Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans 10k!!!

I've mentioned that I'll be running the Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans Half Marathon in January! This is one of my absolute favorite races!

Well they just revealed an awesome surprise yesterday....a new 10K distance in New Orleans!!!! Now you have the option of running a 10K, half marathon, or marathon!!! There is a little something for everyone!!!

And even better...you can save $5 with the code ROADRUNNERGIRL10k!!! And you can still save $10 on the half or full marathon with the code ROADRUNNERGIRL!

The 10K will have you running by some popular landmarks in New Orleans! Around mile 3 you will be running in the French Quarter! You will be smelling those beignets as you run by Cafe Du Monde! And you will pass by the beautiful St. Louis Cathedral!

Around mile 5.5 you will pass the St. Louis Cemetary! This is the oldest cemetary in New Orleans and you can see the above ground vaults.

You will finish in City Park! You will be amazed at how beautiful the trees are with their moss canopies!

Here's a look at the official course!

So if you've been wanting to run a Rock 'n' Roll Marathon series race but aren't quite ready for a half marathon or full marathon then this is your chance! You still get all the fun of a Rock 'n' Roll race with a shorter distance! Perfect!

Remember you can use the codes ROADRUNNERGIRL10k to save $5 off the 10K and ROADRUNNERGIRL to save $10 off the half marathon or full marathon! Register HERE!

Be sure to follow Rock 'n' Roll Marathon series on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook and look for the hashtag #RnRNOLA for all the race info about this amazing race in the great city of New Orleans!

I hope you will join me in New Orleans on January 25th!!! Laissez bon temps rouler!!!

QOTD: Have you ever run a Rock 'n' Roll race? Which one? 

Virtual Races for Everyone!

Disclaimer: I am a Jost Running Blogger. I have been given free entry into the virtual races. I have received no other compensation. All the opinions are mine and mine alone!

Do you like to run like me? Do you like to race but are too busy or the races don't ever fit your schedule? Well I have the perfect solution for you....Jost Running Virtual Races!

What exactly is a virtual race? Cynthia, one of the founders of Jost Running sums it up below:

"A virtual race is a race that runners, or walkers, can participate in no matter where they are located on the globe. The way it works is that each runner registers at www.JostRunning.com, we email them a custom racing bib, he/she runs during their selected race week, emails us their finish time, and we send them a finishers medal in the mail.What sets us apart from other virtual races is that everyone who submits a time to us will see that time represented on the results page of our website where they can check their ranking if the competition aspect is important to them, or feel a sense of community from their solo run by seeing the other runners names and times."

Since I've been dealing with a knee and hip injury the past 2 months, I've really missed racing. Virtual races are awesome for those recovering from injury but not ready to enter the racing scene quite yet. They can also be used in training to challenge yourself with a certain distance.

Another great aspect of virtual racing is that they can be run any time at any location. My friend Stephanie moved to the other side of the United States from me and I miss racing with her. But...we can sign up for a virtual race, run it at the same time in our different locations, and it can feel like we are doing it together!

When you sign up you even get your own personalized race bib!

The best part of Jost Running Virtual Races is the BLING!!! Just look at these medals for the Running is a Winter Sport Race that is going on this month! These medals are heavy and high quality!

Every Jost Running Virtual Race is run for a good cause. This month the race benefits the Central Virginia Food Bank. Next month's race benefits The Disabled Athlete Sports Association.

I hope you will join me in some of these virtual races! These races are really going to help me with my running goal to run 14 races in 2014!

You can still register for the Running is a Winter Sport race.

Or you can register for January's virtual race...In With the New Year! What better way to start off the New Year than with a virtual race? Use the coupon code COUNTDOWN to receive 10% off any of the In With the New Year races!

QOTD: Do you ever run virtual races?

Allied Medal Display Review and GIVEAWAY!

Disclaimer: Allied Medal Displays custom made this medal for me free to review. I received no other compensation. All opinions in the post below are mine and mine alone!

What's one of the most important things to a runner other than their running shoes? Their running bling of course! You work so hard for those medals that you definitely need to display them proudly!

