The race started at 8:10am so we had a pretty laid back morning getting up and going. I’m trying to do way more carboloading before my races now, so I was able to hit almost 550g of carbs the day before the race. I woke up feeling too full for breakfast, so we just had oat milk lattes and I ate 2 wine gums.

It was easy finding parking, however, the lines at the portapotties were super long so we ended up starting the race 2 minutes late, and I made a decision to try and catch up to my desired pacers.

My GPS wasn’t turned for the first 5km because I had been fussing with settings the night before and never finished doing what I was doing, so ran by HR for that first bit.

In retrospect, I probably shouldn’t have done that because my heart rate got too high too early into the race. I finally turned on the GPS after 5km and then switched to running by pace, with my 8min run 30-second walks. My legs felt so awesome throughout. I cannot remember the last time I felt so strong.

My stomach felt really full throughout. I got most of 1 gel in near the beginning of the race, and then just had water throughout. I almost barfed once around the 12km mark so just dialed exertion back a bit for the rest of the race. There are a couple of lollipops on the course, where the course runs back on itself, so I was hoping to be able to sight Justin but wasn’t able to. I was able to spot my friend Jeannine as she was running the 10k.

Felt like I could’ve run faster if my stomach didn’t feel so full the entire time, but overall a good day! I will skip the oat milk with my coffee next time. I focused on my form a lot through the race. And maybe I could’ve breathed more deeply throughout.

The temperature was 3C at the race start, so I wore crops, a tshirt, long sleeve, vest, hydration vest, hat, gloves. Switched to buff to cover ears and took off vest and gloves during the race.

The post-race for runners was great. There were bananas, pastries, cookies, chips, juice, as well as hot coffee and hot chocolate. I couldn’t get over how wonderful it was to enjoy those hot drinks inside merchandise/gear pickup tents. Since it was also the 25th anniversary of this race, they had this super cute display of mini cupcakes.

We really enjoyed running this race, and we look forward to next year. The race bling might be hard to beat because the 2019 medal is so cool, it spins and it’s glittery!

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Package Pickup / Showcase Store

There is a wristband system at SeaWheeze and you are supposed to register in advance for when you want to pick up your package, as well as shop the Showcase Store. I used to think the shopping was a tad ridiculous, because what could they possibly be selling that has people camping out in the street overnight? However, I got the chance to shop last year with some friends, and I totally get it now. It’s actually quite fun, there’s tons of cute and limited edition merch being sold, as well as the very coveted reflective gear.

The organization for the reflective gear was absolutely ridiculous. In my experience, all you had to do was show up early, and then head straight to the reflective merchandise booth. This year, they handed out cards with specific names on it in the lineup. And they would call out specific card names throughout the morning. The premise was to allow shoppers to browse at other merchandise, instead of waiting in line for reflective gear and missing out on the other items throughout the convention center. It just didn’t make sense in my opinion, but I’m grateful for my loving husband for enduring that ordeal and picking up some cute things for us.

Package pickup was pretty straight forward after the shop. So nothing much to really write about. Justin came back to the hotel and we went for breakfast.

We had Kintaro ramen for dinner, and then went to Thierry for dessert. They didn’t have mille feuille the last time I was there, and we were really happy to be able to pick some up this time. There weren’t any places to sit inside or on the Thierry patio so we headed back to the hotel to eat our treats.

Race Morning

We stayed at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. And it is my new favourite hotel in downtown. It’s dog-friendly and much closer to all the activities than the Sheraton. The race started at 7am, and we rolled out of bed around 5:15-5:30am to have some coffee. The weather was overcast, so Justin wore a Lululemon shirt, his SeaWheeze race shorts, Salomon hydration vest for water and to carry his phone, and ProCompression socks. We walked over to the start line, and puttered around a little bit. We saw our friends Richard and company, he and his/our friend Carmen is the whole reason why we got into SeaWheeze. And then after they headed off on their way, Justin got into the corral.

