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!

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!

Race Recap: Milwaukee Marathon

Disclaimer: I received free entry to the Milwaukee 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!

The 2019 incarnation of the Milwaukee Marathon (under new management and sponsorship) was an a great success in my opinion! After taking 2018 off from the race schedule and retooling a ton, they chose to have the race in April instead of the previous years’ choice of October: smart move since early April is less busy race-wise than October. I ran the full marathon this time (2017 I ran the 10K and 2016 the half) and I really enjoyed myself; more than I expected to with this race. So, let’s get to the meat of this review!

Expo Quality: Packet pickup was really easy (I arrived around 1:30pm so the crowd was light) and was held the day before the race. It was held at the Fiserv Forum’s (Milwaukee Bucks home, they were also a big sponsor) lobby area. You had to pick up on this day unless you chose to do day-of but that had an extra cost to it. The line was quick and the volunteers seemed to know that there must have been an issue with Wi-Fi and the Q-code since I couldn’t get my e-mail to pop up but they were more than ready to just look up my name and get me on my way. The rest of the expo was kind of blah and I hope that future years have it become bigger and have more vendors. I know this year was kind of a make-good year for the event so hopefully this will change. There were booths for a local running store, Performance Running Outfitters, Supernola (a granola company), and a couple of other local races had booths set up. That was it. And the table for you to pick up your t-shirt (I will cover this in the Swag category). Outside of the Fiserv, there was the opportunity to see where the Gear Check would be located and multiple areas where they had set up tons of Port-o-Potties (always important to know on race day).

 

Parking Access: I found it simple, but more expensive than I liked. You could have signed up ahead of time for the parking lot near the start of the race. I did not do this but I also knew there would be plenty of parking all around the area and had no problem finding a spot.

 

Course Scenery: The start of the race going through downtown was nice as was the early miles along the lakefront and back into downtown (only drag here was the day was dreary with no sun so a heavy fog was sitting all over the lake, not an exciting view, but there was one hell of an energetic spectator on a bridge cheering/roaring at all runners as they passed both times). After returning into downtown, for the full, you raced through Marquette University’s campus and into the suburbs and neighborhoods of Milwaukee. There were some very quiet moments in this, the largest, stretch of the race but there were also plenty of pleasant surprises. The Washington Park area was full of boisterous people and there were other spots along the course where the neighbors busted out speakers or their cars for blaring music. Good positive energy at the right time. And then the end of the race had you finish back where you started at the Fiserv Forum where a ton of screaming fans and event staff were waiting for you.

(photo courtesy of Milwaukee Marathon)

One of the fun parts of this race was competing with other runners. Now, of course, during a marathon you are really only competing with yourself but you also set other runners as markers for how you are doing or as goals to reach. I was nicknamed “Orange” by a couple who were running together and were keeping me in their sites as they went along. I did manage to beat the husband but his wife blew past me around mile 24 1/2 to finish ahead of me. At the end we congratulated each other and she said all she needed to do was make sure “Orange” was within view to be sure she was running the race she wanted.

(photo courtesy of Milwaukee Marathon)

Aid Stations: All had water at one end of them and Nuun hydration at the other end, easy to decipher which was which as volunteers were consistently shouting what they had. At some stops there were Honey Stinger gels to consume if need be. I thought the variety of volunteers at the stations was incredible! From Marquette students to kids that looked like they might have been in 3rd or 4th grade and all in between, everyone did a fabulous job!

Elevation Difficulty: There was one major hill in the early part of the race that was a winding path up to an area called the Water Tower along the lakefront. Of course, after going up that, you got to come back down on another hill. That wasn’t so bad at that point. There was a subtle but long hill that took you out of the city (if running the full) that went up Wisconsin Avenue. Positive part of this hill was this is where you were returning for the end of the race, so that was nice. But the killers (for me) were these little up and downs that were consistent for a bunch of the race between miles 17-21. Nothing major but you were going up a little bit, then down a little bit, then back up, etc. My legs were not enjoying that very much. And then as you rounded the last turn of the race to the finish line, you had one more minor incline as you go across a city bridge. That’s near mile 26 and I wasn’t a fan of that, haha.

