Raleigh 2018

Rock 'n' Roll Raleigh 2018 - My First Race of the Year

My First Race of the Year

Disclaimer: I received free entry to the Rock n Roll Raleigh Half Marathon as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

I've been a bit anxious so far in 2018 because I've only had one single race on my calendar for the year. My first marathon is coming up on April 22 and, having no idea how it's going to go, I've been hesitant to sign up for anything else. This is also the first time in 4 years I won't be able to attend Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans and it's been killing me not to have a Rock 'n' Roll race to look forward to. Well, I'm happy to announce that I finally registered for race number two in 2018, I'll be running the Rock 'n' Roll Raleigh half marathon on April 8!

I was excited to get selected for this race for a number of reasons. First, It's a new city to check off my running list. This is going to be my seventh Rock 'n' Roll half marathon and it's also the sixth unique city I've run one of their races in. The course looks to be a bit hillier than the other cities I've run halves in but I'm excited about the challenge.

I'm also looking forward to the race because we'll be reassembling our newly formed "race crew" that consists of my wife, her cousin, and me. The three of us ran Montreal last year and had a blast. I'm looking forward to getting together again in a new city. I love "run-cations," it's one of my favorite aspects of running, especially when shared with friends. The thrill of everyone meeting up, sharing hotel rooms, discussing goals and race-day strategies, and of course celebrating with a pint (or three) post-race.

Coupled with the excitement, I'm also a bit nervous for the race because it's the first "tune-up" race I've ever run and it's only a few short weeks out from my marathon. I'll actually be running my longest training run the week before, 20 miles, so this will be the first week of my taper. We'll see how training is going closer to the race, but for now, I'm planning on treating the race as I would any training run, slow and easy. I think that goal may be tough when the race-day adrenaline starts pumping but I'll do my best!

My race calendar for 2018 is still more empty than I'd like but I'm excited to finally be registered for a 2nd race. Raleigh should be a great opportunity to stretch my legs and gauge where I'm at fitness-wise to start planning my races for the fall. As of now, I'm torn between a few options, training for a new half marathon PR being one of my top prospects. My tune-up performance at Rock 'n' Roll Raleigh should give me an idea of how far I've come since Vegas in the fall.