San Jose Half Marathon

 Two weeks ago I ran the San Jose Rock N Roll half marathon.

This race is one of my absolute favorites for a couple of reasons. It's flat and a great race to get a PR at, it's entertaining - a lot of bands line the race, and it's a well sponsored and very smoothly ran race.

My half marathon PR is from this race a few years ago. I ran a 1:42:06. This year I ran a 1:48:52 which is no where near that pace, but I was still pretty pleased with it. It was better than I had expected.

I had signed up super early to get the early bird savings, because if you wait too long the race will probably sell out and/or the prices will go up and it can get quite costly.

We went to the expo and it was a little bit smaller than I had remembered. It was still plenty of fun and we walked away with some nice swag. I did end up buying some brand new Hoka's there, which I did decide to run in at the race.

This year they offered a special In-Tune Premium pass. Some of the perks of this special pass was free parking 1 block away, as well as private restrooms, race day bib pickup, private bag check, a breakfast after, and pre race coffee and tea. I think it was an additional $45 ($40 if you didn't want the parking). I ended up splurging on it because in the past years that I've gone parking has been a nightmare, and I have barely made it to the start on time. The only bad part was that in order to get the premium pass at the expo you had to wait in this extremely long customer service line which I think missed the point.

ANYWAY, since the past races here have been sketchy from the start, I decided we should leave SUPER early. We left our place in San Mateo around 6:15 and got to San Jose a bit before 7 (the race is at 8:00). Surprisingly, the freeway was already starting to back up at the exit, and there were already a lot of people there. The parking lot was open to anyone, and was only $5 so I was a little disappointed that I had only saved $5.

I decided to take advantage of the premium pass and chill out at the special area that they had set up at a restaurant across the street (McCormick and Shmick's). My friend also splurged on the premium pass so we enjoyed hot tea and coffee in the warm building. I have to say...it was pretty freakin' nice. The toilets were open (I barely had to wait in line), but the best part was just being warm! I hate freezing my butt off at the starting line.

We got to the start on time, and started off quick. I tried pushing the pace at the start and ended up fading toward the end. It was my best effort though.

The course was flat and fast, there are some very minor hills which are mainly going under the overpasses and such. The bands were great, and there seemed to be plenty of them. I was worried that it was going to be hot because the predicted temps were at 80 and that's shade temperature. Most of the course is pleasantly shaded on residential streets. The only part was the last couple of miles that had little to no shade but it was at the end and it wasn't too brutal.

There were plenty of water stations and gu's, but I didn't stop for any of them. I ain't got time for that!

Psh, who needs hydration and fuel.

I crossed the finish line and was immediately handed the fancy medal and some bottled water. As we walked down there was some fruit, bars, and three kinds of chocolate milk.  Reallly pushing that chocolate milk. I headed back to the premium station to get some baked goods (actually just wanted to smuggle my boyfriend a bagel).

The band that played at the end was Atlas Genius - who I have never heard of, but they seemed pretty good! I did feel bad that they were playing for a bunch of tired runners...the excitement didn't really seem there from the audience.

Leaving the area was actually not too bad, and it was nice having the car parked so close to the finish.  I would definitely get the premium pass again next year. :) It's just nice to have that peace of mind that you'll not have to wait 30 minutes for the bathroom, or worry about staying warm pre race.

Oh and the Hoka's? HEAVEN! I think I ordered my last pair of Hoka's a half size too small which caused the major blisters from the marathon. These have a wider toe box and are lighter and much nicer looking. Definitely excited to have them.

Anyway, that's it for the report. I'll definitely be back next year!

JP Morgan Corporate Challenge - San Francisco

 This is my second year running the JP Morgan Corporate Challenge in San Francisco.  Last year I ran with the Zynga team, and this year I am running with the suuuper awesome Storm8 team!

Let's just say that last year the company seemed to be lacking team spirit and it was kind of a mess. It seemed like (and probably was the case) that we were the only company that didn't have matching shirts, or meeting spots or team photos.

End of story.

This year was entirely different. I really wanted a good group to go this year...matching shirts and all. It was kind of difficult getting people to sign up since the race is around $40, and not many people run at all. In fact, I'd have to say that most people are quite adverse to running.

