Citrus Heritage Half Marathon - Race Review

This past Saturday, January 9, 2016, I participated in the Sixth Annual Citrus Heritage Run (third annual with the half marathon distance) in Riverside, CA. This is my third year doing this race and it is truly one of my favorites! Need evidence? You can read my race reports from 2015 and 2014 - Part I and Part II. Okay, so a couple notes about the race - there is a 5k and Half Marathon option as well as a kids fun run. It is an out-and-back course next to the Arlington Sports Park in the citrus area of the city of Riverside (Southern California/Inland Empire area). The race is put on by the Riverside Road Runners and benefits their youth scholarship fund. We had gotten a significant amount of rain the week leading up to the race, and in their last email to participants they noted that they had an alternate, all-road, course plotted out for use if needed as the regular course (USATF certified) is partially on dirt roads. Thankfully, we dried out enough that they didn't need to go to Plan B, but I was thrilled to know that they had an alternate course in place so that the race could go on rain or shine. Alright, let's talk details!

We were greeted with an amazing sunrise!

Registration

The day of registration cost for the half marathon was $90, and prior to that was $85. I registered fairly early so I think I got early bird pricing. If I remember right I think it was about $80, but don't quote me as I don't know exactly. They have a great event website that includes all the details and is very well organized. Registration and packet pick-up at the event is very easy as well. You just look up your bib number and then stop at the tent to get the bib, then get your t-shirt at a different tent. Super easy and well staffed. I don't think it took us more than 5 minutes to do the entire process and it was very clearly marked and easy to know where to go.

Expo and Venue

I absolutely love this venue for races! It is held at the same sports park that the Hometown Heroes Honor Run is held at so it offers lots of great parking, real restrooms (they also have plenty of port-a-pots too), and a playground to keep the kiddies entertained while waiting. It's also very easy to get in and out of and offers plenty of room to get a good warm-up in. The expo is very tiny, but I really don't care about that anyways. They have several booths, some food trucks, and a DJ getting the participants pumped up and ready to run. I love it just as it is because it is so easy to navigate and never feels overwhelming.

Swag

Participants get a long-sleeved technical shirt. This year the shirt is gray and has the logo on the front. Last year's shirt was prettier and had more detail, but I still really like it and gray seems to be the "it" color for race shirts right now as my friend Sally just did a race that also had gray/silver shirts. There really isn't anything else outside of the shirt, although there are other race perks that I'll talk about in post-race celebration in just a few moments. :)

Sally and I pre-race...freezing our tushies off! LOL Starting temps in the upper 30's/low 40's. Okay, I almost feel guilty saying that 30/40 is cold when I saw plenty of my friends around the country in negative degrees! HA!
But that's SoCal cold...sorry!

Course

I have made no bones before about how nice this course is! I really do love it as it has the perfect mix of gorgeous views, challenging terrain/hills, downhills, and turns to keep it interesting. Beginning at the Sports Park you immediately get a nice downhill to get you started as you run along orange groves before heading into the Historic Citrus Park. This first section has some fairly decent hills and can really kick your rear if you aren't careful. Racers pass by several real restrooms that are open for use during this section, and the citrus park has at least two aid stations. After the citrus park it is back out into the orange groves after off-roading for a little bit. Several miles wind through the orange groves and this terrain makes runners really focus on footing - which I actually like because it keeps me focusing on that instead of how tired I am! After the orange groves it is up a long gradual hill overlooking a beautiful canyon to the halfway turnaround. From there you get the downhill for a bit which is SO NICE before turning towards residential streets to run the final 5k of the race. There are a few more hills on the final stretch and they still throw me for a loop because I just don't have anything left by then. HA! There are a lot of port-a-pots along the course and they have the streets closed to traffic (THANK YOU!!!!). There are a lot of lot of aid stations well stocked with cold water and gatorade, and at the halfway they had oranges (ohemgee so delicious!!) and plenty of GU in lots of flavors to choose from. The volunteers at the aid stations are amazing and have it down to a science as they let you know if they have water or gatorade as you are coming up. Lots of great signs, cheering, and helpful volunteers out on a chilly morning! Two of my favorite things about this course is that there is a section where you pass the front of the pack runners - that is so motivating to just see them flying by; and then there is another section where you pass the 5k runners as they make their way into the citrus park...so much fun to get to "mingle" with the other runners. Plain and simple, I'll say it again, I love this course. It is my favorite half marathon course to date.

Just after the starting line! There's nothing like seeing runners for days ahead of you!! I <3 it!

Medal

The medal is amazing every single year! High quality, perfect size, pretty to look at, fabulous ribbon. Take a look:

I love their medals each year and they are some of my favorites hanging on the medal rack. They definitely get this right every single year.

Here's a picture of me holding it so you can get some size perspective. It's not huge, but it's definitely not tiny either. I would say it is Goldilocks "just right".

My Gear

I wore the following:

Skirt Sports BBF Beanie in Pink Crush (on sale for $9.99 right now and I LOVE IT!!)

Skirt Sports Don't Sweat It Long Sleeve in Razz (I wore the Ambassador top that isn't available, but they have other awesome prints available!)

