2024 Shamrock Shuffle

There are a couple of race options in Spokane for St. Patrick's Day. I usually run the 5 miler put on by BRRC, this is the same organization that puts on our annual Bloomsday race. This year however, I decided to try a different race and boy am I glad I did.

The Shamrock Shuffle is organized by Negative Split and registration is through runsignup.com. They offered a 5K, 10K and Half marathon. I did the 5K, but next year I may do the 10K or half only because the route is so beautiful.

The race start and finish is located at the North Bank Shelter of Spokane's Riverfront Park. This is also where Gear check was located for those that needed it.

Pre-race entertainment was provided by local mascots, I snapped a photo of Doris the Spokansaurus from our baseball team, the Spokane Indians, I actually took some video of her as she did a little dance and blew me a kiss.

There were also some inflatables for photo ops. Just ask a runner to snap your photo, everyone was so friendly.

Prior to sending us off, we did a pre-race workout with stretches and a little cardio to get us warmed up. There were no aid stations for the 5K and that's fine for me. If you are doing the 5K and need hydration make sure to bring your own. There were two aid stations for the 10K and five for the Half Marathon. There were ample portable toilets at the start and for those longer distances, there were facilities at each aid station. One thing that made me extra happy, we started ON TIME!

When I say this race course was gorgeous, I really mean it. 

The entire course of the 5K ran around the Spokane River which flows through the middle of Riverfront park. With the weather being sunning and warm it was the best!

And can we talk about medals................

Early race registration was $35.00, I think this is a steal. Especially since we receive a really nice finishers tech shirt and a great looking metal along with the post race food. There was so much food; bagels, bananas, scones, chips, coffee, hot chocolate and more. 

If you want to check out my video recap of the race on YouTube, Click Here!

I highly recommend this race, and then go enjoy some green beer!

Dopey Challenge Training Ep. #1

I never thought I’d be writing about my Dopey training for 2023. I had attempted many times to register without success. Then one Monday morning I received an Instagram message from one of my YouTube subscribers who obtained a bib through a charity with Kellsies Hope. She had met her fundraising goal and then became injured. She was messaging me to offer her bib to me because as she said, I had inspired her to sign up for the Dopey Challenge by watching my videos. I was stunned that I had been her inspiration. I don’t think of myself that way. I immediately began crying and could hardly type my response because my hands were shaking so badly. 

 

The rest of day I was numb. I knew I had to jump on travel plans, or this could turn into a very expensive adventure. I was amazed to snag a value resort at an unbelievable rate and the airfare was very affordable after cashing in vouchers and using points. All that was left was the training.

 

So here I am, jumping into the training plan at week 15. Luckily, it’s an easy week, but looking into the future my stomach dropped. This will be the only easy week, so put I put on my “big girl” running shoes and hit the road smiling. 

 

To watch episode one of my training click here

30 Random Facts About Me

Did you ever play the 30-questions game with your friends? You circulate an email to your friends that had a list of questions you were supposed to answer and then send on to your group of friends.  Anyone remember those?  I loved them because it gave me an opportunity to see how well I really knew my friends and pick up a few more tidbits about them that I may not have known before. So today, I thought it’d be fun to share 30 random facts about me that many of you may not know.  Ready?  Let’s go!

1.     I could eat a whole can of black olives in one sitting.

2.     My favorite Starbucks drink any time of year is a Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino, too bad it’s a seasonal drink.

3.     I also use a Pumpkin overnight face mask from Trader Joes, don’t scoff until you’ve tried it.

4.     My choir group in high school preformed at the Montana State prison. 

5.     Favorite all-time classical piece of music is Clair de Lune.

6.     I have zero tattoos and plan to keep it that way 

7.     I’ve never been in a band; however, I was a regular at Azteca on Karaoke night. I have the recordings to prove it.

8.     I’ve walked from Buckingham Palace to Kensington Palace.

9.     I developed a fish allergy in my 30’s.

10. When I was in college, I sold my piano to pay my car tabs.

11. I’ve done air to ocean in Hawaii. By that I mean, I’ve snorkeled and ziplined in Maui.

12. I am petrified of snakes!

13. My favorite dessert is pie, any flavor any style, but if I had to choose….. cherry.

14. I fed a donkey a beer (cerveza) on a high school trip to Mexico.

15. I was once fluent in Spanish, but not anymore

16. Black Opium perfume by Yves Saint Laurent is what I’d consider my “signature” fragrance.

17. My favorite color is pink; however I wear blue more often because I look better in blue.

18. There is not one organized sport that I play well. I was always picked last in school.

19. Favorite sport to watch live or on TV is football.

20. I love Hallmark movies!

21. Most annoying thing to me is someone chomping on their gum with their mouth open.

22. I once had to wake up a surly gas station attendant in the middle of night in the middle of nowhere because I ran out of gas. 

23. I have a habit of running out of gas. Good to know if you ever go on a road trip with me.

24. I drove from Florida to Spokane with my 4-month-old son, 1 year old beagle and my mom. I recommend flying next time.

25. Learned to swim before I could walk. Mother insisted because we had a pool.

26. My brothers threw me in that pool when a flaming marshmallow landed on my leg. Why would you throw a screaming hysterical child in a pool? Brothers, gotta love them.

