half Marathon - Day 1 of the Goofy Challenge! <b>GAWRSH!</b></p><p>I traveled to Disney with my pal Shannon which was so much fun! A few months back she mentioned that she wanted to travel more, so I made the suggestion that she could always come on my race adventure whenever she wanted! She's currently in grad school, but it just so happened that she would be in between terms when I traveled to Disney for the Goofy Challenge, so when I offered for her to come with she was more than excited to join me!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigaCOtMS__VeshyxlWc1-hvoMjrnbbAYym5XFvvtCzgzek7tYSad2YrDMMq0HqWrW4JxleMAi2A7dzQsp40c4uO_DUfBHV2KBTusexEDntKR1pp-1crMXS9jfGzoCJiY_QYpngUhn8UurJBBAk69rX4nSb6_Le1kZXg4ftFObMc5RLv-hFOybpHQ=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigaCOtMS__VeshyxlWc1-hvoMjrnbbAYym5XFvvtCzgzek7tYSad2YrDMMq0HqWrW4JxleMAi2A7dzQsp40c4uO_DUfBHV2KBTusexEDntKR1pp-1crMXS9jfGzoCJiY_QYpngUhn8UurJBBAk69rX4nSb6_Le1kZXg4ftFObMc5RLv-hFOybpHQ=w300-h400" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKXMSZmkZfEkbPTRzn7nzO2fACdgzjstt6FbNgrZIz3eNxfvyWBClWplr8tv4jGAzwjKOkCOCLmXlVtTuhH_k9WoMPAFYAz8lhyyplPs4WjuCvYQa3hnwB7n6KR88Up-u74KnvVOaBSKKHP9bVPxjJiso1nn4QorAc4Sat435D9C_5wr0LN29LRw=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKXMSZmkZfEkbPTRzn7nzO2fACdgzjstt6FbNgrZIz3eNxfvyWBClWplr8tv4jGAzwjKOkCOCLmXlVtTuhH_k9WoMPAFYAz8lhyyplPs4WjuCvYQa3hnwB7n6KR88Up-u74KnvVOaBSKKHP9bVPxjJiso1nn4QorAc4Sat435D9C_5wr0LN29LRw=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><p>We flew in a day earlier than originally intended because we were supposed to receive some pretty nasty weather up in New England on our original departure date so we had a bit of waiting time before getting to property. We made the most of it, though, and relaxed at our hotel pool, and even got to watch the Magic Kingdom Fireworks from our hotel room which was absolutely incredible!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhIXImTkBsyE67gF_68SBtOswPCLiM8R5wqTQN9l9E_o5EZhuBYRRmRz4gefi3Cr9N2JXIwNgA4LflLHJO0Zth6Qzo9FobRWlf819ZEsCanIk_g3eCPy7ERo8sGukH7luXTLOQjJXoiviWtokyRgJq8UJxJu-xbfPwErWQyZGAFMaMllV2NN-HVEQ=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhIXImTkBsyE67gF_68SBtOswPCLiM8R5wqTQN9l9E_o5EZhuBYRRmRz4gefi3Cr9N2JXIwNgA4LflLHJO0Zth6Qzo9FobRWlf819ZEsCanIk_g3eCPy7ERo8sGukH7luXTLOQjJXoiviWtokyRgJq8UJxJu-xbfPwErWQyZGAFMaMllV2NN-HVEQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><p>On Friday we finally made it onto property as originally scheduled! Our room wasn't ready at our resort quite yet so we left our bags at bell services and headed on over to the Expo at ESPN Wide World of Sports. The runDisney Expo is always such a fantastic time, because not only do you get the chance to pick up your bib and shirts and check out vendors, there's tons of food, beverage, merchandise, and photo opportunities all around the ESPN grounds. I personally could spend a couple of hours walking around the expo taking in the atmosphere and getting hyped for my races!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiG0ihsbYddlOXy7658ZRu3nzc-Qv6vDWEEOsXsDvIY89zInJgDNvTBqA0pQOzid1gymd_U6nnSe0a0heELx8crzbWH7Rd4pMH1IkpfvotXhGOjGRHPtvVSpyD7wAifr3Ui_QgFXkusVFrgdNRbo6V_GToJXVXh-rMauMbbY0cY7mn2m1witl3U5A=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2316" data-original-width="3088" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiG0ihsbYddlOXy7658ZRu3nzc-Qv6vDWEEOsXsDvIY89zInJgDNvTBqA0pQOzid1gymd_U6nnSe0a0heELx8crzbWH7Rd4pMH1IkpfvotXhGOjGRHPtvVSpyD7wAifr3Ui_QgFXkusVFrgdNRbo6V_GToJXVXh-rMauMbbY0cY7mn2m1witl3U5A=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjaj_Sw6Utqi8G2vlvq6bwRz8erfH4VhbIeoQuPYOfFQX4sMBHEV-DLfTfiKCs7IO2kHPD0XzKL2d8JECuYj5I2aQe7kXP0FqVUFeOl4Uxvbb5BpbpYo18k7nF91zDSFek_5l3Fvcf1zBcMzgAS5kU39a4pa81G4SPEnmPMmuBYVPLcCltJLeMOrw=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjaj_Sw6Utqi8G2vlvq6bwRz8erfH4VhbIeoQuPYOfFQX4sMBHEV-DLfTfiKCs7IO2kHPD0XzKL2d8JECuYj5I2aQe7kXP0FqVUFeOl4Uxvbb5BpbpYo18k7nF91zDSFek_5l3Fvcf1zBcMzgAS5kU39a4pa81G4SPEnmPMmuBYVPLcCltJLeMOrw=w300-h400" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnxISxRS_YYpvTu6-fxvi4gTE45YpIUo7dfGMi5_DWnS-KdnEYC-XaohoyUft6qEJwKSXVk8diFble9bOEaVnSa2CQYompk2flAcYcI8I0amELaCwgWFf96DFAd-_4ZRoMIxsx-ziBAXE6zpZa8DDhc5eIwczZMVj4i4QZygBO8fUXIf4pq_yUBg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnxISxRS_YYpvTu6-fxvi4gTE45YpIUo7dfGMi5_DWnS-KdnEYC-XaohoyUft6qEJwKSXVk8diFble9bOEaVnSa2CQYompk2flAcYcI8I0amELaCwgWFf96DFAd-_4ZRoMIxsx-ziBAXE6zpZa8DDhc5eIwczZMVj4i4QZygBO8fUXIf4pq_yUBg=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyNzEycTV5HJqddnuVqJILKL4_F7ZOJ99RX7R0jcQlQjZ18RxANgyewNHgLRkM3Nyzh0pRepEonM3gQvw2h10LyDoKqw1VdqH3kRkhUlDUET07FUcQMh2jfX8LRSd_D2ymBifc6Jb2KZ92u1XPav7M4yG8TuDy4dfBeGMCUQ1OR219_YPYDGSNeA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyNzEycTV5HJqddnuVqJILKL4_F7ZOJ99RX7R0jcQlQjZ18RxANgyewNHgLRkM3Nyzh0pRepEonM3gQvw2h10LyDoKqw1VdqH3kRkhUlDUET07FUcQMh2jfX8LRSd_D2ymBifc6Jb2KZ92u1XPav7M4yG8TuDy4dfBeGMCUQ1OR219_YPYDGSNeA=w300-h400" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8M7DwMrbir8EC7mL_CsrLTZFKJ1xFmvZvup6cfLOA5lnk3_JiOHbBVdDIXrKOaGFWiT05KvFdzFegdVQQ_99-4Zohc1TjjVQ2zExbGr_W0mqD0vXY-EnfeW1dM62YOWkKEI79l60ouByV5TTXW3faQt0jbuHCMJl8mzLqvmMczAt0IfmkuMFeCg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8M7DwMrbir8EC7mL_CsrLTZFKJ1xFmvZvup6cfLOA5lnk3_JiOHbBVdDIXrKOaGFWiT05KvFdzFegdVQQ_99-4Zohc1TjjVQ2zExbGr_W0mqD0vXY-EnfeW1dM62YOWkKEI79l60ouByV5TTXW3faQt0jbuHCMJl8mzLqvmMczAt0IfmkuMFeCg=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDzkHMczKVg7L3fTJDueOEnAYTlzyZIUho3HNRZ3-DME3FFy_trFOelTQuHIDGjQVm7O3zAKyXKp5lSXxeQb-InRG9-Nctly1e_AtpXOETkeR8iuAfX4nu7-RW-usXk_BlWetLkm5HQiiHDOSF6Rd0OUeRhDjjxTTjEjqalgIYFeOHfyaC58VDaA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDzkHMczKVg7L3fTJDueOEnAYTlzyZIUho3HNRZ3-DME3FFy_trFOelTQuHIDGjQVm7O3zAKyXKp5lSXxeQb-InRG9-Nctly1e_AtpXOETkeR8iuAfX4nu7-RW-usXk_BlWetLkm5HQiiHDOSF6Rd0OUeRhDjjxTTjEjqalgIYFeOHfyaC58VDaA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><p>The only complaint I have about the Expo is - surprise, surprise - the availability of race weekend merchandise. This always seems to be a major issue with runDisney, where if you're not at the expo right at opening of the very first day, it's likely you won't be getting your hands on very many options for merchandise. This was definitely the case for me, as we didn't get to the expo until the third day it was open. There were little to no options left over of the race weekend merch, and only ONE option for Goofy Challenge merch. </p><p>Luckily the option for the Goofy Challenge merch just so happened to be a shirt that fit me (lucky!), but it was still quite disappointing to walk into the merch hall and see everything so picked over when I (and I'm sure many others!) don't have the option to go on day 1. I know there's a way for runDisney to remedy this, I just wish they would make an effort to try to make it somewhat fair for the folks that come later in the weekend! That being said I did get a couple of things from the runDisney official merchandise, and also a few other items from the expo like my race shirts and a commemorative luggage tag to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the half marathon, so I got a good little haul of items!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgw1GWJAT3u5VjBLRPFd84MrkYlSsy7A7izbvHA6DDsGwJf0H-28uFSVXcZKzkmjEErjDbgS94BKYVxaz0_HIR1jKgSR-p56rflSnWGHVNC2UlgcOowZS89bC-IU7BPS-qac2ztTzMDwbGcJqBtr9RAwDACl-WR-3FtMGCfXYQbjGf98gF9dbl-MA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgw1GWJAT3u5VjBLRPFd84MrkYlSsy7A7izbvHA6DDsGwJf0H-28uFSVXcZKzkmjEErjDbgS94BKYVxaz0_HIR1jKgSR-p56rflSnWGHVNC2UlgcOowZS89bC-IU7BPS-qac2ztTzMDwbGcJqBtr9RAwDACl-WR-3FtMGCfXYQbjGf98gF9dbl-MA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><p>We didn't do too much for the rest of the day since we wanted to take it easy before the weekend really got going, but we did pop over to Disney Springs for dinner and we walked around a bit before heading to bed. I recap our entire travel day, Expo experience, and time in Disney Springs in my first vlog of the weekend, which you can find below!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiP5ZWZe3WSubHZSRWa9UwYaYXvV8yfzhAVLIEjdtMamHY39LRTIyl8mGCqpg4A9TOedKTZ19w9eDaMpF2ZaRrcI2F0gP6v9wTrg-GCtiLVnTvOKNUMibi49GJ6sJC8uin2aijurOVZTM05mEXA_TXCQlmJvrHuQtkcjnosNPvvYpezcecCwjIhdQ=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiP5ZWZe3WSubHZSRWa9UwYaYXvV8yfzhAVLIEjdtMamHY39LRTIyl8mGCqpg4A9TOedKTZ19w9eDaMpF2ZaRrcI2F0gP6v9wTrg-GCtiLVnTvOKNUMibi49GJ6sJC8uin2aijurOVZTM05mEXA_TXCQlmJvrHuQtkcjnosNPvvYpezcecCwjIhdQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLAJWENAW0w-YVBl6l0PBgOVDU0UiPP1-VWJwEJw6itwIRhvXardnOdsR0xrLWwznqHoUIyeoi8hL-4hJW15nziM8rzGLwNCdgIbEyl-1UuemJnEjETK7se2ARI_HI6MPNCZrC1deF_uOeWTVD8KXIWeYEQFcop1pkZQv4TwQvcigFpl4TQYIOQA=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2316" data-original-width="3088" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLAJWENAW0w-YVBl6l0PBgOVDU0UiPP1-VWJwEJw6itwIRhvXardnOdsR0xrLWwznqHoUIyeoi8hL-4hJW15nziM8rzGLwNCdgIbEyl-1UuemJnEjETK7se2ARI_HI6MPNCZrC1deF_uOeWTVD8KXIWeYEQFcop1pkZQv4TwQvcigFpl4TQYIOQA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>I was very excited every time I saw Goofy around property </i>π<br /><i>This was a bus that was dropping off folks at Disney Springs when we arrived!</i></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhd6VntezzBvyDfuRWb6AjOBZQW_9g1Q6aVjAfeeBCJcbvU_pp25JhSrr_7ZtSGegUPqNrptS591weSb92q8OpSfRMkhzi6-hDptzq6pZl_YDaLzCf77VCEb6IQgECc2sv4zeNkyZ53ipxiDFB7lsiYQSOXthaNVJ4P4qXa-xVNk2APxmx3q7acRg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhd6VntezzBvyDfuRWb6AjOBZQW_9g1Q6aVjAfeeBCJcbvU_pp25JhSrr_7ZtSGegUPqNrptS591weSb92q8OpSfRMkhzi6-hDptzq6pZl_YDaLzCf77VCEb6IQgECc2sv4zeNkyZ53ipxiDFB7lsiYQSOXthaNVJ4P4qXa-xVNk2APxmx3q7acRg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Found my new favorite beer at City Works - Strawberry Orange Mimosa from South Beach Brewing Co! π</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKIeyXV03YW8fU3Czh09DoI988JwWZpD-deaU6YZswJMVe_h0HYdMyJlF987dA5FtYITI62QyUKZgeaKSiJJG_Zr55RKcDdNTplxEwhHxghqw6E1U7hGnK-FXC8Ocy0yK4-NyTMv5mKaqXfMJPSx3nF_XW1QZ3ffHiU2c52LNIduAJCISXx_HmdA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKIeyXV03YW8fU3Czh09DoI988JwWZpD-deaU6YZswJMVe_h0HYdMyJlF987dA5FtYITI62QyUKZgeaKSiJJG_Zr55RKcDdNTplxEwhHxghqw6E1U7hGnK-FXC8Ocy0yK4-NyTMv5mKaqXfMJPSx3nF_XW1QZ3ffHiU2c52LNIduAJCISXx_HmdA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">πππ</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwiaSeYPi05vcqMfWlEPtfQXwUPKTh7Opklv6xXx3L-mi77mPqJYAzUW56lBlrgM_QJWBW9diSUwX5c8GDasD8HytXNBV-JUsJaZv1sC3fWwv2_8u2G9-3MWTuCZ2wBch6j6RKDcW5XCaZHtBeGZoXTIMt647MoS5BZvzLa44sEUfUxfPPeFQYMQ=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwiaSeYPi05vcqMfWlEPtfQXwUPKTh7Opklv6xXx3L-mi77mPqJYAzUW56lBlrgM_QJWBW9diSUwX5c8GDasD8HytXNBV-JUsJaZv1sC3fWwv2_8u2G9-3MWTuCZ2wBch6j6RKDcW5XCaZHtBeGZoXTIMt647MoS5BZvzLa44sEUfUxfPPeFQYMQ=w300-h400" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3DAswkVUahRXQhP-Zdxj-V5GRXADNmvnqqu8t67ktKpNFKGCsbZiiC7FC0garbSp1RXhcwh6GiSyOuwSkz2sGoxKkhOVXEs3Mc0jy0H9UbRsA4LBuwdT66gr8mj67AzytXn-OlJ3BqMTmwc_j35PvKQnihdayVx50ZuYlvj8laLon_I73cpJvFg=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3DAswkVUahRXQhP-Zdxj-V5GRXADNmvnqqu8t67ktKpNFKGCsbZiiC7FC0garbSp1RXhcwh6GiSyOuwSkz2sGoxKkhOVXEs3Mc0jy0H9UbRsA4LBuwdT66gr8mj67AzytXn-OlJ3BqMTmwc_j35PvKQnihdayVx50ZuYlvj8laLon_I73cpJvFg=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_DgZHf5XK5EG2cNLLhnzpcfsNoA4qqOtUo6yA7AjIWfwPpNVtGn5lNT-4N8uLug5S60cG0njEiVOJoXRi3zdNCd9aAPVZX51MoEUwVHov73qFMgQnyBIIyw2Zz9BmdT8WkQ_WFXIlS4bxH88OzF3vpYT2Tuyw379SDkAhgM7KBUhc45UYYe-Mkg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_DgZHf5XK5EG2cNLLhnzpcfsNoA4qqOtUo6yA7AjIWfwPpNVtGn5lNT-4N8uLug5S60cG0njEiVOJoXRi3zdNCd9aAPVZX51MoEUwVHov73qFMgQnyBIIyw2Zz9BmdT8WkQ_WFXIlS4bxH88OzF3vpYT2Tuyw379SDkAhgM7KBUhc45UYYe-Mkg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Shakes from Ghirardelli! </i>π<br /><br /></span></div><center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/is66kbqveAU" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center><center><br /></center><center style="text-align: left;">Before heading to bed I wanted to make sure I had all of my race essentials laid out. Brains don't work at the highest capacity at 2AM, so making sure you have everything ready to go <i>before</i> you go to sleep during a runDisney weekend is crucial π For the Half Marathon my plan was to wear a Powerline inspired outfit! I wanted to have Goofy-themed costumes for the Goofy Challenge, and I was so excited to STAND OUT as Powerline for the first race of the weekend! β‘</center><center style="text-align: left;"><br /></center><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKuWtYjZQBDCdTQ28m-v-QLagjhJWz82eTJQek_91g7lOwPv16EFxxBaUHAYoGPVcbbrexFr3iyetgBb6jV_vJDTvG0cjnRtYtowmyj4A7rW-htGXKIv-ZCaehqCY7iZZLEm-GHBF1XiUx_jmkv52JR03arQzsMPWuD7RUJgQOPkxrpB49IP_aNw=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKuWtYjZQBDCdTQ28m-v-QLagjhJWz82eTJQek_91g7lOwPv16EFxxBaUHAYoGPVcbbrexFr3iyetgBb6jV_vJDTvG0cjnRtYtowmyj4A7rW-htGXKIv-ZCaehqCY7iZZLEm-GHBF1XiUx_jmkv52JR03arQzsMPWuD7RUJgQOPkxrpB49IP_aNw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I unfortunately did not sleep to well the night before the half. The bed I slept in was in direct line of the air conditioning and I was too cold to fall asleep, but after putting on a sweatshirt and sweatpants and socks I was able to sleep a little bit. I did do the whole "wake up every 45 minutes because I'm certain I missed my alarm" dance until about 1:45am when I finally pulled myself out of bed to get ready and head over to Epcot for the race!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was a little paranoid to get to the staging area in plenty of time. Folks who did the 5K and 10K were saying that security was taking a little bit longer than usual so I was out the door by 2:15am which was honestly aggressive now that I look back on it π Needless to say I got to Epcot in plenty of time (probably around 3am), and I'm fairly certain our bus was one of the first ones to arrive to the staging area. I had a LOT of time to kill, so I took plenty of photos, took in the atmosphere, and even drank an entire iced coffee before heading to the corrals at 4:30.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4gfECzJ0maS7Uhr6FYtNmD29rs-Kl2UFs0PqufJm_YtxrykWNB06VGfW1yrIqpflCMIRfl4e3BJO4iDnk19K3ia1d920P-_W9wtwa46MQVCE3RZX-jOvhUmNvakBK_Tv0FDotxLttEcYlkC-txw_0da-iJJuuD72q3fYrnz5GIeMTt3NrzReVAA=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4gfECzJ0maS7Uhr6FYtNmD29rs-Kl2UFs0PqufJm_YtxrykWNB06VGfW1yrIqpflCMIRfl4e3BJO4iDnk19K3ia1d920P-_W9wtwa46MQVCE3RZX-jOvhUmNvakBK_Tv0FDotxLttEcYlkC-txw_0da-iJJuuD72q3fYrnz5GIeMTt3NrzReVAA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjdxIxnwM0p4o68qYonP2kRdXIZp3yoDlctLAqXrT1UlYU2emh0PKlz7XMR-JKikfnn5L-l0kgpQ0E6kdiCKeJaKVEvwAlpHcj8wvgNrbFOujbQxKzYzzObC-LIZalTz3nGiHanB9lLRLnxOUF4gU7djVwUPJDT6O_Sy_nuvOFKIkzUB3lbvuFGSw=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2316" data-original-width="3088" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjdxIxnwM0p4o68qYonP2kRdXIZp3yoDlctLAqXrT1UlYU2emh0PKlz7XMR-JKikfnn5L-l0kgpQ0E6kdiCKeJaKVEvwAlpHcj8wvgNrbFOujbQxKzYzzObC-LIZalTz3nGiHanB9lLRLnxOUF4gU7djVwUPJDT6O_Sy_nuvOFKIkzUB3lbvuFGSw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJCbJbBDkUDXr5xJeYwNZxugKGQVhwZlJIsJQ-_YMCYg8PTZb2zOvEQv-l3ZQ4Jfaqc27KpGlwHABV5QvnBtL3BiZz83MToSJRAIunFb3o8DC1pmXglZ-TOp-NLX9jJA7MhfFATs7OPEOwnPD7fdtGQoLHzuZBOEj_OUi4hg4OfLE5CaQ_KgswQQ=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJCbJbBDkUDXr5xJeYwNZxugKGQVhwZlJIsJQ-_YMCYg8PTZb2zOvEQv-l3ZQ4Jfaqc27KpGlwHABV5QvnBtL3BiZz83MToSJRAIunFb3o8DC1pmXglZ-TOp-NLX9jJA7MhfFATs7OPEOwnPD7fdtGQoLHzuZBOEj_OUi4hg4OfLE5CaQ_KgswQQ=w300-h400" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJCZ3TPbBq2gT1rF4fFCqfNogC10GQImLZB7vra7S9EA7Q6fRRehyfeaTKWn2-EXAyzGI1zSPxZv8Tv6zqx_w0p-G_Qd5vjEBS3kgwnzmdEorZYZXq6KZq10A9KJ1H_FGTi7uRwyHtqrr1B__R_s-knHSOGsS3rinxlWCn23Y5nGsUTIKowgOnhQ=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJCZ3TPbBq2gT1rF4fFCqfNogC10GQImLZB7vra7S9EA7Q6fRRehyfeaTKWn2-EXAyzGI1zSPxZv8Tv6zqx_w0p-G_Qd5vjEBS3kgwnzmdEorZYZXq6KZq10A9KJ1H_FGTi7uRwyHtqrr1B__R_s-knHSOGsS3rinxlWCn23Y5nGsUTIKowgOnhQ=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgK_U7jRJqOubNiMsQDuTVqhgN6auu-l2xzzfFP275DMVsM0oKKeOaDUO_cf-eG3ksBBLXVpQ8gom1XJZl76rttujs6OJuMcsWns64youUYj1tUdNxNPW7_JZmROE9iCnId29zpnBbWVpL54D7Po_ng4V4qblOiGYxCnWasQoMkT1jdJdEyFJt84A=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgK_U7jRJqOubNiMsQDuTVqhgN6auu-l2xzzfFP275DMVsM0oKKeOaDUO_cf-eG3ksBBLXVpQ8gom1XJZl76rttujs6OJuMcsWns64youUYj1tUdNxNPW7_JZmROE9iCnId29zpnBbWVpL54D7Po_ng4V4qblOiGYxCnWasQoMkT1jdJdEyFJt84A=w300-h400" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-QKGBVV5b5ngFmqXmB2H4Cj5GOpiUjtNbZU2S5xTwwlOSha_LIEC9TStS0WayWpy6B4ooUClJz9m9Hkvbno16YNom48a2C9A71N0ZSNFPt7--VLpRLSTpLN1e-7yo_KTni5BWCB0gJL8Fs8EfXNCubdltpbWQf2ieQlDid_2srBg96AosfheY4g=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-QKGBVV5b5ngFmqXmB2H4Cj5GOpiUjtNbZU2S5xTwwlOSha_LIEC9TStS0WayWpy6B4ooUClJz9m9Hkvbno16YNom48a2C9A71N0ZSNFPt7--VLpRLSTpLN1e-7yo_KTni5BWCB0gJL8Fs8EfXNCubdltpbWQf2ieQlDid_2srBg96AosfheY4g=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>I was in starting group 4 and I headed over to the corrals around 4:30am. It wasn't long before they started sending folks out, and I think I was on the road by 5:30 or so! Knowing that I had a few more starting groups behind me before the balloon ladies, I felt really comfortable taking my time with the run and stopping for photos whenever I felt like it. It was such a change of pace from 2020 Princess Weekend when I was in the last corral and constantly looking over my shoulder for the balloon ladies! π<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhvYq70wGT_i9qrlReNnQXfDLYxu4a3G4v2-M-qmRylgIzkQiIGDZb_65-faCiKyR5SBOMo0jcypi7Yyx3i525Pla9fEWIl5yUhPVQl5xOHCUazq6PdJWtVEpN4EMULG3MWYM8UGwAsrdpgAE6SF_FuItVzNtdNwgQArWKgMVBrnxQO8Oasu4cT-w=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhvYq70wGT_i9qrlReNnQXfDLYxu4a3G4v2-M-qmRylgIzkQiIGDZb_65-faCiKyR5SBOMo0jcypi7Yyx3i525Pla9fEWIl5yUhPVQl5xOHCUazq6PdJWtVEpN4EMULG3MWYM8UGwAsrdpgAE6SF_FuItVzNtdNwgQArWKgMVBrnxQO8Oasu4cT-w=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I think my favorite moment of both races was entering into Magic Kingdom and running down Main Street during the Half Marathon. This was the first time runDisney has run down Main Street since Princess 2020 (which I was also there for!), and we had waited so, so long to experience that moment again. I can't lie, I definitely got emotional seeing the castle and was running down Main Street with happy tears in my eyes! π </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhftjox4v5q6BoVPcY1n8OM0zah2_maqCl6r1dcORq2DvxZC0tMsXysJRJi3H0nmnW8UvxmPHFynpLbZehD1rMus3augBThjXOqZDdgEPUUA0TNhdXkMopHYz4aB10w40g3iW9kdBfcN1Lh2gEU2sVksVznxLgz7xGeTx-tFo12d7mWnORu94yosg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhftjox4v5q6BoVPcY1n8OM0zah2_maqCl6r1dcORq2DvxZC0tMsXysJRJi3H0nmnW8UvxmPHFynpLbZehD1rMus3augBThjXOqZDdgEPUUA0TNhdXkMopHYz4aB10w40g3iW9kdBfcN1Lh2gEU2sVksVznxLgz7xGeTx-tFo12d7mWnORu94yosg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Another magical moment was being able to get to Magic Kingdom before the sun came up. I had not been able to do that during Princess weekend in 2020 and I have always heard running down Main Street when it's still dark and the castle is lit is something else, and I have to agree. It looked SO beautiful. These photos definitely do not do the castle justice, but I will never forget the feeling of turning the corner and seeing this beautiful sight:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRxwHkzWYTIDQYAVkteQ-U8A8pKEsV-SX6V_zOURr0h_PdGvyzydsrG0AHqiKDFUvkvUzIqrHlrYOzJpoxuS6Ns7xu32feVaAeCH9ZeGUfwb7eGMkpiLkkI2O2XCtoWdk19Mh2txpMV1R9Oj232SqZIS1uR84lMB6Rx218M52Pl0bDjxdamiZBUw=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRxwHkzWYTIDQYAVkteQ-U8A8pKEsV-SX6V_zOURr0h_PdGvyzydsrG0AHqiKDFUvkvUzIqrHlrYOzJpoxuS6Ns7xu32feVaAeCH9ZeGUfwb7eGMkpiLkkI2O2XCtoWdk19Mh2txpMV1R9Oj232SqZIS1uR84lMB6Rx218M52Pl0bDjxdamiZBUw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj1yDeXJixC15QQDk8Ksf-Lu-6X4t_9gsEWFeHJN-bBaCa9d-nQGo88bFaS78ov-LDs4Ix6ByeRM9_rkxrA24FPlqXt2vaKOLNlvDexefXK6hBP4_aISAfd4O0i7QilyoIayck1eaEip4644dSkV9MgoMK3tuSoShHtw2wfGsjZcqA6PTDSFqYDaA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj1yDeXJixC15QQDk8Ksf-Lu-6X4t_9gsEWFeHJN-bBaCa9d-nQGo88bFaS78ov-LDs4Ix6ByeRM9_rkxrA24FPlqXt2vaKOLNlvDexefXK6hBP4_aISAfd4O0i7QilyoIayck1eaEip4644dSkV9MgoMK3tuSoShHtw2wfGsjZcqA6PTDSFqYDaA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgoVoZ7zl__qKGEP05WswHh3QSe8i47AFMyplgPUyKD5KFipbS9YAWv3gZwrcMUw49WNRLHIDioubj-mewhAX3WSKTyBcJZcfkEIw1KPLX6ar8A0lz35EkEPAQdBTfaql7j54HvAC8jBIlfKrrE2hXreSbVAIuYpcs29mkiMC2cB28eNZUgBm9Z6A=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgoVoZ7zl__qKGEP05WswHh3QSe8i47AFMyplgPUyKD5KFipbS9YAWv3gZwrcMUw49WNRLHIDioubj-mewhAX3WSKTyBcJZcfkEIw1KPLX6ar8A0lz35EkEPAQdBTfaql7j54HvAC8jBIlfKrrE2hXreSbVAIuYpcs29mkiMC2cB28eNZUgBm9Z6A=w300-h400" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOy-K-IvqUTIkEALmmjfjR1ZFVgkunogXXvAbzn7FPgZQ8qn1sxA9yBD-RiRbYEGeZaFMj1n9vTh4saUPGjO7w5ApASd-KF0W8gWdcI1sqMWOBqORfZv27xvvQuERExYXvNRzWDGkSoupzBI-6HaRiSesGK9t3iJ_Ac03-gcnmlJP8rZ0H92gQ6A=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOy-K-IvqUTIkEALmmjfjR1ZFVgkunogXXvAbzn7FPgZQ8qn1sxA9yBD-RiRbYEGeZaFMj1n9vTh4saUPGjO7w5ApASd-KF0W8gWdcI1sqMWOBqORfZv27xvvQuERExYXvNRzWDGkSoupzBI-6HaRiSesGK9t3iJ_Ac03-gcnmlJP8rZ0H92gQ6A=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I definitely took my time going through Magic Kingdom on Half Marathon day! For those unfamiliar, Magic Kingdom is roughly one mile of the course - between mile 5 and 6. When I checked my splits at the end of the race, my Garmin told me it took me about 31 minutes to run mile 6 π Very clearly I was having a blast playing in Magic Kingdom! β¨</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVqvnz9NFnRhhQVxBhj1gV7BNEr60Gd5OWSBBGd31iYs5yqKrlYYvzfA3Wsi7BnGk8c9p1_Qg842mTMZbMiAnFGedCjGUsp6i0BJ58Oz-qCDKU99vbh9RBExJpIyYYx5Vo1if5EZXIxOt8EKdN43KX9J8dobC8h_bz-aZ38wa0mQQeQ-XW72velQ=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVqvnz9NFnRhhQVxBhj1gV7BNEr60Gd5OWSBBGd31iYs5yqKrlYYvzfA3Wsi7BnGk8c9p1_Qg842mTMZbMiAnFGedCjGUsp6i0BJ58Oz-qCDKU99vbh9RBExJpIyYYx5Vo1if5EZXIxOt8EKdN43KX9J8dobC8h_bz-aZ38wa0mQQeQ-XW72velQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjoeiRuzf0mdiF5jGnnDdLyVzs3VAwrJ2ItziMy27C6WAsNLPBb2qnIxpS8JJM_CEUjK5JHjCQRUkd4U5w4iDDbN0gwRwUEurxiZcSZTPWh5OvusvU4Fi3ODsSC4gdaXB2FepUX7wDlpYYNotPSOCG7Vg4mJXntDeocoFxU-Ao74vuTqrVqtPFhOg=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjoeiRuzf0mdiF5jGnnDdLyVzs3VAwrJ2ItziMy27C6WAsNLPBb2qnIxpS8JJM_CEUjK5JHjCQRUkd4U5w4iDDbN0gwRwUEurxiZcSZTPWh5OvusvU4Fi3ODsSC4gdaXB2FepUX7wDlpYYNotPSOCG7Vg4mJXntDeocoFxU-Ao74vuTqrVqtPFhOg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Running back toward Epcot was also such a blast! Once the sun started to rise and I could really see all the runners around me, it really brought that sense of comradery that these events always tends to provide. I love cheering on everyone around me as we get into the later miles and making that final push toward the finish line knowing you're <i>almost there</i> is a feeling like no other. I'll also never forget the cast member that said to me "Welcome to Epcot, Powerline!" as I hit mile 12! β‘</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlyNdk-Bz7EuhamD_8_RZSxiLOLRIS4UIZNpJE71g3bMA43B25GNtzPLV1tgZibhPuWDsuEhrWZCkDcucbc9h_LlEJueJSG2oItoZYTCzlnS0Xw-V7K5IVEhsPHNUiixjMHtPZshqmYsTn5GFclOHnicHmXo8WyvWFvpTgXedLBzMVYRu5_3zbkA=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlyNdk-Bz7EuhamD_8_RZSxiLOLRIS4UIZNpJE71g3bMA43B25GNtzPLV1tgZibhPuWDsuEhrWZCkDcucbc9h_LlEJueJSG2oItoZYTCzlnS0Xw-V7K5IVEhsPHNUiixjMHtPZshqmYsTn5GFclOHnicHmXo8WyvWFvpTgXedLBzMVYRu5_3zbkA=w300-h400" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikbJIMahCXy3p1l8hxk4Vy2J9IVtCxfA1nKDkd-K4o2W_63AsW5kFUWV_Sx_OxpQUwD1ldR0n7S1QzqEJ0hE-kv2hX2ivb-Lmm8ldTknapP-fmzJcIzPyGdSZBhkeRQCoT9NngTg-aIxiWia871hUOXb8nWijPB-IfgvXdj9PweWbolLMBXO0kfw=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikbJIMahCXy3p1l8hxk4Vy2J9IVtCxfA1nKDkd-K4o2W_63AsW5kFUWV_Sx_OxpQUwD1ldR0n7S1QzqEJ0hE-kv2hX2ivb-Lmm8ldTknapP-fmzJcIzPyGdSZBhkeRQCoT9NngTg-aIxiWia871hUOXb8nWijPB-IfgvXdj9PweWbolLMBXO0kfw=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMZt_tkrWu18DFIc7JgZZprpKGni_SRLq8DF81i6TterYybCKM3vXB1NopxoAPhll-530tmtmLMCmy-UGcVB1jnvvujrbQZw-U9whRxUtwNmaSr-5lAhihdfz_qzQiYFxZklHtARo75M2o8zul_irPGR7-ot1VMNbe0On5CxCKPGCamfrivHhM2g=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMZt_tkrWu18DFIc7JgZZprpKGni_SRLq8DF81i6TterYybCKM3vXB1NopxoAPhll-530tmtmLMCmy-UGcVB1jnvvujrbQZw-U9whRxUtwNmaSr-5lAhihdfz_qzQiYFxZklHtARo75M2o8zul_irPGR7-ot1VMNbe0On5CxCKPGCamfrivHhM2g=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Before I knew it I was racing toward the finish line and I crossed with the biggest smile on my face! RunDisney was officially BACK and I was just so elated and grateful that I was running in Walt Disney World once again! π</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7qG-Bgn7Riu5IWbUUu8okjbkkopAMJ8GzAqj7E8bYpP0e1RX0HT62mMognN_oU4Hs_KQnMSs0EU6NheDj9E9_BnRITpRbfzeSK_b8yRrYMwnaAIKO1F4Bht0ObS6JYQ0YZniIZMR9nmpH8SNRbzlL9nxtsm7ONIotQ4FBjpqj7UgN6G8kgcsC7Q=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2316" data-original-width="3088" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7qG-Bgn7Riu5IWbUUu8okjbkkopAMJ8GzAqj7E8bYpP0e1RX0HT62mMognN_oU4Hs_KQnMSs0EU6NheDj9E9_BnRITpRbfzeSK_b8yRrYMwnaAIKO1F4Bht0ObS6JYQ0YZniIZMR9nmpH8SNRbzlL9nxtsm7ONIotQ4FBjpqj7UgN6G8kgcsC7Q=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDh9dgWNJTMcW8vPNb4PrHkyxiocGfFMz9QO-DZBHWJFSjJLwXUWqt5Kt9HKjvSxEHD2xFNLNZ7yOFnakPylHqU2EUnLFMIMngbPU5MVkZdVlscQn9ktWp_oHbob9MM2l3YyJ9dnaRklLqlf-LvTLlDV0FhPXmraP5wpr_0dyFOFrt5AqZundqXg=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDh9dgWNJTMcW8vPNb4PrHkyxiocGfFMz9QO-DZBHWJFSjJLwXUWqt5Kt9HKjvSxEHD2xFNLNZ7yOFnakPylHqU2EUnLFMIMngbPU5MVkZdVlscQn9ktWp_oHbob9MM2l3YyJ9dnaRklLqlf-LvTLlDV0FhPXmraP5wpr_0dyFOFrt5AqZundqXg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div><center style="text-align: left;">I absolutely love the half marathon distance at Disney. This course was identical to the course I ran at Princess 2020, and I absolutely love it. Going from Epcot, through Magic Kingdom, and back to Epcot is the perfect 13.1 mile route in my opinion, and I would definitely do this race again whether it would be part of a challenge or just on it's own! <b>Walt Disney World Half Marathon gets a 10/10 in my book! β¨</b></center><center style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></center><center style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">If you'd like to see my morning running the WDW Half Marathon in video form, check out my Goofy Day 1 vlog below!</span></b></center><center style="text-align: center;"><br /></center></div><center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Vs7NbDhvyog" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center><center><br /></center><center>Stay tuned for my next post where I'll be breaking down Day 2 of the Goofy Challenge at the Walt Disney World Marathon!</center>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116982228825892049noreply@blogger.com0Orlando, FL, USA28.3771857 -81.570740.066951863821152813 -116.72699 56.687419536178844 -46.41449tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1916871150499748468.post-1544637397686748542022-02-08T10:00:00.002-05:002022-02-18T21:44:07.958-05:00Race Review: Run Run Santa 1-Miler π
π»<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLj3py8ised1Ef0Ivh6kxNU7Zl5D1MIsuB9r6ZpYDvWZYroPCCM1cSE64p-XttL_ntIuaQo9c3GnVDcm_8iVin98TqQX4dmqCYmTsivvz1NSqToKanFrFC6A5nJ2gdqOQNKu4F6JxfvoCBIiCrfqPifcbTGS9m_1o_s_MmsvToBeEJVJ0-f6q4Eg=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2316" data-original-width="3088" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLj3py8ised1Ef0Ivh6kxNU7Zl5D1MIsuB9r6ZpYDvWZYroPCCM1cSE64p-XttL_ntIuaQo9c3GnVDcm_8iVin98TqQX4dmqCYmTsivvz1NSqToKanFrFC6A5nJ2gdqOQNKu4F6JxfvoCBIiCrfqPifcbTGS9m_1o_s_MmsvToBeEJVJ0-f6q4Eg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br />On Christmas Eve my parents and I participated in the Run Run Santa 1-Miler in Viera, Florida! This is the second time we've done this race, the first time being <a href="http://fiveleveninety.blogspot.com/2019/01/grandpa-joe-life.html" target="_blank">back in 2018</a>. It's a really cute festive race (and we all know that I love a festive race) and it's the perfect way to spend the morning of Christmas Eve!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyCXSv5qdr18buxTYnOwpdNNy8P2d7jeGz8oIwXcLdcRf3j0yQNJEF9Mg6xD_0hmKNwwmKne-fTkohM7Phq92zTPYoCcuhSooFYNgwEhjaWHTJWQVWHqf02qdycNSjOdSJB6sPiXhzaMfXduoAx_XKtQ87IlPGUBFdKjSz04_cMu5a-jW-fhjyNQ=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyCXSv5qdr18buxTYnOwpdNNy8P2d7jeGz8oIwXcLdcRf3j0yQNJEF9Mg6xD_0hmKNwwmKne-fTkohM7Phq92zTPYoCcuhSooFYNgwEhjaWHTJWQVWHqf02qdycNSjOdSJB6sPiXhzaMfXduoAx_XKtQ87IlPGUBFdKjSz04_cMu5a-jW-fhjyNQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>With your registration you get a Santa suit and the intention is that you'll wear it during the 1-mile run. This creates a great big crowd of running Santas and it's honestly such a blast. Folks will also dress up as other Christmas favorites like the Grinch. It's such a fun time because everyone is in great spirits and so excited that it's finally Christmas Eve!</p><p>Because I performed so well during the <a href="http://fiveleveninety.blogspot.com/2022/01/race-review-rock-n-roll-savannah-1.html" target="_blank">Rock n' Roll Savannah 1-Miler</a> in November, I was considering also trying to push myself and see how fast I could run the mile, while rocking a Santa suit π However, race day was the first day that we were in Florida after a two day road trip to my parent's house and my energy levels were just not there, so I decided to just take it easy and enjoy the run!</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4PuVWwbvJ5v8vfPCZyj9tLFn-VBz5PQo9QyFpBzQA8QIC72tIat-dXbt15APxNOy6hk-SAVyw0sst_HuZve-co5GLgLjZ9NGlX99MotmKMxbycJxrBzpOR2Cx7JvRTsBxLYXbbyFADwMiqfWzIw_tL5hi5EnTCIetDH75sIqHOzZvwz_GoQuliA=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2316" data-original-width="3088" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4PuVWwbvJ5v8vfPCZyj9tLFn-VBz5PQo9QyFpBzQA8QIC72tIat-dXbt15APxNOy6hk-SAVyw0sst_HuZve-co5GLgLjZ9NGlX99MotmKMxbycJxrBzpOR2Cx7JvRTsBxLYXbbyFADwMiqfWzIw_tL5hi5EnTCIetDH75sIqHOzZvwz_GoQuliA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p>The Santa suit isn't the most comfortable running getup in the world, and the shorts kept constantly falling down and ripping π While it's fun that you're given a Santa suit with your registration, they aren't the most high quality running garments in the world so I highly recommend ensuring that you're wearing comfortable running gear underneath! Use the Santa suit as more of a decorative top layer on race morning!</p><p>The race itself is a quick loop of the immediate area, making a bit of a horseshoe shape. There's not much to say about the course of a 1-Miler, but there was some crowd cheering on the runners on the course, and even a little "snow" machine going which was so much fun to see in Florida!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjoC0BiWwjNf6z0PLdtuBZbcIEZ5kOgasBO8f66lPTcXOxFq4sndNlloUIWndxsB49EcbCeK5Otx6sXXeyh5_7Coq3MzU6HPf6niziLYwIVQ33CM1xtmiBesIz-3xYVqkFzCYxrp2NqM1S1YFHqBDFZ_wEIvpcW-7ZM0J1S_P8PNoiyQtyE1ySvJQ=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjoC0BiWwjNf6z0PLdtuBZbcIEZ5kOgasBO8f66lPTcXOxFq4sndNlloUIWndxsB49EcbCeK5Otx6sXXeyh5_7Coq3MzU6HPf6niziLYwIVQ33CM1xtmiBesIz-3xYVqkFzCYxrp2NqM1S1YFHqBDFZ_wEIvpcW-7ZM0J1S_P8PNoiyQtyE1ySvJQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><p>I think the big draw for this race would have to be the after party. There was such great atmosphere - a DJ & dancing, plenty of breakfast treats, photo opportunities, and there were so many prizes for the folks who ran the fastest! I think having such a short distance race during such a festive time of year really made the post-race party so much fun. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhKJI7IdU-lhULLBZbH_kRI1oDRh_iNRQu1Crwf0-mAZvpH6MqXqriu1bv30fWpEBeEx17K61R5hyqhOihCW0wG3UT3IiL--GFT9QLn8oTsmVFefDWtphYHWskBoKcwVGinJq5itA6KWCrQVcYli-a-5ahE9mNAkordyWbg1KoVdd96KPUlXvC9qA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhKJI7IdU-lhULLBZbH_kRI1oDRh_iNRQu1Crwf0-mAZvpH6MqXqriu1bv30fWpEBeEx17K61R5hyqhOihCW0wG3UT3IiL--GFT9QLn8oTsmVFefDWtphYHWskBoKcwVGinJq5itA6KWCrQVcYli-a-5ahE9mNAkordyWbg1KoVdd96KPUlXvC9qA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>On top of all of that, you do receive a medal for completing the run! The medals are usually such great quality as well, and that's above and beyond anything I would expect for a 1-Mile race! This year's medal featured two candy canes with the logo in the center, and the ribbon was green with white stars and snowflakes!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOGkCuYZiQv-YpWwsn1WnNHi3cfHaAUVigF3wPq7S01EuaVlQ7S_7CygKJNEcoT_PZ-d0WfzgliVF3syahDHrJkzKchAtdK_JhmdNuQi8qQy4Z73J3zp4-w0dShPvi4V5mtyD2Q3OcQ49ZKCMkzFvwgjSp-ekWjkkC3PZfoJUXi3PWsTVQcABjRA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOGkCuYZiQv-YpWwsn1WnNHi3cfHaAUVigF3wPq7S01EuaVlQ7S_7CygKJNEcoT_PZ-d0WfzgliVF3syahDHrJkzKchAtdK_JhmdNuQi8qQy4Z73J3zp4-w0dShPvi4V5mtyD2Q3OcQ49ZKCMkzFvwgjSp-ekWjkkC3PZfoJUXi3PWsTVQcABjRA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><p>Ultimately, I have a blast every single time we do this race. It's something active to kick off the Christmas holiday, and ultimately a great activity that the entire family can participate in. If you're in the area of Viera on Christmas Eve, definitely give it a go! π
