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: Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon

What a race, what an event and what a city! OK, I knew the city was badass already before the race but this was my first visit to Las Vegas that wasn’t just for gambling and drinking. This had purpose and, therefore, I needed to behave and not get too involved with the excess that is Vegas. This is a race I’ve been excited to do for a while; a destination race that had been on my bucket list. And it did not disappoint! Running down the Strip with various bands playing all types of music from rock n roll to old Vegas crooners to Elvis classics, all with the bright neon lights brightening up the course was simply magical. The crowds on the Strip were lively with their cheers and the starting line was electric as each wave was released onto the course with a giant fire display pulsing up from the start line overhang.

EXPO QUALITY: The expo was easy to get to; just had to jump on the monorail and it dropped you off right by the Las Vegas Convention Center. I went on Friday afternoon and there was no line to get my bib so that was really quick. After that, I perused several rows of race merchandise and Brooks shoes too. Bought the special race designed Brooks Launch and a pair of the new Adrenaline GTS 20s since they were 15% off; couldn’t pass that up! I also grabbed a couple of other items in the merchandise area before heading out to the vendors. I need to make a racing list from this point forward as I realized at the expo I had forgotten a couple of items at home, so a new running belt for storage was needed as well as some fuel for the race. The forgetting of the fuel was more frustrating than anything since I had just restocked at home, but, oh well. Lots of vendors to go through, from Honey Stinger to Geico to Knockaround to many others. Lots of photo options as well in front of signs such as #StripatNight and Vegas Strong.

T-shirts/SWAG: A fun race shirt that was made to match whatever distance you were running for the race. The medal for the race was also pretty cool with a Strip design and at the top a spinning wheel that has the date of the race and the distance you competed at.

Parking Access: No parking really. But most people stayed on the Strip or nearby. And if you lived in the area, Uber/Lyft/taxis were suggested to use to get to the start line.

Aid Stations: The volunteers at the aid stations were 1005 awesome! Shouting out cheers and support at every one. Full of enthusiasm. They were one of the best parts of the entire race. Loud enough to know where water was, where Gatorade was, when there were gels or bananas., just so helpful.

Course Scenery: The Strip was awesome to run down and through, and even heading towards downtown Las Vegas was pretty nice, going past wedding chapels and some smaller casinos. There were some quiet parts on the course as well, not well-lit and more residential, but, where they could, the organizers put bands out in those places as well to keep you grooving.

Elevation Difficulty: Moderate if you did ran the marathon, none at all if you ran shorter distances. The marathon was the only distance that had elevation. When you headed away from the Strip the course had you run over the freeway system and circle back a few times so there were a couple of going uphill, but nothing too strenuous.

Race Management: Plenty of communication in the months leading up to the race. A lot of help at the expo answering questions. As I previously stated, the volunteers were amazing and prepped excellently. The starting line was smooth as was the Start Village, where all runners congregated prior to going into the corrals. The finish line was perfect with not every handout right next to one another; they provided space for you to collect yourself and your free items as you walked along to the exit point.

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon was a great race, plain and simple. I had a blast and I would highly suggest that this be the race you aim to run in this series if only for the opportunity to run the Strip at night.

Madison Mini Marathon Training Update

Disclaimer: I received free entry to the 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, this is going to be the most boring update you could ever possibly read. Ever since the wondrous month of April where I set personal bests in my marathon finish time and in my 5K finish time, I have done almost nothing in the last six weeks. I ran twice in the  month of May, accumulating just over 13 miles for the month and so far zero miles for the month of June. Why? Because of what is likely a sports hernia.

No, I am not making a self-diagnosis here. I waited those first couple of weeks in May doing nothing and then attempted to run. After having pain and discomfort return almost immediately, I shelved myself again and made a doctor’s appointment. The doc did some tests and said it wasn’t a hernia as far as he could tell but that it was likely a sports hernia. I was also given the card of a hernia specialist if I wanted to be absolutely positive of the diagnosis. So, what have I been doing instead? Well, a lot more lifting with upper body (carefully) and some lower body (even more carefully), some bike riding at the gym and, finally, walking. Lots of walking.

Lots and lots of walking….

As you can see, I’ve tried to keep my humor up with these walks but it hasn’t been easy. It has been extremely frustrating and I am close to losing my mind. This is not how I envisioned my Madison Mini Marathon training taking place. I am not in the danger zone yet, but it is getting close to where I will not be prepared by mid-August for this half marathon (where I was greedily hoping to set another personal best.) It is Wednesday, June 12, today and I plan to run or attempt to run before the end of this week. This is mainly to see if I have healed enough. If I have not, then I plan to call the specialist to see what is going on and if I will be healed and ready to race by August. Worst case scenario then would be I could run it but it would be for fun and nothing else. Fingers will be crossed. I’m just really sick of walking at this point. And don’t let the smile fool you, haha.

If you’ve been running and training out there, maybe you’d like to race the Madison Mini Marathon this August! It isn’t too late to sign up! And if you use code BIBRAVE5 at checkout you will save $5 on your entry! Hopefully we will run this together!

If you have any thoughts or questions, feel free to ask or comment!!

Happy Running (or walking)!!

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!

2018 Urban Bourbon Race Recap

Disclaimer: I received a free entry to the Urban Bourbon Half 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!

Where to begin?! The Urban Bourbon Half Marathon presented by Jim Beam was a bucket list race after I heard so many positive stories about the race itself, the post race party and the race management team. And it did not disappoint at all! The city of Louisville was a great host as well but more on that near the end. First, an interesting disclaimer on the race: you must be 21 or older to run it due to all the fabulous bourbon tasting that occurs, and that’s just part of your registration. No added costs!

There were two options for packet pickup. One was to go to the PNC Club at Cardinals Stadium where there were multiple vendors, free bourbon tasting and a chance to take a photo in front of the race logo backdrop. The second option, which was provided to me by the Urban Bourbon management team, led by Michael Clemons, was a VIP pickup at the downtown Louisville Jim Beam Urban Stillhouse.

There was a live bluegrass band, the Tavern Travelers, who were lively and really cool just having there adding to the atmosphere. There was a nice spread of hors d’oeuvres and the option to have bourbon cocktails. After some friendly mingling with BibRavePros Frank and Emily, we all went down to the Taste of History experience where you get to sample four unique bourbons while learning a little about them as well as being taught the proper way to sip and taste bourbon.

We also received a special commemorative shot glass for attending the event, so that was an added bonus. Fun fact about the Stillhouse: they have an actual working bottling line going through the place.

After saying goodbye to Frank and Emily, I went out to get a bite to eat, carb up if you will, and then head back to my hotel to lay out the flat me for the Urban Bourbon in the morning.

Race morning was chilly with a bit of mist floating through the air, but it wouldn’t last. The mist would eventually vanish and the sun would come out. Before that though, I dropped my bag off at gear check and met up with Pros Emily, Frank and Corey for a pre race photo.

Of course it’s always all smiles BEFORE the run, lol. The start of the race was led off by a beautiful rendition of the Star Spangled Banner by the official bugler of the Kentucky Derby. Gave me chills hearing it as everyone was mentally preparing for the start.

The course itself takes you through a portion of downtown Louisville before heading to the suburbs (of sorts) and then you hit some hills around miles 7 – 10 as you wind your way in Cherokee Park. This is one of the best parts of the race. The park was beautiful and I had the luck of running through it just as the sun was really starting to rise. The lighting that lit up the grass and created some beautiful gleams through the trees was quite mesmerizing. Eventually the course brings you back to the starting point and after you cross the finish line you are then pushed out just before the entertainment district of Fourth Street Live. I ran a good race but I am left to wonder if it could have been better. I kept my pace steady but also safe leading into those hills that started at mile 7. I might have psyched myself out into being too careful and that cost me the chance at a PR for a half marathon. That being said, I finished the race strong. So strong that I never stopped running throughout the entire course and had ample energy to make a big burst over the finish line. I have to say that my training runs leading up to this race had not felt this good at any point. These photos here from J.A. Laub Photography pretty much show what I’m talking about.

I mean, I’m smiling. That NEVER happens, lol! I crossed and received my medal but totally missed the Urban Bourbon logo backdrop for my finisher photo. Ugh! Luckily I found another spot to get a nice shot.