I managed to gather a team of 20 people by the end (lured them in with exclusive t-shirts, muahahaha!). I would have been able to get more but I had accidentally capped off the group at 20 (we had to estimate how many would participate). The race was a sellout this year, and they wouldn't allow any additions to the team.

I also took the time to design the t-shirt this year. It was a lot of fun, and the founders of the company sponsored the event and printed the shirts for us all. I WAS THRILLED. :)  Storm8 is aweeesome!

The race is 3.5 miles, which is kind of a strange distance. There are walkers and runners of all paces. The top runners finish in around 17 minutes which comes out to under a 5 minute mile.

The course is pretty flat with one minor hill that is over before you know it. It loops from the parking lot A by the baseball stadium, down through the dogpatch/potrero hill, and winds back up past the other side of the stadium and back down to the finish.

I started further back than I had anticipated because it took so long to get to the race (traffic was crazy!). This year they had staggered starts - three different corrals. I was supposed to be in the first corral but ended up being in the 2nd.  That was a big mistake because the entire first mile of the race was me trying to elbow my way past the slower runners.

I don't know about you, but I have a hard time aggressively pushing past other runners. I mostly softly tap them on the shoulder and whisper a polite "excuse me". If they don't hear or feel me, then I just kind of wait until they move or until I get the nerve to be a little louder. I need to get over that.

There were two water stations that I remember. I didn't stop for either. By the last mile I felt like I was going to die. I had spent all my energy trying to catch up to a co-worker, and once I passed him I lost the will to continue on.

It was also mentally taxing to go PAST the finish line in the opposite direction. I just wanted it to be over!

Anyway, I finished in 27:05 which is 15 seconds slower than my time last year. It was a 7:45 min mile, but my strava said it was 7:30 since I ran an extra 2 tenths of a mile with all the weaving back and forth. It's fine with me though because I wasn't thinking my legs would even function by now.

The finish line was filled with lots of water (regular water and propel water) as well as bananas and other bars and fruits.

I got my t-shirt at the end, which was unisex. They will always be too big for me. However it was a nice shirt.

We then waited for the rest of the stormies to come through the finish line. Everyone seemed to hit their goals that they had set for themselves, and we were all one big happy family at the finish. We even had a group of cheerleaders for us! That was awesome, and the big sign that my co-worker made for us was a huge help in finding everyone in the ginormous crowd. There was almost 11,000 runners so it was really loud and crowded.

Will I be back again? I certainly hope so. :)

Santa Rosa Marathon

Me with my finisher's wine and jacket at the expo

  

The Santa Rosa Marathon! My first marathon of the year...

My friend convinced me somehow that I should try to qualify for Boston this year. Keep in mind that my pace was/is much slower than the last time I qualified for Boston, not to mention the qualifying times cut off about 5 minutes from 2011.

Typical me jumped into it without much hesitation. I also dragged my running buddy Brian into joining me, even though his one and only prior marathon experience was less than enjoyable.

Santa Rosa sounded great. It was right before the Boston registration would open. It is also notorious for being a relatively flat and fast course. The added perks that sealed the deal were the cool jackets and the bottle of wine that you received at the expo.

I drove up with my boyfriend, and we stayed at the Best Western Garden Inn just a mile from the race. The hotel was a little disappointing from first glances, but I learned to love the place even though it had a minor ant infestation (but hey, our house is way worse) and had a very low budget/economy feel. It had the essentials though, and then some. Air conditioning, a hot shower, a comfy bed, and a little microwave and refrigerator.

I haven't ever been so nervous for a race before. I had overtrained in my efforts to qualify. I had bought a special running plan, and it ended up just being too much for me to take. Yet I kept going even if I started to feel injuries coming on. In result, by the time of the race, my legs were completely toasted and even a five mile run would leave me breathless and in pain. I had no idea how I was going to tackle 26.2 miles if I could barely do 5...

My Strava race course map

I had trained for it though, and I had gone just slightly over 20 miles. I knew that I was more prepared than most, but I also knew that my legs were suffering from some serious overtraining injuries and that it was going to be an uphill battle.

First thing's first! The expo. It was at the De Loach wineries and was all outdoors. Besides a pretty backwards and confusing entry (you had to go all the way to the end to get your bibs and then work your way up front), it was nice. I found the people to be friendly, but a little bit pushy. (No I don't want to do your race! I don't even want to do this one really!)