π»</p><p>I made a TikTok on the day we ran Run Run Santa, so go and check out all the Santa madness below!</p><p><br /></p><center><blockquote cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@rmfickfack/video/7045740199397117189" class="tiktok-embed" data-video-id="7045740199397117189" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;"> <section> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@rmfickfack" target="_blank" title="@rmfickfack">@rmfickfack</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/vlogmas" target="_blank" title="vlogmas">#vlogmas</a> Day 24: An action packed day getting ready for Christmas and enjoying family time! π
πΌπππ»ββοΈπ <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/vlogmas2021" target="_blank" title="vlogmas2021">#vlogmas2021</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/runtok" target="_blank" title="runtok">#runtok</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/runnersofitiktok" target="_blank" title="runnersofitiktok">#runnersofitiktok</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/Surf-music-that-feels-summer-6817477412083730434" target="_blank" title="β¬ Surf music that feels summer - SKUNK">β¬ Surf music that feels summer - SKUNK</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async="" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script></center>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116982228825892049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1916871150499748468.post-54479154059038425912022-01-27T18:00:00.005-05:002022-02-18T22:09:13.756-05:00Race Review: Rock n' Roll San Antonio Marathon 2021 π<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Last month I ran the Rock n' Roll San Antonio Marathon in San Antonio, Texas! After the heartbreak that was the Rock n' Roll Savannah weekend (aka not running my 18th marathon in my 18th state due to weather), I was antsy and ready to capture another 26.2! I'm happy to say that the weather was in my favor for this one and I was able to finally check off state #18. Let's dive into how the weekend went!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj45SaUK2-pdR8jO7nuySsDBEW6PkyGdyfnlYYlXJUTUDZJDn5156SxU2UGnhJnlIjhopuz_gbgV_-RG0Fy8rJPj4GNerDk3MASV4WLiZcuLUYcjpqgRt7ttm4uyA90R7HtqsXuvQoy7HXWnt7LOiIRC6Z8tSEFGgam4XGjSppH64t9gsA9g6Vh3Q=s6912" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="6912" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj45SaUK2-pdR8jO7nuySsDBEW6PkyGdyfnlYYlXJUTUDZJDn5156SxU2UGnhJnlIjhopuz_gbgV_-RG0Fy8rJPj4GNerDk3MASV4WLiZcuLUYcjpqgRt7ttm4uyA90R7HtqsXuvQoy7HXWnt7LOiIRC6Z8tSEFGgam4XGjSppH64t9gsA9g6Vh3Q=w640-h320" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This trip was extra fun because Brett traveled with me to Texas, and we ended up meeting up with our good friends Erin and Cullen in San Antonio. We hadn't seen them since July so it was so nice to finally be traveling with them again! As soon as we met up at the airport we headed over to the expo so I could pick up my bib and race gear.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhv7NFZKfCvzPsdbzq0I1ZikouYDmdU8snVF5KclbtYwn2HcAXn0PKgpztqo_8yDJ-Q475LLhqHY7nMQ2xP83kVEcUIGeO_GkwurzzuPwDmCTsn9X7_K-OTgQbE4xEm159rmt3-hPoqEn7ED9FNEQ_y4rJ4aI9of2ngvPlKMvGKUsPLCFywika8Og=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhv7NFZKfCvzPsdbzq0I1ZikouYDmdU8snVF5KclbtYwn2HcAXn0PKgpztqo_8yDJ-Q475LLhqHY7nMQ2xP83kVEcUIGeO_GkwurzzuPwDmCTsn9X7_K-OTgQbE4xEm159rmt3-hPoqEn7ED9FNEQ_y4rJ4aI9of2ngvPlKMvGKUsPLCFywika8Og=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Forever twinning!</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">With Rock n' Roll, most of their expos are set up very similarly. They set up the expo hall so you have to walk through the entire event before leaving. From an event planner perspective it is a very smart way to set up the expo to ensure that participants are seeing every part of the space before leaving! I think Rock n' Roll also does a great job of giving you plenty of photo opportunities and really makes the expo an ~experience~ rather than a chore. I will say, though, that if you've been to one Rock n' Roll expo you've basically seen them all, haha. They're all quite similar, which makes sense because they're all put on by the same company!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgpfl-oT1eMsJXrMxipNMcIHNMorX4McppExwQALBJJVcFf3HRz_Jn2CUPhXBj4W0e5v8haeOTKEApnkNtRmYi01CBBXEQEb88j_SzsZKq6qdpv99LHZLx5I2m4bnSsu4kuc8FYn2YBeZ2bjwji4mZm-ePzABkUPOmd6DFQKL0LyPUyykeCJwrIwg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgpfl-oT1eMsJXrMxipNMcIHNMorX4McppExwQALBJJVcFf3HRz_Jn2CUPhXBj4W0e5v8haeOTKEApnkNtRmYi01CBBXEQEb88j_SzsZKq6qdpv99LHZLx5I2m4bnSsu4kuc8FYn2YBeZ2bjwji4mZm-ePzABkUPOmd6DFQKL0LyPUyykeCJwrIwg=s320" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjojbyPmraaCqScU6WbczXSEVnPBQxF8BVgDk1E_zGpUpUUSKqdYo7s1OOmywiqGJlL2san6DMw38QfbaAYAyjsyCAzkHOM5Wl-9RoZbRosxj1tipa5SbYukLObfglA5SkzViPr-zHN6E_U-PD1gR6Kik2EkljgEHWMZpVw7atcmvcPZxfW564ntA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjojbyPmraaCqScU6WbczXSEVnPBQxF8BVgDk1E_zGpUpUUSKqdYo7s1OOmywiqGJlL2san6DMw38QfbaAYAyjsyCAzkHOM5Wl-9RoZbRosxj1tipa5SbYukLObfglA5SkzViPr-zHN6E_U-PD1gR6Kik2EkljgEHWMZpVw7atcmvcPZxfW564ntA=s320" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It sounded like for the San Antonio weekend, they were having some trouble with getting participant shirts in on time. There's been so many supply chain issues since the start of COVID that it's totally understandable that this happened (and I meanβ¦ do I really need another participant shirt? π), but Rock n' Roll also did a fantastic job of letting us know in plenty of time that shirts would be delayed and we would pick them up at the finish line and not at the expo. I didn't hear anyone being bothered by this, and I think the crystal clear communication by Rock n' Roll had a lot to do with that!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After the expo, Cullen, Erin, Brett, and I all went down to the Riverwalk area for dinner! We went to this restaurant called the Iron Cactus which had TOP NOTCH Mexican food and we stuffed ourselves completely full before heading over to our AirBnB for the night.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgpwLQI747XGMZNKQ2gocoz1limD1Bem475aZ_-5xPoBu1pbOcRPlAqf2Xzk5NdEPIHE4DHMgmehI4ssfHDS-G_2pQ3XkaMy-EIk4w15pdX8QlW3bqjeS3OV4NmJq9NQsS0ZJXkmBTeDqqpVXJ1a1E5cFijDqur_4Dj-r_i5xTZ3gqMCNviUjLVTg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgpwLQI747XGMZNKQ2gocoz1limD1Bem475aZ_-5xPoBu1pbOcRPlAqf2Xzk5NdEPIHE4DHMgmehI4ssfHDS-G_2pQ3XkaMy-EIk4w15pdX8QlW3bqjeS3OV4NmJq9NQsS0ZJXkmBTeDqqpVXJ1a1E5cFijDqur_4Dj-r_i5xTZ3gqMCNviUjLVTg=s320" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi7kvrJZVqpXfGioIjQ4UOcvaOtF2I4xPwehUZQhcruR_g2DN9cwDmFtK5Hj132d9PCRuHE33sUJJFmQXHPe2IuGmUGkfd5T2Zt3yiCgoie5QiHK2qfbsd-FHRd8CQhD1162UHqI31yIbFb-Bvfdvp76ZmEra6CX6-7TKICGdUoo38Y2FVmzuvDAg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi7kvrJZVqpXfGioIjQ4UOcvaOtF2I4xPwehUZQhcruR_g2DN9cwDmFtK5Hj132d9PCRuHE33sUJJFmQXHPe2IuGmUGkfd5T2Zt3yiCgoie5QiHK2qfbsd-FHRd8CQhD1162UHqI31yIbFb-Bvfdvp76ZmEra6CX6-7TKICGdUoo38Y2FVmzuvDAg=s320" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzgwGGs8soQZ6X97CNoQvkqsODt_tcFesczrObEarR5-_R5EdqSNlz6GW5wjlPctWwSu-60nBFj2oUQOiVqZKq6pj7yWQpPjbCm24KB3kUSW5KgrL30oFT_prhuvJ8ex1vvWlMUA0m38oMXu_PYC0ttWDIzBe47qW1T0wZwQArv3eLydRKPEI14A=s1469" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1469" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzgwGGs8soQZ6X97CNoQvkqsODt_tcFesczrObEarR5-_R5EdqSNlz6GW5wjlPctWwSu-60nBFj2oUQOiVqZKq6pj7yWQpPjbCm24KB3kUSW5KgrL30oFT_prhuvJ8ex1vvWlMUA0m38oMXu_PYC0ttWDIzBe47qW1T0wZwQArv3eLydRKPEI14A=w393-h400" width="393" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_Azerf5cOjYcVupP6TGYtpK9WmWDSmHrSQCQ4MaQ8Db3dVCyXuqlgXbZ03rBtSRasgRBNasgIVPMv4MG5slEYBXZ7CeF29GZO3gm8ZDfKk5VNQlPtp2OfhCCBgMI-3xNSVc_8gE91whCICn6B7iBeoPKr_lDCw788ozA7E3np6u9yagLAaQOS5g=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_Azerf5cOjYcVupP6TGYtpK9WmWDSmHrSQCQ4MaQ8Db3dVCyXuqlgXbZ03rBtSRasgRBNasgIVPMv4MG5slEYBXZ7CeF29GZO3gm8ZDfKk5VNQlPtp2OfhCCBgMI-3xNSVc_8gE91whCICn6B7iBeoPKr_lDCw788ozA7E3np6u9yagLAaQOS5g=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaW0K_FG5Vgx6JMfFR8s71nkvJ_lHJbNO-2hjs50cZ52p0FEthZALuamkSBESl79l9bl4fynQbJzDvKOmQgNSY83FU5tQ47uLpQYx1rGbQsfmvi20sgKzqyvmDdxLPgGv2xfLx0KYrWzBtHCNSe67LwDkAjn2tOEtjJ80wJfQEjAVONdsVZynRjw=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaW0K_FG5Vgx6JMfFR8s71nkvJ_lHJbNO-2hjs50cZ52p0FEthZALuamkSBESl79l9bl4fynQbJzDvKOmQgNSY83FU5tQ47uLpQYx1rGbQsfmvi20sgKzqyvmDdxLPgGv2xfLx0KYrWzBtHCNSe67LwDkAjn2tOEtjJ80wJfQEjAVONdsVZynRjw=s320" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjA8fKj38puHoYVBVqaTTRo_GcJvQxpINDjbQlOoky_5INMwYUnz3qfYSI2JbHWMhq53pDPRV2QCMssCeBokl0iPj2rttY2mJlJeQkMmx6U4-T43WWXCvFpitUhS4xg7n2OyTJfrMiS40ML-t-dYPu3R12GUht3SXlM-bkn7dIazA-7IpRidolJ1w=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjA8fKj38puHoYVBVqaTTRo_GcJvQxpINDjbQlOoky_5INMwYUnz3qfYSI2JbHWMhq53pDPRV2QCMssCeBokl0iPj2rttY2mJlJeQkMmx6U4-T43WWXCvFpitUhS4xg7n2OyTJfrMiS40ML-t-dYPu3R12GUht3SXlM-bkn7dIazA-7IpRidolJ1w=s320" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiS7iBmpD0PhRe9IUpH8Vt-YvEccq86Na4OPsHuUo9LDuNhSTR1q5Z_YkguoDUOAw_0KXNBJmK41uHqEip5vD4hxP-O1ndzt2XTlcMbGmmN8m8yPTYFPOgzHQxp5c_7Q4FIsU0NUmd_rmbaIufBcLhifvCVl6J9GpnXZxuJhW4YOPKYIsoCvgPJlQ=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiS7iBmpD0PhRe9IUpH8Vt-YvEccq86Na4OPsHuUo9LDuNhSTR1q5Z_YkguoDUOAw_0KXNBJmK41uHqEip5vD4hxP-O1ndzt2XTlcMbGmmN8m8yPTYFPOgzHQxp5c_7Q4FIsU0NUmd_rmbaIufBcLhifvCVl6J9GpnXZxuJhW4YOPKYIsoCvgPJlQ=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Before bed I did my race-day-eve ritual of laying out my flat runner! The weather was predicted to be a bit warm so I was kinda nervous how that would impact my race. I needed to dress cool and comfy for the run, and I think I achieved just that!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhA1-Eo2URg1l3LcuSVG3cQhOiVGZmHXZgPVsWOK5FVxYj7joWrcSski7B4Jw2_zMmI0ZtPYXuvAfH4iYg4Bg38ixdZyEXAuSKZPDMX1gbzA9z8onBgVJQNovXVh1xNOkAYcz_RxWl5gmStNSpxduUQvPT0i6S6aXOdlb9ilG1UhW3SCr38Izw8EQ=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhA1-Eo2URg1l3LcuSVG3cQhOiVGZmHXZgPVsWOK5FVxYj7joWrcSski7B4Jw2_zMmI0ZtPYXuvAfH4iYg4Bg38ixdZyEXAuSKZPDMX1gbzA9z8onBgVJQNovXVh1xNOkAYcz_RxWl5gmStNSpxduUQvPT0i6S6aXOdlb9ilG1UhW3SCr38Izw8EQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the morning we were out the door before the sun came up. The start line is right in the middle of the city, so parking near the start wasn't entirely possible. We got somewhat close to the start line before I hopped out of the car and headed down to the starting area on foot. This was by far the biggest race I had been a part of since the start of the pandemic, so the corrals were FULL, but the energy of the starting area was fantastic and I was so happy to be there! Erin, Brett, and Cullen were even able to come find me at the corral before the race started which was incredible! I loved being able to hang with them while we waited for the race to start!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5qMv0LgE-8YLpwXDEDdpe8uuCpz9X4CjkgzcMxOG_T-Eu3zPmhmVmqigB4JmsZCOztojxqP3ATWULzZPaJTUFIVzh7wQcuC2utIkBRz97p4sKs6XvKvBTrHLdzYffUM5t7bCt7EM5xiTz3zGEjiZ7sWTInbcPP6fv-66yn6FKREbpt06xkudmEg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5qMv0LgE-8YLpwXDEDdpe8uuCpz9X4CjkgzcMxOG_T-Eu3zPmhmVmqigB4JmsZCOztojxqP3ATWULzZPaJTUFIVzh7wQcuC2utIkBRz97p4sKs6XvKvBTrHLdzYffUM5t7bCt7EM5xiTz3zGEjiZ7sWTInbcPP6fv-66yn6FKREbpt06xkudmEg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjc47RmwiPjn4xnnvil9ANIEbGnlYfsSra3hXvjTzUFH5cyUyUVJqI-0i9RYBCjVUKvp22uf91npVBLjzMl84LPhEVes4HvvkpCTdfzwtgid4CrlaGPYpzjUXvx6eN2OFDctiO9feWUo8yPVS7dKP0GN_5NG-vPgsPUI4vAt5huHeD0hVad4Nw3lQ=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjc47RmwiPjn4xnnvil9ANIEbGnlYfsSra3hXvjTzUFH5cyUyUVJqI-0i9RYBCjVUKvp22uf91npVBLjzMl84LPhEVes4HvvkpCTdfzwtgid4CrlaGPYpzjUXvx6eN2OFDctiO9feWUo8yPVS7dKP0GN_5NG-vPgsPUI4vAt5huHeD0hVad4Nw3lQ=s320" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5TchZcK1vrIoGzBwG40hTH6ketv-D9ZWlV8L33HYPhQEgxrqYC41vFQh_dmCVSzbVGxY1AWXIk3z6V7nmr89sBsKEz8OfwazLkDI01Ghd8zCe3ypzHXWEb3vjsvOUmwzb86ZGLhlThq7n8wACW1aYKl_cVi9vO3pXOAW6iS-_lOgJoSjq6XYE1g=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5TchZcK1vrIoGzBwG40hTH6ketv-D9ZWlV8L33HYPhQEgxrqYC41vFQh_dmCVSzbVGxY1AWXIk3z6V7nmr89sBsKEz8OfwazLkDI01Ghd8zCe3ypzHXWEb3vjsvOUmwzb86ZGLhlThq7n8wACW1aYKl_cVi9vO3pXOAW6iS-_lOgJoSjq6XYE1g=s320" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The way the corrals were spaced I ended up being at the VERY FRONT of the starting waves! It was so crazy to be in the very front. I definitely felt SUPER out of place because I'm used to hundreds of runners being in front of me. I knew I needed to take it all in, though, because it's very rare that I get to be in the front of the crowd. After some photos and some cheering at the start line, we were off!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKeoowo-TjRZoSwyfO0qAqccKZL72j8bWpWmJ1B5yWlGRrwuumR1euQ62krsyMC0yUoSwDEtbO39HIuibBUJwx_UyiANhxh40AkogUatWk1zPD7Zs6r934_U-cJx48qnLU870xcCJMba5FUEMKB-DYZZ1FYX4wtOHd3Fv9JG0e-iEp2Wx8tBwpFw=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKeoowo-TjRZoSwyfO0qAqccKZL72j8bWpWmJ1B5yWlGRrwuumR1euQ62krsyMC0yUoSwDEtbO39HIuibBUJwx_UyiANhxh40AkogUatWk1zPD7Zs6r934_U-cJx48qnLU870xcCJMba5FUEMKB-DYZZ1FYX4wtOHd3Fv9JG0e-iEp2Wx8tBwpFw=s320" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgL664-1cQ15yZAo5KW-L_j4CYTInykS9Fe3A6maSqsn7G9iknMkxosYGzHo78-eRACiaPiEUBANnwOoMZDyTWOP4T7Wo1FbPTk3iKZDKWDOlE7fQrQ3MtVS-KfFp_0rEYas1SDrSPXsCbXSMElw8BJSINCHDk-5ejP9d5EGsSFnrTA9bYnpkJVGg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgL664-1cQ15yZAo5KW-L_j4CYTInykS9Fe3A6maSqsn7G9iknMkxosYGzHo78-eRACiaPiEUBANnwOoMZDyTWOP4T7Wo1FbPTk3iKZDKWDOlE7fQrQ3MtVS-KfFp_0rEYas1SDrSPXsCbXSMElw8BJSINCHDk-5ejP9d5EGsSFnrTA9bYnpkJVGg=s320" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Standing and waiting for the race to begin, the weather honestly wasn't that bad. However as soon as I started running, the humidity really showed itself and it got super sweaty super fast. This, of course, affected the way I needed to approach the race. Although I didn't really train for a sub-5 leading up to this race, I was curious to see if I could pull it off again in San Antonio since the course was relatively flat through the entire race. However when I got to about mile 3 I came to the realization that it was just too muggy for me to really push myself in the way I needed to hit a sub-5 pace for 26.2 miles, so I took it easy and enjoyed the run.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The first half of the race was filled with so much to look and so much entertainment! Rock n' Roll always does a great job with on-course musicians and DJs, and I feel like this race did a really great job of also representing the culture of the city. San Antonio is known for being a really big military city, and this marathon does a lot to honor veterans. Mile 5 was one of the most notable miles of the race because the first half is lined with photographs of fallen servicemen and women, and the second half is lined with folks holding hundreds of American flags and cheering as hard as they can for the runners. I'd be totally lying if I told you I didn't get a little bit emotional during this mile!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Miles 7-11 really leaned into the Mexican culture and influence in this region which I absolutely loved! There were folks in cultural attire on stilts, there were sculptures of mariachi skeletons, and miles 10-11 was completely lined with mariachi bands and folks doing traditional Mexican dances. It was honestly SO COOL and one of my favorite parts of the race.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2M3hLZIlKOoI8Km--5ahgJt55WWVweJmR1avov-mDVg2XtwntVmsuMdagrJwdA44b5Dvb2K2dPTlPnh-7p-vQOHWJ_B0E1FtQ-3pM7ZCUl6dII2EKPX7yj42PXl-TbnIntpyYo-hRmo-ClirGMHLhQe6v3vp20Sdp0Bx82nFryZbkbWQKpMylAA=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2316" data-original-width="3088" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2M3hLZIlKOoI8Km--5ahgJt55WWVweJmR1avov-mDVg2XtwntVmsuMdagrJwdA44b5Dvb2K2dPTlPnh-7p-vQOHWJ_B0E1FtQ-3pM7ZCUl6dII2EKPX7yj42PXl-TbnIntpyYo-hRmo-ClirGMHLhQe6v3vp20Sdp0Bx82nFryZbkbWQKpMylAA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We hit the marathon/half marathon split around mile 11 which is always interesting because the crowd always thins SIGNIFICANTLY, but I was thankful that I was actually getting to run a FULL instead of a half after what happened in Savannah! In the words of Brett when I texted the group I hit the split "F--k a half marathon!" π</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiE3IY9rT9BI49hqsqOVKlJxGg7eLOis4KAzQ2p_LP_8fGl-GUf0pYDFjQa9-Iit-MRNudMKI7Ih2IvBm0E5SyW2uvDt1D20E1Qyf5nGgIGPZNiZTXrncISWulsPEPeZr7P2iazuHN9u5He29WvycmJ0NMgW_YqC3DDDCgtlPXwdKojZBh69VZ1kA=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiE3IY9rT9BI49hqsqOVKlJxGg7eLOis4KAzQ2p_LP_8fGl-GUf0pYDFjQa9-Iit-MRNudMKI7Ih2IvBm0E5SyW2uvDt1D20E1Qyf5nGgIGPZNiZTXrncISWulsPEPeZr7P2iazuHN9u5He29WvycmJ0NMgW_YqC3DDDCgtlPXwdKojZBh69VZ1kA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The back half was a little bit less exciting, which I wish race directors would be better about. There definitely were some bands here and there, but it just seems so much quieter during the second half of the race. It's always such a bummer for the folks who choose to run the full marathons. I get that ALL of your runners are participating in the first half, but you gotta give your full marathoners some encouragement when their struggling!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was able to see Brett, Erin, and Cullen at mile 14 which was perfect timing! I was starting to really feel tired from the humidity and I needed an energy boost. Seeing my cheer squad always brings me so much joy and gratitude, and it's the first time they've been together cheering me on since Rock n' Roll New Orleans in February 2020! I'm so thankful for them!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Miles 14-20 were all through this bike trail and I actually really enjoyed this section of the race. It was nice and calm and peaceful on that trail, and it actually felt like I was around more runners during this section. Something about the smaller space made me feel more like we were all sharing the experience of the run together through some of the toughest miles of the marathon. Rock n' Roll was also able to squeeze in a couple of entertainers during this part of the course as well which was so much fun to see!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I saw the Cheer Squad again at mile 20.5 which again was a huge boost. I feel like they picked the PERFECT points of the race to come and cheer me on and again, I so appreciate them traveling all around the city of San Antonio to come and see me for literally 30 seconds haha. Spectators - runners will ALWAYS appreciate you, even if you only see them for a short amount of time during the race! This would be the last time I would see them before the finish line.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Everything was going pretty smoothly for the next couple miles, even though I was a sweaty mess and I was so ready to be done running haha. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Then, came mile 23, which was almost 100% uphill π</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnhU4crpC0tcjFrF0UQn8HJjnrJ-w-YJQKKeT9idLV2KHnhAUVxtxmMbll-WAsHa0m-A1tClC2msZC0iaZhuFmvvLhIQaqw808FXtg3SVSG6K_ZABInnwSM_HI8LDynPWYgnVWz5Y8drFoqOilPt7RbvQ-OGGmkvvoGKVAPTz6lFOZ9V6gFP02BQ=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnhU4crpC0tcjFrF0UQn8HJjnrJ-w-YJQKKeT9idLV2KHnhAUVxtxmMbll-WAsHa0m-A1tClC2msZC0iaZhuFmvvLhIQaqw808FXtg3SVSG6K_ZABInnwSM_HI8LDynPWYgnVWz5Y8drFoqOilPt7RbvQ-OGGmkvvoGKVAPTz6lFOZ9V6gFP02BQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Perspective looking down the hill from about 3/4 of the way up<br /></i></span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I did try to run a little bit but honestly it was not worth it at that point of the race lol. Everyone else around me was walking so I really felt no shame just walking it up the steepest hill in all of Texas! Even after we hit the 23 mile marker we still had a little bit to go. It was ROUGH!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Luckily we got to the top of the hill eventually and a lot of mile 24 was downhill. At that point of the race we were so close to the finish that all I was focused on was getting to the end! As we got closer to the finish the crowds really amped up and we ran toward the finish line through a party-like atmosphere which was so uplifting after running all morning!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Eventually I got into the finisher chute, turned the corner, and saw the finish line as well as my pals! It gave me one final boost to push as hard as I could to get myself across the finish and complete state #18! Final time for Rock n' Roll San Antonio Marathon was 5:14:57, which I feel so great about considering how humid it was! Not too far off a sub-5 at all π</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQHoYF8vB-5r-QSljQVexUIuEEq7LRH30jtmvs9V8f24jkWQ3mJQzPz35zbQ0SyvubdiTARie_c-gCrQDRSPDXVCUY7SuDsjUau5_LMIPv1xhKwlXTNfA_lmUoX_3h3Bk5TcuHOiIL0_g16MRHu-Q7sekviBfL1dl6ZkolYRb8WfvimlpS36DI9g=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQHoYF8vB-5r-QSljQVexUIuEEq7LRH30jtmvs9V8f24jkWQ3mJQzPz35zbQ0SyvubdiTARie_c-gCrQDRSPDXVCUY7SuDsjUau5_LMIPv1xhKwlXTNfA_lmUoX_3h3Bk5TcuHOiIL0_g16MRHu-Q7sekviBfL1dl6ZkolYRb8WfvimlpS36DI9g=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Cheer Squad waiting at the finish!</span></i></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After the race I finally met up with the crew and we took some finish festival photos! I actually earned an additional medal through the Rock n' Roll Heavy Medals program. I was able to pick up the medal for the 1718 Challenge, for completing the Rock n' Roll New Orleans Marathon in 2020 and the Rock n' Roll San Antonio Marathon in 2021! I also was able to pick up my participant shirt, just like they promised!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEir_J2rXTRWl7KJcKZfRdfRGns3n1wnQESaUCTTR-1pQLUiedaIeLSYZXyK8BVbFtjCXF53gEkEyN9ruecz1ZJ_kZhnMVsS-vyUU6wCr-jRIr56i_7XcMcYQ5Hqul1R4X7wSQPTALhhJ3fZ4iUzFprq--zLH6XomtGcGIJ7YmHLaQxBGsq5dzFK4g=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEir_J2rXTRWl7KJcKZfRdfRGns3n1wnQESaUCTTR-1pQLUiedaIeLSYZXyK8BVbFtjCXF53gEkEyN9ruecz1ZJ_kZhnMVsS-vyUU6wCr-jRIr56i_7XcMcYQ5Hqul1R4X7wSQPTALhhJ3fZ4iUzFprq--zLH6XomtGcGIJ7YmHLaQxBGsq5dzFK4g=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After taking some photos, we all wanted to go check out The Alamo since it was super close by. We were in the Alamo City after all, so it kinda felt like a requirement haha. It was definitely cool to see a historical landmark in person and we took some more photos as a crew together!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSlfnFhIhkG9aeTiZsvzVBNtiYLmgkriUYhH1-SjMU_ZGfJOJZkhA553Qy9cqX67-DtrSe3D_-7x1NTj0MzOKsy_iVffHz8B-0qQhzthBIIjzezASPcqINvGDILE7xbdUHG6h1GpQWaDsjHV8X8fU0raX0LWCJ3NCv6AjibWgKY-HsX_LMfUc8lQ=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSlfnFhIhkG9aeTiZsvzVBNtiYLmgkriUYhH1-SjMU_ZGfJOJZkhA553Qy9cqX67-DtrSe3D_-7x1NTj0MzOKsy_iVffHz8B-0qQhzthBIIjzezASPcqINvGDILE7xbdUHG6h1GpQWaDsjHV8X8fU0raX0LWCJ3NCv6AjibWgKY-HsX_LMfUc8lQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjp7Do-95Rw5bTSxG9UUJbPxC5dAX1YwUNca08HjqZkOsktxMjbDLshpZgvvnUFaUUeQHSWbgJWuaYep3t4Cz-f43IY2vwmUHVP83m68B6Y0uiwfA8eeqHveQ1aAzV7nhI3bv6JLKnjGNcw70HRTKgaJrJGWLxLXhUwVfiRbqTrHUGiptvDEDH8og=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2316" data-original-width="3088" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjp7Do-95Rw5bTSxG9UUJbPxC5dAX1YwUNca08HjqZkOsktxMjbDLshpZgvvnUFaUUeQHSWbgJWuaYep3t4Cz-f43IY2vwmUHVP83m68B6Y0uiwfA8eeqHveQ1aAzV7nhI3bv6JLKnjGNcw70HRTKgaJrJGWLxLXhUwVfiRbqTrHUGiptvDEDH8og=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7gubzWXSgcXr720utvHh6SjrpNYEQCiMrXgxPn_IFo1Fu8YyHS25ZLTdffik7oT_Gifux4UnqfM7ZuQvszHXT1_QXtsdZ6kgFV1ykqBFahmsc2BQuSWpsMao0x8KR8SGt5LplEuCh1q3a496nz0KcUtmErqhfV8eXrOHxbUxzyrujwX5yosZyew=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2316" data-original-width="3088" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7gubzWXSgcXr720utvHh6SjrpNYEQCiMrXgxPn_IFo1Fu8YyHS25ZLTdffik7oT_Gifux4UnqfM7ZuQvszHXT1_QXtsdZ6kgFV1ykqBFahmsc2BQuSWpsMao0x8KR8SGt5LplEuCh1q3a496nz0KcUtmErqhfV8eXrOHxbUxzyrujwX5yosZyew=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We headed back to the AirBnB to rest for a little bit afterwards, but later in the evening we went to this AWESOME place called El Camino for food and some fun adult beverages. I saw this spot on the marathon course and thought it looked cute, and when we looked up what it was all about we knew we had to go and check it out. Turns out it was incredible, had so many fantastic food trucks, and the best adult slushies! Our favorite one was the Lucky Charms slushie - aesthetically pleasing AND delicious!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCyc-bum5soJEwzQn8ZhZaLQ13Qt0qPUGqGtwRLZv0bv90MSGV7kzGxAClYSXrsF6bEFVMLAQDQJlWXuDB7jWx-4bz61pjUCr4HR5bEGMwfaG0KJG2mRFJYyxmHJkWS5RMzpiOIPf7zH7Gnp1tXlANDmiJ6W8xx2pr5sOXqsY4dsJ7WbkhgqH-0w=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCyc-bum5soJEwzQn8ZhZaLQ13Qt0qPUGqGtwRLZv0bv90MSGV7kzGxAClYSXrsF6bEFVMLAQDQJlWXuDB7jWx-4bz61pjUCr4HR5bEGMwfaG0KJG2mRFJYyxmHJkWS5RMzpiOIPf7zH7Gnp1tXlANDmiJ6W8xx2pr5sOXqsY4dsJ7WbkhgqH-0w=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Had the Chile con Queso Burger from one of their trucks - SO GOOD!</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDW-2rByTalrJIIK-wderCShFTr5ROFnhLHgQQvntTTnbqTTjuCn70Js9mbUkspCP2JQTT8UGQZJgMzqtV6R9PeCTTVdDoxbXKWprNvz6DLwQofBPF9NisMEwstiQuIxhchGoF84C1BV8U2HzW_Ji2Gml6ITgWM_bCwwrMNBStD_UVVO7JOnrL4w=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDW-2rByTalrJIIK-wderCShFTr5ROFnhLHgQQvntTTnbqTTjuCn70Js9mbUkspCP2JQTT8UGQZJgMzqtV6R9PeCTTVdDoxbXKWprNvz6DLwQofBPF9NisMEwstiQuIxhchGoF84C1BV8U2HzW_Ji2Gml6ITgWM_bCwwrMNBStD_UVVO7JOnrL4w=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwcXpOJqP3j5TIwc_TcByTiMh4lA4VigjnLU0nndhOIU4apVk8s1Oe21SSNDWyeYJSglP-kdWQAAaNHLWEF355ei3JCBAHD0yoIvi3Q4eQn0xrbihgvjf7WHiIhHptjXxa9Qx-YzsdmPStJjJDe5i3bpVY4_S4dY9ue5JQBFRnyZUwZzuyv35XbQ=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwcXpOJqP3j5TIwc_TcByTiMh4lA4VigjnLU0nndhOIU4apVk8s1Oe21SSNDWyeYJSglP-kdWQAAaNHLWEF355ei3JCBAHD0yoIvi3Q4eQn0xrbihgvjf7WHiIhHptjXxa9Qx-YzsdmPStJjJDe5i3bpVY4_S4dY9ue5JQBFRnyZUwZzuyv35XbQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Lucky Charms slushie!</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAS28R15h9tA6heXC8BuScNoDsJ20ufgQR6y-ZlZc5GCppyDezCGnoaEhO5RifwPV8jawDAseGpd-YgIsBl2KKs3-j8UopQGtl4FJUf5YmJD2mKGIVXk4Bf7ov4gzJXPKDmkRhrFyDMZhPr1g6WabhdaNUgkQ6-JLgE-DbblkbjL0LVhvTrU_lxA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAS28R15h9tA6heXC8BuScNoDsJ20ufgQR6y-ZlZc5GCppyDezCGnoaEhO5RifwPV8jawDAseGpd-YgIsBl2KKs3-j8UopQGtl4FJUf5YmJD2mKGIVXk4Bf7ov4gzJXPKDmkRhrFyDMZhPr1g6WabhdaNUgkQ6-JLgE-DbblkbjL0LVhvTrU_lxA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Overall we had a fantastic time in San Antonio, and I really loved running the Rock n' Roll San Antonio Marathon. I know folks have a lot of opinions on the Rock n' Roll series but I've personally had some really great experiences running these races. I think the Rock n' Roll team has some really great customer service and they put on fantastic events. I really appreciate all the communication that they gave to participants regarding our shirts, the entertainment they provided along the course, and the effort they put into making the Rock n' Roll San Antonio Marathon a truly unique experience from start to finish. I definitely recommend participating in a Rock n' Roll series event if you get the chance!</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0p4DOr0ofMS0x86V1ORu8M1hXMiaSin9aYXV4GJmJJok26LPdFa6a7GQ1jhmmb8THHYw7gj0XOErNdchASG6HVOQbp0ECo43-bQfN4_NsAzyYnSV957Ew7IHpSPZw2DLGApj8TC4g3qLOGdW2ftL9GK_m8vMjj6RibDI_DaHrHN8Lfmi9x4ea3g=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0p4DOr0ofMS0x86V1ORu8M1hXMiaSin9aYXV4GJmJJok26LPdFa6a7GQ1jhmmb8THHYw7gj0XOErNdchASG6HVOQbp0ECo43-bQfN4_NsAzyYnSV957Ew7IHpSPZw2DLGApj8TC4g3qLOGdW2ftL9GK_m8vMjj6RibDI_DaHrHN8Lfmi9x4ea3g=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>If you'd like to see more from the race, check out my race recap vlog below!</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ka8IqUeqOY4" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116982228825892049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1916871150499748468.post-5538128255429885602022-01-03T17:00:00.078-05:002022-01-03T17:00:00.225-05:00Race Review: Rock n' Roll Savannah 1-Miler 2021<div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This post will cover Day 2 of the 2021 Rock n' Roll Savannah weekend! </span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>To see my experience during Day 1, check out my <a href="https://fiveleveninety.blogspot.com/2022/01/race-review-rock-n-roll-savannah-half.html" target="_blank">previous post here</a>!</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;">The day after the Rock n' Roll Savannah Half Marathon was extra fun because not only was I running, but so were my parents! My parents were signed up for the 5K on this day, so I was very excited that we got to cheer them on! I know they hadn't run an in-person race in quite some time and after a hard year I was glad they got to have some running fun of their own while on this runcation π Luckily, the weather cleared up for Sunday so we were smooth sailing for our midday races!