Email from Coach Don 09/27

Ok, we are into the final phases of the training... That means we have a long week followed by a short(er) week. So enjoy the drop back week and do let your body use these weeks to recover.

A couple of things: The weather has finally started to cool this week. Just be sure to remember the 20-25 degree rule and don't overdress on the longer weekend runs. When you run, you body has an amazing ability to warm up. You will warm up 20 -25 degrees over the outside temperature. So if it is 50 degrees outside, you should dress how you would go outside not running at 70-75 degrees. The only thing you may want to add is a pair of gloves to keep your hand warm to start. They are easy to stash in your water belt or pants after you warm up. Also remember that we are running at the break of day so it will warm up over the hours we run. An old marathon saying..if you are not cool at the start of the run, you are probably overdressed.

Replacement food. On the longer runs, we have Cliff shots available. Why? At the nutrition clinic we talked about how the body uses the fuel it stores. But it cannot store enough fuel to run a full marathon. Therefore you will need to add more fuel (complex carbohydrates work best) while running. PowerAde, etc add some but most people will need to add more. So get used to using something to add more fuel. If you don't like the taste of the brand we have (which is what will be available on the race course....race day it will be Raspberry or Vanilla), try one of the other brands you can get at the local running stores. Or find and alternative (cliff shots, jelly beans, grapes, honey are some)and get used to using it on the next two long runs.

Clinics: I heard good things about the mental clinic. We will have two more "clinics". In the two weeks before the race we will have the clinic that most people find most useful....Race Preparation...Plan on coming to this clinic, particularly first time marathoners. And next week we have out All Teams Social. This year it will be at the Bull & Bear Club (downtown at James Center I, 901 E. Cary Street, 21st Floor....Free parking in the building, enter on Canal Street between 9th and 10th). It will be on October 5th from 6:00-9:00. Appetizers are on us..Cash Bar. Rumors of some music..They are relaxing there dress code, so no need for a coat & tie, but probably not relaxed enough for T shirts and ratty jeans...

Final long run. Our final long runs will be on October 21 and 22. On the 21st, we will be joined by most of the team that has been training in Rocky Mount. I would love to be able to offer them places to stay for Friday night with people on our team in Richmond. I will be putting one or two up at my house.
So if you have a spare bedroom and can let one of them stay, please let me know. My attempt is to match them up with people of similar pace so they have a new friend in Richmond to run with.

See you this weekend.

Weekly Email

Great job! Congrats to everyone on your run this weekend. We had groups run on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I am very to happy to see everyone working like a team. Having your team-mates is what will get you through the next month of your training. Be sure to rely on them when you need a lift.

Your next Month. Believe it or not, you are now getting down to the end of your training. The next month you will log the most miles of your training. It is also the month when you are most likely to get injured. I don’t say that to scare anyone. I say that to remind you to "listen to your body." You have invested a lot of your time into this venture. Don’t risk running your marathon, because you pushed too hard through a training workout.

Mental Toughness. There is a difference between pain and suffering. Pain is when it hurts, and you want to give up. . . but you don’t. Suffering is when you are on the verge of injury and you should stop. It is a very fine line between the two, so be careful.

For many of you, your physical strength is now ahead of your mental strength. You find yourself thinking, "I can’t do this. I need to cut it short." But then you finish the run, and wish you pushed a little more. I personally am in the same boat right now.

Saturday I felt bad, and had taken two walk breaks and had convinced myself it was going to be a bad run. That was when I saw Tracy P. waiting with her jogging stroller to finish the run with me. I never walked another step and was able to run the last few miles around a nine-minute pace. So even though my mind told me to quit, it turns out my legs were ready to keep going. I just needed to get over my mental hurdle.

Wednesday. I will be running at 5:45 today if anyone wants to join me. I plan to leave from my house, but would gladly meet somewhere else. Let me know!

Thursday. I plan to do my speed workout at City Lake. The workout will be tough, but simple to execute. The novice plan will do three one-mile repeats, and the intermediates will do five. If you cant find a track, this is an easy workout on the roads to. Use the McMillan Running site to figure out your goal pace.

This Weekend. I will not be in town next weekend. Frank will lead the group. I will have a route and directions available before we leave. We will need help getting out fluids. It is only a 12-miler so we could get away with one stop at the train tracks most likely. Please let Frank know if you can help out.

Remember, this is a recovery run this weekend. The following week the miles go back up. If your legs are sore and/or tired, try to Saturday easy, and let them rest.

