Running with the Marines!

"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!"

What's up everybody? Ben and I'm back with a Marine Corp Marathon wrap up and a little of what else is happening. I did make my Team in Training goal, but I don't think I will ever do that again. I loved working with the team and the training plan, that I didn't follow the whole time, was great but I'm not a fundraiser. I hate asking people for anything so I'm really not the fundraising type. I will give to causes I believe in don't get me wrong, I just will not do something like this again. 

bib pick up

I rode up from Richmond to DC with some friends the Saturday before Marine Corp and we stayed at the Gaylord where the expo was held. I have to say, this was one of the biggest expos I've ever been to in my life. There were clothes, shoe, and every other type of vendor you can imagine. The line to get your bib and shirt were very smooth and I had no trouble getting through. After that you went into the Brooks area where they had race swag and other items for sale. The rest of the expo floor was the usual vendors and race companies. I talked with the Altra reps, I love their trail shoes and the Hoka reps, I just switched over to their road shoes. After walking around for a bit I went outside to where an old Air Force One was located that you could walk around and take photos, pretty cool. I also got to meet up with Diz Runs, the famous podcaster. I was on an early episode of his podcast talking about being a race pacer and it was awesome to finally meet him and other 'Diz Runners' in person. We hung out for a bit and chatted and took some photos.

Met @dizruns

  Sunday morning came early and with drizzle, and warm temps. We got dressed and the couple I was with gave me an extra poncho they brought and we headed down to the bus to get to the start. There's so many runners, the start takes up four lanes of road to get everyone out on the course. And right on time the Howitzer sounded off and the race was underway. We started just North of the Pentagon and went around Arlington Cemetery before winding uphill the across the bridge. And then the rain started. I've run in the rain before, but his was a good steady downpour that went on and off for awhile. The street crossing were like creeks there was so much water, but we kept pushing on along the river and down the Blue Mile. This part of the course is lined with photos of fallen Marines and friends and family are there after ward thanking you and pushing you onward. We went through the National Mall turned in front of the Capitol then down to the 14th St bridge and across to Crystal City. THis wasthe final turnaround and you go back past the Pentagon and finish near the Marine Corp Monument. 

wet start

As far as races go, The course is great, uphill in the first few miles then flat for the most part. The scenery is amazing, and the crowd support is awesome, I've never ran a race with that many people out cheering you on. Team in Training had several cheer spots and I could hear them shouting encouragement as I went by. The weather went went from warm and rainy to hot and humid in a matter of hours, but that's Virginia for you and we suck it up and run in it anyway. It's what we love to do. The finisher area was crowded at the end of the walk out chute, that needs to be improved. If your waiting for someone, give them and the other runners a chance to get out in the open area. Marathon Beer was there with the 26.2 beer and it was welcome for sure. I even got to meet and take a photo with some former Presidents!

Add caption

All in all I would recommend running the Marine Corp Marathon. The Corp know how to hold a well organized event, and if I had a chance I would run it again, even though I retired from marathons after this one.

If you want to give me a follow on Insta @_benzany, on Twitter it's @bwacter70, and Youtube is Benzany. Dont forget to follow Bib Rave and join us on Tuesday nights for #BibChat

I get Knockaround, but I get up again...

"Disclaimer: I received A pair of Knockaround Premium Sport 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!"

What's up Everybody? It's Ben and I'm back talking about the new Knockaround Premium Sport shades I've been trying out for the last month or so. I've reviewed Knockaround before and I really like the stuff they are putting out. Great quality, great designs, and a great prices. Notice I didn't say good, yeah theses are better than good.

The big difference between the Premium and the Sport are the rubber pieces on the nose to help hold them in place. The regular Premiums worked well, but the Sports really stayed in place.

rubber on the nose


The frames are super light and fit my head well, so if your head is shaped like mine they will fit really nice. Side vision is good and the lenses are rated UV400 and polarized. I've worn the premium and the Fast Lanes, and the premium are definitely my favorite frame style, it's a very classic frame.


I'm not sure what else I can say that I haven't already, so if  you would like to read one of my older posts go for it.

My Fast Lanes  review or my Premium  review.

If your wondering what happened to my old Knockaround's ask my family, they "borrowed" them. You can use BIBRAVEKNOCKS3 for 20% off your order for a little while longer (like the beginning of October) to get a pair for yourself.


As always, thanks for reading and give me a follow on social Insta, Twitter, Youtube, or IGTV

Hey Hey Rock n Roll

Disclaimer: I received free entry to the Rock n Roll VA Beach 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!"

What's up everybody, Ben here and over Labor Day weekend I was in Virginia Beach running the Rock n Roll Half Marathon. This was the 19th year of the race and it was a fun race. The course starts on Pacific Ave and finishes on the boardwalk right along the beach. It also goes through Camp Pendleton and passes the Virginia Aquarium.