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;">One thing that we were super pumped about was that we were going to be running at the Savannah Bananas ball park! We were so amused all weekend by the fact that the local baseball team was called the Savannah Bananas, so when we discovered that we would be running at their park we were so excited! We checked out the park and their merch store before the first race got started, and each took a little souvenir home with us! π</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGO8HC5j_-uggaxtP0XcuLo9rBdnepicIMLg0avwVqepa2JwlZdWxpeyJ6mxMS9RSF1WgvWgE6qGkLKftlqFbx4yB3AdhG8NoL4K5Qn3xU1dzvaaz2CVHzuEJOmIrVYQL-0Nx8qrpss8Q3eDJlF6zf_YhaN_axu9OQqN09tM5BiWhL9T7KK75HAQ=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGO8HC5j_-uggaxtP0XcuLo9rBdnepicIMLg0avwVqepa2JwlZdWxpeyJ6mxMS9RSF1WgvWgE6qGkLKftlqFbx4yB3AdhG8NoL4K5Qn3xU1dzvaaz2CVHzuEJOmIrVYQL-0Nx8qrpss8Q3eDJlF6zf_YhaN_axu9OQqN09tM5BiWhL9T7KK75HAQ=w300-h400" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxJHJcDXmXJEu-wozRLPynLw0jEBZ7k-TPqQAGohFPF-GOwhI336TSCijo5Nub9ZwjGcj663DAHMit8iGqwWcvWqPMOy27LLPpTHnlPoL550G4L17v9QMalnjkdwxrNMArfM3I5b4zbfPPox2WCF19wYPM9qV97jYHTHNVcXawrx3fweXVCS61sQ=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxJHJcDXmXJEu-wozRLPynLw0jEBZ7k-TPqQAGohFPF-GOwhI336TSCijo5Nub9ZwjGcj663DAHMit8iGqwWcvWqPMOy27LLPpTHnlPoL550G4L17v9QMalnjkdwxrNMArfM3I5b4zbfPPox2WCF19wYPM9qV97jYHTHNVcXawrx3fweXVCS61sQ=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjWdggfgnLIVQvv1bFs9ZrYelu_5mVWn7vtYKsqt3kAxoWtDPKRzZCzdSUfsqHivErp28-jOjiiCWAyG7dE9sPJFuwjd_yBsXac2qVxK5kVcpDKhcdgSbe2cS2-d7v-g4FGc19c7efff_97y-iiqAQCuJJG8_ae4yffgcHql1F2akXu72B8c4Mzkg=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjWdggfgnLIVQvv1bFs9ZrYelu_5mVWn7vtYKsqt3kAxoWtDPKRzZCzdSUfsqHivErp28-jOjiiCWAyG7dE9sPJFuwjd_yBsXac2qVxK5kVcpDKhcdgSbe2cS2-d7v-g4FGc19c7efff_97y-iiqAQCuJJG8_ae4yffgcHql1F2akXu72B8c4Mzkg=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhIttpn5A-otYZCdigbF1ePxFV6sa-bheYDQs_k1PrToD4psknOA_WkEtAZmKktnSbIGCiyJMCSzNrnbFGcPfODTBHypvmUdh41_ZJfFgTp3pa4wLUiWEULxNcEdGsKqxRmnlvvjd13PUqioz0H2udGJ5Z5k5aSLAE3xZ9cR0vwXqXkEuAKnS9eaA=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhIttpn5A-otYZCdigbF1ePxFV6sa-bheYDQs_k1PrToD4psknOA_WkEtAZmKktnSbIGCiyJMCSzNrnbFGcPfODTBHypvmUdh41_ZJfFgTp3pa4wLUiWEULxNcEdGsKqxRmnlvvjd13PUqioz0H2udGJ5Z5k5aSLAE3xZ9cR0vwXqXkEuAKnS9eaA=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjyEXLTVZ7MBtmpBQSbodmoOcXd3ULSGJHC7Powhviao2DQ892xyxmwESkfd_hPysC26DOrbi9DkWq9NHCAfnjC5ah7Y2TKOC9VBBDVYSZY-qFycl0OJiiWszfnRZWKzonAjyNCMVT0c0xqJrW_OK_YEmoKfO_J3DgXSN459Q79uyAQA870lcPCWQ=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjyEXLTVZ7MBtmpBQSbodmoOcXd3ULSGJHC7Powhviao2DQ892xyxmwESkfd_hPysC26DOrbi9DkWq9NHCAfnjC5ah7Y2TKOC9VBBDVYSZY-qFycl0OJiiWszfnRZWKzonAjyNCMVT0c0xqJrW_OK_YEmoKfO_J3DgXSN459Q79uyAQA870lcPCWQ=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiscnXsiWTqZLRqmxYa3GKosUoQ910PHuc9994H613VxEcs9NbJMACxf5MrD4IyqgNGMEu_qO96YetGuXYxk4yCwUxLIVqFq8SnFd2-rfNHBhQ55zdlwQlD3hfj5Ufu0nWnJLyvOhDfpSlXMEZn_0zVkayzQnE1Px_16Rj4QxRkUAGSi8uHSY7S3w=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiscnXsiWTqZLRqmxYa3GKosUoQ910PHuc9994H613VxEcs9NbJMACxf5MrD4IyqgNGMEu_qO96YetGuXYxk4yCwUxLIVqFq8SnFd2-rfNHBhQ55zdlwQlD3hfj5Ufu0nWnJLyvOhDfpSlXMEZn_0zVkayzQnE1Px_16Rj4QxRkUAGSi8uHSY7S3w=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0Q26YaIs_L15VsERAEr9glTvLHDozphAZlb-lrfkMTz9xKplsvoZAkyW0KQEARtXRr8VPJm-Zz-eg-FnLSsiRZcQoHJFciZiCxu86_68DsTcjYb7uu2Boc5EKzsXzSdKC8ae-0cU6TzQyify3nu8XI5CV2tdzGNuV_LCe8DtgsuyQ3JxLKB68HQ=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0Q26YaIs_L15VsERAEr9glTvLHDozphAZlb-lrfkMTz9xKplsvoZAkyW0KQEARtXRr8VPJm-Zz-eg-FnLSsiRZcQoHJFciZiCxu86_68DsTcjYb7uu2Boc5EKzsXzSdKC8ae-0cU6TzQyify3nu8XI5CV2tdzGNuV_LCe8DtgsuyQ3JxLKB68HQ=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhziY5iOf_xyxpIMgeYQefbL_TkhISNO5z4ctPCryhRPoo1X9-l6WMS-xIfVKHzR2poNc_6VNKEdAhr34_93i2sJsHVDjWv9pnD_jiqjuxPT_zujdbWZ4Ve_UFmvzsJosXkbJmv_LkWrja6ikJmH_D0qqW-f-pfDukiHrQ_W9-jJgHWeVDefkCa8g=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhziY5iOf_xyxpIMgeYQefbL_TkhISNO5z4ctPCryhRPoo1X9-l6WMS-xIfVKHzR2poNc_6VNKEdAhr34_93i2sJsHVDjWv9pnD_jiqjuxPT_zujdbWZ4Ve_UFmvzsJosXkbJmv_LkWrja6ikJmH_D0qqW-f-pfDukiHrQ_W9-jJgHWeVDefkCa8g=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>First up was the 5K! Lindsey and I made sure that Mom & Dad were all set in their corral before staking out a spot to see them off on their run. It was so fun taking in the atmosphere of the start line together!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEugQSAijcJBiziCuWPcbJ_Ko7lcrA4S-igdZIV1iFDEc4K7OycJ5SHwazEukwl5akpanEObwEZf4RsgBKaKFhNFAHf0DPDzPEybCdzKLhkLajvTKUGhpN3y6wDrR6xySMrqjA3JFkXlP2cStIu4eI6wqwgLjUYykatUxmApkOcKBFSOP66Ys7XA=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEugQSAijcJBiziCuWPcbJ_Ko7lcrA4S-igdZIV1iFDEc4K7OycJ5SHwazEukwl5akpanEObwEZf4RsgBKaKFhNFAHf0DPDzPEybCdzKLhkLajvTKUGhpN3y6wDrR6xySMrqjA3JFkXlP2cStIu4eI6wqwgLjUYykatUxmApkOcKBFSOP66Ys7XA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Once they were off, Lindsey and I staked out a spot in the park to cheer them on as they came through the finish. The coolest part of the course is that every runner got to run through the outfield to get to the finish line. I absolutely love when races incorporate unique features into their courses, so I definitely appreciate that Rock n' Roll was able to coordinate the use of the ballpark during both the 5K and 1-Miler! While we waiting for our parents, Lindsey and I made it a point to be the most obnoxious spectators for the folks coming into the finishers shoot so we could encourage folks to finish strong. We had a blast doing this! Before we knew it, Mom and Dad were coming through the park and we cheered extra loud for them! So happy that they were able to run and finish their first in-person race in a little while!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEZNrcV_lzi-q2ToQ4XCPrZVYZCKoM3vlzcTpII-QNmhiw-6LZAnFlSmyrHM1SiE6v7GpDT00-D31SQ7sNG4C37UQV5l6MSNFahX-4LaMVG2kCGsK2AT7nt819wnl8bmln2spOpX3S2N7_N9IO2GLbMTBlIyx-TwDlQQAqT-x42hfhRGWNfILEIg=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEZNrcV_lzi-q2ToQ4XCPrZVYZCKoM3vlzcTpII-QNmhiw-6LZAnFlSmyrHM1SiE6v7GpDT00-D31SQ7sNG4C37UQV5l6MSNFahX-4LaMVG2kCGsK2AT7nt819wnl8bmln2spOpX3S2N7_N9IO2GLbMTBlIyx-TwDlQQAqT-x42hfhRGWNfILEIg=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo of my mom that my dad took while they were running their 5K!</span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I didn't have too long to celebrate with them before I had to be off to warm up for the 1-Miler. I did a quick quarter-mile warm up, and got my mind right for the race. I had originally planned on just taking this race easy because I thought I would be running a full marathon the day before. However, because my race on Saturday was downgraded to a half, I thought I'd try to run the mile as fast as I could! I went into the race figuring I'd run somewhere around 9:00, as I thought that was a pretty attainable goal for me and wasn't really sure what my 1-Miler ability truly was. I lined up at the front of the pack and was off and running soon after!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtemKyTzTetV4AxrCT5yqV5ncWEDQ96E17Ouxu7tZ6hjjiPqDfcOJIRQEZK6XdLYlIYTxgfs6V5PTkVDkWdNS12E061XmsdWyNqampuUzOE_ITz3OzB0sUiDr4p8_tv2GUD3AuuXMBMLYL22IZIXkD5gd-ywsZPIRSakQ05TMQ-OY7rOdesdE1sQ=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtemKyTzTetV4AxrCT5yqV5ncWEDQ96E17Ouxu7tZ6hjjiPqDfcOJIRQEZK6XdLYlIYTxgfs6V5PTkVDkWdNS12E061XmsdWyNqampuUzOE_ITz3OzB0sUiDr4p8_tv2GUD3AuuXMBMLYL22IZIXkD5gd-ywsZPIRSakQ05TMQ-OY7rOdesdE1sQ=w300-h400" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyrnda2w92R9spYqX62zCWSIhAlIQySTyHB0tzU4kmqaDGE0NU-CFb0n3eyFM3VptYUp5kJXCfe4llmL8R_UAlKHMNoL77Uq7fYgdL9gC4WzRx6jYHr5GOXv2sEZWq4wma8qNqRsr4jyqV1OnmuFhSFe3v-41yKX6zk3-Mq5T7se_fGNQU2Nc6mQ=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyrnda2w92R9spYqX62zCWSIhAlIQySTyHB0tzU4kmqaDGE0NU-CFb0n3eyFM3VptYUp5kJXCfe4llmL8R_UAlKHMNoL77Uq7fYgdL9gC4WzRx6jYHr5GOXv2sEZWq4wma8qNqRsr4jyqV1OnmuFhSFe3v-41yKX6zk3-Mq5T7se_fGNQU2Nc6mQ=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;">I really tried to push the pace for this run just to see what I could do. When I got to the half way mark, I took a look around me and noticed that I was still fairly in the front of the pack. I thought to myself that I could <i>probably</i> have some kind of age group placement if I kept my pace up, so I decided to go for it and see what happened! This, of course, was not easy to accomplish. I am not used to pushing it as hard as I can when I run, since that's really not the approach to long distance running π You can really see how I felt in these photos my parents snapped as I cam through the finish:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2HNULjOOvrwq2arPQg5NJZcxfLOVY6rg4n7pxPx-G6BoJDpvaMhmBBJUxmcZ69HJLRO8Zuk5HZGjMxjUqIXAoAx50owutCSr1O0KmLv-rjAdN3qj4atovyAxwX-6capBejcP9EDM1MZPE5SRFMPUq2bF6lPf3UBK35PboB_RTwXUd_QmkAKAEwg=s605" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="455" data-original-width="605" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2HNULjOOvrwq2arPQg5NJZcxfLOVY6rg4n7pxPx-G6BoJDpvaMhmBBJUxmcZ69HJLRO8Zuk5HZGjMxjUqIXAoAx50owutCSr1O0KmLv-rjAdN3qj4atovyAxwX-6capBejcP9EDM1MZPE5SRFMPUq2bF6lPf3UBK35PboB_RTwXUd_QmkAKAEwg=w400-h301" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwLLIzxqxfIebKi-Ty5R5C7-xFhMwWUx3PTaiMXEp-iHIR-r3YGFiXdpOBO_Q7JGSi270mUkccsLUCGc3p2H6aTVm2BGqku2QTcrxvxpMmKx3czv-5Hc1_CxMkvloq3LzqJJ8bcszdWTTkOv3k-O3wXfv8InJR2-Ppp8WS0gof7sUixuEFWdACxg=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="880" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwLLIzxqxfIebKi-Ty5R5C7-xFhMwWUx3PTaiMXEp-iHIR-r3YGFiXdpOBO_Q7JGSi270mUkccsLUCGc3p2H6aTVm2BGqku2QTcrxvxpMmKx3czv-5Hc1_CxMkvloq3LzqJJ8bcszdWTTkOv3k-O3wXfv8InJR2-Ppp8WS0gof7sUixuEFWdACxg=w366-h400" width="366" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEif7wCffnZ7cXnTDE_nK7JVBSPMGmW8RaIZLZs3lhp0A4HxoaQyM3BdW-YvSfWaGikflYPet1Zfv0roAYASpTwx4H6RY9sB8LODVmQFrxPINTm77SrA7JdxvtX_0e1bwCrjm0phu_f7O7Yph0j4-vu13kTJswOygsERF1kubrU-VdFPHyEOHSVqsg=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="878" data-original-width="960" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEif7wCffnZ7cXnTDE_nK7JVBSPMGmW8RaIZLZs3lhp0A4HxoaQyM3BdW-YvSfWaGikflYPet1Zfv0roAYASpTwx4H6RY9sB8LODVmQFrxPINTm77SrA7JdxvtX_0e1bwCrjm0phu_f7O7Yph0j4-vu13kTJswOygsERF1kubrU-VdFPHyEOHSVqsg=w400-h366" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-size: small;">I really look like I'm having a wonderful time here </i><span style="font-size: small;">π</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-R1eSNKIyomrrxPIfdmxR0a6_Sw81cjOXwCMJHjjHYUWGYv04mfukgAJMa4NiwXRSVgLg4Lp4wa6m754GbPFMLODa4gezXSQLcrWA0_DPZw7CAALxIo-86MvYUnB7Uw2PUGvkyYDF0TIITXHL-MwQLHWkGLxIo3GHK0uRJVt-RbRL0etQqenr7Q=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-R1eSNKIyomrrxPIfdmxR0a6_Sw81cjOXwCMJHjjHYUWGYv04mfukgAJMa4NiwXRSVgLg4Lp4wa6m754GbPFMLODa4gezXSQLcrWA0_DPZw7CAALxIo-86MvYUnB7Uw2PUGvkyYDF0TIITXHL-MwQLHWkGLxIo3GHK0uRJVt-RbRL0etQqenr7Q=w300-h400" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMuUleChF_3UMPGL0piRyn2pUlsmZfgK1LL3x42xfrA6a-ab2spvLj5MHXD9ubxYkbkoL-pWRHSJFksKzoNxypYdz5rtLJiL_TqK-WqrfEXaSS_OU-0nuTfCOOCuBDiSzCY0Qo-wTnbTW5c4ff3pIUK7NmQ2Jc_aAXQ_E6NnyNkwn62syZ73iLXw=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMuUleChF_3UMPGL0piRyn2pUlsmZfgK1LL3x42xfrA6a-ab2spvLj5MHXD9ubxYkbkoL-pWRHSJFksKzoNxypYdz5rtLJiL_TqK-WqrfEXaSS_OU-0nuTfCOOCuBDiSzCY0Qo-wTnbTW5c4ff3pIUK7NmQ2Jc_aAXQ_E6NnyNkwn62syZ73iLXw=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="background-color: white;">My pain and suffering paid off because not only did I PR my mile time with <b>7:40 </b>time, but I also <b>PLACED FIRST IN MY AGE GROUP π± </b>This is something that I have literally <i>never done</i> and I was so shocked! I am so crazy proud of myself for this accomplishment, and I will definitely look back on it as a highlight of my 2021 racing season!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhfvNV_lfQEsaDinQqYnfgjvPb45VlcQ7YSDDmtLSdIqDinhEEP-lPodbVEtHAmE9-OYpAwdiL_MhFL1mY3rEDPvHsVWjPvRrr7E9BUHrRKdQf1dyg_K8_XEtxmaTMF6xeCzcIZhwQhIfUy8y810y6zkIwqXDq0dv5CEa5IfyVwrGvfm7R_au5IjA=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhfvNV_lfQEsaDinQqYnfgjvPb45VlcQ7YSDDmtLSdIqDinhEEP-lPodbVEtHAmE9-OYpAwdiL_MhFL1mY3rEDPvHsVWjPvRrr7E9BUHrRKdQf1dyg_K8_XEtxmaTMF6xeCzcIZhwQhIfUy8y810y6zkIwqXDq0dv5CEa5IfyVwrGvfm7R_au5IjA=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTsqZwc6C7Xgdc6KBUYCpk8Q5aHSXcI6z5Vu8d7ZR4czF5zPNDOnWvg4uE9A1RQ0p8_jP7sWUTojLWZY2GeqxgUc9LGOYE3ss5d58NmvHJ5fHKAKMk3LIJF7I-BWjd8iHwo2Te2e0SYPKVCM5-EhgZdYEwXgMwL0d8JH9EDo3pF0zOV0P9UyYdow=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="740" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTsqZwc6C7Xgdc6KBUYCpk8Q5aHSXcI6z5Vu8d7ZR4czF5zPNDOnWvg4uE9A1RQ0p8_jP7sWUTojLWZY2GeqxgUc9LGOYE3ss5d58NmvHJ5fHKAKMk3LIJF7I-BWjd8iHwo2Te2e0SYPKVCM5-EhgZdYEwXgMwL0d8JH9EDo3pF0zOV0P9UyYdow=w309-h400" width="309" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="444" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhfvNV_lfQEsaDinQqYnfgjvPb45VlcQ7YSDDmtLSdIqDinhEEP-lPodbVEtHAmE9-OYpAwdiL_MhFL1mY3rEDPvHsVWjPvRrr7E9BUHrRKdQf1dyg_K8_XEtxmaTMF6xeCzcIZhwQhIfUy8y810y6zkIwqXDq0dv5CEa5IfyVwrGvfm7R_au5IjA=w185-h400" width="185" /> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>I'm on a leaderboard!</i> π</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRz-euAN8s8CqoRcGI0h0S93nle87pDFIR-ix5C1r0JiCaQH_LUI6dMvyVVz5Qd39KfcXwZ8oM0FDld6OfSxPexFxYgYNhLEPMuNYKzeyNp_I6oHpZnNO3lIgOOvbKmtQ4TrPrptA_nGjF9s6GiC1U3Er3-ldzITqQ74ZjQeQtxLWD20bvwmJ3vQ=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRz-euAN8s8CqoRcGI0h0S93nle87pDFIR-ix5C1r0JiCaQH_LUI6dMvyVVz5Qd39KfcXwZ8oM0FDld6OfSxPexFxYgYNhLEPMuNYKzeyNp_I6oHpZnNO3lIgOOvbKmtQ4TrPrptA_nGjF9s6GiC1U3Er3-ldzITqQ74ZjQeQtxLWD20bvwmJ3vQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I also received a Remix Challenge medal for running the Half Marathon on Saturday and the 1-Miler on Sunday which was so cool! I hadn't done a Remix Challenge with Rock n' Roll before, but it's honestly so much fun and would definitely do another one in the future. Of course, we needed to do a lil post-race family photoshoot with our medals before heading out to celebrate!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjI4bsT6P2Yg9ZqUhKj4jLTdGC0mFj6HyGKB-mTXKfu0RvraayQLe1kEi-1v_0Ndxa5SlVyhCpDKYi1SbcxW8SuLhdenBMlA6ntsX4nM0RbPQ7uu0BtVcsnSTWodEJg6EtefWqEG5Olozs_CtblXbWvKLSAb0LWd5bcJ1dQlMEdRJgP8G0MYtFWaA=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjI4bsT6P2Yg9ZqUhKj4jLTdGC0mFj6HyGKB-mTXKfu0RvraayQLe1kEi-1v_0Ndxa5SlVyhCpDKYi1SbcxW8SuLhdenBMlA6ntsX4nM0RbPQ7uu0BtVcsnSTWodEJg6EtefWqEG5Olozs_CtblXbWvKLSAb0LWd5bcJ1dQlMEdRJgP8G0MYtFWaA=w300-h400" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhK0uCjK_MZfjjHFJgRDVLjrehROLtanUn8A0DlnMttJlqWvPRsSEqa0x0ZOfi5ybnjhVCWLZjsAsWlf3c2U3pNBQLTQcndt10W-bUacDuD7OJHPf2Js071rTs9PDv7q9MU0Dd356T7SjpNAKJDbcEfEMqNfG18VsNbpOaik6uWZLUfgj3Hrvw_sA=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhK0uCjK_MZfjjHFJgRDVLjrehROLtanUn8A0DlnMttJlqWvPRsSEqa0x0ZOfi5ybnjhVCWLZjsAsWlf3c2U3pNBQLTQcndt10W-bUacDuD7OJHPf2Js071rTs9PDv7q9MU0Dd356T7SjpNAKJDbcEfEMqNfG18VsNbpOaik6uWZLUfgj3Hrvw_sA=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwXd8EW8MHahHOgEYs4QI6FjLSirPwdUNy6vPAmlBLPs4JEw8Vu8XRozAB-H9xRLWJmCEx4ePXBe7UOtzYd06eqa81vZRh0pTp61znw4SZdGmYIoKzKrkDunbhBnzcPH3vAu0-zcdx95tpyjCq3ZnMEvbodzvRYrUbJ81GLQRqgg5NDUv9SOrDRA=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwXd8EW8MHahHOgEYs4QI6FjLSirPwdUNy6vPAmlBLPs4JEw8Vu8XRozAB-H9xRLWJmCEx4ePXBe7UOtzYd06eqa81vZRh0pTp61znw4SZdGmYIoKzKrkDunbhBnzcPH3vAu0-zcdx95tpyjCq3ZnMEvbodzvRYrUbJ81GLQRqgg5NDUv9SOrDRA=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgofpqmX2s3v6mcPoP9z0VG0LMGmcAUsvlhe9Ea0VkFQ5A3ukWWSkbkukFp7vLAXVz601o4Yk6V3LcH5OR0GgcZQmLSGL0nzWKwlH0cIIJFbYsm497-4FyZTaLyBh8WInu_6BSMfsE08dDCLOOMSJhtQ56XjFsmAtc7N5T-iHuhN6xXvhLEeu5_7Q=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="782" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgofpqmX2s3v6mcPoP9z0VG0LMGmcAUsvlhe9Ea0VkFQ5A3ukWWSkbkukFp7vLAXVz601o4Yk6V3LcH5OR0GgcZQmLSGL0nzWKwlH0cIIJFbYsm497-4FyZTaLyBh8WInu_6BSMfsE08dDCLOOMSJhtQ56XjFsmAtc7N5T-iHuhN6xXvhLEeu5_7Q=w522-h640" width="522" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">With the weather finally cooperating, we capped off the weekend by doing a bit of walking around and grabbing dinner and a drink at the Six Pence Pub. Savannah seems like such a cool city and it's a shame that the weather kept us inside for most of the weekend. Good think I will be returning in November 2022 for (fingers crossed π€) the full marathon, so hopefully we'll be able to do some more exploring then!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4441bsBEPEd724DmH452gF6Udzi5kPX_h53WFI_2aPCdCB2Y9PB08FxX4VMlbeFw8SkJUHysyIwT6jgBRdQSQJcrrEGjfbb-mH-Rwq4NJBw4vzlrOOsfAsDrgbB321ez3Ztk-sXW0a4SYFqq7nblTeMyoCqtT2mv5vioi5Ojyc9ZvF8PgJVbNew=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4441bsBEPEd724DmH452gF6Udzi5kPX_h53WFI_2aPCdCB2Y9PB08FxX4VMlbeFw8SkJUHysyIwT6jgBRdQSQJcrrEGjfbb-mH-Rwq4NJBw4vzlrOOsfAsDrgbB321ez3Ztk-sXW0a4SYFqq7nblTeMyoCqtT2mv5vioi5Ojyc9ZvF8PgJVbNew=w300-h400" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjv8UWw3psnoHZvKCWi7Ut4tTKIzHLjveRKjJXjJ2r6_BCunE6DQuJrvXCvv3dvBXVT6N9VYLCbuNjS7yI1qNBgn2ctQZRQljiqiqU-9Q22Imv5K6nY1YwZYyu4tNHCsD2TwygN52kba1KPknJKEbSzhww2TzJj2izrp4O0hsPWtPD72ZpGwMdoNw=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjv8UWw3psnoHZvKCWi7Ut4tTKIzHLjveRKjJXjJ2r6_BCunE6DQuJrvXCvv3dvBXVT6N9VYLCbuNjS7yI1qNBgn2ctQZRQljiqiqU-9Q22Imv5K6nY1YwZYyu4tNHCsD2TwygN52kba1KPknJKEbSzhww2TzJj2izrp4O0hsPWtPD72ZpGwMdoNw=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="background-color: white;">Overall I had such a fantastic time during the Rock n' Roll Savannah weekend! Despite the curveballs that were thrown our way, we still made the best of the circumstances and ultimately had a really great time. I'm excited to be returning next November so I can see more of the city, and to hopefully officially check Georgia off my 50 Marathons in 50 States list!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>If you'd like to see our weekend in action, check out my vlog below!</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/a_BL_iClbGQ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116982228825892049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1916871150499748468.post-79856799840678798662022-01-02T17:00:00.002-05:002022-01-02T17:00:35.033-05:00Race Review: Rock n' Roll Savannah Half Marathon 2021<p>In early November I traveled down to Savannah, Georgia for the Rock n' Roll Savannah Marathon weekend! This was intended to be my 18th marathon in my 18th state, and I even planned on meeting up with my parents and sister to make it a fun lil vacation (they all live fairly close to Savannah!). Little did I know that this weekend was about to be full of surprises!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2dCKKNSsYG_6NNp94pZXLVadj5uAHCTm4YxVlaiKiHWaK43LJ1dJt_YwQw8Yv904wBKWNopRrm7qFhiTBjdbDOIxfYcft-fLcsUKXTElzWOeLrh6IoeGtPS9ZPfqhwkMxnE_dYier/s960/savannah1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2dCKKNSsYG_6NNp94pZXLVadj5uAHCTm4YxVlaiKiHWaK43LJ1dJt_YwQw8Yv904wBKWNopRrm7qFhiTBjdbDOIxfYcft-fLcsUKXTElzWOeLrh6IoeGtPS9ZPfqhwkMxnE_dYier/w300-h400/savannah1.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The arrival terminal in Savannah was all decorated to welcome runners!</i></span></div><p>I arrived in Savannah around 11AM on Friday morning, where I met up with my parents at the airport! They scooped me up and we made arrangements to meet up with my sister in the city. Once the four of us were finally together we headed over to the riverfront where we grabbed a bite to eat and some drinks at The Warehouse. Time to celebrate being together for the first time since Christmas!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1bkwCY_2l6bM8P12tvwO8FyQ9UVr1AQ1vFkbC9mt-50GuoCQ1crVaKvaUtgg5wWRYA-8FJBm6R3a1ZcIq0NWLQnaNGLNkO-X_9JG6MJ0bDIkiO7qZu9Js-aLR_JIzsuPtfUSQCV-K/s960/savannah2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1bkwCY_2l6bM8P12tvwO8FyQ9UVr1AQ1vFkbC9mt-50GuoCQ1crVaKvaUtgg5wWRYA-8FJBm6R3a1ZcIq0NWLQnaNGLNkO-X_9JG6MJ0bDIkiO7qZu9Js-aLR_JIzsuPtfUSQCV-K/w400-h300/savannah2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>After lunch we hopped over to the expo by way of the ferry! It was so cool getting to take the ferry across the river to get over to the expo. We picked up our bibs and race packets (I had to pick up two!), took photos, and had an overall great time checking out all of the vendors and merch!<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLKHZwQAoKoVE2pcJe0xKHJdvYMiNbWGNh4gYzACeeRd3NTAno-Eg2RS8F0wIYJVIqCL62dDilZMYSqY0MBG6wq36sNbsj_xDcOAFEUjZZDYSjKLl3f4kdKjA-WTjQ_0HNaclIU4_/s960/savannah4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLKHZwQAoKoVE2pcJe0xKHJdvYMiNbWGNh4gYzACeeRd3NTAno-Eg2RS8F0wIYJVIqCL62dDilZMYSqY0MBG6wq36sNbsj_xDcOAFEUjZZDYSjKLl3f4kdKjA-WTjQ_0HNaclIU4_/w300-h400/savannah4.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGVpBurGttq1tdhzI9uO658FuIgoMuHcosrb5h4fuodLSL9vd0Y8zYkdsw8VfEu508Al4vldhHl_80U2O_eDsog0uxJYzbPp4pbuCm6yWPAttMekzlWBqZ-8Gb1m0VXz0GskmHhRQl/s960/savannah5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGVpBurGttq1tdhzI9uO658FuIgoMuHcosrb5h4fuodLSL9vd0Y8zYkdsw8VfEu508Al4vldhHl_80U2O_eDsog0uxJYzbPp4pbuCm6yWPAttMekzlWBqZ-8Gb1m0VXz0GskmHhRQl/w300-h400/savannah5.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibposahojmAhdT_q5Fz2OqCZYLznEH8uTG72gvJWt3vyWBBCI20_hCWQw_l4FAr8k4sAnVUIaM5a0QwCR36tZ8os7UwWp2C8YLIZUGjja5CloBn-xKfA4QHeY-YokcpxUoieTwy0Up/s960/savannah6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibposahojmAhdT_q5Fz2OqCZYLznEH8uTG72gvJWt3vyWBBCI20_hCWQw_l4FAr8k4sAnVUIaM5a0QwCR36tZ8os7UwWp2C8YLIZUGjja5CloBn-xKfA4QHeY-YokcpxUoieTwy0Up/w300-h400/savannah6.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx9f2cbmzOi4ouiM4-15QSUiafjL8P8NNy8ZMYBDQYBosGjb9B2pXcPip2GFfmESNW1yrE4S61Fk4m8ZecV2zfpf7HTYNmcyCa6dSzWitQA64MrXni_OsOufjGJ20cK2QrTw8l3i3g/s960/savannah7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx9f2cbmzOi4ouiM4-15QSUiafjL8P8NNy8ZMYBDQYBosGjb9B2pXcPip2GFfmESNW1yrE4S61Fk4m8ZecV2zfpf7HTYNmcyCa6dSzWitQA64MrXni_OsOufjGJ20cK2QrTw8l3i3g/w300-h400/savannah7.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Tn9aLEhGlusZgZ5DNBkEMgc89RQ3avVPLfgJZL-JZB9U6YnaokJXi4kF6HqXCCe9WSgR2vXogmApsjb-M0Mui7QxjAL88EqJhGUm0WtMuKZ03BRPGJSFxd5lPoZX0O0Kbj4PVqSC/s960/savannah9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Tn9aLEhGlusZgZ5DNBkEMgc89RQ3avVPLfgJZL-JZB9U6YnaokJXi4kF6HqXCCe9WSgR2vXogmApsjb-M0Mui7QxjAL88EqJhGUm0WtMuKZ03BRPGJSFxd5lPoZX0O0Kbj4PVqSC/w300-h400/savannah9.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgngNp__ErisnPIpjtH1cuO7Vt_e1GsR0hudQuTRtUme1yW1yilmFuUsdlIL8b_eCZJd1cfULqyV9GQS400QUJKNa8MWyrm-iXNTMKfWj77mstZdK5TmvfbC5-ORE1eqTzwCrA9J4RN/s960/savannah10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgngNp__ErisnPIpjtH1cuO7Vt_e1GsR0hudQuTRtUme1yW1yilmFuUsdlIL8b_eCZJd1cfULqyV9GQS400QUJKNa8MWyrm-iXNTMKfWj77mstZdK5TmvfbC5-ORE1eqTzwCrA9J4RN/w300-h400/savannah10.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It was a cold and rainy day, so after the expo we ducked into a coffee shop to warm up a bit and caffeinate after a long day of travel.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaNCFjkuciPNuJO8V6yYxC0ulp0s80s7NNgBVL2E2jSMWmSq-7-JsyTMOh-n9RIhhgOwqBG6g3Xhzsb5bz6qev7MbbX-FVPuTQ8Ph7jMEPDGP0t0QesdAtymqZi9oCzl912344VuR0/s960/savannah13.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaNCFjkuciPNuJO8V6yYxC0ulp0s80s7NNgBVL2E2jSMWmSq-7-JsyTMOh-n9RIhhgOwqBG6g3Xhzsb5bz6qev7MbbX-FVPuTQ8Ph7jMEPDGP0t0QesdAtymqZi9oCzl912344VuR0/w300-h400/savannah13.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And then we were finally able to check into our little Air BnB and relax! I gathered my gear for my flat runner (below) and we ate some dinner - home made meals made by my parents and transported up from their homes in Florida! Nothing better than a homecooked meal the night before a big race, right? We were all pretty wiped so we had a fairly early bed time. I had to mentally prepare myself to run in what was looking to be pretty rough conditions the next morning, so I wanted to get as much rest as possible so I could go into race day with the right mindset!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguDX2501T2HXlcKQTa548gRV4bwDSLwD1HRZP9vCgH2zNd1zqxl4O0F2QL7Hw80mBmhapH6Y6QaKZdJlCsSc0ex8PopVyMUcgdwPuXED_QmYRdtdk6x3eIqEbni3WEJ9127791A7IB/s960/savannah14.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguDX2501T2HXlcKQTa548gRV4bwDSLwD1HRZP9vCgH2zNd1zqxl4O0F2QL7Hw80mBmhapH6Y6QaKZdJlCsSc0ex8PopVyMUcgdwPuXED_QmYRdtdk6x3eIqEbni3WEJ9127791A7IB/w300-h400/savannah14.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>I woke up before everyone else to start getting myself ready. The winds and rains were BRUTAL outside and to be honest I was not looking forward to getting outside in the rain for 26.2 miles, but I had to remember that through this 50 state journey I was going to have to deal with all sorts of weather! I tried my best to get mentally prepared. And then about an hour and a half before the originally scheduled race time, we received this text message:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQnSbdCqxBsYcOqd8u7DRW_ke2VSV25w-fyPHwSG8isT9bcuRidR3tjA0VI2tnlomTBbgrpc9zLQYOQ7Fc3NZtgeLk-x_m6U-GwnIuz4cr88FOKos1IBQP4YYJALdTWpory4VYL7aHQNWUQVpiuAZZw6sf4UZoh3hcNiS5zUVN1OQs9060mM8Kqw=s960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="824" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQnSbdCqxBsYcOqd8u7DRW_ke2VSV25w-fyPHwSG8isT9bcuRidR3tjA0VI2tnlomTBbgrpc9zLQYOQ7Fc3NZtgeLk-x_m6U-GwnIuz4cr88FOKos1IBQP4YYJALdTWpory4VYL7aHQNWUQVpiuAZZw6sf4UZoh3hcNiS5zUVN1OQs9060mM8Kqw=w344-h400" width="344" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><b>TEXT:</b> "Good morning. Due to deteriorating weather conditions we have determined we cannot host the full marathon. We will host the half marathon and relay. All marathon participants have the option to participate in the half marathon.</i></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Savannah is unusually COLD and WET this year. To help prevent hypothermia [low body temperature] you should dress in layers. Your outer garment should be waterproof, and under that wear something warm, like a sweatshirt over T-shirt. IF it dries out and warms up at all, these can be tied around your waist. If you feel you are getting too cold, stop into one of Medical Tents along the course for help."</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was a mixture of disappointed and relieved to receive this news. Disappointed because obviously I wanted to run my 18th marathon in my 18th state surrounded by my family, but relieved because the conditions were AWFUL and while it would be great to check off another state, it would have been a really terrible experience solely based on the weather conditions. I had to reframe my mindset at that point from running a full marathon to running a half instead, and after readjusting I felt a lot of pressure lift off of my shoulders!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I will say that there were SO MANY people who were PISSED by this decision, and they made their opinions heard on social media. While there are occasions where maybe frustrations are justified when events get canceled or changed, I don't think that this was one of those situations. The weather that weekend in Savannah was terrible and definitely not anywhere near acceptable to keep a race course open for 7+ hours where there would be thousands of freezing runners, volunteers, and spectators. It wad pouring rain, 40 degrees, and wind gusts of up to 30+ mph, so I personally canceling the full marathon for health and safety reasons was totally warranted. I wish folks could try to be understanding of everything that gets taken into consideration when making these decisions. I feel like I have a much different perspective on these types of situations because I plan events for a living and that probably makes me a bit more understanding, but you can't control the weather, y'all!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Because it was offered to the marathon runners, I opted to run the half marathon. I had traveled all that way, so I may as well at least run something! So we all headed out into the deluge and down to the start line. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1pJM6UEtFa1Q6zPy2e4Fxbjv1Lbrrn_la-2yqx5YQN1OPwwvVHeqA3RJ4ZF1q-XiVkhnUOQw8pGJZUhdLHtM384ZHiNfysPAG31AC720NtAhLSnZ31uB30meTJZfjjUbOx2etqVrQ8iec6B95svXwXnpA6BWI7NfMb7yA8jrGbZTiXgnYuWRCjQ=s960" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1pJM6UEtFa1Q6zPy2e4Fxbjv1Lbrrn_la-2yqx5YQN1OPwwvVHeqA3RJ4ZF1q-XiVkhnUOQw8pGJZUhdLHtM384ZHiNfysPAG31AC720NtAhLSnZ31uB30meTJZfjjUbOx2etqVrQ8iec6B95svXwXnpA6BWI7NfMb7yA8jrGbZTiXgnYuWRCjQ=w300-h400" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2aauBEmAzc2MNN0iibH-nndhFkeDo6-t8LihbeLmNbKTIVxglmvZEuyfZEot1lV9sUkt0M5-t-KrxqAx3jMKa0upAZx4dvWTtOdSa5HkTIQ-BTCmRwvWdsu43aH5yLGNiKnTfhI1gnlOZ8GbLhEFgI7O4Z12mmHPfWRN8e4JT7ykSB3lSLk5pIg=s960" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2aauBEmAzc2MNN0iibH-nndhFkeDo6-t8LihbeLmNbKTIVxglmvZEuyfZEot1lV9sUkt0M5-t-KrxqAx3jMKa0upAZx4dvWTtOdSa5HkTIQ-BTCmRwvWdsu43aH5yLGNiKnTfhI1gnlOZ8GbLhEFgI7O4Z12mmHPfWRN8e4JT7ykSB3lSLk5pIg=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNJLRTsB8K42cazGDrrXHobzM4WnfBoiV5h11rv3h7yoTgIPMAiLbSQJhyIu-V_DxqlhLbJB2YKABvMjAkpJ0V3KcFXOXSYShQRZOAQh1Zv5PwUhrC5CKiMa4uvTVUOyLUJpFcnrV4I-gCjbeHH-sUQO1uwGo-8_nQlahEn243v_41SjgHO42o7Q=s960" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNJLRTsB8K42cazGDrrXHobzM4WnfBoiV5h11rv3h7yoTgIPMAiLbSQJhyIu-V_DxqlhLbJB2YKABvMjAkpJ0V3KcFXOXSYShQRZOAQh1Zv5PwUhrC5CKiMa4uvTVUOyLUJpFcnrV4I-gCjbeHH-sUQO1uwGo-8_nQlahEn243v_41SjgHO42o7Q=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The start was scheduled for 7:30am, but unfortunately there was a massive hold up and we were standing and waiting in our start corals for about 20-25 minutes just getting absolutely soaked. π Apparently there were some issues with the course that they needed to secure before letting the runners go, but again, folks were pissed. We were all standing there freezing to death and just wanted to get the race underway, so it's understandable why folks were frustrated about this! Eventually they finally let us loose on the course and for that I was so thankful. I just wanted to get warm! π</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFzY0Bk9iUkW6FIBlfffYtTthNeidYiDhXnOmp5gxS_W0nqTMeR4WoBofLu4EGVfLZ7OD-KSnznOnlTHLXB9LBblCVlb2LfEXgS4FX3E8b-B9CGfyrCyljRt6YojSgeeF_rlJewJu63hDipths-aqTd-PufFGZJ_rDIS3uWb1aK1WK-3K-Np1saw=s960" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFzY0Bk9iUkW6FIBlfffYtTthNeidYiDhXnOmp5gxS_W0nqTMeR4WoBofLu4EGVfLZ7OD-KSnznOnlTHLXB9LBblCVlb2LfEXgS4FX3E8b-B9CGfyrCyljRt6YojSgeeF_rlJewJu63hDipths-aqTd-PufFGZJ_rDIS3uWb1aK1WK-3K-Np1saw=w300-h400" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEixxB3mKWxfsd3Rd4n-2dywioQrkCXgUE-3tTy3ehrAGAGWya7bUwxr9aZh7_fBAgFRhsKGn4ySgKVSPzWNmdxlF6ozKRAxPkI1QaUAurY8VITgnk9Fj9XvE7XiORjs2JyjBZaEjyEnLjDU0dAxtZNLxFSUDPJlhqe0CAQDhuURW_pTENSQWKTFcA=s960" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEixxB3mKWxfsd3Rd4n-2dywioQrkCXgUE-3tTy3ehrAGAGWya7bUwxr9aZh7_fBAgFRhsKGn4ySgKVSPzWNmdxlF6ozKRAxPkI1QaUAurY8VITgnk9Fj9XvE7XiORjs2JyjBZaEjyEnLjDU0dAxtZNLxFSUDPJlhqe0CAQDhuURW_pTENSQWKTFcA=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Aside from the horrible weather, I actually had a great time on this run! Rock n' Roll does such a fantastic job with on-course entertainment, and even though it was pouring rain, they did not disappoint. Despite the weather, there was a band or DJ playing every mile and a half or so which I really appreciated. I was also so impressed with the energy of the on-course volunteers and the crowds throughout the <i>entire</i> course. I honestly went into the race thinking it was going to be crickets and I wouldn't have blamed anyone if it was because the weather was just that awful, but Savannah came out in droves to cheer on their runners. I had such a great time!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggx13zBJ_Uf8bmKCRHcpELRS9-7S6HzzzACGvaKrvuQoJ1sV5Pkoi-qTcYxWzZcaJdDwAZFwm8a9GqoIEVyXpkKbZ7aE_NqLg309d-wEEvMwxfXplzKoR_0qkRoaRb4CaEata_JwLVlUcuLPiIvRyemzmFPHNiaC8Z2071lFcK8ZK1D-_wN6emkA=s960" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggx13zBJ_Uf8bmKCRHcpELRS9-7S6HzzzACGvaKrvuQoJ1sV5Pkoi-qTcYxWzZcaJdDwAZFwm8a9GqoIEVyXpkKbZ7aE_NqLg309d-wEEvMwxfXplzKoR_0qkRoaRb4CaEata_JwLVlUcuLPiIvRyemzmFPHNiaC8Z2071lFcK8ZK1D-_wN6emkA=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My favorite mile by far was mile 11. This mile was decorated with so many unicorns and rainbows everywhere which was so much fun to run through towards the end of the race. ππ¦ At this point I was cold and soaked to the bone, so having a bit of cheer at this point in the run was just what we all needed! If this was mile 11 during a torrential downpour, I am so curious what the course would be like during some good weather!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjsHc6g-unTzecKbothnpnDKQnu8tsJ5VqhUZJRAsYtA_9ihLqsCOPaTtp9GckI_OI14vgLC_SIDyNRWeQ7O_hr68CQtBo27kbLEp_VmuikR5SsKfnikDrfmAQzxEWF-Y9CRWknSuvdvdGH5hi9JLtktoUfDdKwKcx5E7VLSp-3bDszqBYO-p1Uyg=s960" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjsHc6g-unTzecKbothnpnDKQnu8tsJ5VqhUZJRAsYtA_9ihLqsCOPaTtp9GckI_OI14vgLC_SIDyNRWeQ7O_hr68CQtBo27kbLEp_VmuikR5SsKfnikDrfmAQzxEWF-Y9CRWknSuvdvdGH5hi9JLtktoUfDdKwKcx5E7VLSp-3bDszqBYO-p1Uyg=w300-h400" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8LwHfTsW5_Wttl53su40kAh9aYwgjqbp_w8A683Ueca6O6a8DfHdS8tjBzpGCH1sY63EOAWV-sSy96-Ax-zZzVIGtaVQ-W10d2vSk12v8zmJDzBy0yL6F7wj9_UysK4SvgjoZdQWCo7YcXPhoJGj8_stEaryxVYauFe0BLOV_-6Y932B55vh9CQ=s960" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="444" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8LwHfTsW5_Wttl53su40kAh9aYwgjqbp_w8A683Ueca6O6a8DfHdS8tjBzpGCH1sY63EOAWV-sSy96-Ax-zZzVIGtaVQ-W10d2vSk12v8zmJDzBy0yL6F7wj9_UysK4SvgjoZdQWCo7YcXPhoJGj8_stEaryxVYauFe0BLOV_-6Y932B55vh9CQ=w185-h400" width="185" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I came across the finish in 2:16:17 which is not too shabby considering how stinkin' cold and soggy I was! π I did receive the medal for the full marathon at the finish line. A lot of folks with marathon bibs were not accepting those medals, which I totally get. I decided to accept the full marathon medal, although it will hang on my half marathon medal rack. I think this medal has a great story behind it, and I will always remember this race weekend whenever I look it!