I received entry into the Tobacco Road Half Marathon as part of being a BibRave Pro. (ambassador) Check out BibRave.com to read and write race reviews!
The adventure began entirely too early on Sunday morning when Lissa and I met up at the hotel to pick up fellow BibRave Pro Ben before the race. I had a parking pass so we all went together. This way Ben's wife and Lissa's family could all sleep in! After one minor mishap (I read the map wrong and drove to the wrong location) we made it to the parking lot near the Start/Finish and stayed in the warm car until it was time for the group photo! Afterwards, we hit the porta potties and then made our way to the start line.
Lissa was running her first marathon, and she had a few jitters, but I knew she would be ok. One last selfie before she went to the front and I lingered in the back.
As I was waiting for the race to start, someone tapped me on the shoulder. It was Faith, a friend I met at Mirna Valerio's Slow AF Trail Retreat last summer! We started talking and it turned out that we were running the same intervals. We decided to stay together for as long as we could (which ended up being the finish line!)
The anthem was over and it was time to run. I loved the enormous American Flag hanging at the finish! It is small in this pic, but stay tuned.
The first and last 2.5 miles of the race are on the road. It was mildly hilly, but nothing too crazy. Training in Charlotte has its advantages! I looked back during the first mile for someone reason and then full on stopped to get a pic of this sunrise!
The Tobacco Road Trail isn't your typical trail with roots and rocks and things that jump up at you to trip you. It is hard packed dirt, and mostly flat. It was positively delightful. There are multiple entrance points with parking lots, plus you cross the road a few times, so there were plenty of spectators. The water stops were on point. They all had water and, I believe, Gatorade. It was some electrolyte drink anyway. Some had gels and some had Stroopwaffles. OMG I had a chocolate sea salt one and it was heaven. Because the trail portion was an out and back, you passed each of these stations twice.
The great thing about an out and back course is that you get to see of your marathon friends out on the course! I saw just about everyone I knew running past me at some point. The marathoners had to run further on the trail before turning back, but that didn't stop the race winners from passing us before we finished! Soon we were back on the road and feeling the pain. We managed to push through and finish somewhat strong.
Fun fact: The RD is at the finish and he shakes the hand of every finisher. I didn't know this and slapped him five instead. It wasn't at all awkward or strange. Truly. Anyway. There was water at the finish and then when you walked around the corner to the finisher area, there was pizza (which I cannot have), chocolate milk (which I can only tolerate after a race, score! and a beer garden. Inside the tent they also had Irish Soda Bread. YUM!
There was also a live band and they were really good!
After I changed my clothes I went back to watch Lissa finish. I found out that they gave anyone with a BQ a special finisher shirt that has Boston Qualifier on the sleeve. How cool is that?
I loved watching the runners finish and cheering for them. Very inspiring! And Lissa rocked it!
And, as promised, a close up of the awesome flag at the finish! So beautiful!
Next year's race is on March 15, 2020 and you can register here.... who is in??
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