Instead of shirts, you got shorts for this run which was kind of cool. There were also "Feetures" socks in the goodie bags, so that was a nice little surprise, too. Usually it's just 6,000 pamphlets and a rubber bracelet.
I have to commend Elite Runners & Walkers for putting on a very organized race given the size of this event. With over 2,500 participants overall, it could have been a serious mess. My mom came with me to spectate and we were able to park, board the shuttles to the start line, & quickly get back to our car after the race. It was also a beautiful day (even if it was kind of chilly in the morning), so that helped make it a nice experience overall.
I was pretty happy with my time on this and came in right around my goal. My clock time was 1:17:05 but my chip time was 1:16:43. This was a really good training run for the half (which is just about a month away now), so I was happy. I don't know what the hell I did to my foot, though. It still feels like the top of it is slightly bruised. I honestly think when I retied my shoe to put the chip on it, I made it too tight & ended up paying for it. I was sick all last week with some horrendous stomach bug thing, so being able to pull this off without running my normal 5x a week while sick was a big accomplishment for me. I feel like I'm finally at the running level I've wanted to get myself to for the past 6 months or so. It feels really good & I am so excited for my upcoming Spring & Summer runs.
I have to say that I really enjoy the North Park course, too. If you're getting into running in Pittsburgh - this is just a really nice place to run. The course is a little bit hilly, but there's a nice little lake and some pretty wooded areas to run through. I also like that people can bring their dogs there because I genuinely enjoy seeing pups on my run :)
In other news, I wore my Tipsy Runner shirt to this run and I wanted to share them with you guys since I really love their brand. I did, however, decide to run with my track jacket on just because it was prett-y freakin cold on Saturday morning. But like a good review blogger, I took pictures beforehand!
Because let's be honest, runners love their alcohol.. Have you BEEN to a half marathon after party? The proof is in the pudding. This is the "Runner's Trio" shirt & it's available in both short sleeve (which I'm wearing) and long sleeve. I think the martini with the fishnets is my personal favorite. She's totally crushing it - look at that form.
I have to note that this shirt isn't just a flimsy little tech shirt. It's a very high quality athletic shirt and has a more breathable mesh-like paneling down the sides (which you can see here). This runs $35.00 on the Tipsy Runner website which you can check out here. They also have shirts for guys, so if your boyfriend or husband is a work out buff & a wine-o, they have him covered, too :) It's a truly comfortable shirt & it washes up nicely, too. If you're doing a wine country half (which is on my list for next year) - this would be the perfect shirt for it!
And after everything was all said & done, YEP - I sure did have some sangria in my Tipsy Runner wine glass :) These are also for sale on their site for $12.00.. This would make a really cute gift, too!
Thanks to both Tipsy Runner & Elite Runners and Walkers. Hope you're able to start running outdoors this week so you can stop choking on the sweaty stench of the dude next to you on the treadmill at the gym! Too much? I'll go now.
Keep Running,
Kelli