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZXrfqzSLLJbCRX4-f_ALaqTG4lf0eYfGwH__vhOmDbstZwiZxL9G_Bb3eDGmOu9QHExjMKwdMVnMxwM71LYYJGp9D3xOc5vZIZ4mnfnPXenYBA0LSqPOUOEtk2FADJV4FJ2cZ3KVr-JY-TRIu8gTobjD4Y22RK9K3SvGvO7ZERfYuW_aDiNvZ5w=s960" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZXrfqzSLLJbCRX4-f_ALaqTG4lf0eYfGwH__vhOmDbstZwiZxL9G_Bb3eDGmOu9QHExjMKwdMVnMxwM71LYYJGp9D3xOc5vZIZ4mnfnPXenYBA0LSqPOUOEtk2FADJV4FJ2cZ3KVr-JY-TRIu8gTobjD4Y22RK9K3SvGvO7ZERfYuW_aDiNvZ5w=w300-h400" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiS-QOI-IQef2DJlUrWtsGYmsP33lBj0lhDXj1-ycKNqMT-GeHB8qSt6rkt2C2ysLMjW3exkjSF5zW9rFD8sIvbg6PT-2_FliwzNqnac6QIJgTl5nN1NUE6NrldaXf7uel6GVLzAD4I18bnj_0tD1gtSkgdX4bu47S1mLSE5igcexeD2NSVdmyyGA=s960" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiS-QOI-IQef2DJlUrWtsGYmsP33lBj0lhDXj1-ycKNqMT-GeHB8qSt6rkt2C2ysLMjW3exkjSF5zW9rFD8sIvbg6PT-2_FliwzNqnac6QIJgTl5nN1NUE6NrldaXf7uel6GVLzAD4I18bnj_0tD1gtSkgdX4bu47S1mLSE5igcexeD2NSVdmyyGA=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Note the quick post-race wardrobe change </i>π</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After the race (and after having the opportunity to shower and warm up!) the family and I went out to grab lunch. While we were out I did receive an email that said all runners who were registered for the full marathon were able to register for a future Rock n' Roll marathon for free, which I really appreciated. I signed up for the 2022 Savannah marathon, with the hope that the third time I have registered for this race will be the charm! π Big thank you to Rock n' Roll for giving this offer to your runners who had worked hard for 26.2 and making the best of a tough situation! Despite what other folks may think, I feel that Rock n' Roll did the best they could with the hand they were dealt.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Day 2 of the Rock n' Roll Savannah weekend was even more surprising than Day 1! </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>I'll be posting my review of the Rock n' Roll 1-Miler very soon, so stay tuned!</b></div>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116982228825892049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1916871150499748468.post-29334644471999315162021-12-02T15:30:00.001-05:002021-12-02T15:32:57.562-05:00π₯TBR In & Outπ€ // November 2021<p style="text-align: left;">November was a pretty low-producing month when it came to reading (as has been my life all semester if we're being honest), but the good news is that I still read more books than I acquired, which is the overall goal! I know I had been thinking about trying to get into the double digits for my TBR by the end of this year, but unless I go on a TEAR during the month of December, that's not going to happen. π Ether way I'm proud of the progress I've made this year, and I'm thinking that I'll be making a double-digit TBR a goal of mine for 2022.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">TBR # ON NOVEMBER 1, 2021</span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>116<br /></b></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="background-color: white;">BOOKS ACQUIRED</span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><b><span style="font-size: large;">+3</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54626223-harlem-shuffle" target="_blank">Harlem Shuffle</a></u> by Colson Whitehead<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57234739-the-family" target="_blank">The Family</a></u> by Naomi Krupitsky<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54351235-arsenic-and-adobo" target="_blank">Aresenic and Adobo</a></u> by Mia P. Manansala</p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">OWNED TBR BOOKS READ<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>-4</b></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56628286-hostage" target="_blank">Hostage</a></u> by Clare Mackintosh<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9995541-catch-22" target="_blank">Catch-22</a></u> by Joseph Heller<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18641982-the-vacationers" target="_blank">The Vacationers</a></u> by Emma Straub<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36692478-there-there" target="_blank">There There</a></u> by Tommy Orange</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">OWNED TBR BOOKS UNHAULED<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>0</b></span><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br />TBR ON DECEMBER 1, 2021<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>115</b></span></p>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116982228825892049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1916871150499748468.post-2380551337880874132021-12-01T14:45:00.000-05:002021-12-01T14:45:00.216-05:00Monthly Reading Wrap Up π¦ November 2021<p>I feel like November went by in a blink! Really not surprised with the amount I read, but I am kinda bummed I didn't get through the whole year without a 1-star read. That's right - November was the month I found my first 1-star book of 2021! Hopefully it's the only one I have to read, and the good news is that I was able to find a 5-star book to balance it out a bit! Here's what I read during the month of November:</p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA0hKZLN_jFVbwG2oHWgQLH5qjKmH3dlst6q0YnBdSFGXkfnNO1ng_hK-3dsRG3dLEV0aSf0HZIdX4Fa1UEpFDVke3jMFJS101uen_cUzPrZdmfa-R_RH5e1O3lh5EmZc6tac2YN5a/s2048/hostage.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA0hKZLN_jFVbwG2oHWgQLH5qjKmH3dlst6q0YnBdSFGXkfnNO1ng_hK-3dsRG3dLEV0aSf0HZIdX4Fa1UEpFDVke3jMFJS101uen_cUzPrZdmfa-R_RH5e1O3lh5EmZc6tac2YN5a/w266-h400/hostage.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><br /><div style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56628286-hostage" target="_blank">Hostage</a></u> by Clare Mackintosh</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>5/5 </b>Stars</span></div></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><div><b style="font-family: inherit;">357</b><span><b> </b>pages</span></div></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><div><b style="font-family: inherit;">Genre:</b><span><b> </b>Horror/Thriller</span></div></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><div><b style="font-family: inherit;">Publication Year:</b><span><b> </b>2021</span></div></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><div><b style="font-family: inherit;">Age Group: </b><span>Adult</span></div></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><div><b style="font-family: inherit;">Format:</b><span><b> </b>Physical</span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFyOt9WneeZRDcv6YRT-COgQMETNjW8MISvBMNpwurYjZRCZ1o6No6Mj7LROMwWMy4PTL9L2WmJ2Ay3VMAnGkWb7YZkJu8cEcAH4m3IkVSsS-99YAppjChS2avnYiswJNvuGDQMNbU/s475/catch22.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="307" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFyOt9WneeZRDcv6YRT-COgQMETNjW8MISvBMNpwurYjZRCZ1o6No6Mj7LROMwWMy4PTL9L2WmJ2Ay3VMAnGkWb7YZkJu8cEcAH4m3IkVSsS-99YAppjChS2avnYiswJNvuGDQMNbU/w259-h400/catch22.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><div><br /></div><span><div style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9995541-catch-22" target="_blank">Catch-22</a></u> by Joseph Heller</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>1/5 </b>Stars</span></div></span><span><b style="font-family: inherit;">524</b><b> </b>pages</span></div><div><span><b style="font-family: inherit;">Genre:</b><b> </b>Classic</span></div><div><span><b style="font-family: inherit;">Publication Year:</b><b> </b>1961</span></div><div><span><b style="font-family: inherit;">Age Group: </b>Adult</span></div><div><span><b style="font-family: inherit;">Format:</b><b> </b>Physical</span></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ihhX_AB0LGhuot8azvcZn9brYEzZghNbAoNIGWAAV7zLND0BXVZppPjUHNt6bEypgSmSw4wxD-ZdFIILbXNAcgkFeuNtakTfKXABh_YoUJfpNO626keNEHkTTU1HA34IW1g0Y6qI/s475/vacationers.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ihhX_AB0LGhuot8azvcZn9brYEzZghNbAoNIGWAAV7zLND0BXVZppPjUHNt6bEypgSmSw4wxD-ZdFIILbXNAcgkFeuNtakTfKXABh_YoUJfpNO626keNEHkTTU1HA34IW1g0Y6qI/w268-h400/vacationers.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><br /><span><span><div style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18641982-the-vacationers" target="_blank">The Vacationers</a></u> by Emma Straub</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>2/5 </b>Stars</span></div></span><span><b style="font-family: inherit;">292</b><span><b> </b>pages</span></span></span></div><div><span><span><b style="font-family: inherit;">Genre:</b><span><b> </b>Contemporary</span></span></span></div><div><span><span><b style="font-family: inherit;">Publication Year:</b><span><b> </b>2014</span></span></span></div><div><span><span><b style="font-family: inherit;">Age Group: </b><span>Adult</span></span></span></div><div><span><span><b style="font-family: inherit;">Format:</b><span><b> </b>Physical</span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxLcsBp2SBZbJ61kwlKUPEAZ0pwR3g8A6Qz-tVZ7jfiTndUGNxIpUq9_R1WFOQLkkL73Vd7IzC0-O8ZSiOrccxeAmrbeAipOuugFuN5x6klBGX2j7K9yN3bZaA1kgf-jOMD48AHldd/s475/therethere.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxLcsBp2SBZbJ61kwlKUPEAZ0pwR3g8A6Qz-tVZ7jfiTndUGNxIpUq9_R1WFOQLkkL73Vd7IzC0-O8ZSiOrccxeAmrbeAipOuugFuN5x6klBGX2j7K9yN3bZaA1kgf-jOMD48AHldd/w265-h400/therethere.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><br /><span><div><span><span><div style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36692478-there-there" target="_blank">There There</a></u> by Tommy Orange</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>4/5 </b>Stars</span></div></span><span><b style="font-family: inherit;">294</b><span><b> </b>pages</span></span></span></div><div><span><span><b style="font-family: inherit;">Genre:</b><span><b> </b>Fiction</span></span></span></div><div><span><span><b style="font-family: inherit;">Publication Year:</b><span><b> </b>2018</span></span></span></div><div><span><span><b style="font-family: inherit;">Age Group: </b><span>Adult</span></span></span></div><div><span><span><b style="font-family: inherit;">Format:</b><span><b> </b>Physical</span></span></span></div></span></span></span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">NOVEMBER READING TOTALS</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Total Books:</b> 4</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Total Pages</b>: 1,467</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Owned TBR Books Read:</b> 4</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>New-to-me reads: </b>4</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">GENRE STATS</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Classic:</b> 1<br /></span><b style="font-family: inherit;">Contemporary:</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> 1</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Fiction:</b> 1<br /><b>Horror/Thriller: </b>1<br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">BOOK FORMAT STATS</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Physical: </b>4</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">AGE GROUP STATS</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Adult: </b>4</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">PUBLICATION DATE STATS</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>1960-1969:</b> 1</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>2010-2019:</b> 2</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>2020-2021: </b>1</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b><b><span style="font-size: large;">RATING STATS</span></b><br /><b><br /></b><b>5 Stars: </b>1<br /><b>4 Stars:</b> 1<br /><b>3 Stars: </b>0<br /><b>2 Stars: </b>1<br /><b>1 Star: </b>1</span></div>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116982228825892049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1916871150499748468.post-11786220198732602222021-11-29T10:00:00.002-05:002021-11-29T10:00:00.226-05:00Race Review: Friendsgiving Virtual Run<p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Disclaimer: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I received an entry to the Friendsgiving Virtual Run to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a</span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.bibrave.com/bibravepro&source=gmail&ust=1638229789373000&usg=AOvVaw1XAo-3imFF5OzWLPq5J4NA" href="https://www.bibrave.com/bibravepro" style="background-color: white; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">BibRave Pro</span></a><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (ambassador), and check out</span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://bibrave.com/&source=gmail&ust=1638229789373000&usg=AOvVaw1DUiekBIks4hlKsXx_5bOf" href="http://bibrave.com/" style="background-color: white; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">BibRave.com</span></a><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to review, find, and write race reviews!</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgotPETCujij5N18hHrvNNfmcuTS8TFYXLllh-yn6uvyZCogMO-HEPn60h3LezHHbx57-axV8hktyVpZ_FBiFsBXuDT6LcQC3cORrElTPWbatAE1GFW1hMBdF4DnejBFKEOTofE5RBx/s1800/4C67B521-DA18-4D99-A8F1-01F76E9756C0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgotPETCujij5N18hHrvNNfmcuTS8TFYXLllh-yn6uvyZCogMO-HEPn60h3LezHHbx57-axV8hktyVpZ_FBiFsBXuDT6LcQC3cORrElTPWbatAE1GFW1hMBdF4DnejBFKEOTofE5RBx/w512-h640/4C67B521-DA18-4D99-A8F1-01F76E9756C0.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><p>One of my absolute favorite traditions each year is running a Thanksgiving morning Turkey Trot. It's a great way to start a busy day of cooking and visiting family and friends with something small for myself, and a reminder of how thankful I am to be able to run! This year I was presented with the opportunity to run a super fun virtual run for my annual Turkey Trot - the Friendsgiving Virtual Run, themed after one of my favorite comfort shows, <i>Friends</i>!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqd9nTMDrAmL7KQVoeWufbUk1bElN9uGmitRMq_By5i9Oho4fygEj0ym7OOJGGt9hV4dyqTsujr_q-FTjIODUJK43AtX2YC_DSL5pmNnn4WXnl9yzNZOerWswY559o1FWrZfrSm7fL/s512/friendsgiving.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqd9nTMDrAmL7KQVoeWufbUk1bElN9uGmitRMq_By5i9Oho4fygEj0ym7OOJGGt9hV4dyqTsujr_q-FTjIODUJK43AtX2YC_DSL5pmNnn4WXnl9yzNZOerWswY559o1FWrZfrSm7fL/s16000/friendsgiving.jpg" /></a></div><p>We all know that the <i>Friends</i> Thanksgiving episodes are second to none, so when the option to run this race presented itself I had to jump on it! The Virtual Run gave you the option to run a 10K, 5K, or 1-Mile distance for your race. I opted to go for a 5K, which felt like the perfect distance to run on Thanksgiving morning. I love when there's multiple distance options for virtual runs, so you can make it work for whichever training program you might be working through!</p><p>I was pleasantly surprised at how stinkin' adorable all of the race swag was, and the positive is that every distance got the same swag! For registering, you received an adorable crew neck sweatshirts (I LOVE a crew neck!), a bib, and a finisher's medal with the iconic turkey with sunglasses! Unfortunately, due to supply chain issues, we haven't yet received the finisher's medal. However, the organizers of the virtual run were super apologetic and up front about the situation which I appreciated so much, and we'll get our medals eventually which is fine by me!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2d4TSjGSF5TdA4-ao81acO4jOQB2oRkFZpfSNfSlNaYUPlcVTW3JbexS72cl-WHo8ulURG0WM1ZrU_Je615iqsarG9pENSdB9ofpVIjrI9RdvyCgOawdOtZz2gYuQhavunltAMeVv/s751/friendsgiving2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="689" data-original-width="751" height="587" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2d4TSjGSF5TdA4-ao81acO4jOQB2oRkFZpfSNfSlNaYUPlcVTW3JbexS72cl-WHo8ulURG0WM1ZrU_Je615iqsarG9pENSdB9ofpVIjrI9RdvyCgOawdOtZz2gYuQhavunltAMeVv/w640-h587/friendsgiving2.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>I was fortunate enough to have a beautiful day to run my Friendsgiving Virtual 5K, and I was able to bring Snowy with me! We did our normal 5K route and had a wonderful time. I even made a lil TikTok to document the fun!</p><br /><br /><center><blockquote cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@rmfickfack/video/7034582244786195759" class="tiktok-embed" data-video-id="7034582244786195759" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;"> <section> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@rmfickfack" target="_blank" title="@rmfickfack">@rmfickfack</a> Did a lil virtual 5k for my <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/turkeytrot" target="_blank" title="turkeytrot">#TurkeyTrot</a> this morning! Happy <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/thanksgiving" target="_blank" title="thanksgiving">#Thanksgiving</a> everyone! #runnersoftiktok <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/marathontraining" target="_blank" title="marathontraining">#marathontraining</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/foryou" target="_blank" title="foryou">#foryou</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/fyp" target="_blank" title="fyp">#fyp</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/vlog" target="_blank" title="vlog">#vlog</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/I'll-Be-There-for-You-TV-Version-with-Dialogue-225205863765221376" target="_blank" title="β¬ I'll Be There for You (TV Version with Dialogue) - The Rembrandts">β¬ I'll Be There for You (TV Version with Dialogue) - The Rembrandts</a></section></blockquote><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuLZIGN9nRoTcCIaQvly7-VHRi2RHN7to65DhvcNA_QLjayyuLsxfPy_zLzMPbcgQ7ssGXGVlHlc3VH4IznmB6GiyIW1SuTIHt_-dAAwsp8kr6XnHDpiPX9MT-I7WrM1Xl5QDEkEQY/s1792/IMG_5972.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="828" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuLZIGN9nRoTcCIaQvly7-VHRi2RHN7to65DhvcNA_QLjayyuLsxfPy_zLzMPbcgQ7ssGXGVlHlc3VH4IznmB6GiyIW1SuTIHt_-dAAwsp8kr6XnHDpiPX9MT-I7WrM1Xl5QDEkEQY/s320/IMG_5972.PNG" width="148" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdMznqh4MUW56TLxSv5JZSHqYPkDBhX6CVCLvh2gIuXuAUhBf9VouD3FrAENN95K7_gtgIfzPcQiRjtemtimR702Vr1pEhHNOdoZXoLw_-mdwEf5n88hqjX0pKzPH8ZGhYePmSH6ch/s1792/IMG_5973.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="828" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdMznqh4MUW56TLxSv5JZSHqYPkDBhX6CVCLvh2gIuXuAUhBf9VouD3FrAENN95K7_gtgIfzPcQiRjtemtimR702Vr1pEhHNOdoZXoLw_-mdwEf5n88hqjX0pKzPH8ZGhYePmSH6ch/s320/IMG_5973.PNG" width="148" /></a></div><p></p> <script async="" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script></center><p>If you're a big fan of <i>Friends</i> like me, this is a fun way to motivate yourself to get outside and run! There are multiple distances to choose from, and you get awesome swag. I had a great time participating in this run, and would definitely recommend you giving this one a try!</p>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116982228825892049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1916871150499748468.post-47353042602170851492021-11-11T13:30:00.001-05:002021-11-11T13:30:00.236-05:00π₯TBR In & Outπ€ // October 2021<p></p><div style="text-align: left;">Not as much of a successful month of getting my TBR down in October, mostly due to acquiring my first Book of the Month box in months as well as getting in a preorder that I forgot about π
BUT I still read more of my TBR than I added so I think we can call that a win. Now that we're in November I don't think I'll be getting my TBR down to the double digits by the end of the year (unless I somehow have an INSANE two months of reading?), but I think that's a great goal for me to achieve as we head into the winter season. Here are my stats for October!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">TBR # ON OCTOBER 1, 2021<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">117</span></b><br /></span><span style="background-color: white;"><br />BOOKS ACQUIRED<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"><b>+4</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56143578-apples-never-fall?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=i3QT2MJ9nE&rank=1" target="_blank">Apples Never Fall</a></u> by Liane Moriarty<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56554626-the-ex-hex?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=kSp4PIckn8&rank=1#" target="_blank">The Ex Hex</a></u> by Erin Sterling<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54814676-crying-in-h-mart?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=tndehbvKDU&rank=1#" target="_blank">Crying in H Mart</a></u> by Michelle Zauner<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56845755-well-matched?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=ZJEY1esEIW&rank=3" target="_blank">Well Matched</a></u> by Jen DeLuca<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br />OWNED TBR BOOKS READ<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>-5</b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32301955-my-best-friend-s-exorcism" target="_blank">My Best Friend's Exorcism</a></u> by Grady Hendrix<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35356382-the-chalk-man" target="_blank">The Chalk Man</a></u> by C.J. Tudor<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35749432-autumn" target="_blank">Autumn</a></u> by Ali Smith<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36660291-freshmen" target="_blank">Freshmen</a></u> by Tom Ellen & Lucy Ivison<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59121099-the-ex-hex" target="_blank">The Ex Hex</a></u> by Erin Sterling</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br />OWNED TBR BOOKS UNHAULED<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>0</b></span><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br />TBR ON NOVEMBER 1, 2021<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>116</b></span></p>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116982228825892049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1916871150499748468.post-293090017737942762021-11-04T15:30:00.001-04:002021-11-04T15:30:00.192-04:00Monthly Reading Wrap Up π October 2021<p style="text-align: left;">It's a new month, so it's time for another reading wrap up! October was bonkers with how stinking busy it was, so I'm really surprised with how many books I managed to finish. I actually finished my Magical Readathon TBR (only took me 2 months lol) and I also was able to fit in one more cute-yet-spooky read as well. I hope things will slow down a bit in November as the weather is getting colder. I'm hoping to finish the year strong when it comes to my reading!</p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhozpbv7tfqqDRoYPr9_rJpjsD_yulzKs-5Lan7HKrj9fX2g-SpgUixe2-03jieVA5ks8MI7qBF3Q6FQ57MK9-aQiUtRwtXH11ChEYD64F5hu3zpsdXWZR_19Qp0-8FLJRF5_tM3CIT/s475/bestfriends+exorcism.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhozpbv7tfqqDRoYPr9_rJpjsD_yulzKs-5Lan7HKrj9fX2g-SpgUixe2-03jieVA5ks8MI7qBF3Q6FQ57MK9-aQiUtRwtXH11ChEYD64F5hu3zpsdXWZR_19Qp0-8FLJRF5_tM3CIT/w268-h400/bestfriends+exorcism.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><br /><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><u style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32301955-my-best-friend-s-exorcism" style="color: #8c52ff; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">My Best Friend's Exorcism</a></u><span style="font-family: inherit;"> by Grady Hendrix</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>4/5 </b>Stars</span></div></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: bold;">332</b><span><b> </b>pages</span></div></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: bold;">Genre:</b><span><b> </b>Horror/Thriller</span></div></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: bold;">Publication Year:</b><span><b> </b>2016</span></div></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: bold;">Age Group: </b><span>Adult</span></div></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: bold;">Format:</b><span><b> </b>Physical</span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoSPXcf7MLWRw0cOVlo7y2qpIi0rOo8JApPSDPMfAFxjaG4fg95dbuhC4feAi8bmM6kZzTf9dp5Lv5zZeJ7GWj-WadpayDmaYGFHYHRf2Shq0zgWSaqCfSfM9yyQDrfcHIaH4g0jL0/s475/chalkman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="312" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoSPXcf7MLWRw0cOVlo7y2qpIi0rOo8JApPSDPMfAFxjaG4fg95dbuhC4feAi8bmM6kZzTf9dp5Lv5zZeJ7GWj-WadpayDmaYGFHYHRf2Shq0zgWSaqCfSfM9yyQDrfcHIaH4g0jL0/w263-h400/chalkman.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35356382-the-chalk-man" style="color: #8c52ff; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">The Chalk Man</a></u> by C.J. Tudor<br /></b><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">4/5</b><span style="background-color: white;"> Stars<br /></span><span style="background-color: white;"><b>280</b> pages<br /></span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Genre:</b><span style="background-color: white;"> Horror/Thriller<br /></span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Publication Year:</b><span style="background-color: white;"> 2018<br /></span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Age Group: </b><span style="background-color: white;">Adult<br /></span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Format:</b><span style="background-color: white;"> Physical</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRuRoSLlFk5zjE7WEOpSpj9Pz_a_s__d6Tw0Bq96exSG-BWWgaPSdJx4ZEMUqtmccIttumJaANcDSwj6ZI6nsZWvxrKU3g9fG_Vf4kVT6v0g4IUTQ47c61J8T2txEtz3r5EnKBT_cm/s400/autumn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="259" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRuRoSLlFk5zjE7WEOpSpj9Pz_a_s__d6Tw0Bq96exSG-BWWgaPSdJx4ZEMUqtmccIttumJaANcDSwj6ZI6nsZWvxrKU3g9fG_Vf4kVT6v0g4IUTQ47c61J8T2txEtz3r5EnKBT_cm/w259-h400/autumn.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35749432-autumn" style="color: #8c52ff; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Autumn</a></u> by Ali Smith</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><i>Seasonal #1</i><br /></span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">4/5</b><span style="background-color: white;"> Stars<br /></span><span style="background-color: white;"><b>260</b> pages<br /></span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Genre:</b><span style="background-color: white;"> Fiction<br /></span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Publication Year:</b><span style="background-color: white;"> 2016<br /></span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Age Group:</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> Other</span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Format:</b><span style="background-color: white;"> Physical</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO8Pg907pjDmtrLHpw0HkAG57y993JIIEuQnVr2BGrDvWKsGwPIJ7pCoxLxlKOaGqPYIvAqR41-hWFYsi6B_pxt-Jyhpru2JYl6FrguEyZwUOEyq9E8b_PvvUq3rkgEHJNII4j5DaQ/s475/freshmen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO8Pg907pjDmtrLHpw0HkAG57y993JIIEuQnVr2BGrDvWKsGwPIJ7pCoxLxlKOaGqPYIvAqR41-hWFYsi6B_pxt-Jyhpru2JYl6FrguEyZwUOEyq9E8b_PvvUq3rkgEHJNII4j5DaQ/w265-h400/freshmen.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36660291-freshmen" style="color: #8c52ff; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Freshmen</a></u> by Tom Ellen & Lucy Ivison<br /></b><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">2/5</b><span style="background-color: white;"> Stars<br /></span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">352</b><span style="background-color: white;"> pages<br /></span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Genre:</b><span style="background-color: white;"> Contemporary<br /></span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Publication Year:</b><span style="background-color: white;"> 2017<br /></span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Age Group: </b><span style="background-color: white;">Young Adult<br /></span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Format:</b><span style="background-color: white;"> Physical</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsLmINmcfx_JztRMkvDcoVZQa9vDczQoMYLRxk5V1TBnM4w-Sl6Z1_c6B0WE44Qj3_9EplGQ3KHVtoYkgSujvE7RpU3V5O2VheI05lf7-R6U8cz7qy405WLynFro6Soix-BkIMk2dJ/s462/theexhex.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="318" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsLmINmcfx_JztRMkvDcoVZQa9vDczQoMYLRxk5V1TBnM4w-Sl6Z1_c6B0WE44Qj3_9EplGQ3KHVtoYkgSujvE7RpU3V5O2VheI05lf7-R6U8cz7qy405WLynFro6Soix-BkIMk2dJ/w275-h400/theexhex.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><u style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59121099-the-ex-hex" style="color: #8c52ff; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">The Ex Hex</a></u><b> by Patrick Ness</b><br /><i>Ex Hex #1<br /></i></span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">4/5</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> Stars<br /></span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">309</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> pages<br /></span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Genre:</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> Fantasy<br /></span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Publication Year:</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> 2021<br /></span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Age Group: </b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Adult<br /></span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Format:</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> Physical</span></p><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">OCTOBER READING TOTALS</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Total Books:</b> 5</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Total Pages</b>: 1,533</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Owned TBR Books Read:</b> 5</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>New-to-me reads: </b>5</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">GENRE STATS</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Contemporary:</b> 1</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Fantasy:</b> 1<br /><b>Fiction:</b> 1<br /><b>Horror/Thriller: </b>2<br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">BOOK FORMAT STATS</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Physical: </b>5</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">AGE GROUP STATS</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Adult: </b>3</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Young Adult: </b>1<br /><b>Other:</b> 1</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">PUBLICATION DATE STATS</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>2010-2019:</b> 4</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>2020-2021: </b>1</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b><b><span style="font-size: large;">RATING STATS</span></b><br /><b><br /></b><b>5 Stars: </b>0<br /><b>4 Stars:</b> 4<br /><b>3 Stars: </b>0<br /><b>2 Stars: </b>1<br /><b>1 Star: </b>0</span></div>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116982228825892049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1916871150499748468.post-73800819146920457152021-10-21T10:00:00.002-04:002021-10-21T10:00:00.256-04:00Race Review: 22 Miles of PAIN at the 2021 Des Moines Marathon π©Ή I-35 Challenge Day 2<div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Disclaimer:</b> I received an <b>entry to the 2021 IMT Des Moines Marathon</b> to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.bibrave.com/bibravepro&source=gmail&ust=1634862328177000&usg=AFQjCNFhKTHGdWXQFuON1TcErzX4BbRFoQ" href="https://www.bibrave.com/bibravepro" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">BibRave Pro</span></a><span style="color: #444444; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(ambassador), and check out</span><span style="color: #444444; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://bibrave.com/&source=gmail&ust=1634862328177000&usg=AFQjCNEFXRNYsf5Yb7wRJasMdu2xZJYBFw" href="http://bibrave.com/" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">BibRave.com</span></a><span style="color: #444444; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to review find and write race reviews!</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div>If you haven't read my <a href="http://fiveleveninety.blogspot.com/2021/10/race-review-death-by-hills-at-2021.html#more" target="_blank">Kansas City Marathon race review</a> yet, do that first! This review will cover Day 2 of the I-35 Challenge at the <b>2021 IMT Des Moines Marathon</b>!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBJUgysGSX3zIo_RvoqHNYKg_oFHUM8Df0uyj4rMqy0Im_xp-5BGwE5dA16eFDUeGuecxcgk1NWuqEoJSdxLU2kSu2OQ1vi99iXrKnT3R-HfITD_uxRP6YwgLdZlDTl-mqBY28CqL/s1500/I-35+Challenge+Day+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBJUgysGSX3zIo_RvoqHNYKg_oFHUM8Df0uyj4rMqy0Im_xp-5BGwE5dA16eFDUeGuecxcgk1NWuqEoJSdxLU2kSu2OQ1vi99iXrKnT3R-HfITD_uxRP6YwgLdZlDTl-mqBY28CqL/w426-h640/I-35+Challenge+Day+2.png" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span></span><span><a name='more'></a></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">TRAVEL & EXPO DAY</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Almost immediately after finishing the Kansas City Marathon, Jocelyn, Cassie, and I all hopped into our rental car and headed north on I-35 to get to our next stop - Des Moines, Iowa! I never thought I'd be traveling to Des Moines in my free time, but when BibRave offered this opportunity to the Pros, I thought it would be a great chance for me to tick Iowa off of my 50 marathons in 50 states list! The drive from KC to Des Moines is about a three hour ride and just a straight shot through miles and miles of corn fields. (The Iowa State sign had a slogan on it that read Fields of Opportunity which is a very appropriate slogan lol.)</div><div><br /></div><div>We got to the expo in Des Moines around 4:45pm or so. The expo closed at 6pm on Saturday which was a tight squeeze for the I-35 Challenge, but we got there in plenty of time which was great. We pick up our packets which had significantly more stuff in it than KC:</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>DES MOINES MARATHON PACKET INCLUDED </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">-Quarter zip (again, yay no tech shirts! Even though it's kind of tech-y material, it's still so nice!) </div><div style="text-align: center;">-Bib & safety pins
