Just got back from the 2016 Sacramento Kids Spartan Race- (today)
My Do's and Don'ts:
1) Prepare your kid for the race weeks before- emotionally! Show videos- explain they are not competing, but just to have fun and finish.
2) Parking is organized chaos (so is everything else). Plan to get there 2 hours before your event- (as in googled into your smartphone) because parking took us 40 minutes (backed up miles down the road)- so we planned to be there at 8:30am, but did not get a parking spot until 8:50am...due to long line into the parking lot. As for leaving, same time out... add 40 min to drive time home.
3) take food! If you are like us and on a budget, we packed pizza, beer, waters, etc. During daddies race we went back to car- got out the chairs, sat and ate cold pizza. yum
4) If you have a toddler/baby, I suggest you leave them at home w/a sitter. The terrain is rough, so only bicycle wheeled Strollers/wagons will work. (BOB!!). It's also a ton of waiting around, and nothing fun for them to do. DO NOT TAKE PLASTIC WHEELED STROLLERS! Bring the baby carrier thing if you need to bring baby!
5) SUNSCREEN! It's November- and 80 degrees! WAIVERS - PRINT AT HOME ! save the time in line
6). The kids race is ONLY 20 min (if that). And they literally introduce them to the Spartan way. They must first get over the small wall (just like the adults), and they warm up. They are taught it's not a competition and to keep a bubble around them at all times (so they don't get hurt). Then the parents are called in to run with them! THAT'S RIGHT- YOU BETTER BE PREPARED TO RUN, CRAWL, CLIMB! (You don't HAVE to do the obstacles, most parents don't--but you will run!)
7) Divide and conquer the course- The one with the camera will do most of the sprinting. You will NEED to sprint ahead to get the best shots. You can cross over the course, but note-- the terrain is rough. I almost rolled an ankle (see below). I was not prepared for the sprinting I was going to do. The other parent will run along side your kiddo. They can do the obstacles too, but most parents did not. That parent is the coach.
8) If you have weak ankles, bring your brace! Hilly, rough terrain! Like step-wrong-roll an ankle- rough! Bring the best shoes you have! (think foothill hiking & sprinting)
9) Wear workout gear! No one wears jeans! Get those workout capris on, a workout top + sports bra- enjoy the running around. I clocked 13K steps today. If you are taking pics- you will be down on a knee and maybe in mud... You may have to help your 6yo out of the mud pit bc he got stuck... and you pull him out and leaves his shoes behind. No joke... bring a change of clothing and plan to get dirty.
10) Kid stuff: Have them run in old shoes-- hello mud/water pit! Hello, mud crawl under nets! They need a full change of clothing. + trash bags for their wet stuff.
11) Yes Beer is for sale $7
12) BRING CASH: Parking--cash only $10
13) Prepare for the late afternoon grumpies--- it's hot, the adults just did 5++ miles- everyone is tired...and easily angered. Nice goes a LONG way! Prepare for people to get in your way, not care, etc.
14) Kids get shirt in the beginning (so they all want to wear it), then get medal at the end. The parent wrist band is checked off by an attendant- so they do make sure you get the right kid at the VERY end of the race. (Chucky-Cheese status!)
15) Musts: You must teach your kid about the bubble- to do all obstacles with no crowding. They must watch for small kids and be careful to not kick anyone. Bring a change of clothing (shoes too). Get there early for better parking (3 min walk, not 10 min walk). I saw people w/RV's- brilliant.
Hope this helped! If you have certain questions, ask away!
-Auggie
As always I explain our my family spends 25K a year on vacations while still have a $630 a month daycare bill.
1) Working REWARDS!
a) Disney Chase Credit card. 2% back. Use if for EVERYTHING except 3 things. We have one of us cruise for free on Disney every other year. AND Disney Vacations are 6 months 0 % interest.
b) Costco Citi card! We make over $1500 a year back from 2 cards and the Executive Membership. That cash (sent as checks you cash at Costco registers) is used to pay for our entire Carnival Cruise this spring break!
c) Alaskan Airlines Credit Card- companion fares, free baggage, miles.
d) EBATES! In 8 days I have made $63 in cash and $30 is pending travel. You start at the EBATES website and simply shop like normal online. The referral link within Ebates makes you money.
ex: Amazon says "hey EBATES send me people to shop" Ebates loads up the % back and posts it. You start on Ebates and click the Amazon link, it sends you to Amazon KNOWING you will earn cash back. You shop on Amazon like normal (be sure to stay in that referral link) and BAM % back in your EBATE account the next day. It is THAT easy!
