The Pajama Run has is my favorite race in Charleston, and this year was my third year to run. The race fundraises for cancers below the waist: colorectal cancer, ovarian cancer, colon cancer, etc. It starts at The Joe Riley stadium, loops around Hampton Park, and then ends with a pajama party.
This year we were sponsored by The Charleston Pickle Company! Amanda, Nikki, Kaye, Ashley, and Nikki’s baby Liam all donned CPC shirts for the run:
So many pickles and pickle juice shots for recovery.
This year’s race was special not only because of our awesome sponsorship, but because I really wanted to beat my PR. Last year I PR’d and got 2nd place in my age group with a time of 24:54. Since I have been running so much more lately, I was absolutely determined to shave off at least a minute.
Amanda and I started off pretty fast – much faster than I anticipated to run my first mile, but the energy of the crowd really helped. We both use the Nike + app that lets us know as we pass each mile. When we hit mile 1, we both looked at each other, smiled, and then suddenly our mouths just dropped. We had run it in 7:36, which is pretty damn fast for us. We sped up a tiny bit for the next 2.1 miles and BOTH finished with a new PR – 22:52 for me and 22:55 for her. We were psyched.
Even better, we won 2nd and 3rd place in our age group. Yay for medals!
DJ Natty Heavy also made his 3rd appearance at the Pajama Run after party. Look at that smile!
After the race, we were glowing with pride…and starving. To refuel, Amanda and I went to Sesame for lunch. Of course we started our meal with a celebratory drink. I had a Mandrin Mule: absolut mandrin, goslings ginger beer and fresh squeezed lime. 
We split The Napa Valley chicken sandwich (fig & bacon jam, blue cheese, red wine reduction) and the Southwestern black bean burger (guacamole and chipotle sour cream). Sesame has a really great black bean burger and it’s huge!
The race was a lot of fun, I got to run with my best friends, and I’m so excited about my new PR. Great day all around!
**Huge thanks to Nathan/The Charleston Pickle Company for sponsoring us. We love your pickles and your support!!**
What’s your favorite race that you’ve run?
Are you signed up for any upcoming races? I’m currently signed up to for the Charleston 1/2 Marathon in January, the Color Me Rad Run in March, and will soon sign up for the Cooper River Bridge Run in April.