44 Days until your marathon.

"I run like I mean it"

Most of you have heard of Dean Karnazes. He is the ultra-marathoner who is running 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days. I know it sounds crazy (which it is), but Dean is actually a pretty down-to-earth kind of guy.

He has a daily blog, complete with photos the he writes after each marathon. You might expect the blog entries are all about Dean, but they are not. They are all about the people who are running with him. Every day 10-30 runners show up in a different state to run with Dean. The group for the most part runs together and crosses the finish line together. They run an official course, but normally not on a race day.

Many people are running their first marathons, and get pretty emotional when talking about it (there is a video clip too as well as pictures). Others are like John Tracey who run marathons all of the time.

If you are looking for inspiration to get you ready for your marathon, I recommend checking Dean's site out each day to read about the latest marathon. It will open take a miute or two to read each entry. I found one day in particular put a big smile on my face. Here is an excerpt.

At mile 10 the course does a lap around the famous Drake University track, and standing there to meet us were the Drake University Mascot and fifty elementary school students from nearby schools. The kids ran the lap around the track with us, cheering and high-fiving much of the way. I’ll never forget a quote from one little boy who I complemented on his swift pace, "Mr. Karnazes," he said between pants, "I run like I mean it."

http://enduranceis.typepad.com/

Be sure to check out some of the 1 minute video clips. You will see the running through down poors, and people finishing with tears. All great stuff! Here is a direct link to my favorite clip.

Weekend Maps

Distance: 16-Miles The route is very similar to the 12-mile route last week, but obviously longer. We will get on the paved trails, and will run by the YMCA. Be sure to stop for bathrooms, towels (if needed), and water. Still running on some busy roads, so be careful. Pay attention to traffic when on West Mount, Bethlehem and crossing 301. Take your time when crossing roads. The YMCA is your last water stop, so be sure to hydrate well.

Distance: 20-Miles The route is very similar to the 12-mile route last week, but obviously much longer. We will get on the paved trails, and will run by the YMCA. Be sure to stop for bathrooms, towels (if needed), and water. Still running on some busy roads, so be careful. Pay attention to traffic when on West Mount, Bethlehem and crossing 301. Take your time when crossing roads. You finish with a reverse Candlewood loop.

Fluids:

• 2.5 My House (1104 Spring Forest Drive on Right) Water, PowerAide, Gel, Bathroom
• 6.2 Co Ah Bar St (First house on left behind brick wall) Water, PowerAide, Gel
• 8.4 City Lake (around lake) Water Fountains Only
• 12 YMCA Water Fountains, Bathrooms, Towels
• 16.5 Train Tracks (normal stop) Water, PowerAide, Gel (20 mile route only)

Weekend Routes and More

Well, it looks like we have some other groups with organized runs this week. Good luck to everyone running 20 miles tomorrow!

This afternoon:
Let me know if you were interested in running a speed workout at City Lake this afternoon.

Saturday Runners:
By my count, the following should be running on Saturday: Ursula, Frank, Jeff, Patti, Dave H, Carol, Andy, Matt, Elaine, Misty, Authur, Russ, Jim, John, David L. If you will not be there, please let me know so I can put out the correct amount of fluids. We will once again meet at 6:45 at the HT. Next week we will back it up another 15 minutes.

Routes: http://www.mapmyrun.com/view_route.php?r=aa963bfc51c8bfcfdb6d0bc1dcb402f4. I have attached a link for the 20-mile route. The 16-mile route will be largely the same, expect it will finish right at the HT instead of going back through Candle Wood. I will email out written directions tomorrow. I want to get everyone to the Y if possible for drinks, bathrooms, etc.

For those running 20, remember you get to do this three times. Relax, and run a comfortable pace. This is a new peak for many of you. Saturday is not about how fast you can do this. In two weeks try to improve a little on your time, but for now your goal is to finish.

Pasta Dinner: For those who had asked about RSVPing for the Pasta Dinner, there is information on our blog with all of the details.

09/20 Updates

Wednesday: I will be running at 5:45 from my house on Wednesday afternoon if anyone is interested in joining me again. The high on Wednesday is 78, but that night it is supposed to get down to 52 so it should be real nice weather to run in.

Thursday: Our speed workouts for Thursday are as follows:

• Novice. . . . . . . . . . . . .Intermediate:
• 2 x 400 . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 x 600
• 2 x 1200 . . . . . . . . . . . .3 x 1200

To be honest, the speed workout is simple enough where it could be run on the roads doing fartleks instead. If anyone is interested in running in the afternoon let me know. I would also be willing to run them on a treadmill at the Y, at City Lake, or at a track if someone has access. Next week the speed workouts are mile-repeats, which can easily be done at City Lake which is roughly a half mile loop.

