Wednesday 5 December 2018

Lace Up Riverside Half Marathon Race Recap and Cal Half Series Challenge Medal

Hello! I ran the Lexus Lace Up Riverside Reindeer Run – half marathon this weekend. And I hope that makes Santa happy enough to get me all the running gear of my dreams for Christmas! Let’s talk about the race… yeah?

Lexus Lace Up Riverside Half Marathon race (626x626)

I ran the half marathon and my mom ran the 5K. There’s also a kid’s race. Neither of us ran that one.

Lexus Lace Up Reindeer Run Half Marathon race 7 (800x531)

I’ve done this race before so I knew the course and I knew it’s super festive! I love an excuse to dress up for a race so I was all about it! I was going to borrow a Sparkle Athletic skirt from my friend Kelly but I didn’t have time after all and last minute had to tape a few things together and hope for the best.

Lexus Lace Up Riverside Half Marathon race 4 (325x577)

I bought a dining chair cover from the 99 cent store to try and make it work as a skirt. I cut the top off and pinned it to stay around my waist. And I figured my running belt would help it stay on too.

It worked okay. Half way through the race I suddenly felt like it was riding up in the back so I kept pulling at it and trying to re-adjust. Well, that isn’t fun and it’s especially not fun to pull at your clothes when you’re trying to run 13.1 miles. At one point I was pulling it down because I thought it had bunched up in the back and realized – nope. I just pulled it completely under my butt. Fantastic.

I messed with it a bit to try and just get it to ‘good enough’ (my motto) and tried to ignore it for the rest of the race. I considered just taking it off all together but figured that would be more trouble.

Moral of the story: get it together Monica. Okay. Thanks.

Santa Hat Running Skirt Race skirt (800x800)

Lexus Lace Up Riverside Half Marathon race 7 (325x577)

And I wore my fancy new Ugly Sweater Running Shoes from Brooks!!

ugly christmas sweater running shoes brooks run (325x577)

 

 

Lexus Lace Up Reindeer Run Half Marathon race (420x630)

The race: It’s a fairly quiet course with a lot of it on a bike / pedestrian trail. I would love to run here for training runs.

There are a few steep hills that I walked. When running is slower than just walking up a hill – I walk.

The Lexus Lace Up Race Series is well organized and has a lot of perks for runners. They were giving out Santa hats or Reindeer Antlers when you got your bib! There are food trucks, fancy water and a nice post-race party area. AND – FREE race photos. That would be the best part if it wasn’t for the fact that I look like a sick kangaroo marching to its death in most of my pics.

Let’s see all the impressions I do while trying to run…

 

Lexus Lace Up Reindeer Run Half Marathon race 2 (420x630)

Living my best life as a speed walker.

 

Lexus Lace Up Reindeer Run Half Marathon race 6 (418x630)

Pretending I’m playing the drums?

 

Lexus Lace Up Reindeer Run Half Marathon race 4 (800x533)

 

Lexus Lace Up Reindeer Run Half Marathon race 5 (800x531)‘’

Wondering why I didn’t wear gloves as I try to jam my hands in my sleeves.

Lexus Lace Up Reindeer Run Half Marathon race 8 (418x630)

My impression of a depressed kangaroo with honey on their hands?

 

Lexus Lace Up Reindeer Run Half Marathon race 12 (420x630)

Marching over to give someone a piece of my mind.

Or maybe I’m marching over to tell you that I really like this race series. I feel like it’s put on my runners. By that I mean – organized and the perks are ones that runners really enjoy. The fun, the food trucks,  the post race party, and pics – all of it are definite benefits I appreciate.

Lexus Lace Up Reindeer Run

Riverside Half Marathon finish time: 1:50:32

Lexus Lace Up Reindeer Run Half Marathon race 16 (800x600)

I ran all 4 of the Lexus Lace Up Races in the series = Irvine Half, Ventura Half, Palos Verdes Half and Riverside Half.

After the race I went to get a bonus medal for completing all of them. And someone at the booth said to check at the booth right next to it…

As a total surprise I got another medal for finished 7 races in the Cal Half Series. I didn’t even know that was a thing!!?! Ha!

So I was asking a ton of questions because I wasn’t familiar with them at all… It’s the California Half and Full Marathon series – they partner up with different races all around the state. There are different levels of challenges – 4 races, 7 races, 10 races, 15 races and the most you can do 20 races!!

 

Lexus Lace Up Riverside Half Marathon race 1 (325x577)

 

Cal Half Series medals (800x450)

 

california half series challenge medal 1 (800x450)

And I really love the Riverside Run medal! I feel like this would completely work as a Christmas ornament.

Lexus Lace Up Riverside Half Marathon race 5 (800x450)

And the best part of the whole thing…

Santa’s there and the whole race is so festive and fun – it really gets me in the lil holiday spirit.

Lexus Lace Up Reindeer Run Half Marathon race 1 (800x533)

And that’s my last race of the year!!

Now I need to figure out what’s next! I want to start planning my race calendar for next year. I didn’t really plan anything this year and I definitely didn’t improve or chase down goals, which makes me a lil bummed at myself. The main thing is to move forward and get it done for the future.

*Stay tuned for the race discounts I have for you coming soon*

Question: Are you doing a holiday run or race?

 

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