This past weekend, I ran in the inaugural ZOOMA Napa Valley half marathon race. It was a beautiful course with friendly people. I went into the race with the expectation of just to run and have fun. No time goals. No speed records set. Just to run and have fun for the love of running. This has been my running mantra the past few months… and I have a feeling it is staying.
As a Zooma ambassador, I was particularly excited about this course because of the amazing women running it, the sponsors, and of course the amazing views of the wine country.
When I woke on race day, I found my polar RC3 GPS watch battery was low. I was shocked, bummed, and a bit upset because I remember charging it before I left town.
However, I also remember the monkeys doing their school work around the computer and wanting to have their LeapPad charged… so I have a feeling there was little hands, little helpers and little mischief going on that resulted in my watch not fully charging. Bummer.
However, this was a silver lining in that I was free to totally run by feel and enjoy the race. I would still use my Nike+ GPS to record my run via my phone, but I would not have access to the stats while running. I also ran music free. I was going to run naked.
The vibe before the race was positive and full of energy. There were 1,000 racers and the majority of them were women. I think there were only a handful of supportive men running. I was able to meet some new faces, friends, and fellow ambassadors! I love running and meeting other runners!
The Star Spangled Banner was played and before we knew it we were off! The first mile or so was congested like any race… but it wasn’t that bad because it was a smaller race. Still the vibe with an all women’s race is so different… positive… fun… happy!
I found myself needing to use the restroom shortly after we started. Which is odd because it rarely happens to me, but again I was running for fun and didn’t really care about my time. So I decided to take a pit stop around mile 2.
This was by far the prettiest, cleanest, and best port-o-potty I have ever used during a race. Available. No wait. Clean. With a view! Yes please!
The first five miles of the race weaved through neighborhoods and local vineyards. The temperature was rising with the sun. I was thankful for the shade some of the trees provided and the cool breeze. It was getting warm quick.
As I ran, I checked out the beauty around me. The hills. The shadows the sun was casting on the hills and vineyards. The women running. It was a gorgeous sight to see!
So yes. I stopped. I took more photos. I knew I wasn’t going to be blazing fast or setting any time goals. However, had I trained properly this course would be a great course to set a personal best on. It is flat, fast, and easy. I just wasn’t motivated to work that hard on race day… I was just out to have a good time.
As the miles clicked away, the sun rose, and the temperatures continued to rise. The shade was getting sparse and sweat was glistening. Thankfully everyone was in high spirits as we continued on down the course. Runners. Walkers. Mothers. Friends.
Yes, I am a cheese ball and took a photo of the Napa City Limits sign. Heck, it isn’t every day you get to run in Napa! At least for me it was a new and rare opportunity.
I mean, check out the amazing live band we got to enjoy along the course! They were totally on their game and were very proud of sharing their talent with the runners on race day! There was even a third player who wanted to take a break in their van. Professionals. Their band manager (dad) was very proud of them.
As the miles clicked on I enjoyed chatting with other runners along the course, taking photos of myself running with other runners (Hi Susan and Lynda!), and helping take photos for other women along the course.
As always for me around mile 8, I was done. I decided to do the whole run/walk game. I was hot. I was feeling injured . The uneven pavement and running on the side of the road was aggravating my IT band and foot. Excuses I know.
I kept plodding along. Before I knew it the finish line was ahead. I ran in… even racing another woman across the finish line. That was so fun and unexpected. I loved it! When we crossed the line we high fived each other and congratulated each other on a great race. Again, women’s races are so fun, friendly and nice! Love it!
I finished. My finish time was 2:31. Not the fastest. Not the slowest. I ran for fun. No pressure. No stress. Running by feel and enjoying the course and people I was running with.
I did have my Polar Loop with me as I ran. I wanted to record those steps and activity during the race. I think it is safe to say that I reached my goal midway through the race.
I really enjoyed running the ZOOMA Napa Valley half marathon. It was a beautiful course. Flat. If you wanted to run FAST this was a great course to set a personal best! There were lots of water stations (I didn’t carry any water and was fine). It was well run. I would totally run this again in 2015, if the opportunity presented itself.
I loved doing this race with you Rachel and the other ambassadors…The “live band” made me smile as I passed them, so cute. This was a fun experience for sure
Yay! So much fun meeting and running with you too, Lynda! 🙂
Great race recap and congrats on your finish! I’ll have to check out this race next year! BTW, love the Napa-themed race bling! 🙂
Thank you. Yes, I agree. Isn’t the medal super cute!?! 🙂
Sounds like such a beautiful course! I rarely run a race just for fun, but have LOVED the ones I did- no pressure is always nice. 🙂 Congrats!
You are super speedy 😉 I had a year of racing and training plans all last year. I was finding myself getting a bit burnt out on running and racing after the LA Marathon. I realized I could still run and race… for fun! 🙂
I am finding the urge to improve my time coming back… but probably not until the fall when the temperature cools. 🙂
Best band ever right there!
& who doesn’t want a porta potty with a view?
Do you recommend the Polar Loop? I’ve been debating on trading in my FitBit for one of those.
Hi! Right!? I am sure I looked like a total dork taking a photo of the port-o-potties DURING the race… but it was pretty amazing. LOL 😉
I actually own and use BOTH. They both have unique features of measuring your daily activity.
I lOVE my loop because I just wear it all.day.long and don’t even think about it. Only removing to charge.
