Sponsor Review: Raley’s Supermarkets, SPONSOR of the Napa Valley Marathon

Disclaimer: I received a $25 gift card to review Raley’s Supermarkets 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!

Now, that the Napa Valley Marathon is over it is NOT the time to neglect your body and all you did to prepare for that race. It’s been a week since you ran, so you need to make sure you not only rest but keep putting fuel into your body. Specifically, recovery fuel. And, yes, Raley’s can help you in that department as well. Visit their website to see how simple it is to find exactly what you’re looking for and how to spot it in the store. They have every category for you from Clean Label to Gut Health to Organic to Keto-Friendly. And everything in between too!

Post marathon is an important time for the body. There’s a lot of recovery going on so be sure to take advantage of Raley’s nutrition strategist who provides the necessary tips and information to make your marathon experience not only enjoyable on race day but afterwards as well. I mean, you need to prep for that next marathon!

I hope you take the time to visit Raley’s website and utilize all the free information, tips and advice they offer as well as visit the store and stock your pantry with some great products that fit whatever need you may have in your dietary lifestyle.

Happy running!

Sponsor Review: Raley’s Supermarkets – SPONSOR of the Napa Valley Marathon

Disclaimer: I received a $25 gift card to review Raley’s Supermarkets role as a sponsor for the Napa Valley Marathon as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews!

OK, raise your hand if you like grocery shopping. There’s never a “good” time to go and do it. There are always so many distractions of foods you need not be buying and then there’s the challenge of finding the right food for you. Throw in that you’re training for a race and need the right nutrition to supplement your hard work and it can be a nightmare! And that’s where a business like Raley’s comes into play. They sponsor the Napa Valley Marathon so they can better help their runners get associated with a healthy diet and the right foods to provide the energy they’ll need to have a successful race experience. So, how do they do it?

One of the best features the within the store itself offers is what it calls “Shelf Guide Icons” that are located throughout the store. Each of these icons makes it easier (and more time efficient) for you, the shopper, to get in and get out and get what you need. Some of the icons used include: Plant-Based, Organic, Keto Friendly, Clean Label, No Sugar Added, Carb Friendly, High in Protein and Gluten Free. Obviously, this make it easier for you to navigate quickly through the store and acquire the foods you need/want that will assist you in your race preparation.

Another amazing option provided by Raley’s is their Run Smart! nutritional campaign. They GIVE you the tips and suggestions to have a great race experience and how to properly train for the race, what to do to take care of yourself during the race and, finally, what you need to do at the completion of your race.

This is how you sponsor a race! Raley’s has it down pat and has your back for the Napa Valley Marathon. And, more importantly, they have your health on their mind. They are there to suggest, to help or just to assist in any way.

I suggest you take a look at some of my Bib Rave Pro friends who have also contributed blogs discussing the benefits of Raley’s Supermarkets and how they work hard to make your race day experience a great one.

https://theswagmama.com/2020/02/01/grocery-shopping-love-it-or-loathe-it/

http://ampdwellness.crazyhamster.run/grocery-shopping-yay-or-nay/?preview=true&_thumbnail_id=6604

http://www.thisoldrunner.com/blog/need-help-eating-right-before-during-and-after-a-race-try-raleys-nutrition-guide

Hope you enjoy their viewpoints and notes!

And, as always, happy running!

 

 

Race Review: Samson Stomp n Romp 5K

It’s a little late but here it is, my review of the Samson Stomp n Romp 5K held at the Milwaukee County Zoo on January 19, 2020.

What can I say about another year of running the Milwaukee County Zoo’s Samson Stomp n Romp 5K? Well, this was the 40th year of the event and it remains one of the most popular events at the zoo even though it takes place in January, in Wisconsin. This year provided some challenges though and that’s why I will review it again. I am giving the race an overall grade of five stars for overcoming weather and construction challenges while still putting on a fun event for adults and kids.

T-shirt/SWAG: The race always does a long sleeve t-shirt and while that may not seem exciting, this year’s version had a nice touch for the 40 year anniversary. On the back were the temperatures for the every year of the race leading up to this year. Just really cool and fascinating to see how many years have been in single digits and how many were above 30 degrees (not many, lol).

Aid Stations: There is only one station and it always has water but I have to give it at least three stars because the volunteers are out there suffering in the cold to hand out that water.