And then it was time to party! And what a post race party it was! Just great, I mean really great. Bourbon Bash excitement! The wristband I received for signing up provided me with LOTS of goodies. For starters, there was live music by the Louisville Crashers and they opened up the place big time. Lot of energy; the lead singer even came out among the crowd multiple times getting people gigged up, both in front of the stage and even behind it.

Now after a half marathon, you tend to be a little famished and the Urban Bourbon provided some great options. There was pizza, Kentucky burgoo (a type of stew/chili would be the best way to describe it) and some Falls City beer. Oh, and let me not forget the four bourbon samplings you could have from many choices that were spread out around Fourth Street.

This post race party is the best I have ever attended following any race. There is a reason the Urban Bourbon Half Marathon was rated the #1 half marathon in the United States: all and everything above, from the very start with race management and their communication to the beautiful course and then the finisher of this party. During my rounding up of food and beverages, I was able to find Frank and Emily again so we could capture that ultimate photo: the one with the medals.

And about those medals, easily one of the coolest medals out there for a race. Also, you receive a unisex long sleeve tech shirt and the option to get a commemorative bottle of white label Jim Beam with a special Urban Bourbon Half Marathon touch to it.

Great swag coming from a great race. Can’t be beat. Now, as I mentioned above, time to praise Louisville. I made sure to give myself a couple extra days to check out some tourist type spots. I enjoyed every minute of my visits to the Louisville Slugger Museum, the Louisville Zoo, Mega Cavern and the brief stop at Churchill Downs. All reasons to make a return trip to Louisville to see more AND run the Urban Bourbon Half Marathon again! Oh yes, I plan to return!

Have you ever run the Urban Bourbon Half Marathon? If so, did you enjoy it too? Are you planning to run it if you haven’t yet? Please feel free to comment!

Happy running!

Urban Bourbon Half Marathon is Coming!

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

Let me just tell you one thing first: I could not be more excited to be running this race on October 20 this year! Rated the top half marathon course on the BibRave 100 race list, this became a bucket list race for me real quick after hearing how much fun everyone has at it. The lively city of Louisville is the backdrop for this race so you know it’s gonna rock out.

Of course, bourbon plays a big role from the start to the finish. There are parties. There are tastings. There is a delicious amount of local cuisine! There will be music and beer! And then there is the kickass medal you receive when crossing that finish line!

I mean, seriously, how freaking awesome is that medal? It will easily become one of the coolest medals I own once it is in my collection, if not the coolest! I just love the barrel design with the bottle in the medal that spins. It’s lively, just like the race itself!

Another awesome feature about this race, and specifically the race website, is all the great activities you can do while making the trek to Louisville. Personally, I am planning to spend a few days in Louisville to really take in and enjoy the whole experience that the Urban Bourbon Half Marathon has to offer. Should you decide to join me in this race in this party town, definitely find the page below on their website.

This particular page is under the “Race Weekend” tab on the homepage. Clicking on the “here” you see above will take you to an awesome what-to-do-in-Louisville page. I’ve already been making a list of things I would like to attempt to check out while there and before/after race day action.

Tell me you aren’t thinking about this race! It screams fun! Who cares what time you finish with, this race experience is all about the ambiance and party! And if you DO think you want to come join me, make sure to use the special discount code I have for you. Simply go through the registration process and where it asks you for a promo code, put in “BourbonRave18” to save 10% off of your registration. Do not wait to sign up, just do it so you too can have a kickass time in Kentucky!

If you have any questions, feel free to comment and I’ll make sure to get back to you!

Race Review: Lucky Leprechaun 7K

Another St. Patrick’s Day holiday has come and gone and so has the 6th Lucky Leprechaun 7K, personally the third for me. And I must say this was the best of all three so far, all thanks to the simple fact it was a sunny day! The two previous years it was temps in the 30s and rain/freezing drizzle; not ideal conditions at all. This year was still chilly temps, but so much more reasonable to deal with thanks to the sun.

The packet pickup was the day before and located at a local running store. All nice and easy there with giving my name and getting my bib and shirt. After checking out a few running shoes and other gear, I was on my way. Next up: race day the next morning.

