Andrea Heser

Reflections from Godspeed: The Race Across America

“Disclaimer: I received access to a special viewing of “Godspeed: The Race Across America” 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!”

Jerry Schemmel and Brad Cooper. Photo by RAAM

What does a documentary about two cyclists, trekking across the US in a 3000+ mile race say to non-cyclists? Lots. Godspeed: The Race Across America spoke volumes to me and I don’t own a bike. The movie taught me how important camaraderie, teamwork and family are when it comes to competing.

What exactly is The Race Across America? The Race Across America (RAAM) is one of the longest-running ultra-endurance events in the world and is celebrating its 36th year. It starts in California and finishes in Maryland. That’s over 3000 feet of crossing 12 states. The elevation gain is brutal with travels over America’s three major mountain ranges (Appalachian, Rock and Sierra.) This might be one of the most challenging cycling races in the world but it doesn’t happen to no avail. Racers raise on average over $2 million per year for charities of their choice. Racers can complete solo or in teams and have to finish the race in a set number of days. Learn more about the race and its history: http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/about.html

As a BibRave Pro, I was able to view an early release of the Godspeed. The most important takeaway from watching the documentary is racing really isn’t all about the competitor. This is what the movie taught me:

Brad and Jerry.  Photo by Ryan Schemmel — Brad and Jerry. Photo by Ryan Schemmel

Camaraderie

When signing up for RAAM, you could choose to run alone, in a pair, team of 4 or team of 8. Godspeed followed the journey of sportscaster/ultra-cyclist Jerry Schemmel and IronMan/CEO Brad Cooper in their 2-person team. It was incredible to watch the trust these men had for each other. Just weeks before the race, Brad was injured in a terrible bicycle crash. Jerry was concerned but still had hope for his partner. There were times where weather went from extreme heat to pouring rain and a detour that took them in the wrong direction. Still, these men were there for each other. At night they alternated four-hour shifts so the other could try to sleep. They not only had a common goal of winning the race but also to raise money to build an orphanage in Haiti through their team, Team Enduring Hope. You’ll have to watch to movie to see what they placed in the race. They did end up raising $50k for their charity.

Teamwork

When I race I usually race alone and don’t rely on aid stations, I prefer to carry all of my fuel and water. Would I perform better with a team? Heck yes, I would. I was blown away by the support staff Jerry and Brad had along their entire race. There is so much that goes behind the scenes to keep Jerry and Brad on the road. They had an up to 20-person support crew that included a crew chief, safety experts, doctors, navigators, drivers, bike mechanics and nutritionists. During one white-knuckle scene, a back wheel needed to be replaced on a cycle. But where was it? This is where their team was needed to backtrack and find that wheel somewhere on the side of the road with hopes it wasn’t damaged. The team was there for every moment. There was one moment where they delivered fuel during a quick pass from the side of the road. The bike never stopped!

Jerry's wife & son. Photo by Ryan Schemmel — Jerry’s wife & son. Photo by Ryan Schemmel

Brad's children.  Photo by Ryan Schemmel — Brad’s children. Photo by Ryan Schemmel

Family

I teared up quite a few times during the documentary. Each time was during the scenes where Jerry and Brad’s family came into the picture. Both of these men had major support from their wives and children. Brad’s three children and Jerry’s daughter were with them at the starting point of the race, riding in the support vehicles. There was an emotional moment where Jerry’s wife Diane and son Ryan were waiting for him with a sign. The tremendous support from both their families made me realize not to take for granted the support my husband and son give to me during my running journey.

Go see the film!

I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but if you want to watch a motivating and inspirational movie about two men working together with the help from their families and crew to ride the race of their dreams, then please watch Godspeed: The Race Across America on May 22 in theaters nationwide. Tickets are available at Fathom Events.

Put Some KT Tape On It.

Disclaimer: I received KT TAPE 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.

Staying injury-free is important to me. Another way to put it is preventative maintenance! Running is repetitive and over the course of 4 years of running, my left knee has been feeling, well, kind of floaty. It doesn’t hurt but doesn’t feel super either.