The jackets were super nice! They were light and I'm sure I'm going to use them for a lot of running occasions. The wine bottle was also nice...a "Finisher's Red". I haven't drank any yet, but I'll be sure to update you if anyone is dying to know.

After a nice gluten free pasta meal at Ca'Bianca Ristorante Italiano, I headed back to the hotel where I proceeded to freak out about not eating enough and making last minute runs to the grocery store and finally to Wendy's for french fries and a baked potato. Yes you heard me. And it was good! Don't judge.

Jon and I at the start

The start was at 6am downtown Santa Rosa. It was initially going to be a 7am start, but because of some heat waves earlier this summer they decided to be safe and move it to 6. I welcomed that decision with open arms because I know Santa Rosa's heat can get unbearable. It was pitch black though, and even though I didn't use the port-a-potties at the beginning, my friend said that they were pretty dark and scary and he had to download a flashlight app to see anything (although he regretted that he could see anything).

Luckily the weather was just right for us. There was a humid twinge in the air that made it comfortable yet cool at the start. We sought out the 4:15 marathon pacer and decided to try to stick with her as long as possible at a comfortable 9:53 pace.

The course was nice. It was mostly asphalt which I kind of hated. I was longing for soft dirt to run on, and there was only a short moment where I got my wish. The aid stations seemed to be every 3 miles or so, which were nice. I heard that some runners missed out on gatorade, but I brought my fluid and snack filled back pack so I wasn't relying on the aid stations.

I did however start to feel a blister coming on at mile 3.  At mile 16 I had to stop, and it was a constant battle trying to stay ahead of the pacer. (sorry but I have to post the picture!!!) Hoka One One, I love you, but please fix yo' toe boxes!

Blisters!

My poor friend Brian

I caught up to my friend Brian at around mile 18. He started out strong, but he started getting really bad leg cramps. Not to mention he had horrible chaffing going on in his chest region! Band-Aids, people! Band-Aids!  I knew that that t-shirt he got last minute was a bad idea. I mean it was a great cause, but never wear anything new on a race day!

The pace group caught up with us around mile 20 and it was just the thing I need to stay on target for a 4:15 marathon.

I crossed the finish line in 4:14 which was fine by me. I can't say that I'm not disappointed, because I am. It's my slowest marathon to date, and 35 minutes slower than my PR! The race was also full of super fast people, so I was put nearly in the bottom 4th.  Woe is me I guess. I should be grateful that I have two working legs! Kind of.

Finishing Photo

The finish was fun. I met up with my boyfriend who ran the half marathon and PR'ed. There was a pancake breakfast, coffee, beer, and a ton of fruit. My favorite was the fresh cold watermelon, which I now firmly believe should be at the end of every race.

My friend came in a bit later, and his only gripe (yet completely significant and justifiable) was that by the time he came in they completely ran out of bottled water, and a lot of other things. The half marathoners that came in before us snagged most of it which is really disappointing...especially after over 4 hours of pain.

Would I do it again? I think so. It was a beautiful course, with some great swag. The race directors seemed very sincere and passionate, and the facebook page was updated constantly with race information or answers to concerned runner questions. Like a fine wine, I think this race will get better with time! Again. Sorry about the blister photos.

Check out those giant finisher's medals!

The Panda Bear Night Run

On August 17th, 2013 I partook in the Panda Bear Night Run in Alma, Michigan.

There were a few reasons why I wanted to do this race.

1. It was cheap. At $25 for a half marathon which includes a headlamp, I couldn't resist!
2. It was my first night run.
3. It was near my home town in Michigan.
4. My family and friends would join me!

I wasn't very well trained for this race. This past month or two I have been dealing with some seriously overtrained legs. Not fun. And no I don't just mean tired. I mean, my legs feel sharp stabby pains going through every muscle at every running step I take. They also feel like they are going through quicksand with bricks strapped to them, and my heart rate is usually through the roof since my effort level is skyrocketing. Basically, a half marathon felt like a marathon and even my five mile run had me stopping every half mile.

I had the Santa Rosa marathon the next weekend though, so I decided that if I didn't do the entire half marathon that mentally I wouldn't be prepared to do 26.2 the next weekend.

My energy and excitement for the race perked up when I realized that I had a solid pack of family attending the race (my mom, two aunts, a cousin (and her daughter) mainly walking the 5k), and a friend that drove hours to hang out with me and run the 5k. They were great support, and really good energy to have around. My friend and I decided that we needed to dress up like pandas and scrounged the nearest dollar store for some thick eyeliner to use as panda markings on our faces.