T-Shirt/Swag: OK, bear with me on this. So, everyone gets a “Finisher” shirt at pickup (should be handed to you at the end of the race but whatever) and anyone who was running the half or full also received a 1/4 zip fleece. It’s ok, nothing to write home about and not something I would run in. You receive a medal which isn’t too bad, showing a silhouette of the city on part of it and the ribbon around it says what distance you ran. Also, at the finish, there was more water, Nuun, a banana, some Supernola granola, Honey Stinger waffles and you received a free beer too (Miller Lite or Coors Light). Now, something else you received and I must include it is with your medal, you could go into the nearby Good City Brewing spot and order what you wanted and get 20% off your bill. I thought that was pretty cool.

Race Management: They did a phenomenal job, for the most part. They had a tough crowd to not only impress but convince to come back from the 2017 debacle. So, this race was more a test run than the real deal, I think. I had heard of a lot of people staying away to first see how this “new” race was going to go. Well, they nailed it and hopefully will be back even bigger and better next year. From the gear check (which was quick and well-run with plenty of volunteers) to the pre-race energy to the post race party which had music and Bango (Bucks mascot) riding around taking pics on his Segway, they had stuff figured out.

The area for pre race/post race was a little cramped but next year there will easily be more space available once the old arena is taken down. I also would have liked to see a PR bell to ring somewhere (if there was one, I didn’t see it or hear it) because many people, including myself, had great races and PR’d their distance. I would have loved this considering I smashed my race out of the park, but there hopefully will be a next time! But overall, they did a great job with pre-race communication and how race day would shake out. They provided a list of 8 or 9 other parking lots to go to aside from the main one they were promoting. This race had a low bar, for sure, to get to due to 2017, but they catapulted themselves well above that bar to a point that this can become a preeminent race for Milwaukee and Wisconsin if they keep up this support and dedication for it. I highly recommend participating in it next year, at any distance. You won’t be disappointed.

Happy running all!! (Check me out on Instagram @pktirish to read the brief story about the picture above!)

Race Review: Lucky Leprechaun 7K

This is the fourth year I’ve run this race and this year had the best weather, by far! Sunny skies and upper 30s – low 40s temps made for a pleasant race. Afterwards though, the wind picked up a little bit and that made post race socializing last about as long as the free beer lasted, lol! And for the third straight year, I was able to lower my time, so that was pretty cool.

The overall feeling I have about this race is that it is pretty good with great management, but it could be better. One of the biggest reason I run it (and best reason, really) is that it supports the MACC Fund, an organization that benefits children fighting cancer. Great cause to run for! Now I’ll get into the rest of my review which will give the explanation why I give this race 4 stars and not five.

T-shirts/Swag: You get a free cotton t-shirt which has looked the same for every year of the race. Ot needs a change; something, I don’t know. But something to mix it up. The end of the race provides you with free coffee/hot chocolate, a local company’s chips, water, banana and two free beer from Miller Lite (and, yes, you can choose green beer if you like), but that’s all. And I consider post race food items to not really be swag. There’s no medal. No glasses. They do hand out green beads as well as chocolate coins, but come on. This race needs a medal. It could be great!

Aid stations: There is one water aid station on the course approximately in the middle of the course and that’s appropriate for this distance.

Course Scenery: I like it. Some of it takes place in a park; some of it on a main street in the city’s village area; and the rest of it takes place through residential neighborhoods. The trees aren’t in bloom yet obviously, but I still enjoy where we run.

Expo Quality: Not much to write about here. I give it some stars because you pick up your packet at a local running store so there is opportunity to shop if you like, but otherwise that’s it.

Elevation Difficulty: This course has some slight inclines and declines throughout it and then one major incline you have to run up before circling around a bit and then heading down the same path on the way back, so that’s nice.

Parking/Access: Parking is easy as long as you know what you’re doing, get there early and know the side streets where parking is simple and allowed.

Race Management: They are great. Yes, they send a ton of reminders to sign up even after you have already signed up but they include plenty of updates to any possible changes in course or weather as well. They keep you up to date with the packet pickup and provide a cool countdown to race day.

One last thing that I most assuredly should mention is the post race party. There is a DJ at the finish line blasting away and the emcee is full of energy as he yells out cheers for the finishers. Then, across the street is the main sponsor of the race, Leff’s Lucky Town, a local restaurant/bar that invites all to come over and eat, drink and listen to a band set up in an outdoor tent. The after party is pretty fun to chill out and hang with friends.