Since I've run 2 full marathons, 16 half marathons, and several 10K and 5K races I have quite a collection of bling! And I LOVE my bling! I own a medal hanger but that one filled up very quickly. I started hanging my precious medals on my dresser mirror...but you couldn't see each medal.

Luckily the awesome people at Allied Medal Displays offered to make a custom medal hanger for me with my blog name on it!!!

The custom process was really easy. First I decided on the font and size that I wanted. Then I decided on anything else I wanted added. I chose to add a female runner on each side of the words. I emailed my options to Joel at Allied Medal Displays and it took him less than 24 hours to get an image to me of my display! He said I could change anything I wanted but I LOVED it just as it was!

Joel shipped it out fairly quickly. It arrived on my doorstep about a week later! I was really impressed with the packaging. It was packaged very carefully so it wouldn't get damaged.

When I unwrapped it it was beautiful!!!! I absolutely love it!!! It also came with all the hardware needed for my hubby to mount it on the wall for me!

I highly recommend the custom displays! They did an amazing job with mine and it was better than I pictured it to be!

If you don't want something custom they have a variety of medal hangers to choose from. They have running ones, triathlon ones, motivational ones, and sports ones. And my favorite...magical designs! Yep those are inspired by Disney! There is one for everyone to choose from!

And once mine gets filled up I can purchase a hang bar so I can add more medals to it!

Just look at this beauty proudly displaying some of my medals!

The great news....Allied Medal Displays is offering a giveaway for one of their standard designs to one of my lucky readers!!!

Enter below for your chance to win (please follow all of the guidelines...I will be checking)! Good luck!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spirit of the Marathon II

Disclaimer: I received two complimentary movie passes and press release materials from NCM Fathom Events in exchange for my post promoting the movie. As always all opinions are mine and mine alone!

As runners we know how hard it is to run a marathon. It's not just a day when you go out and run 26.2 miles. It takes motivation, commitment, dedication, and sacrifice. It takes many long training runs when you could be sleeping in or enjoying that time with your family. It takes many nights of going to bed early because you have a long run the next morning. It takes many days of sore muscles and injury prevention. And that is just the training. Come race day...it takes even more. Overcoming the mental battle during a marathon is one of the toughest things I've ever experienced. Learning that your body can do a lot more than your mind thinks it can is a hard lesson to learn. Why do we, as runners, put ourselves through all of this? That's a question I get asked a ton! A simple, "because I love to run," is hard for most to understand. But it's the truth. Some runners run for other reasons...because a loved one is sick, to raise money for charity, or to honor the memory of someone. No matter the reason...it's always worth the sacrifice!

Many of you saw the movie "Spirit of the Marathon" a few years ago. It was about 6 runners who trained and ran the Chicago Marathon. As a runner it is a must see! Guess what? "Spirit of the Marathon II" is premiering THIS Wednesday night in select theaters nationwide!

This movie is about the journey 7 marathon runners experience while training and competing in the Rome Marathon. It's about the journey that changed their lives forever. The movie features amateur and veteran marathoners:

• Julie Weiss – Veteran Marathoner – At the Rome Marathon, Julie began a quest to run a marathon a week for a year to honor the memory of her father on an emotional journey to spread awareness and raise money for pancreatic cancer - the devastating disease that claimed his life.

• Ylenia Anelli – First-time Marathoner – While struggling to keep her mom-and -pop running shoe store open in Milan and raising two children, Ylenia takes on the challenge of training to run her first marathon.

• Vasyl Matviychuk – Olympic Marathoner Hopeful – The elite marathoner trains with the pride of country in his heart in hopes that a fast time at theRome Marathon will earn him the last spot on the Ukrainian National Olympic Team.

• Mimmo Scipioni – Veteran Marathoner – The good-natured, hard-working owner of"Pizzeria II Podista" (The Runner Pizzeria) in Rome, Mimmo has lined his pizzeria’s walls with photos and trophies from the more than 40 marathons he has run. It is a pre-race tradition for runners to carbo load with Mimmo. For Mimmo, the family tradition of running the Rome Marathon is in jeopardy due to a nagging injury.

