Disclaimer: I received free entry to the Irvine Half Marathon & 5K 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!
Unless you’re a Southern California native, you probably never heard of Irvine. But as someone who has driven from San Diego to LA (and back, usually on the same day), you will likely have driven through Irvine, which is situated right in the middle of Orange County. The only time I really stopped in Irvine was to wait in line at 85 Degree bakery, fortunately, they have since opened up multiple locations in San Diego. Orange County, in general, reminds me very much of San Diego. The weather is tolerable all year long, the only thing I dislike is the traffic that I almost always hit when driving through the OC.
The Irvine Half Marathon & 5K has been rebranded from the Southern California Half & 5K. As with many other races these days, they are sponsored by a brewing company and offer various beers and drinks at the post-race festival. The half marathon and 5K take place on January 11, which is a great time for those who have made New Year’s resolutions to run a race or lose weight. And while the weather is still a little chilly in the mornings, it is nothing compared to what everyone else is experiencing away from Southern California. Aside from the typical race swag (shirt, medal, finisher’s festival), there are some other unique perks that you don’t see at every race (free participant photos, free and live runner tracking). Learn more about the Irvine Half Marathon and 5K here.
Disclaimer: I received free entry to the San Francisco Half Marathon, 10K & 5K 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!
If you’d like to experience lasting changes in your physical health, it’s important to always work on switching things up. When you’re working out to lose weight, it’s important to alternate your routines so that you avoid a plateau. The same can be said in life. If you have the same routine and do the same things all the time, you’ll get the same results. If you’d like to experience major results over a period of time, here are three small ways to start changing your physical health. Read the rest of this entry »
Disclaimer: I received free entry to Surf City 10 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 registered for the Surf City 10 race in January, so I knew I had more than enough time to train for the race. I had initially signed up to run the 10-mile distance, but I was never able to ramp up my training enough to run that race confidently. But I was able to run the 10K without much trouble. Here are the results: 54:31 (8:46 min/mi), age group: 22/59, gender: 95/411, and overall: 142/1192. When I first registered for the Surf City 10, I was excited to run along the scenic Huntington Beach, but a few months before the race they announced that it would be a night run. I’ve had mixed results running at night, I wrote a blog post about running in the morning vs at night. When I was in high school, we went on a few night runs (with glow sticks) and I usually ran pretty fast, mostly because I was afraid of my surroundings and was trying to finish the run as soon as possible. On a similar note, running a race at night is a nice change. Instead of having to go to sleep at 9pm or earlier the night before and then waking up at 4am the day of the race is tough. I recall waking up early for one race, forcing myself out of bed while most of the world was still fast asleep. I looked in the mirror and said to myself, “why are you doing this to yourself?!” It’s a hard question to answer, it’s hard to justify putting yourself through that torture!
I registered for the Surf City 10 run back in January of this year. However, I had a few otherraces in the mean time so those races forced me to start training for this race earlier than I usually would. You can check out the number of miles and time spent running each month in the screenshot below. There were a few months where I almost hit 100 miles! But it was hard enough as it was to even run those miles, with so many other obligations and responsibilities. I started running consistently in January as a New Year’s Resolution and am happy to have been able to maintain that schedule pretty regularly. I basically forced myself to wake up around 6am every day and just get out of bed and run. Those first few weeks were the hardest because it was still wintertime and it was pitch black and freezing cold (think 40 degree temps). Most days I just wanted to stay in bed where it was nice and warm. But I knew I would have regretted not going for a run that day, so that didn’t happen often. As the months went by and the sun started coming out earlier in the morning, it became less of a drag to get up to run. The summer was nice because I was able to just get out of bed and go for a run in the shorts and t-shirt I slept in. And because I was up earlier in the morning, I avoided the afternoon heat.
Disclaimer: I received free entry to Surf City 10 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 started racing competitively about 10 years ago after taking a few years off from running in high school. The way I got back into running was kind of odd. It was about a year after I graducated college and started working full-time, you know the old 9-5 routine.. I was working at an entry level position and would regularly buy lunch from the 7-11 across the street from the office. One day, as I was dressed in my business professional attire and dress shoes, I jaywalked across the street and had to run to avoid an oncoming car. And that split second of running got me back into running again. That was also the inspiration to start my running blog, here is one of my first posts. Ahh, fond memories! Read the rest of this entry »
Disclaimer: I received free entry to the Craft Classic 5K 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!
Another 5K in the books. The San Diego Craft Classic 5K was a special race for me for a number of reasons. I used to live in that neighborhood where the race took place for about 7 years. The roads and sights were very familiar to me and brought back good and bad memories. The race itself was great, I had no issues picking up my race bib and swag the day before the race. Parking wasn’t an issue either since the race didn’t take place downtown. And I live not too far from there so I didn’t have to get up too early before the start. The course was pretty straightforward, it starts in Mira Mesa but quickly leads you north toward the Sorrento Valley area. That’s the first home we lived in when we were in college, it was a huge house for 4 people and a husky! You make a U-turn and then head back to the start. There were a few hills along the way which made the course difficult but not too crazy. I was a little sore after the run though. As you finish the race and get your medal, they had water, bananas, and some healthy fitness bars. The beer garden was a nice treat as well. As I mentioned in my race preview, the Craft Classic is all about beer (hence the name). The medal doubles as a bottle opener, the swag was an empty pint glass, and of course, all participants get free entry to the post-race beer garden. I think all races should have some type of theme, an alcohol/beer-themed race is sure to get people to register. And by the looks of the turnout, they were right!