I was running behind and parked quickly and easily on a side street near the starting point so no getting nervous about missing the start. I think that is one of the best aspects of this race; there is enough parking in the area that you don’t have to worry about being miles away and having to walk forever to get to the race. As I walked up attaching my bib with my new BibRave Bibboards, I could hear the DJ pumping out pre race music and the countdown to start being shouted out. Once to the start, I stretched all the necessary areas and moved up as the clocked ticked down. With no trains coming (the race crosses tracks right at the beginning), the gun went off and we all were off and running! I chose an easy but steady pace as I was moving around and through people. After a half mile, I found myself in a nice spot and in a nice running flow and stuck with it. The reward for doing so: passing more people and and setting myself up at a great pace. And the reward for that? Setting my 7K PR WITH this race! And a thanks to Athlinks for finding my results and letting me claim them!

And after that PR and it being St. Patrick’s Day, of course you must celebrate with a refreshing beverage…green beer!

The DJ was dropping the beats, the beer was flowing, the party of post race finishers was jumping, the coffee and hot chocolate was also being poured for all to enjoy. After the post race party, the option existed to go across the street to the main sponsor’s location, Leff’s Lucky Town. This is such a fun race, even more when the weather is cooperating for all to enjoy. And it also means you can get a post race pic with “Lucky” the fastest leprechaun!

So, all in all, it was a great race day experience this year. No injuries and no crappy weather. Winning situation all the time!

 

 

2017 Review of My Running

This has been an interesting year for me in my running world. There have been some great highs with amazing experiences to go with them, but there also have been some lows that did take away from how great this year could have been for me. I look back at everything with a slight frown because deep down I know what could have been instead of what it was and that is frustrating to say the least. What follows here will be a brief synapsis of the running adventures I had in 2017.

The first race I participated in was my annual Samson Stomp and Romp Run/Walk 5K at the Milwaukee County Zoo. I love this race and it’s how I’ve started my year off for the last 5 years. The one major reason I sign up for this race (other than getting to run through the zoo because that is awesome!) is that the cost benefits programs the zoo provides for their visitors and kids. 2017 marked one of my best ever 5K times as well in this race (I believe I run faster because typically it is so damn cold at this run) with a time of 23:05. My goal is to get a top 5 age finish so I can take home a cool trophy. (It’s a mini gorilla!)

Jumping forward to March will also jump us to when my 2017 plans changed ever so slightly. Plans for run streaks or monthly challenges kind of went away during the Lucky Leprechaun 7K race. During this race, I pushed myself (nothing crazy) but more that my legs on that day were ready. The end result was a hamstring that I guess you would have to call strained. It wasn’t a muscle pull in the way it would hurt but it also didn’t go away. It changed my daily workouts for a chunk of the year as I avoided “leg day” all the way until November when I slowly got back into some light weight lifting. But my runs suffered throughout the year. Any short runs or races I was unable to really push to hard because the hamstring would never loosen up. And on the other side, it usually took the first two to three miles in any long run for the pain to subside or at least fade into the nether regions of my mind so I could continue to push the rest of the long distance. This was the lowest point of the year, even though I didn’t really fully know it until each week turned into months into the remainder of the year.

The middle of April, and by extension due to some email tag, early May, brought me into the world of BibRave and becoming a BibRavePro. I had applied before but hadn’t heard back right way and still continued to engage in the great running conversations that take place 8pm CST on Twitter every Tuesday! I was so happy to become a Pro and be able to offer advice and represent the group at races. The first race I was able to wear my BibRave gear proudly at was the RAM Racing Bigfoot 10K/5K Trail run in Wisconsin and I had a blast. Another part of the program is being able to test out various running related products and then blog about, chat about and compare notes about via all the social media outlets available to you. It’s been such an experience to learn new techniques and ideas about running as well as new products, like the AfterShokz Trekz Titanium headphones which now allow me to listen to music while still hearing my surroundings. This was one of the products I was able to test and it truly was life altering when it came to running outside.

