Did you know that my first marathon (heck, my FIRST race) was international? Yep. It was in Florence, Italy back in 2006. When Geo mentioned that he had a recap from Rock ‘n’ Roll Liverpool, I thought it would be a great opportunity to share the international RnR experience.
#RnRLIV was back in May, but as Geo gets ready to attend and cover the Eurogames in Stockholm in August, it seemed like the perfect time to share his experience and spread the word about his next adventure.
* * * * * *
Rock’n’Roll Liverpool 2015
Ya’ll I had a great time in Liverpool! The city is easy to navigate through if you have a map. If you get lost people will stop to help you. The #RnRLIV events had a lot to offer in addition to the tours, ferry-boat rides, coffee shops, parks, restaurants, museums and great shopping… every night I was exhausted from having fun. Rather then going step-by-step through what I did in Liverpool; I would like to share with you the authentic moments that made my experience in Liverpool ROCK!
#Community
I had a list of places I wanted to visit and in walking from one destination to another; it was like the city of Liverpool wrote me my own personal Top 40 hits. My first stop was the Liverpool Cathedral. I did my @LivCathedral #TweetFromTheTower and the view… WOW!!!
I explored China Town and the Theatre District. As I walked people said hello, shared stories about their gardens and recommended their favorite spots to visit. I remember the sound of a tap dancing class as I walked to the Walker Gallery and was determined to experience coffee from as many coffee shops possible.
The Mersey Ferry is relaxing with great views of the city and #LiverBirds. The BlueCoat Arts Center felt like I was transported into another world within the city. It is the oldest building in Liverpool with D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S food, great coffee and the courtyard has a unique pulse of creativity and passion. One day I laid in St. Johns park and I look at the sky… no alligators… no fire ants… AWESOME!
#Teamwork
The R’n’R Endurance Show (Expo) was intimate and fun. The CEP Socks and Official Race Pacers offered great opportunities for a #Selfie. I had a lot of fun at the R’n’R Dublin 1/2 Marathon booth, plus I got to see my friend @GeoffSmith.
The 5k and Marathon had great volunteer support and community enthusiasm. I enjoyed the multiple DJ’s along the race course, creative live bands, and the support of High5 Sports Nutrition volunteers who ran with athletes and myself up a memorable hill. Everyone looked out for one another. The only way I can describe the feeling is #AllAsOne!
#Friendship
Saturday my #RunningBuddy #LittleMan wore his #RunWithGeo foam Mohawk while we ran the 5k together. He set a personal 5k record for himself by shaving approximately 5 minutes off his personal best time… I would like to think the Mohawk helped. #BlackburnRoadRunner Tracy and I laughed for a good 20 minutes about nothing-and-everything LOL after the 5k. Geoff, Gary and Ben ROCKED THE STREETS OF LIVERPOOL and empowered their fans athletic goals!
Left to right: Little Man with foam Mohawk, with Tom, selfie with Natalie
Sunday the Marathon was electric. Athletes like to dress-up in creative running costumes in Liverpool! I ran with Natalie around Mile 10 and talked the whole time about everything. 欧成东 from Hong Kong was running his first marathon and we laughed about his week of college exams. I cheered for future marathoner Grace.
My friend Tom (@12MarathonsIn12) and I caught-up with one another around Mile 16 and we ran together for the rest of the race. Running on Penny Lane is a magical moment that I can not describe in words, but is something everyone should do. It’s like running the #RnRLV #StripAtNight in Las Vegas = EPIC… in its own way!
Tom and I met Joel and other athletes along the course experiencing challenging moments. We brought our athletic comrades with us and was exciting to see them cross the Finish Line. I honestly do not remember crossing the Finish Line; but I do remember my friend Terri giving me my 1st Marathon Finishers Medal in the United Kingdom. Later seeing volunteers from the weekend and my friend Angharad became an after party filled with music and butterflies!
Liverpool ROCKS!!
Great food, diverse music, fun attractions! The City of Liverpool offers an authentic experience that rocks for the interests of any World Rocker!!!!!!!!!
* * * * *
As always Geo, thanks for taking us on one of your many adventures. The international scene for Rock ‘n’ Roll is something many of us don’t get to experience and it’s nice to see familiar faces enjoying the race scene abroad.
Have you ever done an International marathon?
