Fun Run for Charities This Weekend!

I wanted to remind all of you that the Fun Run for Charities is this Saturday. I expect a big crowd from all over Rocky Mount. This is a great chance for all of us to show what an outstanding group of individuals you all are! Here are a few reminders for the weekend.

Shirts: Please try to wear an RMEC shirt to the event. If you have been helping coach the Rocky Mount Endurance Kids, then wear your RMEK shirts instead. Lets stand out among the crowd.

Hospitality: Even though this is not an RMEC event, we should always show hospitality to other runners. Make sure people feel welcome and don't be afraid to introduce yourself to someone. Remember, we are the running club for our town. Most importantly, cheer for the kids. Make them feel important.

RMEC Booth: We will have an RMEC tent sent up among the other non profits. We will use this as a chance to let people know about our club, the RMEK, our races, and the Kid's Triathlon coming up. We hope to see all of you at the tent, but we do need to keep space available for people to pick up information from our booth.

Events: As a reminder, we are promoting the Ford's Colony 5k and 10k (September 12), the Medoc Trail Races (October 17th), and also the Kid's in Training Tri (June 27th). All three events have links to the right in the side bar. The Tri is not a RMEC event, but it is something we are supporting.

RMEK: There will be LOTS of kids that are running the 1-mile and the 5k this weekend that were trained by Tracy, Misty, Elaine, and countless of other volunteers. If you see a child wearing an RMEK shirt, congratulate them, and give them a high five. These kids and coaches have ROCKED for the last 10 weeks and should feel very proud of what they have accomplished.

Fund Raising: The Fun Run for Charities has already been a great event for our club. Through many generous donors, we have raised over $300 for the RMEK. This is fantastic, and helps to ensure the continued success of the program. As a reminder, RMEK is designed to train all children. It is entirely volunteer based, and entirely free to the participants. If a child is willing to put in the effort, we are willing to train them. We do not charge any fees, but we provide kids with a training program, tee shirts, race entries, and a commemorative award.

Sunday Group Run: There will not be a group run on Saturday, however some of you are planning to run on Sunday. Tracy P. has a 22 mile run planned, and she would love some company. Tentatively lets plan for a Sunday run at 6:30 am from the Teeter. Tracy will likely start earlier. Please post a comment here if you plan to run at all. I am sure she will change here route to meet up for some company!

Rocky Mount. . . Medoc is looking for you!

You likely all know that the Medoc Trail Races early entry period ends after this weekend. We are WAY ahead of last year's pace for registration. In fact, in 2008, it was the second week of July before we had reached our current registration totals. The marathon is on pace to double in size this year. What makes these numbers even more impressive is the very limited number of Rocky Mount runners who have signed up!

I realize that 30 of you (myself included) are running the Marine Corps Marathon the following weekend, so I do not expect you all to run the race. However, that still leaves about 35 people from the RMEC who could be racing. We need you to to sign up! For those of you running the Marine Corps. . . we need you to volunteer!

Please take a minute and sign up online today. RMEC Members can use the code "RMECMEMBER" to save $5.00. This code is only for paying club members, and will be monitored. If you can't run, we still want you to join us at the event to help out, sign up online to volunteer today. It really is a rewarding experience to volunteer at a race. Never forget that the reason you can race, is because some else is not.

Vermont Marathon Results

Fresh off a PR at Shamrock, John Batchelor decided to plan a family trip to Vermont, and run a marathon while he was there. So John tried to heal his injuries and cram in some training for the Key Bank Vermont City Marathon.

The race was held yesterday morning, and John continued his trend of setting PRs when he finished in 3:14:23. Keep in mind that John's first marathon was Chicago this past October where he ran 3:31 Four months later he ran Shamrock in 3:20. So in just over half a year John went from "marathon-virgin" to knocking 16 minutes off his time. You can view some pretty cool details on his race results online at the race site.

Congrats John! Hope you have a great vacation.

More Race Options

There are some races coming up (near and far) that may interest the RMEC:

05/23 Skirt Chaser - This race is held tomorrow afternoon in Raleigh. Registered women get a skirt, and men get a shirt. Women also get a head start, and the men try to catch them (chasing the skirts). First one to finish gets $500. The race is held downtown, and they have an outdoor block party to follow.

06/06 God's Country Marathon - Interested in squeezing in one more marathon before the summer? Frank and Ron are heading to the 35th Annual God's Country Marathon in Potter County, PA. By carpooling with them, it will be a low cost trip. Let Frank know if your are interest.

07/04 Great Raleigh Road Race - Run Four miles on the 4th of July. This is another Raleigh Race. Over time, the distance of this race has changed multiple times. The last few years it was a 5-miler. Now it is a 4-miler. If you are in town and looking for a PR. . . sign up! After all, what is your current 4-mile PR?

RUN RSVP: Saturday 05/23

I felt like we needed a change from the Harris Teeter routes, so I made a City Lake option. This is an eight mile route that starts by Chicos, and comes by my house at the halfway point for fluids. It also has a short portion on a dirt road which is kind of fun. There is a bathroom by Chicos, which is normally open.

If you need more miles, run around Westhaven after you finish. If you need less miles, you can cut off two full miles by turning right on Old Mill just before mile-4. This will cut out the fluid stop, and put you on a more narrow road, but I have run it before without trouble. Just be careful.