Course Scenery: Five stars, of course! You get to run through the zoo, checking out the polar bear, elk, macaques, penguins and more. You get to listen to the sea lions barking from their enclosure. And this year, due to construction making a larger hippo exhibit, the course had to be altered and it was a welcome change in my opinion. I loved that the course provided a new way to traverse the race. Great job working with what they had to work with.

Expo Quality: Not really an expo, per se. Just a packet pickup at the zoo. But the staff on hand are nice and friendly and ready to answer any and all questions you may have. Or just banter with you about how cold it will be on race morning, haha.

Elevation Difficulty: There was still the tough incline that the race always has but where it once was before you passed the first mile, not it was in between the 2nd and 3rd mile, so a little more challenging at the point in the race. There were also the same two steep declines that the course always has but, similar to the incline, their location in the race was not the same as year’s past.

Parking: Your bib and race confirmation is your parking pass into the zoo. Easy access and easy departure. No problems.

Race Management: They did a phenomenal job with this race. The overcoming of the construction to create a fun course that still reached the right distance was impressive. But even more impressive was that the city and zoo were hit with a nasty ice and snow storm a day before and the zoo had the entire course cleared off of both. There were very few spots that had ice that was dangerous and there was zero snow on the course itself. Bravo again for the zoo’s maintenance staff for having a safe event. Packet pickup was smooth. And the post race party/spread was just as nice as always. Apples, Gatorade, water, coffee, granola bars, strawberry milk, blueberry milk, a restaurant’s homemade tomato soup and another restaurant’s chicken and rice sample dish were all part of the post race spread that led to the handing out of awards. And, no, I didn’t age place this year. There’s always next year though….

Happy running!

The Journey to the 2020 Milwaukee Marathon

Disclaimer: I received an entry to the Milwaukee 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!

So, let’s start at where I’ve been and then move onto where I’m headed in my running life. Below you’ll see a pic of me just before entering double sports hernia surgery (with a faux fear face) and then a pic of me when it was all finished and I had awoken from the anesthesia. This all came about from over training throughout most of 2019 for various races, the final one taking place in November. Three days after that race, I was under the knife and being repaired.

 

The recovery stage was and has been difficult. I am not a patient man and the main restriction of no running was brutal. All I was allowed to do for the first two weeks was walk on a treadmill with zero incline. After the two weeks, I was allowed to lift weight restrictions (which were to stay under 25 lbs. total, so I didn’t lift at all) and do what was comfortable except when it came to legs. The remaining restrictions included no squats, no lunges, no core work at all and no planking. So I did a lot of upper body work and kept up with the walking on the treadmill and added slow bike riding at the gym.

 

Then after a month and half, I was allowed to run finally. No speed work but at least it was something other than walking. My goodness, was it ever a breath of fresh air to be able to run again. I started simple, on the treadmill and then slowly stretched it to the outdoors where the terrain obviously is less predictable. It was just nice to move the legs again and begin to think about training for specific goals as long as there were no setbacks with this new lifted restriction.

Now here we are, two plus months from surgery. All restrictions have been lifted for both running and lifting. Yoga is back in my practice as is leg presses, etc. for leg day at the gym. Happiness is not enough of a word to express my feelings towards being back in the groove. It hasn’t been forever, but, I also know that this is just the beginning of a new runner version of me. I need to change my running gait to prevent this from occurring again. I need to build back up my endurance and stamina. The challenge has been presented and I am not ready to tackle it.

So, how does that relate to the Milwaukee Marathon being held on April 11 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin? I wasn’t sure where I’d be at this point in time but I said if I was ready, I would at least make a go at a half marathon knowing I wouldn’t be ready for a full. So Milwaukee it is! Training has been going well so far as I’ve started to extend my distances in runs from 6 miles to 8 miles to 11 as a high so far. Nothing too strenuous and I haven’t pushed myself too far at this point. I can say I’m excited to be training for this half. I ran the same race last year but did the full marathon and set a personal PR by over twelve minutes! I’m really hoping to improve my half PR this time! I’m excited to race the streets of Milwaukee again at an event that was really topnotch last year. The improvements that the new group running the race implemented were huge in making it a success. Everything from packet pickup to the race to the post race party were ideal. A really great time so I’m looking for round two of fun. And you should join me if you’re looking for a half marathon or a full where you too could PR your time. If I can do it, so can you! Visit the site, pick a distance (they also offer a 5K) and sign up! Use code “RUN15” to save 15% off your entry fee! And you have time because the next price increase isn’t until March 7, 2020. Need another reason to sign up. If you do the half or full distances, here is what you will get:

A tech t-shirt, an awesome medal, a quarter zip fleece and a beer following the race. Not to mention a great post race party atmosphere that takes place right at the Fiserv Forum, the Milwaukee Bucks new arena. I hope to see you there!

