Volunteer then race - Firecracker 4 Mile St. Louis

I've been hearing about Bodies Race Company for quite some time now but when I saw an option to "volunteer then race"  in their Firecracker 4 and 8 miler at Creve Coeur Lake Park, I decided to check them out and take advantage of the discounted race entry for volunteering.  The discounted 4 mile entry was only $20 but then I also opted to not receive a shirt, which cut an additional $5 off of the cost.  I really like how some races have caught on to this trend of giving a discount for opting out of the shirt.  Their race shirt was fine, I just took advantage of the additional discount instead of receiving another shirt.  What I really wanted and what draw me to this race in the first place, was the medal!

I signed up at the beginning of June and race day was June 30th.  Between registration and race day, there were plenty of email reminders.  My volunteer shift was at packet pick-up, which was on race day starting at 6:15 a.m. and ending at 8 :00 a.m. when the race started.  I've volunteered at plenty of packet pick-up's before but what was different about this one was that we used our own phones after downloading the RaceDay CheckIn app. It was easy to use and runners either had their QR code ready or gave us their last names. From the app I could also tell that 250-some had registered for the race and by start time, 87% of those registered had checked in.  There were quite a few volunteers at pick-up too, which made the time fly by and the line never got too long for the runners. 

Some fun tidbits from check-in included one gentleman who asked me where the awards would be as he was picking up his shirt and bib.  I guess it came off to me as presumptuous at first (my bad), so I told him what I knew. Then I saw his age. He was 77!  Right there I decided that was one of my new life goals.....to still be finishing races at 77. And he didn't look 77, maybe late 50's, so there's another life goal!  There was also the woman who was concerned about finishing since she was injured.  She downgraded from the 8 miler to the 4 but I reassured her that with Creve Coeur Lake Park being open to the public, she would never feel alone on the course and that the course closure time was pretty gracious with having an 8 miler.  Later I saw her at the finish line taking a selfie with her medal, so that also made my day!

I ended up walking 99.9% of the race since I had two blisters on the bottom of my left foot from breaking in new running shoes. I didn't bring music, I just took in the cooler temps and the lake views and enjoyed myself on the 4 mile walk.  Since the course was an out-and-back, you got to see all of the 4 mile runners and also the very fast 8 mile runners. I was just happily walking along when so many people told me "good job" or "keep it up."  It just made the walk that much more pleasant. 

I should mention parking. Most races at Creve Coeur Lake Park start and end at the Tremayne Shelter, just like this race did.  We always park here when we walk or run at this park because there is a large parking lot and it is adjacent to year-round restrooms.  So parking was not an issue at all for this race. 

So what caught my eye about this race was the medal, which was a Top Gun theme.  I love Top Gun, including the new movie and I use the phrase "negative Ghost Rider, the pattern is full" quite often to convey that I am already at capacity and not taking on anything else.  Anyway, the medal lights up and flashes red and blue!!!  I will probably wear it on the 4th of July just to feel festive.

Then here are some pictures that I took during the race.

One section of the course took you onto a trail, but the majority was an asphalt paved path

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Prettier in black and white

Post race snacks included ice cream from a local food truck and then water and granola bars. 

I had a great time completing the "volunteer then race" option for the Firecracker 4 Miler. I will definitely keep an eye out for future opportunities like this.  Bodies has races all over the country, so here is their website to check them out:  https://bodiesracecompany.com/  

Half Marathon #55 MO' Cowbell

This was my 5th time completing the MO' Cowbell half marathon:

MO' Cowbell has been my 21st half, my 45th half, my 51st half, my 54th half and 1st virtual half marathon, and my 55th half marathon.  Of all of the St. Louis are half marathons, MO' Cowbell is my favorite!  If you haven't read my previous MO' Cowbell race recaps, I will just summarize by telling you exactly what I told the runner from Southeast Missouri and the runner from Dallas, TX in the VIP tent on race morning:

• The course is mostly flat
• There is plenty of race day parking and the parking and start/finish line is easy to get to
• The course, hotels, and restaurants aren't far from the airport
• Gorgeous fall foliage!  (Apparently the trees aren't starting to change in Dallas yet) 
• A scenic course including downtown St. Charles and the riverfront, the countryside, and a variety of neighborhoods including NEW TOWN (my personal fav)
• Great crowd support
• The most reasonably priced VIP area

I am also a fan of this year's swag as it was a very lightweight, tech, long-sleeved, hooded shirt with a front pocket and thumb holes.  You also received a swag bag, a sticker for your race distance, and a cowbell.  This year's medal had a spinning piece that showed '22 on one side and 13.1 on the other.

