Race Review: Run to Escape - Mission Mount Olympus ⚡

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

Over the last few weeks I participated in a super incredible new running escape room experience called Run to Escape: Mission Mount Olympus! 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!

How It Works

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!

Me & my lil Cerberus after completing all 6 of the challenges!

What I Loved

Hints Galore! 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!

Audio Clue Quality is TOP NOTCH! 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!

RTE Team is VERY Interactive! 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!

Great Communication & Direction! 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.

Incredible Virtual Pantheon Party! 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!

How to Sign Up

Head over to runtoescapeseries.com 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! 

Use code "BIBRAVE10" for 10% off your registration!

Vlog of my experience!

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!

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!

#RunMA Challenge Update! 10 Days to go... | Blogmas Day 22

 

WE'RE DOWN TO THE WIRE PEOPLE! Including today (because I haven't gone out on my run yet), there's 10 days remaining for the #RunMA challenge and I am SO CLOSE TO FINISHING! I'm in a situation where if I remove the two days that I'm traveling back to MA after Christmas (because let's be honest, not much running will be happening after being in the car for 10 hours), I need to average about 7 miles a day to finish the challenge by the 31st - totally doable! I'm trying my best to be as active as possible while I'm down in Florida (just because the weather is much more ✨agreeable✨), and hopefully I'll be able to get enough ahead where I only have a few short runs left when I get home. Keep all of your fingers and toes crossed for me! Here are my current stats:

I'm currently 592.85 miles out of 645 into the challenge (91.9%), meaning I have a mere 52.15 miles to go. As Brett put it to me this morning, "just two marathons to go! EASY!" 😂 I reached my goal of doubling the elevation challenge, so that's exciting. Just gotta get this pesky distance challenge out of the way 😜 It's so crazy to think I've run/walked almost 600 miles since August 20th when I started this challenge!!!

I unlocked my second to last badge for the challenge - the Inner Cape - during my run yesterday. I just have to run the South Shore back to Boston and I will be D-O-N-E! I am really excited to not have the pressure of meeting daily mileage goals hanging over my head, but at the same time I am very appreciative of this challenge because I truly think it has helped me become a better runner. Hopefully you'll be seeing an exciting Instagram post from me in the next week or so letting you know that I've completed the #RunMA challenge, and I'll definitely be writing up a review of this experience in early 2021! 

Wish me luck on my last few miles, y'all! 🏃‍♀️

Run Recap: Weekend-Long Marathon & Virtual Providence Half Marathon

Over Indigenous People's Day weekend I decided to give myself a little bit of a running challenge. I was originally supposed to be running the 2020 Chicago Marathon and I was bumming hard that I wasn't going to be there, so I decided to try to do something special - a weekend-long marathon! The plan was to try to get to 26.2 miles total from Friday to Sunday. I've been wanting to get my body used to running on back to back days and running on tired legs, so I made a plan to build up my mileage each day starting with the shortest distance on Friday and the longest distance on Sunday. Of course, first step was laying out all of my gear for the weekend!

You'll notice that I had a bib on this pile - that's because I was planning to *finally* run the Virtual Providence Half Marathon that I was originally supposed to run in May! Packets for this race didn't come in the mail until mid-summer, and I think at that point I was feeling pretty salty that all of my races were getting cancelled, so the idea of a virtual half that was supposed to be in-person was too much to bear so I kept putting it off. For this weekend, though, I wanted to have something to celebrate to replace what was supposed to be an amazing trip to Chicago, another state completed in my 50 States challenge, and my very first Abbot World Major Marathon. So I thought that this weekend was the perfect weekend to finally finish the PVD Virtual Half and have some race bling to brag about once my weekend-long marathon was complete.

FRIDAY (6.23 miles)

View this post on Instagram

6.23/26.2 ✅ First 3 with my running buddy 🐕 and the last 3.23 solo! 🏃🏻‍♀️ • We’re under a month away until the Chicago Virtual @hotchocolate15k and 5k! I can’t wait to get my hands on the swag 🤩 and of course ALL THE CHOCOLATE! 🍫 Join me virtually on November 8 by registering at hotchocolate15k.com/chicago! 🧡 • #HCChiBR #HCVirtualBR #bibchat #bibravepro #virtualrace #weekendlongmarathon #instarunners

A post shared by Riley (@rmfickfack) on Oct 9, 2020 at 2:35pm PDT

Day 1 of the challenge was pretty straight forward, and a great way to kick off the weekend! I ran the first 3 miles with Miss Snowy and the second 3 solo, with a .23 mile cool down walk. I don't think that there was anything too significant to write home about for this run, but it was good to kick off the weekend feeling strong and having some positive energy entering a running challenge!

