5 Arizona Races You Should Run {link up}

So I’ve been slacking on my Lost Dutchman 10k Recap–not because I did so poorly I swear!–but because I’m still sick 😦

After quite a few days of yuckiness, I’m finally starting to feel like I’m on the mend (don’t want to jinx it though!).

I absolutely love the Lost Dutchman race and have done it twice, both times running the 10k distance. Instead of recapping just the race though, I’ve decided to include it in Cynthia, Courtney, and Mar‘s Friday Five: 5 Races to Run in 2015 🙂

Now I know the race is in the past, so technically you can’t run it in 2015, BUT, it’s still a race that I super highly recommend, especially if you want a beautiful Arizona race.

1. Lost Dutchman

I love this race because you get a lot of options. There’s an 8k trail race, a 10k, a 1/2 marathon, and a full marathon to choose from. Tons of people from my run club love and swear by the half marathon raving on its stunning views and overall fun course. I have yet to do the half because this race is 2 weeks before Phoenix Marathon and I’m always scared to race race so close to a full. So I stick to the 10k.

The 10k has some small, rolling hills (and from what I’ve heard, the 1/2 and full as well). It’s an out and back and the first 3.1 miles has you running with a huuuge mountain as your scenery. It’s gorgeous.

Seriously though

Seriously though

The race is super family friendly with the start line for all races at an actual park. My husband took my daughter to cheer me on and they played on the playground while I ran 🙂

This year I didn’t run so well, unfortunately. In fact, I might venture to say it was my worst race 😦 I think the fatigue of training and my sickness caught up to me and I just couldn’t muster the energy to run fast. Last year I place 2nd in my age group and snagged a 10k PR so I had a lot to live up to. Wasn’t even close this year. Oh well…it was still a super fun race. One that I love because of it’s small size and homey feel. And killer views 🙂 I’ll do this race every year for sure.

and she loves it too!

and she loves it too!

My fave cheerleader

My fave cheerleader

2. Esprit de She 5k/10k (and du and tri)

This is another smaller race that I really like. There are several states that this race is held in but it’s def not a super big one. It’s an all female race, which I kinda, really like. It’s basically a party with bunch of girlfriends. Wine included!

There’s a 5k and 10k option and the one in my city was a loop you circled twice (for the 10k). This was another race I didn’t do so well in (damn 10ks!) but it’s still another that I’ll do every year because of how much fun it is. The post race party is THEE best.

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Me and my beautiful friend, Nadia (who placed 4th overall!)

Esprit de She also holds triathlons and duathlons. Someday, I might get crazy and attempt the du 😀

I’m an ambassador for EdS and while I don’t have a coupon code to offer for the race, you can use my track code, EDS003 It’s NOT a coupon code, it just tracks how many people I send to the race (in any city).

If you do want to do the du or tri, that I do have a code for: AMBASRD will save you 15%.

3. Phoenix Marathon

I’m kinda biased 😀 This was my first marathon and I’m so glad I chose it as my first. I love that it’s not a HUGE race ala Chicago or Marine Corps (although those are amazing) and you can’t not like the elevation chart

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The race has a 10k, 1/2 marathon, and full marathon option and it’s quickly become a top marathon to run if you’re attempting a BQ. Duh right? With an elevation chart like that? The full sold out for the second year in a row.

There are a gazillion bloggers/IGers who are doing this race next weekend so you will def be seeing a lot of pics leading up to and the day of. You can also follow #ItsGoingDownAtPHX if you want to see double the fun. Seriously though, a TON of people are doing this race. Except this person who should be doing it, dammit.

4. Aravaipa Trail Race (or find a trail race near you!)

I love, love, love trail running and the trail races to do here in Arizona are put on by Aravaipa. I plan on doing more of their races in the future but the one I have done was SO FREAKING HARD AWESOME. It was a night 27k trail race. Yes, night. I had no idea what I was doing; it was my first trail race and my first race at night and it was def hard. But something totally cool and something I will totally do again.

Adrenaline 27k

Aravaipa Adrenaline 27k

Wouldn't this distract you too?? Photo Cred: B. Swanson

I ❤ the desert.

If you haven’t done any trail running, I highly recommend it. There’s something so liberating about the trails. It’s like there’s less pressure running on the trails then the roads. Less focus on time, more focus on the love of running. On the feeling of awesomeness that is running. Just do it. You’ll love it.

5. Pat’s Run

This is the race to run in Arizona. I can guarantee if you’re in a room with people someone will have run this race at some point. Maybe all of them will have.

It’s a 4.2 mile course in honor of Pat Tillman, former ASU and Cardinal football player who wore #42. He left the NFL to defend our country after the events of 9/11.

This is not a race to run if you’re super focused on time. It’s just way too crowded. There are TONS of people who run this; it sells out every. single. year. Pat’s Run also has “shadow runs” in different states where runners run the same distance, 4.2 miles. Check out the website to see if there’s a Pat’s Run in your are (those stateside).

This will be my little girl’s first race! We signed her up last year but then had to cancel when we took our impromptu trip to Spain. She’ll be doing a 42 yard dasher ❤

The race ends inside Sun Devil Stadium (Arizona State University) at the 42 yard line. So you get to run through the tunnel and enter the stadium as you finish. It’s pretty awesome.

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I’ve also written more about this race here 🙂

I stayed local and that’s because there are so many awesome races here! So if you’re ever in Arizona and wanna race, make sure you let me know you’re coming though so I can run with ya! ❤

–Do you like small, local races? or larger, more well known races?