-Event program and catalogue of things to do in Des Moines </div><div style="text-align: center;">-LOTS of product samplesβ¦. Probably too many product samples haha </div><div style="text-align: center;">-A rain poncho which is a nice touch, even though it was beautiful for the race! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiexPFQjMIJF25hx-f4wTztSI-fIkm7GQlnyPvliBTMGP97yWaoiVFOwYhbtRIM7XkFqNd25YGD6lngxwiqFq459kWYROLC1G-aC8CZ0zoY0NkbmDqUg0oNYVYlhBQdw3t2GhknGJNU/s2048/IMG_4419.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiexPFQjMIJF25hx-f4wTztSI-fIkm7GQlnyPvliBTMGP97yWaoiVFOwYhbtRIM7XkFqNd25YGD6lngxwiqFq459kWYROLC1G-aC8CZ0zoY0NkbmDqUg0oNYVYlhBQdw3t2GhknGJNU/w480-h640/IMG_4419.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This expo felt a little bit more full and more like a typical race expo than KC, which was nice. It was located in an event hall of a convention center, most if not all the vendors were running and fitness related (no one was trying to sell me windows and doors to the house I don't own lol), and there were lots of fun photo opportunities which we took complete advantage of!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA8LqVjYqjdnyfvp3pVOusZk3NSkZNGf_0CwIRJuGMMqoUzOXClVE_vJV-6RhkTXydpd8NNe9WonRJscv8_IyghAYKWE4-W0PaSmw4mAMnqfTJh61BmIYmr_r6FRVRJBkEu_127b47/s2048/IMG_4428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA8LqVjYqjdnyfvp3pVOusZk3NSkZNGf_0CwIRJuGMMqoUzOXClVE_vJV-6RhkTXydpd8NNe9WonRJscv8_IyghAYKWE4-W0PaSmw4mAMnqfTJh61BmIYmr_r6FRVRJBkEu_127b47/w480-h640/IMG_4428.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigpaEmR0zAMUHVXUJtYbrdvZGu3KnjViNC8eCV7uA95MwBUyswFY_lADYKjfoJqBJnPgZ6Qgg8UUcIltLcKK_UFhMlQEZ32dStyo6A_OsprzvEpD68AMJ_JTgMfLrqbx_-N2obslag/s2048/IMG_4439+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigpaEmR0zAMUHVXUJtYbrdvZGu3KnjViNC8eCV7uA95MwBUyswFY_lADYKjfoJqBJnPgZ6Qgg8UUcIltLcKK_UFhMlQEZ32dStyo6A_OsprzvEpD68AMJ_JTgMfLrqbx_-N2obslag/s320/IMG_4439+%25281%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg591lx6oK-DffRjPz0ZMAH1sRpAyw9XL0MZEcLnUxLzb6D_3ntOHY7f6ltRG8tgRe0vmzjyrn7JTzu2w5dgWHloBzEfLRPNfuMf3lO_JtWwjlbtPRJqYOm3ZZq8lw82q7-5CCcNl6x/s2048/IMG_4438.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg591lx6oK-DffRjPz0ZMAH1sRpAyw9XL0MZEcLnUxLzb6D_3ntOHY7f6ltRG8tgRe0vmzjyrn7JTzu2w5dgWHloBzEfLRPNfuMf3lO_JtWwjlbtPRJqYOm3ZZq8lw82q7-5CCcNl6x/s320/IMG_4438.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We also met up with some of the BibRave crew, including Jenn, Bill, and his wife Jennifer! It was great to meet these folks in person after talking exclusively online for nearly two years! π§‘</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_rBvW6Ce6OlQtPGZRad9mFf6ZHIcthPL16lRsMgRWZSKL4NftKJ2tP6oCLTNmaf1TJ7heMmG2cSh3N54L16YQHQmtLNetksKfcQKx9xzUpUym8BRzO9I0W4E-yAeq9t3yOr_IJnKt/s828/IMG_4680.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="811" data-original-width="828" height="391" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_rBvW6Ce6OlQtPGZRad9mFf6ZHIcthPL16lRsMgRWZSKL4NftKJ2tP6oCLTNmaf1TJ7heMmG2cSh3N54L16YQHQmtLNetksKfcQKx9xzUpUym8BRzO9I0W4E-yAeq9t3yOr_IJnKt/w400-h391/IMG_4680.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHc_6fpmc6-hEgDMvmeSRo1uTToEdrxVrczMoxadtv9g0AtLmBIpiCnSIZen2JqQ-HI0ZyA0LCxu33lGmDJDQakLxjVE3RVgBga64CXS_3EQSgTHBMS5w8Zod14ReVLGZoT0Ikmc0H/s828/IMG_4681.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="811" data-original-width="828" height="391" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHc_6fpmc6-hEgDMvmeSRo1uTToEdrxVrczMoxadtv9g0AtLmBIpiCnSIZen2JqQ-HI0ZyA0LCxu33lGmDJDQakLxjVE3RVgBga64CXS_3EQSgTHBMS5w8Zod14ReVLGZoT0Ikmc0H/w400-h391/IMG_4681.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We were all famished at this point so we popped over to the Iowa Taproom for dinner (which if I lived in Des Moines, I'd probably hang out here all the time). My stomach had finally settled a bit and I was feeling QUITE hungry so I was very excited for food! I also wanted to give myself a little bit of a celebration for finishing marathon and state #16 that day without totally trashing myself for the next morning's race, so I had a baby 6 oz. beer with dinner π</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7V6lKkIzXz4aNSuTlTTXh69VztKlhemwPVIWt92T7ZFA6NVu7OfOI1dFkZ6G-DFRzFlZIct02BDP7DrsLC-d7TTgZvgojAwjdPIct1jls_Z_clxPpQ8dpoZEydZSuDUYTRRcv4hml/s2048/IMG_4444.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7V6lKkIzXz4aNSuTlTTXh69VztKlhemwPVIWt92T7ZFA6NVu7OfOI1dFkZ6G-DFRzFlZIct02BDP7DrsLC-d7TTgZvgojAwjdPIct1jls_Z_clxPpQ8dpoZEydZSuDUYTRRcv4hml/w640-h480/IMG_4444.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg6dGGIE6b1FzmEeoYQC-2vr2irhSAP0hnWMQ-pA2UEsRWIJ7FaO9gLMw77ITaS_Ln3O2n3lIIJFy2ycKayLHGeu7Eb3v-pROP_Xze4hGwsknpGrnTK903S2i9wnr8P9NtbP5cah5W/s2048/IMG_4448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg6dGGIE6b1FzmEeoYQC-2vr2irhSAP0hnWMQ-pA2UEsRWIJ7FaO9gLMw77ITaS_Ln3O2n3lIIJFy2ycKayLHGeu7Eb3v-pROP_Xze4hGwsknpGrnTK903S2i9wnr8P9NtbP5cah5W/w480-h640/IMG_4448.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We were all pretty beat and we had races to get ready for in the morning (Cassie with the Des Moines Half Marathon and Jocelyn and I will the full), so we wrapped up dinner fairly quickly and headed to our AirBnB to crash. (Not before getting our flat runners in, though!) </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Ebg2_87DmNbO0x_zn2xWzwJBksezDmXjHyC_0C7IEI2ZOwpmyeFb21DK7vQuiUXy0nbaIqHvl2Cf8v-2MWkY0syzI6cwEdUcaqnv2ce60mmowc4c8Q94c31DaRHYm9Y6QdnpflBu/s1800/C7C83173-977B-45E1-A65A-B8F7490D6BB1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Ebg2_87DmNbO0x_zn2xWzwJBksezDmXjHyC_0C7IEI2ZOwpmyeFb21DK7vQuiUXy0nbaIqHvl2Cf8v-2MWkY0syzI6cwEdUcaqnv2ce60mmowc4c8Q94c31DaRHYm9Y6QdnpflBu/w512-h640/C7C83173-977B-45E1-A65A-B8F7490D6BB1.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Jocelyn and I also ordered second dinner (lmao marathoner life) at about 9pm which was incredible. I almost didn't get more food until Jocelyn said she was getting pho and I knew as soon as I smelled her food I would very much so regret joining her on the order π So we got pho and I added some crab rangoons to the order because YOU HAVE TO.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYMLecADboC3Iqev5MBS7SuzvR4iyKXHiOk_1ypoyQL-I4w0u3WFH3FtGXhcAum3Ur6LdWHon8_hqEmZ7-_krEH1JHr_cPIKm5NExF1n3skjzmhh9x2-SkcROiyksIju3JDxLec4sZ/s2048/IMG_4455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYMLecADboC3Iqev5MBS7SuzvR4iyKXHiOk_1ypoyQL-I4w0u3WFH3FtGXhcAum3Ur6LdWHon8_hqEmZ7-_krEH1JHr_cPIKm5NExF1n3skjzmhh9x2-SkcROiyksIju3JDxLec4sZ/w480-h640/IMG_4455.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">RACE DAY</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqwFOmnZFRg-eCrwrWQgv_H_e7nEM5ownaCy7RzSjAEV4zEaXqwQ1XyPhTfExg6pKFot8NyhOgFZqT1hMVizuV5ltxoUA_cjZbxeKTd1NkkQViTv9sUfttwo5fVSNm8dH7Idypu5oS/s2048/IMG_4470.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqwFOmnZFRg-eCrwrWQgv_H_e7nEM5ownaCy7RzSjAEV4zEaXqwQ1XyPhTfExg6pKFot8NyhOgFZqT1hMVizuV5ltxoUA_cjZbxeKTd1NkkQViTv9sUfttwo5fVSNm8dH7Idypu5oS/w480-h640/IMG_4470.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">I had the Space Coast with me under my singlet for race #2!</span></i></div><div><br /></div><div>The race didn't start until 8am the next morning and we were staying literally a block away from the start/finish area (honestly the closest I've ever been to a race start!) so we were able to sleep in a bit which felt SO GOOD. We headed out the door around 7:40ish and I have to say I LOVED the energy of the starting line! It was in front of the Polk County Courthouse and surrounded by tall buildings, so the noise was just echoing around and making everything feel so much more exciting! We even got a great photo with all the BibRave Pros in our orange gear which was so great! It felt so good to be able to see my BRP teammates in person and give them cheers and well wishes before and during the race!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8pZeL11vlYmazyA7ZrwRyKsePiZxe8U-YgwFmVkxNmN-wINGxuQdx4vz_gBnXiQT-rj1YV6ii0gwo7XmVIP0AS86jSQRppBnJ9Fbw8rDObeRIrwqm45nHIC5bd9kvWB5Bj_quwYb9/s2048/IMG_4475+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8pZeL11vlYmazyA7ZrwRyKsePiZxe8U-YgwFmVkxNmN-wINGxuQdx4vz_gBnXiQT-rj1YV6ii0gwo7XmVIP0AS86jSQRppBnJ9Fbw8rDObeRIrwqm45nHIC5bd9kvWB5Bj_quwYb9/s320/IMG_4475+%25281%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy0aIm193ouhi0L0kwOTt5702AIbyfez1a-oD0P_zhgy9TIECNEWFdk_yWpyzhKh6DRr_ugIAtoo8rgH9XxUilrPd8y6k3oPvpn94RAVGUxww8zGdLRBqpf7Aqza-IYD4uMSulCU3A/s2048/IMG_4476.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy0aIm193ouhi0L0kwOTt5702AIbyfez1a-oD0P_zhgy9TIECNEWFdk_yWpyzhKh6DRr_ugIAtoo8rgH9XxUilrPd8y6k3oPvpn94RAVGUxww8zGdLRBqpf7Aqza-IYD4uMSulCU3A/s320/IMG_4476.JPG" width="240" /></a><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiokw6_DC9Hsu_PwBhxmhZwnqHvSCKnS2QWyq1gjF_-XUB0eyxpBsfkyE4S-qBtN2TogImPv8DEJXUxvIApAWoXCSW7QCZ-SOnzwpnOkaIPputXDWX_AgEgiSvsJ7wTywNETSMmVRu6/s3088/IMG_4478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiokw6_DC9Hsu_PwBhxmhZwnqHvSCKnS2QWyq1gjF_-XUB0eyxpBsfkyE4S-qBtN2TogImPv8DEJXUxvIApAWoXCSW7QCZ-SOnzwpnOkaIPputXDWX_AgEgiSvsJ7wTywNETSMmVRu6/w480-h640/IMG_4478.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ktS4kbeC2pbTDa59fkljRoiWb4upm1SqAgmxKL6c6c8HrPsYWsMD2VZqCmjUf_-KQ2TM6a1vQlu7c-kZ0OXubz-wcq1SExFc277cA0dutkzDHmeniLUvBngrjM71_eLzuUtesF43/s828/IMG_4682.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="657" data-original-width="828" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ktS4kbeC2pbTDa59fkljRoiWb4upm1SqAgmxKL6c6c8HrPsYWsMD2VZqCmjUf_-KQ2TM6a1vQlu7c-kZ0OXubz-wcq1SExFc277cA0dutkzDHmeniLUvBngrjM71_eLzuUtesF43/w640-h508/IMG_4682.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The half marathon and full marathon started together so Cassie and I spent the first quarter of a mile or so together before her first walk interval which was nice! We ran all weekend long and this was the only time I actually got to run together haha. I continued on solo through the majority of the race, but luckily I was able to see so many friendly faces as I ran! I did get to see Angie around mile 2 cheering and she snapped a photo of me running:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2IRUAu4U33OASteW6XknUMgQfhJAkC689zM91ZJ62tnIIIQvDWNaYz2ea529dF99rP3Y0qnKUxRakKzFTkvhbgXsx0__aW3KKheHbWZzfv7PdO0oH2lSpN7ZKC8civlr00V9ujKDe/s1455/IMG_4683.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1455" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2IRUAu4U33OASteW6XknUMgQfhJAkC689zM91ZJ62tnIIIQvDWNaYz2ea529dF99rP3Y0qnKUxRakKzFTkvhbgXsx0__aW3KKheHbWZzfv7PdO0oH2lSpN7ZKC8civlr00V9ujKDe/w364-h640/IMG_4683.jpg" width="364" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9U13rbFb2_GH4ouPA9Cgl_hMyK7eHQTkZ2yW08_idl2fYiX_-qX2KitSx0I8Hdr-PO-sYduu__P3qXRLVbxsqDrAmh_LodN69I4rZ_0AQvEZ4gU5K02-TxD_5dN9ifr28DzA8l9h-/s2048/IMG_4480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9U13rbFb2_GH4ouPA9Cgl_hMyK7eHQTkZ2yW08_idl2fYiX_-qX2KitSx0I8Hdr-PO-sYduu__P3qXRLVbxsqDrAmh_LodN69I4rZ_0AQvEZ4gU5K02-TxD_5dN9ifr28DzA8l9h-/w300-h400/IMG_4480.JPG" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2tbe7hjGzFbl8TLrE0qBe7l5W3PBclBXcLtnIsVjdBxj1ft9KSQgM5ML7tdz99zCwcU4_RuyJFtnJXYL4VlrpBpsKgo9L2U-LYChknij6iZMltZOAXkRtnOnNLLyuIOIQYbFu8mro/s2048/IMG_4483.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2tbe7hjGzFbl8TLrE0qBe7l5W3PBclBXcLtnIsVjdBxj1ft9KSQgM5ML7tdz99zCwcU4_RuyJFtnJXYL4VlrpBpsKgo9L2U-LYChknij6iZMltZOAXkRtnOnNLLyuIOIQYbFu8mro/w300-h400/IMG_4483.JPG" width="300" /></a><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>And I also saw Jenn around the same time as she was doing her thing managing the Instagram story for the Des Moines Marathon like a boss! The half marathon ran with the full marathon for about 2.5 miles before the split, and this is absolutely what I prefer when it comes to course design. I know that half marathoners will all be done running LOOOOONG before I will be, so while it's nice to run with the big pack, if they could go ahead and split off early so they can finish while I can't see them that would be great π</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg8ewMtiFlWuLlH12geiKG-qfuPvea0Xy58LwOAfLo9m3FY4Yp9_JCFKq38qdzRbIRzmF-N0eSShEyuaz3tiCeE-8_FUKJT3LjqiyEB3Kkwi1c61Lf_u06Ow-Ajh16dGj6ZcMdaPir/s2048/IMG_4484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg8ewMtiFlWuLlH12geiKG-qfuPvea0Xy58LwOAfLo9m3FY4Yp9_JCFKq38qdzRbIRzmF-N0eSShEyuaz3tiCeE-8_FUKJT3LjqiyEB3Kkwi1c61Lf_u06Ow-Ajh16dGj6ZcMdaPir/w480-h640/IMG_4484.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Miles 3-8 were INTENSE hills (as if we hadn't gotten enough of those in KC), and while this section of the course was super challenging and I was SO OVER hills at this point, I think if I hadn't run the KC Marathon the day before I think I would have actually enjoyed that section quite a bit. It was in a little bit of a wooded residential area, and the elevation of the terrain gave it some uniqueness for sure.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3Im7L33wubvZVZ_m2hEGbpLiuuUzWU7WMHMuFoO8VEeW9JY04Ow78hjSz9W8HLwi4mUfKDakP5OaRoUHudCPf2EEtceb9UwGh8Iu-b9zsgSXaMUsArIH8MFlvX8uIzxDcqTdfs80/s2048/IMG_4491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3Im7L33wubvZVZ_m2hEGbpLiuuUzWU7WMHMuFoO8VEeW9JY04Ow78hjSz9W8HLwi4mUfKDakP5OaRoUHudCPf2EEtceb9UwGh8Iu-b9zsgSXaMUsArIH8MFlvX8uIzxDcqTdfs80/s320/IMG_4491.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUVqJWxnuCbXhF52OJ9-XT_TldjiFuIFZvSFP0hxyfsCWqnqUUV-aGObvBFH1KV_O7z6uriNKfxToEsVrW1Z2r1K0tf45auI5O9yGQjCnqP-wmGchRhgwsi19DFyL1Ihb3pmZQchyphenhyphen/s2048/IMG_4492.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUVqJWxnuCbXhF52OJ9-XT_TldjiFuIFZvSFP0hxyfsCWqnqUUV-aGObvBFH1KV_O7z6uriNKfxToEsVrW1Z2r1K0tf45auI5O9yGQjCnqP-wmGchRhgwsi19DFyL1Ihb3pmZQchyphenhyphen/s320/IMG_4492.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29rpnfsdfBqukWUi7JsaHIJNnKg2KCHP6hH15k3_doGVLyFTtZRAZMIJN0c7tmN523MSQ9Ir2Bf2EKKFBAiMts_LI4xeWUhpYge7ZO6ItiApgilzC7wblOfk7xISb_IgkLVtTEA1s/s1792/IMG_4614.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29rpnfsdfBqukWUi7JsaHIJNnKg2KCHP6hH15k3_doGVLyFTtZRAZMIJN0c7tmN523MSQ9Ir2Bf2EKKFBAiMts_LI4xeWUhpYge7ZO6ItiApgilzC7wblOfk7xISb_IgkLVtTEA1s/w296-h640/IMG_4614.PNG" width="296" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Unfortunately for me, I must have taken a weird step going downhill at mile 4 and totally tweaked my ankle. I was hoping the pain would be short-lived but with every step over the next mile or so I knew that I had done something a little bit larger than just an ankle twist and I would just need to figure out how to manage the pain over the next 22 miles. Nahhhhht a great way to kick off day 2.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioSEymwOFZ2It0NAU74ehFhW1LzfUiYPP1AwZnBvwUzjSRKlRXabL0JajrNOrMn2IXQMlZc5jEWsAkkWXkUQqhVBYVzyvOojHXCJwtkZwpMhHCjHPRvZuw8QAKA9CfWnyo0Ro0hWNG/s400/youre-gonna-to-have-a-bad-time.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="269" data-original-width="400" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioSEymwOFZ2It0NAU74ehFhW1LzfUiYPP1AwZnBvwUzjSRKlRXabL0JajrNOrMn2IXQMlZc5jEWsAkkWXkUQqhVBYVzyvOojHXCJwtkZwpMhHCjHPRvZuw8QAKA9CfWnyo0Ro0hWNG/w400-h269/youre-gonna-to-have-a-bad-time.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I saw Jenn again at mile 7 which was so great! She gave me some words of encouragement before heading out in front of me, and I found the 5:05 pace group which I ran with for a little bit to take my mind off of the pain. Around mile 8 we entered into probably my favorite section of the course - the neighborhoods of Des Moines! The Des Moines community LOVES its runners on marathon day! There were so many houses that were having front lawn parties and just cheering everyone on and totally keeping my spirits high through the pain. I felt so supported by everyone who came out and cheered and volunteered!</div><div><br /></div><div>This was also an out-and-back section of the course which I LOVE because you get to see so many of the runners! I got to see Jocelyn when she was around mile 8 and I was around mile 9. We didn't get to start the race together so it was great to see her running and share a high five and some cheers together. I am so glad I had someone who was going through the same races as me for my first double! I guess Bill also saw me when I was around mile 10 and he was around mile 14. I did hear a man yell "Riley!!!" at this point but it didn't compute in my brain why a man's voice would be yelling my name in Des Moines, Iowa and assumed it was for someone else π It took me about 2 minutes to realize that it was probably Bill and we confirmed it later Sunday night at dinner π SORRY BILL!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2kqYgK5ngEq2bGnDbdy8MVeW-ba1qC8FtlXnf5Jkiaduh08xR6jfxNS3ONja6zbv1UCxb8rrg6zfjU_rYvnGA8Rrsyrbt4n17rpnl-NqFgS-dv1FprRpH_xV1TjWwT1AFFiQ-KJHm/s2048/IMG_4503.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2kqYgK5ngEq2bGnDbdy8MVeW-ba1qC8FtlXnf5Jkiaduh08xR6jfxNS3ONja6zbv1UCxb8rrg6zfjU_rYvnGA8Rrsyrbt4n17rpnl-NqFgS-dv1FprRpH_xV1TjWwT1AFFiQ-KJHm/w480-h640/IMG_4503.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0eOaR7ie4keCTVVIeSfRSekxQWaGQql-uY8WxxrKjU6aTqCVSQQQFt6Qf2tWbJXwBrr0AjttYfpHRYS-qm6GVEtMtzN_FBpwnvpxTdCd7KYy0OlhehcrmyX2JArowO7x9F69sU6dP/s2048/IMG_4507.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0eOaR7ie4keCTVVIeSfRSekxQWaGQql-uY8WxxrKjU6aTqCVSQQQFt6Qf2tWbJXwBrr0AjttYfpHRYS-qm6GVEtMtzN_FBpwnvpxTdCd7KYy0OlhehcrmyX2JArowO7x9F69sU6dP/w640-h480/IMG_4507.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Mile 12 brings you into the Drake University stadium and you got to do a lap of the track which was so cool! I didn't know this, but apparently a lot of legendary runners like Jesse Owens have competed in the Drake University stadium before which is so cool. I appreciate the announcer sharing facts like that over the loud speaker as we ran through the stadium because I honestly would have no idea. They also announced every runner as you're running through including your name and your hometown so you get a little bit of a special moment. I know that's something I'll definitely remember about this race for years to come!</div><div><br /></div><div>Miles 13-17 were probably the most challenging miles of the race for me. My ankle was really hurting and sending pains up my calf and through my heel as well, I figured out that my salt tablets got dropped somewhere along the way while I was running and I really felt like I needed some electrolytes, and the prospect of running 13 more miles was just a lot for me to handle. I FaceTimed Brett to let out some tears and he gave me the encouragement I needed to keep pushing forward. My Dad also texted me around this time to check in and having both of them checking in with me at the same time just helped me keep pushing through. I swear, marathons are NEVER a one-person effort. It takes a community to get you across the finish line, and I have the absolute best community.</div><div><br /></div><div>Miles 16-24 take you through this really beautiful park that is flat flat flat! I'm surprised I remembered how to run on flat ground with all of the hills we tackled in the I-35 challenge up until that point XD The water stop at mile 18.5 was a PARTY and I kinda just wanted to stop running the race and hang out with them. They were giving out full cans of beer with their water and having the biggest dance party! Shout out to whoever made up the mile 18.5 volunteer team because y'all totally lifted my spirits at that point in the race!</div><div><br /></div><div>I saw Jocelyn when I had just passed mile 20 and she was around 18.25! It was great to be able to see her again and share another high five and some encouragement. I know we were both hurting so much at that point but being able to see each other put a smile on both of our faces which was great. :)</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-HGjp7PwsDRCzDKc2w53yx5MMZZVaSxRZyH5Q6HiqcXXlv-8Ujh3tel7UR1jw7dl1gJkba_CpDWMJ5aOWlpvyULgP4xLNXQZu0QYf6iGR8bHxAqeTJnMg-F9Z_jGcZKhbbuHFgdXH/s2048/IMG_4511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="2048" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-HGjp7PwsDRCzDKc2w53yx5MMZZVaSxRZyH5Q6HiqcXXlv-8Ujh3tel7UR1jw7dl1gJkba_CpDWMJ5aOWlpvyULgP4xLNXQZu0QYf6iGR8bHxAqeTJnMg-F9Z_jGcZKhbbuHFgdXH/w640-h374/IMG_4511.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Miles 22-24 were also pretty tough because my ankle was just so angry with me at that point and I still felt so far from the finish line. Again, my community continued to pull through for me. My friends Erin and Cullen were texting me our group chat, and Brett continued to check in with me via text (and Drangon Ball Z/WWE GIFS lol). Like I said, I would not be able to get through this weekend without my people!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilkgbbS3YuKSCWJ8RlER9TUQ5qaaPZbEZKRSal3SnF3NIrEhJmMWCHnW4SEOQDq1X70v5HtE0lK0d5cWjNxCISSOYjDJqe3KHSO2afgZT0zlhrcMTiuw7FxbdL7a7AGufKBQ3ujx7p/s1792/IMG_4631.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilkgbbS3YuKSCWJ8RlER9TUQ5qaaPZbEZKRSal3SnF3NIrEhJmMWCHnW4SEOQDq1X70v5HtE0lK0d5cWjNxCISSOYjDJqe3KHSO2afgZT0zlhrcMTiuw7FxbdL7a7AGufKBQ3ujx7p/w296-h640/IMG_4631.PNG" width="296" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-yg_yBBKD84CrOn6qwqHQ6jsRCGD3kvqw6CCeNHCMX64j0Gxosewp75CoCtZ9y4mUhYMId38rYqmo8vynOSBOFsK65EWJDfSRTW_D5WguWYmDO0wOsfJOfpSywmTO2r3Izt24JbtP/s1792/IMG_4632.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="828" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-yg_yBBKD84CrOn6qwqHQ6jsRCGD3kvqw6CCeNHCMX64j0Gxosewp75CoCtZ9y4mUhYMId38rYqmo8vynOSBOFsK65EWJDfSRTW_D5WguWYmDO0wOsfJOfpSywmTO2r3Izt24JbtP/w185-h400/IMG_4632.PNG" width="185" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQnLmq19-8ysPcVHmt6bu_r-VSFgF5r_UzfQoTsFBJvO_jG5k8BUJcRxnEaZBFL1Yk1HclE5bYCdxIOg9AuY2ovcxGc9YIh298HYr5m0sg-O5VOcTyf9Bd8E0IeLM4kmcvZvA6oS3k/s1792/IMG_4633.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="828" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQnLmq19-8ysPcVHmt6bu_r-VSFgF5r_UzfQoTsFBJvO_jG5k8BUJcRxnEaZBFL1Yk1HclE5bYCdxIOg9AuY2ovcxGc9YIh298HYr5m0sg-O5VOcTyf9Bd8E0IeLM4kmcvZvA6oS3k/w185-h400/IMG_4633.PNG" width="185" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>The last 2.2 miles took place on a long stretch of road which was pretty challenging mentally. I knew that the finish was SO CLOSE but I had to keep running straight down the road for what seemed like forever. I just wanted to get to the finish and get some ice for my dang ankle!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis3YsiuVa0uU0ufvoZVdidws5OTG3KdKC5eEBx6n7-g-Hm_c2i-GBI3SBQ64E66X8Gohc3jAslhh-B8ouespaLpHENjBzMTVGEzQF-RQGtAc9qYB7Gxf9rJotwg1jYHCrgTuIdCt9y/s2048/IMG_4513.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis3YsiuVa0uU0ufvoZVdidws5OTG3KdKC5eEBx6n7-g-Hm_c2i-GBI3SBQ64E66X8Gohc3jAslhh-B8ouespaLpHENjBzMTVGEzQF-RQGtAc9qYB7Gxf9rJotwg1jYHCrgTuIdCt9y/w480-h640/IMG_4513.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Eventually I took a left, and another left, and a straight shot into the finisher's chute where I spotted Jenn and Cassie cheering for me, the announcers said "FRANKLIN, MA IN THE HOUSE!!!" andβ¦ </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmLJU3130TAp7FX8lXX4BHE7SU_7IZIJ-uthM3utaCNnYvQNAiQ_Vjq31u4cHtgcUDDsUT2KGMA8idhJfGVo4RdKdRf9LETfm5U_9N2PfT2vO86b1NkaUupvlPln88lp0Xpcp8iDMa/s2048/IMG_5343.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmLJU3130TAp7FX8lXX4BHE7SU_7IZIJ-uthM3utaCNnYvQNAiQ_Vjq31u4cHtgcUDDsUT2KGMA8idhJfGVo4RdKdRf9LETfm5U_9N2PfT2vO86b1NkaUupvlPln88lp0Xpcp8iDMa/w480-h640/IMG_5343.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiquflO2hayU944Rc_BUVScPcN5g8B2Mnw-gc6_VrxsvIIgmS4HFuiPX83F0bWam0L91qD_aAPbc13itBHua4_p48hdlOrM_jLmKDs3p-dLn3T6OevQDHuBUmu6e_D9egIupa2NNaOy/s2048/Download+%25287%2529+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1463" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiquflO2hayU944Rc_BUVScPcN5g8B2Mnw-gc6_VrxsvIIgmS4HFuiPX83F0bWam0L91qD_aAPbc13itBHua4_p48hdlOrM_jLmKDs3p-dLn3T6OevQDHuBUmu6e_D9egIupa2NNaOy/w458-h640/Download+%25287%2529+%25281%2529.jpg" width="458" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmbakaUX7sJm1bJ54y7ImL2bNf1zPYDKeFbd5PZeowH06G9uaR9XN6pWm57q_mpKdzcA7Af4sz7HnVrEF0bJRdFftIn_j4iv7klRvtYTYhRbzI5hNrsWyBHx-fvZQhoY_rze0sRFF0/s2048/IMG_5349.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmbakaUX7sJm1bJ54y7ImL2bNf1zPYDKeFbd5PZeowH06G9uaR9XN6pWm57q_mpKdzcA7Af4sz7HnVrEF0bJRdFftIn_j4iv7klRvtYTYhRbzI5hNrsWyBHx-fvZQhoY_rze0sRFF0/w480-h640/IMG_5349.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHtGD21tfkDmcwYcSqPgptaaFQKo6K5dY8S64SGhsvKkXVvzynR3Snni7qWiYS46UW9EgLZstLEOsA4KoP09-lNmtafMr-slJOLDj723878MVAT6GOMnQtUlW4v-5iFfC1j_HoDXMk/s2048/IMG_5356.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHtGD21tfkDmcwYcSqPgptaaFQKo6K5dY8S64SGhsvKkXVvzynR3Snni7qWiYS46UW9EgLZstLEOsA4KoP09-lNmtafMr-slJOLDj723878MVAT6GOMnQtUlW4v-5iFfC1j_HoDXMk/w480-h640/IMG_5356.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>I FINISHED STATE & MARATHON #17 AND THE I-35 CHALLENGE!!!</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Jocelyn was not far behind me for her 97th marathon finish as well!!! We all gave each other big hugs when she crossed the finish. We had all accomplished some amazing things together this weekend!!!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeCnCe3qE1VXS3eNjvV3BO7xonfgQNJHG8BNiUJzraFlKmISg53OzJxj0Y5ajpdEYjrKVqa4RWDwslJmzERAncRq9h5hM5cYsRwKM8WkMmdB42_KD9A_J0y-hNhRDQLsVxONOkbgYo/s4032/IMG_4515.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeCnCe3qE1VXS3eNjvV3BO7xonfgQNJHG8BNiUJzraFlKmISg53OzJxj0Y5ajpdEYjrKVqa4RWDwslJmzERAncRq9h5hM5cYsRwKM8WkMmdB42_KD9A_J0y-hNhRDQLsVxONOkbgYo/s320/IMG_4515.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC5xLiYoMOieppZ62ypukhaKGJBNkveJe7SZoTEGPWxLMrYzse6GYgyqZnYJEyOJ04MiqsK5gIVDw0xXZ1ScpxVnUDhwJy8aPkPdaXi8usQDNhp8_9Fw0uidL1mPe7pdRSKvVZsDev/s2048/IMG_1331.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC5xLiYoMOieppZ62ypukhaKGJBNkveJe7SZoTEGPWxLMrYzse6GYgyqZnYJEyOJ04MiqsK5gIVDw0xXZ1ScpxVnUDhwJy8aPkPdaXi8usQDNhp8_9Fw0uidL1mPe7pdRSKvVZsDev/w240-h320/IMG_1331.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">RACE STATS</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Despite my ankle nagging me for 22 miles, I actually performed fairly well through this race! I was only 11 minutes slower at Des Moines than I was in Kansas City which is so wild to me. I really wonder how I could have performed if I didn't have that injury so early on, but I'm happy with my performance regardless. Like I said in my KC post - the name of the game was to finish each race and I did exactly that!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN8fgdsA8wiZxM4hH_drqV30XtfcxRuASPk9w5zZrcKVFxG1Ji_guoHJmDZ78hHn7uNpauHL0dqEQhVMzpU0NvJa5z1TXsnbNK3uRcqXWbhp5ElSKaBvs8cjlDLglfh9J038mAx8J0/s1792/IMG_4555.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN8fgdsA8wiZxM4hH_drqV30XtfcxRuASPk9w5zZrcKVFxG1Ji_guoHJmDZ78hHn7uNpauHL0dqEQhVMzpU0NvJa5z1TXsnbNK3uRcqXWbhp5ElSKaBvs8cjlDLglfh9J038mAx8J0/w296-h640/IMG_4555.PNG" width="296" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiytIGdL1ZDI1t99pwNNSXmzRrToKpeN5H6hz4-aoub20se-ZGk4Nj49J4l5aC_Fp3jzr-bAHuclU_7o6V3i7gSjEm8eVTJqlVK5mmLqTvNgNrCDXbeTuZZBXETN4qFM6gPKNtP7Ow1/s828/IMG_4684.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="637" data-original-width="828" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiytIGdL1ZDI1t99pwNNSXmzRrToKpeN5H6hz4-aoub20se-ZGk4Nj49J4l5aC_Fp3jzr-bAHuclU_7o6V3i7gSjEm8eVTJqlVK5mmLqTvNgNrCDXbeTuZZBXETN4qFM6gPKNtP7Ow1/w400-h308/IMG_4684.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><b>OFFICIAL RACE TIME: </b>5:31:08</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">THE MEDAL(S)</span></b></div></div><div><br /></div><div>I was given not one but TWO medals at the finish line! My IMT Des Moines Marathon finisher's medal was given to me by fellow BibRave Pro Angie which was SO special! And I also received an additional medal for completing the I-35 Challenge and it's so great to have something to represent all of my hard work put into these two races. While I might not particularly love the two medals I received, it's really the experience of this race that I will always remember when looking at each of them. I proudly wore both medals along with my KC Marathon around Des Moines on Sunday night!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjXIwDcqTLgBGnBn41-bCmh8mJY-MS_V2-UFSs2xwas0VdndemRFspjgSHV7bzlUtriLry9k2ZdpOYouOn-LBzF0pRBKjWlFkt1ZVbNnG-bFmEZgNs26NzE5ExeZbTzM4HcTomhGoO/s2048/IMG_5361+%25281%2529.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjXIwDcqTLgBGnBn41-bCmh8mJY-MS_V2-UFSs2xwas0VdndemRFspjgSHV7bzlUtriLry9k2ZdpOYouOn-LBzF0pRBKjWlFkt1ZVbNnG-bFmEZgNs26NzE5ExeZbTzM4HcTomhGoO/w480-h640/IMG_5361+%25281%2529.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioXnyM-VppxNv0J-Upcg3tPfRC7nuUGgzld06MJRmGbfrEkUtwGTlRgZ54pkjH2vIwzClV1Pyf9tFKRn5Ex8rr9BN6jrikVm6-KB5MUqmVWXPFfZK5E6xRqbLeZwnh1lZKPTZl_qBM/s2048/IMG_5389.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioXnyM-VppxNv0J-Upcg3tPfRC7nuUGgzld06MJRmGbfrEkUtwGTlRgZ54pkjH2vIwzClV1Pyf9tFKRn5Ex8rr9BN6jrikVm6-KB5MUqmVWXPFfZK5E6xRqbLeZwnh1lZKPTZl_qBM/w480-h640/IMG_5389.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">OVERALL THOUGHTS</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>I was so pleasantly surprised by how much I truly this race. The community of Des Moines really made this race so much fun for all of the runners. There was SO MUCH course support from volunteers and event organizers and everyone was so positive! The course design had a great variety of hilly sections and flat sections, residential areas, green spaces, and city views so you were always looking at and experiencing something new with each mile. The organization of this event was incredible from the moment I signed up (weekly newsletters, frequent live streams, and SO MUCH INFO at your disposal!) to the moment I crossed the finish line. I never thought I would be recommending folks to journey to the middle of the country to run a race in Des Moines, Iowa, but YOU DEFINITELY SHOULD RUN THIS RACE! I had such a fantastic time and I definitely would love to return in the future.