This year's experience was similar to last year's in that I walked over 50% of the race BUT I used the Galloway Method for the first 10k or so.  This combination shaved 29 minutes off of last year's finish time!!!  I still finished over three hours, but I was SUPER excited about my finish time and look forward to actually training for the 2023 race.

Here are some other pictures I took on the course, mostly approaching and within New Town.

I hope that you will consider running (or walking) this race in 2023, especially now that they offer a 10k option as well.  Check out their website and save the first weekend in October for a trip to St. Charles, MO. 

LoveStruck Run Indy Virtual 5k

I'm going to be honest.  I signed up for this race because of the sweet SWAG!  In the virtual race era that has absolutely exploded due to Covid, I find that signing up for virtual races fuels my motivation to run consistently.  Pre-Covid, I would sign up for races based on the location more than anything.  Since I choose to only run virtual races until I am fully vaccinated, the location of the virtual races is always here in St. Louis County, although I may drive across the river to St. Charles County from time to time for a little variety.  There are no runcations right now, so the SWAG matters more now than ever before!  

This particular race was put on by a company called Racemaker Productions, based just outside of Indianapolis in Plainfield. In 2014 I ran their Litchfield Route 66 Half Marathon in Litchfield, Illinois and ABSOLUTELY loved it!  I have followed them on social media for years now so when they posted pictures of their SWAG options for the LoveStruck 5k, I immediately fell in love!  I'm guessing that was their intent....

They offered two colors of the hoodie, a sweet medal, and a customizable race bib that is color-coded to the relationship status that you selected. 

Their in-person race took place in downtown Indianapolis on February 13th.  Virtual runners complete the 5k anytime between February 13 and 28th.  My intent is always to run virtual races outdoors but the St. Louis area was hit with a snowstorm on February 14th and temperatures stayed WELL below freezing for several days afterwards, so I opted for completing the mileage on a treadmill on February 16th.  So although the scenery was limited to watching traffic attempting to drive in the slushy remains of the snowstorm, I can honestly say that I would not have been motivated to run a 5k that day had I not had a virtual race to complete.

Those who know me (or read my blog regularly) know that I consider it bad luck to wear the race shirt (or even wash it) before completing the distance.  So as soon as I completed the virtual 5k on February 16th, I laid out the SWAG to take a few pictures before washing the hoodie.  My cat had to get in on the photo shoot as you can see below.  I also opted for the blue hoodie because I rarely wear pink.

Both the hoodie and the medal have the Indianapolis skyline in the background.  The back of the medal has the name of the race engraved on it and it is reflective, hence my cat admiring her reflection. If you've never visited Indianapolis, you have to find a reason to check it out! You can read more about why I love visiting Indianapolis in my 2014 One America 500 Mini Marathon race recap or my 2014 Indianapolis Monumental Half Marathon recap.  I can't wait to visit Indy again, but I will try to schedule my next visit around a race of course!

 
You still have time to complete the virtual 5k and you can find more information by clicking here. I also recommend checking out Racemaker Productions Facebook page and their event calendar for upcoming race.  I'm really excited to see what they will do next!

The Kentucky Derby Mini Marathon - The Race

Last weekend I completed half marathon #52, the Kentucky Derby Mini Marathon.  Kentucky is the 12th state that I have completed a half marathon in and I actually registered for this race back in September 2018 when registration was at it's lowest.  I was in a car accident at the beginning of April and have yet to really run, luckily the course time limit for the half marathon is four hours, so I knew that I could completely walk the course and still finish before the cut-off. 

There wasn't a shorter distance that I could downgrade to, so it was either walk the half marathon in 2019 or come back another year.  I loved this race so much that I probably will be back to run it again, but I REALLY wanted to check another state off my list in 2019 so I didn't give up despite knowing my finish time would be very, very slow.