Skirt Sports Jette Capri Skirt in Poparazzi

Skirt Sports socks (not currently available)

Flip Belt*

Mizuno Wave Rider 17's

Fuel was Island Boost and GU Chomps (I alternated for a total of 4 times fueling during race)

*I'm struggling with a way to carry my new iPhone 6s Plus so I had to break out my FlipBelt. It did fit, with the case on if I really stuffed it in there, but I think I'm probably one of the only people on the planet that doesn't really care for the FlipBelt. I don't know if it's just my body shape, but they say that it won't ride up and will stay where you put it...nope, not for me. I would prefer to wear it around my hips, but it always makes its way up to my waist (usually taking my shirt with it risking flashing people) and that makes it difficult to get anything out of it. That's the other part of my dislike, you have to flip it over to keep items inside, but then you can't get anything out of it without flipping it back over and then you run the risk of items falling out. I lost my body glide during my marathon and a chapstick another run. One final thing I don't like about it is that it doesn't have a waterproof layer so my phone case was all sweaty at the end of the run. Moisture + Phone = Bad Idea. Right? haha The only reason I'm using it right now is because I didn't have anything else that I could use for my phone. If you have any recommendations, please let me know!!

The clothes were all spot on and absolutely perfect. I have zero complaints about anything I was wearing outside of the Flip Belt. Skirt Sports is just the best. I'll have a 2016 discount code available for you very soon!

My Race

You guys - I had a really good race!! Coach Tiffany and I had decided prior to the race that this wouldn't be a PR push and would be an opportunity for me to just get out and run and see where I'm at so we can put together a great plan for my spring races. I knew I wanted to start off nice and slow so I didn't get tight legs/shins like I have in the past, I knew that I wanted to walk through the aid stations and take in some water/gatorade at each as I was not carrying any water on me this time (wanted to see how it went if I didn't carry my own since it wasn't a PR push), and I knew that I wanted to try to tackle the hills stronger than I have in the past. If I needed to walk them I would, but I would definitely try to not let them get into my head. So with those goals in mind, I started off slow, gradually geared up and didn't let the hills scare me. When we got to the first big hill I looked and it and said out loud "I LOVE HILLS!!! I'm going to totally run this thing right now! I eat hills for breakfast!" I don't know what else I said but I pretty much convinced myself up the entire thing and then I got to the top of this hill that I walked the previous two years and wanted to absolutely burst into tears that I DID IT!! I ran it and I didn't even feel like I was going to die. And the kicker? I didn't start walking at the top...I kept running right up the next hill, and right up the next one, and so on and so forth. For 10 miles I ran every single hill and I only stopped to walk through the aid stations. The mental boost from that...I can't even begin to tell you how good it felt.

Sally and I getting our groove on!

I took a brief moment of pause at the halfway point to take off my beanie and throw my hair into a ponytail as I was getting too warm. My gloves came off about 7 miles in. My sleeves rolled up about 8 miles in. haha Okay, so you know I ran strong for 10 miles but I definitely felt the fatigue really settle in at that point and I ended up taking some walk breaks during the remainder of the race. I was really feeling the fatigue in my hips and feet, so I started picking out a spot to run to, then would walk to a spot, and then start again. But I typically get tired much earlier than 10 miles, so I was thrilled. I finally headed to the finish line and kicked it into high gear to sprint to the finish line! I even got another gal to really pick it up because she could see me coming up behind her and she wasn't about to let me pass her! I told her she better get it if she didn't want me to beat her! We high-fives each other at the end of the race. LOL I just love that...the spirit of perseverance. She was a fighter and I salute that! Before I share my finish time for this race, I want to share my previous two finish times first.

2014: 2:53:20
2015: 2:59:01

And this year:
2016: 2:38:55

Guys - that's 20 minutes faster than last year and 15 minutes faster than 2014 on the exact same course!!! A 15-minute course PR!!!!!!!! Am I excited about that? HECK YEAH!!! And what's my overall half PR? 2:42 at the Tinkerbell in 2012. A flat course that I ran before my knee disaster! So not only did I get a 15-minute course PR, I also got a 4-minute half marathon PR. My work with Coach Tiffany is totally paying off. I said in my post on Instagram/Facebook that I don't do it very often as I tend to be very hard on myself, but I'm so proud of my effort on this race. I wasn't going for a PR, but I got one anyways. But more important to me than any numbers was that I ran those hills that beat me every other time. More important is that I felt great. More important is that I fueled and hydrated to plan. More important is that when my watch clicked off the miles I was shocked at how quickly it was going by. I feel like I won a mental battle on this run and that is the absolute most important. I'm gonna ride this runner's high for a while. LOL

Post-Race

The post-race amenities at this one are pretty good. They have bananas, fresh oranges, and Clif bars, full water bottles, and Gatorade along with bowls of chili from Farmer Boys (a local burger joint that is just now expanding to the Los Angeles area). They also had mylar blankets this year and had the beer garden back again. One of the best things about the beer garden? They had belly bars (those are the high tables) and bowls of pretzels on the tables. Nice touch!! (I didn't partake in the beer garden, but a nice gentleman was more than happy to put my ticket to use! hahaha)

Final Thoughts

Did you guys get the idea that I really like this race? *wink* I really do - I love this race. Gorgeous course with just enough challenge, great amenities, wonderful course support, lots of volunteers, great swag in a beautiful location at a perfect time of year. What more can you ask for? Seriously, you won't be sorry if you run this race. Hope that you'll join me in 2017 because I will definitely be back!!

Finally, I will also highlight that this is part of the Run Riverside Challenge series so I got some extra swag this one! Here's all the Run Riverside medals from 2015-16:

And here's all of them from the beginning of this series that began three years ago!