I was thrilled when I found I was chosen to test and review KT Tape. I have already been a user for 3 years. My husband surprised me with the tape a few Christmases ago. Now I was able to try most of their popular lines: PRO, Wide, Extreme, Gentle and Cotton.

Technical info

Here are technical and important info on the five products I tested in easy to understand chart format:

Getting old or…

I am not accepting the fact I’m getting older. LOL. My left knee doesn’t hurt but feels floaty. All strengths of KT Tape has helped me by supporting my knee during running and other daily activity, but my favorite to wear is the PRO because of the adhesion strength. I recommend starting with clean skin and hands. Even using hand sanitizer on the skin after washing helped me get the best adhesion and remove excess oils on your fingers if you accidentally touched the adhesive. The paper work instructions in the box were helpful, but I recommend going to their website and watching their how-videos. That helped me the most.

Helping me on the run

The first time I used KT Tape during a race was September 9, 2017. It was 1:30 am and time to check into Jangover Jeadquarters. We were done with the first loop and had 15 miles left to go. I was nervous as heck to take off my Brooks Cascadia to check my feet. Were they going to be totally battered and blistered from 5 hours of running and hiking over 700 feet of desert elevation? Nope. Not a single blister. Before I laced up at the start line, I taped up my feet with small cut strips of KT Tape Pro. I wasn’t aware of other blister prevention products or aware that KT Tape sells blister prevention strips, so this would have to do. And it worked. I give a big thank you to KT Tape for saving my feet during my first ultra marathon. Also, that night I taped my right foot using the Ankle Stability wrap. For some reason my right ankle felt shaky for months. I must have injured it. KT Tape helped me feel confident to handle the 1,500 feet of elevation gain and decent without fear.

Light as air

One of the things I love most about KT Tape is that I don’t notice it’s there. The fabric is breathable and stretchy but supportive as heck! Racing is hard enough as it is and having to fight a product while trying to PR isn’t efficient. I love how KT Tape helped support my left knee during my most recent half marathon race where I PR’ed at!

all in the family

My family was curious about my KT Tape. Even though my husband bought me my first roll in 2014, he never tried it. A month ago he tripped and fell on his right elbow. I nudged him and offered to tape him up. I used the General Elbow method and he kept on his tape for 3 days and that helped his healing process.

Just last week my son complained about achilles pain. I quickly went to the website and applied the Achilles Tendonitis wrap. He wore his for 3 days and told me the pain was gone. The cute thing is, he told me he felt like a robot! The KT Tape website didn’t say their tape wasn’t for children. I would use your own discretion and monitor your child closely if you apply tape on them. Also consider that tape is made for adult sized limbs, so the tape on my son was a little long. Still, this worked great for him in relieving his achilles pain.

My Aching Back

A few weeks ago I went on a turnaround work trip. It was brutal. Hours and hours of either sitting in my car, an uber or a plane. Then 3 solid hours of standing during the photoshoot. My lower back ached when I got home. Thankfully I had KT Tape Pro Wide in my arsenal. My husband helped me apply it after reading the paper instructions and my aches went away. I kept the strip on for 3 days. It held up during my usual runs and showers and I hardly noticed it was there.

Part of my running regimen

I’m pleased with KT Tape and now I consider it a permanent part of my running regimen. It’s great that I can relieve pain and support my running muscles without taking medication. That means a lot to me.

If you are interested in trying KT Tape, visit them online at www.kttape.com and use the promo code BIBRAVE30 for a 30% discount.

Different points of view

The BibRave Community is fierce! If you’re curious about reading what other BibRave Pro’s have to say about KT Tape, please look here:
AZ Sun Goddess
Girls Got Sole
Adventures by Katie
Run with no Regrets
The Swag Mama
MDRunning
RunNerd Girl
Organic girl runs
Miles of Sunshine

The Importance of Expressing Myself on the Run

Disclaimer: I received BibBoards 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!

Flashy, smiley, happy, mouth-open, grinning from ear-to-ear, arms up, bright, sparkly, patterns.