–What is the race to run where you’re from?

Thanks to the DC Trifecta ladies again for hosting!

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Marathon Training Recap Week 14 and Esprit de She 10k

Taper, taper, bo baper, fee fi, fo faper…taaaaaper!!!!!

I’m in good spirits and let me tell you why…

I DID MY 20 MILER THIS WEEKEND!!!!!!

Remember, I cried about how I wasn’t going to be able to and that I was worried I’d have to do it 2 weeks out? Crisis averted.

So my husband’s away on business and I’ve been solo-parenting. This was why I wasn’t going to be able to squeeze it in. But, my mother-in-law pulled through and spent the weekend with us, thus allowing me to long run on Sunday. Yay!!!

And it wasn’t just about being able to do it, I was able to do it and be happy with the results. SUPER yay!!!

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Yes, please direct your eyes to the last four miles. I finished so strong and that made me so freaking happy.

I started off with a slower pace than usual but I didn’t mind as I really wanted to last the entire way. The beginning pace was around the 10:45/mile range. That was about the first 7 miles.

Mile 10 I pulled a 10:10 from out of nowhere and then miles 13 on, my pace was steady around 10:30. Right where I wanted.

And I don’t know what the heck happened the last four miles lol! I might’ve wanted the run to be over with jajaja!!

So that was my long run 😀

The previous Thursday I ran the Esprit de She 10k. I had been looking forward to this race because it’s an all women’s race known for it’s awesome post-race festivities. But, because my husband was out of town, I wasn’t going to be able to partake in them 😦 It really did look like a lot of fun too as they had chili for post race yumminess and a bubbly bar (where you’d get a free wine cup/glass)!

Anyway, the race was a double 5k loop (boo!!!) on pavement with a brief stint on grass (boo!!!). It was also a short course with my watch stopping at 5.79 (boo!!!)

It was also a horribly run race on my part (super boo!!!)

One of the things I’ve been working on throughout this training are consistent splits and I’d been doing really good at getting them how I’d like, even sometimes negative splitting.

But holy shit, did I royally eff this one up.

First thing I did wrong? Thinking I could keep up with a girl in my run club. She’s someone who I’ve always “shadowed”, someone who is juuuust faster than me, enough that I can somewhat keep up with extra effort. (Although lately she’s been killing her training and is become almost impossible to shadow.)

Yeeeeah, so she pretty much blew me away.

The first mile beeped 7:3o-something and I was done after that. Talk about a perfect way of burning out.

My goal had been to maintain an 8:30 pace then entire way and hope to finish strong. What the hell was I thinking starting out so fast? I wasn’t thinking. Clearly.

I was able to hit 8:30 the next two miles but then the second 5k was just an inconsistent hot mess.

You live run and you learn.

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On a super cool bright note, this was my high school BRF’s first 10k and she pulled out a 4th place overall finish! Badass status!

Prior to Thursday, I had run on Tuesday and Wednesday, 5 miles respectively

 

which brought my total mileage for last week (Monday-Sunday) to: 35.8

Soda count: I lost count 😦

–Anyone else excited it’s Oc-freaking-tober??!!

–How’s your running going? Who’s got fall races?

–P.S. Salt‘s back! ❤

A Part Of Something New

While on vacation this past weekend, I got some good news via e-mail.

A few months ago, I applied to become an Athleta Esprit de She ambassador. This women’s community is connected to my gym–Lifetime Fitness and I’d see ads about races and events every time I went. I saw one last year for a 10k and wanted to sign up but I was pregnant (for what felt like eternity lol!)

I was reminded about that same 10k in January during one of my gym visits and immediately signed up when I got home. As I was filling out the entry, I saw on the website they had an ambassadorship program and I jumped at the chance.

And I was chosen!

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I have loved being a part of athletic communities, especially ones made for and by women. No offense dudes, I like hanging out with you too but there’s something empowering about a whole bunch of girls working hard towards a goal who like doing the same things you do. Who are working moms, stay at home moms, wives, sisters, who have a busy life yet do whatever they can to make sure they take time out for themselves. It’s just awesome to see.

The Esprit de She event series consists of 5Ks, 10Ks, triathlons, duathlons, and cycle tours. I’ve always wanted to do a tri but am not the best swimmer in the world. The duathlon that Esprit de She puts on is absolutely perfect: a 1.5 mile run followed by a 12.4 mile bike ride followed by a 1.69 mile run.

I won’t be able to do it this year because of the Canyon but it’s on the top of my list for next. (I did sign up for the series 1ok in October though.)

Another one of the reasons I love this community is that its official charity partner is Girls on the Run. Girls on the Run is a youth development program geared at girls 3rd through 8th grade. It’s focused on building confidence through physical activity with the goal of preparing girls mentally, emotionally, and physically to finish a 5k put on just for them. It’s something I’ve wanted to become a part of and am much looking forward to.

You don’t have to be an ambassador to participate in Girls on the Run. Check out their website for details on how you can become a part of something awesomely inspiring.

While you’re surfing the web, check out dates for Esprit de She events near you! (U.S. only) If there’s an event you’re interested in, type in the code EDS68. Unfortunately, there’s no discount involved–EdS events are pretty reasonably priced though–but it does help track referrals).

Happy Friday Eve!!

–Are you a part of a running or athletic community?

–Have you ever done a triathlon or duathlon?

Don’t forget that the Shwings giveaway is happening right now! Go here for the chance to score a free pair 🙂

My shiny silver Shwings :)

My shiny silver Shwings 🙂