SATURDAY (7.09 miles)

Day 2 was SO DANG HOT! 🔥🔥🔥 In reality the weather was beautiful and I was thankful that we had a random warm day in the middle of the week, but I was really underprepared for the heat. (Note how red my face was!) I was wearing shorts for this run but I was also wearing a long-sleeve tech shirt for the first 6 miles which was ROUGH. I picked up Snowy to run the last mile with me, and needed to shed the long sleeve or I probably would have passed out haha. Overall this was a great run, though, and I was glad to get through it. 

SUNDAY - Virtual Providence Half Marathon (13.11 miles)

The last day of the challenge was the day I was finally running the Virtual Providence Half Marathon! I had other plans later on in the morning so I got up SUPER early to get out the door and get my miles in. The morning actually started out really warm and muggy, but as the sun rose it got progressively colder? 🤔 It was very strange. I did a few shorter loops closer to home while it was still dark out in an effort to stay safe, and then when the sun finally rose I did a larger loop to get myself to 13.1. I felt good pretty much the entire run and kept the pace nice and slow. I picked up Snowy for the final mile so that she could celebrate my finish with me!

The Providence Half Marathon sent along a decent amount of swag items with your registration, including a fleece zip-up hoodie and a tech shirt along with the medal and bib. I've actually been trying to run this race in person for a few years (I was trying to run the full for my Rhode Island marathon before I ran Newport!), and I never pulled the trigger on registering until this year for the half marathon. Unfortunately I picked the year that COVID struck and cancelled the race! However, I appreciate how communicative the race organizers were in navigating the unknown waters of cancelling a race during a pandemic. It did take them a while to send out the race packets to everyone (which honestly is why it took me so long to complete the race!), but they did their best to make sure runners felt accommodated and I really appreciate that. It hasn't been an easy year on the running community, but I know race organizers are trying their absolute best!

I ran a total of 26.43 miles over the course of the three days! 

It felt great to get out there and tackle a challenge like this, even if it was self-imposed. I definitely see more random challenges like this in my future. They make running fun! I highly recommend trying it yourself if you're struggling to find motivation. It's definitely helped me quite a bit! 🏃‍♀️

Race Review: 🎶 2020 Virtual Smuttynose Rockfest Half Marathon 🍺

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

 

This weekend I had the opportunity to run the Virtual Smuttynose Rockfest Half Marathon! It had been a loooong time since the last time I ran 13.1 miles (since MARCH!) so I went into this race with the plan to take it nice and slooooooow and to enjoy each mile as much as possible. I was bummed that I couldn't be running on the coast of New Hampshire for this run, but I wanted to make the most of it! I had a great time enjoying the crisp fall air, and even vlogged my experience on my Instragram story which you can find in my BibRave Pro highlight on my profile!

I tried to keep my run right around an 11 minute pace, and it looks like I was right on the money! I'm really happy with how the run went. I will say that my legs started to feel the impact of the run around miles 9 and 10, but for the most part I was feeling really great for not having captured this distance in MONTHS! I was so happy to finally finish up my run and have it go as smoothly as it did. Because my race goody bag hasn't come in the mail yet, I decided to pose with a pumpkin as my finish line ~bling~ because my race outfit made me look eerily similar to a pumpkin. 🎃😂 I am excited to get my race swag in the mail to officially celebrate. Check out some photos of what I'll be getting below!

Race bib & sticker!

Quarter-zip sweatshirt!

Race medal!

I'll definitely be posting my swag over on Instagram once it arrives, so stay tuned for that!

After arriving home, I indulged in some puppy kisses, a nice hot shower, and a breakfast sandwich before logging on to the virtual finish line celebration on Facebook Live. Fellow BibRave Pro Ryan from IRunonBeer hosted the event which was so cool! One of the big draws of the live Rockfest event in Hampton, NH is the finish line party where you get to indulge in craft beer, lobster rolls, and live music. During the Facebook Live event, there was live musical performances, recipes to DIY your own lobster rolls at home, and Ryan even taught us how to create an at-home beer tasting! There was also plenty of opportunities to enter into giveaways for future race entries into some of Loco Running's upcoming events.

It was so much fun to chat along with my fellow Rockfest runners and enjoy some comradery even though we were all just hanging out in our own homes. One of the hard things about virtual racing is that it's tough to create that finish line feeling of joy and accomplishment when you're running by yourself in your own neighborhood. I think Loco Running did a fantastic job of recreating the finish line festival, and it felt great to have a commemorative moment after achieving another 13.1!

The rest of the day was spent lounging with Snowy and watching football. I also picked out a Smuttynose beer to enjoy as I lazed around for the rest of the afternoon - the Smuttynose Mysterious Haze Double Dry-Hopped New England IPA! I actually really enjoyed this beer and it's exactly what I look for in an IPA: juicy-yet-hoppy with a citrusy taste. 10/10 would recommend.