These are adjectives that describe me on race day runs. Running didn’t come easy for me. I worked hard to get faster and go longer distances over the past four years and I’m proud of what I achieved. Expressing myself on race day is important because it reminds me to think positive during the tough times. This is why I was tickled pink to test out BibBoards as a BibRave Pro. Not only does BibBoards save your favorite race shirts from holes and rust, they actually look adorable and are another way to express your personality on the run.

You better believe it that I went with the Heart Eyes BibBoards. Look how cute they are! They would go perfect with my race day outfits. I officially tested them out during the Runner’s Den Pancake Run last weekend.

Quality: Overall the quality of Bibboards is great. The plastic is tough and rigid and the printing of the graphic looks crisp and bright. They felt good in my hands. Not too light but a bit heavier than a safety pin. They reminded me of a rivet or a snap fastener.

Application: Putting them on was much easier than I expected. I noticed that the back fastener part of the BibBoard has a flat side. 1️⃣ Grab the opposite side of the flat side, lift up and the backing will quickly pop off. Repeat for all 4 fasteners. 2️⃣ While your race shirt is on, position your bib to the exact spot you want it on your shirt. With one hand, push the front piece stud through the one of the top race bib holes. Snap the back piece onto the stud from the inside of your shirt fastening the shirt and bib between the two pieces. 3️⃣ Finish up by fastening the other three corners of your bib.

In Action: For the first time I raced with a flat bib. Not only do safety pins ruin shirts with rust and holes but I never was able to position my bibs correctly. They would be on my shirt crooked, flap, bunch, get crinkled and sometimes tear away. Also the sound of a floppy bib while racing is enough to make me pull my hair out. BibBoards solved those problems during my 10k.

No race? That's ok, wear them as buttons! — No race? That’s ok, wear them as buttons!

Expression: Remember how much I love to express myself on the run? BibBoards is another fun way to do that. I choose the Heart Eyes graphic because I love running and hearts look so darn cute. But did you know that BibBoards takes custom orders? This would be perfect for track clubs, run teams, Ragnar runners or anyone who wants to show off a little bit of who they are while they are running. Check out my dream set of BibBoards. Remember that this set would be one order of Heart Eyes and three custom orders because you have to order custom BibBoards in a pack of four. I thought this set would be perfect for my 50k run squad friends. No race? No problem. I discovered that BibBoards could be placed anywhere if the fabric is thin enough. I think of them as buttons on non-race days and apply them to my shirt in a creative display.

Do you like to express yourself on your runs and also like the idea of not ruining race shirts? Oh good! BibBoards is offering 20% off orders with code #BibChat. Please let me know what you think and send me a photo of you on race day or of your custom order.

It’s My Time To Shine

Disclaimer: I received Brilliant Reflective 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.

Simple and monotone was the look of the Runner’s World Jan/Feb issue’s Run Outfit of the Day. Too bad that’s not my style, I’m afraid I’d blend into the streets and sidewalks. See, I want to be seen! My running wardrobe consists mostly of ultra-bright colors, neon accents and — when possible — reflective details. I need to be seen because my miles happen mostly during the pre-sunrise or post-sunrise. This is what we call working-married-mom-life. Family comes first and I need to run while they sleep or after dinner during down time.

Not all clothing or shoes for that matter have the reflection that I yearn for. Um, hello Brooks Levitate? Running shoe purchases are big purchases in my world. I didn’t bat an eyelash when I paid $150 for my silver Levitates back in October 2017. When I got home I noticed something that was different from the other Brooks I’ve owned in the past. Where was the reflection details? I knew they weren’t going to be as bright as my Altra Impulse Flash, but these didn’t give one bit of reflective detail! Still, I wore them during the dark hours and honestly I didn’t feel all that safe in them.

As a BibRave Pro I get the opportunity to test, try and review new products. When the team was asked to test Brilliant Reflective, I jumped on the opportunity. This was my time to make my Levitate’s shine! Application was easy, their instructions were straightforward, and the results are brilliant.