Cash is sent to your Paypal account (or paper check) every quarter. This alone pays for our spending money for our Thanksgiving Cancun Trip. Here is my snip-it proving what I have earned and (promise, legit)! And the link to sign up.
Below in the photo #1) All money made on Ebates to date (8 days people)! #2) My last PayPal deposit. #3) how I earned cash back on shopping.
LINK to sign up: https://www.ebates.com/r/OOGIEN3?eeid=28187
2) We do not have car payments. Hubby drives a 2003 Accord, me a 2010 Swag Van we paid off in 2 years (hence, didn't travel much those years).
3) Our mortgage is lower. We are both full time educators and could have afforded over 2K a month on a mortgage, instead we opted for a cheaper home for a cheaper mortgage.
4) Shop travel deals online during good sales. Our entire April spring break Carnival cruise is $1400 for all of us. Our Alaskan Cruise we got the alcohol package for FREE when we upgraded to a Balcony (which I had always wanted). In Mexico always Kids Stay FREE deals.
5) YNAB! You Need a Budget is an online cloud budget tool. It is budgeting on steroids! You have to account for EVERY penny! I have been using YNAB for 5 years and I am able to FULLY fund my vacations thru budgeting each month. I set aside 2k a month for travel, this tool allows me to budget monthly and set goals. It tells me what we spend the most money on (ahem, food and shopping) and allows us to have discussions about habits we NEED to change to reach our goals. They have amazing training videos, and a FREE 30 day trial. Try it, no obligation (it is better than MINT which I used for 2 years and EveryDollar). Try it here: https://ynab.com/referral/?ref=G6Kp8nTV4XKAQNSX&utm_source=customer_referral
Travel on Everyone!
My Do's and Don'ts:
1) Prepare your kid for the race weeks before- emotionally! Show videos- explain they are not competing, but just to have fun and finish.
2) Parking is organized chaos (so is everything else). Plan to get there 2 hours before your event- (as in googled into your smartphone) because parking took us 40 minutes (backed up miles down the road)- so we planned to be there at 8:30am, but did not get a parking spot until 8:50am...due to long line into the parking lot. As for leaving, same time out... add 40 min to drive time home.
3) take food! If you are like us and on a budget, we packed pizza, beer, waters, etc. During daddies race we went back to car- got out the chairs, sat and ate cold pizza. yum
4) If you have a toddler/baby, I suggest you leave them at home w/a sitter. The terrain is rough, so only bicycle wheeled Strollers/wagons will work. (BOB!!). It's also a ton of waiting around, and nothing fun for them to do. DO NOT TAKE PLASTIC WHEELED STROLLERS! Bring the baby carrier thing if you need to bring baby!
5) SUNSCREEN! It's November- and 80 degrees! WAIVERS - PRINT AT HOME ! save the time in line
6). The kids race is ONLY 20 min (if that). And they literally introduce them to the Spartan way. They must first get over the small wall (just like the adults), and they warm up. They are taught it's not a competition and to keep a bubble around them at all times (so they don't get hurt). Then the parents are called in to run with them! THAT'S RIGHT- YOU BETTER BE PREPARED TO RUN, CRAWL, CLIMB! (You don't HAVE to do the obstacles, most parents don't--but you will run!)
7) Divide and conquer the course- The one with the camera will do most of the sprinting. You will NEED to sprint ahead to get the best shots. You can cross over the course, but note-- the terrain is rough. I almost rolled an ankle (see below). I was not prepared for the sprinting I was going to do. The other parent will run along side your kiddo. They can do the obstacles too, but most parents did not. That parent is the coach.