Half Marathon #7 is in the books! Run happy, or dance, or skip, or jump, or whatever, my friends!

Temecula Half Marathon - Race Report

Waaaaay back at the end of October I was able to participate in the Temecula Half Marathon & 5k held in Murrieta, CA - a local race for me as it is about 20 minutes from my home.

Just a couple of notes about this race before I get into the nitty gritty. I did the Half Marathon, this was my first time participating in this race, and this was the first time the race was held on this particular course. Previous years it was held in an entirely different location. My friend, Sally, ran the race the previous year and had warned me that it was one of the HARDEST races she had ever done as it was extremely hilly. Well, new course this year so I figured it was going to be a little less challenging, right?!? And maybe it was...I will never know as I hadn't done the previous course. I was doing this race to support a co-worker that was doing it as his very FIRST half marathon!! When he decided to do one, he reached out to the rest of us that he knew to be runners, and three of us said we'd be willing to jump in on the half marathon with him. His wife (Rebecca in the picture below) did the 5k along with her sister-in-law and my daughter. So with that out of the way, let's get to it, shall we?

We were greeted with an absolutely GORGEOUS sunrise!!

Registration
The cost of registration was about $80, I believe. I got in before it stepped up in price, however, this race had a registration fee that I couldn't get out off (i.e. It wasn't through Active which I have an Active Advantage membership that waives registration fees on many races). I had a discount code so it brought the total back to what it was originally before the registration fee. If I remember right...I do remember being peeved about the "fee". I really find those quite annoying especially when they are more than just a couple dollars. (Side note: race fees sure are getting EXPENSIVE, no?) The good part is they offered race-day packet pick-up so that's always great. As far as getting all checked-in at the event that was fairly easy to do. It was a little confusing to me as you don't pick up your race bag until AFTER the race, so I kind of felt like I was missing a step before I realized that you didn't get those until later.

From L-R: Me, Co-Worker Jennifer, Co-Worker Rebecca, and my daughter Michelle (the Selfie Queen operating the camera thankfully because I am truly HORRIBLE at it! LOL)

Expo and Venue
The race was held at a sports park in downtown Murrieta and was easy to get to (freeway access about a mile from venue) and had plenty of free parking nearby. They had quite a few vendors that I don't see at a lot of other local races such as Krave jerky, The Kombucha, Larabar, and others. They also had a wine garden with several different vendors. Each racer received two free tickets and more were available for purchase. They had a pretty good set-up and as far as small, local race expos go it was not too shabby. Not the best, but not the worst either.

Swag
This race doesn't automatically include a participant shirt but does offer them for a reasonable price for purchase. What you DO get is a wine glass. I am going to note that I expected the wine glass to be included in the race bag that you get after the race...kind of makes sense, right? So when the race was over and my daughter handed me my bag, I just assumed the glass was in there. Wrong. You had to actually pick up the glass when you got your drink tickets. Well, since I could care less about the drink tickets, I never even went over to that table and completely missed out on the glass. I was fairly disappointed about this. Also, during packet pick-up nothing was ever said to me or my daughter about race bags being available after the race or that wine glasses needed to be picked up at the wine garden. I know they are volunteers, but it would be helpful to provide that info to racers so we aren't left wondering where to go next or what we can expect at the end.

Course
The course, as mentioned above, was new this year. The course, as mentioned above, was known previously as being VERY challenging. The course this year? Super duper challenging in its own right!! Seriously, after doing the Avocado Half Marathon in Fallbrook back in May I didn't really want to ever run another hilly half. Well, too bad, so sad because this was NOT a flat half marathon. Now, mind you, they never billed it as being flat either. I was just wishful thinking. HA! Let's look at just a few pictures of the course:

That doesn't look so bad, right?

Almost to the top of the hill...I think my face says it all...I was not happy.

Oh yeah - that looks like *fun*. :-|

So. Many. Hills! The course began on relatively flat land and remained so for about the first mile before going into gently rolling hills that I think were there for the simple act of lulling you into a false sense of security. About three miles in is where the fun begins! The road began to climb and then turned into a dirt road that was very difficult to run on. The dirt was hard packed and highly cambered with some rockiness that you had to be careful for. In addition, the road was NOT closed so vehicles could still travel it and I really felt for the group of runners that had a truck go by on the dirt road as it kicked up a lot of dust (this is one of those times that it really paid that I was in the mid-pack of the race!). Hope nobody was asthmatic or had breathing issues because that would seriously hinder their ability to get air. The dirt eventually returned to road, and hills, and kept going. I will say that there were portions of this course that were extremely beautiful!! One of my favorite sections was through a tree-lined area that was mostly flat to boot! Check it out:

So nice through here! Take note of the gal in the red tank and skirt and the other in the orange shirt next to her...we'll talk about this some more in a moment.

After that really nice, really pretty section, we headed into a golf course for a short bit. It was also very pretty and was on a dirt trail and towards the end had a vineyard on one side, and golf course on the other. There were people out golfing as it was a Sunday morning so that was kind of a nice distraction. And then another hill came and this was one of the worst! Here's a pic from the top looking down:

Not a great picture, but you can kind of get an idea of this massive hill. Most people were walking it or doing a slow jog at the most.