The Expo:
The race expo was held at the Kentucky International Convention Center, which is in downtown Louisville.  I picked up my packet at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, which was 30 minutes after the expo opened.  Honestly, there wasn't anything new that caught my attention so we were in and out in 20 minutes or less. 

Why you should run this race:

• Distances include the half marathon, marathon, and marathon relay.
• Walker-friendly, really!  A lot of races state this but then you find yourself being one of only a few walkers and the finish line is already packed up when you cross the timing mat, if the timing mat isn't packed up yet.  I was never alone on this course and I was surrounded by talkative, friendly runners.  It was the confidence boost I needed after having my training completely derailed!
• Pre-race communication was timely and not repetitive.  Any question I had leading up to the race was answered with one of their emails, but I also never felt inundated with emails either. 
• If you stay downtown close to the start/finish, there will be so much to do within walking distance. The expo is easily walkable.  A wide-variety of restaurants, museums, and shops are all nearby.  It was so nice to just leave the car parked after the four hour drive from St. Louis!  With so many options so close together, you could also just fly in to Louisville and cab/Uber/shuttle to your downtown hotel and not even need a car! 
• The race starts and ends near Louisville Slugger Field and ends up taking you through a wide-variety of neighborhoods.  You pass through the campus of Spalding Unviersity as well as the University of Louisville. You run into Churchill Downs, under the track, and around the infield.  Then you cross the finish line as spectators cheer, inspiring music plays, and volunteers greet you with a smile and your medal.

• There were corrals, but we all just merged into one wave of runners once the race started. 

• Pacers were available for both distances. 
• LOTS of parking garages available downtown for race day.
• Post race snacks include chocolate milk, Powerade, bananas, bagels, chips, peanut butter crackers, and squeezable apple sauce.
• Plenty of porta-potties at the start and finish line and the pre-race instructions gives you the exact location of all of them.
• Plenty of water, Powerade, and porta potties on the course too!
• Plenty of volunteers and a large police presence. 
• Music throughout the course.
• Louisville is a beautiful city and we found that the locals were friendly and very helpful.
• Any time you finish a race and then immediately wonder when you can come back, that's a good sign!
• The half marathon medal features the Louisville Slugger Museum, which you run by in the first mile.  We were able to tour this museum the day before the race, but more on that in another post. 

Last year in Nashville my obsession with murals started.  I ran/walked past several murals on the course in Louisville but then we went on a bit of a journey to see how many more we could find during our stay. Stay tuned for my next blog post coming later this week: The Kentucky Derby Mini Marathon - The Rest.  

Volunteering at Race 13.1 - St. Louis

I first volunteered for Race 13.1 in 2016 as a course marshal.  In 2017, I was a race sweeper for the half marathon with a fast runner friend of mine.  In 2018, there was supposed to be four of us sweeping until I got injured the Thursday before race day.

Only me!  It was an accident waiting to happen really. 

The couple weeks prior to the race, I had noticed that my legs were just extra tight every time I would stretch after an Orangetheory class.  Every time I noticed the tightness, I would think about taking a yoga class or doing some extra stretching during the week, but neither of those thoughts ever became a reality.  So when I tripped on my sandal going up the stairs at work, I immediately felt a pull in my left calf.  The result was a pretty significant limp which meant NO Race 13.1, not even the 5k distance they offered.

I was completely bummed about not being able to participate in the race and I also mad at myself for not following through on my initial thoughts about extra stretching.  I could have let myself be depressed about it and avoiding the race entirely, but I decided to volunteer on race day instead.  I still wanted to be part of the race day action and I also wanted to see my friends take off from the start line, so volunteering at race day packet pick-up allowed me to accomplish both of those things PLUS get a free t-shirt!  I guess that's what you call making lemonade out of lemons.

Back when I signed up for the race, I also signed up for the Saturday packet pick-up volunteer shift.  When I got injured last week, I signed up for the exact same duties on race day too.  Both packet pick-up shifts went really well.  Race 13.1 is very good at communicating with racers leading up to race day.  Most participants had the email with their bib number pulled up and ready to go but if they didn't, it only took a matter of seconds to look them up.  It was a very quick and easy process from the volunteer perspective and the participants seemed pleased with the quick in-and-out for packet pick-up.  On race day, the line was a bit longer at times but the process still ran incredibly smoothly.  My volunteer shift ended at 7:00 a.m. but as I walked back to my car, I passed the finish line and noticed that they needed more volunteers.  At that point, I decided to stay and help pass out medals.  It was hot and the finish line was completely in the sun, but the DJ played amazing tunes (Ice Ice Baby and Bye Bye Bye had me dancing and singing) and the time just seemed to fly by.  Before I knew it, my sweeper friends crossed the finish line and the race was over!

