Scottsdale Half Marathon News!!! {and Giveaway}

Posted by hellyontherun in 5k, Giveaway, Half Marathon, Race, Running and tagged with Arizona races, Fiesta Bowl Half Marathon, Giveaway, Scottsdale Half Marathon October 7, 2016

Happy Friday!!!

I feel so much excitement this weekend for a variety of reasons but a big one is because my very good friend Jen is running the Chicago Marathon this weekend!!! There so many people I know running that race (good luck Courtney!) and I love tracking them and getting updates.

Speaking of good races, I was recently chosen as an ambassador for one of my favorite local races here in the Phoenix valley. It used to be called the Fiesta Bowl Half Marathon and 5k because it was a sub-event of the Fiesta Bowl (college football game) here in Phoenix. But, the race is a month before the game so it kinda didn’t really make sense for the race to be affiliated it. Plus, the race has became such a local favorite, and since it’s run in the heart of Scottsdale, Az, the race director finally decided to make the big change and make it

Scottsdale Half Marathon

This change will really give the city ownership of the race as it’s become a favorite for everyone to do. I’ve done this race every year since I started running “competitively” (i.e. seriously) getting an at the time 5k PR there in 2013 and at the time 1/2 marathon PR there in 2014. I had to skip out last year because of my injury but my husband ran it (and got a PR).

He makes it look so easy.

It’s a flat, fast course which is a big reason why I love it, lol! It goes through neighborhoods I frequented as I worked at a high school near the area for 8 years. It’s also in mid-December and the weather here in Arizona is cause for envy (for us though it’s cold lol!! especially last year, hence my husband’s running gear–I think it was freezing somewhere around the high 40s 😀 ) The race is also suuuuper family friendly–I took my kids last year to cheer dad on 🙂 I just love this race…

And because I love it so much, I want to give YOU a chance to run it! This giveaway will be on my Facebook page (<—linky here or search Helly on the Run). It’ll run through Wednesday and I’ll announce a winner there that morning. The giveaway is for race entry only–sorry, you’ll have to figure out lodging and transportation if you’re an out-of-towner.

If you don’t wanna wait to see if you win, you can register now at their super low price (seriously, this is one of the most inexpensive but AWESOME races out there). The 1/2 marathon is currently $65 with time chip, medal, gender specific shirt, and beanie–and the 5k is $25 with time chip, gender specific shirt, and medal. Isn’t that amazing?? Prices go up ten bucks for each race on October 16th for the half marathon and November 1st for the 5k.

–Do you like smaller, home-towney feeling races? I do!! I also don’t mind big races either (hello Chicago and New York!!)

Inferno Triathlon Recap

Posted by hellyontherun in Race and tagged with ASU, Sun Devils, Swim Bike Run, Triathlon June 29, 2016

I hadn’t mentioned this Tri at all as I had sort of forgotten about it and also didn’t train for it, lol!!

Awhile ago, my buddy Team Fox Jen had mentioned this race hosted by my alma mater, Arizona State University, and I jumped at the chance to visit my old stomping grounds. They offered a Beginner (200yd swim, 6 mile bike, 1.5 run) and Advanced option (4ooyd, 12 mile bike, 3 mile run). I went with the Beginner because of the shorter swim 😀

Inferno is such an adequate name…

Jen and me ❤

A bunch of my Moms Run This Town friends also signed up and that made me less jittery as the last time I had been in a pool was for my last/first tri in March. Eeeek!

Hard things are so much easier (and fun!) if done with friends ❤

I was in Heat 1 and the only one of my friends in the first heat. I was a little nervous going first and having everyone see me ~~suck at swimming~~ but I knew that my friends were nothing but supportive and that it would actually help me having them there cheering me on.

The swim was done in an outdoor pool and it was a 25 yd lap so I had to do 8. I was nervous counting and intent on making sure I didn’t do any extra, lol!

Fork ’em!

I took my time, knowing this was not my strength. I stopped at the end of each lap to catch my breath and didn’t care. I think I was the third to last one out, but it was no matter to me.