Of course with it being the last "un" official day of Summer the beach is crowded so lets get some tips out of the way for next year. Book your room EARLY! Places at the beach sell out fast and it's hard to find somewhere to stay.

Allow yourself plenty of time getting to the Beach. If you're coming from the North you have to go through the tunnel in Hampton and sometimes traffic can get backed up.

That being said I arrived on Saturday and went straight to the expo as it is on the main road coming into VA Beach. Parking was easy and the expo was well laid out. When you first enter you get your bib and shirt. From there you head off to the Brooks merch area.

They have my size!

They have almost anything you could need from shoes and socks, to shorts and shirts. One cool thing about the Rock n Roll Series is they make a shirt that lists everyone's names that signed up for the race.

There's my name

The rest of the expo was your usual vendors, clothes, other races in the area to sign up for. After the expo I checked into the campsite and set up my tent. After driving for 4+ hours I went kayaking in the Back Bay. Afterward I headed back to the Boardwalk for a bit of shopping and dinner. One great thing, there's no shortage of places to eat. 

Race day was clear sunny and hot. When I woke up at 5:00 it was already in the 70's and it was only getting hotter. The directors decided earlier in the Summer to move up the start time to try to beat the heat, but the Virginia Summer thought otherwise. 

The race start was well organized with corrals and pacers and of course Rock n Roll. The good thing about a race at the beach is it will be flat. When I first signed up I was planning on a PR, but once race day came up and I saw the temps, I decided finishing at least under 2 hours was a better plan. Did I blow my chance at a PR? Probably not, I think the heat would've gotten to me eventually even though I train and run 2 hours away in Richmond, VA. IT's been a hot Summer and there's always the Fall. On course they had Gatorade Endurance and water and one gel stop. 

There are some twisty and turny sections when you get on the base, but overall the course is long straights along the main roads. The police and organizers did a great job keeping the roads clear for everyone and they also had Medical staff on course on bikes for quick assistance. 

The Bling!

The finish area along the boardwalk was fun. After you cross the finish and get your medal everything is spaced out for bottled water, Gatorade Endurance and food. If you run multiple Rock n Roll event you can also get your multi race medal. After leaving the finisher corral there was a sectioned off area on the beach for racers only which was perfect. The cold Atlantic water felt great on my tired legs.

all in all I had a great time running the Rock n Roll Half. If your looking for a End of Summer race at a beach I highly recommend it.

Thanks for reading and don't forget to give me a follow on Social Media. Or check out the Rock n Roll website HERE

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So Much TRAINING Going On!

"Disclaimer: I received free entry to Rock n Roll VA Beach race as part of being a BibRave Pro. I also am training with Gatorade Endurance. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!"

What is up everybody? It's that time of year when our Fall half and full training plans start up, or in my case, pick up in intensity. I am running the Rock n Roll Half Marathon on September first, and using this as a benchmark race. The course is mostly flat but there is some elevation halfway through. I'm will be trying for a PR, but the humidity and heat in Virginia will make that tough during the Summer. One thing I will be doing is fueling with Gatorade Endurance during my training for the Marine Corps Marathon in October. During your training it's good to run a race around half the distance of your goal race. This gives you an idea of where you are training wise and what you can work on. Also you can use my tips below to help your training.

Fueling is important in training, both when your actually running and not. Most people say eating a pasta dinner the night before helps aka 'Carb Loading', but I find two nights before helps me more. That gives your body time to digest and process the food. The night before I go for something high in protein, and of course eat the same thing I always before before my long run.

When training it's okay to miss a run or workout. I've missed loads of runs, especially during the week. Just pick up the next day with what's on your schedule. The same goes if you cut a run short. Don't try to make it up, just keep going with your plan.

Per Gatorade Endurance recommendations during a race or training you should consume at least 30g of carbs per hour. So if you plan on running a half marathon in 2 hours, then you should consume 60g of carbs during the race. Of course, these are recommended, you may find you need more or less. As a rule I usually take fuel at the 6.5 mark, but this year I am trying to take more so I don't crash or run out of energy toward the end.

Stick around for more training post and if you want to run a Rock n Roll Series race check them out HERE.

For more information on Gatorade Endurance go HERE.

You can follow my training on Insta or Twitter @bwachter70
Also check out my YouTube and IGTV channel Run Bigfoot Run

Until, next time, lace up and get out...

Ben

Gettin' Trekie with it!

"Disclaimer: I received Aftershokz Trek Airz 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!"

What is up everybody! Ben here with my thoughts of the Trek Airz by Aftershokz. This is my second time reviewing these, so if you would like to read that review go HERE or watch my review HERE. THis time I figured I would talk about some things you can do with your Treks that you may not know.