We encountered a lot of traffic in this section as people were leaving and entering the golf course. They did have a police escort so it was very smooth and didn't cause any problems outside of the sheer amount of exhaust and fumes. The course eventually looped back around and met with sections we had come out on, so we got to do them in reverse. Here's the elevation profile from my Garmin activity:

You get the idea? Hills, hills and more hills...LOL

All in all, the course was challenging, but not bad as it had a lot of scenic portions and was an out-and-back so especially at the end you had a good idea of what to expect since you were on the same part as you were at the beginning. I do wish that traffic had been blocked on the dirt portion at the very least to minimize the amount of dust kicked up into the air, but the course did feel safe even though it was an open course and had traffic throughout. There were port-a-johns at several points along the course with fairly short lines, they had pacers for a variety of finish times, they had plenty of on-course water, but no electrolytes until almost the end of the race, they had some fabulous volunteers out working the aid stations, but they had minimal spectating or cheer sections. But that's okay as it wasn't something that was part of the race package.

Medal
Honestly, the medal was a bit disappointing to me. For being such a challenging race with all those hills, no race shirt, and costing $80, along with the trend for ever bigger and more impressive medals, I was expecting something a little more substantial. Take a look and let me know what you think:

The glitter was a nice touch...

Since I'm holding it you can get a little perspective.

The 5k and Half Marathon had the same size medals, the only thing that was different was the 5k had a white ribbon and the Half Marathon had a black one. Seriously, it's kinda tiny and doesn't have a year engraved on the medal design anywhere and you can see that the necklace portion is a clip on design so I'm guessing they re-use medals that are left over. I can't say for sure, but that's the only reason I can figure they do a clip on necklace (is there an actual name for that part of the medal because if there is it is escaping my brain at the moment! haha). Also, I have to say that even though the race previously was in the Temecula Wine Country, hence the wine bottle medal and grapes in the logo, this year's race had almost nothing to do with wine outside of the fact that you ran very briefly past a few grape vines, and you got a wine glass and free wine at the finish. It wasn't even evident that the race course was in Temecula AT ALL since you start and end in Murrieta. It's possible we may have been in the actual unincorporated area of Temecula for a brief moment, but I couldn't say for sure exactly. I count this race as being in Murrieta. A little misleading, but who cares really. Overall, the medal gets a D grade. They can do better.

My Race
I went into this race totally and completely unprepared (yes, that is a recurring theme in my life...*sigh*) so my plan was to just do the best I could and treat it like a training run. I stuck with the 2:45 pacer for a good portion of the early part. Remember in the picture above where I said take note of the girl in the red tank and black skirt and the girl in the orange shirt beside her? That was the pacer and the other gal that was sticking with her as well. I lost them a few times on hills when I was just dying, but would catch up to them on the downhills usually. I finally lost the pacer for good as I was coming into the golf course and hit that really killer hill. But not long after I crested the killer hill, the gal in the orange shirt (cannot remember her name...sorry!!) had stopped at a porta-pot and then caught back up to me. So we stuck together until the end. All in all, I didn't feel terrible. The weather was absolutely perfect and I ran a lot more of the hills than I did previously. If the gal in the orange shirt hadn't kept me going towards the end though I would have walked a lot more. But we would just pick out a landmark and say "we'll run to there", then we would walk to a new landmark and do the same. It got us to the end, although I will say I wanted to absolutely DIE at the end because as we were getting close to the finish line, and to what my Garmin was saying was close to 13.1 miles, we realized that we were going to run right by the finish line to do one more loop around the park! WAAAAHHHH!!! I seriously was like "this is a cruel, cruel joke you evildoers!!!" The pacer (can't remember her name either...LOL) found us on that final loop and ran us in to the finish. I do know that the course was definitely off and a mistake was made somewhere because my final based off of GPS was 13.32 miles. So just a tad extra, but enough to make a grown woman want to curl up in a ball and just throw a massive temper tantrum. I didn't, but the urge was strong. Here's the stats:

13.32 Miles
2:49:15
Average Pace: 12:42 min/mile
Best Mile: Mile 7 with 10:50 average pace
Worst Mile: Mile 12 with a 14:30 average pace

Post-Race Party
I didn't stick around per the usual so I can't tell you too much. My daughter did visit the wine garden and had a drink, but by the time I rolled back in she was pretty bored and ready to go. I touched base with my co-workers Brian (his first) and Jennifer (her second) and they both had 2:30 or less finishes! Jennifer said she won't do another half for a long time, and Brian said he is done with his running career for forever! I don't really believe that, but this very may well be his only half as he says he prefers the 10k and 5k distances much more and did deal with a lot of knee issues during training. The race did have an awards presentation that I'm sure was awesome.

What I Wore
Skirt Sports Visor in Streak
Skirt Sports 261 Kathrine Tank in Mantra
Skirt Sports Gym Girl Ultra Skirt in Tantrum
Saucony Bounce Trouncer Bra
Can't remember which socks I wore
Mizuno Wave Rider 17's
Nathan Intensity Hydration Vest

All the things I wore were great...I did have some chafing on my arm from the vest, but it was fairly minimal.