Here is my step-by-step process for applying Brilliant Reflective iron-on to my Brooks Levitates:

Step 1: Read instructions. Twice. Clear off your work space and gather your supplies. Heat up iron and face it away from you. One thin strip of black Brilliant Reflective cut in half was used or my Levitate's. Gently clean the surface of your shoes. — **Step 1:** Read instructions. Twice. Clear off your work space and gather your supplies. Heat up iron and face it away from you. One thin strip of black Brilliant Reflective cut in half was used or my Levitate’s. Gently clean the surface of your shoes.

Step 2: Place the strip on the area you want reflection. This was tricky for me because of my shoe's convex shape at the heel. Be very careful when ironing on these rounded surfaces. Gently, I ironed the bottom of the strip first then the top for 30-60 seconds. Not seen is the paper towel I placed in between the strip and iron. — **Step 2:** Place the strip on the area you want reflection. This was tricky for me because of my shoe’s convex shape at the heel. Be very careful when ironing on these rounded surfaces. Gently, I ironed the bottom of the strip first then the top for 30-60 seconds. Not seen is the paper towel I placed in between the strip and iron.

Step 3: Repeat on other shoe. After the strips cooled for a minute, remove the clear layer from them. Time to shine! — **Step 3:** Repeat on other shoe. After the strips cooled for a minute, remove the clear layer from them. Time to shine!

The Brilliant Reflective strips have been holding up well on my shoes. I’ve put about 30 miles on them so far and they have been sticking great. If lifting occurs, all I need to do is re-iron that area. It is a product for me because I need to be seen during my low-light runs and this is an easy way to achieve that. The other areas I applied the iron-on strips to were my Foxelli headlamp (see my application process on IG) and the stick-on to my face! If you too run in the dark, I recommend that you give Brilliant Reflective a try. Save a few dollars by applying code BRP25 to save 25% off of all Multi/Assortment Packs. Shine bright friends!

Rock n Roll AZ 2018 Half Marathon Recap with BibRave

"Disclaimer: I received free entry to the Rock n Roll Arizona 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!" — “Disclaimer: I received free entry to the Rock n Roll Arizona 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!”

My 2018 Rock n Roll half marathon recap in storyteller mode. This is totally out of my comfort zone so enjoy!

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It was Sunday early morning when I turned off my 3:30 a.m. phone alarm. Thankfully I did a flat runner Instagram post the night before because all of my gear was set up and ready to go. I’m pretty good at knowing how my tummy reacts to race day so having a small cup of coffee didn’t bother me. I poured hot water on my steel cut oats and left them to cool. Next up was applying pjuractive 2skin and putting on my race clothes. I was proudly wearing my bright orange BibRave shirt and trucker hat. I had to represent team orange, I wouldn’t have ran this race without them. Tucked my ID and one credit card in the back zip-up pocket of my running tights, grabbed my oats, water bottle belt and car keys and I was out the door at 4:40 a.m.

The drive to Katey’s house was quiet besides the bumping music coming from my trucks stereo. I know I shouldn’t but I had to eat my oats while driving. Totally not safe but very efficient. I arrived at her doorstep a little after 5 a.m. I had some jitters but mostly I was pumped for running my second RnR with Katey. See, last year I helped her PR and this year I wanted her to PR again. She wanted me to PR too and that means we would have to get faster than 2:22. I wasn’t sure that was possible. I did the training but I was just getting over a cold and I had my doubts with myself. Still, I was committed to run the 10:30 pace and see where it would take us! We loaded up in her SUV with our friend Deborah and jumped on the I-17 to make the 45 mile trek from Anthem to Tempe.

In the past I never raced with friends, we would meet up at a race but then run our own paces. Gosh, it felt good knowing that I would be running with Katey. My pre-race jitters were getting more intense on the ride into Tempe. It was about time to find a parking spot and since we arrived so early we decided to try to park as close to the starting line as possible. Thank goodness ASU was offering structure parking for free! We got a spot that was steps from the start line. It was perfect. We waited for Katey’s husband Ray and our friend Fine to park. Once they arrived, we all squeezed in Katey’s SUV to keep warm and chat, laugh and get even more pumped for the race.