Pasta Dinner: Every year the Marathon Training Team has a pasta dinner the night before the race. You are not required to attend, but it would be nice if our Rocky Mount Team could be represented at the event. I have never been, but I hear it is always a lot of fun and the food is good. Ursula and I plan to take off Friday from work, and drive up to Richmond. This will give us time to get our race packets and check into the room. After that we will head to the event. It says "the coaches are the entertainment", but don't count on Frank and I doing River Dance or anything like that. I will however have a fun slide show to share with everyone.

The cost is $19.00 per person. Kids 5-12 are $8.00. Under four is free.

53 Days until your marathon!

Pasta Dinner

Every year the Marathon Training Team has a pasta dinner the night before the race. You are not required to attend, but it would be nice if our Rocky Mount Team could be represented at the event. I have never been, but I hear it is always a lot of fun and the food is good. Ursula and I plan to take off Friday from work, and drive up to Richmond. This will give us time to get our race packets and check into the room. After that we will head to the event. It says "the coaches are the entertainment", but don't count on Frank and I doing River Dance or anything like that. I will however have a fun slide show to share with everyone.

SPORTSBACKERS MARATHON TRAINING TEAM PASTA DINNER

• FRIDAY - NOVEMBER 10, 2006
• Location: Westminster Presbyterian Church
• 4103 Monument Avenue (Corner of Malvern and Monument)
• Tentative time is 6 PM, and possible second seating at 7:30 (if we have more than 200 people).
• Please indicate early or later time when you RSVP.

MENU:

• Salad:
  - Mixed Green Salad with tomato, cucumber, and shaved carrots, tossed in Herb-Balsamic vinaigrette
  - Bread
• Main dish:
  All-you-can-eat pasta with your choice of sauce: hearty meat, marinara, and herb-garlic olive oil broth
• Sweets:
  Chocolate Chip Cookies and Fresh fruit (bananas, apples and oranges)
• Beverage: Water and Ice Tea.

Service and Entertainment provided by the Coaches!

RSVP and Payment by November 1, 2006. Email Ellie at e.gourmet@comcast.net with your name, team, number of people (indicate children), seating time preference and your sauce preference, please.

Payment
· CASH or CHECK only, please.
· $19.00 per person, including tax.
· $ 8.00 per child between 5 to 12 years old
· FREE for children younger than 4 years old

Please send payment to:
Everyday Gourmet
Ellie Basch
4605 Monument Avenue
Richmond, VA 23230

Details of Speed Work Out

Speed Play: I wanted to get a quick email out this morning about speed workouts. There is some information on the blog with a link that shows the training schedule, but I don’t know if everyone has seen that. First of all, speed works outs are designed to push your body harder than we normally do, but for shorter periods of time. We will take rest into between each interval of speed before beginning your next.

For this week the workouts are as follows:

• 1 x 800m
• 1 x 1200m
• 1 x 1600m (Intermediates do 2 x 1600m)

Now your next question might be "how fast do I run?" Don has shared this link with the team. On this site you put in your fastest race time (or goal time), and it will give you guidelines for every race and workout imaginable. It is pretty cool actually.

For example: If you run a 2:15 half marathon, enter in that time, and pick ½ marathon. Once you click submit a big table comes up with target times. Look at the block in middle right called "Speed Workouts". For Long Distance Runners (which we are) it says to run 800m in 4:27 - 4:40. That is your target for when you do you 1 x 800 speed work out.

So taking a 2:15 half marathoner would have the following targets this week:

• Novice . . . . . . . . . .Goal Time:
• 1 x 800m . . . . . . . .4:27-4:40
• 1 x 1200m . . . . . . .6:51-7:12
• 1 x 1600m . . . . . . .9:20-9:40

Don’t get too hung up in the target times. The main thing is to feel like you are pushing it. This site just helps you determine how hard to be going.

Fartlek Workouts: If you can’t find a track or a treadmill, use your target times to do a fartlek workout instead. Using the example above, do a 5-10 minute warmup, and then increase your effort for 4:27. After that slow to a jog (or walk if needed). After your heart rate is back down, and you are ready for your next interval, increase your effort for 6:51, etc.

Words of caution:

• You can still run a marathon without any speed works outs. For those looking to improve their time, speed will help.
• If you are injured, or think you are about to be, don’t risk it with a speed work out.
• If you would rather substitute in hill works outs instead of speed that is fine.
• Listen to your body.

