Dubrovnik Croatia.  To be honest, it was not on my bucket list.  I didn’t even know where it was on a map.  But, last year, my friend Emma posted a message asking if anyone wanted to go to this race with her.  It was organized by another Run Camper that happened to be a travel agent.  How could I say no to a trip like this?

Du Motion organizes a Runners’ Day festival in Dubrovnik.  It consists of a run on the walls (more about that later), half marathon, 5k and kids run.  Initially we signed up for both the Wall and the half marathon.  Because of my lack of training and the time limit on the half, we both decided to drop down to the 5k.

The expo was held at Lazareti, a set of stone buildings that were once the quarantine buildings outside the city.  It was an intimate expo with a couple vendors, including free products from the sponsors.  We could also purchase additional race merchandise, including custom wine and tennis shoes with the outline of the Dubrovnik on the heels. (I really wish I would have purchased them!!!)  The race packet swag was OFF THE CHARTS!  Depending on the race package, we could get a backpack, reusable shopping bag, hoodie, tech short sleeve shirt, cotton shirt, VIP pass to local museums and island excursion.  The VIP pass also gave the runner discounts to various restaurants in Dubrovnik.  The best part of the expo was meeting the race director, Alen Bošković.  He was extremely friendly and offered plenty of tips for all the races.  He even introduced us to the founder of the Big Sur International Marathon, Bill Burleigh. The Monterey Bay Half Marathon is a sister race to Du Motion and the top runners are offered the opportunity race in the sister race.  Finally, we tried some of the special Runner Ale from the Dubrovnik Beer Company.  (We are from Beer City after all!)

Saturday morning was the "Run The Wall" event.  Note to self:  FULLY READ the race descriptions.  From the race website:

The Walls of Dubrovnik have been considered to be amongst the greatest fortification systems of the Middle Ages. The walls run an uninterrupted course of approximately 1,940 metres in length, encircling most of the Old City and reach a maximum height of about 25 metres.

Once a year they are the track field to a very tricky 2,5K race. Upstairs, downstairs, slippery ancient stone, magnificent view…All of it makes this race unforgettable as well as dangerous.

The number of runners is limited at 100. Be sure to register on time!

Did you notice this word…dangerous?  What was I getting myself into?  Emma and I did half the wall the day before the race, which really messed with my head. Did I mention I am terrified of heights?  But, I also like a challenge.  What I didn't realize until we were there is that this race is different from anything else that I have ever experienced.  It rained quite a bit the night before and continued to sprinkle up to race time.  In case you are wondering, limestone becomes very slick when it is wet.  They line everyone up according to bib number. Then, let each person go every 30 seconds.  According to bib number??? I am a last of the pack kind of person!  This was not what I wanted to do.  And then, the hell of all hells for me, the first quarter mile is you, just you, running down the limestone street with people lined on each side.  For me personally, there is nothing more nerve-wrecking than being the center of attention in a race.  Yes, I know that it is all in my head.  Yes, I know I should be proud of what I do.  But the only thing I wanted to do was crawl back in bed and hide. Lucky for me, I was surrounded by friends.  I ran down the street and made it to the steps.  Once I got up the wall, the race wasn't so bad. I spent the majority of the time watching for fasties to come up from behind me.  To be honest, I actually kind of enjoyed how hard it was.  (Don't tell anyone!). And I was doing really well until…I got to the last point of going down the stairs back to the street.  This was a very slippery and steep stairway. I gripped the railing with both hands and moved at a snail's pace.  But, I did it!  Not gonna lie, totally felt like a badass after doing the walls.

The only post race difference was that they only provide water. Don't get me wrong, a full liter of water was nice!  But, there was no buffet of post race food. 

That afternoon we went to the pasta dinner that was being offered to the runners.  It was located at a beautiful beach club called Banje Beach Restaurant.  It was a nice simple pasta dinner with a free beer from Dubrovnik Beer Company.  The best part of the pasta dinner was the gorgeous beach view!  Hello Croatia!

Sunday morning was the Half Marathon and 5K.  It was the same as any other race morning, other than it was in this BEAUTIFUL location.  The half marathon started first, followed by the 5k.  The race director originally said that the 5k was uphill the first half and then downhill back to the finish.  I would beg to differ.  It was more than that.  The best part of the race was the aid stations.  Each aid station had music and one even had a DJ.  The 5k went by three aid stations.  You read that right, there were three aid stations! The finish again provided only water.   It looked like they were cutting oranges for the half marathon finishers.    The 5k was a good race.  But the big takeaway for me was that I really need to take my hill training more seriously. These hills were no joke.

After the race, there was a post party at the Revelin Club. It was an old fort turned into a dance club, complete with cages for dancing, black lights and smoke machines. The race said we would get a sandwich and beverage.  The beverages were unlimited and the sandwich was a “fundraiser style” sub sandwich. It was definitely a fun atmosphere and great way to end the race festivities. Every race should have a finish party just like this!

So, would I do these races again? Absolutely!  While they were tough, I think they were quite beautiful and definitely a destination race.  If you ever get that chance to go to Croatia, make sure to check out the Du Motion Runners’ Day Races!