Our Garmin’s told us it was getting close to 7:30 a.m. so it was time for potty breaks and stretches and getting in our assigned corrals. It was a nice touch that the RnR crew had bananas and water for us runners at the start line. That was a huge help for me cause my 4:45 a.m. oats were pretty much digested and my body needed more fuel. I quickly ate one and we all headed to the dreaded bathroom lines. The lines were awkward. The potties were lined up parallel to each other, maybe 25 on each side. There wasn’t much space in between them so people were lined up facing east for the east potties and facing west for the west potties. Lines moved quickly but when it was my turn a man jumped in front of me and was about to snatch my potty. I looked up at him straight in the eye and said “Excuse me?” and he backed down. Bathrooms were stinky but clean and stocked. Did my business real quick and headed out to find Katey and the rest of my run crew.

The corrals were getting jam packed at this point. We had to get in there now! We found an open spot and that’s when I was getting super pumped! The emcee was fantastic, they were playing music too. The garbage bag I was wearing to keep warm was just overheating me so I took it off. Next came off my long sleeve tech tee. I was sad to see it go but RnR donates the tossed clothes, it will be recycled. Holly and her husband Antonio arrived and we started our selfie ritual. It was obvious I was happy cause in every photo I have my mouth wide open like a goofball.

The count down was on. GPS signals were found and start buttons ready to be pushed. Katey staring happily at me, we were ready to RUN! We were off and past the start line. Our goal was 2:20 and we each had our pace bands on. Gosh we were feeling so good. The first two miles flew by, like seriously flew by. Then mile 4 hit and that’s when we started to feel the slight uphill. This is the deceitfulness of this course. It’s a hard race. There is approximately 226 feet of elevation gain. That doesn’t seem like much but it is when you are trying to PR. Even though the slight uphill was eating away at us. The roars from the spectators helped tremendously. At every turn of the road, the crowds were there with their bells, signs and screams. It felt good to hear them.

Our pace was slowing down a bit. We knew what was ahead of us. Were we in denial of the big hill? No, we trained for it. It was going to kick our butts and we were ready.

Katey told me her goal was a 12 minute per mile pace up and we started trucking up. Where were the drummers? I was counting on their beats to get me up and I didn’t have any music on me so I was wondering if they weren’t there this year. Boom, boom, boooooom, boom. Finally, they were there and it was just what I needed. We bounded up, did the u-turn and started heading down. I wanted to fly but I knew to save my legs so the pace was only dropped down a bit. This is where the rest of the course gets deceiving. You think you are done with hills but another baby one appears. I was getting grumpy. Where is the huge blow-up Brooks man? That vision got me motivated to keep pushing along. Katey told me she wanted to make up some lost time earlier. We actually picked up the pace on mile 10 and mile 11. We were pushing our bodies so hard. The sun was shining brightly and I could tell my arms were turning from being sun tanned to sun burned. And the salt on our faces! That was proof this race was kicking our butts. At mile 12.2 we started to slow down and we started to walk. I didn’t mind. We were still going to get Katey a PR. I could tell something was bothering her. I had a feeling it was because she wanted us to both PR at the same time. I understood that. I told her this was her race! And it’s all about her PR’ing. It was obvious that this point that she would get close to a 30 minute PR which is huge IMO over the course of year.

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Let’s start running again. Our Garmin’s told us we were at mile 12.7, getting close to the bridge that goes over Tempe Town Lake and the finish chute. Our legs were heavy, the crowds around us screaming. It was now or never. We turned the corner and there was the glorious chute and that finish line. We gave it all we got and ran it in. It was magic. Running is magic. We finished at 2:30:54. That was a 28 minute PR for Katey and I am so proud of her. Running is hard. I used to think it’s for everyone but it really isn’t. It’s for the dedicated and focused and is something Katey is. We proudly took selfies and scarfed down snacks. I was craving chocolate milk since the expo. Chugging it quickly is not a good idea after running 13.1 miles, ugh, I had a tummy ache.

Where was the family reunion area? My brain was foggy, I didn’t know where I was. A volunteer shouting in a mega phone near my ear was yelling at us finishers to get out of the finish area and keep on moving. I plugged my ears and followed Katey. She was able to get some information from a helpful volunteer at the info tent and found our letter A and dry patch of dead grass. Sitting never felt so good. I was on cloud nine.