New Roads!

New Roads: We have been largely running the same roads for about two months now. This week you will be asked to break out of your comfort zone a little bit and hit some new roads and some less familiar roads. Come race day, you will have some long straight roads to battle, so I tried to put some of those in this week (although most are not very long).

If you have been running from the beginning, most of the roads you have already run. We are still leaving from the Harris Teeter, but will not head across Sunset into Candlewood at the start. We will instead work our way over to West Mount, and eventually back on the shady roads of Evergreen heading towards City Lake. We will then come back to Winstead Road and run up Amherst towards familiar roads.

Even though I have not created the written directions yet, I wanted to send this out early, so you could become familiar with the routes. Please review them in advance so no one gets lost. These are some of my favorite roads to run on. I am honestly really excited about mixing it up and seeing some new scenery. Written directions will come tomorrow.

We will start at 6:45 a.m. This will give me a few extra minutes to drop of fluids, and give us a little more day light.

Hydration: Water stops will be a little more tricky as well. They will be as follows

• 2.5 My House (1104 Spring Forest Drive on Right) Water, PowerAide, Gel, Bathroom
• 6.2 Co Ah Bar St (First house on left) Water, Gel
• 7.5 City Lake (around lake) Water Fountains Only
• 10.5 Train Tracks (normal stop) Water, PowerAide, Gel

Even though the heat is not as bad, hydration is still very important. Before you run past a water fountain, or skip some PowerAide, think of how you might feel in two miles.

Look who is is running longer: This is a very interesting week. This is the only week when the Novice Route exceeds the Intermediate Route. Much like last week, many of our runners are setting new personal records by logging 15 miles. Be sure to support each other before, during, and after the run.

• 12 Miles
• 15 Miles

Email from Coach Don

We have been at this for quite a few weeks and have been adding a few new people as we go along. I thought I would take this time to just refresh most of you and to let the newer people catch up on a few things.

Hydration. We have the SAG wagons. And most of you are very good at staying hydrated. Just remember, as the weather cools down, you will have a tendency to drink less. But it is just as important to stay hydrated. I have seen more people cramp up as the weather cools down because they think they don't need to drink as much.

Website. The website has a lot of good information. Make sure you are visiting it for your weekly routes (read them before the weekend run (www.marathontrainingteam.com). Also there is a message board where there is lots of good info.

Safety. This should be in all of our minds as we run. Most notably, don't run multiple people across when there is traffic. And on quieter road, still be aware of cars (and bikers) and remember that they have a size advantage on you and give them the right of way. Don't let people in cars wave you through an intersection that they have the right of way. The people in the cars don't realize that there are usually a lot more people behind you.

More Safety. Enjoy your teammates. Talk to them. If some one runs with you that you don't know, introduce yourself. As to Headphones. My first thought is that you have a lot of interesting people you are running with. Talk to them and don't use headphones. They are a safety hazard. If you insist, it should be quiet enough that if someone comes up behind you and says something in a normal voice you can hear them.

Schedule. Make sure you have the schedule and are following it. Make sure you have picked up the notebook with all the information.

Running Buddies. By now you should have your normal group of weekend morning running buddies who are your pace. If you do not, start making a lot of new friends. This is the best thing to get you thru the next few weeks of long runs.

Shoes, Clothing. As we all know, cotton is bad. If you got new shoes when you started training, you have probably put 300-450 miles on these shoes. They may or may not be showing some age. By the time you get to marathon day, they will probably be well worn. The time to think about new shoes in over the next few weeks. This is so you have them broken in and will have done at least one long run in the shoes you will wear in the marathon.

Train your whole body. Our weekend runs are the time to training your legs. But they are also where you can experiment with everything you will do on race day. It is better to try something new now than marathon day. You will not want to do anything new or different on race day that you have not done before a long run. Clothes. Nutrition. Sleep (and when you wake up). Clif Shots, etc during a run. And many more of the variable of a run.

So think about these things as you go about your runs. I am leaving for a trip with my wife and will not have access to email from 9/14 to 9/25. So if you have issues, check with your team coaches.

Have fun running!!!!!

Pace for Track workouts

Don shared a website that will help you calculate the pace you should be running your speed workouts. It has an excellent calculator that might help you. Simply plug in your fastest race time (use the longest race you have), and it will tell you the rest. McMillan Running

Looking for a fun 5k?

