"Disclaimer: I received a free entry to Cinco de Miler 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 a fun and exciting race! The Cinco de Miler did not disappoint. The race was themed around Cinco de Mayo and was a great celebration for this important Mexican holiday.

Registration on the RAM Racing website was simple and easy. They asked during initial registration what my planned pace was (this is very important to me- this means they will organize corrals appropriately) and since my pace was faster than their set threshold, I was asked to provide timing proof from a prior race. Again, I was more than happy to do so. I don’t like when races make you come back at a later day or fill out a separate form for this— better to get it done right away.
Race communication was good, slowly ramping up as the race date approached. The emails included a link to their site versus just putting the info in the email (which is fine by me). The only thing I noticed was that they seemed to have copied a lot of info to these pages from their marquee event (Hot Chocolate 5k/15k). I didn’t find all of the information to pertain solely to Cinco de Miler. Not a big deal, but made me feel a lack of effort on their part.

Packet Pickup was available at various Fleet Feet Sports locations throughout Chicagoland. I’m lucky enough to live just a few miles from where the race took place and therefore had Packet Pickup close by, but a friend who lives farther away enjoyed the suburban Packet Pickup options as well. The process was very smooth and quick— you could either show a QR code from your email or just give the last name. I did the latter, as I was picking up my packet and someone else’s at the same time. They did not hassle me for picking up the other packet as well. I was in and out in less than five minutes!
The goodie bag just had my bib and race shirt. The shirt was of unknown brand, as the label had RAM Racing’s logo. It was a patterned bright orange and red design, very bright and unlike any other shirt I’ve ever gotten from a race.

Race Day was an adventure. There was a threat of bad weather, but I still stuck to my plan of arriving on time and all, but made sure everything I wore was rain-proof. Parking was very close to the race location— though it did cost $20. Knowing what I know about events on Chicago Parks District property, the parking fee is almost never able to be waived. Understandable. The race start area was laid out very well, with abundant space. Plenty of bathrooms (porta-potties). I didn’t bring anything to check at Gear Check, but I did notice it was laid out well in tents with signs organizing by bib number.
As I mentioned, there was poor weather about 45 minutes before the race. A storm moved in from the north and brought rain and lightning. Without missing a beat, the race staff quickly & efficiently moved shuffled everyone to the adjacent parking structure for safety. The rain and lightning passed after about 20 minutes and we were directed back to the race area. The winds picked up and they had to take down some of the smaller tents and signage, but I think everyone totally understood and was appreciative of all the efforts of the race staff! Even with all of that, the race started on time and they did a great job of re-energizing the crowd! The corrals were not heavily enforced, but they did a great job of handling it.

The race starts heading south beneath McCormick Place in the tunnel…which most Chicago runners know is part of many races. It’s about 3-4 city blocks long and it’s always dark, the pavement is in terrible condition— a breeding ground for sprained ankles. I understand this is the one of the only possible route for races from here, but there has got to be alternatives brainstormed… the course continues south on a closed lane of Lake Shore Drive, which is pretty cool! At the half way point, the course merges onto the Chicago LFT (Lake Front Trail) and heads back north. There were strong headwinds at this point, so many runners had to readjust their pacing plan accordingly. There were two aid stations on the course, the first with only water (which is fine with me for a five mile race) and the second had Nuun first, then water. I’m a fan of Nuun in general, but I disagree with it being used during a race. I tend to have a hard time chugging a carbonated drink while racing and would rather Gatorade Endurance instead. Again, not a big deal, but something worth noting for me. The race follows the LFT north back to the finish with a mariachi band and amazing energy from spectators!

The medal was one of the coolest parts, it was a piñata that doubles as a bottle opener! Very colorful and fun! The finish chute offered small cups of Nuun and bottled water. I would have appreciated at least a banana, but oh well. The chute then guides runners back to the start area where there were food and beer tents. The food was a plate of chips and salsa and a vegetarian tamale. I was not impressed with the chips and salsa, as they were just Tostitos brand pre-packaged items. Had they had fresh chips and salsa from a local restaurant, that would have been a nice touch. The tamale was heated in individual packaging and lacked flavor. I think the food was probably the biggest missed opportunity to wow, but perhaps they will take the feedback for next year. I just know there are so many authentic Mexican restaurants in Chicago that could knock these items out of the park! The beer was Corona and Modelo cans. It was not served cold, which was a little frustrating. Again, an easy fix for the future!

Overall, I enjoyed the whole experience and had a really fun time with friends! The whole race was so festive and fun for the whole family. Despite the weather, the race management was spectacular at prioritizing participants’ safety and communicating with everyone. I would definitely run this race again! Arriba!

