It's Official - I got a 10k PR!

The 17th state was checked off on Saturday with a wonderful trip with my 2 daughters. I ran the Lombardi Classic 10k in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1:03:05. Two weeks earlier I ran the ZOOMA Annapolis 10k in 1:05:03. A new 10k PR!!!! The course was through the Milwaukee Zoo - so what better way to start off a morning than to run past elk, caribou, grizzly bears, giraffes and emu! I loved every minute of it. Afterwards, my daughters and I enjoyed a morning filled with more animals. Before heading to Chicago (for a little Magnificent Mile time), we made a spontaneous trip to the Jelly Belly factory. The tour was so-so (a bit boring) but the samples were great and the jelly belly hat totally made the trip worthwhile! We made it to Chicago in time to do sufficient damage to the Visa card before enjoying a Giordano deep dish pizza (I hope I burned off enough calories to make this splurge not as damaging!)...mmmmmmm! On the drive back Sunday we hit the University of Notre Dame to enjoy the bookstore and grounds. Overall, wonderful race - wonderful trip! Below are some pictures of the weekend -


Pinning on my number


Finish line!


Bridget and I with a Milwaukee Buck :)


Me, Bridget and Megan at the Jelly Belly Factory

16th State Was One of My Favorite Races!

I missed a 10k PR by 40 seconds but I was more than happy with my time of 1:05:02. I ran the ZOOMA 10k in Annapolis this past Sunday. The morning was iffy since it was raining buckets and lightning at 6:00 am. Megan was a course marshal volunteer working at the 10k turnaround. I have to say it was pretty cool hearing her voice as I approached the turn/half marathon split. Rating the course, organization, town and post race food and festivities, I would have to give high marks. Packet pick up on Saturday was simple and I did enjoy walking around the Naval Academy stadium and seeing GO NAVY in the bleachers. We strolled around the town and had lunch at this great little gem called Chick and Ruth's "delly" - I highly recommend this place. Race morning was not initially ideal, but what can you do when Mother Nature deals you a bad hand! Surprisingly, the temps stayed in the high 50s to low 60s which was nice regardless of the rain. Wouldn't you know it stopped raining about a mile before the finish. The course was scenic and challenging - a great combination. The finish line was spacious and food was spot on. All finishers received a special necklace made by women in Guatemala - a nice touch. I had the option of riding the shuttle back to the Naval stadium or walking a mile back. The walk back was an ideal choice. The After Party was exactly as promised. I was greeted by a volunteer handing out chocolates, next I had a yummy sample size cupcake from Nostalgia Cupcakes, a box lunch with hummus, carrot/celery sticks & apple, and a cold complimentary glass of Pinot Grigio from Barefoot Wines. Although I didn't sign up for a free massage, I was impressed with how organized the service was. I even treated myself to a new pink shirt that read, "one tasty cupcake = 3.1 miles" - love it! Best of all, I got to share this race experience with my daughter, who was a great volunteer. I would recommend this as a destination race since the town is a must-see and the race is challenging, well run and truly enjoyable.