This race is on a Sunday. If anyone is interested you could run it for fun. Don't let it impact your training however. The entry fee is only $20 ($25 on race day) Friesen 5k Stanley Cup Run.

Since winning the NHL championship on June 19, Carolina Hurricanes players and staff members have taken the Stanley Cup to destinations across the globe. But on Sunday, Sept. 10, it will be back in Raleigh to benefit a great cause.

Weekend Routes 09/09

Here are your weekend routes. We are meeting at 6:30 a.m. at the Harris Teeter. The Richmond team is starting later, but we are still 6:30. I will be at the start, but will not be able to run. I will have some printed directions too. The long route has some new roads. Be sure to review in advance.

10-mile route http://www.mapmyrun.com/view_route.php?r=f489663fc8edc425e5a002f2ef30328b
18-mile route http://www.mapmyrun.com/view_route.php?r=1c84e76793a2010e91ca3fc81e2cae31

This is the first week in a while that out group will be finishing an hour our more apart. So please keep an eye out for each other. Big thanks to Andy and Carol for helping out so much with the fluid stops!

Speed Play

If you want to run faster, You have to run faster.
Speed Play: Everybody wants speed. The most often asked question is “How can I get faster?” The best way to improve you speed is to begin a program of faster workouts.

Why speed? Speedwork helps you run faster and stronger in three ways: (1) It improves your running form. This will greatly benefit you at the end of your marathon. As you tire in the marathon, you will need to concentrate on maintaining your running form. As you do speedwork, you must work on maintaining your form through the entire distance of each repeat. It teaches you to maintain form; (2) It eases you adaptation to oxygen debt. In short, it builds you ability to breathe and process oxygen through your body; (3) It helps you push through the mental barriers of discomfort and doubt. We never said that all running would be easy. By doing these harder workouts you start to stretch yourself mentally and prepare yourself to grow as a runner.

O.K. How do I do speedwork safely? The first thing to remember is that as you start to increase the intensity of your workouts, you are increasing the potential for injury. You need to always be aware of your body and if you feel anything out of the ordinary, be prepared to stop the workout immediately. Follow these helpful hints:

1. Start slowly. If you haven’t been running hard, do not expect to jump right in and do the same workout as the person who has been doing speedwork for weeks or months;
2. Warm up well. Before starting speedwork, run for 10 – 20 minutes to get the legs warm. As you warm up, do several 100 yard pickups at a slowly accelerating speed to get used to going faster;
3. After warming up, be sure to stretch completely. Concentrate on the hamstrings, quads and calves;
4. Ease into the workouts. You should finish each workout exhilarated and tired, but not totally exhausted;
5. Run with someone. Look for people who run at about your same speed. If you are running with people of vastly different speeds, it is no different than running alone. If you are running with people of about the same speed, you will each help the other get a good workout. But remember, each repeat is not a race. Push yourself, don’t Hurt yourself;
6. How fast? We will have a chart at the track that will help you see how fast you should be doing each repeat;
7. Maintain good running form. Yes, you will tire at the end of a distance. Be sure that you are trying to keep good form through the whole distance. Don’t sacrifice form for speed;
8. Run a consistent pace for all repeats. Don’t blow it out on the first one, die on the last one. Also, don’t dog it on the first one and the kill the last one. Use the first several weeks to learn your pace;
9. Don’t overstride. You get faster by having quicker turnover, not a longer stride.
10. Fully recover between repeats. Fully!!!
11. Stay hydrated. There is a fountain at the track.
12. Time yourself on each repeat and record it in your log.
13. Cool down by running easy for 10-15 minutes.
14. Stretch after cooling down.

Track Etiquette and Details.

1. The track is 400 meters (measured one foot from the inside curb);
2. 400 meters is about three paces less than 1/4 mile (or one second running);
3. For all intent and purposes, 4 laps is a mile;
4. Faster runners have priority on the inside lanes:
5. So, you should run on the inside lanes but you should slide outside to let people pass you on the inside;
6. Faster runners be courteous of the slower runners; give them time to move. Be courteous and say something like “Inside” to let them know you are there;
7. To cool down move to the outside lanes and walk, slow run in the reverse direction;

Speed Play Schedule (I am having technical difficulties...this is last year's schedule... just subtract one day)

Half Marathon, Speed, and more

Good afternoon everyone! I hope everyone is having a good week, and has recovered from their weekend runs and races. Sorry for the long email. . .