I'm an Android phone user and I am able to take photos and video with my Treks, by talking to Google and can unlock my phone as well. Just go to settings and add your Trek as a trusted device and they will unlock your phone. For setting up the camera, you can go into your camera settings and look for shooting methods, then turn on voice control.

Did you know you can also connect 2 devices to your Trek's? This is great as I have a work phone and a personal phone. Instead of 2 phones and 2 headsets, I can just use one. Here's how it works, taken from the Aftershokz website.

To pair multiple devices through multipoint pairing:

1. Start with your headphones turned off.
2. Enter pairing mode by pressing and holding the volume+ button for 5-7 seconds, until the LED light flashes red and blue.
3. Press and hold the multifunction button and volume+ button for 2-3 seconds. Audrey says "Multipoint Enabled."
4. Pair first device. Audrey says "Connected."
5. Turn your headphones off.
6. Re-enter pairing mode by pressing and holding the volume+ button for 5-7 seconds, until the LED light flashes red and blue.
7. Pair the second device. Audrey says "Device Two Connected."
8. Turn your headphones off.

The multifunction button lets you answer calls, skip and pause music. 

The volume controls turn on the Airz, set the EQ, pair to your phone, and of course control the volume.


That about wraps up the blog for today. I hoped you enjoyed reading and be sure to check Run Bigfoot Run on IGTV or YouTube fora video review soon. 

You can follow my exploits on Twitter and Insta @bwachter70, and follow @Aftershokz to hear more from them.

Now lace up and get out there!

Ben

Cary or Bust, A Tobacco Road Marathon Recap

I received entry to the Tobacco Road Marathon as a Bib Rave Pro. For more information on becoming a Bib Rave Pro and to read and write race reviews head over to Bib Rave. 

The course

What is going on everybody, Ben here with a Recap and my thoughts on the Tobacco Rd. Marathon. This was marathon number 8 for me and my 7th completion, and I have to say it was one to remember. The course, and the town of Cary, NC are amazing.

The Bling!

My wife and I arrived around midday on Saturday and went straight to the expo. It was super easy to find and there was plenty of parking. The Expo was broken into three areas. The first was mostly local races and area attractions showing upcoming events. The middle was where you picked up your bib, and verified it. They also had a station set up to check your chip and make sure it was you. The last area was vendors and sponsors and shirt pick up. I picked up my shirt, a nice tech T, and we proceeded to walk around and tried some local fare. Appalachian Brewery was there with samples of the after race beers, and we tried some bread from a local baker.

At the Expo

After the expo we checked into our hotel and went exploring around town. There was a nice shopping center down the road from us so we had a dinner out and walked around, before heading to a local brewery for a night cap.

The race started at 7:00 and the weather was perfect. In the mid 30's and slowly warming over the course of the day. The half and full went out at the same time so there was some congestion, but split up after about 2 miles when we turned onto the trail. The Tobacco Road is an abandoned railway that has been converted into a trail system and I hope more towns start doing this. Since it was once a railway the trail was mostly flat, with any hills being hardly noticeable. The water stops were well supplied and manned and everyone was cheering any time you saw people. The trail has several neighborhoods that border it so there is plenty of access to it. The few road crossing were well handled by the police and volunteers and everyone involved did a super job. The course runs mostly through pine forest and is crushed packed gravel, but there are some paved sections.

Around mile 8 or so we turned around and went back across to the half route and continued  until the turn around at about mile 20. The race had a nice downhill finish, and a short walk to the finisher party. The pizza was warm which is a first for me, and the beer was cold. They even handed out Chocolate milk to drink!

ME!

Personally, this was my best marathon ever. I've always wanted to break 4 hours and finally did it. I also set a 40 minute PR. I have to say this is a race I would do again in a heartbeat.

That about wraps it up. If you're looking for a fun, flat, fast course and a marathon that gives back to it's community then I would definitely check into Tobacco Road.

As always you can give me a follow on Twitter and Insta @bwachter70, and check out the IGTV and YouTube Channel Run Bigfoot Run. 

OOFos, Look What You Made Me Do

"Disclaimer: I received OOFos Orginial Sport Sandals 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!"

Feelin' the OO!

What's up everybody, Ben here with another Run Bigfoot Run review, and this one came just in time. I have heard so much about OOFos I was wanting to try a pair of them, but wanted to try them on first. When the chance came to test a pair, I went for it. And these did not disappoint.

Look at those boats!

Over 7 years of running, I've had my share of injuries, but this was my first encounter with Plantar Fasciatis. After the Freedom's Run Marathon I returned to soon to running to start training for the DAV 5k. After my second day back my foot started to really hurt, so bad I couldn't walk on it. At first I thought I bruised it but it was something else entirely. Here's where OOFos comes in. My first time wearing them, my foot was still sore, but it didn't hurt as much as my other shoes did. My foot was cushioned and the rocker in the sole helped ease me into the next step, taking pressure off my foot and reducing any fatigue.

