The Biggest Loser RunWalk Mobile Half Marathon Recap!

Disclaimer: I was provided a free race registration in exchange for this post. No other compensation was received. All opinions in the post below are mine and mine alone!

Race morning I woke up to it pouring rain. I wasn't surprised. It WAS in the forecast. But I was really hoping it would clear up.

I will admit that I wasn't super excited about this race. I really wanted to run it but have been dealing with a hip issue and was worried running a half would aggravate the hip even more. So I was a little scared...which made me not as excited as I normally am for a race. But I just told myself I could do this one for fun. I could slow down and take it easy. That was my plan. Of course I know how I am come race day. I am super competitive with myself and will often push myself. But I was really going to try to not be competitive.

I met Donna, Sarah Beth, Paige, and Billy so we could all carpool to Mobile together. We got there in no time at all but it took us a few minutes to park and walk down to the start area. Of course we all had to go to the bathroom. The porta potty lines (there were two lines for the same cluster of porta potties) were so long! We got in line around 7:05 (race started at 7:30) and hoped we would make it in time. There weren't as many porta potties as there probably should have been.

While waiting in line I happen to look up and spot Jenny and Kristin! They came over to the line and we took a quick picture!

I told them I wasn't pushing it this race because of my hip and that I just wanted to run for fun. Kristin had just run the Statue to Statue 15K in Birmingham the day before (this is the south's most challenging race due to the major hills) so her legs were sore from that. I told them I would text them when I got to the start line and try to find them.

I got back in the potty line with my friends and I was literally in the porta potty at 7:26 and they were singing the National Anthem! To say I was a little panicked was correct! But I was thankful to pee lol!

I headed to the start line....and I couldn't get through! It was so crowded and I was in the back with the 15:00 minute mile pacer. I pushed myself as far as I could but people weren't budging. I really didn't want another race where I had to dodge people and risk losing my shoe again!

Then I saw Paige and decided to just stay with her. I couldn't make it any further up anyway. It worked out though because one of the volunteers put a rope in front of me and Paige and said we were in corral 3. I texted Jenny and told her where I was and she texted back saying they had just started. Crap.

Before I knew it we were at the front of the start line. I didn't even have time to get a proper start line picture...because we were too close! I mean we were toeing the line!!! It was awesome! Paige and I did a sprinter stance for fun!

I said a quick hey to JJ!

And then Dan Evans from season 5 counted us down!

I started running and Paige said bye. It was fun because I was ahead of everyone! It felt like I was winning lol! But it didn't last long. A guy came up beside me fairly quickly and I jokingly told him he couldn't pass me...that I was winning! He laughed at me and wished me a good race as he flew by! Well...it was fun while it lasted lol!

Then I was on a mission. I wanted to find Jenny and Kristin. I was running in the 8's but it felt great. My hip wasn't hurting at all!

Then around mile 3 I spotted them! I caught up to them and was so thankful! We ended up running the rest of the race together! We had so much fun! We talked and laughed! We took a few walk breaks when we needed to. I was taking it easy and my hip was thanking me for it. I had no pain the entire race!

The only bad thing about this race was the humidity. It was at 100% and it was awful! But on the bright side...the rain had completely stopped! But we were DRENCHED!

Hot mess drenched at mile 9! (Thanks for this pic Kristin!)

I can't remember which mile this was (I wanna say around mile 10) but we saw my favorite photographer Tim on the course! He got a great shot of us! I LOVE this picture! We were all smiles! Thanks Tim!!!

It was the first time in a long time that I've taken pictures along the course. Lately I've been so focused on running fast and trying to PR that I didn't pay much attention to the scenery.

When we made it to Dauphin Street I saw a building with this painting on it. I knew I needed a picture!

It was also neat running and seeing part of the Mobile skyline! My hubby used to work in the RSA Tower!

It was around mile 11.5 when we knew we could try to make it in 2:15. So we stepped it up a bit and started running to finish!