Parting Thoughts 
I guess the main thing to ask myself is if I would do this race again. Mayyyyybeeeee...it would have to be pretty compelling circumstances for me to do it again. It was easy for me to get to, the location was pretty good, but the course was challenging. If someone was LOOKING for a challenging half, this would be a great one for them as it definitely delivered there. But the scenic route did help offset some of the things I would have been more peeved about like the crummy medal, the wine glass snafu, and the extra added-in distance. Plus, it's just mean to make people run PAST the finish line after running 13+ miles. Just so mean. LOL It's at a great time of year though although it can still be quite warm...we just got lucky that it was perfect running weather this time around. If it had been hot, I would not be as positive about my experience. As far as race organization goes, it was pretty smooth and I don't have any major complaints. I think there is room for improvement, but really there always is. So even though I may not LOOK for this race again next year, if one of my run friends asked me to run it with them I probably would.

And there you have it! Half Marathon #6 is in the books...

Life Lately...

Good morning! First, let me just say Happy November!!! I seriously can't believe that we are already getting close to wrapping up 2015. It's been a whirlwind of a year that's for sure...but we're still not done yet!!

November is actually probably my favorite month of the year...the holiday season is officially in the swing of things and my favorite holidays are right around the corner! It doesn't hurt that there's lots of holidays from work on the schedule either! hahaha Many times I'm more excited for the time off than I am for the actual holiday. Kind of sad, but I'm just being honest here. LOL

I have a few races coming up too - this weekend is the Mission Inn 10k. I've done it the past three years as part of the Run Riverside Challenge and as challenging as it is, I do find myself looking forward to it each year. You can read the previous race recap here, and if you want to learn how I did the opposite of preparing for this race last year you can read that here. News Flash: I didn't beat my previous PR at last year's race and felt like I barely survived it really. I don't remember having fun that's for sure. LOL

From the race website - click picture to go to site.

But I will say that I'm going into this year's race feeling much more prepared for it! So there's that...the coaching has been very beneficial and that kick in the gut that I got at the completion of October's training cycle has proven to be very motivating. That and the fact that I really want a PR at the next race on the schedule...more on that in just a moment.

My plan for this weekend is to treat the race like a training run. It's a very hilly course so I'm going to do my best to control my running on the hills and focus on my form and hydration/fueling throughout. Because the following weekend is the Surfer's Point 10k in Ventura and that one is going to be my PR push!!

This is the first time I will be doing races on back-to-back weekends, but I do feel prepared for it especially since I'm using the first race as a training run for the second one that will be the push. My biggest goal for this weekend is to focus on how I feel at each mile and visualizing running faster and stronger the next weekend. Oh, and it doesn't hurt that the Surfer's Point 10k will be mostly flat...something I can't say ANY of my other 10k races have been! I'm looking forward to a flat race, finally. LOL

The rest of life lately consists of spending time with the family and just soaking in all that life has to offer. Oh, and work...can't forget the thing that pays the bills. LOL

It really is, friends...it really is!! Now get out there and have an awesome weekend and go crunch some leaves under your feet while you're at it!!

Stay in pursuit of a quality life!

FOCUS Grasshopper...

Ya'll know that I've been working with a running coach for a little bit now - Coach Tiffany with Thoroughly Thriving. And I absolutely LOVE it!! Having the guesswork taken out of the equation is so nice. And I really do feel like I push myself at least a little harder because I want to make my effort worthwhile. BUT at the same time, I know that I still slack off way more than I should. Sometimes there might be totally legitimate reasons for it, but really, 90% of the time that I slack is just because I'm losing the battle of the lazy brain. I know that. But you know how when you see some cold, hard facts it brings it all into FOCUS just a little more???

This morning I looked at my new week training report and this is what I see: Looking at October so far you've skipped about 28% of your workouts and modified 15%.

Just a bit of a gut kick on that one. I shouldn't be surprised that the hilly half marathon last weekend was so tough and I shouldn't be surprised that I felt like I had been hit by a Mack truck for most of this week. Not when I look at the fact that I've totally and completely SKIPPED 28% of my assigned workouts. More than a quarter. And of the 72% that I have done, I've modified 15% of those.

So in other words, I've nailed 57% of my workouts during the month of October. Sure, sure - that's a little more than HALF that I've done. And that's not necessarily bad...BUUUUUUTTTTT, if this was a test, only a little more than half is definitely failing.

Why, thank you Dwayne - there are not truer words you could speak to me! And thank you for that dazzling smile while you're at it. ;-) haha

What it all boils down to is this. If I want to run a personal best at my goal race in January 2016, then I'd better focus and I'd better put in the effort. I can get to that finish line feeling like I got thrown down by The Rock in an epic wrestling match, or I can get to that finish line feeling like I just ran a hard race but that I just ran a race that I was totally prepared to run. And whether I meet my time goal or not - the real goal is just that - I want to KNOW that I put in the effort during training and that I really did leave everything I could on that course.

I will get there...and the effort and the focus start now!! My goal from my coach is to hit at least 90% of my workouts going forward. Okay, okay - game on, Tiffany!!

Question: How do you keep your focus on the goal?

Sometimes You Just GOTTA GO...

Hey all! I'm super excited to share with you a new product that Skirt Sports is offering through a Kick Starter campaign! It's called the Gotta Go skirt and it has a really cool back story...Let me fill you in!

The Backstory:

Skirt Sports brought the very first running skirt to market over 10 years ago. Since day one our mission has been to help every woman of any body type feel confident and pretty while running. But real life often gets in the way of that pretty feeling...and sometimes that coveted PR. 

You know what we are talking about: 

• The not-so-glamorous struggle to get your skirt back up over sweaty thighs and glutes after a mid-run pee stop.