The first time I tried them on, I'll admit I had to get used to the feeling. They sit in front of your ears instead of inside of them. It's clear they are built to last-- the construction is sturdy and high quality. The buttons for power, volume and calls are all easily accessible while I was wearing them. When I listened to music with them for the first time, I first noticed the vibrations-- they vibrate in order to pass the sound through your bones. The higher the volume, the more vibrations. It's really cool technology and I found myself trying to figure out exactly how it all worked!
Now that I've gotten a bunch of runs in while wearing them, I definitely found a few pros and cons. The pros were mainly the whole idea of them not blocking out the noise around you. In Chicago, our main running trail can get quite crowded, and you need to be able to hear bikes and runners around you as they call out "LEFT" and things of that sort. I feel like my previous headphones were built to cancel noise around me, which is good in lots of situations, like on transit, but NOT while running. The Aftershokx easily solved that issue for me. I also found a big pro of these was their battery life (6 hours). Bluetooth devices can sometimes eat up their batteries quickly, but this was not the case. For such a small and lightweight device, I was amazed by how long the battery lasted!
​Now, onto the cons. Perhaps it's by design, but I felt the volume levels on this device just weren't good enough. I'm certainly not someone who likes to listen to my music at excessive volumes, but I still was surprised at how low the highest setting actually was. The other major con for me was the Bluetooth connection. I felt that it was not strong enough. I run with my iPhone in Flip Belt, which I keep on the very front of my body. I noticed as I would swing my arms as I ran, the music would cut for the exact second my arm crossed the invisible path of the Bluetooth connection. It did get a little irritating after a while. I decided that if I had an arm band phone case, this would easily solve this issue. I suppose I was just a little frustrated that the sound repeatedly cut out as I ran with them.

Considering all of the above, I still would recommend this product. I could see the bone conduction technology becoming the next big thing to be largely marketed to the active community. This is a high quality product that I think a lot of people would enjoy.
Join me and the rest of the @BibRave community as we chat about the Aftershokz on 4/18 @ 8pm Central using #BibChat!
Also, enjoy 20% off any Aftershokz product with code BibRave20!

You can purchase the Vectr socks here & the Performance Run Compression sleeves here. Use code ‘TRAIN15’ for 15% off now through 4/30/2016.

Disclaimer:  I received the 2XU HYOPTIK Thermal Compression Tights 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. 
 
After much ado in the shipping process, I finally received these 2XU tights right at the beginning of the month. Since I was tapering for my full marathon at the beginning of the month, I held off trying these tights until my race was over. I have heard a lot of talk amongst runners in the past year or so about what compression does and have been curious myself. Compression is supposed to help with keeping your muscles in place, increase blood flow, reducing muscle soreness and reducing recovery time. I was excited to give these tights a try myself.

I have a pair of winter running tights of a generic brand that I bought a while back to simply keep my legs warm while running in cooler temps. They sometimes take some extra effort to put on or take off, because well, they’re tights. The 2XU were even a little more difficult to put on and take off, mainly due to them being compression. Once I slipped them on, they really felt comfortable. The material is extremely soft and fit my body well (I worry about the size of my calves in tights sometimes). I also immediately could tell that these were thermal and were made to keep my body warm.

Now, I must admit a mistake I made when ordering these. I had the option between the full-length tights or the ¾ length tights. Since I already had full-length tights and had never tried ¾ length, I opted for the later just for the sake of trying something different. Once I received the 2XU tights, I kind of thought how silly it was to have ¾ length tights that were thermal. As in, isn’t the point of thermal tights to keep you warmer than just plain-old tights? Yet these are ¾ length, meaning a portion of my legs will be uncovered and exposed to the elements? I know this was my mistake, since I was the one who chose these, but I couldn’t help wish I had opted for the full-length. Because of my shorter tights, I decided I had to save these for a run in weather that was a little more mild. I wore these out on a 30 degree day and they were perfect.

The 2XU Hyoptik tights stayed in place—they didn’t slide around near my hip or need adjusting like some of my shorts or other tights. I found myself forgetting I had tights on—I almost felt like I was only wearing shorts! Another feature that the Hyoptik line boasts is the reflective graphics up and down both legs to help other runners/bikers/cars see you after dark. Though I didn’t run with these at night, it was immediately apparent they would stick out if a light was shined on them!
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The bottom line: I really am happy with the 2XU Hyoptik tights! Since my pair is ¾ length, I forsee myself getting a lot more use out of them on some of the days where the weather is still too cool for shorts, but too warm to wear full-length tights. The brand has a great reputation with some of my friends and fellow BibRave Pros and I’ve heard their products last forever. On the pricey side, they are a little more of an investment, but I would certainly recommend them to anyone specifically in a cooler climate!

Disclaimer:  I received the XX2i Optics Polarized Sunglasses to review as part of being a BibRave Pro.  Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro and check out BibRave.com to review, find and write race reviews. 
 
As a BibRave Pro, I get the chance to test out a bunch of gear. I hope you’ll enjoy seeing some product reviews on my blog occasionally. Even though I receive the gear at no cost, I still promise to give you my honest opinion, no matter what.