We turned onto Royal Street...and then Water Street. We knew the finish line was close...but we couldn't see it. Jenny and I kept saying, "Where is it?" We hit mile 13 and still couldn't see it but we knew it was close. There were people there cheering us on. I even saw one of my Sole2Soul Sisters Lorie cheering! She gave me that extra boost I needed to kick it into gear!

We made a right turn and there was the finish line! Yay!!! I stopped my Garmin and looked down...it said 2:14:43 (my official time ended up being 2:14:42)! I had made it under 2:15!

Now that is slow for me now. But I remember the day when I would have been thrilled to no end with a 2:15 half!

I was happy though! I ran this race the way my body needed me to. I took it easy so I wouldn't further injure my hip. And I ran it with friends and that made it so much more fun than if I'd been by myself.

They had tons of food at the finish line! There were cuties, bananas, bagels, and cheese sticks! I grabbed a cutie and a blueberry bagel. I only ate a few bites of the bagel though because it was just too dry. My body wanted fluids.

I was a happy girl! I did it! I wasn't sure what was going to happen during this race! But I did it and felt great the entire time! My hip didn't cause me any pain or discomfort and I was so glad!

And running with Jenny and Kristin was sooooo much fun!!!

After a race means celebration time! And as a blogger that means tons of pics! Serious and not so serious pics! Yeah...I love my friend Jenny!

And Kristin thought it would be funny to take a picture of us taking a selfie! Just look at the people in the background looking at us like we are crazy lol! I die!!!

At the finish area I saw my friend Sarah Beth who I rode with. She is in college, young, and super fast! She won first place in her age group with a 1:53:58!!! I was so proud of her!!!

Another bonus to this race....I got TWO medals! Because we ran this race last year Kristin and I got the Legacy Finisher Medal as well! Sweet!

Since this race offers free digital photos, we made sure to get lots of finisher pics! (Pictures haven't been uploaded yet but as soon as they are I will be sure to show you!)

We also hung out with Gina from season 14 after she finished the half marathon! She is so sweet and such an inspiration!

On the way out I stopped by the Fleet Fleet Sports tent and got a free massage with the new Heal Blade! This thing is crazy awesome and I'll be doing a review soon!

On the way home we made a much needed stop for coffee! Yum!

The Biggest Loser RunWalk Mobile was just as amazing as it was the first time I ran it! I will definitely run it again! I hope they continue to come back to Mobile for years to come!

QOTD: Have you ever participated in one of The Biggest Loser RunWalk events?

The Biggest Loser RunWalk Half Marathon Mobile Recap!

Disclaimer: I was provided a free race registration in exchange for this post. No other compensation was received. All opinions in the post below are mine and mine alone!

It was so nice not having to wake up early for this race! The race start time was 8:00 and the start line was only about 10-15 minutes from my house! I met up with friends to carpool to the race....and Holly got free parking downtown with her work parking pass! Holly's husband also came along with us girls because he was running his first 5K!

We parked and walk right to the start line with plenty of time! Hey Dan Evans! He was on the mic talking to all the runners as we passed by! I stopped to take a picture of the start line and he stopped and posed for me! Such a cutie!

We even got a glimpse of the medals! Even the 5K runners get a medal at The Biggest Loser RunWalk Race Series!

Then it was time for some pictures in front of the start line! Anyone who knows me knows that I have a 2 (or more) picture rule. You never know when a picture will turn out blurry so I make sure to take several just in case!

Holly's husband was taking pictures with my phone and her daughter was taking pictures with her phone. We got a few shots and then all of sudden Joby (Holly's husband) turned the phone around and took a picture of himself!

We all cracked up laughing....which led to Holly finding this awesome picture of us on her phone later that day! I love these candid shots!

After pictures we headed to check out the rest of the race area. We ran into Jackie Evans (season 5) who was headed towards the start line!