• The nervous glances over your shoulder as you try to be discreet and speedy behind a shrub when there is no porta potty in sight.

• The pads, leaks, or stressful tampon changes while running and racing.

• The embarrassing leaks that 1 in 3 women experience from exercise-induced incontinence, sadly prompting many of them to avoid running altogether.

On April Fool's Day 2015 we sent out an email featuring a Trap Door™ Skirt that allows us women to finally answer nature's call without baring our assets. When THOUSANDS of women responded urging us to make the product for real we realized we had struck a chord.

Skirt Sports has always pushed the envelope on clothing to address the needs of real women. But product innovation is risky for a small company. 

Hitting our Kickstarter goal will enable us to place a production order for the Gotta Go Skirt. 

If you want the Gotta Go Skirt -- if it is the piece of run apparel you have been waiting for -- it's up to you to make it a reality. If we don't hit our Kickstarter goal, we won't be producing this product. The goal is $35,000 and there is already $8,000+ pledged!! As a women's running community we CAN make this happen!!! There are a lot of early backer rewards too! Don't miss out...

Okay, so I'm sure you want to see how this whole "trap door" thing works, right?

Here's some of the actual skirt details:

The Gotta Go Running Skirt builds upon our most popular running skirt -- the Gym Girl. It has all the great features and flair that athletes love from their Skirt Sports running skirts PLUS our innovative new Trap Door construction:

• Trap Door: A flap on the shorties secured with low profile hook & loop means you remain fully covered on the go but have easy access to the Relief Hatch. The Trap Door flap is pad-compatible for secure confidence and easy swaparoos. 
• Relief Hatch: An opening in the shorties under the Trap Door anatomically aligned with your lady bits to enable easy error-free evacution when you squat. 
• Skirt: Mimicing our most popular skirt, the Gym Girl, the Gotta Go is 13.5" in front, 14.5" in back. Flattering lightweight fast drying AeroLight Jersey fabric (87% poly / 13% spandex) in black.
• Under the Skirt: Built-in no-creep chafe-free 5.5" shorties in black semi-compression mesh fabric (90% poly / 10% spandex). This is 0.5" longer than the shorts in the Gym Girl.
• Waistband: Wide mid-rise waistband with continuous drawstring. It won't muffin top, it won't roll down, it won't slip, and it looks good on everyone!
• Pockets Galore: Two side pockets under the skirt on the shorties, both big enough for a smartphone. One back pocket secure enough for car keys. And a super smart Sonic music port on the side to keep you from getting tangled in your headphones.

Who needs this skirt?

Any woman with:

• A race or long run: Whether you use the bushes or the porta potty, the Trap Door™ enables you to avoid "The Struggle" of getting sweaty clothes back over your sweaty body.
• A PR quest: Never feel you missed the target time you trained so hard for because you spent 15 minutes in a porta potty line!
• A period: The Trap Door™ enables quick tampon and/or pad changes without getting undressed, and the back pocket is perfectly sized to hold extra supplies.
• Athletic-induced incontinence: The pad pocket in the Trap Door™ ensures nothing rubs, chafes, or falls out when you are on the move.
• A smartphone, keys, ChapStick®, ID, inhaler, etc: Did we mention all the pockets?

And then there's this:

Because sometimes, you just GOTTA GO!!

So, I'm sure you want to know more, right? Check out all the details for the Kick Starter Campaign here  (affiliate link) - including all the various levels of support and the early backer rewards. I'm confident that Skirt Sports will be producing this product and this is your chance to be the first to enjoy being able to go when and where without worrying about baring your "assets" to the world!

Join the revolution - the campaign ends November 19 at 12:00 AM PDT!

Question: Have you ever had to make a pit stop mid-run? If yes, was it hard to find a place to go without baring it all? 

Run happy, friends!

Vixen Capri Skirt Giveaway Winner!

I feel like a broken record at this point because life continues to derail me from lots of little things...I'm actually really tired of feeling behind the eight ball all the time, but I'm working on it!!

Anyways, I'm here today to announce the lucky winner of my Skirt Sports Vixen Capri Skirt giveaway!! Please join me in congratulating Jennifer D!

Jennifer has been notified via email and has 7 days to claim her prize! There's still a lot of Skirt Sports Ambassador Captain giveaways going so if you didn't win this one, be sure to keep entering those others that are currently running or coming up in the near future. If you like my page on Facebook I will continue posting the contests there!

Lucky girl gets to enjoy one of these hot little numbers!

Or if you want to just pick up some sweet Skirt Sports gear of your own, use discount code SSPQL20 for 20% off at www.skirtsports.com!

#REALwomenmove

I know you guys are already aware of how excited I am to be a part of Skirt Sports by being selected as one of their Ambassador Captains this year, but it is even more exciting to be a part of it right now because they are running a campaign called #REALwomenmove! And let me tell you just how cool this campaign is...

I think that Skirt Sports founder and CEO, Nicole DeBoom says it best:

That right there says so much to me, especially as someone that doesn't always fit the "mold" of what a fitness enthusiast might look like. I get inspired by fit bodies as much as the next person, except I have also had to realize that MY fit body will never look like fitspo fit bodies look like - you know you've seen them - the ones in Nike ads and inspirational memes on Pinterest.

But that's okay!!!!