Ray and Deborah met up with us and we chatted a bit before deciding to make the trek back to the parking garage. Where exactly was the parking garage? It was actually a long walk. My phone told us 30 minutes. Seriously? No. Yep! The lactic acid in our legs thanked us. Katey got a call from Fine, she was lost. We ended up meeting with her at the parking garage at last. This was the perfect moment for us to sit in Cupz Coffee for tea and carbs.

Our ride home consisted mostly of girl talk and race memories and talk of what’s next on the race docket. One thing I know for sure is that racing with Katey is the best. I never knew racing and running with someone could be so wonderful. I’m thankful for her. And thankful for BibRave to give me the opportunity to represent them.

Um, Chafing… Ick. I Don’t Want To Talk About It.

*Disclaimer: I received pjuractive 2skin 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!*

As a runner I noticed topics that used to be embarrassing to talk about —snot rockets, potty habits before a run and spitting — were not so uncommon to discuss in the running community. Except for… um, chafing. Yuck, that word even feels icky to type. But the rubbing of skin and blistering (aka, chafing, ick) is a reality to many runners! It was only when I got closer to my squad of Sunday Runner gals that I felt safe enough to talk about it.

A New Product To Try

I thought I found the perfect product a few months ago. It’s a lanolin based cream that is mostly used for nursing mothers. I had some left over from when my son was a baby and tested it out for the 50k I did in September 2017. It worked well and I didn’t chafe, but my clothes were stained and pretty much ruined and it left my body greasy.

This is why I was thrilled to test a new product just in time for the Arizona Rock ’n’ Roll half. Just a week ago I got the opportunity to test 2skin by pjuractive as being a BibRave Pro, They are actually a 20+ year old company, I had no idea. 2skin is quite an innovative product because it’s gel based and that means it doesn’t have the gunk in it (wax or oil) that will ruin your clothes but is strong enough to aid against chafing.

Here are some of the technical details:

It’s gel/silicone based
It’s sweat and water resistant and forms an invisible film. That’s what protects the skin.
It doesn’t block pores
It’s dermatologist approved

Putting It To The Test

2skin came in the mail the same day I was headed out to the Rock ’n’ Roll Arizona expo and I was excited to meet the pjuractive team, introduce myself and ask questions. Jon Hughes was helpful and even knew me by my Instagram handle and that impressed me a ton. He asked me what distances I ran and what other products I used for skin issues during running. I told him about the lanolin staining issue and Jon reassured me that staining is not an issue with 2skin. Also he gave me a helpful tip: a little goes a long way and an example of that is a dime size amount is enough to cover an entire foot, toes and in between toes. I’m thankful Jon let me know and I applied that advice to Sunday’s RnR half.

The high for Sunday was going to be 78 and that means I was going to sweat a bunch on the course. That morning, on clean skin, I applied 2skin pjuractive around the area at the bottom band of my sports bra, under the waist band of my running tights and my inner thighs. It took about 2 dime sized amount for each of these areas and 10 seconds for it to dry. I ran hard at the RnR half and wasn’t able to shower for a while afterwards cause of the 45 minute walk back to the car and 32 mile drive back home. When I got home I didn’t chafe or blister on areas that I applied 2skin! I’m pleased to report that there were no ‘Psycho’ screams coming from the shower. I did get a blister on one of my baby toes but that’s my fault. I didn’t apply pjuractive 2skin there. I should have taken Jon’s advice and took care of my feet. I usually never blister there so boo to that! And my clothes didn’t stain. This is also important to me because tech clothes are expensive.

The Bottomline

Overall, I recommend pjuractive 2skin. It’s actually sitting in my running wardrobe now as one of the products I will use on every run, sitting right next to deodorant and sunblock!

Here is my pros and cons list for pjuractive 2skin:

Pros:

No chafing whatsoever even after 2 and a half hours of running in 70 degree Arizona temps.
Easy to apply and no weird residue after
No scent while in use. Some anti-blister creams and waxes that have nut butters in them usually give off a funky smell once mixed with sweat, it’s gross.
Removed quickly in the shower with soap and water. I didn’t have to scrub it off like the lanolin.