I decided that I wanted to be able to take some pictures of Justin on the course just after the start. So I headed past the start line arches and towards Hastings and Burrard. There was a bunch of huge construction trucks that lined the right side of the course, and I just realized as I’m writing this that I think it was set up that way for crowd safety — which I really appreciate.

Since we got up so early, I headed back to the hotel after the race start to take the doggos out and feed them breakfast. I assumed the hotel had hotel bikes and I had this great plan that I would be able to use one to go catch Justin on Burrard Bridge. When I headed down to the Concierge, they said they had no bikes left so walking it was.

When I checked the race tracker within the Lululemon app, I saw that Justin was making incredible time so I booked it down to Burrard Bridge. I cheered for a bit, and when I checked the app again, it appeared that Justin had already passed! So I ran down Pacific, cut down Denman to hopefully catch him at the 20km mark. I never ran so fast. When I finally got to my spot and cheered for runners. I realized that there was an error with the map. I was spectating the same people who I saw at Burrard Bridge, and they were not quite elite, but I knew they were pretty fast racers. I even saw a couple people I knew.

Then I realized my error. The race tracker was off! For SOME reason, I believed the race app instead of other trackers we use. Race trackers NEVER work. They’re not accurate, and I really should’ve known better. And I was under the impression that Justin was making killer time. The time it was predicting could be something he could pull off and I believed it. I realized that if I had waited longer at Burrard Bridge, I would have definitely seen Justin coming over. Anyway, I saw my friend Niles, and not too long after I saw Justin. Because of the way the seawall is set up, I actually got to grab a few photos over a few spots.

The finish line wasn’t too far to go, so I told Justin I would meet him around the Convention Center. The nice thing is there are a ton of places for spectators to watch for their racers. Runners then get their medals, and their finisher hats, and proceed up the ramp toward to the Convention Center, where they can grab brunch and head inside for post race activities like massages.

Post Race

The race ends pretty close to the start, which again is awesome because we were staying in the area. We walked right up Burrard street back to the Hotel Vancouver to clean up and get ready to head back home. We had to skip the Sunset Festival because we had other plans that we needed to make. We’ve been to the festival in years past, and they are a blast. Outdoor yoga and a concert is an amazing way to end SeaWheeze. We didn’t believe it for years, until one of our friends convinced us that SeaWheeze was worth the price of entry. And we are so glad we finally listened! We’re definitely going to always put our names in for the SeaWheeze lottery.

We went for our favourite Chinese food in North Vancouver before we left, of course! Ming’s Garden is the best. And that basically wraps up how we did SeaWheeze weekend. We hope you enjoyed this SeaWheeze race recap.

Did you race SeaWheeze 2019? Have you run in other years? What was your experience like?

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Race Prep

Lots of Haribo gummy candy, carb-rich food, and tons of Skratch Labs hydration thanks to my sponsor Race Day Fuel over the 3 days leading up to the race. We didn’t wear anything new on race day, and Justin and I opted for matching Pro Compression compression socks. We started wearing compression socks a few years ago because we wanted to match our friends at races (they are also ambassadors, we are not) and I’m just in love. No lower leg fatigue during racing, and they’re fun! We wore our Solomon hydration packs, because we always like to have our own water and hydration. In our drop off bags, we packed sandals, a change of clothes, and a small washcloth for after the race.

Package Pickup

This race switched ownership for 2019, and I think that left a little to be desired in terms of organization. No complaints though, just observations based on our previous experiences at other races. When we showed up to package pickup, we had to wait in line to “check in” and then told to wait in another line to gain entrance into the “expo”. Very tiny expo, but it was cool. There were a few vendors to browse, if you needed some cute on-sale gear, Birkenstocks or other racing essentials like fuel or Body Glide. As part of the entry fee, we got cute gender specific tank tops in this beautiful shade of blue. We got our race bibs, racer bracelets (for after the race), and a big clear plastic bag for bag drop-off in the morning.

Race Morning

The city of Kelowna is wonderful, because parking is free all day Sunday! We drove and got a primo parking spot in front of the Delta. There were buses that shuttled us to the start at Bertram Park. I was having major stomach pain all morning, so I spent a lot of the time walking around and dry-heaving while my hubby and friends went to go use the bathrooms before we hopped on the school buses that would shuttle us out to the start line.

We brought a change of clothes in our drop-off bags, and there didn’t seem to be anywhere accepting our bags. We saw 2 volunteers from package pickup, and when we asked them they said to just leave it on the grass by the buses. We were a little skeptical but went along with the instructions, because we didn’t have anything extremely valuable in our bags. This was also one of the smallest races we’ve ever done with 1,300 races, so we just tried to go with the flow and keep criticism to ourselves.

The bus ride felt rather long from the Delta to Bertram Park. Maybe because I spent most of the time trying not to vomit. The race course was meant to start elsewhere, but got changed to Bertram Park at a later time. I’m not sure entirely when it happened, since I wasn’t paying too close attention to the route anyway. I wanted to be surprised and not worry about how I was going to pay for this all with my lack of training. What I didn’t know wouldn’t be able to hurt me, right?! We went over about 4 hills which felt monstrous in the big yellow school buses. Finally, we were dropped off in Bertram Park. It was communicated that people weren’t supposed to drive and park at the start line due to space, but it seemed fine. There were quite a few cars in the parking lot when we arrived. And the first thing I noticed was the huge lines to the portopotties. I did not feel like going into the bushes, so I waited in line.

Race Start

After we used the most clean and pristine portopotties in the world, we got in line with about 5 minutes to spare to the start time. November Project kicked off some warmups at the start line. They got everyone jazzed, and sang some funny drills. We did our own Peloton-inspired pre run warmups. I couldn’t stomach the idea of jumping or doing butt kicks with my stomach acting up. I recorded some Instagram Stories, and before we knew it we were off! Justin wasn’t even ready, so I waited for him to get himself together and we were off. The start line cleared pretty quick, within a minute or two. I held my stomach with one arm for a good mile or two, because it was just generally hurting and thought the support would help.

Race Course

The race course was so beautiful! I was so worried about the hills at the beginning of the course, but they weren’t bad at all!! I would run half way up each one, and then walk to the top and take off running again. They were gentle rolling hills at best. I should’ve worn my heart rate monitor to better gauge my effort, but I knew I didn’t want to red line early in the race and then have to worry about over-exertion and then being on the verge of puking every time I made a push.

The view was spectacular throughout the race. We ran on Lakeshore Drive, which means a view of the lake to your left. We mostly had the entire road to ourselves, but there were a few cars that drove through since there are some residents who live on the route. This is when running with headphones is really dangerous. Yes, you are supposed to have a dedicated course for running, but life happens like cars on the course, and you have to be mindful of your surroundings.

We ran along Lakeshore towards Dehart and Swamp Road. This was my least favourite section because we were just running on the shoulder of the road and the road was pretty active with cars. We ran by Michaelbrook Ranch Golf Course and I wished for a moment that we were golfing instead of running. We finally got off the road and got to run a bit on the Mission Creek Greenway. It was great to finally see Mission Creek! It was beautiful running beside the creek. I used to hate there-and-back/lollipops in race courses, but have grown to enjoy them, because it’s nice seeing other people racing and not feel like you’re last.

The last 3-4 miles really dragged on for me. I miscounted one mile and thought for that entire mile that I was closer to finishing than not, so that didn’t help. Since my stomach hurt all morning, I decided not to eat anything all race even though I had 2 gels with me. I drank a small cup of water at all the aid stations, and drank the coconut water I was carrying in my hydration pack closer to the end of the race.

The Finish Line

The finish line was at Waterfront Park and had a nice long finishing chute. I saw my hubby and friends waving me in. They announced your name when you finished, and you were given your medal. It was pretty crowded but my hubby and friends were able to find my pretty quickly in the throngs of finishers. I was the last of our group to finish at 2:32. The course was also a bit short, but overall it was not bad of an effort for a half marathon! There was finisher bananas (which I missed), more of those SunRype bubbly ice teas (which I promptly grabbed for calories), Clif fruit filled bars, and fruit bars. Our drop off bags were displayed on a table top. There weren’t too many left when I arrived, so I got my bag in seconds! We headed off to the bathrooms by “Tugboat Bay” to get cleaned up and head to the wine tastings.

Finisher Festival

This was the entire reason why I knew I needed to finish the race. I only had one small moment of doubt early on in the race, but that doubt was squashed quickly because I needed to finish to get that medal and finisher wine glass. The way the finish line was laid out, it was pretty quick to wander through and get our finisher wine glass, and head to the park and fill up on wine. They had a bunch of different wineries there, pouring samples of wine. I tried a few whites from a few wineries we had never gone too, and then just stuck to revisiting my favourites. Not bad for 10am on a Sunday morning. Eventually, we grew tired as the adrenaline wore off, and decided it was time to sit down and get brunch at Oak + Cru at the Delta.

Overall Thoughts

We will do this race again for sure! The 2019 Kelowna Wine Country Half Marathon was great in terms of value and swag. The weather was cool and a bit rainy, much to my own personal delight, so it was a perfect day to run a half marathon. The race course was beautiful, and it was easy that the day “started” and finished at the Delta. The race is perfect if you were from out of town and stayed at the Delta. And if you are local or visiting, Kelowna on a Sunday morning is extremely easy to navigate and there’s ton of car parking. The wine festival at the end was also a good time! Not sure if the organizers will plan on providing on-course nutrition in 2020, so make sure to pack your own. We’re definitely going to try and snag an early bird rate and entry for next year.

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1. Go to your local running store and get fit for running shoes

Everyone is unique here. Everyone. Don’t ask your friends what they like or wear, because what works for them might not work for you.

Make sure you get shoes fit for your feet, your gait, and your comfort. I have struggled for years with shoes, because I’d buy “shoes that looked cute and fast”. I’d buy shoes because I liked the brand. You might prefer shopping online too. But for your first one (or few pairs) this is a good reason to support your local shop and community. And the staff at running stores are really knowledgeable.

The first you should try and do is make sure is that they feel immediately comfortable when you put them on and go for a spin. All the stores I’ve ever been to have a treadmill you can hop on, or take a quick run outside. Wiggle your feet, flex your toes and arch. You might be able to tell right away, or if you’re not super aware of your feet, you might have to earn a blister before you can tell where your potential hot spots will be in your shoes.

Something I would also recommend now is if you find a pair you really like, try to buy an extra pair. Brands are always shaking things up. If the brand wants to change up the model, make, or material, it will buy you some time to see if the newer model works for you, or if you have to find another pair or running shoes.

2. Do your squats, lunges, pre-run warm ups and post run stretches.   

We get it! It’s that amazing runner’s high, and you want to run all the time. We’ve been so guilty of this too. Maybe you hate squats and lunges because they’re boring. And the same can be said for warm ups and stretching. We’ve struggled with knee pain for years, and often see friends and colleagues get into the same pickle.

After many physio visits over the years, we’ve learned the long and hard way that you have to do all that extra boring work to keep all your muscles happy and in alignment, so that you can keep doing what you love, running!

In our experience, we always get into knee trouble when our training distances get longer. We always get patellar tendonitis, or have issues with our IT bands. Every time we go to physio, we get the same exercises. Lots of squats, lunges, and band work.

3. You might have to eat on your run (half marathon and longer)

When I started running, I was the only person in my social network that ran. I signed up for a half marathon on a whim. All I knew was that there was training involved, so I followed a Nike Run Club program on their app. And when I started running, I stopped ALL the time to take in the sights and sounds, I never really noticed how tired I would get.

I remember finally getting to the start line of my first half marathon, I purposely ate a very light breakfast because I didn’t want to throw up from stress, nerves, or exertion. That was a huge mistake number 1. I got so hungry on the course, by the 8-9 miles, when they were handing out food and gels, I took a fistful and must have sucked back at least 4-6 in one go! I had no idea what I was doing.

Fast forward to today (depending on your diet), we try to simulate race day conditions during training, and take a gels throughout our runs. We’ll take the first one 45 minutes into the run, and then every 15 minutes after. You don’t have to eat because your body will have energy stores, but to get better performance and avoiding hitting that “wall” you should probably eat when you will be running for anything over an hour. 

The post 3 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started Running appeared first on The Lifestyle Of Us.

SeaWheeze

SeaWheeze is a race hosted by Lululemon, and it’s not JUST a race but an entire weekend of yoga, running, and partying. As part of registration, you get a pair of exclusive SeaWheeze shorts mailed to you so you can wear them during training. There is a Showcase Store where you can buy exclusive swag. There’s also yoga classes in the days leading up to the race, a bunch of SeaWheeze activities, and then finally the Sunset Festival. We attended the festival in our first year, but since 2018’s event fell in September, the weather was too gross to head to Brockton Oval and do yoga in Stanley Park.

Where to stay

The Sheraton Wall Center is one of the host hotels, and we decided to stay there because they are dog friendly! The hotel is also in a great location close to plenty of restaurants, shopping, and the Robson St Lululemon Store.

Package Pickup

The package pickup went pretty smoothly this year. You got to book your pickup times in advance, so I showed up for my time slot and it was easy breezy. There was still a significant lineup though, so that surprised me a little considering they were touting this whole new package pickup process.

The Showcase Store

Justin and I were arriving in Vancouver at separate times due to our schedules. Since I got in first, I had nothing but time on Friday morning to go check out the The Showcase Store with some friends I had made/met because of SeaWheeze in 2016! It was such a mad house. You had to book your times to shop, and I was able to snag the first slot of the morning. The lineups were still insane when I arrived at the Convention Center at like 6am.

I also got to meet and hang out with Andrea Barber from Full House/Fuller House, since we have mutual friends! I didn’t know who she was until afterwards. Listen, it was like 7am and we’re all a little tired and haggard from waiting in the rain, being forced to walk through a maze of a million stanchions, and then racing or lining up some more to get ourselves whatever we could get our hands on. I had my heart on some matching reflective hats for Justin and I to wear for our next race, the Rock N Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon.

The Race

Race morning was gnarly. It was raining the days leading up to the race, so we knew it was most likely going to be a wet race. It was drizzling all morning but when we showed up to the race start, it was starting to slow. The rain stopped for a while and then it just sprinkled on and off throughout the race. Justin runs much faster than me so we typically start a race together, and then we both run our own paces.

I stopped listening to music a few years ago. I started to practice because you can’t listen to music in triathlons. I also try not to run with music because of safety reasons. And finally it’s also a SeaWheeze race, so typically there is a ton of entertainment on the course so you don’t really want to me running with your earphones.

Since we’ve done this race before, and also run the course a million times outside of SeaWheeze, it was a pretty boring this year. I was grateful for everyone who braved the weather and stayed out to cheer because it was pretty wet and cold, but compared to the previous year when the weather was nice, the difference was night and day. Our friend who didn’t get in was cheering near the 12 mile mark, so I kept an eye out for him and stopped to grab a selfie.

Post Race

The race finishes near the Convention Center. The finish line is on the seawall, and then after getting your medal, you walk up the ramp towards the Convention Center. This year, they handed out hats!! I was beyond thrilled for the hat, and it’s my most favourite race swag to date!

Bearfoot Bistro caters the Finisher’s Brunch, and it was pretty good! The way they organized the lineups was super annoying though. They cut off the line behind us to start a new one, and then the new one ended up going faster than our line. We were hungry and cold, so we weren’t exactly pleased about that. We headed inside the Convention Center with our food, and sat down to eat. They offer massages and physio, but I’m not a speedy finisher so the lineups are always crazy by the time we get in.

Overall, we’d do this race again. We’re going to put our names in for the 2019 lottery, but there’s no guarantee we’ll get in. It’s pretty decent value for the price tag. SeaWheeze is definitely a fun little race-cation.

Check out our 2019 SeaWheeze race recap here!

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