• Domenico Anzini – Veteran Marathoner – Prodded by his cousin Mimmo, it took a lot of convincing for Domenico to give running a try. Now, 18 years later, the 73-year-old has run in everyRome Marathon since its inception. The camaraderie and humor the cousins share during their training runs goes to the heart of family.

• Cliff Scott – First-time Marathoner – Scott’s bucket list decision to run his first marathon in his 60’s is an inspiration unto itself. When faced with an unimaginable family tragedy he struggles to make peace with himself during training runs in the woods. It is painfully obvious that his loss has taken its toll and calls into question whether he will be able to finish the Rome Marathon. 

• Epiphanie Nyirabarame – Two-time Olympian – One of the few professional runners in Rwanda, Epiphanie proudly represents her country around the world to create change for women. Having been deeply affected by the genocide in 1994, Epiphanie uses her resources to invest in her community, advocating for progress and growth, especially for the future generation of runners.

The movie will also have interviews with marathon greats Stefano Baldini, Paula Radcliffe, Frank Shorter, Kathrine Switizer and others. There will also be deleted scenes and memorable outtakes from the filming of the movie. 

The movie's producers, NCM Fathom Events and movie theater circuit partners AMC Entertainment Inc., Cinemark Holdings, Inc. and Regal Entertainment Group—will donate a portion of the proceeds from the “Spirit of the Marathon II” event to The One Fund Boston, assisting families affected by the tragic events of the 2013 Boston Marathon on April 15. The Competitor Group (the ones who put on the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series), along with other running organizations, have created the RunNow.com to also raise money for The One Fund Boston and promote people to run. 

Visit the Fathom Events website for a list of theaters near you that will be broadcasting the movie Wednesday night at 7PM local time. 

You can purchase your tickets online at the Fathom Events website or purchase them at your local participating box office. I wouldn't wait to purchase tickets....it's sure to sell out quick!

Here's the official trailer for the movie! I can't wait to see it!!!

QOTD: Are you planning on seeing this movie? Did you see "Spirit of the Marathon?"

Walt Disney World Marathon 2013 Part 2!

Don't forget to read Part 1 of my recap!

We left Animal Kingdom around the 13 mile mark. And so began another long stretch until we reached the ESPN Wide World of Sports. We were basically running on the highway...the sun was beating down and there was absolutely no shade. Miserable!

There were a few character stops along the way that we stopped for. I couldn't pass up Pluto and Mickey!

And let's not forget the gravediggers! Yes there were actual gravediggers and tombstones! I decided to play dead...but I couldn't stop laughing! One of the gravediggers came up to Rachel and me and asked if we felt dead yet. We told him no and he said, "Good. I don't feel like working today." Hilarious!!! And a nice break from knowing we still had about 12 more miles to go!

Finally we saw the 15 mile sign! Yay! 11.2 miles to go!!!

And then who did we see? Launchpad McQuack!!! I haven't seen this character in forever! My boys don't even know who he is! I had to take a picture with him!

Around mile 17 we entered the ESPN Wide World of Sports. And right when we entered they had the absolute BEST thing ever...a sponge station!!! They handed us cold, wet sponges! It was amazing!!! I dripped it all over my face and the back of my neck! I don't think anything has ever felt so good lol!

We ran around the perimeter of a couple of soccer fields. We ran a lap around the track...changing from concrete to the spongy track was fabulous! Then we finally made it out onto the baseball field where the Atlanta Braves hold their spring training! They had video of us running up on the jumbo tron...it was so awesome!!!

After leaving the field we knew we were close to mile 20 and the "Mile 20 Spectacular" runDisney had been telling us about. I was really hoping whatever surprise they had in store for us was going to help get me through those last 6.2 miles. We joked that maybe they had transportation for us to the finish line!!! ;-)

Well....I'm not sure if maybe my expectations were too high or what but it wasn't that spectacular in my opinion. They had neat puppets (I guess that's what you call them) and a photo opportunity with Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto.

And there was a pretty awesome arch that showcased all 20 medals from the marathon...that was pretty neat!