</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">POST-RACE</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>After the race, even though we were seriously wiped, we really wanted to check out this restaurant in town called Zombie Burger to celebrate. We met up with fellow BRP Bill and his wife Jennifer for celebratory drinks and dinner and the world's most incredible milkshakes! π€€ It was the perfect way to celebrate our accomplishments and round out such a fantastic trip before all heading home to our different points of the country.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn7a58e3ghpzolLayBsAZWfvCyyW66sDU5Zlwh-u3LetvnmxW84C1Z1I17Anfbqn-83qh53XDShJhJ7muuiMVF-fQpOeDLf7ltwztNgL4HdqwKstHKk3yl3is68qdwRdY7FbuGVyD1/s2048/IMG_4571.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn7a58e3ghpzolLayBsAZWfvCyyW66sDU5Zlwh-u3LetvnmxW84C1Z1I17Anfbqn-83qh53XDShJhJ7muuiMVF-fQpOeDLf7ltwztNgL4HdqwKstHKk3yl3is68qdwRdY7FbuGVyD1/w480-h640/IMG_4571.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9nPFlicUze0CFj6-HoKNqcZgrSE-RvaRE9QEduxIYZ9el7YIwnvU1OsXWVBaiSluN2A3-_Xemuzqsp82piKohXLZA22CfATDi8HE4pAsx9Fg2rhFgLWMv8O9RDZJy5GHY-BPnT0X3/s2048/IMG_4600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9nPFlicUze0CFj6-HoKNqcZgrSE-RvaRE9QEduxIYZ9el7YIwnvU1OsXWVBaiSluN2A3-_Xemuzqsp82piKohXLZA22CfATDi8HE4pAsx9Fg2rhFgLWMv8O9RDZJy5GHY-BPnT0X3/s320/IMG_4600.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN_-XIadF4Ocx4w-yViZAL8TiK-DLsE16jXrB2jv3D1LaFUdsDAZMAlZzL10SgahhycOPWkdVtQy6Jduml-4e3k6GsWQTvf0mKxj5BACqvA-EZenWMXYtaT47dGlIHQSUE6c9IDdwA/s2048/IMG_4603.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN_-XIadF4Ocx4w-yViZAL8TiK-DLsE16jXrB2jv3D1LaFUdsDAZMAlZzL10SgahhycOPWkdVtQy6Jduml-4e3k6GsWQTvf0mKxj5BACqvA-EZenWMXYtaT47dGlIHQSUE6c9IDdwA/s320/IMG_4603.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAz6XUsnj8NnpNGW8kPvIVtFkqI5uASQ2HcpfrO7JQKO_w8YpA2NxXUrNUEi3nH7Bs3cmLNYLq0lLQFDjohZ74_5UCcunve6H9XERNWLrUVLIeNKM7LpgnlHbP0xLcXHkS-7DLWM8K/s2048/IMG_4605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAz6XUsnj8NnpNGW8kPvIVtFkqI5uASQ2HcpfrO7JQKO_w8YpA2NxXUrNUEi3nH7Bs3cmLNYLq0lLQFDjohZ74_5UCcunve6H9XERNWLrUVLIeNKM7LpgnlHbP0xLcXHkS-7DLWM8K/s320/IMG_4605.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBFYbkfBEmI08FysF9wGBroawcylqwJafGqHiw_AVdchrRAkvwA45_Dztlk0OQe_WoSe3RaAjEXZmWLgVXPPBzCo9sVYIrWkqmxg1Awr5_VnBcGK5Y_fm6BFI5a10NLEaHlzYoEyI/s2048/IMG_4572.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBFYbkfBEmI08FysF9wGBroawcylqwJafGqHiw_AVdchrRAkvwA45_Dztlk0OQe_WoSe3RaAjEXZmWLgVXPPBzCo9sVYIrWkqmxg1Awr5_VnBcGK5Y_fm6BFI5a10NLEaHlzYoEyI/s320/IMG_4572.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX1kadgPrkQmiooI8ovW_JBnH_0dXcAgXyyCZlS4p4niMaLhHMQ8j1QjViXIl4LOMHlQFZanhn-wtjAJrsWN2RS1VJFUOb3B6HZckwwbXUdeGsVO5UGtu3b5HxO7hUMHSA-0d7bbCc/s828/IMG_4598.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="203" data-original-width="828" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX1kadgPrkQmiooI8ovW_JBnH_0dXcAgXyyCZlS4p4niMaLhHMQ8j1QjViXIl4LOMHlQFZanhn-wtjAJrsWN2RS1VJFUOb3B6HZckwwbXUdeGsVO5UGtu3b5HxO7hUMHSA-0d7bbCc/w640-h156/IMG_4598.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinNH2mtH3HhnRxJxjm8v0b8WQawmT_5WlrR8KQXvVjqm-aLHvo5nJZqSJJeL5oAmRTZqKu1Qu3HNQLTndsd3hwgwpmMjLEwqVIGyixKOWh0TfEm9V3USHHXivoaEMDU5PAPlVbc71x/s2048/IMG_4612.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinNH2mtH3HhnRxJxjm8v0b8WQawmT_5WlrR8KQXvVjqm-aLHvo5nJZqSJJeL5oAmRTZqKu1Qu3HNQLTndsd3hwgwpmMjLEwqVIGyixKOWh0TfEm9V3USHHXivoaEMDU5PAPlVbc71x/w480-h640/IMG_4612.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Oh also... here was the state of my ankle after our night out π</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mLQIRi0N5SRCMkZS8Pt_ZCDgm7IXXyKJEFTgPprkuou89zPqdY1fxegmiiQzUf6T2LOzZzNFrouTmyvYNu1rvh7pzkUIi9nob1dYE6QVU139i5uXGC7vMa8rxv3fs2NYjuCFgaKt/s2048/IMG_4617.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mLQIRi0N5SRCMkZS8Pt_ZCDgm7IXXyKJEFTgPprkuou89zPqdY1fxegmiiQzUf6T2LOzZzNFrouTmyvYNu1rvh7pzkUIi9nob1dYE6QVU139i5uXGC7vMa8rxv3fs2NYjuCFgaKt/w480-h640/IMG_4617.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">πππ</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The last few months training for my first double marathon weekend was an incredible journey. This was a goal that scared me. The training was so difficult and there were countless times that I questioned that I could actually pull it off. But the feeling of crossing both finish lines? So incredible. Every marathon finish is another reminder why I do this. There is nothing like the feeling of crossing the finish line of a marathon and being able to do it twice in one weekend is truly a blessing. Would I do another double in the future? <b>Absolutely! π</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqhfJ-2JdXpbfh93t3010yzyMXpF1asaoFXRaihL68x5a4IFbDDBanCUnWHVbOCA6H257RCpUxMpatjr2yEsIwkDrJF_pKWmfcIP_OvfbvEPaPwtduOOVCYN2_G87woFerHq6b3Xa/s1800/BA3AA9FE-0D6E-49DC-BC35-9742F1D26E21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqhfJ-2JdXpbfh93t3010yzyMXpF1asaoFXRaihL68x5a4IFbDDBanCUnWHVbOCA6H257RCpUxMpatjr2yEsIwkDrJF_pKWmfcIP_OvfbvEPaPwtduOOVCYN2_G87woFerHq6b3Xa/w512-h640/BA3AA9FE-0D6E-49DC-BC35-9742F1D26E21.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116982228825892049noreply@blogger.com2Des Moines, IA, USA41.5868353 -93.624959313.276601463821152 -128.7812093 69.897069136178843 -58.4687093tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1916871150499748468.post-19690533709159315132021-10-19T13:30:00.003-04:002021-10-26T12:10:37.139-04:00Race Review: Death by Hills at the 2021 Kansas City Marathon π I-35 Challenge Day 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What a whirlwind of a weekend! I'm currently sitting in the Kansas City Airport about to head home after finishing my <b>FIRST DOUBLE MARATHON WEEKEND.</b> I've been training for the I-35 Challenge since June and this weekend I officially ran and completed both the Kansas City Marathon in Kansas City, Missouri and the Des Moines Marathon in Des Moines, Iowa. Instead of waiting 4 months to post my reviews (lol), I thought I'd get my thoughts down on digital paper before I forget too many details of the experience. I'm going to break up my review of the weekend into two parts, so stay tuned for part 2. For now we'll kick things off with the <b>2021 Garmin Kansas City Marathon! </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb3XBvl7mYIjyJTD41nebbzOgocmMGfeSO_V2fqvi_OsTrytKOP4p7clfTshKvYPpMfADJ0iSungd6hf6m-qVZgGBF09PkOfmnLCuq8dMG524lVOUi1D0Fts_PAGKbf9sf_YZaRI4a/s1500/I-35+Challenge+Day+1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb3XBvl7mYIjyJTD41nebbzOgocmMGfeSO_V2fqvi_OsTrytKOP4p7clfTshKvYPpMfADJ0iSungd6hf6m-qVZgGBF09PkOfmnLCuq8dMG524lVOUi1D0Fts_PAGKbf9sf_YZaRI4a/w426-h640/I-35+Challenge+Day+1.png" width="426" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span><a name='more'></a></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">TRAVEL & EXPO DAY</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>I headed out of Boston bright and early on Friday morning to head over to Kansas City. I think at this point in I was having some serious regrets regarding all of my life's decisions that lead me to be on a plane to run two consecutive marathons, but there as no turning back now. π¬ I landed in KC around 10:30am, met up with Cassie, and we headed straight over to the expo for packet pick up.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgit2_Zq2e8OI4ff1UQ0vIlUUBeHP1Qcl3QpqQ4ESLoV_upcI09di5DVJ3lMlxzOEpQa_hpkszQqbdm-PggWiDbqPbiBa-miHO0akp-96oDNFZk1ympdQNpVe1-Pezy6e6VJ5NRba3L/s2048/IMG_5128.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgit2_Zq2e8OI4ff1UQ0vIlUUBeHP1Qcl3QpqQ4ESLoV_upcI09di5DVJ3lMlxzOEpQa_hpkszQqbdm-PggWiDbqPbiBa-miHO0akp-96oDNFZk1ympdQNpVe1-Pezy6e6VJ5NRba3L/s320/IMG_5128.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQuv1oQAS9jxaNw1ceyfAQYTNoPSCSnL__I1gtnL_umuUg2Zgorfkcq1w2ESa6ok80oz3ig80-L5OTjRyfNk19FYNfH8BC-lu0CDtPMhJdXOOUEKlICTz-6sf4KmptE2lbbUBqioH/s2048/IMG_4245.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQuv1oQAS9jxaNw1ceyfAQYTNoPSCSnL__I1gtnL_umuUg2Zgorfkcq1w2ESa6ok80oz3ig80-L5OTjRyfNk19FYNfH8BC-lu0CDtPMhJdXOOUEKlICTz-6sf4KmptE2lbbUBqioH/s320/IMG_4245.JPG" width="240" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div>While there weren't too many vendors at the expo (at least not as many as I'd see in pre-COVID times), the venue was great (located at Union Station - a GORGEOUS building!) and packet pick up was quick and easy. Cassie actually registered on-site for the 10K without any issue, and I was also able to pick up our friend Jocelyn's packet as well (she was doing both full marathons with me!) since she was not getting into KC until much later. There was a little bit of confusion with mine and Jocelyn's bibs - we were supposed to get a special designation for the I-35 Challenge on our bibs and an extra shirt and we were originally only given marathon bibs and shirts. It wasn't until I saw the table of I-35 shirts when I realized that maybe we didn't get everything we needed so I asked the volunteers. They were super great about rectifying the mistake, got us the right bibs and shirts, and were so friendly and helpful through the whole process! Race volunteers are honestly the best people you can find. π </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>KC MARATHON PACKET INCLUDED: </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">-Kansas City Marathon cotton t-shirt (hooray for no tech shirt!) </div><div style="text-align: center;">-I-35 Challenge finisher long sleeve shirt </div><div style="text-align: center;">-Bib & safety pins </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Honestly, I prefer race packets to be no-nonsense like this one. I don't love getting coupons to local businesses unless it's something I can use during race weekend (I really don't need a coupon for a water filtration system lmao) and usually the samples that get included go unused. My preference is just give me some nice swag that I will actually use OR just give me my bib. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-JJ5J9WfLYZous3XohkZPaPhuPm1TmZ_jb_6c2HkIkgXvC1ZQIzmeIH-xt9mKPl6CnKdvzyLah2NuPhPV5jYOmgS8HOHwX-DouleKop2cIbp8oNl7IRwd6PNw04j_SLYFzBVc7EMi/s2048/IMG_5130.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-JJ5J9WfLYZous3XohkZPaPhuPm1TmZ_jb_6c2HkIkgXvC1ZQIzmeIH-xt9mKPl6CnKdvzyLah2NuPhPV5jYOmgS8HOHwX-DouleKop2cIbp8oNl7IRwd6PNw04j_SLYFzBVc7EMi/w480-h640/IMG_5130.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>After some quick pics with our bibs we were both famished and wanted to grab some BBQ as Kansas City's BBQ is some of the best out there! We asked a few folks what they'd recommend for BBQ and Jack's Stack was hands down the favorite so that's where we headed. We both ordered burnt ends that were honestly SO DELICIOUS and really hit the spot after a long morning of traveling. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4LS33DR-sDeNKzaDuiHjCx65AhyphenhyphenLFJRxzpJcjNAiEXkrs7lK5L8grKy7mG14PFCs-Bg9PBsUUUJjDMjF7YGpfjSuubY2czAF4Aq6y7aec2rl_3rrYJqg3yNnF-FqDwNaBQJUgj9SE/s2048/IMG_4249.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4LS33DR-sDeNKzaDuiHjCx65AhyphenhyphenLFJRxzpJcjNAiEXkrs7lK5L8grKy7mG14PFCs-Bg9PBsUUUJjDMjF7YGpfjSuubY2czAF4Aq6y7aec2rl_3rrYJqg3yNnF-FqDwNaBQJUgj9SE/w480-h640/IMG_4249.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Eventually we made our way to our Air BnB and shortly after checking in I hit the road for a shakeout run. I knew I wasn't going to get it done if I started to relax, so I got on the road for a 2 mile run which gave me a taste of the INSANE hills in KC. Mentally it was so great to get a feel for the terrain the day before, even if it was only a taste, but BOY is Kansas City not messing around with its hills. π</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2DXOthsnC3SrTBVFWsWlkHi2oxPn_-HUxxmMO-zin3tDu8stiSbbOCxzsYB_ERZl0lrQ8ztbd5SN25vGThPddVL452g_-p1n5GY5dGZhz_HW4dWYDJYZgE81Iq2FmuNqpd-B6DCUj/s2048/IMG_4265.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2DXOthsnC3SrTBVFWsWlkHi2oxPn_-HUxxmMO-zin3tDu8stiSbbOCxzsYB_ERZl0lrQ8ztbd5SN25vGThPddVL452g_-p1n5GY5dGZhz_HW4dWYDJYZgE81Iq2FmuNqpd-B6DCUj/w480-h640/IMG_4265.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Unfortunately in the evening I started to feel so sick to my stomach. I think it was a combination of nerves for the races, traveling, being dehydrated, and honestly the BBQ I had for lunch. The food itself was INCREDIBLE and so well made, I'm just not a huge red meat eater and of course I had beef burnt ends. Probably not the smartest move the night before a race. I was super nervous about feeling sick for obvious reasons, but most of all because I could NOT bring myself to eat anything for dinner. Going into a marathon on an empty stomach was a pretty scary prospect, but I opted to drink water, get sleep, and keep my fingers crossed that I'd feel better in the morning.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5DS-_WlXLFdU9FHqaAJr9K8_iEJJObSsBedG0cVOpFF49b34hdxu9HvOLuqkXC5JPCpV1dbGjI1qySXCzKwSbIT4zokVhFfm1szGUUrG8LhpqIk9HTwRQ7xarCw6kzlamxRMWLJM1/s2048/IMG_4275.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5DS-_WlXLFdU9FHqaAJr9K8_iEJJObSsBedG0cVOpFF49b34hdxu9HvOLuqkXC5JPCpV1dbGjI1qySXCzKwSbIT4zokVhFfm1szGUUrG8LhpqIk9HTwRQ7xarCw6kzlamxRMWLJM1/w480-h640/IMG_4275.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">RACE DAY</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Luckily I woke up feeling somewhat better, and was even able to stomach a bowl of oatmeal before we headed out! We went to pick up Jocelyn at her hotel and made our way over to the start line. One tip right off the bat - if you're driving, <b>get to the Kansas City Marathon EARLY.</b> We got to the starting line area about 30 before the 7AM start and drove around for a decent amount of time before finding parking. Essentially, everyone is trying to park in ONE designated parking garage which cause a line of cars all over the place. We eventually found an empty parking lot to park in and made our way over to the start. We got to the starting line RIGHT at 7AM, which is a little too close for comfort for me, but at least we made it! </div><div><br /></div><div>The 10K didn't start until 30 minutes after the marathon, so Jocelyn and I said goodbye to Cassie and made our way to the starting line. Before we knew it we were off and running! </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwv-9PdcmBsRqX8FmKdM8ySYIBQgacXx9blS3EctfUhyphenhyphenHGHbLlnzyuekJv0MPzklVuJ_qeXT0SUr0OooPCfqgl6e-lrJhsytaiZCoO583Of4b0PzFlZRYRd2Oyo9alcAuID-vgWmKv/s2048/IMG_4287.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwv-9PdcmBsRqX8FmKdM8ySYIBQgacXx9blS3EctfUhyphenhyphenHGHbLlnzyuekJv0MPzklVuJ_qeXT0SUr0OooPCfqgl6e-lrJhsytaiZCoO583Of4b0PzFlZRYRd2Oyo9alcAuID-vgWmKv/w480-h640/IMG_4287.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This will be a theme throughout this review - <b>the Kansas City Marathon is SO. FREAKING. HILLY.</b> This is more than just rolling hills. We're talking about VERY extended uphill stretches with very little reprieve until the back half of the course. So, in true KC Marathon fashion, the first mile took us uphill. Jocelyn and I stuck together for the most part through the first two miles. Because we started on an uphill climb and we were feeling fresh, we actually ended up going out waaaaaay too quickly. At some point after mile 1 I turned to her and said "heyβ¦ we have a whole other marathon tomorrowβ¦. maybe we should slow down" π We came up on our first water stop around 2 miles and this is where we parted ways for the first time. I stopped for a restroom break at this point (no time for the bathroom before we started!) and she continued on. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmN-d_n6u5R8b10KfI5-eyCE3UDtq2BRztylZWXcUog7toFfgYVu9x158AxUIfeYdPH9SUx5k6gGVXpHwDFtdaUv5QrTo5OO5QrtGfSI-_bZXo_2ehPKtSytqg3BDXfhMijMwCxQF/s2048/IMG_4289.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmN-d_n6u5R8b10KfI5-eyCE3UDtq2BRztylZWXcUog7toFfgYVu9x158AxUIfeYdPH9SUx5k6gGVXpHwDFtdaUv5QrTo5OO5QrtGfSI-_bZXo_2ehPKtSytqg3BDXfhMijMwCxQF/w480-h640/IMG_4289.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I will say that even though the course was super hilly, it provided some incredible views of Kansas City! As the sun was rising it hit the buildings on the KC skyline and really made the city glow. It's always so incredible to see the sunrise on a city you're visiting for the first time!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV31O1IjnJZm6sr6Cy8riMEmId1EsEmVFSRQJnzg9VM0izWgVroCGZDGtrxeQoD3m5MEDcaVQRtxRBYQIeqGSN8RUt_EKg7zuNF1XLAz0wJS3jm3UrcOfcrxaPHmtYE_4cLB_9SFMV/s2048/IMG_4294.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV31O1IjnJZm6sr6Cy8riMEmId1EsEmVFSRQJnzg9VM0izWgVroCGZDGtrxeQoD3m5MEDcaVQRtxRBYQIeqGSN8RUt_EKg7zuNF1XLAz0wJS3jm3UrcOfcrxaPHmtYE_4cLB_9SFMV/w480-h640/IMG_4294.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCfOt5kctVYhXw8HeyvZHResZOnMnoocjEIjYcy9-mTCbR4wtoqVB5ekvYyz6kSp2spDzG6UPczWt9G0_iaoKOsbSFCNJuTLxCWnvwOQyposVyGg0FouAzOvZioZD8d88GRp3QVkB/s2048/IMG_4298.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCfOt5kctVYhXw8HeyvZHResZOnMnoocjEIjYcy9-mTCbR4wtoqVB5ekvYyz6kSp2spDzG6UPczWt9G0_iaoKOsbSFCNJuTLxCWnvwOQyposVyGg0FouAzOvZioZD8d88GRp3QVkB/s320/IMG_4298.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsdCOPIK2eGU7DAbUinLjyENAQpLTkTLoF9r_LnJggBZgy1dkLwvfVshqe94zWsQX3pLkp3ds4nzOFcQoJSE_ccwUSBrZ59vPZYKgGtH_Ylk14DILvMEgcxdeh9JURoxaPv8QjPKey/s2048/IMG_4300.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsdCOPIK2eGU7DAbUinLjyENAQpLTkTLoF9r_LnJggBZgy1dkLwvfVshqe94zWsQX3pLkp3ds4nzOFcQoJSE_ccwUSBrZ59vPZYKgGtH_Ylk14DILvMEgcxdeh9JURoxaPv8QjPKey/s320/IMG_4300.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The weather was on the chillier side (40s-50s) for the majority of the race, and stayed nice and cool in the shadow of the buildings during the first half of the course. It wasn't until mile 7 or 8 where the sun really started to warm things up finally. Coincidentally, this is where I finally caught up with Jocelyn for a few miles! Running with a pal always makes these distances so much easier. We stuck together and chatted until about mile 10 or so.</div><div><br /></div><div>The half marathoners split from the full marathon right around mile 12.5. As you might know, my least favorite course design is when the half marathon splits from the full RIGHT before they finish - it's such a tease to the full marathoners! I guess I could let this one slide because we technically couldn't see the finish, but we could still hear it haha. As you were approaching this point in the race you could compete in the Garmin "Segment Challenge" which is about a 400m stretch where they'll time how fast you can run through that segment. The fastest runners would win a new Garmin Forerunner! I did not even attempt this challenge (lol) but it's a really cool idea and a great way for the title sponsor of the race to be well connected to the event. </div><div><br /></div><div>As I came up on the half way point, I saw the lead runner turning the corner toward their mile 26! It is so wild when you realize that these athletes are TWICE AS FAST as you. π³ I guess the tracking app was messing up because at this point my dad texted me and said it looked like I was already at 17.4 miles π I told him "I wish"! With a quick restart of the app he was able to see the accurate information, though, and it was nice to hear from him at that point in the race for a second wind! I also saw Cassie cheering me on as I came up on mile 14 for an additional boost of encouragement!</div><div><br /></div><div>I was still feeling pretty nauseous from the night before so this second half of the race was pretty tough. Luckily the hills flattened out slightly as we entered an out-and-back section of the course around mile 16. I really love out-and-backs because I love seeing and cheering on the other runners on the course, so this was great to distract me from how my stomach was feeling. There was also surprisingly a lot more crowd support on this section of the course than there was in the city. Quite a few neighbors were out cheering on the runners and the volunteers at the water stations had such great energy! I also put on my music at this point which of course made everything so much easier. Really between miles 17-21 I was having a grand old time. Probably the best I've ever felt during the third quarter of a marathon, even with the nausea! I also saw Jocelyn as she was approaching mile 19 and I had just hit 20. It was great to see a familiar face during the toughest section of the course!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJdNftlT_xzVtqIsxMLDFtZZLRnKzU-nvKI-jycEuI6BTYVokKR50_aglrL6zZA6UPv1IcD1TKHHlN4zwEiBA2JMrO39DoSbjQVP41Nnu12QtPxBOlceY5DDq7KZefnqNhmW6oBEQB/s2048/IMG_5177+%25281%2529.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJdNftlT_xzVtqIsxMLDFtZZLRnKzU-nvKI-jycEuI6BTYVokKR50_aglrL6zZA6UPv1IcD1TKHHlN4zwEiBA2JMrO39DoSbjQVP41Nnu12QtPxBOlceY5DDq7KZefnqNhmW6oBEQB/w480-h640/IMG_5177+%25281%2529.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Around 23 I saw a Ted Lasso "Believe" sign and it just lifted my spirits up so much! This was also a downhill section for the most part so I was flying (or at least I felt like I wasβ¦ I'm sure my splits say otherwise lol). Right after 24 I saw Cassie again for one more boost of encouragement before getting to the end. 25-26 was another great flat and downhill section and thenβ¦. </div><div><br /></div><div>26. </div><div><br /></div><div>An <b><i><u>UPHILL FINISH.</u></i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, after miles upon miles of nothing but hills, just to demoralize you a tiny bit further, the course gives you one last uphill at mile 26 to take you to the finish line. The runner I was closest to shared a look with me like "β¦.really?" </div><div><br /></div><div>Because REALLY?!</div><div><br /></div><div>I was pretty bummed about this because at this point my legs were so shot from the rest of the course that I had no other choice but to walk up the hill at the end of the race, and so many other runners around me were doing the same. I wasn't a fan of that choice for course design. I'm pretty sure the wind was taken out of everyone's sails as they turned the corner, which is a huge bummer.</div><div><br /></div><div>Either way, I got myself up that hill and into the finisher's shoot where Cassie was waiting to be paparazzi. After a day full of ups and downs (literally), I had finished state and marathon #16! We even got to see Jocelyn come across the finish line for her 96th (!!!!) marathon not long after I finished!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP1PCOAfvdmyTEr15gGnhdmPCo4EWGTnUhwLhUjf3tckTRJESBnNcfHH5bHW5GqCUAFQGRMejm0btSjD-3n3tH3HPzxiIOXJo5O9NGx3b_MyaM9A76tsgMw2sanYsdiLqwTkLSm7wu/s2048/IMG_5230.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP1PCOAfvdmyTEr15gGnhdmPCo4EWGTnUhwLhUjf3tckTRJESBnNcfHH5bHW5GqCUAFQGRMejm0btSjD-3n3tH3HPzxiIOXJo5O9NGx3b_MyaM9A76tsgMw2sanYsdiLqwTkLSm7wu/s320/IMG_5230.HEIC" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP7Wp4wU62XqvMB46-x343pbEQmhliUvzCy_ZOFoqV5OLObkGYkn0H8adaPJ6tdOgA9rlryhZ9gWb-rbO-RU-EAieaI56yD0bf8m3CiIK90AbLlFYNLPJaInhMI4FEHmQmRfX05ZkV/s2048/IMG_5238+%25282%2529.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP7Wp4wU62XqvMB46-x343pbEQmhliUvzCy_ZOFoqV5OLObkGYkn0H8adaPJ6tdOgA9rlryhZ9gWb-rbO-RU-EAieaI56yD0bf8m3CiIK90AbLlFYNLPJaInhMI4FEHmQmRfX05ZkV/s320/IMG_5238+%25282%2529.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj7g7qtf1oxUpm26aTzaXF3aHrRHDOQkVAbna8C_gNEr3Mi6Shizk5wScLSHZWHB8kjhyzg9Ur7y45hJ1j-fsGDNFBxBQdBluqQSCivqDZEQ3OMruNj1dgtWE64x7-7gai-2TkJ-Zd/s2048/IMG_5240+%25281%2529.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj7g7qtf1oxUpm26aTzaXF3aHrRHDOQkVAbna8C_gNEr3Mi6Shizk5wScLSHZWHB8kjhyzg9Ur7y45hJ1j-fsGDNFBxBQdBluqQSCivqDZEQ3OMruNj1dgtWE64x7-7gai-2TkJ-Zd/s320/IMG_5240+%25281%2529.HEIC" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0VdK5Tk8ltKwlJun46v4n3OLA24-fKsDKRoWC1P8DXz-kJUug1IFsgNUbBo6731tEfc4pHp4l6ZgbeGOau-PU93iQmLld-I4YgIVz2C4TtPujDII3tpQmxIz1j47E9LYVSJbUM7qB/s2048/IMG_4394.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0VdK5Tk8ltKwlJun46v4n3OLA24-fKsDKRoWC1P8DXz-kJUug1IFsgNUbBo6731tEfc4pHp4l6ZgbeGOau-PU93iQmLld-I4YgIVz2C4TtPujDII3tpQmxIz1j47E9LYVSJbUM7qB/s320/IMG_4394.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJYHAIN8tNpFVxiLytQPzTvbuTs60M9VojoOFwt0sdtr652NKNrAM_LHlaPhqRXq3cRn8xzgN2m8jGibsTCi9BsU3DwphAriunLF3Hafsyv3jdhVDH8BTnlcX6VkL1l0ZSNRs2T5K/s2048/IMG_4380.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJYHAIN8tNpFVxiLytQPzTvbuTs60M9VojoOFwt0sdtr652NKNrAM_LHlaPhqRXq3cRn8xzgN2m8jGibsTCi9BsU3DwphAriunLF3Hafsyv3jdhVDH8BTnlcX6VkL1l0ZSNRs2T5K/w480-h640/IMG_4380.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">RACE STATS</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Due to the hilliness of the course, my upset stomach, and this being the first of two days of marathons for me, I knew going into this race that I would not be breaking any speed records or shooting for anything like a sub-5 time. The name of the game over the weekend was getting across two finish lines regardless of how long it took! The elevation stats on this race are NUTS though π</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje6Xo5KY_gQOpOHvoPgC9c3nBkNkp_ocCYalPDhlpyunsXlOjVMLnpEol7thrYOo2q02A1vYuxfOs76SsK4g5bwJhc3nJ67Riz43dA0TPslhMOgLmIslpjv1LGPy_N6143c-Zkn__4/s1792/IMG_4401.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="828" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje6Xo5KY_gQOpOHvoPgC9c3nBkNkp_ocCYalPDhlpyunsXlOjVMLnpEol7thrYOo2q02A1vYuxfOs76SsK4g5bwJhc3nJ67Riz43dA0TPslhMOgLmIslpjv1LGPy_N6143c-Zkn__4/w185-h400/IMG_4401.PNG" width="185" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9u5xO5gWOfJpBbAywjR4bbuVcLXTVC4B8QfN3zBf4pMAqQc3zBGoxz6XfeluZjz3SUcSUOSZVw6Oi2wO3poSfXRIqXu1ZkE7fTMSiGwSDxucPw6zDn8irisl_7fzuCBTCFFXUiZBQ/s1792/IMG_4398.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="828" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9u5xO5gWOfJpBbAywjR4bbuVcLXTVC4B8QfN3zBf4pMAqQc3zBGoxz6XfeluZjz3SUcSUOSZVw6Oi2wO3poSfXRIqXu1ZkE7fTMSiGwSDxucPw6zDn8irisl_7fzuCBTCFFXUiZBQ/w185-h400/IMG_4398.PNG" width="185" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivyMFkYRrJIQYdoQ3aP8HjyHyS2MnJE7KApLVDamgbNGGeg1s4p9RYCoEh2y1tfYSBvsSvkdXbeNNfM940576afAdGSPZcJS1EHUqycqy8OpD1bUNSSLZCDUO-5HU07GJG0HTbGtzL/s828/IMG_4685.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="631" data-original-width="828" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivyMFkYRrJIQYdoQ3aP8HjyHyS2MnJE7KApLVDamgbNGGeg1s4p9RYCoEh2y1tfYSBvsSvkdXbeNNfM940576afAdGSPZcJS1EHUqycqy8OpD1bUNSSLZCDUO-5HU07GJG0HTbGtzL/w400-h305/IMG_4685.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><b>OFFICIAL RACE TIME:</b> 5:20:39</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">THE MEDAL</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>I'm still on the fence about how I feel about the medal for this race. Someone pointed out that it is the same medal they were offering last year for the virtual race which is an interesting observation. There isn't anything on the medal suggesting that it was specifically designed for the 2021 running of the Kansas City Marathon, which makes me a little bummed out. However, I do enjoy the light blue theming, the image of the blue fountain in KC, and I really love the medal ribbon. (My fave part is the "KC" inside the heart!) </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggKjvdcc2kY8ceobWXpNTXFCGyfZzreICgNkP9_0sQjOHQgzXsF8RI-djrHSuoRZ8BkRyqhKkmGSEcZVxCbVzrPQ2jnxpOawc8hI5MMZI0prVdbWUjYb1eipoiwunKYwfJbYJbWYa9/s1800/FE2BD713-5308-41EF-BD5F-01CC66EAC40F.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggKjvdcc2kY8ceobWXpNTXFCGyfZzreICgNkP9_0sQjOHQgzXsF8RI-djrHSuoRZ8BkRyqhKkmGSEcZVxCbVzrPQ2jnxpOawc8hI5MMZI0prVdbWUjYb1eipoiwunKYwfJbYJbWYa9/w512-h640/FE2BD713-5308-41EF-BD5F-01CC66EAC40F.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">OVERALL THOUGHTS </span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>The Kansas City Marathon is definitely one of the most challenging marathons I've run to date. The elevation and terrain is unforgiving and it will definitely 100% trash your legs if you aren't prepared for it. While the organizers can't really help the terrain of the city, I think they could rework the route to make it somewhat more of enjoyable experience for runners, or have at least figured something out about that uphill finish.</div><div><br /></div><div>There were a few course issues we observed as well. The way it was marked was a little confusing when it came to where you were supposed to turn, which side you were supposed to run on, etc. Jocelyn also observed that while there were flags for "First Aid" on the course, there were zero folks staffed (so essentially no med stations anywhere which isβ¦. a choice for an athletic event.</div><div><br /></div><div>However, the race organizers were great, all of the volunteers were well informed and helpful, there are beautiful views of the city throughout the course, and if you're a spectator, there are LOTS of places for you to see your runner. I feel like I saw a lot of groups of spectators multiple times!</div><div><br /></div><div>While I'm glad I finished the Kansas City Marathon on Saturday, I don't think I would necessarily run this race again. I think it has a lot of potential to grow into something fantastic with some tweaking of a few points, but for now I'd only really recommend this to runners who really love hills. I'm sure they're out there somewhere, lol!</div></div>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116982228825892049noreply@blogger.com0Kansas City, MO, USA39.0997265 -94.578566710.789492663821157 -129.7348167 67.409960336178841 -59.422316699999996tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1916871150499748468.post-32955173310600271642021-10-07T08:00:00.001-04:002021-10-07T08:00:00.224-04:00π₯TBR In & Outπ€ // August & September 2021<p style="text-align: left;">Slowly but surely making progress on getting my TBR down! The last two months were not the best for finishing books or finding time to read, but despite that I still managed to read more than I acquired which is what we want to aim for. I unhauled an additional book as well, as the author had recently released a book with some serious biphobic themes throughout. As the book is more of a self-help novel, taking advice from someone who is publishing and profiting off of biophobic rhetoric is not exactly the kind of person I want to be taking advice from if I'm being honest!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">TBR # ON AUGUST 1, 2021</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">120</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">BOOKS ACQUIRED</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">+6</span></span></b></span></div><span style="text-align: center;"><span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: center;"><u style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50308712-the-city-we-became" target="_blank">The City We Became</a></u><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> by N.K. Jemisin</span></div><u style="background-color: white;"><div style="text-align: center;"><u style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32301955-my-best-friend-s-exorcism" target="_blank">My Best Friend's Exorcism</a></u><span style="font-family: inherit;"> by Grady Hendrix</span></div></u><u style="background-color: white;"><div style="text-align: center;"><u style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53138161-tweet-cute" target="_blank">Tweet Cute</a></u><span style="font-family: inherit;"> by Emma Lord</span></div></u><u style="background-color: white;"><div style="text-align: center;"><u style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36692478-there-there" target="_blank">There There</a></u><span style="font-family: inherit;"> by Tommy Orange</span></div></u></span></span></span><u style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><u style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40683413-solitaire" target="_blank">Solitaire</a></u><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"> by Alice Oseman</span></span></div></u><u style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><u style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54294206-this-winter" target="_blank">This Winter</a></u><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> by Alice Oseman</span></div></u><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">OWNED TBR BOOKS READ</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">-8</span></b></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50175239-burn" target="_blank">Burn</a></u> by Patrick Ness</div><u><div style="text-align: center;"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51824384-act-your-age-eve-brown" target="_blank">Act Your Age, Eve Brown</a></u> by Talia Hibbert</div></u><u><div style="text-align: center;"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56355508-what-we-carry" target="_blank">What We Carry</a></u> by Maya Shanbhag Lang</div></u><u><div style="text-align: center;"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54452439-head-over-heels" target="_blank">Head Over Heels</a></u> by Hannah Orenstein</div></u><u><div style="text-align: center;"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38214048-rabbit-robot" target="_blank">Rabbit & Robot</a></u> by Andrew Smith</div></u><u><div style="text-align: center;"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50308712-the-city-we-became" target="_blank">The City We Became</a></u> by N.K. Jemisin</div></u><u><div style="text-align: center;"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49438663-nick-and-charlie" target="_blank">Nick and Charlie</a></u> by Alice Oseman</div></u><u><div style="text-align: center;"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49090460-the-surprising-power-of-a-good-dumpling" target="_blank">The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling</a></u> by Wai Chim</div></u><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div style="text-align: center;">OWNED TBR BOOKS UNHAULED</div><span style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">-1</span></b></div><span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: center;"><u style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15843166-you-are-a-badass" target="_blank">You Are a Badass</a></u><span style="font-family: inherit;"> by Jen Sincero</span></div></span></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">TBR # ON OCTOBER 1, 2021</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">117</span></b></span></div><p></p>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116982228825892049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1916871150499748468.post-57478020653449357832021-10-05T15:00:00.002-04:002021-10-05T15:00:00.185-04:00Monthly Reading Wrap Up π August & September 2021<p> Hello, folks! Happy October π I feel like I start every post these days with "it's been a while..." but it certainly has been! The last two months were not great reading wise because they've been oh so busy with work and marathon training. I only managed to finish 9 books in August and September, which is so wild to think that I was reading about that much in one month not too long ago! On the bright side, life feels much more balanced than it has in months past and for that I am so happy. Anywho, here's what I've been reading over the last two months -- lots of 4 star reads so things have been enjoyable, but it's been a while since I've found a 5 star in the wild. I'm craving something fantastic!!!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioS-mgXgQ3y-Loo8xHhfJeWS8VvCt9-Jst1Z3q-1-kxQdMWi-CjtiwVbApiOShugtS2Zj81vnYo3xH9mXZAs6oH5vKftvkFTK37GVa5-dmG1lXk1sr3aJfsNiAPnqV8BFL90JMKIyd/s475/burn.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioS-mgXgQ3y-Loo8xHhfJeWS8VvCt9-Jst1Z3q-1-kxQdMWi-CjtiwVbApiOShugtS2Zj81vnYo3xH9mXZAs6oH5vKftvkFTK37GVa5-dmG1lXk1sr3aJfsNiAPnqV8BFL90JMKIyd/w265-h400/burn.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50175239-burn" style="color: #8c52ff; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Burn</a></u> by Patrick Ness<br />4/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>371</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre:</b> Fantasy</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2020</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age Group: </b>Young Adult</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMZDrgPi9QG_bf3zN8Q9_WFlsbXLWFY0NPFemu4Nf3-Ov4Ny0HQB1aMAgGh5HhB5EwHFtSnycwwdjScnkKopKFSH5eSPOVwfUwEUHtH3sc5hp4S4pdOobR0xRW1sXgLiY-4gmiRu2o/s400/evebrown.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="266" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMZDrgPi9QG_bf3zN8Q9_WFlsbXLWFY0NPFemu4Nf3-Ov4Ny0HQB1aMAgGh5HhB5EwHFtSnycwwdjScnkKopKFSH5eSPOVwfUwEUHtH3sc5hp4S4pdOobR0xRW1sXgLiY-4gmiRu2o/w266-h400/evebrown.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51824384-act-your-age-eve-brown" style="color: #8c52ff; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Act Your Age, Eve Brown</a></u> by Talia Hibbert</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The Brown Sisters #3</i><br /><b>4/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>377</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre: </b>Contemporary</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2021</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age: </b>Adult</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDE1av9QX5VQF4WpvtQEiAY-BpgORU2xfj9OsAH4Vd3ESgSce9V4aOf0B1NOldAJM7b6m9Pmiq3bLTnsrPMEJnHHUTO8qjkTx57la7roX2om4fO_nBDIPKU3_GxM5ZXUQKdSPyJBGK/s400/whatwecarry.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="259" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDE1av9QX5VQF4WpvtQEiAY-BpgORU2xfj9OsAH4Vd3ESgSce9V4aOf0B1NOldAJM7b6m9Pmiq3bLTnsrPMEJnHHUTO8qjkTx57la7roX2om4fO_nBDIPKU3_GxM5ZXUQKdSPyJBGK/w259-h400/whatwecarry.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56355508-what-we-carry" style="color: #8c52ff; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">What We Carry</a></u> by Maya Shanbhag Lang</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>4/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>304</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre: </b>Memoir</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2020</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age: </b>Other</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg5uBfk5C0J05SCh40v63z82-LzW6ECQEnFFvMlPB63sXlXBFc2WdZZ7Ri8gp7cgmW27rzam_3CFC0otSDMWqz50PckARCK8Ma966Al1gCaR-F1eCbpdcoO_wpWRtPSI_d5VY0-dYq/s2048/headoverheels.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1345" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg5uBfk5C0J05SCh40v63z82-LzW6ECQEnFFvMlPB63sXlXBFc2WdZZ7Ri8gp7cgmW27rzam_3CFC0otSDMWqz50PckARCK8Ma966Al1gCaR-F1eCbpdcoO_wpWRtPSI_d5VY0-dYq/w263-h400/headoverheels.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54452439-head-over-heels" style="color: #8c52ff; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Head Over Heels</a></u> by Hannah Orenstein</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>4/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>326</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre: </b>Contemporary</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2020</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age: </b>Adult </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzjjtZGqwAgTLEuTsUeEcFInvRuzE8fWboRFKIoqtr59W7NOlMkgTueolhIf-xyNeYKWSegj7Eme49UOzR597irVlBsUuNCkVREZ8J0Tfj_1UezOVwylR3kx_xz0Ux5CTRwISfZLL1/s475/rabbitandrobot.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzjjtZGqwAgTLEuTsUeEcFInvRuzE8fWboRFKIoqtr59W7NOlMkgTueolhIf-xyNeYKWSegj7Eme49UOzR597irVlBsUuNCkVREZ8J0Tfj_1UezOVwylR3kx_xz0Ux5CTRwISfZLL1/w265-h400/rabbitandrobot.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38214048-rabbit-robot" style="color: #8c52ff; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Rabbit & Robot</a></u> by Andrew Smith</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>4/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>438</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre: </b>Science Fiction</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2018</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age: </b>Young<b> </b>Adult </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">AUGUST READING TOTALS</span></b></div><div style="font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div><b>Total Books:</b> 5</div><div><b>Total Pages</b>: 1,816</div><div><b>Owned TBR Books Read:</b> 5</div><div><b>New-to-me reads: </b>5</div><div style="font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">GENRE STATS</span></b></div><div style="font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div><b>Contemporary:</b> 2</div><div><b>Fantasy:</b> 1<br /><b>Memoir:</b> 1</div><div><b>Science Fiction:</b> 1</div><div style="font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">BOOK FORMAT STATS</span></b></div><div style="font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div><b>Physical: </b>5</div><div style="font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">AGE GROUP STATS</span></b></div><div style="font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div><b>Adult: </b>2</div><div><b>Young Adult: </b>2<br /><b>Other:</b> 1</div><div style="font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">PUBLICATION DATE STATS</span></b></div><div style="font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div><b>2010-2019:</b> 1</div><div><b>2020-2021: </b>4</div><div><b style="font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b><b><span style="font-size: large;">RATING STATS</span></b><br /><b><br /></b><b>5 Stars: </b>0<br /><b>4 Stars:</b> 5<br /><b>3 Stars: </b>0<br /><b>2 Stars: </b>0<br /><b>1 Star: </b>0</div></span></div></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-11XZs70mvmZefWXd4GWBnw7EP7gwTYbMd7_l3vrXb40z3zPMSSHBessGLkNUHcvD2-SOtA2aPhzQHzdBvpapJKHxVzBULO8-m0SupYN1oBbdWFLnEg5YTdKc3nTi3-867JvICeQj/s400/thecitywebecame.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="257" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-11XZs70mvmZefWXd4GWBnw7EP7gwTYbMd7_l3vrXb40z3zPMSSHBessGLkNUHcvD2-SOtA2aPhzQHzdBvpapJKHxVzBULO8-m0SupYN1oBbdWFLnEg5YTdKc3nTi3-867JvICeQj/w258-h400/thecitywebecame.jpg" width="258" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50308712-the-city-we-became" target="_blank">The City We Became</a></u> by N.K. Jemisin</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>2/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>480</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre: </b>Fantasy</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2020</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age: </b>Adult </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK9JohnLLlTVBnbxEEkkUX-7nUvlmrqVd5W04iy5i5GekCYtmu6vaPxCUMrLuJD3kh4-GvRU0LFsEsFRBJJoPDYDLkPDcWewPK-qapoWTozMW9VrRq-z6gVWOQSsg97QhH56az01Pc/s398/nickandcharlie.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="260" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK9JohnLLlTVBnbxEEkkUX-7nUvlmrqVd5W04iy5i5GekCYtmu6vaPxCUMrLuJD3kh4-GvRU0LFsEsFRBJJoPDYDLkPDcWewPK-qapoWTozMW9VrRq-z6gVWOQSsg97QhH56az01Pc/s320/nickandcharlie.jpg" width="209" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49438663-nick-and-charlie" target="_blank">Nick & Charlie</a></u> by Alice Oseman</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>4/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>159</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre: </b>Contemporary</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2020</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age: </b>Young<b> </b>Adult </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguvZKVWBSa8cMfjARwK1rQlARKU6ZN_qiTE2UApWXAWMfBm_yGuwnEAunJj8LPC8snBwvt3L-MIYA_ZF9o1IlJ1n_EP5Slxp9uG4GCQJlg5LKS1xYVp03_bSrwHAZXS3NIuZ2yMi0b/s1500/dumpling.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguvZKVWBSa8cMfjARwK1rQlARKU6ZN_qiTE2UApWXAWMfBm_yGuwnEAunJj8LPC8snBwvt3L-MIYA_ZF9o1IlJ1n_EP5Slxp9uG4GCQJlg5LKS1xYVp03_bSrwHAZXS3NIuZ2yMi0b/s320/dumpling.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49090460-the-surprising-power-of-a-good-dumpling" target="_blank">The Suprising Power of a Good Dumpling</a></u> by Wai Chim</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>4/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>336</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre: </b>Contemporary</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2020</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age: </b>Young<b> </b>Adult </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDvLl5gOQCe2gYgee_lZkdR3uiL1Xr2j2Eeu7h5yRRY8pCgV5qHlNfxKPs46gFQKHDp8ce22_lTwvUNrGWRf-asOn773QVv4_j1mbi_ydRQgWAwMStL3M_4kVw9GjI4coStxnq-oGN/s475/bravey.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDvLl5gOQCe2gYgee_lZkdR3uiL1Xr2j2Eeu7h5yRRY8pCgV5qHlNfxKPs46gFQKHDp8ce22_lTwvUNrGWRf-asOn773QVv4_j1mbi_ydRQgWAwMStL3M_4kVw9GjI4coStxnq-oGN/s320/bravey.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52321511-bravey" target="_blank">Bravey</a></u> by Andrew Smith</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>4/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>310</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre: </b>Memoir</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2021</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age: </b>Other</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Audiobook (Library)</span></div></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">SEPTEMBER READING TOTALS</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white;"><b>Total Books:</b> 4</div><div style="background-color: white;"><b>Total Pages</b>: 1,285</div><div style="background-color: white;"><b>Owned TBR Books Read:</b> 3</div><div style="background-color: white;"><b>New-to-me reads: </b>4</div><div style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">GENRE STATS</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white;"><b>Contemporary:</b> 2</div><div style="background-color: white;"><b>Fantasy:</b> 1<br /><b>Memoir:</b> 1</div><div style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">BOOK FORMAT STATS</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white;"><b>Audiobook (Library):</b> 1</div><div style="background-color: white;"><b>Physical: </b>3</div><div style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">AGE GROUP STATS</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white;"><b>Adult: </b>1</div><div style="background-color: white;"><b>Young Adult: </b>2<br /><b>Other:</b> 1</div><div style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">PUBLICATION DATE STATS</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white;"><b>2020-2021: </b>4</div><div style="background-color: white;"><b style="font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b><span style="font-size: large;"><b>RATING STATS</b><br /></span><b style="font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></b><b>5 Stars: </b>0<br /><b>4 Stars:</b> 3<br /><b>3 Stars: </b>0<br /><b>2 Stars: </b>1<br /><b>1 Star: </b>0</div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><p></p>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116982228825892049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1916871150499748468.post-62882377970224214692021-08-14T17:06:00.001-04:002021-08-14T17:56:31.515-04:00Race Review: Carmel Marathon 2021 ποΈ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ8iYszDhIliQ7_sWrAsdHYG4epyvrkvzCqQzgeW783fvYkeu9nNZSVM4UjcxJUlSY6oa8xAY7raASCcndCtEd93oCAp5YoVjTqGJqTg8pq9cHDSXvo0GP-9YKxz3Bzo0Tkg8g9dFF/s1500/Carmel.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ8iYszDhIliQ7_sWrAsdHYG4epyvrkvzCqQzgeW783fvYkeu9nNZSVM4UjcxJUlSY6oa8xAY7raASCcndCtEd93oCAp5YoVjTqGJqTg8pq9cHDSXvo0GP-9YKxz3Bzo0Tkg8g9dFF/w426-h640/Carmel.png" width="426" /></a></div><p>Y'all.... please forgive me π