Fun Stats: First of all, here are some fun stats for you. I estimate our team has now run 5,836 total miles getting ready for our marathon. That is pretty amazing! To give you an idea of how far that is, here is a breakdown.
As a team, we have logged enough miles to have:

• Run 223 total marathons
• Run to Richmond and back 19 times
• Run to Hollywood California and back once

I know that is silly, but I wanted you all to get an idea of just how hard this team is working. You are all doing great.

Half Marathon Lessons: Many of you have completed your half marathons. Some of you set PRs, and others added a new medal to their collection. After speaking with some of you, I know the half marathon created some doubts, and for others it raised your hopes. Both reactions are expected.

1. You did not train for a half marathon - If the race was tougher then you expected, don't be surprised. If you had trained for a half marathon, your miles would have peaked two weekends ago, and you would have begun a taper. We did not do this. You are still training very hard right now. Before the marathon you will have a three week taper to prime your body for a great race.
2. Your legs hurt after just 13 miles - Everyone who ran last weekend had a pretty flat course. Believe it or not, hills are not all bad. Going up means you get to come down. Running on 100% flat surfaces means your legs are using your muscles the same way over and over. This can create soreness. You also never get a downhill to coast a bit. Having some hills in Richmond will help.
3. Your pace was slower then you want - See point number one. You did not rest prior to this race. Also, our speed work is just about to begin. Both of these things will help your pace improve come race day.
4. "How can I do 26, if 13 was this hard" - Remember your training. For many of you this was your first 13 miles. For others, you have only exceeded 13 a few times. Your legs are getting stronger every day. Remember the first weekend run we did from the Y? I bet you did not think running 13 was a possibility on that day either. Just take one week at a time.
5. You will improve - Finally, I always tell myself during training, "Each day, my legs get stronger, by body gets lighter, and the temperatures get cooler." Remember that on those hard days.

Speed Work: Don will be sending out message about speed today or tomorrow. Don't panic about adding something new to your workouts. If you need an extra week to digest the speed work, and figure out a plan, just do hills again this week, and start your speed next week. I am still looking for anyone with track access. If anyone wants to make a "redneck track" who has some low traffic roads, we could paint a dot every 100 meters on a road for a full mile. Otherwise we can organize Fartlek workouts.

This Weekend: We will run a 6:30 a.m. again from the HT. Most likely I will not be able to run on Saturday because of the football game. I plan to run on Friday morning, and Ursula will be running Sunday if anyone is interested (even for a portion of the run). I will however plan the routes, put out the fluids, have directions and be there for the start. I will need someone however to volunteer to clean up the water stop, and someone to hold the drinks at the finish.

Rock and Roll Pics Part 1

Frank was kind enough to make a trip to the beach just to be a fan, coach, and photographer. Here is a link to some of the pictures he took while he was there. How Frank found us in a crowd of 17,000 runners is amazing. If you want a full size version of a picture, let Frank know. Thanks Frank! Snap Fish. Ursula has some others I will post shortly.

Congrats Runners!

Lots of great performances this weekend. The following completed their half marathons:

Rock and Roll Half:
(http://www.rnrhalf.com/results.html)

• Tracy H. *
• Kinnie
• Carol *
• Patti
• Jeff
• Andy *
• Michael
• Ursula*
• Jim

Procrastinators: (http://www.rrrc.org/rrrc/ - click on results to the left)

• Elaine *
• Misty *

* Ran a PR (Personal Record)

If you missed running a half, but would still like to get one in as part of your training, you can run the Ukrops Half Marathon hosted by the Sports Backers in Richmond on September 30th. This will fit in our training, as far as the miles go. I ran this two years ago, and really enjoyed to course.

Race Shirts and Speed

Two Quick things... Race day shirts... Don will be ordering these shirts on or about September 11. He will be ordering Singlets and Sleeveless shirts in men's styles and women's styles. I recommend that you wear one of these styles and it will lessen the heat building on race day. However, there are some of you who always wear a Tee shirt style shirt. If you are one of these people and would rather have me order you a Tee Shirt Style Race Day shirt, you will need to email me back by no later that 5:00 on Friday September 8. Please specify the size and men's or women's style. We will not be ordering extras of Tee shirts, so speak now or forever hold your peace.

Speed work starts this week. We in Rocky Mount are still looking for some track options. Depending on what we come up with, we may be substituting some Fartlek workouts instead of track workouts. Whatever we can work out, we will find a way to work speed into our training. Details of the workouts and a write up will be posted on the website and the coaches will have it at the workouts.

I will email more about race weekend once I have had a chance to talk to all of you. Thanks!