Then we went in search of our Sole2Soul Sisters! We had enough people running to form a team and so we got our very own tent! It even had a banner with our team name on it...that we got to take home at the end of the race! Awesome!

We also got a great group picture before the race!

And we met up with Larisa too!

Finally it was time to head back to the start line! I was so happy to be running this race with Holly again! Remember....we had just run the Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans Half Marathon together the weekend before in horrible weather conditions. I told her my goals for this race were to run more than we walked, to run around an 11:30 pace, and to finish around 2:30-2:35. She was all for my goals!

At the start line there weren't any corrals but there were pacers holding sticks with their pace on it. We lined up near the 11:30 pace. The race started in waves with about 1-2 minutes in between each wave. While we waited to start the former Biggest Loser Contestants kept us entertained! They even threw Mardi Gras beads to us!

In no time at all we were on our way! The weather was absolutely perfect running weather! It was sunny and the temps were in the 40's!

We hadn't even conquered the first mile and there were photographers! I was excited because this race gives you FREE downloads of your race pictures!

The first 3-4 miles of the race I struggled like always. I just have to keep reminding myself that I WILL get into my groove! We were running strong though...every time I glanced down at my Garmin we were in the 10 minute pace range. I would tell Holly we needed to slow down and we would for a bit. But then we would end up speeding up again!

Around mile 5 I really started getting into my groove. I was running faster than my intended 11:30 pace but it felt good. So I quit talking about slowing down and just went with it.

I fueled right around mile 5 too. I had Huma Gel in my hydration belt and Honey Stinger Chews. I had never tried Honey Stinger Chews but Abby and Sarah said they loved them! Sarah was kind enough to give me a pack and that's what I used during this race. I LOVED them! I will definitely be buying some of these to alternate with my Huma Gel!

I felt great this entire race! I did get a little tired towards the end but Holly kept telling me that we were making great time and if we kept going we would come in under 2:30! That gave me the motivation I needed. I REALLY wanted a good race!

Around mile 11 I knew that I had a chance to PR if I could keep up the pace. I broke ahead of Holly around this time because she needed to slow down. She had been dealing with sinuses and a cold and was having a hard time breathing. My body wouldn't let me slow down with her....and neither would Holly. She made me run on!

I LOVED the last part of the course! It was awesome running towards downtown Mobile and in some familiar territory. I really loved running on Dauphin Street past some of my favorite restaurants. And I loved seeing the RSA Tower ahead of me!

Mile 12 came and I knew I was going to be really close to a PR! I was so tired. I wanted to walk. I wanted to be done. But I also wanted that PR! I wanted it bad! So I kept pushing. I didn't give up. I made my legs run!

Finally I saw the finish line! I knew I was close! I ran as fast as my body would let me!

I DID IT!!! I PRed by 2 minutes!!!! And I PRed on back to back race weekends!!! My official time was 2:21:14! I was soooo excited!!!

Holly came in shortly after I did! I am so grateful to her for giving me the push I needed to PR! She ran with me the last time I PRed at the Seaside Half Marathon last year too! She is my pace partner and my PR buddy!!! ;-)

After grabbing our bananas, water, and clemetines to refuel with we headed towards the stage to hear the band play. That's when I spotted my runDisney friends Kristin and Joe!!! I was so happy to finally meet them in real person!

Joe was dressed up for the Mardi Gras costume contest! He played his trumpet during the entire race! And yes...he won the costume contest too!!!

I also got to hang out a little with Gina from Season 14!

Overall this race was amazing! I did compare it to Panama City Beach several times...but it did not disappoint! The route was amazing! It was much better than the out and back route in PCB. The only thing it lacked compared to PCB was having the former contestants out on the course. But they were all at the finish area. I really hope to run this race again next year!!!

The Biggest Loser RunWalk Race Series is amazing! I highly recommend these races to beginning runners to seasoned runners! There is something for everyone!

And my PR will definitely help me remember this race forever! :-)

QOTD: Do you like to wear costumes in races?