8) If you have weak ankles, bring your brace! Hilly, rough terrain! Like step-wrong-roll an ankle- rough! Bring the best shoes you have! (think foothill hiking & sprinting)
9) Wear workout gear! No one wears jeans! Get those workout capris on, a workout top + sports bra- enjoy the running around. I clocked 13K steps today. If you are taking pics- you will be down on a knee and maybe in mud... You may have to help your 6yo out of the mud pit bc he got stuck... and you pull him out and leaves his shoes behind. No joke... bring a change of clothing and plan to get dirty.
10) Kid stuff: Have them run in old shoes-- hello mud/water pit! Hello, mud crawl under nets! They need a full change of clothing. + trash bags for their wet stuff.
11) Yes Beer is for sale $7
12) BRING CASH: Parking--cash only $10
13) Prepare for the late afternoon grumpies--- it's hot, the adults just did 5++ miles- everyone is tired...and easily angered. Nice goes a LONG way! Prepare for people to get in your way, not care, etc.
14) Kids get shirt in the beginning (so they all want to wear it), then get medal at the end. The parent wrist band is checked off by an attendant- so they do make sure you get the right kid at the VERY end of the race. (Chucky-Cheese status!)
15) Musts: You must teach your kid about the bubble- to do all obstacles with no crowding. They must watch for small kids and be careful to not kick anyone. Bring a change of clothing (shoes too). Get there early for better parking (3 min walk, not 10 min walk). I saw people w/RV's- brilliant.
Hope this helped! If you have certain questions, ask away!
-Auggie
1) Working REWARDS!
a) Disney Chase Credit card. 2% back. Use if for EVERYTHING except 3 things. We have one of us cruise for free on Disney every other year. AND Disney Vacations are 6 months 0 % interest.
b) Costco Citi card! We make over $1500 a year back from 2 cards and the Executive Membership. That cash (sent as checks you cash at Costco registers) is used to pay for our entire Carnival Cruise this spring break!
c) Alaskan Airlines Credit Card- companion fares, free baggage, miles.
d) EBATES! In 8 days I have made $63 in cash and $30 is pending travel. You start at the EBATES website and simply shop like normal online. The referral link within Ebates makes you money.
ex: Amazon says "hey EBATES send me people to shop" Ebates loads up the % back and posts it. You start on Ebates and click the Amazon link, it sends you to Amazon KNOWING you will earn cash back. You shop on Amazon like normal (be sure to stay in that referral link) and BAM % back in your EBATE account the next day. It is THAT easy!
Cash is sent to your Paypal account (or paper check) every quarter. This alone pays for our spending money for our Thanksgiving Cancun Trip. Here is my snip-it proving what I have earned and (promise, legit)! And the link to sign up.
Below in the photo #1) All money made on Ebates to date (8 days people)! #2) My last PayPal deposit. #3) how I earned cash back on shopping.
LINK to sign up: https://www.ebates.com/r/OOGIEN3?eeid=28187
2) We do not have car payments. Hubby drives a 2003 Accord, me a 2010 Swag Van we paid off in 2 years (hence, didn't travel much those years).
3) Our mortgage is lower. We are both full time educators and could have afforded over 2K a month on a mortgage, instead we opted for a cheaper home for a cheaper mortgage.
4) Shop travel deals online during good sales. Our entire April spring break Carnival cruise is $1400 for all of us. Our Alaskan Cruise we got the alcohol package for FREE when we upgraded to a Balcony (which I had always wanted). In Mexico always Kids Stay FREE deals.
5) YNAB! You Need a Budget is an online cloud budget tool. It is budgeting on steroids! You have to account for EVERY penny! I have been using YNAB for 5 years and I am able to FULLY fund my vacations thru budgeting each month. I set aside 2k a month for travel, this tool allows me to budget monthly and set goals. It tells me what we spend the most money on (ahem, food and shopping) and allows us to have discussions about habits we NEED to change to reach our goals. They have amazing training videos, and a FREE 30 day trial. Try it, no obligation (it is better than MINT which I used for 2 years and EveryDollar). Try it here: https://ynab.com/referral/?ref=G6Kp8nTV4XKAQNSX&utm_source=customer_referral
Travel on Everyone!
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