"Disclaimer: I received a free entry to the Blue Ridge Marathon - Anthem 10k 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!”

First race of 2021! I was really excited to see the comeback of IRL (in real life) racing in 2021 after a tumultuous 2020! I had been eyeing a few races last last year/early this year, trying to decide when racing would resume and where I'd run my first race back. Since one of my best friends lives in western Virginia, he recommended the Foot Leveler's Blue Ridge Marathon. On a recent visit to Roanoke, he took me on a drive of the marathon course-- and man, let me tell you: it is no joke! The elevation increase is staggering and the race is referred to as America's toughest road marathon. The half marathon course is similarly challenging, just half as long, of course. The race also offers a 10k and a family-focused One Mile race. All distances provide breathtaking views of the valley-- that alone makes the hard work worth it!

Blue Ridge also offers a virtual option for all aforementioned distances. I know many of us spent the last year racing virtually, and I'm sure some are a bit tired of the concept and wish to get back to only IRL racing. Me, too! However, this option does still provide flexibility to those that may not be able to make it to the race for a variety of reasons.

The week of the race, I came down with a bad case of strep throat, and was forced to make the tough decision to change my 10k race into the virtual option. Though not ideal, I was still able to virtually "join" my friends and fellow BibRave Pros in participating, but from a distance. This meant running on my own on a humid Florida evening, but that's alright! I still had a good time!

The virtual options include a medal and t-shirt as well. As of today, I have not received these items, as they have just begun to ship them out. (Photos to come on my social!)

All-in-all, this is a great race and definitely one to add to your bucket list. I mean, who wouldn't want to say they've completed one of America's toughest road races?!

Time for another product review! This one is a little different and can be a product us runners don’t have a ton of experience with— Pre-Workout. I know a lot of us think that these products are made for people who do a lot of lifting, but pre-workout has benefits for anyone who works out. Over the years, I have seen, and even tried, some pre-workouts made for runners.  My experience has not been great, with most of them making me feel strange and over-stimulated. The ingredients in these formulas are filled with random chemicals that surely aren’t good for anyone.

That’s where Metcon START comes in. This pre-workout was built by runners, for runners. It’s built with the endurance nature of our sport in mind. It has all natural  ingredients and leaves out the “junk”.
When I first tasted it, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’ve been used to these types of products having a sweet or fruity flavor, but this has neither. It’s a citrus flavor that is quite light, almost non-existent. I realize this product is advertised as having nothing artificial, but this is the area where I would’ve enjoyed a bit stronger of a flavor. But again, not a huge detractor. The product mixes well with water and doesn’t clump easily. It doesn’t require a lot of water, so I always drank it quickly in a few gulps.

In the few runs I tried the product out, I felt the advertised boost, and enjoyed how it seemed to last throughout my entire run. Metcon START provides sustained energy release and buffers lactic acid build up. All of these benefits are really a runner’s dream!

Metcon START is available online for $49.99 and has 30 servings per container. The price point does sound high but is well worth it! I do recommend this product.

Disclaimer: I received a pair of Shady Rays Signature Series sunglasses 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!
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Now, if you've followed my blog for a while, you know this is not the first pair of sunglasses that I have tested out. I've tried a bunch of brands over the years, so I was excited to try out a brand new brand and style.
The Shady Rays that I got to try out were their Signature Series. Shady Rays are made for an active lifestyle, so they were perfect for me. I live in Florida and place a lot of importance about protection from the sun's harmful rays. You will always find me wearing sunscreen and sunglasses anytime I am out of the house.
I immediately loved the casual look of the sunglasses. They are classic and stylish. A lot of times with sunglasses that are made for the active person, they can look a little rugged and can be hard to wear in a more casual setting. That isn't the case with these- I found myself easily wearing them out for a run then continuing to wear them to errands and around town.

Some of the key features about these are:

• Durable matte black frame with metal hinges
• Premium Polarized black lenses: 100% UV protection / shatter-resistant / salt water proof
• Includes Microfiber Cleansing Pouch + vinyl brand decal
• Lifetime Craftsmanship Warranty & Free Replacements if Lost or Broken
• Every order provides 11 meals to fight hunger in the U.S. through Feeding America

As far as out on a run, I noticed how they fit on my face well. The material they are coated with helps grip onto your face well, even when you are sweaty. Obviously this is super important!

​Overall, I would definitely recommend these sunglasses! Shady Rays is currently running a sale- 50% off two pairs. Just use the code "BIBRAVE"!

A super cool product specifically designed for fellow distance runners! Gatorade this month added a new Watermelon flavor to their sports drink line, as well as a new Mango flavored gel. I had a chance to test both of these out over the last few weeks before they made their debut to the public.
I was really excited about this one because I already LOVE the Lemon Lime Gatorade Endurance formula and have used it to train for all of the full marathons I have run to date. For those of you unaware, Gatorade Endurance beverages are different than the regular Gatorade Thirst Quencher drinks that you would normally see at a grocery or convenience store. Gatorade Endurance is made for endurance athletes who generally have longer duration workouts or work out in more extreme conditions- such as extreme heat and humidity. So, as someone training for a marathon in the Florida summer heat, these products are exactly what I need. They have 2x as much sodium and 3x as much Potassium as regular Gatorade.
Now that my long runs are starting to creep up into higher and higher mileage, the new Watermelon-flavored drink came at a good time. I find myself going out for my runs when the temperature is around 80-85 degrees and the humidity is between 85-95%. This coupled with the beating sun means that there is no way I can run without constant hydration! Though the Lemon Lime flavor has always been a favorite, I loved trying the Watermelon! I was expecting a strong flavor like Lemon Lime, but couldn't (and still can't!) get over how incredibly light the drink was! All that it has packed into it and it tastes like a lightly-sweetened/flavored water. I enjoyed it so much that I had to start being more conscious of how often I was taking sips of it while running because I was afraid I would run out too soon! This is definitely a product I will continue to use during my training this year.