The half marathon started at 9:00pm at a school in Alma, MI. It was a great place to start, and even though the only bathroom was the one in the school, it seemed to work out alright. There were quite a few people attending, I'm not exactly sure on the numbers but there were several hundred for all three races (5k, 10k, and half marathon).

The organization of the bib pickup could have been smoother. The 5k line went quick, but the half marathon line was a little bit brutal and probably moved 5x's as slow. They seemed to have gotten everyones bibs mixed up (including mine, which they just scratched out with a sharpie and hand wrote my name on the bib) I was excited to have gotten my free headlamp though. It had two light functions...blinding or blacklight. It seemed that there were a variety of types of headlamps given out, and I assume they were all either donations or on sale at a nearby store because the brands were all over the place. I thought mine looked dorky until I looked at the girls next to me and it looked like she was about to go digging in a coal mine for the remainder of the night.

The 5k runners got these cute little blue flashlights that I doubt could last very long, but they did have the race name printed on them which I was a little jealous about. The 10k runners got a hat light that they could clip on to a baseball cap.

As for other spirited pandas, we weren't the only ones that decided to go all out. In fact there were probably 10 other pandas at the race, and we all acknowledged each other as we passed by.

The actual run was down a rails-to-trails trail (old railroad tracks that have been paved over and that are now used as bike or walking paths throughout Michigan). It was pretty rural, and the city lights dimmed out quickly. I don't know much about the scenery since it was so dark, but in the short moment that I could see, there was plenty of farm land and trees.

The 9:00 start was just early enough to see the sun completely set, and in the first few miles I was seeing fireflies on all sides, as well as many low flying bats eating the swarms of bugs we were running through. Don't get me wrong, it was beautiful and peaceful, but there were a LOT of bats. I was more fascinated than freaked out to be honest, but it's something to take note on.

The course was straight and flat. Very. Very straight. And very. Very flat.  It was all asphalt too, which wasn't very forgiving on my aching legs. One of the few other complaints I had is that there were not enough volunteers to block any oncoming traffic through the crossing points, but since it's rural Michigan there was not much traffic to stop.

Once the sun went completely down it started to get a little scary since I was in the middle of the woods in pitch black. The runners thinned out and there were moments when I felt completely alone (although only for a short short moment or two). The only aid stations seemed to be at the turn around for the 10k, and the turn around for the half marathon. I wished that there was at least a bathroom somewhere in between, but those needing to relieve themselves were S.O.L. and doomed to trek into the darkness to do their duty.

I crossed the finish line at 1:55:45 which was surprising considering how bad of shape my legs were in.

The post race food? There wasn't much, but then again what do you expect for $25 registration? There were some cookies that I didn't eat because I felt kind of gross and I wasn't eating wheat. My family seemed to enjoy them though.

We instead decided to treat ourselves to a reward of McDonalds (it was supposed to be at the 24hr Coldstone, but they were closed for a short time at midnight).

I would definitely come back again to do this race. :) The only thing I would probably want to change is that I would wear a face mask and glasses because they were so many bugs out at night. All in all it was a lot of bang for the buck, and it was fun running at night among the fireflies.

SF Giants Race 2013

 Oh the Giants Race.

I have done this race three times now. I haven't enjoyed it a single time. I do believe that it has potential though, that's why I keep going.

Year 1 that I went was very, very hot. It had an 8am start in the middle of summer and there is not much shade at all on this course. Quite unforgiving!

The next year was better, but we got a late start and spent most of our energy weaving through people, and seeing a lot of people tumble and fall in the process because you can bypass people by hopping up onto the cobble stone road center which is pretty unsafe and you're just asking for a sprained ankle.

This year was more like last year. My running buddy realllly wanted to do the race because they showed a picture of a very sparkly medal that is supposed to be like the World Series rings (I guess). I'm not a sports fan, and me getting into the Giants now would just not be very genuine of me.

An entry into the race (I think I got it when it was $90) gets you a shiny medal, a pretty nice t-shirt, and the infamous bobble head that some people stand outside the expo to try to buy off of you. I don't see the appeal in those either. I do like the t-shirt though, and I would actually wear it unlike most of the race shirts I get.