I really enjoy volunteering at races because it not only gives you a behind-the-scenes perspective, but it also makes you appreciate all of the work and planning that goes into a race of any distance.  It doesn't matter if it is a company that has races all over the country or a local run raising funds for a charity.  You are guaranteed to meet some amazing people and learn something new during your volunteer experience.  So go volunteer at a race near you!!!!

Race day packet pick-up before the rush

5k runners waiting to start

Medal Monday featuring Frank

Happy Medal Monday!  Today I am featuring one of the very first running bloggers I met (virtually) when I started blogging myself.  Meet Frank, who blogs at The Fat Runner.  His favorite medal (by far) is the medal from the Walt Disney World Marathon, which was his first marathon.  It is his favorite medal because it was his greatest running accomplishment so far.  He says the Walt Disney World Marathon was fun and as magical as he had hoped.  The last 5K of the race was difficult, but thinking about his family got him to the finish line!

Follow Frank's running adventures by checking out his blog: http://afatrunner.blogspot.com/
Like him on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheFatRunner

Do you have a favorite medal?  Email me (willrunforamedal@gmail.com) a picture of you and your medal and tell me why it is your favorite medal.

Have a great week!

Medal Monday featuring Jennifer

Medal Monday returns and today I would like to feature Jennifer, a fellow MO' Bassador.  Jennifer is very busy lady between being a wife and mother, working, and running.  She has been running for over seven years and her favorite medal is from the Divas Half Marathon in Branson, pictured below.  If you are not familiar with the landscape of Branson, MO it is HILLY so any races there have an added level of difficulty.  Check out the course map and elevation chart here.  

Be sure to check out Jennifer's blog: https://livelearnloverun.wordpress.com/
Her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/livelearnloverun

I need your story!

It has been a while since my last Medal Monday post, but I want to get back into the routine of posting your stories every Monday.  Remember these runners:

Erin
Esther
Montana
Gabi
Stephanie
Lynna Do
Helly
Michelle
Kathryn

Please email me a picture of your favorite medal or you with your favorite medal, your name of course, and tell me a bit about why you chose that medal as your favorite.  Since I am preparing for my vacation later this month, I hope to start Medal Mondays again March 9th.

Are you next?

 

 

Medal Monday featuring Gabi

Happy Medal Monday!  Today I am shining the spotlight on Gabi, who blogs at Lean Green Island Girl.

The medal pictured above is Gabi's favorite medal because she received it at her 1st and only marathon that she ran in Stockholm in 2006.  At the time, she said that she would never run another marathon; however, she is planning on running the Marine Corps Marathon this fall (on my bucket list) and the Ironman in Louisville.  Gabi said that this race was beautiful and that she really enjoyed her time in Sweden.  She also said that no matter how many races you run, there is always something special about the first races at each distance.

Follow Gabi's journey:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeanGreenIslandGirl
Twitter: @LeanGreenGabi

Do you have a favorite medal?  Email me at willrunforamedal@gmail.com

Medal Monday featuring Stephanie

Happy Medal Monday!  Today I am shining the spotlight on Stephanie.  She blogs at Steph Plus 4.  

Stephanie and her boyfriend at the finish

Medals from the past three Cleveland Marathons

Pictured above is Stephanie's favorite medal from the 2014 Cleveland Marathon.  It is her favorite medal because it represents a new PR, beating her previous time by 14 minutes when her goal was to beat it by only 10 minutes. She ran the race with her boyfriend (pictured above) and it was his first marathon and they trained and ran the entire race together.  Stephanie was also an official blogger for the marathon, so she had the opportunity to chronicle the entire journey from Day 1 of training to the finish line.  Stephanie is from Cleveland, so she was proud to support this race.