Got sole? OOFos do.

If you get them wet, just keep on going. The sandals worked great when wet and stayed on my feet, while other sandals I own would be sliding off my foot when they got wet. The sole is channeled to help keep traction on slick surfaces and I have yet to have an issue with them slipping off.

Ugly Feet!

Looking at the reviews on the site, the only complaint seems to be the lack of half sizes, but I'm between a 13 and 14 in running shoes and went with the 13 OOFos sandal and they feel and fit just fine. My heels are right in the heel cup of the sandal, and I have some wiggle rooms for the toes up front.

I'm not sure what else I can say about this shoe, except I have loved wearing them and will definitely get myself another pair. And watch out for your dogs if you have any, they like chewing on them.


If you want to watch my YouToube review go HERE. While you're there, sub to the channel.

Want to get a pair for yourself, go HERE

as always follow me on Insta and Twitter, and thanks for reading.



Lace up and get out there!

Ben

All Aboard the Training Train!

So we're about 4 weeks out from Freedom's Run Marathon and training is right on schedule. I am using the FIRST training plan that has me running 3 days a week and 2 days of cross training. For cross training I'm using an elliptical, I would rather bike, but I don't have one so elliptical it is.

I just wrapped up week 12, but made my long run 18 miles instead of 15 due to missing some miles last week. The FIRST method has you running less, but the runs are at a faster pace than normal and more high intensity. Looking at week 13 I have a 6 x 1200 track workout, that's pretty intense! One thing I have adjusted is I still run with a group twice a week, so I have cut back on my pace on one of those days, and just relax.

I also have one more 20 mile run at the end of week 13, then begin to taper on the long run, but keep up the track intensity and the tempo run varies until we get to the last week, when it's just easy runs with time over distance, just to keep up your fitness.

So why did I pick this plan? I had heard a lot about it and the fact it's 3 runs a week was appealing. I've done plans that were 5 or 6 days a week and could never get the workouts in and started working harder to make them up or skipped it all together. FIRST also allows us to have adequate rest between ours runs, even though we still have cross training days in between them, it's not a daily grind of pounding the roads.
 I started using FIRST about halfway through training. I was training with a group that already ran their target race and at my fitness level it was easy to switch over to the FIRST plan to finish off my training cycle.

I'll be back in 2 weeks for some final thoughts about how my training went and if I think I'm ready for Freedom's Run or not.

Spoiler: I'm ready. I've also been posting videos about my training over on the Youtube channel. Check it out and while you're there subscribe. Here's the LINK.

You can also follow me on Twitter and Insta @bwachter70


Remember, lace up and get out there

Ben

It's a Knockaround Life!

But first....

 I received a pair of Knockaround Sunglasses to test and review as part of being a Bib Rave Pro. For more information on becoming a Pro or to read and write race reviews, go to bibrave.com.

It seems like a lot of new sunglass companies are popping up offering affordable shades. You have the hip company that gives everything a funny name and then you have someone like Knockaround. No big name sponsers, no silly names, just good shades that fit and don't break the bank. I have owned expensive sunglasses before and lost them, it wasn't pretty, so I like that someone is offering a good quality shade at a decent price.

When I first received these, I was impressed with how light they were and was kind of worried. I was thinking that they wouldn't make it a week without breaking, but here we are, a month later and still going strong. And that's with daily wear. So for lightness we're giving a 10.

Next up is the reflectivity inside the glasses. Have you ever put on glasses and seen yourself inside the lenses, or at least a reflection of what's behind you? I never really thought about it until my wife put them on and commented about how there wasn't much reflection inside the lens. I never really noticed it before and started looking at other sunglasses and she was right. So we will go with a 9 for inside lens reflection. There still is some but I don't think anything can be done about it.

So I've worn my Knockarounds for quite a lot of runs, both short track workouts and long weekend runs training for Freedom's Run Marathon and they don't move. I set them on top of my head this past weekend until the sun came up and they stayed put. When I'm out running hard, they're staying put. These definitely are made to not move around unless you're doing the moving, even the time I wore them on the trails, the shades stayed in place. So there's another 10.

 The lenses come in your choice of polarized or non-polarized and are impact resistant and UV400 so that's an easy 10.

Overall, I would give Knockaround a 10 on my score. They are super light, stay put and have a classic stylish look that I love. If you want to give them a try, just go to Knockaround.com, and you can get some of your own. Use code BibRaveKnocks20 by 9/30/18 for 20% off.

Also you can check out my video review HERE. Subscribe while you're there to keep up with my goings on.

And you can always follow me on Twitter and Insta @bwachter70. While you're at it give Knockaround a follow @Knockaround.

Thanks for reading and lace up and get out!

Ben