Happy running!

Race Review: bRUNch 5K

This race review is a little late on my part. I just let life get in the way and do its thing so this kept getting put off and put off. But here it is finally, the review for the 5K I ran a few weeks ago in September.

I skipped this race in 2018 because I was suffering from a right hip issue that wasn’t fully healed by race day so I was really excited to run this year. Especially after remembering the fun time and value the race provided when I ran it in 2017. There were some similarities but also some small differences this time around but, as I said, still a fun race with an energetic group running it for a good cause.

T-Shirt/SWAG: This race provides, in my opinion, some of best swag of any race I’ve been a part of. You receive a pretty nice long-sleeve t-shirt, a tasting glass with this year’s race logo on it, a ticket for a free Bloody Mary at a local restaurant, a ticket for a free post race beer and a finisher’s medal that reflects the race theme, this year being breakfast food trucks.

Aid Stations: There was one water station just before halfway mark on the course, only accessible when running in the one direction.

Course Scenery: Not too much going on here. The course is a county paved trail and heads out and then turns back at the halfway point. It’s nice that it is relatively secluded on the trail but you do go over a pedestrian bridge that is over a main street below so some noise from that. Now, compared to 2017, there was a new starting point/finish point for the race which I much preferred.

Expo Quality: Packet pickup is at a local running store, Performance Running Outfitters, so you do have the opportunity to check out some sweet runner merchandise and shoes if you so desire after getting your bib, etc.

Elevation Difficulty: Pretty much zero elevation other than the slight incline and decline of the pedestrian bridge.

Parking Access: There were two medium size parking lots to use, but if they were full, which they were when I arrived, there was plenty of free street parking.

Race Management: Really great! Lots of communication via email leading up to race day. Also, I enjoyed the change they did with the brunch this year. In 2017, you had to pay up front for a ticket to a brunch that was at a nearby park pavilion; you could buy a ticket day of but it would cost more. This year they had three food trucks, all offering up different items, staged by the race to cater to people. Loved that! Also, the race benefits the SEED foundation which is a local educational foundation for the Shorewood school system.

All in all, a fun race with sweet swag, an easy 5K course meant for PR’s and some delicious beverages afterwards as well. They also had coffee and cocoa, provided by a local coffee place, at the end of the race (or before the race if you wanted) and water.

Race Review: Sweet Home Milwaukee 5K

This would be what I would consider an entry level 5K for beginner runners. Or, as in my case this year, a very good opportunity to PR your 5K time if you’re in the market to do so. The weather this year was quite chilly. How chilly you ask? Low 30s and later that day it snowed. On April 27. Gotta love Wisconsin weather, haha! So here are the details of this year’s Sweet Home Milwaukee 5K!

Expo Quality: Not really an expo per se. You pick up your packet at a local running store, Performance Running Outfitters. They give you your bib and some fillers in your bag along with your t-shirt. The one cool benefit of having packet pickup there is if you need or want to check out some new sneakers, you’ll be set.

Race Management: Lots of contact leading up to the race, even a final email on the Thursday before the race informing runners that a decision would be made early if inclement weather were to arrive sooner than predicted. Great atmosphere at the race with music and the emcee keeping everyone awake and chuckling before the race and after the race.

Parking/Access: The race is held on the Milwaukee Lakefront at Veterans Park, which has a decent amount of parking spaces and then street parking is also available in the area. I had no trouble getting a spot and it seemed a lot of people had no trouble with the street parking.

Course Scenery: The race runs along the lakefront so you have plenty to gaze out at as you complete the 5K. Also, you’re running through the park so all spectators can cheer you on from all the picnic tables that are spread about.