You can follow Stephanie on Twitter and Instagram: @stephplusfour

Do you have a favorite medal?  Email me the details at willrunforamedal@gmail.com

Medal Monday featuring Esther

Happy Medal Monday!  Today I am shining the spotlight on Esther.  Esther's favorite medal is from her first half marathon in 2009.  For her, this medal meant that she finally had freedom from an eating disorder that held her hostage for 20 years.

Check out Esther's blog: http://chocolaterunnergirl.wordpress.com/
Follow her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChocolateRunnerGirl

Do you have a favorite medal that you would like to share?  Email me at willrunforamedal@gmail.com with your name, picture of the medal or you with the medal, blog/social media information, and why you have a favorite medal.

Medal Monday featuring Kathryn

Happy Medal Monday!  Today I am shining the spotlight on Kathryn.  Her favorite medal is the 2014 Walt Disney World Half Marathon because it represents the hard work, persistence, and dedication required to complete a half marathon.  Although she has run other races of varying distances since the Disney World Half Marathon, finishing the half proved that she could accomplish whatever she put her mind to AND that you can complete something that you once thought was impossible.

Follow Kathryn as she continues her running journey:
http://dancingtorunning.com

https://www.facebook.com/dancingtorunning

Medal Monday featuring Lynna Do

Happy Medal Monday!  Today I am shining the spotlight on Lynna Do.  Her favorite medal is from the See Jane Run Half Marathon in Alameda, California in 2010.  This is her favorite medal because it was her 1st half marathon.

Follow Lynna on her running adventures by checking out her blog:  http://runtiltheend.tumblr.com
Follow her on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/runtiltheend

Do you have a favorite medal?  Email me at willrunforamedal@gmail.com for details.

Medal Monday featuring Montana Ross

Happy Medal Monday!  Today I am shining the spotlight on Montana Ross, who blogs at Pretty Lil' Mudder.  Her favorite medal is from the Best Damn Race in Orlando, Florida.  It is her favorite medal because she set a PR and the medal also functions as a beer bottle opener, which makes it even more useful.

To follow Montana's future racing endeavors, check out her blog: http://prettylilmudder.blogspot.com/
Foller her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prettylilmudder

To be featured with your favorite medal, email me at willrunforamedal@gmail.com

Medal Monday featuring Helly

Happy Medal Monday!  This week I am featuring Helly, who has been a runner since high school.  Her favorite medal is from her first marathon, which she completed this past March just seven months after having her 2nd baby!  She is a busy woman, somehow fitting in multiple races throughout the year while chasing around two toddlers.


Check out her blog to keep up with her busy life and race calendar: http://hellyontherun.com 
Follow her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hellyontherun

Do you have a favorite medal that you would like to share?  Email me at willrunforamedal@gmail.com for more information.

Medal Monday featuring Erin

Happy Monday!  For this week's Medal Monday, I am shining the spotlight on Erin.  Her favorite medal was earned at the Walt Disney World Marathon this past January.  It is her favorite medal to date because it was her 1st marathon, and she didn't think she would be able to it.  She conquered 26.2 "magical miles" and in the process, ran through all four Disney parks.

The 2015 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, and Dopey Challenge have already sold out and the Goofy Race and a Half Challenge is over 70% full!

Check Erin's blog: www.loveforrunning.com
Like her page on Facebook: www.facebook.com/loveforrunning

Have a great week everyone!

Want to be featured in a future Medal Monday post?  Email me at willrunforamedal@gmail.com for more information.

Medal Monday featuring Michelle Thomas

Pictured below is Michelle Thomas with her favorite medal.  She earned this medal at the Ironman 70.3 in Augusta.  Although she says this was not her fastest time (she PR'd on Ironman 70.3 Kansas), this was her first Ironman event.  Michelle went from not really leading an active lifestyle to completing a Half-Ironman race after four months of training!  She has since completed three additional triathlons and a second Half-Ironman.  She is also currently training for her first FULL IRONMAN IN AUGUST in Louisville!  

Follow Michelle's journey to the finish line by checking out her blog at:  www.ironwomanstrong.com 
Follow her on Facebook:  www.facebook.com/ironwomanstrong


Want to be featured in a future Medal Monday post?  Email me at willrunforamedal@gmail.com for more information.