Cons:

Since the product is so smooth and silky, it kinda comes out of the packaging fast! So be careful and work with small amounts so it doesn’t get all over.
It’s clear so it was unclear for me if I put too much on or not enough. With practice, I’m getting better at application. And I’m using the ‘dime-size’ rule for one foot from Jon as guidance.
Packaging is not female friendly-looking. I know this isn’t a biggie. But when I Iook at the packaging I think this is just for dudes. So if I were in the store, I might have passed this up thinking it’s just for men. Not asking for florals, but maybe something with a more simple design, I’m not sure! The design is modern though.

Running for Pancakes with BibBoards

"Disclaimer: I received BibBoards 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!" — “Disclaimer: I received BibBoards 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!”

My next race is the coveted Runner’s Den Pancake Run on February 4th. This year is the 40th anniversary and there is even a local runner who will be celebrating his 40th time running the race! I’m impressed. A few of my friends ran this race in the past and asked me join them and I always declined. See, the location of the race is in a part of town I grew up in. There are good memories there, but lots of sad ones. It’s my father’s old neighborhood and being around that area gets me choked up because he died a little over six years ago. I thought long and hard and decided to run the 10k race this year and I hope to think about my dad and the happy memories as I run.

Another thing that is helping me to get through this race is the BibBoards that I’ll be testing. For obvious reasons I chose the heart eyes design to test. It reminds me of my love for running & the heart eyes bracelet (that I never take off) my son bought me for my Mother’s Day last year.

This morning I did a test try-on and was pleased, check out the photo! The sample bib was easy to put on with the Bib Boards: 1️⃣ didn’t poke my fingers 2️⃣ the bib was attached to the exact spot I wanted it. With pins, the bib moves around and I always have to fight it and get poked in the process!

I’ll give a more detailed review after race day. I have a feeling I’m going to like these better than pins. Curious to join the #NoPinRev & get your own to try? Apply code BibChat for 20% off your order.

13 Reasons I’m Pumped to Run the 2018 RnR Phoenix 1/2

"Disclaimer: I received free entry to Rock n Roll Arizona 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!" — “Disclaimer: I received free entry to Rock n Roll Arizona 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!”

Race day is a short 3 days away. Today I finally got over my 6-day cold and my body feels ready to run. Hopefully I can do a nice jog around my ‘hood after work. Fingers crossed!

I’m pumped to run the 2018 Rock n Roll 1/2 this Sunday and here are the 13 reasons why:

Running with Katey: Last year I ran the RnR Half for the first time with my friend Katey. I helped her reach her half marathon goal and the emotions felt were fantastic.
BibRave: Super proud and lucky to be representing BibRave as a BibRave Pro this year. I’ll be wearing my orange shirt and hat and big smile come race morning.
The Expo: The RnR expo is no joke. They have some of the best vendors, displays and hype of any expo I have gone too. The energy is fantastic too. Last year they had a huge banner and had the racers sign it, I thought that was a nice touch. Some vendors I’m excited to see are: Pjur Active, Spartan Race, KT Tape and The BFF :: Electric Foam Roller.
The Hill: Why am I pumped to run up a hill? Because it’s a challenge and I love overcoming them. The hill is deadly and at mile 8-9 it can break your race. I hill trained and I’m ready for it and ready to fly down it!
The Music: Last year I ran without music and that was totally ok ’cause the on course entertainment was rockin’. This year there will be more local bands and one stationed at every mile along the course.
Cheer Squads: Statistically, I’m more of a small race kinda gal. I don’t run huge races that often so I miss out on people cheering the runners on. I’m totally excited to hear the roars, claps and read the funny signs of the cheer squads along the course this year.
RnR App: Earlier this week I downloaded the Rock n Roll app, quickly claimed my bib number, and authorized the app to automatically post tracking updates to Twitter and Facebook.
The Festival: After the run it was relaxing to listen to music while browsing the Brooks Running tent.
PR: Last year I helped my pal Katey PR, this year I hope with both PR with a finishing time of 2:18.
The Weather: Historically, January is prime time to race in Arizona. I’m looking forward to partly cloudy, 73 degree race day temps.
The Bling: There were some complaints on social media about this years medal. I actually like it! Kitchy Arizona style is fun and I can’t wait to hang it up on my wall come medal Monday.
Brooks: I’ve tried other shoes and and nothing compares to Brooks. I’m thrilled they are an official sponsor again. I’ll be rockin’ my Brooks Levitate come race day.
The Shirt: This year’s race shirt is a cool grey with a graphic guitar. I look good in grey and can’t wait to wear it once the race is over.