I need to write a review of the LOOP soon. I love that it tells you your daily activity, steps, can measure HEART RATE (with a strap HRM), sleep and more.
The fitbit I have forgotten to remove and have accidentally washed… or gone a day or two without putting it on. 🙂
Love your mantra! I say it, but I need to live it 🙂 Running “naked” is so freeing…but the weirdo in me always wants to know the final mileage too!
Yes. I totally know how you feel. I am such a numbers/tech gal too. I did have my nike+ GPS running in my pack… but didn’t have access to the splits/mileage/time until the race was over. 🙂
I walk more than I run and I love having my gear on me. Being in Napa, however, I can totally see why you took the fun route and enjoyed the scenery.
Yes. Thank you. When I race for time… I miss out on the view and sights/sounds around me. I get in the zone. Running for fun… while racing… I get to experience the things I often miss out on. 🙂 Enjoying myself. 🙂
SOOOOO awesome! My ADD totally would have kicked in LOL But I would LOVE to have a medal like that! SO awesome.
Congratulations on finishing the race. I have never run a race before, so I am thoroughly impressed.
Thank you, Karen! 🙂
Nice recap! I ran DR’s Healdsburg Half last year and it was gorgeous, would love to run more in the Napa/Sonoma area 🙂
Oh now THAT sounds like a pretty race too! 🙂
What a beautiful and fun place to run a race. I’m adding that to my race bucket list. I did the Zooma race in Annapolis last month-it’s one of my favorites.
Awesome! That looked like a nice race too! 🙂 It seems that ZOOMA puts on a great race. 🙂
That course is gorgeous. I would love to run wine country!
Thanks, Abby. Yes, it was a gorgeous course! 🙂
Looks like you had a blast! If only I was soo brave!
Haha! Thanks, Sarah! I always try to have fun when running! 🙂
Never been to Napa and I don’t run. I’ve never liked running. I liked the competition of running when we ran during basketball practices. 😉
Basketball running is a whole different beast to endurance running. I loved running ‘suicides’ during basketball drills too… but it was so much harder than half marathons (imho). 🙂
Congrats on meeting goal. This has to be an achievement for you. I love all the pictures, I could feel the excitement and the thrill of the run from you and your friends.
Thanks Penelope! It was a fun race… when you go in the race with intentions of having a fun time. 🙂
What amazing views!! Congrats!
Thank you.
You are awesome!! I love your images from the race, I want to run there some day!
You totally should! 🙂 They will have a ZOOMA 2015 in Napa next year. 😉
Yessssss!!!
Oooh, love the Zooma! Have been an ambassador for the one here in Texas for 3 years . . . .come do it if you love hills!
How fun! I embrace the hills when I encounter them… but I can’t say that I LOVE them. 😉 I woudl LOVE to run in Texas someday 😉
Your outlook of just having fun doing this race and being a more positive person is an outlook that should be more widely done! Too many people are taking things too seriously and not having a good time. Good for you!!!
Thank you. I love having fun in all areas of my life… and running is one of those areas. 🙂
Never been to Napa but long to visit California. As far as running, never been a runner. My bum leg hasn’t allowed me to. Congrats on the race!
Thank you Teresa. You should visit California… it is HUGE and has so much beauty 🙂
Fringe benefit of running for fun – we get to enjoy all the awesome photos you took along the course!
Haha! That is SO true! Thanks Jen! 🙂
I like your Polar tracker.
It’s really interesting to read this because I’m not a runner. I can see how running naked would be freeing!
What a beautiful course! I need to sign myself up for some of these. I’ll go the 10k route for awhile first though LOL
You are too cute! Great photos and it looks like a wonderful race!
Awesome job! I really want to run Zooma next year, but I had to work this past weekend, so it just wasn’t possible. I’ll be running the 2nd half of the SF marathon at the end of this month, and it’s going to be a naked-ish run 🙂 I’m running for Nuun, so no time goal, no goal really other than to have the most fun possible! Encourage other runners on behalf of Nuun along the way. DRINK ALL THE NUUN! along the course. I’ll have Nike+ going on my phone, but my phone has been dying SO fast that I’m worried it will die halfway through (since I’ll be running and encouraging others, I’ll definitely cover more than 13.1 miles), and I’ll have my Bia watch on, but no music, and not paying attention to pace. SUPER excited about this kind of race since it’s pretty stinkin foreign to me! When are we running together?! 🙂
I love to run naked but I feel if I’m training and have goals, I should get measurables to gadge effort and progress. It’s not to take a break from farther/faster goals and run by feel and for fun. I’ve ran in Napa TWICE and drove for a relay once and still have yet to do wine tasting there. GRR! I plan on fixing that this August. Haha.
I SO wanted to make this race, but couldn’t swing it this year. It looks like the course was amazing! Love the live band, lol. Great pics.
You look great! Nothing like running just for the FUN of it and nothing else. I once ran through a vineyard (literally) and while the views were gorgeous, the vines tried to blind me. LOL. I survived.
I always run without music, but I always have my Garmin and HR monitor! Which is pretty silly considering I always run for fun lol.
Your pictures looked beautiful and so glad you had a great time!
I am not a runner but I would have loved to do that for the views! &I love that it was flat, too. It sounds like you had a blast!
A while back you were trying the MAF training method. I am curious, have you seem improvements in your time? Are you still training by heart rate? I’ve intentionally slowed down over the last few months and I have just noticed that I am a bit faster without the heart rate going sky high.