If you should be in the Milwaukee area around St. Patrick’s Day I would suggest signing up for this fun run with a festive atmosphere. It is a good time!

Race Review: Great Milwaukee Pi Run

The Great Milwaukee Pi Run was a race that I thought looked like a fun run, something to break my quiet streak of not running an actual race since January. I’ve also been looking for more 5K’s to run in order for more opportunities to break my PR in the distance. (Full disclosure: I did not succeed with this race). The race takes place in a park with a botanical garden as the centerpiece (although that wasn’t part of the course and it’s winter) but it was nice to be away from the sounds of traffic and only the noise of other runners and nature. Let me tell you now about the pros and, unfortunately, some cons of the Great Milwaukee Pi Run.

T-Shirt/Swag: Have to be honest, this race for the cost of it, does pretty well with the swag. You receive a race t-shirt that has a cute message referring to Pi. This year’s colors were a fun maroon shirt and gold lettering. You also get a pretty sweet medal that shows a cow (not sure why) holding some pie. And to cap off the cups of water available at the end of the race (indoors, which was nice) you get your choice of a personal 4″ apple or cherry pie!

Aid Stations: There was one. Mid way through the course, which was good placement, sort of. Since the course had a point of out and back you passed the water station a second time, but it was only on the one side. So, great if you wanted water before hitting the 2 mile mark, but kind of out of luck if you wanted it on the way after the 2 mile marker.

Course Scenery: Pretty nice. It’s winter, so the trees are bare but the park itself was nice. There has been some crazy weather so there were some small patches on the course that had some ice but it was avoidable.

Expo Quality: No expo and packet pickup was the morning of the race. I am not really a fan of that because it makes me feel like I need to rush to get there and check in and then attach the bib, etc.

Elevation Difficulty: A rolling hills type course but the majority of those were small up and downs. EXCEPT, haha, the one hill heading up to the 2 mile marker. Whoa, was that a beast! The plus side of that hill was after getting to the top, you ran about 100 yards to turn around and head back. And was it ever great to scoot back DOWN that hill!

Parking/Access: Easy access to a free parking lot right where the start line and packet pickup was.

Race Management: I gave this three stars because I emailed the organizers twice questions that I had and never received any response. I thought that was irresponsible and unacceptable. I was disappointed and was angry. I will say the staff at the event were excellent and had a lot of energy. I can’t think of the last time I was at a 5K race where at the finish there were multiple people (along with the emcee) not only cheering you on and encouraging you, but running along side of you to the finish if they thought you were struggling. That was top-notch!

Happy Running!

Claim Your Results Like Me on Athlinks!

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!

The “best half marathon” in the United States is done and I was able to claim my results on Athlinks. It’s a website where you can find all your race results; running, trail and even obstacle course races! They’re usually ready within a day. Or you can wait (like I do sometimes) and claim them after  a few days have gone by.

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!

In the Buff: Why This Headwear is for You

Disclaimer: I received an Buff Original Headwear 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’m not sure where to start with the Buff Original Headwear. I know that you might read this and think I’m just filling  your head with all positives because I’m getting paid or something (I’m not) but that’s not the case at all. I love the Buff! I used to wear hats on all my runs. Now, I hate wearing hats on my runs. The Buff prevents all sweat from dripping into my eyes which I could never say about any of my hats before. But that’s just a personal reason for me to love the Buff. So, why should you?

One big reason to want to wear this product on all your runs, or any outdoor activity really is the protection it provides. The great material it’s made of provides a UPF 50 factor. What does that mean? Means your head/neck are getting 98% UV protection during your outdoor activity. That makes for a great product! Now you may say, well it’s only covering your head so what does that matter? Well, there are several ways for you to wear this awesome item!

 

And the Buff Original Headwear fits as tight or as loose as you want it to fit. Perfect no matter what. And protects you all over from the sun.

And you can also use it as part of your Halloween costume! Lol!!

Finally, one of my favorite reason that you should think about owning your own Buff Original Headwear wrap is because of what they are partially made of. Every wrap includes two recycled plastic bottles in its construction. How about that?! Great product that serves your needs AND you’re helping Mother Earth at the same time! Win-win!

Think about getting yourself a wrap today! You will not be disappointed in its performance or value in the long term. Make sure to check out their website, www.buffusa.com.

If you already own one, I’d love to know what you think. Great product or what?

Happy Running!