A few weeks ago I received the XX2i Optics Polarized Sunglasses! This was definitely an item I was excited to receive! I’m someone who (obviously) spends a lot of time out in the sun in summer and after losing a parent to skin cancer, I tend to be really cognizant of the harmful effects that sun can cause to our bodies. People tend to immediately think of sunscreen, but often forget about their eyes. When I run, I tend to wear cheap sunglasses that I picked up for free at a race expo or something of the sort. My attitude has always been that I wanted something that did the job of blocking the sun, but I wouldn’t be upset if I lost or broke them. I’ve tried on a couple pairs of running sunglasses in the past year or so and still unsure if I wanted to make the investment. The XX2i Optics Polarized Sunglasses ended up proving to me that this is a gear item I’ve needed more than I realized!

Disclaimer:  I received the Buff Thermal Hoodie to review as part of being a BibRave Pro.  Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro and check out BibRave.com to review, find and write race reviews. 

As many of you know, I’m a huge Disney fan and regularly participate in runDisney races. Every winter I find myself having to run in some of the coldest weather Chicago has to offer. This year was no different- I had the Walt Disney World Marathon the first week in January, which meant I was running all the way through the New Year holiday week. It was cold! Luckily, I’m no stranger to the cold. I run with thermal tights and warm pullovers (often layered). Normally I also run with a baseball hat (because I’m cool like that), but that just doesn’t cut it in the colder weather.

Back in November I completed the runDisney Avengers Half Marathon in Disneyland, California. I have been meaning to get around to review this race, and here it is! You can also see my review on BibRave.com, the go-to place to read and submit reviews about races all over the country. See my review here.
This was a really fun race! This race is themed around Marvel’s Avengers (of course) and the whole weekend stays true to that theme. If you’re a fan of Marvel Super Heroes, this is your race.
The communication leading up to the race was a little brief, but I felt like they keep it pretty simple. I was informed about the important deadlines (submitting a qualifying time, booking a hotel room using their block, etc.) and where and when I needed to pick up my race packet. I need to note that I was really felt like they could have communicated better about where to park, and how to get there, since there was so many road closures in the area. I also was a little disappointed about having to pay the $18 fee to park that they normally charge theme park guests, since we’d be done running before the theme parks even opened for the day. I felt like they could have at least offered discounted rates to runners, especially when paying so much for the race entry fee.
The Expo was nice and they had lots of signage guiding you to get each of the items you had to pick up (waiver, bib, shirt, etc.). The Expo offered the usual types of vendors who were selling every and any racing-related item you can think of. I saw they were also offering a free speaker series throughout the weekend as well.
Getting to the start line from parking was a little confusing, as there was pretty limited signage directing runners. Once I found my way to the gear check area, though, it was easy! Gear check was super fast and simple (you must use their provided clear bags) both before and after the race. The start corrals are very clearly indicated and organized. runDisney does allow runners to go back to a slower corral if they’d like to join friends (no moving up, though). I enjoyed the pre-race entertainment and commentary from the announcers!
The race kicks off and heads right into Disney California Adventure and there are many MarathonFoto photographers to take your picture in front of some of the park’s attractions. The course then heads into Disneyland Park and offers photo ops with the Marvel characters as well as more MarathonFoto photographers. After leaving the theme parks, you find yourself on the streets of Anaheim. The course is clearly marked and the corners provide ample space. Eventually you’ll find yourself in Anaheim Angel Stadium! This was really cool to run the field around the baseball diamond! Lots of cheers and energy! After the stadium, the course follows alongside one of the aqua ducts, which was, in my opinion, the worst part of the course. The aqua ducts are (obviously) dry due to the drought, so all you see is the sand. It just felt dirty and run-down. Perhaps there’s an alternate route they could use to eliminate this eye-sore part. Eventually the course makes one more pass through the parks in into the backstage area, finally finishing near the start line. The finish line was energetic and really fun!
Worth noting, I found the aid stations to be rather small. There were maybe 5-6 volunteers at each station. I felt like a race of this size (~11k) should have larger aid stations to meet the needs of the runners quicker.
The medal was the coolest part! It was the “A” for Avengers and it spun within the medal itself! I’d easily say this is the coolest medal I’ve ever earned! The finish chute area includes all the post-race refueling standards.
Overall, I really enjoyed this race. The course is very fast and I enjoyed running through the theme parks and Angel Stadium. If they were to fix the aqua duct portion, this race would be even better. I would definitely run this race again. If you have interest in any runDisney race, I encourage you to closely monitor their website. Registration typically occurs roughly 9 months before the race date and historically sells out the same day it opens.

After a months of looking for a new way to share the knowledge and expertise about running, training and racing, I am excited to announce that I have been selected to work with BibRave’s ambassadorship program, called BibRave Pro! During my year-long term, I’ll have the chance to run in some really fun races around the country, test and review gear, and interact with the growing running community.


In the year that EricRunsALot (or as I call it, ERAL) has been up and running, I’ve largely used this site to interact with the American Cancer Society’s DetermiNation Illinois team. Though that will certainly not change, you can look forward to some exciting changes that will help me better communicate with you with improved layout and navigation. Feel free to contact me here on the Contact Me form or by finding me on Twitter.

I’m ecstatic to be given this opportunity and I look forward to sharing my experiences with races and gear with you. Now’s a great time to make sure you’re following me on Twitter and Instagram (@eblaz37 for both).


Eric