From there, we dried off, put our clothes/shoes on, and then had to take a quick flight of stairs up to the room with bikes (we used indoor cycling bikes). I hopped on one and got going, adjusting the resistance.

I was pedaling away when I heard one of the volunteers say jokingly to an athlete, “30%??!!! Hike it up!!”

I had mine at 35% and thought, well, I guess I’m doing pretty good. An upbeat song came on the gym radio and I hiked the resistance up to 40 for a few minutes and then kept it between 30 and 40 for the duration of the 6 miles. I was able to make up a lot of time as I was one of the first three to get off the bike to the run.

The three of us jumped on treadmills next to each other and the guy next to me said, “Where are you going to start?” I had already set it to an 8:00 minute pace and I pointed to it. “Wow, okay!” he said.

I got focused knowing that I only had a mile and half. At half a mile, I put the setting to 7:30 pace. At a mile, to 7:00. And at the last .25 I set it to 6:53. I was running so fast the treadmill was shaking! One spectator pointed to the machine, shaking his head, smiling. I told him I was almost done so I was on a mission, lol!

As soon as I saw 1.5 on the screen, I jumped off to the finish line and presented them my arm #. I was the first one in my heat done!!!

41:18

The Advanced group had started and I went outside to wait for the second heat of Beginners (where most of my friends were). I cheered them all on as they started and then waited for each of them to finish to begin celebrating.

For a free event, we were given a certificate AND a medal. It was a pretty sweet deal!!

I wasn’t sure where I finished overall and had to wait til the next day for the results but when they came, I saw I had finished SECOND OVERALL in the beginner category–out of 14!! I was 52 seconds away from the leader, my good buddy Runner Jenny 🙂 I was so happy to see that I’d done so well considering that my swim is pretty awful. It makes me want to work on it more, lol!! I really think these past few weeks of pre-season training has helped me a ton as far as getting in shape. I felt really good despite not having trained for the event. I also don’t get nervous for things I’m not very good at so I think being relaxed and having zero expectations really helped me. I kinda wish I could be like that for races, ja!

Overall, it was such a fun event. We told the the directors so and that we all would totally participate in anything they decided to hold in the future. Go Sun Devils!! ❤

–When is the last time you visited your college (or high school)?

–Do you get more nervous for certain events versus others?

Phoenix Marathon Ambassador and an Instagram GIVEAWAY!!!

Posted by hellyontherun in Giveaway, Half Marathon, Marathon, Phoenix Marathon, Race and tagged with Arizona, Giveaway, Half Marathon, Marathon, Phoenix, Phoenix Marathon, Race, Running June 8, 2016

Check out my Insta for deets!

Happy Hump Day!! It certainly is in HellyLand as I’m so happy to share with you that I was chosen to be a Phoenix Marathon ambassador 😀 If you’ve been reading this blog a while, then you’ll remember this was my very first marathon back in 2014.

Each year since, the race has given me some pretty special moments–my first DNF in 2015, and my current half PR in 2016. You’re probably thinking how my DNF could be “special” but it was. I learned so much from that low moment as much as learned from my high at this year’s race.

It’s a race I’m pretty certain I’ll do each year because I really do love it. I love the course–it’s not intimidating at all

and I love that so many of my friends do it. It’s just a big running party. For it being *the* Phoenix Marathon, it’s not a huge race (yet) so it has a real homey feel to it. The start of the full has bonfires to keep us warm (it’s cold here in February! 50 degrees cold!) and fireworks to send us off.

It’s also a race many are finding out is a good course to BQ. Good ‘ol Suz killed the course last year and several of my friends have come out of there with qualifying times.

Because I want everyone to come visit me in Arizona and because I know you’ll want to escape your cold in Februrary, I’m giving away a FREE entry to the Phoenix HALF or FULL. The giveaway is on my Instagram only (sorry non Insta ppl). If you don’t have Instagram or don’t want to wait, you can use Helly10 for $10 off your registration for the FULL or HALF distance. Sign up and run with meeeeee!!!! ❤ , helly

–Do you have a local race you always participate in?

–How’s the weather where you’re from in February? (It’s bliss here.)

Linking up with Smitha and Erica for their Wednesday Giveaway Roundup!!