The other product I had an opportunity to try out was the new Mango-flavored Gatorade Endurance gel. I also thoroughly enjoyed this product! As my runs continue to get longer, I have begun to also bring fuel with me. In the past, I've used various brands of gels but really never could get used to their thick consistency. I was so pleasantly surprised that these Gatorade Endurance gels are completely different. I would compare them to a slightly thicker sports drink. But still something you can pour out of the packet rather than squeeze out. I seriously have found my new favorite fuel option in this product. I tried the Mango flavor but there is also Apple Pear and Vanilla flavors that I am excited to try out too!

All in all, I'm loving the new flavors of these products. Gatorade Endurance has spent years trying to find the best formulas for endurance athletes and these new products showcase the best of that hard work!

Disclaimer: I am promoting Athlinks as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review or find race reviews.

This is a product I'm really excited to share with you all! I discovered Athlinks a few years back in their early stages and immediately fell in love. Basically, it's a super smart site that compiles races results auto-magically and finds YOUR results and presents them to you in a super clean and fun way. It revolutionizes race results in a way that ensures your results are never buried deep in some site you'll never find again. Let's take a look:

This is my profile. It shows my PR's on top and some general stats at the top. Below is the races I have indicated I am registered for and the goal times I have set for myself.
To add my race results, I was prompted to "claim" them as my own after a race. Basically, the site's engines constantly are searching the internet for races and then index the results. The site is smart enough to find my name and then it asks me if it was really me. I have a not-so-common last name, but I can see how this could be more frustrating if your name was Mike Smith, or something.
Below is what my results page looks like. So far, Athlinks has found results from 29 races I have run. It was fun to see that it found races from back in high school! At-a-glance, it lists my time and how I placed in my age group, my gender, and overall-- always fun stats to look at.

Overall, I really love this product. For years I have used an Excel spreadsheet to track similar data but often times would get behind and have to spend time looking up my results and recording them. That would take a LOT of time. (Plus, my memory is that of a goldfish!) I encourage all runners to register for this FREE site and enjoy it in all its glory! :)

Find my profile here and Follow me so we can compare results! And, comment below with how many results of yours that Athlinks unearthed!

"Disclaimer: I received a free entry to the Gasparilla Half Marathon 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!”

This was an overall fun race right along the bay! A flat and fast course as you watch the sunrise -- this was a great experience.
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The expo was fairly large with a lot of the usual booths and I found it pretty easy to park, get in, get what I needed, cruise around the exhibitors, and get out. Instructions about where to park, how much to expect to pay, how to navigate to the expo hall, etc. could have been more clear, but nothing too terrible.

Race morning was similarly confusing, with vague instructions on parking and how to then navigate to the start line. Though not publicized other than a blurb in the pre-race booklet, I utilized the gear check inside the convention center. I found my way to the corrals area, which was extrememly confusing. The announcer actually was giving instructions of where each color bib should line up by giving street names, but as an out-of-towner, I struggled to understand where the correct place to be was. The announcer, at one point, apologized and said he had actually been giving out the wrong locations for lining up, adding to my confusion and frustration. I quickly figured it out by seeking out folks who had the same color bib as I did, but I was dissatisfied with this process overall.

The race starts on Davis Island and is rather neat! It begins with a brick road that was in pretty good condition. The route then continues around the island past some beautiful homes and in the view of some of the docked cruise ships in port. The race then heads back toward the bay where the rest of course is run. It is a beautiful view and as you go along, the sun rises to your left. It being so close to the water meant that when the sun came up, there was no shade to provide relief from the heat. I admit that I got a little bored of this since it was out-and-back for mile 5 through Finish.
The finish line finally came and I was so excited to see it! It had begun to really get warm. I received a bottle of water, an ice cold rag (heaven) and one of the sweetest medals I've ever received. There were no race goodies or food to be found. I know a plate of food was supposed to be somewhere in addition to beer, but I never was able to find it? If it was in a different location, there was no signage or information pointing runners in that direction. I gave up looking after a short while.

My last note is that while the festival Gasparilla is held in January, this race is held about three weeks later. Other than a brief photo oppurnunity with a busty pirate, there was no Gasparilla theming to this race.

Aside from my few greiveances, none of these would stop me from running this race again. This was its 41st anniversary and it definitely draws a loyal crowd of runners who come back year after year. I will still recommend this race to those looking for a fun and fast springtime race.

Runner Box ships on a bi-monthly basis. Keep in mind they do charge you for shipping in addition to the box price (which is somewhat uncommon for subscription boxes) but for what is all packed into that box, I can justify it!

All in all, I would definitely be interested in trying out this product over time and seeing what kinds of fun things it would bring. Check them out here!