Gosh, I love Running Data

Disclaimer: I am reviewing Athlinks 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!

Do you upload all of your running data to every running data tracking site on the internet? Do you analyze your data and compare it from site to site seeing how you’re progressing (or how you need to improve?) Do you like to compare your race results to others? Me too! I ❤️ running data.

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This past year I discovered a new data tracking site called Althlinks. They are different than the others because they know what races you ran. Don’t be creeped out, they do this for everyone! I found it fascinating that is was as simple as finding the races I ran in their search box, scrolling through my finishing times and claiming them.

Althinks says they are the largest results database for competitive endurance athletes in the world and because of that I put my trust in them. You also don’t only have to participate in running events to see results. They pull times for all timed events such as swimming, cycling, triathlon, etc.

And if you are competitive by nature, they also show your ‘Rivals’ which is a list of those you raced against and the time differences. As of tonight, I don’t have any rivals. Want to be mine?!

Comparing Efforts

I plan to have Althlinks help me easily compare my efforts — especially in the half marathon — to see where I stand, how I’m improving and how I rank against others in the same race.

Last week times for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona were updated. It was easy for me to claim my results and compare my times to previous half marathon times as well as my time from the same race last year. Here is the breakdown in screenshots from my profile on Athlinks:

• Automatically, Athlinks knew I had an unclaimed result! I appreciated seeing that as soon as I logged in. I clicked on the ‘Claim Results’ button to see what race this was but I had a feeling it was for the RnR Arizona Half I did a week earlier.

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• Sure enough it was for the RnR Arizona Half! I clicked on the ‘Claim’ button after looking everything over. This was my finish time and I’m the only Andrea Heser on Athlinks.

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• The confirmation popup made me confident my result will now be on my page.

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• I love how Athlinks ranks me to the other runners. I’m a middle-of-the-pack gal and this proves it! Did you see how hot it was that day?! No wonder I got a sun tan.

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• Comparing efforts was quick and easy. Click on ‘Results’ on the middle part of the left side of the screen. This is where you can sort under different parameters. I chose 1/2 Marathon.

• Now it’s super easy to see all of my half marathon efforts sorted by year. You can see that I’m getting faster but not progressively. That’s because three of my half marathons have been ones that I paced a group or a friend (2017: RnR Half, Craft Classic and 3TV. 2016: Santa Hustle.)

My next half marathon is the Phoenix Mesa on February 24 and I am hoping to PR. Can’t wait to claim my result and see where I stand.

Rock ‘n’ Roll AZ, I’m coming for you!

“Disclaimer: I received free entry to XYZ 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!”

With less than two weeks out till my next half marathon, to say I’m pumped is an understatement. Here are my top 3 reasons why I can’t wait to toe the startline at the Phoenix Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon:

Running with my Bestie: I’m running this race again with my bestie Katey. We ran it last year, the first time for us both. I paced her last year and I helped her reach her goal of her fasted half marathon to that date. I was proud of her and proud of myself for helping someone on the race course. It was that moment that I realized I wanted to be a pacer for races.

Running with BibRave: Can I still say that I’m in shock that I was chosen as a BibRave ambassador? Welp, I am. I looked to BibRave for race reviews and trusted them for honest reviews. Not in a million years I would have believed it if you told me I’d be a BibRave Pro in 2018. I’m proud to represent team orange on the race course come January 14th!

Grasping a PR: The secret is out. Katey and I are going to push for a PR of 2:18. The fastest I ran a half was last year in February with a time of 2:22. We’ve both been training hard (proof) and I feel it in my heart that we can reach this goal.

Are you running with me? What is your time goal?