My friend and I are training for a marathon so today's run was supposed to be 16 miles. We arrived at 6:15 so we could squeeze in a 3 miler before the race. There was already a lot of traffic coming in at that time, but we snagged a pretty ideal parking spot. My boyfriend got stuck in the awful traffic and made it to the race in the nick of time. We decided to do a more relaxed start since it's chipped, and we went to the portapotties before while the race started.  Oh, and the portapotty lines are kind of ridiculous. There are definitely not enough at the start and there's a GOOD chunk of people that start this race late due to the bathroom lines and the parking situation.

Naturally starting later does pose the problem that we are behind EVERYONE and have to weave around walkers and joggers that aren't really paying attention. It was really frustrating because there's so many runners and not enough road. Nobody responded to my shouts of "to your left" which got pretty tiring. I ended up tacking on another half mile to the race just from weaving back and forth.

It didn't seem like there were that many aid stations, but I honestly rarely stop at them if ever, so I can't tell you how great it was.

The course is nice, especially if you're new to SF and want to see the city. It takes you along Embarcadero and through the Fisherman's Wharf, and down toward the bridge (but not over it). It's a pretty flat course, but there are two noticeable 80ft hills that might take your breath away for a bit if you're not prepared for it. It's mainly concrete except for the gravel section through Chrissy Field. I used to hate that part, but now I'll take anything that's not concrete and rejoice at the extra give.

Probably the coolest part about the race is that you finish on the field. I finished in 2:00:49 which was disappointing but my legs are tired and I'm definitely feeling the effects of over training. (I also had to make a quick portapotty stop) The post-race food is alright, they are sponsored by Safeway so you get a grocery bag and then fill it with pita bread, a greek yogurt, a banana, and some chips. They heavily promoted reusing your water bottle and had several coolers at the aid stations and the finish of cold water to refill with.

All in all, part of my bitterness is my own fault for always starting late at this race and not getting to my proper corral a the right time. I find the race just to be mediocre though, nothing wows me, but I'm pretty sure if you're a giants fan or a baseball fan at all, that this would be a pretty great race for you to do. The race is also pretty young (4 years) so I imagine that it will improve year after year.

Esprit De She - Palo Alto 5k

I wasn't really looking to run any additional races since my race schedule is filled to the brim, but I couldn't resist signing up for the Esprit de She (sponsored by Athleta) when I got an Active.com email saying that I could get free shoes for doing so.

The first 100 people to enter in the coupon code and register would get a free pair of Skecher's GoRun2 shoes. I was pretty quick to pounce on it, so I actually got my shoes within a week (I think?). I wasn't exactly timing the shipping, but it was pretty awesome because I got to pick my color of shoe and it shipped for free! This is my 2nd pair of free Skechers since I won one at the Road Runner Sports Adventure run a few months back. The shoes are actually surprisingly awesome considering that they're Skechers. They are lightweight, comfy, yet low to the ground with a 4mm heel drop. I'd recommend them for sure!

Back to the race. It was only $35 total, so it was easy to justify. It was also on a Thursday night at 6:30, so it didn't interfere with my weekend long runs.

I convinced a friend to join me for the race, so we headed out early since traffic is kind of awful and we weren't sure what the parking situation would be like.

Turns out that there is plenty of parking! We got a decent spot, and still had time to roam around the mini expo that they had there. The race came with really cute tank tops, as well as lots of free samples (Luna bars, drink mixes, lotions n'such). There was a manicure station, and a massage station as well. I didn't bother waiting in the line for a manicure though. The part I found funniest was seeing the feminine products outside of the portapotties. That is a first! Inside the portapotties there were also little bouquets of fake flowers to fem it up. It surprisingly did make it more pleasant seeming.

The race was definitely full of women. I think there were only 4 men total, and over 400 runners there. I'm not usually very into the all women races. There's a bit too much of the whole "girl power" vibe, but this race kept it classy.

The race started at around 6:30. I wasn't sure how fast I could get my legs moving since they were in a lot of pain from my previous runs that week. I started out with an 8:30 pace, and managed to weave around some people. The trail was narrow and it was difficult to pass.  It was flat and on dirt which I loved. It looped around a little airplane runway which kind of surprised me when the first of many planes took off.