Overall, I really enjoyed my experience with the Smuttynose Rockfest Virtual Half Marathon. Race directors are having to make some seriously difficult decisions this year in order to make their races as safe as possible, but I know that they're trying their hardest to recreate the racing experience to the best of their ability. I really feel like Loco Running did a great job with Rockfest, and I would absolutely love to run the in-person event in future years. I definitely recommend that you do the same, and hopefully we can run together in person in the future! 🧡🍻

Friday Reads! {8.11.17} + Run with Me!

I have SO MUCH READING TO DO! Between several buddy reads, The Reading Quest, and just trying to accomplish my TBR goals for the month, this weekend is going to be chock full of reading. This weekend, my main focuses are the following:
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame The Way We Bared Our Souls by Willa Strayhorn Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Click play on the above video to hear what my full plans are for each book, as well as a fun update on a virtual race I'm promoting called the Dash for Donuts! If you're interested in signing up, you can do so with a 10% discount by using this link! And definitely let me know if you plan to run with me in September! :D

Providence Marathon Update #4: A Change of Plan

Soooo.....

It's no secret that this time around marathon training has been a bit rough. Back in February I was feeling super far behind in my training, and while I picked it up a bit through March, I came to the realization that registering for this marathon wasn't looking like it would be fiscally possible this time around. And, with a heavy heart, I've had to make the decision that this $100 race registration isn't something I could commit to right now. I'm really sad about it because I really wanted to make a spring marathon work this year, but it's just not looking possible.

BUT - it's okay. I still plan to run marathon #4 this year at some point when I've got a bit more wiggle room in my budget. There are some upcoming changes in my life (which I know I'll speak about here soon) that's going to make saving money and purchasing some fun things (like race registrations!) possible. I'm searching around for some late-summer and autumn marathons that I can shoot for, and in the meantime continue to train while running some half marathons and other distance races. It just really stinks sometimes just how expensive race registration fees (especially for marathons) can be!

 Source

I AM, however, still planning on running a race on the day of the Rhode Races (which the Providence Marathon is a part of). If you're not familiar with Virtual Strides, it's a Virtual racing company that focuses on a different charity each month. Basically, you sign up for the race you'd like to run, they create a custom bib that you can print and wear and then they mail you a medal that you can rock after you're done running your race! For each race you can choose between 5K, 10K, and half marathon distances and each distance is the same price. You run the distance on your own timeline (they do have a time frame that you need to complete the distance by) and when you complete it you upload your time to the website and you can even share a photo of you on "race day"! It's a really easy and affordable way to race and feel a part of the running community even if you're running solo.

On May 1st, I'll be running the One Tough Mother Runner virtual half marathon that benefits the Family Lives on Foundation. This will be my first virtual race and I'm very interested to see how it goes! I'm excited that I'll still get to run a long-distance race on the day that I was hoping to, even if it wasn't *exactly* what I was planning. PLUS a portion of the registration fee will be going toward benefiting children in need. I'll be posting a review of my experience here on the blog (of course) but for now, here's a little glimpse at my bib! :)

Have you ever run a virtual race before? I would love to hear your thoughts!

Winter/Spring 2016 Race Preview

I'm not sure what's worse - winter running or summer running. This winter I will be training for a Spring Marathon for the first time which means many, many cold runs are in my future. Cold weather is definitely not my fave, but at least it's easier to breathe! I'll be running a few races leading up to the big day in May, so I thought I'd share them with you all!

Puppy Love Run

It was really difficult for me to find a race that falls on the weekend I need to be running a half marathon for training, so I opted to go virtual. This is a virtual race hosted by Will Run for Bling and Charity and it goes to benefit the American Humane Association - a charity that works toward the protection of children, pets, and farm animals from abuse and neglect - something I can of course get 100% behind. I'll be going for the Half Marathon option on this race (you can also opt to run a 5K or 10K if halves aren't your cup of tea) and am planning to run it on February 21st (which just so happens to fall during the time I'm planning on being in Southern Florida - wahoo!!!). I'm excited to see what running a virtual half will be like!

Moose on the Loose Half Marathon & 4K

Organized by the same company that puts on the Wolf Hollow Half Marathon and the Colt State Park Half Marathon, the Moose on the Loose Half Marathon & 4K is something I'm hoping to participate in in April! This race is pretty close to my marathon date, so I'm not sure if I'll go for the Half Marathon or if I should play it safe and stick to the 4K (maybe find a partner and run the relay?) but regardless, this race was close to my parents and I thought it would be a fun way to spend the day together!

Cox Providence Marathon

And here's the biggun'. I will be running marathon #4 in state #4 on May 1st - the Providence Marathon in Providence, RI. I will be turning 26 a few days after the race, so what better way to celebrate my 26th year of life than to run 26 miles? >_> I'm pretty sure my good running buddy Louie will be joining me for the fun as well! I will be giving periodic updates on how my marathon training is going right here on FivEleveNinety, so stay tuned for that! I'm looking forward to another marathon experience and to run in a city I've never run in before! :)