Aid Stations: One water station a little beyond the one mile marker point (via your own tracking since there were no actual mile markers on the course). Both sides of the course had tables with volunteers handing out water.

Elevation Difficulty: None. There is zero elevation hence why it makes for a nice starter 5K for someone.

T-Shirts/Swag: You receive a long-sleeve cotton t-shirt and a pretty sweet medal that doubles as a bottle opener. You also receive a free beer ticket which this year got you a brew from local brewery Third Space Brewing. You also get a ticket for a free Bloody Mary at local restaurant Stubby’s Gastropub. At the finish line there was water, a banana and apples.

Overall: The weather notwithstanding I enjoyed the race. Yes, I have some bias since I set a PR for myself in the 5K distance but the communication was good, the swag was good for the price and course was nice to run on. Also, they had a food drive being put on by the Hunger Task Force that was connected to a raffle. You could donate items of food or a monetary donation. I would definitely consider doing this race next year. The weather has to be better, right? Haha!

 

Hope you have enjoyed this review and happy running!

The Madison Mini-Marathon: Another Half-Marathon Sign-up!

Disclaimer: I received free entry to the 11th annual Madison Mini-Marathon race 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!

Well, I finally committed to another half-marathon, even if it is not taking place until August 17th! I’m excited to run this race for two reasons: 1) the course has your traversing your way through the beautiful city of Madison, Wisconsin, and 2) this is a race that I’ve wanted to run the last couple of years but the timing just didn’t work out in my favor.

Now, the question is, why aren’t you running this race too? Let me offer up a few reasons why you should sign up (besides the beautiful city of Madison).

• Instant Free Race Photos
• Super Soft Tri Blend Race Shirt
• Bottle Opener Finisher Medal
• Awesome 14th Mile Post Race Party with a free beer and soda!

(photo courtesy of Madison Mini-marathon website)

Now, when you sign up to join me and others, be sure to use the discount code, “BIBRAVE5” to save $5 off your registration! Don’t wait for the next price increase, get on board now for a great race in Madison!

Also, be sure to follow my blog to see how all my training for this race goes. Right now, I’m currently training for a marathon in April, but after that race and a brief break from serious running, it will be back to the grind for the Madison Mini-Marathon on August 17th!

Any questions or comments, feel free to reach out!

Happy Running!

Review: Food Groove Mission Super Food Bites

Disclaimer: I received an order of Food Groove Mission Super Bites 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!

I usually don’t go out to stores and buy food products such as these mainly because I’ve had bad experiences with “natural” foods and have disliked the taste of them quite a bit. But I have to admit these are different. They actually taste pretty darn good and they’re full of healthy ingredients too! There are three flavors to choose from: The Nutty Adventurer, Holy Truffle Punch and Mother Earth.

The Nutty Adventurer is exactly how it sounds. Organic peanut butter is the main ingredient that differs from the other two options. What I liked most about this one was it was more than just peanut butter in taste. It’s there, for sure, but it doesn’t dominate the flavor of the bite.

Holy Truffle Punch is for the chocolate lover in all of us. Organic dark chocolate and organic cacao nibs are the two key ingredients to provide that chocolate “punch” and make this super bite just plain delicious. Just take a look at the other ingredients in these. (Picture provided by the Food Groove Mission website)

Finally, Mother Earth, the flavor that has turned out to be my favorite (which shocks me completely!) beating out chocolate and peanut butter, which is insane! Mother Earth is full of so many amazing flavors, such as dates, goji berries, golden berries, chia seeds and pumpkin seeds (and more), all organic of course!

Food Groove Mission has done a great job with these Super Food Bites. A small company out of Dallas, they wanted runners and triathletes to not only have a healthy, filling snack but for it to be portable and an easy on-the-go treat packed with energy ingredients. Another plus: they can be enjoyed by everyone! Gluten free, non-GMO, dairy free, soy free and grain free is what you get with all three options! (Holy Truffle Punch and Mother Earth are also paleo friendly)

These are worth a try and you shouldn’t miss out on a great deal right now! Use code “BIBRAVE15” for 15% off an entire order (one use per customer). Trust someone who was not a fan of snacks like this before, these have great flavor and provide great energy for whatever athletic feat you are attempting that day! Good stuff!

Any questions or thoughts, please feel free to ask or comment!

Happy Running!