My body has carried a lot of extra pounds and my body has carried four babies over three pregnancies. My body is that of a 43-year old woman. My body is one that is sitting in a desk chair for the majority of the day. You get it...I'm not ever going to be one of those people in a Nike ad with abs that look like they are cut out of steel...and that's all good. The point here is that no matter what our body looks like - our outer packaging - we can all be FIT and we can all be HEALTHY. We just come in lots of different packages with lots of different options. In the end, we are REAL Women, REAL Bodies, REAL Inspiration. That is Skirt Sports motto, you know.

To me the idea behind #REALwomenmove is that we all approach fitness in our own ways.

When I move sometimes I'm tearing it up by hitting all my training days, and sometimes I'm sleeping in because sleep is the best way I can be healthy.

When I move I chase grandbabies. I lift them, sometimes two at a time, I cuddle them, I tickle them, and I race them up the stairs.

When I move I sometimes do it gently as I'm recovering from a hard workout the day before.

When I move I sometimes take a walk in my heels because that's the only chance I get to finally get off my rear during a workday.

#fearless was my mantra for today's run and it friggin' paid off with a run that was so challenging but so awesome because I nailed the distance and I nailed the pace that @coachhenness had on my plan today. May not be able to run like @kathrineswitzer but I can channel my own #261fearless action! @261fearless @skirtsports #REALwomenmove #skirtsports #ssambassador #sweatpink @fitapproach

A photo posted by Kristen Grimes (@kgrimes526) on Sep 5, 2015 at 7:52am PDT

When I move I sometimes take a leisurely walk with my husband because sharing my day is more important than burning calories.

Because for me, many times being fit is more than physical fitness. Being fit is also about my mental well being. So sometimes it may mean that my focus is on building my inner strength instead of building my muscular or endurance strength.

And to me, that's what REALwomenmove is all about. Fitness is a lot of different things for a lot of different people. We can move in more ways than one and we can look totally different while we're doing it!

So join the movement that is already in full force! You want some inspiration? Just go on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and search #REALwomenmove and #skirtsports. And USE those same hashtags on your own posts! Because Skirt Sports is continuing to give "Get Started Scholarships" for every 5,000 hashtags - the scholarship includes a Skirt Sports top, bra, bottom, hat, socks and free entry to their first 5k! So not only are you empowering other women through your own sweat equity, you are giving a deserving woman or girl the chance to fall in love with moving too!!! So keep the movement going! There's a whole lot of women out there that need to know that #REALwomenmove in lots of different ways, in lots of different bodies, and at lots of different levels.

What does #REALwomenmove mean for you?

My Favorite Season Celebration with a Skirt Sports Giveaway!

It's finally here...today marks the first official day of Fall! Where I live in sunny #SoCal it will feel like summer for several more weeks but it doesn't stop me from celebrating the start of my favorite season of the year!! I will be over here faking it with fall scented candles, football on the telly, autumn colors draped on my mantle, and goodies baking in the oven even if it means cranking down the air because using the oven heats up the entire house. LOL In other words, my fall freak flag is flying high, my friends!! #hellofall #football #fallbakinghasbegun #freakflagflying #favoriteseason

A photo posted by Kristen Grimes (@kgrimes526) on Sep 23, 2015 at 4:02am PDT

Finally - it is officially AUTUMN!! Granted, like it says on my Instagram post from this morning, we still feel like summer - but the PROMISE of Fall weather is lingering in the air just around the corner from here. This season never fails to get me excited! The football, the smells of candles and fireplaces, crisp mornings, sweaters, scarves, baking...oh it's just more than my little heart can contain!!! It's bursting with joy!!

I've been in full fall mode for several weeks already since we basically had fall explode in the house for the baby shower earlier this month, and I'm loving every moment of it. I got my bake on for the shower and having a dirty apron and flour dust in my hair brought me much joy. And one of the things I love the most about Fall is the sharing that this season brings - sharing my baked goods with my co-workers and friends, sharing family memories watching football games, sharing time with friends over warm tea or coffee, sharing updates while out running in crisp cool mornings, sharing gratitude during the Thanksgiving holiday. And now I get to share in a totally new way - I get to share a favorite Skirt Sports item with one lucky winner!!!

It's an item that is perfect for the cooler Autumn mornings as it has all the fun, flirty attitude of the skirt version, but is paired with capris for a little added coverage and/or warmth! Meet the Vixen Capri Skirt!

Check out those ruffles and asymmetrical hemline! And just like the Vixen Skirt, the waistband is a wide, comfortable band with continuous drawcord that works great for any shape. The capri bottoms are attached and feature lightweight wicking material that offers a "barely there" look and feel...and I can totally attest to that! They are seriously so soft and so light. They aren't compression material, so these are perfect for being active, running errands, or lounging around the house. Some of the other details taken from the Skirt Sports website:

• Built-in mesh capri is super light-weight giving you the barely-there look and feel
• Two pockets, one on each thigh of the capri allow you to carry your running essentials
• Features Skirt Sports GoSoft Jersey (skirt) and Sweetest Mesh (capri leggings) with wicking properties
• 100% polyester Under Skirt Liner in capri for extra moisture management
• Comfortable wide waistband with continuous drawcord puts you in control, offering you choices
• Two rows of ruffles circumference the bottom of the skirt with a slight lift on the right side
• Sonic Music Port under skirt waistband for media headset cord
• Skirt length (medium): 11.5 inches on right front, 13.75 inches on left front and back

Something else that you don't see in the picture on the website is this really awesome leg stitching in the same razz color featured in the skirt! Check it out...