It was pretty nice temps that day, but the wind was picking up a bit. After being nearly taken out a few times at the turn around (the narrow path turns even more narrow when you have opposite direction traffic), I managed to pick up the speed and finish in 34th place with a 7:46 min mile.

I ran right into the empty massage stations.

The after food was great and included several types of sandwiches, green salad, and greek yogurts. We were also given tickets for two drinks at the end, which we were given the choice of 3 types of drinks. I chose some raspberry/grapefruit mojito thing, which was pretty tasty. I didn't go back for my 2nd, because it was starting to get a little brisk.

Overall it was a great race, and I'll definitely be returning! 

Jungle Run 2013

My caricature of 'Tarzan the Monkey Man' racer

 I wanted to start writing up race reports since I've been doing so many recently (trying to do at least one half per month), and sometimes it can be hard to find information about some of these runs.

The first report of the year goes to the Los Altos Jungle Run, July 14th 2013.

This race came at a perfect time in my training schedule. I'm currently training for the Santa Rosa Marathon in August and was looking for a good race to see how fast these ol' legs can go.

I managed to drag my running partner in crime to do the race with me. We got there at 6:20 to get the race packets bright and early. The parking was going fast but we got a good spot at the high school (staff parking...shhhh...). The packet pickup was easy, and we slowly shuffled our way back to the car to keep warm before the start.

The start was pretty punctual, only a minute or two behind schedule. I was pleased to see that there were race pacers, which are kind of a rare site, especially for a half marathon. I sought out the 1:45 guy, knowing that it was probably going to be a bit of a stretch since my last half marathon was almost 1:49. My fastest ever was 2 years ago when I was in much better shape and managed to do 1:42:06 on the pancake flat course of San Jose Rock N Roll.

We started off quick, and despite a few little uphill moments, it was mostly downhill and fast. I knew that I needed to take advantage of the downhill so I sped up past the pacers and tried to keep my lead.

At mile 5 things started to change. The elevation, even though it was slight and barely noticeable was enough to slow me down into the 8 min mile range. The pacer started to close the gap between us, and by the time I reached the gravel trail, he blew past me with a group of annoyingly fresh seeming people.

The turn around point just past mile 11 was heaven, and going downhill felt like a breeze in comparison. My legs started feeling good again and I manage to get my pace back under 8 for the last mile.

The course finished on the track which was a little bit of a tease and kind of brutal since the finish line was in site.

More about the race. It was a nice mid sized race with maybe between 600-700 half marathon runners. There were also a lot of 10k runners. The 10k and half marathon paths crossed towards the end and it was a little confusing and tough to go around the slower folks since it was a tight lane. The roads weren't closed off to the public so there were a lot of mountain bikers zooming by which was kind of scary at times, and there were a lot of walkers that were off in their own worlds that made it a little more difficult.

The terrain was mostly paved with a few miles of dirt trail. There was a small patch of bark that we had to run through which was like treading water. Not my favorite.

The vibe was fun and friendly. There was a handful of spirited runners all dressed in jungle themed gear. My favorite was the man I drew above, who was in nothing but a tiny leopard print loin cloth (and tiny running shorts) and he was carrying this large spear. Not to mention he was near the lead and looking happy as a lamb.

The hills weren't bad, but I would definitely say that they are not to be ignored. There were a lot of short but semi-steep hills that acted like little speed bumps which made it hard to maintain a quick pace. The total elevation gain was 482 feet.

Now back to the finish. I somehow managed to squeak in at 1:45:50 which I was pretty happy with. I don't know the pacer's exact time, but I'm pretty sure they were spot on as he was nearly a lap ahead of me on the track.  My time snagged me the 2nd place for my age group, which was surprising, but honestly I just don't think there were many 20-29 year old women running it. The 30-39 year old group had lightning fast times, all in the low 1:30's.

Yup I'm too cheap to spend $50 for digital copies

I'll still take it. The awards were cute and festive. I got a plastic panda bear with a little tag around it's neck. The post race food was plentiful, and the race shirts were pretty cute. Unfortunately they were unisex so it still is pretty unflattering on my 5 foot nothing frame.

All in all it was a fun race, and I was happy with my time and with the experience in general. My only complaints would be how the trails got sometimes too crowded, and the last aid station (and only one that I took time to stop at) had ran out of gatorade. :(  I survived, don't worry. The goods certainly outweigh the bad, and I'll definitely be back for 2014!