As we were headed towards Hollywood Studios I knew this was it. Only 6.2 miles to go. I knew this would be the hardest part of the race both mentally and physically. Everything was screaming at me to stop....my head and my entire body. But my heart wouldn't let me stop. I was almost there!

Rachel and I were taking a lot longer on our walk breaks. Not only were we tired but the sun and heat beating down on us was taking its toll.

Finally we reached mile 22 and entered Hollywood Studios. And guess what we found there? CHOCOLATE!!! They had wonderful volunteers handing us chocolate!!! Yum!

We ran down the Streets of America, made it to the hat, and then down Hollywood Blvd. And these are some of my favorite pictures of me running! See the look of determination on my face? I was trying to enjoy running through the park but I was also ready to see that finish line!

We exited Hollywood Studios around mile 24 and we were on our way to Epcot...our last park! We started running toward the Boardwalk and passed the Yacht and Beach Club. I loved this part of the route because I've never been lucky enough to stay in these resorts. And I've never been to the Boardwalk either. So it was awesome seeing new scenery! And it was sooo quaint and beautiful!

We finally entered Epcot and I knew we just had to run around the World Showcase and past Spaceship Earth and the finish line would be there. We only had a little over a mile to go!!!!

I'm not sure which country we were running in at the time but all of a sudden I heard Rachel scream and run over to the side. Her boyfriend had surprised her by waiting for her in his favorite country! It was awesome seeing their reunion! He snapped a few pictures of us (which are some of my favorite...thanks so much Rachel!) and we were on our way.

We had almost made it around the World Showcase and I looked to the side and saw Snow White and Dopey!!! I was so excited! I thought I wasn't going to see her. It was the one picture I really wanted since I was dressed like her! When I walked up to her she gave me a look that told me she was flattered I'd dressed like her! Then she asked me to do my hand a certain way and I had no idea what she was talking about! Finally the photographer told me to make a heart with our hands and then I got it! I apologized and said I'd been running for way too long and had no brain power left lol! It was pretty comical....and I felt like an idiot lol!

But I was so excited I got my picture with Snow White!!!

Finally we saw Spaceship Earth and I knew we were close to the finish line!

And then we saw it....the 26 mile sign!!!! It was soooo good seeing that sign!!!

We took a quick picture and then we were on our way! That finish line was ours and we couldn't wait to see it!!!

And there it was!!! I started getting real emotional at this time! We did it!!! Rachel was a marathoner!!! I was soooo proud of her!!! And I had finished my second marathon!!!

I grabbed Rachel's hand and we crossed the finish line together!!! It was the best feeling ever!!!

We stopped running and hugged each other! I'm not sure if Rachel was but I was crying! We started walking and saw the medals! That beloved bling was finally mine!!!

My official time was 6:43:09...an hour and 15 minutes slower than my first marathon! But my first marathon wasn't a Disney race...so there were no stops for pictures. And the weather wasn't hot and humid. It may not have been the time I wanted...but who cares? I am now a second-time marathoner!!!

Final Thoughts:
- This race was what I expected of a runDisney event: super organized, tons of water stops and food stops (there were at least 2 stops that I remember that had bananas), and the volunteers and cast members were amazing! They were always calling you by name (or in my case calling me Snow White) and telling you what a great job you were doing!
- Having character stops and entertainment along the route was so much fun! And of course running through the parks was unforgettable!
- I HIGHLY recommend any Disney race! It is truly a magical experience!!!

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I questioned why I encountered a knee injury during this training. I wondered and asked God why it was happening to me. I loved running Disney races and just wanted to run pain free. Why was I getting injured now?

I believe that God has a plan for us that we may not always understand. I KNOW now why God allowed my knee injury. I believe He wanted me to slow down and take it easy during this race because he wanted me to meet Rachel. He wanted me to help her and encourage her through her first marathon. How do I know this? Because normally I run for me. If I'm feeling good then I just run. I usually don't wait for anyone. I felt great during this marathon other than the normal tiredness. But something just wouldn't let me leave Rachel. I just couldn't leave her. And that's not like me. Crossing that finish line and seeing her face was truly unforgettable and an experience I will never forget!

QOTD: Have you ever run a Disney race? What is your favorite thing about Disney races?