Check out that side stitching detail! Such a nice touch!

It just shows the attention to detail and style that Skirt Sports puts into all their designs! The Vixen Capri Skirt is available in the Buzzed/Black print shown above, or in Black and in sizes XS to XXL! I know that I can also add that I love the coverage I get in the Vixen Capri Skirt - the skirt hides all the right stuff in all the right places! LOL I'm definitely going to get a lot of use out of it as the mornings cool down in the coming weeks.

So here's your chance to celebrate Fall with me by entering to win a Vixen Capri Skirt of your own - just use the Rafflecopter widget below. But if you just can't wait to get your own you can use discount code SSPQL for 20% off of any purchase right now! Good luck!!!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fine Print: As a Skirt Sports Ambassador Captain I have been provided items free of charge; however, all opinions of the products and company are my own. The full prize value has an approximate retail value of $75.00 US. No purchase is necessary and will not increase your chances of winning. Entrants must be 18 years of age or older and have mailing addresses in the US or Canada. The giveaway begins on Wednesday, September 23 and runs until midnight on October 7, 2015. The winner will be announced via a blog announcement on October 8, 2015 and will be contacted via the email provided at the time of entry. The winner will have 7 days to claim their prize; in the event the prize is unclaimed at the end of the 7-day period a new winner will be selected until the prize is claimed. By entering the giveaway you are authorizing the release of your information to Skirt Sports for the purpose of notification. Personal information will not be used or sold by The Pursuit of a Quality Life or Skirt Sports.  By entering this giveaway you release The Pursuit of a Quality Life and Skirt Sports from any liability whatsoever, and waive any and all causes of action, related to any claims, costs, injuries, losses or damages of any kind arising out of or in connection with the giveaway or delivery, misdelivery or acceptance of any prize. 

TOTR: Over the Shoulder Boulder Holders

Welcome back for another edition of Tuesdays on the Run hosted by Erika, April, and Patty! Today's topic is Running Bras - those lovely things that support the girls.

As any female runner knows, support for the girls is important - whether you've got ample cleavage to tame or just a little bit, knowing that you can run free without worry of bouncing, rubbing, or other uncomfortable things happening makes it so much easier to enjoy the run!

There are pretty much a ton of different types and styles and brands and level of support when it comes to running bras. Believe me, I've been through quite a few myself! When I first started exercising I didn't need much so I was able to pick up a medium support Danskin from Walmart for about $10-12 which fit right into my budget at the time. Honestly, I had begun many a workout program that never stuck, so I really didn't want to drop a huge chunk of change on a wardrobe that may end up sitting unused. So the cheapie bra was perfect for me...THEN. 

But as I began running more and running longer distances, it quickly became apparent that the cheapie Danskin bra, even though I had transitioned to high impact, was not going to cut it. I ended up getting a lot of painful chafing under the girls and that was absolutely NO fun! It didn't take more than a couple times of that happening to realize it was time to make a change and that you get what you pay for. 

My first, what I consider to be a "REAL" bra was a Saucony Bounce Trouncer and it made me question my entire existence and why I had waited so gosh darn long to get a real honest to goodness sports bra made for running! It was like the heavens opened and the angels sang Hallelujah when I wore that bra!! Sure, it wasn't cheap by any means and the price tag proved it. But it was honestly worth every single penny to never have to worry about bounce or chafing. 

Not a great picture, but click the pic and it will take you to the website where you can look at it in better detail. At about $50 it's an investment for sure, but it is definitely great quality!

When I became an ambassador for Skirt Sports I purchased a Kelly bra and just like with the Bounce Trouncer I was amazed at how awesome the support and fit is without any rubbing or movement whatsoever. I would say that my Kelly bra is definitely comparable in quality with the Saucony, but maybe a little step up. So if the Saucony is a 4.5, the Skirt Sports Kelly bra is a 5. (and just look at that awesome Razz color...yes, please!!)

What I love the most about the Kelly bra is the front adjustable straps that are easy to get the perfect fit on thanks to the velcro, but still holds so securely I never worry if it is going to fail me. The other cool thing is how easy it is to convert from regular straps to criss-cross straps. The Bounce Trouncer has convertible straps too, but honestly it is so hard to do, I never change them and just leave the straps in the traditional U shape. The last really awesome thing about the Kelly bra is that you can purchase "bra bling"! Bra Bling is straps that come in cute, funky patterns that you can easily change on your bra to give you an entirely different look...very cool in my opinion and a girl always loves accessories! And these are for your BRA!?!? Um, hello - BRILLIANT!

So there you have my two favorite bras, and I only have two because who needs to keep looking when you've already found perfection?!? The Kelly comes in at a slightly higher price point at $65, but don't forget you can use SSPQL20 for 20% off! 

And since we are talking about boobies, let me just remind you that the Skirt Sports Virtual Boobie Run is right around the corner, but it's not too late to get registered! Just click the picture below and use the same discount code I just gave you right above for 20% off the registration which includes a $70 voucher to get your very own Skirt Sports bra! They have several different styles, but you could always get my favorite, The Kelly!

* Just a reminder, I am a Skirt Sports Ambassador and was provided the bra of my choice free of charge, but all opinions of that bra are my own and I have not been asked to include any Skirt Sports products in this post. I just happen to really, really love my Kelly bra! 

Question: What do you most look for in a sports/running bra? What's your max price point on a really great sports bra?