The Carmel Marathon was literally <b>4 MONTHS AGO</b> and I still haven't posted (or.. ya know... WRITTEN) my race review.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigFpVvXSGvKAWBMqw6ZUYH65im1IlNDy4Q-8ky8GkfUfWCTaNEHtVB-kLBQhoFLBbuXiTDS2J3widR0PprD_2SUWF9F1Hr3MzwhC7E9s_hTbPfXq4ueorhJI4Lw1pvPro6Ep4heLQ4/s200/200w.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="200" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigFpVvXSGvKAWBMqw6ZUYH65im1IlNDy4Q-8ky8GkfUfWCTaNEHtVB-kLBQhoFLBbuXiTDS2J3widR0PprD_2SUWF9F1Hr3MzwhC7E9s_hTbPfXq4ueorhJI4Lw1pvPro6Ep4heLQ4/w400-h300/200w.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">I KNOW! I'M SORRY!</span><br />Better late then never I guess?</b></div><div><br /></div>I'm not really sure what happened there. I could probably give you a list of excuses, but let's just skip that part and dive into the review instead. That's why you're here, right? If you'd like to see a vlog of my experience, I *did* actually post that within a reasonable timeframe and you can find it <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgIoys9S_nA" target="_blank">here</a> or at the bottom of this post (if you don't want to open a new tab π).<div><br /></div><div>You may or may not know this, but the Carmel Marathon was a relatively last-minute decision on my end. I was originally supposed to run the Milwaukee Marathon on April 10th but that was cancelled due to COVID. It's been really tough to find marathons that were running in person over the last year and a half (for obvious reasons) and I had been itching to run another 26.2 and continue my quest for 50 marathons in 50 states, so the Milwaukee Marathon announcing its cancellation half way through my training cycle had me quite devastated. (Btw... Milwaukee still has not been officially rescheduled... ππ€·) So after a search through the internet for a marathon that would be guaranteed to be live AND in a state I had not completed before, I came across the Carmel Marathon in Carmel, Indiana, happening the weekend before I was scheduled to head out to Wisconsin. It was going to be in-person, it was in a state I hadn't run in before, AND it aligned well with the training I was already doing, so I registered, booked my travel, took time off work, and prepped myself to head out to the Hoosier State! βοΈ</div><div><br /></div><div>I have been to Indiana and the Indianapolis area in the past, so I was perfectly okay with this being a business trip. I was still on the quest to running a sub-5 marathon and that was my sole focus on this trip. If I could spend time exploring, great! But all I really wanted was to see the 4 at the beginning of my finish time for the very first time. In my mind this was not primarily intended to be a runcation, so I was perfectly happy to venture to the midwest solo, and the day before the race I did exactly that! Brett dropped me off and I was on my way to Indy.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbow7slIOv3OLiVZBjYJFIdmW-CXoioa45OkZQbEYxkZY60KM47BDuEDTQU14mlN4_nM9Z-tE-2qqnzQUIsL5vUPqMluLx6EiYzDVKMUZBp8zFHCXhJEUL8nJzQO5cLNBrzlYm3W2d/s2048/IMG_9367.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbow7slIOv3OLiVZBjYJFIdmW-CXoioa45OkZQbEYxkZY60KM47BDuEDTQU14mlN4_nM9Z-tE-2qqnzQUIsL5vUPqMluLx6EiYzDVKMUZBp8zFHCXhJEUL8nJzQO5cLNBrzlYm3W2d/w640-h480/IMG_9367.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Indy cars at the airport!</span></i></div><div><br /></div><div>I arrived to Indianapolis in the mid-morning, rented a car, and made my way to Carmel which is about 30 minutes north of the city. I had some time to kill before the expo started so I went and grabbed an early lunch nearby and got my bearings of the area. Carmel is such a cute little city and I absolutely loved walking around with my coffee and taking in the sights of the city center. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizVZuoXVL2zx8HokbQP1WpeT8CMQgyXHXs0yvZ74MN7egwHMgJ0v3fGyL8taMc_b2ErieCy-hixvd6Cp30Aq1t0vkz6FgiO3p_lEeeX1-7IET6XP8gWHtVldnueCE2eY-8SnnaAWBb/s2048/IMG_9379.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizVZuoXVL2zx8HokbQP1WpeT8CMQgyXHXs0yvZ74MN7egwHMgJ0v3fGyL8taMc_b2ErieCy-hixvd6Cp30Aq1t0vkz6FgiO3p_lEeeX1-7IET6XP8gWHtVldnueCE2eY-8SnnaAWBb/w640-h480/IMG_9379.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVzwF0DDbN6svlTbutMLYIdDcALD4Dy294ukh41WYWvFnlmZiVPZ43BTzbLaiXzBH8TMtWkExG8CM0U4Tz74LvO7MzRD1oCRqgKR4c7V73zTokwoww0j7-wJyehvlERiL1qg3NIWm_/s2048/IMG_9374.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVzwF0DDbN6svlTbutMLYIdDcALD4Dy294ukh41WYWvFnlmZiVPZ43BTzbLaiXzBH8TMtWkExG8CM0U4Tz74LvO7MzRD1oCRqgKR4c7V73zTokwoww0j7-wJyehvlERiL1qg3NIWm_/w480-h640/IMG_9374.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>I could not get over the fact that there was a Pawnee Road near the city center </i><span style="text-align: left;">π±ββοΈ</span><span style="text-align: left;">π΄</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div>The expo was completely outdoors which I really appreciated. At this point in time, COVID vaccines weren't yet that widely accessible and so attending this event was inherently quite risky, so I really appreciate that the organizers of this event were taking steps to make the event as safe as possible, having an outdoor expo being one of those steps. The expo itself was super easy to navigate as it was all on one green space, and a couple dozen vendors, and of course an area to pick up your bib and shirt. My only complaint about the set up of this expo was that all of the booths were facing inward in a circle (that wasn't that large), so everyone who was attending the expo had to all be in the same area in really close proximity. I think it would have made things a bit safer if the booths were facing outward and lines could have spread out a bit more.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitN32uTZXqHQ-LRuGXvRpPKK1BK5OWgvu5gug_jB_z2_nDc_8CGiOI5G_6tOuc8KE3QISgEwR0U7-RltT_YSevSoTBgC5rOpfbmsbwUnrQrvbYzUFIJ-JfpF0UBRqOqsDW7SGn_r2H/s2048/IMG_9387.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitN32uTZXqHQ-LRuGXvRpPKK1BK5OWgvu5gug_jB_z2_nDc_8CGiOI5G_6tOuc8KE3QISgEwR0U7-RltT_YSevSoTBgC5rOpfbmsbwUnrQrvbYzUFIJ-JfpF0UBRqOqsDW7SGn_r2H/w480-h640/IMG_9387.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixGqgxpPFCNiZaMImDK8vPmzLLsGLqUHWIdyVTjYxuk0A1LLrZ4PiY1vEqOOM9bxWf91UJrKvUrFUPpWCBdY5jT4_wUbCwZXb8DUkdPb63qZ7A3usD5UvEIvSPXNtyfWqmeTdX79ED/s2048/IMG_9392.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixGqgxpPFCNiZaMImDK8vPmzLLsGLqUHWIdyVTjYxuk0A1LLrZ4PiY1vEqOOM9bxWf91UJrKvUrFUPpWCBdY5jT4_wUbCwZXb8DUkdPb63qZ7A3usD5UvEIvSPXNtyfWqmeTdX79ED/w640-h480/IMG_9392.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>After picking up my bib, shirt, and purchasing a souvenir race shirt that had all the participants names on it (so cool!), I headed back to my car. Unfortunately upon arriving to my car I noticed that they gave me a <i>half marathon</i> shirt instead of the full marathon shirt. Luckily I noticed it before I drove to my AirBnB, wasn't that far from the expo, and was able to go right back to the booth to exchange it. They were super kind and apologetic and exchanged it right away for me! I know things get crazy for the volunteers of these events so no harm no foul there, and I appreciate them exchanging the shirt for me!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrjt1ogQhcXyTUJawSon-b0NkPimBks2HZkZGS7qvcjo_suuQdZExbA1Al3YhrtCEJ-bY26E2H4mfqfeMbbh-ovSQWjJpIXEGzKuVfZLyJ0AuYoGPfRRAeWJIZx9Uy1exiZVXu36EV/s2048/RODI2011.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrjt1ogQhcXyTUJawSon-b0NkPimBks2HZkZGS7qvcjo_suuQdZExbA1Al3YhrtCEJ-bY26E2H4mfqfeMbbh-ovSQWjJpIXEGzKuVfZLyJ0AuYoGPfRRAeWJIZx9Uy1exiZVXu36EV/w480-h640/RODI2011.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>After the expo I headed back to my AirBnB for the evening as I wanted to get a solid night of rest before the big day. I did a quick 2 mile shakeout run, ordered in some fish tacos, and got to bed relatively early. Traveling solo for these trips does have some perks in the sense that you're 100% on your own schedule, which is nice! All I wanted to do was get my mind right for the morning and get some much needed sleep after a long day of travel. (But of course, not before laying out my #flatrunner!)</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHrWl_D5MijWDHZlTgIybmRe3659mNOHghPQUu-6tB8BvN9xluM9ATnZ_KJ1ojt-URcBQetC_9cajfmAocI_LQt8HgvWIzGYdMn1wmdjBum4WCVk4xUAZmZ1TA2OQwLDk65spk6Up6/s2048/IMG_9432.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHrWl_D5MijWDHZlTgIybmRe3659mNOHghPQUu-6tB8BvN9xluM9ATnZ_KJ1ojt-URcBQetC_9cajfmAocI_LQt8HgvWIzGYdMn1wmdjBum4WCVk4xUAZmZ1TA2OQwLDk65spk6Up6/s320/IMG_9432.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAq0HzY_7BbMK6JFoFm3BeRXT_vedVflpL9OpNH7MwoBpEmDK3NvwSDDltA10bCNbxGFvMPtoOqSxTw7GHr800Zoq0bWb2veZ6n65XcWKe49Tu0CbxOkBQcX-uagMUM8l0AAVf1IHU/s2048/IMG_9444.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAq0HzY_7BbMK6JFoFm3BeRXT_vedVflpL9OpNH7MwoBpEmDK3NvwSDDltA10bCNbxGFvMPtoOqSxTw7GHr800Zoq0bWb2veZ6n65XcWKe49Tu0CbxOkBQcX-uagMUM8l0AAVf1IHU/s320/IMG_9444.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">2 mile shake out after a long day of travel!</span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqqJ7lDheC1xzOKIbPIQpYoDHXQWOiejMs7P7pdmxnxlhyphenhypheneHj82BQHeXTpcPmRYQ8jXt642EPg9uh3v6cFR0RUVrY_ZMWi4nuB9APj-AdCov0w5dxFvaDRiy21HIjygzlY4F-o-KDd/s2048/EXYR1636.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqqJ7lDheC1xzOKIbPIQpYoDHXQWOiejMs7P7pdmxnxlhyphenhypheneHj82BQHeXTpcPmRYQ8jXt642EPg9uh3v6cFR0RUVrY_ZMWi4nuB9APj-AdCov0w5dxFvaDRiy21HIjygzlY4F-o-KDd/w640-h640/EXYR1636.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Official flat runner for marathon & state #15!</span></i></div><div><br /></div><div>Race morning came quickly, as it always does. After getting up, getting dressed, and making myself some breakfast to go, I got in the car and headed up to Carmel. I had my usual pre-race butterflies (I swear marathons will never not be scary), and I think I was extra nervous because of my ultimate goal of running sub-5. This would be my third attempt at this goal and I had worked so hard over the last year to improve my running. I know I had grown as a runner during the pandemic, but I really had no idea how that would translate to the race. I was NERVOUS, y'all. When the time approached I headed down to the start area and did a bit of a warm up and stretch before heading to the start line.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQdiuAL313693tnc-q2T_wOiH4x65D9y-Yvs9Ss_PkwLt-iugcpc1Bu2B2uiBrjuFnT0_6X6Kfwz-JQvSupGiYbwrcRZgP1BxQC5Jfql01n4S8o_-YLblfvDgrGhlAm_MR03k94-C-/s3088/IMG_9466.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQdiuAL313693tnc-q2T_wOiH4x65D9y-Yvs9Ss_PkwLt-iugcpc1Bu2B2uiBrjuFnT0_6X6Kfwz-JQvSupGiYbwrcRZgP1BxQC5Jfql01n4S8o_-YLblfvDgrGhlAm_MR03k94-C-/w480-h640/IMG_9466.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Waiting in the start area was another part of the event I was rather uncomfortable. While the race guidelines clearly said to wear masks when waiting for the start, there was <i>a lot</i> of crowding, and not a lot of methods in place to help mitigate that issue. I did my best to stay far away from everyone else, but YIKES. That was nerve-wracking. I know that it's hard to enforce rules on a large crowd, but if you're hosting this event during the pandemic when you know that it's risky, at least put forth more of an effort to spread the runners and spectators out. I was a little disappointed by how the start line operated in terms of COVID safety.</div><div><br /></div><div>The morning was beautiful (though a <i>little</i> chilly) and it was looking like a perfect day for a long run. Before I knew it we were off and I was running marathon #15!</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYx6sl55WZVkGZYB2DE0J7duxPiLr8QWZci_E-PcdkXNmeszFwjfElsurz8paH1UMe5N_S2iLKapk7eDxVvpC5UZoe8ZOlEQ9QubYE1TNeoKHedd5emO7eLR7ZheGw5auitim4yBH-/s2048/IMG_9467.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYx6sl55WZVkGZYB2DE0J7duxPiLr8QWZci_E-PcdkXNmeszFwjfElsurz8paH1UMe5N_S2iLKapk7eDxVvpC5UZoe8ZOlEQ9QubYE1TNeoKHedd5emO7eLR7ZheGw5auitim4yBH-/w640-h480/IMG_9467.JPG" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>This race honestly could not have gone any better. The weather was perfect (sunny and cool, some headwinds here and there but nothing too terrible), the course was relatively flat, the support from volunteers and spectators was so great, and I was just feeling so good through the entire run. For the first half of the race I had to really remind myself constantly to sloooooooooow dooooooown. I was aiming to land around 10:30-11:00 paces for the first portion of the race to give myself a little bit of a cushion for the sub-5 for when I was tired in the later miles. However, every time I looked down at my watch I was moving a bit on the fast side. I think I was excited to be racing a marathon for the first time in over a year!</div><div><br /></div><div>I really enjoyed the course, even though it had the feature of marathon courses that is my <i>least favorite</i> - it loops back to the finish line at the half way mark and marathoners continue on while half marathoners get to finish π I've run several races where this is the course makeup and I'm always so jealous of the half marathoners when I run by π The funny thing about this day is that I was crossing the half way point the person who won the entire marathon was crossing the finish line. The guy was literally twice as fast as me! π</div><div><br /></div><div>Other than that feature, I really enjoyed the course. The first half took you through one part of Carmel and then second half took you through the other side, always meeting in the city center. There was plenty of course support in terms of water stops which I appreciated, although I opted to hydrate with my hydration pack for the majority of the race (COVID and whatnot, y'know). There was also quite a few spectators out and about -- not massive crowds but enough folks to make it feel like we were somewhat back to normal!</div><div><br /></div><div>The second half of the race is where things began to get challenging (as it does with the marathon). I actually didn't turn on my music until mile 14 which really helped me continue pushing through the later miles. I think the most difficult miles for me during this race were 16-19ish. For whatever reason, I was able to find another burst of energy as I entered into mile 20 and beyond. I think keeping an eye on the time and realizing that with every passing mile I was getting closer and closer to achieving a sub-5! I was actually dancing to my music around miles 21 & 22... fairly certain the other runners around me thought I was nuts π
</div><div><br /></div><div>When I got to mile 23 I had the realization that I was so far ahead of my pace that I knew -- barring disaster -- I was going to hit my sub-5 goal. The question was by how much was I going to reach my goal? I still wanted to push to see how much of a PR I could achieve - I didn't want let off the gas! Mile 24 and 25 I was definitely pushing but alternating between walking and running quite a bit (my legs were quite sore at this point). Once you hit the mile 26 marker you have a bit of an uphill then a fast downhill finish and as soon as I turned the corner to go down hill I gave it everything I had across the finish line and...</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjypRwvllyGJUP6J-o9q1qH6h3RFtbpb0disJGT6rdCK8g_GKDs6UGJ41pu8a7ixnA3cXW-EVdtGgJfDXJ_2YsHDINqCBqDHZLzdh96QdOuiO_q9a17bINp_Uxz_k6NbKB6tFo9Fb7g/s2048/IMG_9472.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjypRwvllyGJUP6J-o9q1qH6h3RFtbpb0disJGT6rdCK8g_GKDs6UGJ41pu8a7ixnA3cXW-EVdtGgJfDXJ_2YsHDINqCBqDHZLzdh96QdOuiO_q9a17bINp_Uxz_k6NbKB6tFo9Fb7g/w480-h640/IMG_9472.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">SUB-5 ACHIEVED<br />4:39:48!!!!!!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A nearly 25 minute marathon PR and a huge goal that I had been chasing for a year and a half finally achieved. There was 100% some happy tears at the finish line of this race. I had worked so hard to improve my running, and all I could think of was the many months of showing up for myself that went into this. I was reflecting on how I felt at the Newport Marathon in October 2019 when I had that "I'm never feeling like this at a finish line <i>ever again</i>" moment that launched my quest for a sub-5 marathon, and wondering what that version of myself could have said if she saw me in that moment. I was so so so so SO stinking proud of myself in that moment, and it's a feeling I will truly never forget. I am so thankful that I had a race like that, and knowing that my hard work paid off. It was an unreal feeling.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Once I was able to gather myself and find a place to sit nearby the finish line, I called Brett and my parents to share the news (they were all following along on my Garmin LiveTrack and cheering me on via text throughout the race!) and just bask in my accomplishment. I rested my legs for a bit and then treated myself to a lunch of beer and mac n' cheese at a local brewery which honestly hit the spot SO HARD. If you ever to the Carmel Marathon in the future, I definitely recommend giving the Upland Brewing Co. a try at the end of your race! <b>SO DELICIOUS! π€€πΊ</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcrpGda5BRFWbvV8uLIKF9n9oIY0QaIOr6Y0yuQeDC9LDyQ-kVDwTqKmb09BvUnC9e1h904tKcxOvzWZpZU-x7WPI9QnciaerUJUgR5em4r3XuZCPL3TgYIe-dIl-muNxKxOMjNvV-/s2048/IMG_9492.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcrpGda5BRFWbvV8uLIKF9n9oIY0QaIOr6Y0yuQeDC9LDyQ-kVDwTqKmb09BvUnC9e1h904tKcxOvzWZpZU-x7WPI9QnciaerUJUgR5em4r3XuZCPL3TgYIe-dIl-muNxKxOMjNvV-/w480-h640/IMG_9492.JPG" width="480" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Overall, I had a really wonderful experience at the Carmel Marathon. There were some places that I think they could have improved when it came to COVID safety, but hopefully in future years COVID won't be a factor for them to have to worry about. That aside, the course was beautiful and easy to race, the race staff and volunteers were all so lovely, and the overall experience from expo to finish line was top notch. Oh, and did I mention the medal? Because it is HUGE.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNTemXkfsPAFF3zzsuAfZUrtzxcC7iAQK9UVVfVbww_FyPyH6WAcIM_NLmJQYLPEGbeah__LpmvxuIyTOHtAoOWyVsl1jIOtKkG6Pzn81Txk0b2Uhac4ABFXk9LG7UMhvmAoQatGQe/s2048/IMG_9483.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNTemXkfsPAFF3zzsuAfZUrtzxcC7iAQK9UVVfVbww_FyPyH6WAcIM_NLmJQYLPEGbeah__LpmvxuIyTOHtAoOWyVsl1jIOtKkG6Pzn81Txk0b2Uhac4ABFXk9LG7UMhvmAoQatGQe/w480-h640/IMG_9483.JPG" width="480" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I definitely recommend the Carmel Marathon if you're looking for an Indiana race! I would definitely run this race again if given the opportunity, so definitely check it out when you're planning your race calendar!</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Click play below to see my vlog of the entire race experience!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WgIoys9S_nA" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116982228825892049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1916871150499748468.post-68605622909541031292021-08-10T13:00:00.004-04:002021-08-10T13:02:17.140-04:00π₯TBR In & Outπ€ // June & July 2021<p style="text-align: left;">One really great thing that has happened this summer is that I've basically stopped buying books π I'm not sure what it is, but the itch to buy new books just isn't there at the moment. I've skipped the last 3 months of Book of the Month picks which is the most I've ever done since becoming a member. I don't think it's because I'm not interested in the books that they're offering, but maybe it's that I'm just more interested in the books that I have on my shelf at the minute? A MIRACLE! Really the only books that have come in over the last two months are pre-orders or books for my at work book club. I've definitely read WAY MORE than I've purchased, and I'm actually really proud of that. I'm getting close to under 120 books on my TBR and I'm wondering if I can try to challenge myself to get down into the double digits by the end of 2021. That would be INCREDIBLE! I'm not sure if it will be possible (who knows when the book buying bug will return!) but I'd love to try! Anywho, here's my TBR In & Out for June & July 2021:</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: center;"> <br /></span><span style="text-align: center;">TBR # ON JUNE 1, 2021:<br /></span><b><span style="font-size: large;">133</span></b></p><div style="text-align: center;">BOOKS ACQUIRED:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">+4</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54860443-one-last-stop" target="_blank">One Last Stop</a></u> by Casey McQuiston<br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49438663-nick-and-charlie" target="_blank">Nick and Charlie</a> by Alice Oseman</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56628286-hostage" target="_blank">Hostage</a> by Clare Mackintosh</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56355508-what-we-carry" target="_blank">What We Carry</a></u> by Maya Shanbhag Lang</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div>OWNED TBR BOOKS READ:</div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">-17</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32572001-half-of-a-yellow-sun" target="_blank">Half of a Yellow Sun</a></u> by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie</div><div><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25817310-dreamology" target="_blank">Dreamology</a></u> by Lucy Keating</div><div><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51574372-heartstopper-volume-four" target="_blank">Heartstopper, vol. 4</a></u> by Alice Oseman</div><div><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7012577-born-to-run" target="_blank">Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen</a></u> by Christopher McDougall</div><div><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55404546-malibu-rising" target="_blank">Malibu Rising</a></u> by Taylor Jenkins Reid</div><div><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16127936-second-chance-summer" target="_blank">Second Chance Summer</a></u> by Morgan Matson</div><div><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50748473-cool-for-the-summer" target="_blank">Cool for the Summer</a></u> by Dahlia Adler</div><div><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46207649-summer-of-69" target="_blank">Summer of '69</a></u> by Elin Hilderbrand</div><div><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50852136-the-knockout-queen" target="_blank">The Knockout Queen</a></u> by Rufi Thorpe</div><div><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39085465-a-song-below-water" target="_blank">A Song Below Water</a></u> by Bethany C. Morrow</div><div><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52021504-the-flatshare" target="_blank">The Flatshare</a></u> by Beth O'Leary</div><div><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41087256-my-year-of-rest-and-relaxation" target="_blank">My Year of Rest and Relaxation</a></u> by Ottessa Moshfegh</div><div><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42740342-the-proposal" target="_blank">The Proposal</a></u> by Jasmine Guillory</div><div><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52090948-take-a-hint-dani-brown" target="_blank">Take a Hint, Dani Brown</a></u> by Talia Hibbert</div><div><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36511805-serious-moonlight" target="_blank">Serious Moonlight</a></u> by Jenn Bennett</div><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40097951-the-silent-patient" target="_blank"><u>The Silent Patient</u> </a>by Alex Michaelides</div><div><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50892212-these-violent-delights" target="_blank">These Violent Delights</a></u> by Chloe Gong</div><div><br /></div><div><div>OWNED TBR BOOKS UNHAULED:</div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">0</span></b></div></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><div>TBR # ON AUGUST 1, 2021</div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">120</span></b></div></div></div>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116982228825892049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1916871150499748468.post-9771284005754592832021-08-04T13:00:00.001-04:002021-08-04T13:03:14.605-04:00Monthly Reading Wrap Up π June & July 2021<p style="text-align: left;"><b>Hello everyone!</b> It's been a hot minute since I've made an appearance here on the blog. The last couple of months have been quite busy between travel, beginning my I-35 Challenge training, and helping Brett prep for a certification exam, and I haven't made the time to update y'all here. So sorry about that! I have been quite active on other platforms thought (specifically Insta and YouTube) so if you're ever wondering what I'm up to, be sure to check out those corners of the internet! Either way, I've missed blogging and I wanted to catch you up to speed on my reading over the last two months. Spoiler alert - it's A LOT!</p><p style="text-align: left;">During the months of June and July I read a total of 17 books which I am so happy with! I've read a few I've really loved (mostly contemporary romances!) and a few not so much. I've also been doing some fun reading vlogs over on my channel, like the books with Summer in the Title challenge and the Word Association Challenge! It's been fun to think of creative ways to theme my reading over the past few months and I'm excited to continue to do so. Be on the lookout for other fun reading vlogs in the future!</p><p style="text-align: left;">As summer comes to a close (π) and the academic year gets underway once again, it's very likely that my reading will slow WAY down, but either way I've been so happy with the amount of reading I've been able to accomplish this summer and I hope I can end my favorite season strong in the month of August with some memorable reads. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>BUT without further adieu, here are my reading stats for June & July!</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>JUNE READING</b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44Z-6Wnm-ATavjPTJlbWlIcBVWr7Vy86bJD3yUWad-svfhShC09PyNPULQ28OMTzDdz0lB6aQq5iyGx0oB-5gu4ccsauzVNQ1eZand930J3vRnYKak2aLucKWqOCIckz2nuGPDJSP/s475/halfofayellow.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="308" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44Z-6Wnm-ATavjPTJlbWlIcBVWr7Vy86bJD3yUWad-svfhShC09PyNPULQ28OMTzDdz0lB6aQq5iyGx0oB-5gu4ccsauzVNQ1eZand930J3vRnYKak2aLucKWqOCIckz2nuGPDJSP/w259-h400/halfofayellow.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32572001-half-of-a-yellow-sun" style="color: #8c52ff; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Half of a Yellow Sun</a></u> by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie<br />3/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>543</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre:</b> Historical Fiction</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2006</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age Group: </b>Adult</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghMgD3nVYqg_oyB7Ca68wFapY0FIhj1S1sjKgy0HEBA9h-WWvnyrCMBaUMGkF5YtxNkiREE2s6-g7dJXzCf73Ey0UKZ-Y3zCTTFoc60Luig11-lANDefjVzG6j9HcLgeLqKfI5NjCH/s475/dreamology.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghMgD3nVYqg_oyB7Ca68wFapY0FIhj1S1sjKgy0HEBA9h-WWvnyrCMBaUMGkF5YtxNkiREE2s6-g7dJXzCf73Ey0UKZ-Y3zCTTFoc60Luig11-lANDefjVzG6j9HcLgeLqKfI5NjCH/w265-h400/dreamology.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25817310-dreamology" style="color: #8c52ff; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Dreamology</a></u> by Lucy Keating<br />2/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>329</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre:</b> Contemporary</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2016</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age Group: </b>Young Adult</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib45CRagwRsGHxAVdd0ehhS2frcEpsQWioRxAWMg9gCVLCReUg2A7M2gOdXz8cql8zOPVHYqNF1fOuiT-7ZfAt40plbU-luyXaetET03r1qoFyWWa07dpfukoXUJd4B5KlLf3V2WtW/s475/heartstopper.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="311" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib45CRagwRsGHxAVdd0ehhS2frcEpsQWioRxAWMg9gCVLCReUg2A7M2gOdXz8cql8zOPVHYqNF1fOuiT-7ZfAt40plbU-luyXaetET03r1qoFyWWa07dpfukoXUJd4B5KlLf3V2WtW/w263-h400/heartstopper.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51574372-heartstopper-volume-four" style="color: #8c52ff; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Heartstopper, vol. 4</a></u> by Alice Oseman<br />5/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>353</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre:</b> Graphic Novel</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2021</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age Group: </b>Young Adult</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div></div></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPJkepI3O6jhi4ziOGEqSwRIH4d_7V7HQCdWb-Mc4TnegdWQZiobL8bzNzZ4VbTJzbDDmTj4KYL197rMN_7YBqVS94UGAfFvttz0D6a8s5RqPy_JmhJb9L2BUEoO8lPh6DDCQQhyOQ/s450/borntorun.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="301" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPJkepI3O6jhi4ziOGEqSwRIH4d_7V7HQCdWb-Mc4TnegdWQZiobL8bzNzZ4VbTJzbDDmTj4KYL197rMN_7YBqVS94UGAfFvttz0D6a8s5RqPy_JmhJb9L2BUEoO8lPh6DDCQQhyOQ/w268-h400/borntorun.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7012577-born-to-run" style="color: #8c52ff; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen</a></u> by Christopher McDougall<br />4/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>287</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre:</b> Non-Fiction</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2009</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age Group: </b>Other</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmhDV9h8sWNo9SP7JGj9Gs4Q8jIhzH8Lk2zTI32bikPjosLuGNrAFgDpHpP6CYtTagjmVesNkHb4cwh_OA2Evd6c1__JDLC2JH9FwXD621-k2KaeppE43EQv10gbYCz05VQ0Tu0Xh/s400/maliburising.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="261" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmhDV9h8sWNo9SP7JGj9Gs4Q8jIhzH8Lk2zTI32bikPjosLuGNrAFgDpHpP6CYtTagjmVesNkHb4cwh_OA2Evd6c1__JDLC2JH9FwXD621-k2KaeppE43EQv10gbYCz05VQ0Tu0Xh/w261-h400/maliburising.jpg" width="261" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55404546-malibu-rising" style="color: #8c52ff; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Malibu Rising</a></u> by Taylor Jenkins Reid<br />4/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>384</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre:</b> Historical Fiction</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2021</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age Group: </b>Adult</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ6Vncgev-H98-0o0fSAbxt4DQwdKdA7hM4dDvTIO9gvxQCMlG7rmR1VPeZlk57wNZjq4ivZVOPFK2L31hke0y71yTg5hBxmvarFikW2oHGligI2G17O_sxyVXaI12WP0C_IFLZznZ/s475/secondchancesummer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ6Vncgev-H98-0o0fSAbxt4DQwdKdA7hM4dDvTIO9gvxQCMlG7rmR1VPeZlk57wNZjq4ivZVOPFK2L31hke0y71yTg5hBxmvarFikW2oHGligI2G17O_sxyVXaI12WP0C_IFLZznZ/w265-h400/secondchancesummer.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16127936-second-chance-summer" style="color: #8c52ff; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Second Chance Summer</a></u> by Morgan Matson<br />3/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>468</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre:</b> Contemporary</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2012</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age Group: </b>Young Adult</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3BqRpRNwFa57fxxeTvRMf01qF_HVT53JYiOdF0Ge_AQhj8oj00J4Ll0A8I9URiey7p4Izf6y_V5cSwdbH8tMR4iIplVMKI8ENNM72389Dg0kbD6UXhx4j4Zvx4tYXmE_RHOgKFW7q/s600/coolforthesummer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="389" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3BqRpRNwFa57fxxeTvRMf01qF_HVT53JYiOdF0Ge_AQhj8oj00J4Ll0A8I9URiey7p4Izf6y_V5cSwdbH8tMR4iIplVMKI8ENNM72389Dg0kbD6UXhx4j4Zvx4tYXmE_RHOgKFW7q/w259-h400/coolforthesummer.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50748473-cool-for-the-summer" style="color: #8c52ff; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Cool for the Summer</a></u> by Dahlia Adler<br />4/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>272</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre:</b> Contemporary</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2021</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age Group: </b>Young Adult</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div></div></div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-a9tNDr-QRE4QPrXpNou8JjGjde5l842k_ZyKodBpxOQ-PJ09fkvmgl0UouJnYgm3ZbizZBfGJR97agtnfiA6WZ0bD-tTwAVWpturRcBplHSoMuyfOehg-SHOwTxzLQ-ijAyN3EB1/s475/summerof69.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="307" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-a9tNDr-QRE4QPrXpNou8JjGjde5l842k_ZyKodBpxOQ-PJ09fkvmgl0UouJnYgm3ZbizZBfGJR97agtnfiA6WZ0bD-tTwAVWpturRcBplHSoMuyfOehg-SHOwTxzLQ-ijAyN3EB1/w259-h400/summerof69.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46207649-summer-of-69" style="color: #8c52ff; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Summer of '69</a></u> by Elin Hilderbrand<br />4/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>448</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre:</b> Historical Fiction</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2019</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age Group: </b>Adult</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1CQOlD0p5-1-Jy4mEBHvpXky3rq0JjkGveRAAX5ZEUEeZYtQwod1QMFDexxr6SUW7Z-KkBcDPTrpkBg0H990w9zNONG3T1-wNN8SzArIsVZEIt1Y3XGQOnuQUrtzwcyQenIrNYrmV/s400/knockoutqueen.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="268" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1CQOlD0p5-1-Jy4mEBHvpXky3rq0JjkGveRAAX5ZEUEeZYtQwod1QMFDexxr6SUW7Z-KkBcDPTrpkBg0H990w9zNONG3T1-wNN8SzArIsVZEIt1Y3XGQOnuQUrtzwcyQenIrNYrmV/w268-h400/knockoutqueen.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50852136-the-knockout-queen" style="color: #8c52ff; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">The Knockout Queen</a></u> by Rufi Thorpe<br />3/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>277</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre:</b> Fiction</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2020</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age Group: </b>Adult</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">JUNE READING TOTALS</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Total Books:</b> 9</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Total Pages</b>: 3,361</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Owned TBR Books Read:</b> 9</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>New-to-me reads: </b>9</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">GENRE STATS</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Contemporary:</b> 3</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><b>Fiction:</b> 1</div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><b>Graphic Novel:</b> 1</div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Historical Fiction:</b> 3</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Non-Fiction:</b> 1</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">BOOK FORMAT STATS</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Physical: </b>9</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">AGE GROUP STATS</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Adult: </b>4</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Other:</b> 1</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Young Adult: </b>4</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">PUBLICATION DATE STATS</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>2000-2009: </b>2<br /><b>2010-2019:</b> 3</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>2020-2021: </b>4</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b><b><span style="font-size: large;">RATING STATS</span></b><br /><b><br /></b><b>5 Stars: </b>1<br /><b>4 Stars:</b> 4<br /><b>3 Stars: </b>3<br /><b>2 Stars: </b>1<br /><b>1 Star: </b>0</span></div></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">JULY READING</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKHRAMeVUxapmM62zUIjm_BdVWzEI3l9ntpYbEpn6BoYPf_Ldh09dZGHOnmjKsoV8wZpm2cScx8kktS0QW6ME8skS4J1NpbLLS-9-R-29k6ra15UteE2zS1LVHieF_xVVn-PNSRoc0/s475/asongbelowwater.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="307" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKHRAMeVUxapmM62zUIjm_BdVWzEI3l9ntpYbEpn6BoYPf_Ldh09dZGHOnmjKsoV8wZpm2cScx8kktS0QW6ME8skS4J1NpbLLS-9-R-29k6ra15UteE2zS1LVHieF_xVVn-PNSRoc0/w259-h400/asongbelowwater.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39085465-a-song-below-water" style="color: #8c52ff; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">A Song Below Water</a></u> by Bethany C. Morrow<br />3/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>288</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre:</b> Fantasy</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2020</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age Group: </b>Young Adult</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjOfbplt8B3MPRNFmnLsChPq-WbaWXVouoJGnCEgVQc2JAvfvvcLtUejN96Oy39toPgN9jEgu3fslsIWKWl02T-sWs-qV-NKEt6K2hNmdTovSveSjOm0KegtMtua2KsxayNRNYo9Zr/s475/50212494._SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="312" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjOfbplt8B3MPRNFmnLsChPq-WbaWXVouoJGnCEgVQc2JAvfvvcLtUejN96Oy39toPgN9jEgu3fslsIWKWl02T-sWs-qV-NKEt6K2hNmdTovSveSjOm0KegtMtua2KsxayNRNYo9Zr/w263-h400/50212494._SY475_.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52021504-the-flatshare" style="color: #8c52ff; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">The Flatshare</a></u> by Beth O'Leary<br />5/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>394</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre:</b> Contemporary</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2019</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age Group: </b>Adult</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg28cI8yC34L1N5j6GuKZvOgNscpgRCks00OyKvj8C6OJf9V1AEMQvpG33gNtW-_MtTYnljd9dbn-X1uuE8ojDqN4cwkQau1HevANRY2qAlwZ73-U8D6LqmD1TSc34Hz8yocN1d5w4X/s475/my+year+of+rest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="308" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg28cI8yC34L1N5j6GuKZvOgNscpgRCks00OyKvj8C6OJf9V1AEMQvpG33gNtW-_MtTYnljd9dbn-X1uuE8ojDqN4cwkQau1HevANRY2qAlwZ73-U8D6LqmD1TSc34Hz8yocN1d5w4X/w259-h400/my+year+of+rest.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41087256-my-year-of-rest-and-relaxation" style="color: #8c52ff; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">My Year of Rest and Relaxation</a></u> by Beth O'Leary<br />4/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>289</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre:</b> Fiction</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2018</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age Group: </b>Adult</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div></div></span></div></div></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh6zdN0Pi9Aa9d5nle_DfH9RJ8C6oH_D3CZ5YVoiyewdQ_hqXpmDwOWZjFXYu5a2jXCUhFbAP906RsEoHv2BQrmvfrkJwQpvUYp-iqlxg0NsMkP_JLhL_i9GGJNeU2HIwqCXL30SRO/s475/theproposal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh6zdN0Pi9Aa9d5nle_DfH9RJ8C6oH_D3CZ5YVoiyewdQ_hqXpmDwOWZjFXYu5a2jXCUhFbAP906RsEoHv2BQrmvfrkJwQpvUYp-iqlxg0NsMkP_JLhL_i9GGJNeU2HIwqCXL30SRO/w268-h400/theproposal.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42740342-the-proposal" style="color: #8c52ff; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">The Proposal</a></u> by Jasmine Guillory<br />2/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>325</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre:</b> Contemporary</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2018</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age Group: </b>Adult</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8zbNXb08Z3c6gxoWlYgeA9FM_cWUTH7i531S1nxAqZRxeIiFO7Cg8152woH2Z4xqpBc7Yjr00FrZMsC-c4VfPdf9Ej0ik9AwgnL3iy5BkJ-3K60WDPq5kJO0r0BjzgfV9aaHeajhD/s475/danibrown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8zbNXb08Z3c6gxoWlYgeA9FM_cWUTH7i531S1nxAqZRxeIiFO7Cg8152woH2Z4xqpBc7Yjr00FrZMsC-c4VfPdf9Ej0ik9AwgnL3iy5BkJ-3K60WDPq5kJO0r0BjzgfV9aaHeajhD/w265-h400/danibrown.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52090948-take-a-hint-dani-brown" style="color: #8c52ff; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Take a Hint, Dani Brown</a></u> by Talia Hibbert<br />5/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>361</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre:</b> Contemporary</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2020</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age Group: </b>Adult</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZnna91B0R5GjNW9nL8_XLixaWE855WZEp5RSSY6DJDYv2CqllMXpbtRyWXslrr_VSDK9EG865SogvEi_iT-lU9YXoh_6FjWvFTA4ueqK2cFxQlaW7JMPGtXjCLhhTDMmPce-aVJPv/s475/seriousmoonlight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZnna91B0R5GjNW9nL8_XLixaWE855WZEp5RSSY6DJDYv2CqllMXpbtRyWXslrr_VSDK9EG865SogvEi_iT-lU9YXoh_6FjWvFTA4ueqK2cFxQlaW7JMPGtXjCLhhTDMmPce-aVJPv/w265-h400/seriousmoonlight.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36511805-serious-moonlight" style="color: #8c52ff; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Serious Moonlight</a></u> by Jenn Bennett<br />2/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>426</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre:</b> Contemporary</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2019</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age Group: </b>Young<b> </b>Adult</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigghV52C6VJNoTXGNYGFPmPDanAZx4rA9Oss2VEKPQN5usYebpeZP-DENodlpyRRwy2s0yCJWikuh0ij9D9flM3BtIRLbqPa0il766Q1vX0ZYElwsc0-vMekGatQFzJDR2Eo9jKoX0/s475/silentpatient.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="318" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigghV52C6VJNoTXGNYGFPmPDanAZx4rA9Oss2VEKPQN5usYebpeZP-DENodlpyRRwy2s0yCJWikuh0ij9D9flM3BtIRLbqPa0il766Q1vX0ZYElwsc0-vMekGatQFzJDR2Eo9jKoX0/w268-h400/silentpatient.