27. I’ve been in the crown of the Statue of Liberty.

28. When I fly, I always book the aisle seat.

29. Fall and Winter are my most favorite seasons of the year!

30. My favorite vacation was a 7-night Disney cruise, concierge level. Took me two years to pay it off and I’d do it again!

 

I hope that was fun for you and you learned a little more about me.  Feel free to share in the comments below a random fact or two about yourself!

Dopey Challenge Training – Week 28 Will I make it to Disney

My last training run was actually an 8 ½ ride on my new exercise bike.

 

I packed up my gear and went to bed early the day prior to departing for Disney. I have a super early flight out of Spokane.

 

I arrive at the Airport at 4:00am for my 6:00am flight, however my flight got cancelled and rescheduled to 8:00am. This would not give me enough time to go home and come back, so I just hung out in the most boring airport in the nation for 3 hours.

 

I made it to Phoenix, AZ where my flight was delayed by another hour, so what to do…. What to do?? Airport bar hopping of course. I taste tested all the restaurant and lounges that served my favorite beverage…. Margaritas. 

Halfway through my adventures I got a text that my flight was coming in early and then shortly after it was moved back to an hour later. Good lord I’m never getting out of Phoenix. 

FINALLY way after midnight I arrived at my hotel in Disney world. I slept in before heading to the race expo to pick up my bib and buy any merchandise I can’t live without. 

The line to get into Merchandise was wrapped around the building and I was in line for well over 3 hours so when I got in I felt obligated to spend way too much money on merchandise, and I have absolutely no regrets about that at all. 

Training is all done, costumes are all complete and I made it to Disney. It all starts tomorrow. Stay tuned for all my race recaps on YouTube: runrunrosie.

 

Check out my final week of training, just click here!

Dopey Challenge Training – Week 27 We’ve come so Far

This week I competed all my runs on the Treadmill and it was also a week to look back at everything I’ve done over the past six months to get ready for the Dopey Challenge.

 

I started the training on day one with 112 degree sweltering in the heat to ending the training plan in below zero temperatures. There was also that black cloud the first few weeks of training where registration hadn’t even open up yet and the dread that maybe Disney wouldn’t open up in person running. 

 

It was all worth the pain and sometime misery because next week I leave for Walt Disney World and I can’t be more excited. Please Mother Nature, don’t do anything to delay my flights.

 

Next week………………….DISNEY WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

To watch Taper week click here!

Dopey Challenge Training – Week 26 Christmas Time Taper

This is the week I have looked forward to from the beginning…. TAPER TIME! I am taking taper much too literal. I skipped my Tuesday run because I was so sore from that Dopey run through. Then on Thursday I used this day to get last minute Christmas things done and wrap up any lose ends at work, so I could take Friday off to begin the Christmas holiday.

 

Being the silly gal I am, rather than jumping on the tread mill, I battle the snow and ice for my first training run Friday morning. I’ve made it this far in the Training, why do I chance it by risking injury. I did manage to slip and slide through 3 miles during my 40 minutes out in the snow and ice. 

 

Christmas morning, right after a breakfast of Mickey pancakes and opening presents, I went out the door with Baxter for a little walk around the park. 

 

I’m working on packing and figuring out how I’m going to transport my running costumes and making sure I have supplies to complete or fix any last minute costume mishaps. 

 

My pups could hardly keep their eyes open by the end of the Christmas day, actually me either. 

 

Merry Christmas everyone!

 

Watch Taper Week by clicking here!

Dopey Challenge Training – Week 25: Dopey Run Through

This week I’m doing my practice runs for completing the Dopey challenge. I just wish that Mother Nature was a little more cooperative. 

 

The first of my four practice runs was Thursday night after work. I had a late start due to an unexpected snow/ice storm. It took over an hour to drive home from work because the roads were a sheet of ice and apparently everyone forgot how to drive in winter conditions. I did my run/walk through the park near my home, little scary in the dark. My advice is to not run in a park at night. 

 

Run number two was a five miler on the treadmill, it was again after work but at least I was in my climate controlled basement and not slipping around outside. Happily my leg is feeling much better!!!

 

 Run number three was Saturday morning in the middle of a snow storm and as the miles went along I was losing my desire to be out. The snow continued to fall and trying to run through all the snow berms was getting more difficult with each step.

 

Halfway through, I noticed people have finally started waking up and shoveled the pathways. As I reach mile 8 I decided to complete only 9 miles today as I slipped and reinjured my leg. I needed to get back home and rest up for tomorrow’s extra-long run. But I first have to finish up Christmas shopping, my holiday baking and put together my Christmas dinner menu. Holy crap!

 

Run number four will definitely be on the treadmill because I am NOT coming out in this weather again.  I got up super early on Sunday morning and hopped on the treadmill and to my surprise completed 20 miles in 3 and a half hours, so proud of myself!

 

This completes my Dopey run through and I feel so ready for these races in January. This week also ends those long runs, thank goodness taper begins next week!! It’s all downhill from here. 

 

To watch my Dopey run through click here!