 

After that there were other various runs throughout the spring and summer as well as some new additions to my wardrobe. I had made a giant mistake with my running career concerning sneakers, as in the first real pair of running shoes I had I managed to run…906 total miles in. Yeah, so I wasn’t aware for some idiot reason that that was not a good thing. So the early spring brought me new sneakers as well as late summer. I don’t think I’ve ever bought four pairs of sneakers in the same year, ever. First up were some new Brooks Adrenaline GTS 17’s and a pair of Hoka Bondi’s. In the photo on the left below, the shoe with its tread showing is the 900 miler…I don’t know what I was thinking! The late summer/early fall pickups were a pair of Brooks Adrenaline GTS 18’s and a pair of Brooks PureCadence 6’s. So far, I’d say my impression of the two new fall shoes is a good one but more testing is needed.

 

 

Most of my late summer and early fall, other than the race here or there, was for training for the biggest running event of my life: the Chicago Marathon! I was amazed I as selected and quite intimidated by the training I had to do. There were a lot of long, hard runs in some not-so-pleasant weather but who knew that I would end up helping myself. Race day came and I was prepared as best I could be, especially for the unseasonably warm/humid weather that Chicago experienced that day. My 20 mile training run consisted of 90+ degree temps and some nasty humidity that I trudged through that day. Who knew it would come back to benefit me during the race. My body was ready for it and for that I was proud of myself. I wrote a previous blog about my experience so check that out for more on the run, but I will say that running the Chicago Marathon was an amazing life experience that I’m not sure I can ever repeat. All of it was incredible.

There was a race after that weekend, a 10K, that I competed in and did well considering it was a week post first ever marathon. But that would be the end of the race circuit for me. I had a few more options I had been hemming and hawing on, but ended up not committing to them. I continued running but without purpose and that was difficult. Even when on a short vacation in a warmer climate, I ran but there was nothing there emotionally. I was running for the cardio, for the contrast to eating and drinking not so healthy foods. But with no upcoming race I wasn’t finding a competitive spirit inside…and the hamstring was still bothering me. It took a some time but on December 11, I called it. I ended my running for 2017. Pulled the plug to give the leg and hamstring a break. The pic below shows where I finished for the year in mileage. It’s an improvement over 2016 but well short of the 1,000 mile goal I had set for 2017. I am hopeful that taking these last 3+ weeks off will have helped and maybe did some healing work for my hamstring. 2018 so far has me doing my second marathon in April. I have to be ready. I have to start training in the near future. But I can only hope the leg cooperates with my plans.

So there is 2017 in a small nutshell. I hope I made the right decisions with shutting down at the end of the year. I hope I didn’t make the wrong choices to continue training and running in preparation for Chicago. The long term might be very very bad. I hope for a better 2018 and I hope to reach my goal, once again 1000 miles, this year. And if I can exceed it, well all the better. 2017 wasn’t a failure by any means. In totality, it was an amazing success with future potential all over it. I’m just harder on myself sometimes, but, hey, that’s what makes us stronger runners, right?

Happy New Year to you all!!

And happy running!!

Please comment or offer up any thoughts if you like!

Air, Trekz Air, Headphone Extraordinaire

Disclaimer: I received an AfterShokz Trekz Air 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!

Another great piece of technology put out by AfterShokz. They took the great bone conduction technology with the original and brought back with a slight difference: it’s lighter on the head. Amazingly lighter. As in you might not realize it is on your head. Or you might think that you have lost it while running because it feels like it’s gone.And nothing was lost with the quality by making it lighter. At least nothing that I noticed. I have read from others that they felt a loss of bass occurred with the change but I haven’t been able to hear a difference or a loss. You still get the great safety factor with the headphones resting next to your ear freeing you up to hear outside noises like cars or people making it a sage run ALL the time.

AfterShokz also kept the overall appearance similar, just thinner, if you will, around the back but the bone conduction headphone remained the same.

I have to admit on my first couple of runs with the Trekz Air, the thinner wrap around was causing some trouble for me in its placement because it was now lighter and smaller. But a couple of adjustments (along with wearing a hat or headwear wrap) and I finally found a comfortable spot where it lays and doesn’t bother me. Comfort is big with all runners so I believe once you find a spot that suits you, you will be a happy customer!

And now about that customer part! Place your order now at  http://bibrave.aftershokz.com/ now and, when checking out, put in the code “TRUCKER” and you will get a free hat! I highly advise you to visit their site, check out their products and made a choice! YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!

If you have any questions or comments, please contact me and I would be happy to answer them for you.

 

Happy Running!