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40097951-the-silent-patient" style="color: #8c52ff; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">The Silent Patient</a></u> by Alex Michaelides<br />3/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>325</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre:</b> Horror/Thriller</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2018</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age Group: </b>Adult</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div></div></span></div></span></div></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgM-oJYQBCmjv_VaskAItDg3JQDJhLTiIy3R1r2ZLiloPR0Fep1E5iKz0SS_QHMAxbc786_nS22oSKW1I9qNM05nn3ghOTgbOf0n6TyBXKEEjqMBMjDE0nCUu_y1H6RtaHzub6Lt1E/s2048/theseviolentdelights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1356" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgM-oJYQBCmjv_VaskAItDg3JQDJhLTiIy3R1r2ZLiloPR0Fep1E5iKz0SS_QHMAxbc786_nS22oSKW1I9qNM05nn3ghOTgbOf0n6TyBXKEEjqMBMjDE0nCUu_y1H6RtaHzub6Lt1E/w265-h400/theseviolentdelights.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50892212-these-violent-delights" style="color: #8c52ff; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">These Violent Delights</a></u> by Chloe Gong<br />3/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>449</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre:</b> Historical Fiction</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2020</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age Group: </b>Young Adult</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">JULY READING TOTALS</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Total Books:</b> 8</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Total Pages</b>: 2,857</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Owned TBR Books Read:</b> 8</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>New-to-me reads: </b>8</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">GENRE STATS</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Contemporary:</b> 4</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Fantasy:</b> 1</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><b>Fiction:</b> 1</div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Historical Fiction:</b> 1</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Horror/Thriller:</b> 1</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">BOOK FORMAT STATS</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Physical: </b>8</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">AGE GROUP STATS</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Adult: </b>5</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Young Adult: </b>3</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">PUBLICATION DATE STATS</span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>2010-2019:</b> 5</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>2020-2021: </b>3</span></div><div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b><b><span style="font-size: large;">RATING STATS</span></b><br /><b><br /></b><b>5 Stars: </b>2<br /><b>4 Stars:</b> 1<br /><b>3 Stars: </b>3<br /><b>2 Stars: </b>2<br /><b>1 Star: </b>0</span></div></div></div>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116982228825892049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1916871150499748468.post-29198851180296467592021-06-06T13:10:00.003-04:002021-08-04T21:53:19.911-04:00π₯TBR In & Outπ€ // May 2021<p style="text-align: left;">May was quite chaotic in terms of the status of my TBR π Not only was it my birthday month and I wanted to *treat myself* to lots of new books (which I definitely did), but I'm also in a mood where I want to downsize my belongings, so A LOT of unread TBR books got unhauled this month. On top of all of that, I read 8 TBR books which is the most I've read in one month all year. With all the changes to my TBR, <b>I was able to remove a total of 10 books from my TBR</b>, and hit my goal of finally getting under 140! I think for June I'll aim to get under 130. Fingers crossed!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><span style="text-align: center;">TBR # ON MAY 1, 2021:<br /></span><b><span style="font-size: large;">143</span></b></p><div style="text-align: center;">BOOKS ACQUIRED:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">+16</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55198938-last-summer-at-the-golden-hotel" target="_blank">Last Summer at the Golden Hotel</a></u> by Elyssa Friedland<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55338924-impostor-syndrome" target="_blank">Imposter Syndrome</a></u> by Kathy Wong</div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54870216-how-lucky" target="_blank">How Lucky</a></u> by Will Leitch</div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7597.One_Hundred_Years_of_Solitude" target="_blank">One Hundred Years of Solitude</a></u> by Gabriel Garcia Marquez<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52090948-take-a-hint-dani-brown" target="_blank">Take a Hint, Dani Brown</a></u> by Talia Hibbert<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53914936-act-your-age-eve-brown" target="_blank">Act Your Age, Eve Brown</a></u> by Talia Hibbert<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7489370-the-picture-of-dorian-gray" target="_blank">The Picture of Dorian Gray</a></u> by Oscar Wilde<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51574372-heartstopper?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=iABXZIexXP&rank=1" target="_blank">Heartstopper: Volume Four</a></u> by Alice Oseman<br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46113778-hollowpox?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=XlgWGFo2Z0&rank=1" target="_blank">Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow</a> by Jessica Townsend</div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54985743-people-we-meet-on-vacation?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=uFNbf8c1RP&rank=1" target="_blank">People We Meet on Vacation</a></u> by Emily Henry<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50748473-cool-for-the-summer?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=FCwsSepSZi&rank=1" target="_blank">Cool for the Summer</a></u> by Dahlia Adler</div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51637932-juliet-takes-a-breath" target="_blank">Juliet Takes a Breath</a></u> by Gabby Rivera<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48731486-the-gravity-of-us" target="_blank">The Gravity of Us</a></u> by Phil Stamper<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49090460-the-surprising-power-of-a-good-dumpling">The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling</a></u> by Wai Chim<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53174679-instant-karma" target="_blank">Instant Karma</a></u> by Marissa Meyer</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48739025-the-way-of-zen" target="_blank">The Way of Zen</a> by Alan Watts</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">OWNED TBR BOOKS READ:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">-8</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45046567-the-house-in-the-cerulean-sea" target="_blank">The House in the Cerulean Sea</a></u> by TJ Klune<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53288436-we-could-be-heroes" target="_blank">We Could Be Heroes</a></u> by Mike Chen</div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56441230-the-dating-plan" target="_blank">The Dating Plan</a></u> by Sara Desai<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40390592-the-anomaly" target="_blank">The Anomaly</a></u> by Michael Rutger<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33503607-meet-cute" target="_blank">Meet Cute</a></u> edited by Jennifer L. Armentrout<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58010754-last-summer-at-the-golden-hotel" target="_blank">Last Summer at the Golden Hotel</a></u> by Elyssa Friedland<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34927828-the-great-alone" target="_blank">The Great Alone</a></u> by Kristin Hannah</div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54985743-people-we-meet-on-vacation?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=uFNbf8c1RP&rank=1">People We Meet on Vacation</a></u> by Emily Henry</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">OWNED TBR BOOKS UNHAULED:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">-18</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12147.Watership_Down" target="_blank">Watership Down</a></u> by Richard Adams <br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26890725-rich-and-pretty?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=v9C8z63EIN&rank=1">Rich and Pretty</a></u> by Rumaan Alam<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20518822-the-midnight-plan-of-the-repo-man?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=hPafzow2cH&rank=1" target="_blank">The Midnight Plan of the Repo Man</a></u> by W. Bruce Cameron<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28695340-the-hamilton-affair?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=W6z56dXX7q&rank=1" target="_blank">The Hamilton Affair</a></u> by Elizabeth Cobbs<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33295258-body-positive-power?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=HOZZhL1Owc&rank=1" target="_blank">Body Positive Power</a></u> by Megan Jayne Crabbe<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26150788-the-after-party" target="_blank">The After Party</a></u> by Anton DiSclafani<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9691607-room" target="_blank">Room</a></u> by Emma Donoghue<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32710790-all-that-she-can-see?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=TXHsTAFhxj&rank=1" target="_blank">All That She Can See</a></u> by Carrie Hope Fletcher<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27429684-a-house-for-happy-mothers?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=4aAYRYR6Oo&rank=1" target="_blank">A House for Happy Mothers</a></u> by Amulya Malladi<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20170404-station-eleven?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=nbVmYH5UV4&rank=1" target="_blank">Station Eleven</a></u> by Emily St. John Mandel<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/230211.The_Mad_Cub?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=GKfx3tSQW7&rank=1" target="_blank">The Mad Cub</a></u> by Michael McClure<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5198.Paradise?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=qm43Yz8XQO&rank=2" target="_blank">Paradise</a></u> by Toni Morrison</div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18652002-the-bees?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=aztxaxK8j6&rank=3" target="_blank">The Bees</a></u> by Laline Paull<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32333174-want?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=OdapYbehgm&rank=1" target="_blank">Want</a></u> by Cindy Pon<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42080479-the-school-for-good-and-evil?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=WgVq9IDw8n&rank=1" target="_blank">The School for Good and Evil</a></u> by Soman Chainani<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17882286-tales-of-iceland-or-running-with-the-hulduf-lk-in-the-permanent-dayligh?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=vtFeQZsxTb&rank=1" target="_blank">Tale of Iceland</a></u> by Stephen Markley<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9205766-the-kitchen-daughter?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=jnqWDJlCZg&rank=1" target="_blank">The Kitchen Daughter</a></u> by Jael McHenry<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33940116-but-i-m-not-racist?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=IGQIWmnt0V&rank=2" target="_blank">...But I'm Not Racist!</a></u> by Kathy O'Bear</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">TBR # ON JUNE 1, 2021</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">133</span></b></div>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116982228825892049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1916871150499748468.post-76170030887964333892021-06-04T09:30:00.001-04:002021-06-04T09:30:00.239-04:00Monthly Reading Wrap Up π May 2021<p>May has been my best reading month to date this year! I not only read the most amount of books so far this year, but the quality of the books I read was also top notch. I ended up finding two books that will absolutely be on my favorites list of the year, which is not too often that happens within one month! This is definitely the kind of reading month I've been craving to boost my motivation to continue picking up the books on my shelf. I'm feel excited to see how my next month of reading will go!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr0UTPv7thNHQtybDOU-xKh-AXbvnomvfV8q8wF2Dk67p1N8fDP9rbYMT1w3xkMbMOHD7edGJdSjgaTwqPDSs-ep-Ii5ZM22zscJuDDFeOEQDBoMaUo2RB7x2CeDOFEm7-xjSniLak/s1422/ceruleansea.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1422" data-original-width="948" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr0UTPv7thNHQtybDOU-xKh-AXbvnomvfV8q8wF2Dk67p1N8fDP9rbYMT1w3xkMbMOHD7edGJdSjgaTwqPDSs-ep-Ii5ZM22zscJuDDFeOEQDBoMaUo2RB7x2CeDOFEm7-xjSniLak/w266-h400/ceruleansea.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45046567-the-house-in-the-cerulean-sea" target="_blank">The House in the Cerulean Sea</a></u> by TJ Klune<br />5/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>398</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre:</b> Fantasy</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2020</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age Group: </b>Other</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAgfIoTXNWBf0QXX9biWtiA92I0khwXVyN31kQtCUHz7sYSCabytJXZm55qEHPJN7NGnH_HPRcoIBg9aIEX5fTNRFI_Dx4CXqEHA9SqWKvoDK78vFXmyUc_l642JY2aGbs8oes2ssV/s2048/wecouldbeheroes.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1356" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAgfIoTXNWBf0QXX9biWtiA92I0khwXVyN31kQtCUHz7sYSCabytJXZm55qEHPJN7NGnH_HPRcoIBg9aIEX5fTNRFI_Dx4CXqEHA9SqWKvoDK78vFXmyUc_l642JY2aGbs8oes2ssV/w266-h400/wecouldbeheroes.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53288436-we-could-be-heroes" target="_blank">We Could Be Heroes</a></u> by Mike Chen</b><br /><b style="font-family: inherit;">3/5</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>330</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre:</b> Science Fiction</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2021</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age Group: </b>Adult</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWPverkcK_OwW6F5HUOdwSXdIVTEevHxr4bJf62_A7Qf_f671HrFQBtoUjkCJVmF7JeKvA5nH0DYWPnHpoJCf51TyWHjogffNnzn4IeL1HxeVfQRXZIPJlqZacRvjAk8e9rte6sm0m/s2048/datingplan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWPverkcK_OwW6F5HUOdwSXdIVTEevHxr4bJf62_A7Qf_f671HrFQBtoUjkCJVmF7JeKvA5nH0DYWPnHpoJCf51TyWHjogffNnzn4IeL1HxeVfQRXZIPJlqZacRvjAk8e9rte6sm0m/w266-h400/datingplan.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56441230-the-dating-plan" target="_blank">The Dating Plan</a></u> by Sara Desai</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>3/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>343</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre:</b> Contemporary</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2021</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age Group: </b>Adult</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQX2wYyiEgnzKvzF5K1wf5O9xVhn326OCZDiqzb72m1NCLD2nMBUD3Fi47Rfx4fVt3TGfnc4-AFoXszSSaGkf5Ku8YL4EOkOiML1BrkzIQfx9k3s157XxaRUPeHNfOuQ0XBd0AtRm5/s475/anomaly.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQX2wYyiEgnzKvzF5K1wf5O9xVhn326OCZDiqzb72m1NCLD2nMBUD3Fi47Rfx4fVt3TGfnc4-AFoXszSSaGkf5Ku8YL4EOkOiML1BrkzIQfx9k3s157XxaRUPeHNfOuQ0XBd0AtRm5/w266-h400/anomaly.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><u style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40390592-the-anomaly" target="_blank">The Anomaly</a></u><b> by Michael Rutger</b><br /><i>The Anomaly Files #1</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>4/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>338</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre:</b> Horror/Thriller</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2018</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age Group: </b>Adult</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWPverkcK_OwW6F5HUOdwSXdIVTEevHxr4bJf62_A7Qf_f671HrFQBtoUjkCJVmF7JeKvA5nH0DYWPnHpoJCf51TyWHjogffNnzn4IeL1HxeVfQRXZIPJlqZacRvjAk8e9rte6sm0m/s2048/datingplan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfw4vU8Ovm6oPMQ9chKWbhnsdSzacVHAAC2KydtdXKZK7wAVQu1rUDdoa8N0P7oAWygaV8hKKxM1qOpP6CUIuXRVn6DdId9NxLyg16yvJd99_pXxhjgHJI4lE4qZOXiP_4memnwXBr/s475/meetcute.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfw4vU8Ovm6oPMQ9chKWbhnsdSzacVHAAC2KydtdXKZK7wAVQu1rUDdoa8N0P7oAWygaV8hKKxM1qOpP6CUIuXRVn6DdId9NxLyg16yvJd99_pXxhjgHJI4lE4qZOXiP_4memnwXBr/w266-h400/meetcute.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33503607-meet-cute" target="_blank">Meet Cute</a></u> edited by Jennifer L. Armentrout</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>4/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>314</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre:</b> Short Stories</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2018</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age Group: </b>Young Adult</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuCa0UBwVi3-aWjdFhNRzJzMlBvsfQXfSVb1kSd0ZGfIQgwphLs0I4T2GqusF2QVlHUiRCu3-ha6AJPuXsz86kxBKYsd4sHIA365PvOwubAOTlVJ3SbToB1Dy0UJG3g3EsruwnqquF/s1500/lastsummeratthegoldenhotel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuCa0UBwVi3-aWjdFhNRzJzMlBvsfQXfSVb1kSd0ZGfIQgwphLs0I4T2GqusF2QVlHUiRCu3-ha6AJPuXsz86kxBKYsd4sHIA365PvOwubAOTlVJ3SbToB1Dy0UJG3g3EsruwnqquF/w266-h400/lastsummeratthegoldenhotel.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58010754-last-summer-at-the-golden-hotel" target="_blank">Last Summer at the Golden Hotel</a></u> by Elyssa Friedland</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>4/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>345</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre:</b> Contemporary</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2021</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age Group: </b>Adult</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV53AdNOCB001tn3Flto-7QHTZ7Hmy8TtCoIMr5dCEeOMkiONE_4WYWtqs0cQLQgG66jNpBytCi-EVVZ4vg7fzp-jltRYTILJmysWrM8a0MeTc1KG0Ernr_2GieJpZOEQfwDPGIMXP/s475/thegreatalone.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV53AdNOCB001tn3Flto-7QHTZ7Hmy8TtCoIMr5dCEeOMkiONE_4WYWtqs0cQLQgG66jNpBytCi-EVVZ4vg7fzp-jltRYTILJmysWrM8a0MeTc1KG0Ernr_2GieJpZOEQfwDPGIMXP/w264-h400/thegreatalone.jpg" width="264" /></a><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34927828-the-great-alone" target="_blank">The Great Alone</a></u> by Kristin Hannah</b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>5/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>440</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre:</b> Historical Fiction</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2018</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age Group: </b>Adult</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgADN9K0QHAbQasUJDVWdznUPjPWMkYD5jXu19qU4iwsQGTpjTMPV7r_oNvCD-JhKtYySo1v8CyVhr-Z6e6KosRj_ZGvIsQWXeHpJFdONkPoyNjVlqzeK46u4BGIfuW_t5cz6UksWP8/s700/peoplewemeet.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="467" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgADN9K0QHAbQasUJDVWdznUPjPWMkYD5jXu19qU4iwsQGTpjTMPV7r_oNvCD-JhKtYySo1v8CyVhr-Z6e6KosRj_ZGvIsQWXeHpJFdONkPoyNjVlqzeK46u4BGIfuW_t5cz6UksWP8/w266-h400/peoplewemeet.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54985743-people-we-meet-on-vacation" target="_blank">People We Meet on Vacation</a></u> by Emily Henry</b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>4/5</b> Stars</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>384</b> pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Genre:</b> Contemporary</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Publication Year:</b> 2021</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Age Group: </b>Adult</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Format:</b> Physical</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">READING TOTALS</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Total Books:</b> 8</div><div><b>Total Pages</b>: 2,892</div><div><b>Owned TBR Books Read:</b> 8</div><div><b>New-to-me reads: </b>8</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">GENRE STATS</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Contemporary:</b> 3</div><div><b>Fantasy:</b> 1</div><div><b>Historical Fiction:</b> 1</div><div><b>Horror/Thriller:</b> 1</div><div><b>Science Fiction:</b> 1</div><div><b>Short Stories:</b> 1</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">BOOK FORMAT STATS</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Physical: </b>8</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">AGE GROUP STATS</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Adult: </b>6</div><div><b>Other:</b> 1</div><div><b>Young Adult: </b>1</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">PUBLICATION DATE STATS</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>2010-2019:</b> 3</div><div><b>2020-2021: </b>5</div><div><b><br /></b><b><span style="font-size: large;">RATING STATS</span></b><br /><b><br /></b><b>5 Stars: </b>2<br /><b>4 Stars:</b> 4<br /><b>3 Stars: </b>2<br /><b>2 Stars: </b>0<br /><b>1 Star: </b>0</div></span></div></span></div>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116982228825892049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1916871150499748468.post-48308834503916161862021-05-31T15:35:00.013-04:002021-05-31T15:36:55.597-04:00Race Review: Run to Escape - Mission Mount Olympus β‘<p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Disclaimer: </b>I received an entry to <b>Run to Escape: Mission Mount Olympus </b>to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.bibrave.com/bibravepro&source=gmail&ust=1622576126085000&usg=AFQjCNHMlfw5opzIRDcccPiJMsRMtnk_Gg" href="https://www.bibrave.com/bibravepro" style="text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">BibRave Pro</span></a><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (ambassador), and check out </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://bibrave.com/&source=gmail&ust=1622576126085000&usg=AFQjCNGh_zSEn8W9BoEhIphMPSFm9Ovjvw" href="http://bibrave.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank"><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">BibRave.com</span></a><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to review find and write race reviews!</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJ0m7K33s2r0cOnGw6t531Y15kbtPeiupOBKeBc2VB3-y4CsJ6fylR-DgX_1YjKEl5GJb4HU3qHmU6bsu3KJecvnPL_4bsYZNE1aTdQ2PP-XT-66-J6-JHzQm9mhwvQst6OMbA8Wz/s400/runtoescape.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJ0m7K33s2r0cOnGw6t531Y15kbtPeiupOBKeBc2VB3-y4CsJ6fylR-DgX_1YjKEl5GJb4HU3qHmU6bsu3KJecvnPL_4bsYZNE1aTdQ2PP-XT-66-J6-JHzQm9mhwvQst6OMbA8Wz/s16000/runtoescape.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div>Over the last few weeks I participated in a super incredible new running escape room experience called <b>Run to Escape: Mission Mount Olympus! </b>This is a first of its kind virtual running experience that combines both running and puzzles to put both your mind and body to the test and it is SO STINKING COOL, GUYS! Based on Greek mythology, the Run to Escape series consists of 6 different virtual races ranging from 3 miles to 10 kilometers in distance, and 6 different puzzles of varying degrees of difficulty. In order to unlock the next race in the series, you have to solve a puzzle by listening to audio clues while you run. Honestly, it is so much fun and I am pumped I had the opportunity to try it out as a BibRave pro!</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">How It Works</span></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>Once you pay your entry fee, you will be given access to your first race. Using the RunKeeper app, you'll run the distance of the first race and at various points during your run, one of six Greek gods on Mount Olympus will give you clues to the puzzle that you'll need to solve once your complete your run. When you're done running, Hermes sends you a post-run email with additional clues to your puzzle, and once you have solved your puzzle you will enter the code word to unlock your next run! It continues on through 6 different races until you reach the Pantheon Party at the very end!</div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKl6x_tIUB3u6DqQQz_5V5EzMvjZCoOOY0M7HgIP8wwKmV5n7Bkt40wGteKdrGYdFdvHGtUrfFA88zTVm2PevWLWzoG00vVrBThs8zbgi8lfAQNFb3jLDmH6zuzG4pTUR_EqamYU8U/s2048/Untitled+design.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKl6x_tIUB3u6DqQQz_5V5EzMvjZCoOOY0M7HgIP8wwKmV5n7Bkt40wGteKdrGYdFdvHGtUrfFA88zTVm2PevWLWzoG00vVrBThs8zbgi8lfAQNFb3jLDmH6zuzG4pTUR_EqamYU8U/w480-h640/Untitled+design.png" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Me & my lil Cerberus after completing all 6 of the challenges!</span></i></div></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">What I Loved</span></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Hints Galore!</b> One of the things I was worries about when signing up for this challenge was not being able to figure out a puzzle, and then I wouldn't be able to advance to the next race. Luckily, the RTE team thought about this and provided several hints on how to figure out each puzzle (outside of the puzzle clues) and even provide the answer if your get *really* stuck. These hints and answers definitely saved me from getting stuck a couple of times throughout this series so I really appreciate that I had a way to advance through the series whenever I couldn't figure something out!</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Audio Clue Quality is TOP NOTCH!</b> The voice actors did such a fantastic job with creating the characters of Dionysus, Aphrodite, Apollo, Hades, Athena, and Zeus! They were all such great characters and definitely made me feel like I was immersed in the world of Mount Olympus while I ran through the streets of my neighborhood. I absolutely loved it!</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>RTE Team is VERY Interactive! </b>I posted about each of my RTE runs on Instagram and the RTE team commented and interacted with every single one of my posts! It's so cool to see that interaction by the organizers of the race your running. It makes you really feel like they care what their participants are up to! Definitely love it when community can be created in a virtual setting!</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Great Communication & Direction! </b>Because this is such a new approach to virtual racing, I am so appreciative of the abundance of directions and communication that the RTE team provided for participants throughout the experience. Any time there was a problem or any type of confusion, the RTE team was so responsive in addressing the issue. I think that is HUGE, especially for a brand new running experience like this.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Incredible Virtual Pantheon Party!</b> Once you finish all 6 races and puzzles, you'll be admitted into the Pantheon Party which has so many cool little features! There's playlists and recipes based on each of the gods, and there's even giveaways you can enter into for prizes from Asics, Knockaround, and Aftershokz! I love the dedication to creating a fun finish line experience, which can be so challenging in a virtual environment!</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">How to Sign Up</span></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Head over to <a href="https://www.runtoescapeseries.com/">runtoescapeseries.com</a> and click "Register" to sign up today! Your entry fee will get you access to the first challenge, and you'll start the series from there! <br /><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: medium;">Use code "BIBRAVE10" for 10% off your registration!</span></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Vlog of my experience!</span></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>Because this was a brand new running experience, I wanted to vlog it to share with all of you! It's a rather long video, but hopefully it will give you a better idea of what the experience is like. Don't worry, there are no puzzle spoilers!</div><div><b><br /></b></div>
<center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NtvKxv2pXms" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center><center><br /></center><center style="text-align: left;">Honestly this was such a great experience and I cannot say enough great things about it. It is so awesome that the RTE team is venturing into the brand new version of virtual racing and I cannot wait to see what they come up with next. The future of virtual racing is evolving and I am HERE FOR IT!</center>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116982228825892049noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1916871150499748468.post-22693639685772406422021-05-07T10:30:00.001-04:002021-05-07T10:30:00.243-04:00πποΈπ Summer Reading List 2021 πποΈπ<p>One of my reading goals for 2021 was to *not* create any TBRs, but lately I've been feeling like I want to break that goal of mine and make ALL THE LISTS OF BOOKS. Now that the academic year is over and work will (fingers crossed) be much slower over the next four months, I wanted to make myself a summer reading list of sorts. Kind of like the summer reading lists you would be assigned in school, but with books I'm actually excited about. π </p><p>Some of these titles have been on my TBR shelf for YEARS, and some are newer to the collection. There are quite a few on here that I've been specifically been saving for this time of year and for one reason or another I haven't yet gotten around to them. You might also notice that this list is quite heavy in the contemporary/romance department, but honestly it's the best time of year for that genre in my opinion! </p><p>My goal is to read through all 20 of these titles by the end of the summer (which, in my higher ed employee mind, is September 1st), while also giving myself some wiggle room to read other things that may strike my fancy. I'll do a check in at the end of the summer to let you know how I did. If I'm able to read all 20 books, maybe I'll treat myself to something exciting as a reward. Wish me luck, and let me know if you're going to be reading any of these titles this summer!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7AuZ3aBcvJUzNMVqqVycQuLSBZSHvxrfjyHLaj_krIj85M70zx6ingocSoR8hHM1gfWAwphlN0uTGFlDfy7Zmu6KO5OMLP4RWa2kgplE0Hv6Z9_3ag3XDeRHAtUxCfCjI_USCAvZf/s475/anomaly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7AuZ3aBcvJUzNMVqqVycQuLSBZSHvxrfjyHLaj_krIj85M70zx6ingocSoR8hHM1gfWAwphlN0uTGFlDfy7Zmu6KO5OMLP4RWa2kgplE0Hv6Z9_3ag3XDeRHAtUxCfCjI_USCAvZf/s320/anomaly.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKsb_ns8dbJS3RL1ozcKQ9svW12CQMVnZLZOQaS0mTSL9CD_DN1TpkWiXyxq4shaRUKqwiymoq8HX9LoScZPbfbzha0KaEIEcXAzEyfzGMr9NNooXDhrptIR6Bw-VIgc_aRA_Wzr5F/s450/borntorun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="301" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKsb_ns8dbJS3RL1ozcKQ9svW12CQMVnZLZOQaS0mTSL9CD_DN1TpkWiXyxq4shaRUKqwiymoq8HX9LoScZPbfbzha0KaEIEcXAzEyfzGMr9NNooXDhrptIR6Bw-VIgc_aRA_Wzr5F/s320/borntorun.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxIOgqcPLuQ4vjHJ10N-mi6YTyQAi_eovjR281rb6lyPu150gbB6oAUR7ESlCvuvqp5kKbSFHu2RcBvkM2Pt8mex1-EpXmgp9oipKsHZG68JbdVidKTHBAJTyk3gD_L3Wjmj8Ayz6I/s2048/datingplan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxIOgqcPLuQ4vjHJ10N-mi6YTyQAi_eovjR281rb6lyPu150gbB6oAUR7ESlCvuvqp5kKbSFHu2RcBvkM2Pt8mex1-EpXmgp9oipKsHZG68JbdVidKTHBAJTyk3gD_L3Wjmj8Ayz6I/s320/datingplan.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFlM9TwBH7MrgDnD2OK9o7PXsJAeRf-K-AYUfb-ed9BfrqD-a7A3iecGIrGa_04YeVDpxEWF-oBBAbADv_5xXTkyjX4omtzml5-HHcextswIM0kYimhSJQQr62U4ylipFmBCpNUFo/s475/dreamology.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFlM9TwBH7MrgDnD2OK9o7PXsJAeRf-K-AYUfb-ed9BfrqD-a7A3iecGIrGa_04YeVDpxEWF-oBBAbADv_5xXTkyjX4omtzml5-HHcextswIM0kYimhSJQQr62U4ylipFmBCpNUFo/s320/dreamology.jpg" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36342156-the-anomaly" target="_blank">The Anomaly</a></u> by Michael Rutger<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6289283-born-to-run?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=mmShzSE7j1&rank=1" target="_blank">Born to Run</a></u> by Christopher McDougall<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54326395-the-dating-plan?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=cggBQIRJYL&rank=1#" target="_blank">The Dating Plan</a></u> by Sara Desai<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25817310-dreamology?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=MNegIxWPJu&rank=1" target="_blank">Dreamology</a></u> by Lucy Keating</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlihpPYngirxEnnWEHYBIb794YvjYSuI3eFnDM-SnDktptcPKDNfzYIzqEKltufV9XRroyzQGNz09EJ88hiDf0jg9Y0dESN_K9tmzsDQCGG1ETL_jA27TZiLzNbduX3WDi-o299i4E/s470/everythingallatonce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlihpPYngirxEnnWEHYBIb794YvjYSuI3eFnDM-SnDktptcPKDNfzYIzqEKltufV9XRroyzQGNz09EJ88hiDf0jg9Y0dESN_K9tmzsDQCGG1ETL_jA27TZiLzNbduX3WDi-o299i4E/s320/everythingallatonce.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZlqO7d0GwN9xTad9TXeMffFhNbg12VzFL_7Hf9QuknGZwZelcjOtUnWg-2EDOTl1UhO8VLcI_158PTvuj6JQwLV1AzLS6HcBDtbjgl0zHOfCAd6C8SdYC4pC34KDzTjWt7dCwi3S/s475/freshmen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOZlqO7d0GwN9xTad9TXeMffFhNbg12VzFL_7Hf9QuknGZwZelcjOtUnWg-2EDOTl1UhO8VLcI_158PTvuj6JQwLV1AzLS6HcBDtbjgl0zHOfCAd6C8SdYC4pC34KDzTjWt7dCwi3S/s320/freshmen.jpg" /></a><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjMsZTgxXIteMv9t8_Av6ZOQzJkdpC00wIxY_145Il_G2apQjNRS4LcuNDGUsnF0zcXQ7Uc-IjvYabUt1LDPWnubUUnUlzHAJw1iGILcezglEMSqVt5wuILYRfVfsbk472fjv8myry/s475/godsofjadeandshadow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjMsZTgxXIteMv9t8_Av6ZOQzJkdpC00wIxY_145Il_G2apQjNRS4LcuNDGUsnF0zcXQ7Uc-IjvYabUt1LDPWnubUUnUlzHAJw1iGILcezglEMSqVt5wuILYRfVfsbk472fjv8myry/s320/godsofjadeandshadow.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKb7310EXTBLUiiStLaJvAqKxXNWR0HDnFQjJk_1XyGEcEQp9kxfLymVxm2dYwvI-f-7EXxgDRz5oarRFB017dAxxkNpmj1dg-xIpXlLT6v87HSe8i5Kul0udfQiIZFIu69BHrhcsO/s2048/headoverheels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1345" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKb7310EXTBLUiiStLaJvAqKxXNWR0HDnFQjJk_1XyGEcEQp9kxfLymVxm2dYwvI-f-7EXxgDRz5oarRFB017dAxxkNpmj1dg-xIpXlLT6v87HSe8i5Kul0udfQiIZFIu69BHrhcsO/s320/headoverheels.jpg" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28926581-everything-all-at-once?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=JQBenn5ap4&rank=1" target="_blank">Everything All At Once</a></u> by Katrina Leno<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37754670-freshmen?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=URN08bTMeQ&rank=3" target="_blank">Freshmen</a></u> by Tom Ellen & Lucy Ivison<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36510722-gods-of-jade-and-shadow?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=0Iwf7DHkzI&rank=1" target="_blank">Gods of Jade and Shadow</a></u> by Silvia Moreno-Garcia<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52765013-head-over-heels?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=N16TvU48x4&rank=1" target="_blank">Head Over Heels</a></u> by Hannah Orenstein</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-pEBoS_dyzpuoibs02l_CqgstKBB0b5EbDJ83I1136_g2B8_rLdVz5VuhdDSdI9psGde_Eq81ft2tHRmpHYg4sniChNintLj4m_Q8syryequFK47Jd-CDQ3feDB7MzpMO6ohr8Bco/s475/inexplicablelogic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="310" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-pEBoS_dyzpuoibs02l_CqgstKBB0b5EbDJ83I1136_g2B8_rLdVz5VuhdDSdI9psGde_Eq81ft2tHRmpHYg4sniChNintLj4m_Q8syryequFK47Jd-CDQ3feDB7MzpMO6ohr8Bco/s320/inexplicablelogic.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWcN_CPmRf6ElBmeuvD26dCe5ymgPxZduf3xxvJEl4HvFq2-mgX1U0NIjc3BSxKP_qmRmZmsV95cNua-uj1VcvSprxRgCmh2UZp8atv709W3SwMyFwpshwaW_WJ7dEbMzssr135cZG/s1500/lastsummeratthegoldenhotel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWcN_CPmRf6ElBmeuvD26dCe5ymgPxZduf3xxvJEl4HvFq2-mgX1U0NIjc3BSxKP_qmRmZmsV95cNua-uj1VcvSprxRgCmh2UZp8atv709W3SwMyFwpshwaW_WJ7dEbMzssr135cZG/s320/lastsummeratthegoldenhotel.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaLk72VYKWwJlPaeIkqorRi237soJsiNxEywqxul5qJvjpX2jFATGtc7exzTgM2h7ZDADQ7-92G0gkGZWe3M-nXwhBs3a_8eT35I7mzNmWM_octstpVQvvk4V7ul2QQr1-ximjg6Q-/s475/meetcute.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaLk72VYKWwJlPaeIkqorRi237soJsiNxEywqxul5qJvjpX2jFATGtc7exzTgM2h7ZDADQ7-92G0gkGZWe3M-nXwhBs3a_8eT35I7mzNmWM_octstpVQvvk4V7ul2QQr1-ximjg6Q-/s320/meetcute.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpgm1jLPqI2tqj5BgPa37zSkp6kx8mWtFH3j_x7G5OXrlOFjqS7oaPSvDQPrsJonk2ruDNr9wMUomhjgRtgMHqshiBiTfuYPJtIatplExRAU-2lSdoigvVS36FxCF2_QwTgsmcx-R2/s475/theproposal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpgm1jLPqI2tqj5BgPa37zSkp6kx8mWtFH3j_x7G5OXrlOFjqS7oaPSvDQPrsJonk2ruDNr9wMUomhjgRtgMHqshiBiTfuYPJtIatplExRAU-2lSdoigvVS36FxCF2_QwTgsmcx-R2/s320/theproposal.jpg" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23447923-the-inexplicable-logic-of-my-life?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=ypMb2vFclS&rank=1" target="_blank">The Inexplicable Logic of My Life</a></u> by Benjamin Alire Saenz<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55198938-last-summer-at-the-golden-hotel?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=PceWIcfBgt&rank=1" target="_blank">Last Summer at the Golden Hotel</a></u> by Elyssa Friedland<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33503607-meet-cute?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=1rUdq4tjoh&rank=2" target="_blank">Meet Cute</a></u> by Jennifer L. 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Morrow</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPajMiVFVkcQfdjUrAhR6OdmI1f3ZVxV9Kyub42NvrK-C1F6Cmsif8HJIgSs4NayXt8vKAKBAuc8ePGnqx60nxa1Gd4eVXXw8tyOgmT1ZSkJLN9O4rHSWNWV7X8IRd_ZfKEWhkbjMm/s475/summerof69.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="307" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPajMiVFVkcQfdjUrAhR6OdmI1f3ZVxV9Kyub42NvrK-C1F6Cmsif8HJIgSs4NayXt8vKAKBAuc8ePGnqx60nxa1Gd4eVXXw8tyOgmT1ZSkJLN9O4rHSWNWV7X8IRd_ZfKEWhkbjMm/s320/summerof69.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBym5xQWLYlVgBxApdOqchwiYO7fWi4zqVA7Cz0avJPpapo_bauC_sY7ovdSQUfKg__tj_cVHf4iGYReS26mCkBHtvSR2LEEmitxEsK50FBazbtgcrLEKXsWtmuBIDy23L9A7-rqe/s2048/twiceinabluemoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1357" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBym5xQWLYlVgBxApdOqchwiYO7fWi4zqVA7Cz0avJPpapo_bauC_sY7ovdSQUfKg__tj_cVHf4iGYReS26mCkBHtvSR2LEEmitxEsK50FBazbtgcrLEKXsWtmuBIDy23L9A7-rqe/s320/twiceinabluemoon.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_RVmn6BJ41S9H26pxJL-vVOl4NU1096lmBzZm0dn_09A0msTADcTqBEzhEDG7vJJPR1vvE97ETLbJa1YoUSRibgnbtG5wfSY_XrfUSVUDVGqG3xevFAy1Vp7Uq6e8ZrA7Yhu9upV/s475/vacationers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_RVmn6BJ41S9H26pxJL-vVOl4NU1096lmBzZm0dn_09A0msTADcTqBEzhEDG7vJJPR1vvE97ETLbJa1YoUSRibgnbtG5wfSY_XrfUSVUDVGqG3xevFAy1Vp7Uq6e8ZrA7Yhu9upV/s320/vacationers.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ryM0LnE04a3Dq0gmzTUvyUDpbGkd6HbfaJBIGH_cDiISf43IEdBqlLhHg0pj-Q36vLRbJJnv9e8eRS8s9ALLUZ9OVKYYHpZGcrp2epocacCDVc8_-3oCZP7Iz3HZsSi_omrz5muU/s475/youareabadass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ryM0LnE04a3Dq0gmzTUvyUDpbGkd6HbfaJBIGH_cDiISf43IEdBqlLhHg0pj-Q36vLRbJJnv9e8eRS8s9ALLUZ9OVKYYHpZGcrp2epocacCDVc8_-3oCZP7Iz3HZsSi_omrz5muU/s320/youareabadass.jpg" /></a></div><p><br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42283286-summer-of-69?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=pDnxPTvPqB&rank=1" target="_blank">Summer of '69</a></u> by Elin Hilderbrand<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45186670-twice-in-a-blue-moon?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=rhwh9psCW5&rank=1" target="_blank">Twice in a Blue Moon</a></u> by Christina Lauren<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18641982-the-vacationers?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=3jXXZBgPtC&rank=1" target="_blank">The Vacationers</a></u> by Emma Straub<br /><u><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15843166-you-are-a-badass?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=rzY0gynSWb&rank=1" target="_blank">You Are a Badass</a></u> by Jen Sincero</p></div></div>Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116982228825892049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1916871150499748468.post-83792183719658536602021-05-06T18:00:00.004-04:002021-05-06T18:00:00.225-04:00Our Pal Mikey<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Ji44f8eVqEJ8xqPI63Jd85RYe_M6kMh4PJWUR0ytsusyYZ2FxnosBTPerwDUt_rPE_RzAZ9GMnS5PAeMS8doLmxe9EaKahhDhaB6XbMTl8WzGZm7QOuoUUDNvXMJEYx-JlGjTFuj/s2048/IMG_5601+%25281%2529.heif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Ji44f8eVqEJ8xqPI63Jd85RYe_M6kMh4PJWUR0ytsusyYZ2FxnosBTPerwDUt_rPE_RzAZ9GMnS5PAeMS8doLmxe9EaKahhDhaB6XbMTl8WzGZm7QOuoUUDNvXMJEYx-JlGjTFuj/w480-h640/IMG_5601+%25281%2529.heif" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">A few weeks ago, we sadly had to say goodbye to our pal Mikey. He came into my life when I was 16 years old and has been a part of our family for 14 and a half wonderful years. He was a gentle soul and was always just happy to spend time with his big sister Kiwi and his people, no matter what we were doing. He was there through my final years of high school, all through college and graduate school, enjoyed life on the lake in New Hampshire and moved to Florida with my parents to live out his golden years. Always by our side and there with a wag and a smile when you walked through the door. While it's always so hard to say goodbye, I'm so glad he was given a good life and we take comfort that he's now reunited with his sister. π</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtMNcjPVqE7DkpBxA7c1lUaU2o36jbDYEErcQloEt-KONcAFU32lAh415UCyHkxbGZ7iC687FU39GOPifzMdmf1uRqcMA4GuVzZAq3GwfkQhGvRhjG_Wsg_06wRrz2mcTrnncLsoo3/s2048/IMG_6640.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtMNcjPVqE7DkpBxA7c1lUaU2o36jbDYEErcQloEt-KONcAFU32lAh415UCyHkxbGZ7iC687FU39GOPifzMdmf1uRqcMA4GuVzZAq3GwfkQhGvRhjG_Wsg_06wRrz2mcTrnncLsoo3/w640-h480/IMG_6640.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqIjgaQCb-aweyAGcB4wDrVUnGFyu_f2cxRhPb1fopbx7Cu0GzpMo_CGsomMSfOKLOws__QHF4YLMPKVbzSzCfQqlNsK-aY4XuVcm4aDmw_1ALvzib5tzKnLMAR7zo6odzX7Cgozco/s2048/IMG_6643.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqIjgaQCb-aweyAGcB4wDrVUnGFyu_f2cxRhPb1fopbx7Cu0GzpMo_CGsomMSfOKLOws__QHF4YLMPKVbzSzCfQqlNsK-aY4XuVcm4aDmw_1ALvzib5tzKnLMAR7zo6odzX7Cgozco/w640-h480/IMG_6643.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_LyD7TY_S65yZPjNUHm8CkML3FWWtCIq_bcvrFsaQgnp_eUVLuVd7i8vp1SSMZGhR3K2R6OwBEcNW6ngiUsvbRAyQdxMYZ8sMElD9NPN5Pf23pK1K5ZIzR31JCxTYK64WoD_U9mOe/s2048/IMG_6695.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_LyD7TY_S65yZPjNUHm8CkML3FWWtCIq_bcvrFsaQgnp_eUVLuVd7i8vp1SSMZGhR3K2R6OwBEcNW6ngiUsvbRAyQdxMYZ8sMElD9NPN5Pf23pK1K5ZIzR31JCxTYK64WoD_U9mOe/w640-h480/IMG_6695.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi136hL6T7Iysk7SPGmpyMzmt6urC-8XAMQ4oTIl5tR3DFvA3bLQxwUysO1L_qQNPefJmmHjcufUUbU1VgnRHgbphoklthfARmOZKFIP4kk6sJhze4bTMQzERaC3CY7kn7uyxEdFRue/s2048/IMG_3244.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi136hL6T7Iysk7SPGmpyMzmt6urC-8XAMQ4oTIl5tR3DFvA3bLQxwUysO1L_qQNPefJmmHjcufUUbU1VgnRHgbphoklthfARmOZKFIP4kk6sJhze4bTMQzERaC3CY7kn7uyxEdFRue/w640-h426/IMG_3244.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrju2IgVr8Q69iIZGrU8n5RGELnJkDE2hfkoGCZPLqdrlruC9jWaObjwOk87fWx0lmcVfT4cNNaStLyUQ1OpUgq2VVxUV5IStUYI4os89UhaDBbpXNptV_m_OjkRNjLwnyAKA_vhK_/s2048/boat+006.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrju2IgVr8Q69iIZGrU8n5RGELnJkDE2hfkoGCZPLqdrlruC9jWaObjwOk87fWx0lmcVfT4cNNaStLyUQ1OpUgq2VVxUV5IStUYI4os89UhaDBbpXNptV_m_OjkRNjLwnyAKA_vhK_/w640-h480/boat+006.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">We'll miss you, Mike-a-Bikes π</span></b></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi-Xt0mz56W0r04iVHquxwyGgdshVh8fXuNDnRrPHvMRtqArhrKZK98LDpx1YD7Jm2I8zbiQZUw4vFKWchmLugQKFb8_EoIAqzVcKqtF1_AD-lgsl42bXuEtv-_zjGGyGu1x1gT_i4/s826/IMG_9822+%25281%2529.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="826" height="632" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi-Xt0mz56W0r04iVHquxwyGgdshVh8fXuNDnRrPHvMRtqArhrKZK98LDpx1YD7Jm2I8zbiQZUw4vFKWchmLugQKFb8_EoIAqzVcKqtF1_AD-lgsl42bXuEtv-_zjGGyGu1x1gT_i4/w640-h632/IMG_9822+%25281%2529.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><br />Rileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09116982228825892049noreply@blogger.com0