Race 2 of 3 for the holiday weekend was the Stars and Stripes Half Marathon on Saturday, July 5th! Check out the full review on Run Oregon.
The lovely folks at NW Personal Training are giving one Lipgloss+Spandex reader a FREE entry to the Girlfriends & Dudes Triathlon or Duathlon!!! (I'll be out of town running Ragnar that weekend, so I won't be able to go, but it's going to be a fun event!!!). Race name: Girlfriends & Dudes Triathlon, Duathlon & Kids Tri Date/time: Sunday July 20th, 2014. Waves start between 9:00 am-9:25 am Registration/price: $70-$90 Location: Frenchmans Bar; Vancouver, WA Events offered: Triathlon (1/2 mi swim, 12.5 mi bike, 3 mi run/walk); Duathlon (2 mi run/walk, 12.5 mi bike, 3 mi run/walk) Number of runners: capped at 700 Beneficiary: The Children's Center Each participant will receive a tech shirt or large triathlon towel, finishers gift, goody bag, massages, live music, and post-race snacks. While I haven't ever run a tri/du, NW Personal Training does a fantastic job of putting on events, and whether you're a speed demon or a complete newbie, you'll have a GREAT time. :) If you're not ready for a tri/du yet, but still want to be involved, email shantina@nwpersonaltraining.com to volunteer! This is my first of three 4th of July weekend races! Uberthons Freedomthon! Race name: Freedomthon
Date/time: Friday, July 4th, 2014 @ 8:30 am Registration/price: $30; free for kids races Location: Beaverton Library Park; Beaverton, Oregon Events offered: 5k run/walk; 1mi and 1/4mi kids races Number of runners: capped at 300 _Beneficiary: Beaverton Police Department Police Activities League I am so excited to tell you all about Solemates! Solemates is a non-profit running and walking organization focused on helping local families in need. The one-time $40 membership fee includes a DARLING sterling silver Solemates necklace, invitations to Solemates events, exclusive event discounts just for members, and opportunities to give back to the community! Solemates founder Wendi Goold Arant is one of the sweetest people I know! I've had the opportunity to run with Wendi a few times and it was really fun getting to know her! :) Below are some quotes from Wendi and Solemates that I think really reflect how beneficial a running partner or group can be! On finding running "solemates"... Almost 18 years ago, July 4th, 1996 to be exact, my friend Barb was training for a marathon, and somehow talked me into running a 5k. By running, I mean she ran and chatted effortlessly the entire time, as I put all of my energy into trying to breathe, staying upright and keeping my eyes peeled for the next water station. Although I had run a few times here and there during my high school and college years, and worked out in gyms frequently for years, I hadn’t ever done any real running. That combined with recently having had my middle daughter, made this one of the most difficult 36 minutes of my life. I had to walk between miles 2-3, but I finished, with my friend right by my side. It was a moment that would change my entire life. On founding Solemates in Motion... During the past few years, I have been wanting to start a running group in my area but felt that it needed to be about more than just training runs and competing in events. I felt passionate about making it about the physical and emotional betterment of not only ourselves, but of others as well. After years of running numerous events and building incredible friendships with other women involved in running and walking, I felt that I was standing on the exact path that would lead to the creation of Solemates in Motion. I am beyond lucky to be surrounded by a wonderful, intelligent, positive group of women, who believe in this dream as much as I do, and they are helping every day to make it a reality. They are my solemates. I hope you will be ours. On giving back to the community...
I love Solemates in Motion, I love being a Solemate, and I love everything that Solemates stands for, and hopefully you can see why! I love that Solemates focuses on female runners and walkers of all abilities, on supporting each other, and on giving back locally. (Also, the cute swag doesn't hurt...) There are lots of other running groups out there--some free, some with annual fees, etc. But I feel that Solemates in Motion is unique, especially in the Portland-metro area, because it doesn't matter how fast or slow you are, or how many races you've finished--it's a good support group, and their focus on philanthropy is definitely one of the things that I really like the most about this group. $40 for a lifetime membership is really reasonable (especially with the adorable necklace that's included, and discounts on races!)
Beauty Box 5 is a monthly subscription service that delivers five beauty or skincare samples to your doorstep for only $12 a month (and the shipping is free)! Ordering recurring boxes gives you an even greater discount. The theme of the June 2014 BeautyBox5 is "Summer Chic":
Part 3 of 3 for the Summer Solstice Urban Adventure Race recaps--Mechell's point of view! Cari and I unanimously voted Mechell as the MVP on our team because she downed those icky ranch flavored meal worms like a champ! Check out my recap, and also Cari's recap as well. Race name: Summer Solstice Urban Adventure Race Date/time: Saturday, June 21st, 2014 @ 5pm Registration/price: $30-50 per person Location: start/finish at NW Personal Training (various locations in downtown Vancouver, WA) Events offered: Adventure race; costume contest Number of runners: 180 Beneficiary: Clark County Food Bank Being that I never done this type of race I wasn’t sure what to expect, but my sense of adventure peaked my curiosity. This race turned out to be better than I imagined and I really enjoyed the experience. I felt that it is a great way to spend a Saturday and celebrate the first day of summer. I must admit that it would have been nice if it were in the morning or a later in the evening as it was much warmer than I expected especially when it came to running nearly six miles. The clues were cleverly written and fun to figure out. I highly recommend the use of a smart phone or be teamed with someone who is extremely familiar with downtown Vancouver as to get the best of the experience. The obstacles were great! Some silly, some brainy and others a test of strength (i.e., climbing the wall). My first impression was that this race would appeal more to middle school ages and older, but I saw young kids dressed in costumes having a great time with their families/teams. It was hard to say which destination was my favorite because each one had its own unique experience. This year’s race gave us the opportunity to eat meal worms, getting hair highlights at the salon, a mini Pilates workout, rolling beer kegs down the street and grocery shopping just to name a few and let’s not forget about running up and down the streets of downtown Vancouver in wacky costumes. Food at the finish line was pretty typical of what you see at every other race (bananas, oranges, bagels and cereal bars) but there was a local vendor that was selling their food to those wanting something different. The raffle was okay but could use some improvement in the prizes that were given out. For instance, my prize was a box of energy gels that I discovered was three months expired which I’m sure was an oversight. The photographer on hand was super sweet and did an excellent job capturing lots of action shots. In conclusion I would definitely do this race again because it was a fun way to get some exercise as well as support Vancouver businesses and it also appeals to my sense of adventure. |