Sweetheart 5k RMEC Recap

There are too many RMEC members, spouses, and children who ran to write a summary for everyone. Jeff Miller was the first male finisher from the RMEC with a time of 19:08. New RMEC member Anthony Lucas was right on his heels with a time of 19:11. The first female finisher from the club was Kinnie Pruden with an impressive time of 24:01. RMEC runners were spread around multiple age group awards too. Here is a link to all of the awards. Note, the results sent to the Telegram had a calculation error that caused time to display faster for many runners. This link is the correct results.

I would like to highlight the couples teams, as we made up one third of the 41 teams that finished. Notice just how close some of the teams are. 16th-20th place were all only 52 seconds apart!

• 45:23 - It's Miller Time! - Jeff & Patti (5th)
• 48:42 - Team Wings - Scott & Leigh Ann (11th)
• 49:10 - Team Polley - Cliff & Rosa (12th)
• 50:09 - Flying Forresters - Michael & Ursula (16th)
• 50:11 - Bordyk&Babe - Brent & Debi (17th)
• 50:14 - The Prudens - Billy & Kinnie (18th)
• 50:34 - Sparkles - Dave & Tessie (19th)
• 51:01 - Team Batchelor - John & Jeanette (20th)
• 56:34 - Ole Skool - William & Cynthia (24th)
• 58:56 - Hustle & Bustle - Steve & Tampa (26th)
• 59:08 - Lakeside Lovers - Andy & Carol (27th)
• 60:25 - McAttack - Larry & Chelsey (29th)
• 62:09 - Cougars - Levi & Dana (32nd)
• 66:45 - Blazing Turtle - Tracy & Daniel (37th)

Due to my error with assembling teams, I joined two runners that should not have been joined. Once this was corrected, it turns out that Andy Barker and Carol Dickens won the 100-119 couples division. Great job Lakeside Lovers! They will get their prize later this week.

A few other things to note with the couples. Both Cliff and Levi encouraged coworkers to join a team with them, and got more people active in Rocky Mount. It was great to see them use this race as an opportunity to encourage running. Larry McKeel partnered with his daughter Chelsey to create Team McAttack, and paced her for much of the race. Finally, Tracy ran the entire 5k race with Mackenzie. She even out kicked her dad to the finish!

These are just a few great examples of the RMEC encouraging fitness in Rocky Mount. Please don't let it stop with the Sweetheart 5k. There are lots of local 5ks coming up where you can invite a friend to run and help them start their training. Here are a few to consider that are all listed to the right:

• 02/21 - 5k @ Wesleyan this coming Saturday
• 04/04 - 5k @ Tarboro - many from RMEC ran this in 2008
• 04/25 - 5k @ Greenville called Operation Sunshine. Only $10 for RMEC members (carpool?)
• 05/10 - 5k @ Nashville Blooming Festival - All of RMEC ran this is 2008
• 05/30 - 5k/10k/15k @ Rocky Mount in the Fun Run for Charities (15k was just added!)

Please keep running, and keep encouraging!