Christmas Mile/5k race event

My children ran this race on December 10, 2016
My son enjoyed the 5k course but it was not what the map said it would be.  All the information on the sign up sheet and the map link were incorrect.  Start time was supposed to be 8 am they did not explain that they were running two separate races and each had a separate start time.  So if you were running the 5k you really didn't start until 8:30am
Changing chips if you were running both races was completely disorganized.  Were to start for each race was not clearly marked either.  For a race that is in it's 11th year they should have all these things worked out by now.  No one likes to stand around in the cold waiting for a race director to get their stuff together.

My children are enjoying their shirts and the 1st place a/g medal they received.

Photo credit Senior Foundation of the Ozarks

On a positive note it was for a great cause "Senior Foundation of the Ozarks". The staff they had come volunteer at the race were super friendly.  They had an amazing spread of food and drinks but they should have just made the hot chocolate for the kids instead of providing just packets and water.
Santa and Ms Claus were great sports and the decorations at the Meyer Center supported the theme!

Race t-shirt blanket

I have been running since 2004 and I have kept every shirt ever earned during that time.  I wear my race shirts with pride until they finally either don't fit or need to be retired.  They then would sit in a box and wait for me to do something with them.  I finally did it! I made them into a blanket.
It really wasn't hard but it was time consuming and I ended up needing a pretty big table by the end for the final lay out!
I made a 15" x 15" card board pattern that I laid out over each t-shirt.  Some of my shirts had designs on the front and back so I combined them onto one shirt.  If the designs were big enough I made them into another block to sew.
I choose 15" x 15" because that gave me 1/2 inch on either side to sew them together.  I then laid them out into a grid pattern of 5 x 4 by year.  I combined each row together length wise and than combined each of those rows width wise.  When I finished sewing all the t-shirts together.  I purchased some soft blanket material and sewed the two pieces together.
I have decided when I am done with using the blanket as a blanket I will hand stitch all my medals to the blanket and hang it up.

2004, 2008-2010 (took some time off for babies)

2011-2014

I still have a ton of shirts that I am still wearing so I will have more blankets to do in the future!

You Don't Know Jack - Ruby Trail Race review

The "You Don't Know Jack" ultra distance race had planned distances of 15K, 25K, 50K, 75K, 100K and 50 miles.  First, lets review the course.  They had advertised that the course went out a 25k and back but they had a route change (which happens) and had to do out 7.8 miles and back.  The Ruby Jack trail is an old rail road so it is hard packed with small crushed rocks on top.  Easy to run on but hard on the ankles and feet if you are not used to all that uneven surface.  So train on gravel roads or old rail to trail systems if you interested in this race. The trail itself is pretty boring for scenery.  Mainly behind homes and a junk yard.  That being said I would rather run a boring trail than in the middle of a street like my previous marathon.

The aid stations were well supported with great volunteers who would take your bottles and fill them, get you what ever you needed so you didn't have to think much.  Port a potties and all aid stations was handy as well.  They had a great spread of easy to handle foods all aid stations as well (if you can eat).

TwelveOne racing staff were really, really helpful and nice.  They wanted to make sure you had a successful run!

As for the bling, the 15k and 25k got a pretty cool medal of a bulls head and distance accomplished. Any distance above that received a buckle with the Angry Bull and distance completed.  The shirt was pretty boring.  Just a plain cotton t-shirt but the "All Jack Up" saying and bull logo are pretty cool.  The race didn't have a lot of runners this year so I understand why they had to go a little cheap on shirts.  Only one sponsor (Cloud Meats) so that means the race director had to pick up any slack on cost.  I prefer my shirts to say what distance I did but that means more cost out so understandable.

All in all the race was good, weather was great and runners were friendly as usual!  Depending on what my future holds I may go back and do a different distance but haven't decided yet.

Yes, I look exhausted and yes I was!

Hydration Gear pros and cons

This is currently my long distance running vest.  I have worn just the Camel back series before and prefer this vest to the one reservoir in the back method.

When I train I carry both water and nutrition, having two bottles to switch between was ideal for me.  Some races I have attended, the water stops are too far apart or it is a hot race and I need more water between stops.   I also like the fact that I can add a bladder to the back of this vest if I needed too.

This vest is light weight and has a lot of front pocket options. I carry money, snacks and my pepper spray in the front pockets.  The down side to this vest is my phone is too big so I have to either wear a belt for my phone or I have to stick it in the back pocket.  Not good if your music stops or you have to take a phone call.

Ultimate Direction	Ultimate Direction
AK Race Vest 2.0	AK Race Vest 2.0

Other options I have tried are the handheld bottle.  I personally do not like having to hold onto something while running because it impedes my arm swing.  

Nathan handheld hydration

I have also tried two different waste or hip fuel belts.  Again, not my favorite.  They don't ride my hips correctly and I am constantly pushing them on to my butt!  Try running like that for miles on end.  It is not fun.  This type of belt also gives my stomach issues.

Nathan Hydration Belt	ProForm Hydration Belt

 On the flip side, my husband LOVES his hydration belt!!! He hates the vest and the handheld.  Running is all about you.  What makes you comfortable and aids you in your goals.  Try different gear out on your training runs BEFORE race day.
It is all about you, not what the other guy is doing!
Happy running!