Run Details:

• Where: Saturday, 7:00 am @ City Lake (by Chicos)
• Supported: Yes - at my house
• Weather: Forecast
• Routes: 8.25 Miles

The weather looks great. It will be warmer than it has been this week, but sill good running weather. At 7:00 it will be in the mid 60s, and it will just start to crack the 70 point at 9:00. Please post a comment with your pace and distance. I really hope if you are doing a weekend run you will join us. We are getting between 10-15 runners on most weekends, but are missing some familiar faces that used to be regulars.

Monday Option: There is also a group planning to run Medoc this Monday morning. If you would like to run Monday, please post a comment here as well. We can carpool from the Teeter if anyone is interested.

Save 30% Online or In Store

FootLocker family of stores is offering 30% off coupons for use both in store and online. Coupons expire May 26, 2009.

• Foot Locker coupon code: FF9YPCLK printable coupon
• Champs coupon code: FF9Y6CP5 printable coupon
• Footaction coupon code: FF9YCP34 printable coupon

As always, we strongly recommend supporting your local running stores, but if you plan to order the same pair of shoes that you are running in today, this is often a fway to save a few bucks.

Register Today: Fun Run for Charities

I know most of the RMEC plans to run the Fun Run for Charities on May 30th. This race will be something fun and exciting for not only the running community, but also for those who try to improve our community through various organizations.

If you plan to run, please sign up TODAY! Speaking from experience, late race entries are always welcomed, but they make managing the event more challenging. They are planning for shirts, timing, aid stations, race packets, and more. All of these things are impacted by how many people register to run.

Counting spouses and children, the RMEC represents about 100 potential runners. Lets do our part to help the event organizers by signing up today. Seriously. . . take five minutes now and get registered!

As a reminder, there is a 1 mile, 5k, 10k, 15k, and Kids Dash. All events are priced low, so I hope you will consider adding a small contribution to one of the 48 participating charities during your registration. Pick your favorite one (but don't forget the the Rocky Mount Endurance Kids is one of the options).

The RMEC will have a booth set up at the expo with information about the club and our races. Be sure to race in your RMEC shirts, and be a positive influence on the event by cheering on other runners.

Blooming Festival 5k Results

Two Saturday's ago, many members of the RMEC participated in the 2nd Annual Blooming Festival 5k. I guess I should I say "Blooming Festival 4.8k". Unfortunately this course was very short. Between cars, GPS, and map sites, it would appear the course was under three miles in total. This is a bit frustrating for those trying to set new PRs, and expecting to run a 5k. All of that being said, we still had a good time, and still had some strong performances. Like last year, so many ran, that I can not possibly have something to write about everyone involved, so I will hit some highlights:

• Ashley Bass was 10 steps behind coming down the final straight away, and the 51 year old passed the high schooler to win
• Leigh Anne Wingfield took 2nd overall among women
• Mckenzie Proctor won here age group and ran a 28:13 (she is EIGHT!)
• Griffin Wingfield took second in his age group and ran a 30:13 (he is SEVEN!)
• Jon and Amber both ran the 5k on weary legs from the Flying Pig.
• Steve was way ahead of PR pace, and should crush it the next 5k he races.
• Tracy and Scott both had the pleasure of running a race with their children.

Below are the times for the RMEC Members and their family. If I missed anyone, let me know.

Ashley Bass 17:32
Michael Forrester 19:56
Williams Lucas 20:37
Levi Moore 21:31
Steve Cooper 21:34
Arthur Bennett 25:01:00
Leigh Anne Wingfield 25:07
Jon Shingleton 27:04:00
Mackenzie Proctor 28:13
Tracy Proctor 28:13
Amber Poole 29:37
Griffin Wingfield 30:13:00
Scott Wingfield 30:21:00
Robin Johnson 30:42
Kelly Allen 32:08
Cynthia Lucas 32:13
Tampa Cooper 32:14
Caroline Forrester 40:37

Congrats to everyone!

Inside-Out Sports Classic Results

Three RMEC runners raced on Sunday at the 11th Annual Inside-Out Sports Classic - Half-Marathon. This race is held in annually in Cary. This year they had a new course, but I believe it used much of the same route as past years. The first mile was on paved roads that lead into Umstead. The next 10 miles were an out-and-back over rolling hills, and the last two were on the green ways. 228 finishers are listed in the results.

We were all hoping for a nice drizzle to cool things down. It was hot and humid for the first 75 minutes of the race. We got some rain, but it was a downpour! I love running in the rain, but I could have done without the extra weight to finish the race.

I finished 29th overall and 5th in my age group with a time of 1:40:56. Fresh off his marathon debut, Ron Flemming ran an impressive 1:55:35 finishing in 95th place. Ron missed a PR by only a few minutes, however considering the course difficulty it is pretty certain he is more then capable of setting a new one now.

Frank Lilley decided to make a rare appearance in a half marathon, and did very well. If you have not been to a race with Frank, he likes to "analyze" race numbers to determine if you have a fast our slow number. This is all based on the shape of the number. In Frank's opinion "5" is the slowest number. You can only imagine my laughter when Frank greets me at the race wearing "555". Despite the slow number, Frank pulled out a 2:31:50.

It was a nice course, and was staffed well with volunteers. Being an out and back gave all runners a chance to see the leaders, and they were flying. Most impressive was the female winner Yvonne Ou, who ran a 1:28:13, only finishing behind two men.

NOTE: I plan to do a short write up on the Blooming Festival, but can not find the results. If anyone has this, please email them to me.

Ford's Colony is Open For Registration!

The Ford's Colony 5k and 10k race presented by Dental Care Center is now open for registration! This years race will be help on Saturday, September 12th at the Ford's Colony golf course in Rocky Mount.

History: Last year over 250 runners registered for the races and we raised $2,850 for three different Rick Ford Memorial Scholarship funds in Rocky Mount. In 2009 we will increase race capacity, and also add a new 1.5 mile Fun Run for kids and families. We anticipate the race could grow to 350 total runners drawing people from Rocky Mount, Wilson, Roanoke Rapids, Tarboro, Raleigh, Greenville and other neighboring cities.

About the Event: Using a classic front-nine out and back-nine return routing, the race course takes advantage of the gently rolling terrain and allows for six miles of smooth paved paths. Runners and walkers will pass over brick bridges, through wooded paths, and take in multiple views of the 80-acre Belmont Lake along the route. This is a spectacular place to run, and we are privileged that the Ford's Colony allows us to use their course and facility for this event.

About Ford's Colony: Opened in September 2007, Ford’s Colony has already drawn a reputation as a premier golf course in the southeast. The David Johnson designed course spans over 14,000 acres of beautiful land with breathtaking views. His design is sure to become known as a masterpiece. Ford's Colony is open to the public and offer affordable rates. Please consider Ford's Colony for your next golf round, and be sure to tell them thank you for hosting the race.

Sponsorships: We are very pleased to have Dental Care Center as our 2009 Presenting Sponsor. We are also happy to have Davenport Autopark still involved as a mile sponsor for both Ford's Colony and the Medoc Trail Races. There are still three of the ten sponsor positions are still available. These are available for contributions starting at $150. If you are interested, please contact me at runrmec@yahoo.com now! We are finishing the brochure design, and want to include all sponsors if possible.

2009 Sponsors: Here are the current sponsors for this years race: Dental Care Center, Ford's Colony, Davenport Autopark, Eagle Press, Raleigh Running Outfitters, Westridge Subway, Chick-fil-A, Kamlar, Nash OB-GYN, and Steel Technology.

Say Thank You: This may seem minor, but for sponsorships to work, we need them to see some benefit from their contributions. Please try to give your business to these sponsors, and when you do tell them "thank you." Let them know that you selected their business because of their support of the RMEC and the Rocky Mount Community.

Sign up Today: RMEC Club Members receive a 10% discount off their race entry fee by using the discount code "RMEC10". This code is only for club members. If you are not in the member list link to the right, please do not use the code. Of course we are happy to have you join us as a new member! We are a small club, so any abuse of this code will be easily detected.

RUN RSVP: Saturday 05/22

Run from the Teeter. Join us for Derek's last run. Using the 6.67 mile loop route. Fluids will be at the tracks. The weather looks great. It will be warmer than it has been this week, but sill good running weather. At 7:00 it will be in the mid 60s, and it will just start to crack the 70 point at 9:00.

Run Details:

• Where: Saturday, 7:00 am @ Teeter
• Supported: Yes - at the tracks
• Weather: Forecast
• Routes: 8.25 Miles

The weather looks great. It will be warmer than it has been this week, but sill good running weather. At 7:00 it will be in the mid 60s, and it will just start to crack the 70 point at 9:00. Please post a comment with your pace and distance. I really hope if you are doing a weekend run you will join us.

Have You Checked Out Facebook?

If you are like me, you probably made fun of the entire facebook crowd, and figured it was just something for the high school kids to mess with. I signed up a few months ago, and it is actually a great social networking site, and a surprisingly great way to keep up with events in the area. You will also be surprised how many old friends you catch up with. Here are some facebook groups that might interest you, and encourage you to join. . .

• Ford's Colony 5k and 10k - This group is used to keep runners up to date and to discuss the race.
• Medoc Trail Races - Similar to the Ford's Colony, the group already has 50 guests.
• Raleigh Running Outfitters - Gives you a chance to keep up with sales, group runs, and races.
• Fun Run for Charities - This group has over 180 members from our area who are involved with the new race.
• City of Rocky Mount - The Chamber has a group with over 800 members, and they do a good job of keeping it updated.
• Trail Runner Magazine - Get inspired by other runners who share stories, photos, and more.
• Marine Corps Marathon - There is a group of people all over the country training for the fall race.
• Rocky Mount Endurance Club - Yes, we have a facebook group where users can post messages, participate in discussion groups, view photos and more.

Sign up for facebook! It only takes a minute amd it is free. Once you are there, search for any of the groups above to join in. Add me as a friend, so we will know you are online. You will not be alone. . . Frank, Scott, Tracy H, Tracy P, Ursula, Jeff H, Eric S, Kim, Larry, Arthur, Ross, Ryan and more are already "in the book". You are never too old to be on facebook (just ask Frank).

RMEC Photo Collection

I am trying to create one post that will have links to all of the race photos related to the RMEC. The ones I have uploaded are at all on the Picasa Site. I have also added several from Frank that are on Flickr. If you have photos uploaded anywhere, please post a comment, and I will add it to the list.

2009

• 2009 Boogie Marathon
  
• 2009 God's Country Marathon
  
• 2009 Flying Pig Marathon
• 2009 Franks 50-Miler
• 2009 Umstead Marathon

2008

• 2008 First Carolina State Bank Half Marathon
• 2008 Ford's Colony 5k and 10k
• 2008 Medoc Trail Races
• 2008 Myrtle Beach Marathon

2007

• 2007 Rocky Mount Turkey Trot
• 2007 First Carolina State Bank Half Marathon
• 2007 Richmond Marathon Part 1
• 2007 Richmond Marathon Part 2
• 2007 Richmond Marathon Part 3
• 2007 New York Marathon
• 2007 Duke Live Half Ironman Relay
• 2007 Rock and Roll Half Marathon
• 2007 Grandma's Marathon
• 2007 Unofficial Chase of Champions

2006

• 2006 Richmond Marathon

Marine Corps Training - Long Runs

If you follow this blog, you know that there are 30 runners from the greater Rocky Mount area that are entered in the Marine Corps Marathon. I will have a post coming shortly with the names of everyone. I realize we all will ultimately have our own unique training plans customized for our needs, but I still need to have some standard distances planned for the Saturday group runs. This will let everyone know what routes will be planned for each weekend.

Below are two training plans. I only listed the mid-week run and the weekend run, because these are the runs where people are most likely to run with a group. These run distances are based largely on the plans that we followed for Richmond in the past. Both plans are 20 weeks, have a gradual build up, and a three week taper.

Plan A - Starts with fewer base miles, and has one 20 mile run.
Plan B - Assumes a higher base of miles, and has three 20+ mile runs.

Both plans will prepare you for the marathon. Some of you may plan to do a hybrid of the two plans; some of you may run fewer miles than Plan A; some of you may run more than Plan B. . . Again, pick a plan that works well for you. This is only a guide for our weekend running routes.

The Marine Corps website has a Virtual Trainer that can help create a free 25-week plan. Runner's World has a Smart Coach that can also build a custom plan for your ability. (For what it is worth, Derek and Jeff H qualified for Boston following a Runner's World plan). There are marathon plans all over the internet.

Bottom line is find something that works for you. If you are serious about your training, you need to be ready to start logging the miles. June is a hot month, but it only gets warmer. Start things out on the right foot. . . don't get behind before you even start!

Marine Corps Updates

Marine Corps 10k: The Marine Corps 10k opens for registration on May 13th. I am pretty sure this sells out in the first day. The race is the same day as the marathon, but starts at 8:00 am. It has a different starting line, but shares the same finish as the marathon. The $45 registration fee includes a goodie bag, race program, and a MCM10K shirt. Finishers will receive a medal and plenty of post-race replenishment in the hospitality area. If you are interested in running, be ready to sign up tomorrow. Course Map

Helthy Kids Fun Run: Also opening tomorrow is the Helathy Kids Fun Run, which is held in the Pentagon Parking lot. The races start at 10:30, 11:30, and 12:30. You can pick your start time. Children ages 6-13 can participate in the one-mile just-for-fun event. Registration is $5 and participants receive a t-shirt, medal and snacks at the finish line. Course Map

Camp Miles: Parents, families and runners are invited to visit Camp Miles, a free all-day activity area featuring interactive challenges and games focusing on health and fitness hosted by the National Children’s Museum. Camp Miles activities begin at 9:00 a.m. and continue until 2:00 p.m.This year's activities include: Shaving Cream Activity by Washington FAMILY Magazine.A prize wheel, and inflatables/games: 44 Foot Obstacle Course, Ring Toss, Fitness Dice, Face Painting, Hoop Jumpers, Ring Toss, and more, by FitArlington!Junior League of Washington goodie bags.Appearances by National Professional Fastpitch Champions, the Washington Glory!

Great Performances at White Lake II

For yet another year, the RMEC shines at White Lake. One week after Brent competed in the first White Lake weekend, the RMEC sent a crowd down this weekend. On Saturday, the weather was hot. Temperatures peaked out around 93. We thought it was hot at the Blooming Festival 5k, and we were wrapping our race up by 8:00 am. Those doing the Half Ironman had just begun their six hour adventures. To put is in perspective, 9% of those that started the race did not finish.

Jeff Miller was the first to finish from the RMEC with a time of 5:37:39. Jeff posted the 113th best swim time, followed by a solid bike ride, and finishing with a 1:52 half marathon. All of this was good enough to 100th out of 328 finishers. Close behind Jeff came Dave Lavely with a time of 5:57:01. Much like Jeff, Dave also excelled at the run despite weary legs, he still posted the 96th fastest run time among all men.

Kinnie Pruden had a fantastic race, posting a new PR even with the heat! Most impressive was Kinnie's bike time of 2:49:08. This was the 14th best time posted among all women in the race, and 15 minutes better than all of the RMEC men. Her total time of 6:16:29 was good enough for 60th among all women.

Cliff Amos finished with a time of 6:22:32 and placed 201st among men. This knocked two minutes off of last years time. Tim Shea battled the heat and still finished with a strong 6:40:20 time. To Tim's credit, he was ready to call it quits during the run, but pushed through the pain so he could bring home the medal to show the kids. Great job Tim!

On Sunday, the weather cooled down quite a bit, but a breeze created some choppy water for the swim. It wasn't enough to slow down Patti Miller who finished in 1:38:17. Her time was good enough for some hardware as she took home first in the Master's Novice division! From start to finish, she had a great race. Among the other novice masters, Patti had the 4th fastest swim, and the fastest run and bike.

Tracy Hick's was back for her second White Lake Sprint, and had another great performance. Her overall time was 1:44:51 which was only one minute off of last years time. It is obvious that triathlons suit Tracy well. Her bike time, and both transitions improved by a minute each in 2009.

Great job everyone!

RUN RSVP: Saturday 05/08

I am not planning a run from the Harris Teeter this week. The Blooming Festival 5k is Saturday morning. Last year the RMEC and their families represented half of the race participants. I expect we will once again send a crowd. There is a new course this year. The event starts at the Birchwood swimming pool.

Run Details:

• Where: Saturday, 7:30 am @ Blooming Festival
• Supported: Yes
• Weather: Forecast
• Routes: Course Map

If anyone is interested in doing a long run (Saturday or Sunday), feel free to post it here and find a running partner. I may actually run home from the Blooming Festival and add on another 6-miles. It depends on the weather.

RACE REPORT: White Lake Half 5/2

Submitted by: Brent Brondyke

I have never been as apprehensive or nervous as I was going into White Lake. It seems that nothing had gone really well in my training, and I was feeling very under-trained, as well. Add that to the fact that it was my first Half Ironman. I thought of dropping out several times (many actually). The $120 I had paid was probably the only thing that saved me.

I traveled down on Friday after school- took about 2:15 to get there. I made it in time for the pre-race meeting, which for a newbie like me was helpful. The lake looked beautiful, but intimidating. All lakes look intimidating to me when I think about swimming across them. It probably is the least intimidating lake on the tri circuit!

The course is a counter-clockwise triangle loop from the "left" dock at the FFA Center out 700 yards. Across 700, and back in to the "right" dock. I could easily imagine it, even thought there were no buoys in the water Friday.

I have friends in the general area who were in Wilmington to run a 5 k. so I ran (figuratively) over to Wilmington for dinner with them. Then it was back to Lake Wacamaw and the anchorage Christian camp for the night. My friends work at the camp. This is the camp I do a spring fund-raiser for, "March mania" (I ran, biked, swam, 500 miles in March this year- White Lake was a big motivator!) I slept well and woke at 4:30, hoping for a 5:00 departure. It was about 45 minutes to White Lake. I enjoyed the dark drive on the back roads of eastern NC and arrived shortly before 6:00.

The race starts at 7:00. We were already parking on the road by this time and walking our bikes about a half mile to the transition area.

Now I was nervous. I racked my bike. There were announcements that some bikes were racked improperly. So I felt a little less dorky, since I at least had racked my bike properly (good idea, that pre- race meeting). I made my way to the lake at about 6:45 to warm up.

The water temp was about 76 (wet-suit legal). It was comfortable for a guy who grew up 4 miles from Lake Michigan (76 would be very warm for July in the big lake). Swimming is my weakest link by far, so I began to warm up, hoping to raise my comfort level. I was ready.

Problem: I do not have a wet suit or any fancy tri body suit- just me and my shorts. I started in wave 9 (I knew this). The starts were staggered by 5 minutes (I did NOT know this) I'm starting at 7:40! 55 minutes in the water- BEFORE I start!

Oh well, newbie nonsense. I couldn't get out. It was 65 and breezy. I would have frozen. So I floated around in my shorts with all the real triathletes. I hope there are no pictures of this anywhere! When my swim time finally arrived I was shivering, but excited.

I just can't get a good rhythm in open water, and I can't steer straight. Added to my naturally slow pace, it makes for having the trailing boat follow you for the last leg. I was probably third from the last out of the water. Oh well, I felt BETTER than I expected and wasn't bummed at all.

At the start of the bike I established a good rhythm. a couple people passed me (I may have been last on the course at that point), but I settled in for a 56 mile ride where I was determined to maintain a doable pace and not crash and burn for the run. I was averaging about the top of my hoped for pace (17 mph) and it felt good. This was in spite of rather windy conditions. I kept thinking that the final 25 was a stretch that would be into a headwind, but it wasn't too bad. About half way through I started picking people off. I probably passed 25 or so by the end of the bike.

Now, let's run! HOLD IT! I can barely walk. Pain is searing my right foot. I didn't feel it at all on the bike, but my new clipless pedals must need to be adjusted. I literally can hardly put weight on it. I sat down and started to rub it and stretch it for about a minute hoping it might help. I am truly thankful to god that it did. I limped out of the transition area hoping it would continue to loosen.

My first mile was right at 9:45 (what I was expecting). My plan was to take it slow for the first half and then lower the pace if I felt good. I figured I would be passing a lot of people and that that might energize me. The aid stations were well stocked and I took food or drink or both at nearly all 12. The heat was brutal at this point (85 and sunny). I did start passing people right away, and my foot felt okay now.

There was no second-half surge, but I probably passed nearly 100 people on the run. My 2:13 run time is slow for me, but I was happy with it because of the heat and because I had a plan and stuck with it. All through the run I was thinking about the lake. It had intimidated me earlier, but now it was the object of my desire.
After the finish I headed straight for the water. With a real sense of satisfaction, I soaked my aching limbs in the water for about 20 minutes. Best post-race cool down EVER!

Do white lake- its great. Mary, I need a swim lesson

Race Results

It took longer than I planned, but here is a recap of last weeks race performances. On Saturday, Derek Hurdle ran in the Carry you Cross 5k in Greenville. This was the second running of the event. Derek finished in 5th overall and 2nd in his age group with a time of 20:53.

Also on Saturday, Brent Brondyke competed in the first weekend of the White Lake Triathlon. Brent completed the Half Ironman distance with a time of 6:43:03. By his own admission, Brent prefers the land for his exercise. Out of 443 participants, Brent was 434th in the swim. So before Brent took his first step on dry land 433 people were ahead of him (based on time). Brent spent the next five hours picking off participants one-by-one. After a 3:20 bike ride, and a 2:12 minute half marathon, Brent had overtaken 72 athletes in the results and finished in 362nd place. His half marathon time was good enough for 245th. Great job on your first Half Ironman Brent!

On Sunday, the RMEC took on Cincinnati's. Jon Shingleton ran the half and finished in 2:28:22. This was just Jon's second half marathon, and he knocked 10 minutes of his Raleigh Rock's performance! Jon's better half, Amber Poole made her marathon debut. Her feet seemed to fend off any serious blister damage, as she finished in 5:34:11. Can't wait to see what she does next! Amber ran all but the last mile with Frank Lilley, who finished a few seconds behind with an impressive 5:35:34. Most importantly, Frank finished 1st in the "Lilley Name Group". You can read Frank's recap on his blog, and view his pictures online too.

Also making his marathon debut was Ron Fleming. You have all likely read his excellent race report below. Ron finished with a time of 4:16:35. On healthy legs, Ron is going to post an amazing time in his next race. Ursula Forrester's training has been up and down for the Pig. Traveling to Raleigh has cut in to training time, but she still managed to work in so good runs, and several half-day cardio sessions at the YMCA. It all paid off as she finished with a time of 5:14:10, narrowly missing a PR. I think Marine Corps may be produce a sub 5-hour time.

Eric Pate also ran the Pig this past Sunday. Eric of course has been working like a dog during his entire taper making the Relay for Life a success. Needless to say, he probably did not get the normal rest runners shoot for in a taper. He still managed to pull off a 4:45:38. Even more impressive, Eric competed in the Pump and Run. For each bench press rep, his time would be adjusted down. With 17 reps on the bench, Eric placed 5th in his Pump and Run age group.

Congratulations to everyone!

RACE REPORT: Flying Pig

Submitted by: Ron Fleming

I really had no idea what to expect going into my first marathon. I didn't have anything to compare a marathon to. My longest two training runs were both 18 miles...One was supposed to be 20, but at 18, I crashed and burned. My mind raced for the entire work week leading up to the race. I don't think one minute went by that the marathon did not cross my mind. It was exciting but nerve racking at the same time. I was REALLY looking forward to this trip.

On the drive to Cincinnati and on Saturday when my mind was racing and going in every direction, I kept envisioning myself at 18 miles during the race. I guess I picked 18 miles because that is what I knew so far. Looking forward to the race, I really wanted to compare how I felt at 18 compared to my training runs (really hoping the taper and rest pays off here). One minute I would have some confidence and see myself stroking right along and feeling good (don't ask me why I thought I would be feeling good at 18), and the next minute I would see myself in the same physical and mental state I was in during my 18 mile training runs. That was a bad vision.

The night before the race Eric and Frank kept asking me what my strategy was. I didn't have a strategy...Again, my first marathon, I didn't know what to expect and maybe this was one of the details I was overlooking. This was honestly the first time that I started seriously questioning how I was about to approach things (I didn't tell them that ...I just kept feeding them different answers to keep them happy).

Another almost sleepless night (nerves, I guess) on the road and 5am rolled around. We woke up to a light rain which was expected and the temps were warmer than we expected, which was good. Six of us walked from the hotel to the starting line right by the Bengals stadium and just hung out waiting for the gun to go off. I was way past ready at this point...I didn't need any further delay because I just wanted to get the show on the road (again, nerves). The gun goes off at 6:30am and I think it was about 5-6 minutes after that when I finally made it across the starting line. Rain a non-factor at this point.

Ok...now we are getting somewhere. Cautiously and slowly, but at least we're moving. This is when I started developing my strategy...Start very slow and then from there, just do what feels good. We run a block or two through downtown and then cross the Ohio River into Kentucky. I think my first mile was a little over 11:00. At this point I'm still feeling the rush of the start and the crowd and just soaking up the excitement and trying to ease the nerves. Around mile 4 or 5 mile, I finally turned on the music and tried to start settling in. We came right through the heart of downtown and there were people lining the streets. It was truly an awesome site and really took my mind off what was in front of me.

After making our way through downtown, the course started to climb. This was another moment when my strategy-on-the-fly took shape and I decided I best take the advice of some others and walk up these hills. I pretty much walked up every big hill when the climb started. I really didn't want to walk but it made sense. Michael and Frank both advised to work in some walking and I know for sure that it paid off. When the course started climbing we were entering some more scenic neighborhood-type areas away from downtown. I remember looking behind me one time to catch a view of the river and then quickly reminding myself that I didn't have time to soak up views and I needed to focus. I seriously had tunnel vision the entire race and remember very few details about the course.

Somewhere around mile 10-11 when I "thought" the hills were over, I was feeling really really good, except for some pain on the inside and tops of my feet which I now believe was from laces too tight. It had me worried, but I manage to run through it. It was dumb because I should have stopped and retied my laces, but I seriously was not interested in breaking my current stride. I was taking advantage of the downhill areas and swiftly moving down them. I was a little nervous of how this might play out later, but it felt good, so I went with it. Around mile 14 or 15 I saw a pace runner ahead of me and finally caught her and it was the 4:20 group. I worked my way past that group and at that point told myself this is where you will finish. I wanted to do my best to stay in front of them.

I kept hearing about this "wall" that marathoners hit around mile 20 and decided since it was inevitable, I was going to hit it hard and at least try to put a dent in it. Think the Kool-Aid guy busting through the brick wall here..."Oh Yeeeeah!"...yes, this actually crossed my mind during the race. I learned on the ride up that it was completely natural to think of the stupidest things when you reach a certain point in a marathon. So....I was feeling too good to slow down. Miles 10-18 were probably as good as I have ever felt running. Certainly the excitement and crowd support were contributing, and also knowing I had friends and family receiving email and text alerts at the timing checkpoints was a huge boost. At this point we were running through smaller little village areas and neighborhoods and people were out of their houses on the streets cheering us on, some drinking coffee, some drinking beer.

At mile 18 I felt nowhere near as bad as I did during my two 18 mile training runs, so that was a real lift in confidence. However, it wasn't too long before reality started setting in. I think it was around mile 20 when I was there...at "the wall". At this point, I started taking short walk breaks with each aid station to get down my fluids. I think it was around this point where I had my only conversation during the entire race and that was just some encouraging words to a young lady that was struggling that had a 4:20 goal written on the back of her shirt, yet she was managing to stay in front that group. I didn't get a response from her, so I wouldn't even call it a conversation.

Other than a few spurts of energy here and there, I was just in survival mode. At mile 23 I was asking myself "what are you doing here?", "why are you doing this to yourself?", asking all sorts of questions to myself and getting extremely frustrated. I kept bringing myself back by reminding myself that everyone else around me was going through the exact same thing and we were all going to get through it. The pain wasn't unexpected. The degree of pain was. This part of the course was not very scenic, but the crowd was still showing enthusiasm...The miles were getting LONG.

Finally getting to the last mile, it was one foot in front of the other as it had been for the last few miles. I tried to amp it up a notch, but it wasn't happening. Crossing the finish line was more emotional than I had expected. I'm sure it was a combination of the achievement and the relief of having those last few miles behind me, but I really think having the weight of those last few miles off of me was what stirred the emotion. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't holding back tears. My first marathon was finally over and I was very pleased with the results as I had not idea what to expect going into it.

Overall it was an absolute wonderful weekend. Things just went so smooth, I thought. We had a fun road trip, great food and accommodations and great fellow RMEC companionship. The race theme was well-played up and the city and people seemed to be very welcoming. I honestly think the only complaint I have about the race (or entire weekend) was how foul the water was at the aid stations. And the Gatorade they mixed with that water was just as bad.

The day of the race, I didn't even want to think about running again. After writing this and remembering all the excitement, I'm really looking forward to next time. Physically, it wouldn't be possible right now. I've got some serious soreness to get over.

Oh yeah - After the long miserable uphill walk back to the hotel, we credited ourselves with doing an "ultra".

Kid's in Training Triathlon

RMEC, I need your help! Patti Miller has been working closely with Kid's in Training to create a new event in our area. I am thrilled to announce that it is now in place! On June 27th, Nash Rec Pool will host the first ever Kid's Triathlon in the our area!

• When: Saturday, June 27, 2009
• Where: Nash Recreation Club, Nashville, NC (5 minutes from Rocky Mount)
• Time: 8:30 am - Packet pickup and bike setup starts at 7:00 am and ends at 8:00 am.
• Child Cost: $35 - Kids *$10 Late fee begins after May 27*

There are also relay options and beginner adult options. The registration fee includes Training Sessions, a KIT Race Souvenir, and all Finishers receive an Award! Kids must be USAT members to participate in the event. It takes just a few minutes to sign up and costs only $5 for the year.

Age. . Swim . . / Bike. . / Run
5-7. . 50 yds . / 1.45 mi / 0.5 mi
8-10 . 100 yds. / 2.90 mi / 1.0 mi
11-17. 150 yds. / 4.35 mi / 1.5 mi

Guys, this is a big opportunity for our community. Events like this normally only hit cities like Raleigh, Cary, Charlotte, etc. Nash and Edgecombe counties are the two most obese counties in North Carolina. WE NEED EVENTS LIKE THIS.

Don't wait to sign to sign up. Sit down with your kids tonight at the computer, and let them watch you do the registration. Start training with them. Take a few days a week to run or bike with them. Bring them out to a RMEK training session. Get them excited!

Spread the word about this event. Because of the nature of the race, and the size of the pool, the race will eventually hit a cap. If people plan to participate, they need to sign up early, or risk missing out completely. Bring out the entire family and have a blast!

How Long Have I Been Running?

Submitted by: Jason Irvin

Note: I asked Marine Corp runners the question "How long have you been running" so I can help introduce new runners to the club, and let people find potential training partners. Jason's responses was much longer than a simple "3 years", but it was an answer that I really enjoyed reading. After getting his approval, I decided to share the details here. I am hoping his answer will inspire some of you, and maybe encourage some secret blog readers (you know who you are) to come join us for a run.

How long have I been running? I received my first "real" running medal while in middle school in 1985 for the 50 yard dash (had to have been by default). As for road racing, my cousin Herb (and my mentor) would occasionally call me on Friday night and tell me he was picking me up to go run a 5k race the next morning, I almost always went, mostly for the cool shirts and to have something to do. Very rarely had I ever trained for any of these races.

I did ride road bicycles for a short time with a local cycling team called the Tri-Cities Road Club in Tennessee, which was the only training that enabled me to compete and complete any of these running events. The longest race I ever ran (back then in the 80's) was a half marathon, I was probably 14 years old and I have no idea of my finishing time for this first half marathon. I thought the idea was crazy of running 13.1 miles when Herb first proposed the idea to me, he then proceeded to inform me that running is the easiest most natural thing for mankind to do (next to breathing): "you just put one foot in front of the other then repeat".

The only other memorable endurance event of the 80's (for me) was a century bike ride in the hills of West Virginia. I attribute my desire to engage in physical activity of any kind to Herb, he always told me that I was a "glutton for punishment" as I would often opt to take him to the steepest hills I knew of while we were on bike rides. This must have somehow burned an image into my mind as the core of who I am.

I then took a brief (16 year) break from the endurance lifestyle starting in the early 1990's and well into new millennium and conducted an in depth and extensive study of other much, (very much) unhealthy lifestyle options and contributed heavily to Phillip Morris (one pack at a time).

After moving to Rocky Mount, I began to slowly resume physical activity of any kind in 2006 as mostly a means for weight loss and soon after passing the 240 lbs mark on the scale. This led me to find something that had been missing for some time. . . my belt (ha ha) no really, I found that getting back into shape is extremely hard and also that your lungs are amazing self cleansing and healing organs, but mostly I got some sense of satisfaction and a reason to validate all that working out by running races, along with some disappointment.

The disappointment helped to fuel more action, and more races and the thoughts that I could never do the longer distances and then signing up and doing them. The long races make me smile just to say the names of them, much in part because it is hard for me to convince myself that I am actually completing such long distance events. I guess if you are a runner and are reading this then you know what I am talking about, or you are reaching for the phone to call my wife to have me committed, or at least psychologically evaluated.

. . . So really, I have been running for about 3 years.

Good Luck Runners!

There are several of you racing this weekend, so I am already looking forward to more race reports to share online. On Saturday, Derek Hurdle is racing in the Carry Your Cross 5k in Greenville, and Jason Irvin is running in the Human Race 5k in Wilson.

Further away from home, the RMEC has sent a crew to tackle the Flying Pig Marathon. Amber Poole and Ron Fleming will both be completing their first marathons. Blisters and injuries have hampered their training, but I still expect great things. Frank Lilley, and Ursula Forrester will also be racing the full.

Eric Pate is participating in the "Pump and Run" competition. He will see how many bench press reps he can do on Saturday, and then do the normal marathon on Sunday. For each rep he completes, he will get time deducted from his result. I can't wait to hear how he does! Jon Shingleton will be racing in the Half Marathon as well. This will be Jon's second race at this distance. You can track runners live by using the Swine Line.

Also on Sunday, Brent Brondyke is competing in the White Lake Half Ironman Tri. I am not 100% certain, but I am pretty sure this is Brent's first attempt at this distance. Good luck everyone!

RUN RSVP: Saturday 05/02

I picked two routes this weekend. One is a 10 mile option and the other is 14. Both routes share the same roads, and can easily be shortened. There may be some new runners coming out to run, so please introduce yourself if you see an unfamiliar face.

Run Details:

• Where: Saturday, 7:00 am @ Harris Teeter
• Supported: Yes - at the tracks
• Weather: Forecast
• Routes: 10 Miles; 14 Miles

Several runners will be at the Flying Pig Marathon this weekend, but I still think we should have a good sized crowd of runners. I am on kid-patrol, so I can not run in the morning. If anyone can put out fluids, please post a comment, and save your receipt to be reimbursed.

You can view the written directions by clicking on "View Notes". Please post a comment with your pace and distance. Knowing there may be some new people running, posting your pacewill be a big help, so they can plan who to run with.Don't let the routes or distances keep you away! Come join the group and pick your own route!