Getting a gift for Father’s Day doesn’t have to take too much thought or effort. Here are some suggestions on gift ideas for Father’s Day 2019.
As summer starts to heat up, you can’t go wrong with a pair of sunglasses. Check out these Classic Square Floating Sunglasses from Coopers. Ultralight TPX frame construction for extreme durability and 20% lighter than average frames for floating effect and long-term wear. Learn More.
Put your best foot forward with these quick and easy foot exercises.
Runners’ feet endure the brunt of the repetitive pounding of the sport, and this means that that many are susceptible to foot pain. As a runner, it is particularly important to include good foot training as part of your regular routine to help maintain good foot health and prevent injury. This infographic from Walsh Brothers Shoes helpfully lays out five quick and easy exercises you can try to keep your feet happy and healthy.
Why Should You Exercise Your Feet? Research shows that taking the time to exercise your feet can help to build strength, develop flexibility, improve your range of motion, and lessen the risk of injury. It has also been shown to enhance your overall foot health by reducing muscle soreness, stiffness, and toe cramps.
What You Need To Know About Foot Exercises When exercising your feet, be sure to include a mix of activities that help develop flexibility and strength. You can build flexibility through stretching exercises that focus on one group of muscles at a time. Working out against some form of resistance (e.g. weights or exercise bands) will help you to strengthen muscles.
Health & Safety Tips Before starting on a foot exercise regime, be sure to consult a doctor or physical therapist if you have a physical injury or if you suffer from achy feet and ankles, arthritis, or diabetes. Listen to your body and don’t overdo it. If your feet start to hurt, stop exercising immediately.
Get Started With These 5 Exercises If you would like to start developing your foot strength and flexibility, scroll down to the infographic guide below which helpfully lays out five exercises that you can incorporate into your running routine.
If you’re trying to get into better shape and have taken up hiking, you have chosen a great way to work out your entire body and feel better. Enthusiasts like Tyler Grasham act as an inspiration. Let’s face it, though: hiking can be hard! Take steps to make it a little easier on yourself.
Know Your Limits
The first step to an enjoyable hike is the location you choose. Even experienced hikers like Tyler Grasham had to start someplace. Depending on your experience level, you may find that some trails are too difficult for you to have any fun. That’s okay! Understand that as a beginner, you need to work your way up to harder trails. Attempting to do more than you can handle is not good for your muscles; you could strain yourself and be out of commission for future hikes.
There is nothing wrong with taking baby steps when you are first starting out. Remember that you can’t run before you can crawl. It is perfectly all right to know what is too much for you to handle.
Ask friends or family if they know of any hiking trails that are good for beginners. You might be surprised at the hidden spots in your community that you never knew existed.
If you feel like it’s too much, turn back. Look for something a little more suited to your level for the next time. It is not worth potentially hurting yourself and damaging your muscles!
Keep Your Head Low
If you feel yourself becoming discouraged by how much trail looms ahead, keep your eyes on the ground. Make a conscious effort to not look up and to keep your attention focused elsewhere. Your mentality can make all the difference in the world.
In moments like these, think about your breathing. Work on a breathing pattern that keeps you concentrated and helps you find a rhythm.
Focus on your steps. Be very deliberate on your foot placement, where you are walking and what the dirt and roots look like.
Ignore any hikers who seem to be flying past you. You are moving at your own pace and don’t need to keep up with anyone. Remember that this is supposed to be fun, not a competition.
Small Ways to Make Hiking Easier
In some hikes, there can be moments where you question your sanity when you chose to partake. Give yourself a pat on the back and encourage yourself: You might be having a hard time with the trail you chose, but you are lapping everyone on the couch.
Disclaimer: I received free entry to the Hot Chocolate 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!
I’ve wanted to run the Hot Chocolate run for many years now. I still remember seeing this race being promoted at a race expo back in 2012, you couldn’t miss them with their large inflatable balloon taking up so much space at the expo. While a run that offered hot chocolate at the end was sweet and different, what I liked more was that they offered a really nice running jacket instead of a cheap t-shirt or finisher medal. At that time, I had collected more than enough shirts and race medals, but the jacket seemed more practical since it was something I would have been able to use much more often than a medal. I actually had the chance to run this race last year. I registered and even picked up my jacket at the race expo, but something came up and I wasn’t able to attend the race. I finally got to participate in the race this year and am glad I did. It was a very well-organized race, and I had no issues from start to finish. The course was pretty straightforward, we ran through some streets around downtown, I didn’t notice anything too scenic but it was nice that it started and finished around the same area. There were some hills throughout the course, but nothing too daunting. The chocolate was a nice treat at the end, and it was dark chocolate so I did not feel guilty eating that after the run. The Hot Chocolate Run is a great way to combine exercise and the social element of running together.
I also claimed my results on Athlinks, which is a great way to keep a historical record of all races you’ve ever run (and I’ve ran a lot of races..) It has fun info like all your personal records by distance, total races run, total miles and your Athlinks rank (I’m top 9%!) Here is a link to my Athlink.
And finally here are some photos taken before, during and after the Hot Chocolate run:
