Rêve Rocks the Old Port Half Marathon
Last weekend, a number of Rêve riders, instructors, and desk staff took to the streets of Portland for the Old Port Half Marathon and 5k. For some, it was their first ever half marathon, while others are seasoned veterans at this distance. Although the morning of the race brought some cloudy skies and even a bit of rain, it turned out to be near perfect conditions for a race. We caught up with Addie, Ally, Erin, and Meg C to chat with them about their experience getting to and through the half marathon. Trust us, you’ll feel a little extra inspired after reading their responses!
1. How did the race go?
Addie: This was my first half marathon ever, so it was pretty exciting, and I was very nervous. It definitely went better than expected; I really enjoyed running with a pack of people—and found the experience similar to riding with a room full of people at Rêve!
Ally: The race was great-- the weather and rain shower were perfect! The collection of the runners and supporters along the way created such positive environment.
Meg: The race went really well! It was a cold, windy and rainy morning, but the conditions were perfect for 13.1 miles. That said, the spectators may have thought otherwise though :)
Erin: The race was pretty incredible. I went into it with zero expectations. I knew that I'd finish and really just wanted to have fun with my friends who were also racing. The misty skies and cool temperature made for a perfect start. Luckily, my legs felt strong (thanks Tone & Trim!) and the running felt relatively easy. But, I was certainly shocked to finish second in my age group (at 1:35) although I now have an engraved Shipyard mug to prove it!
2. What were some things that you did to prepare for the race?
Addie: I didn’t train too much for the race (this is something I would definitely do differently next time around!), but I did go for a 7 mile run the Tuesday before with Meghan so that was super helpful. I also felt pretty confident with my cardiovascular strength because I take classes at Rêve a lot, and it turned out that that set a really solid foundation.
Ally: I took a cross-training approach to my preparation. In addition to long and short runs, I added Rêve classes (of course), as well as some Barre and strength training!
Erin: My running routine is pretty consistent: one longer run each week with a few tempo and interval workouts thrown into the mix. I ran parts the course several times over the past couple of months, and felt ready for the hills. Lately, I've been trying to stretch more and get to yoga at least once a week. Oh and in June, I hiked 20 miles through the White Mountains with a group of friends for the summer solstice…the 11+ hours of hiking made the 95 minutes of running feel almost breezy!
3. In the week leading up to the race, did you do anything special to get ready for the big day?
Addie: The night before my family made our own pizzas at home so I could load up on carbs to keep me going during the race!
Ally: Made a playlist, of course! I also was sure to be intentional about drinking lots of water and getting lots of rest. And, as an extra bit of motivation, I bought a new outfit!
Erin: Nothing extraordinary! I focused on slower, easy runs and stretched a lot. Also, I know that plenty of running purists shy away from music while racing. For me, it's the ultimate motivation. I spent the wee hours of Saturday morning compiling a race day playlist and threw in a bunch of my running favorites.
Finally, we asked each of them to tell us a few songs that kept them moving throughout their training and on their big day. We couldn't include Addie's Lemonade endorsement because it is not yet available on spotify, but I think it's safe to say a little Beyoncé goes a long way. Next time you're ready for a run, queue up these jams to keep you moving!
We are so proud of these Rêve rockstars, and everyone else who completed the race--or who is getting ready for another event in the upcoming months!