Race Calendar

Our race calendar link list to the right has started to shrink as we move later in to the year. I like to try to keep this up to date with local races, and races that RMEC members are participating in. I can't put everything there obviously, but am looking for some suggestions to have added.

I just added the Disney Land Half Marathon (Patti, and Ursula), the Patriot's Triathlon (Kinnie, Mary, and Cliff?), Nation's Triathlon (Dave, Jeff) and the Magnificent Mile (Brian?). Please post comments with links to the race site if you have suggested races to add.

RUN RSVP: Saturday 08/29

Hard to believe but the next long run you do will be in September. . . and the MCM is in October!! Wow! It will be here before you know it. The long run schedule is odd this week. This is the only time in the training when the "novice" plan calls for a longer run. Those planing to run three 20+ mile runs should have a shorter recovery run this weekend, because you ran 18 last weekend. I expect however that many of you are not going to cut back to 12. . . use your best judgement.

We are back to 6:00 a.m. for the start time. The weather looks GREAT! It should be 68 at the start, and 76 by 9:00 am. That is tough to beat in August. Don't miss a chance to enjoy a cooler day.

I will put out fluids at my house, but I need someone else to do the train tracks and Co-Ah-Bar if possible. I will be at the kid's triathlon Saturday morning. Sorry to keep asking for help. . . been a busy summer!

Run Details:

• Where: Saturday, 6:O0 am @ Harris Teeter
• Supported: Yes - Tracks, My House, Co-Ah-Bar?
• Weather: Forecast
• Routes: 3 Miles; 12 Miles; 15 Miles

All three routes follow the same general roads, but not exactly. Print your directions, or you may go too long! The 3-Mile route has the direction under the 'Notes' link. The other two have the directions below the map. Please be sure to review the map very closely.

Please RSVP so we can prepare accordingly. Even if you are not a regular group runner, or a RMEC member. Please post a comment.

If anyone would like to run Sunday morning instead, please post a comment. That is likely my plan. Also, Steve and Arthur are racing this weekend at the Patrick Henry Half Marathon. Good luck guys!

Raleigh Running Outfitters Sale

Yesterday was the six year anniversary of Raleigh Running Outfitters. Thanks to their great staff and all of the loyal and supportive customers & friends, they are having a great big sale on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

• All shoes 20% off
• All summer apparel 50% off

If you have a chance to get by Raleigh this weekend, it sounds like a great chance to get some new gear. Be sure to tell them you are with the RMEC, and that we appreciate their sponsorship of our event.

Rocky Mount Endurance Kids - Back in Session!

Submittied By: Tracy Prcotor

RMEK volunteers are needed! The RMEC is getting ready to start up the fall session of Rocky Mount Endurance Kids and we need your help. This program was a big success in the spring with nearly 100 children participating in our "test" program over a 10 week period and nearly half competing in the Fun Run for Charities in May. There has been interest from parents and children concerning this program in the fall and I would love to offer it again. In the spring the program was offered twice a week once at the trail by the Y and once at Red Oak Park, I would like to offer this again if I can get a lead person to help. I will take the Thursday session at Red Oak again and would like to offer either a Monday or Tuesday date as well.

Tentatively speaking, a start date around mid September is ideal through mid November. In addition to a "leader" we will need several volunteers through out the program to come and run with the children. Each session is an hour long and you do not have to commit to every session. Let me know when you are available and/or how many sessions you can help with and I will get you on the schedule. There is no planning on your part! I will have the schedule done and get you the handout information. All you have to do is come out and do what we all enjoy doing and RUN EASY for an hour offering encouragement and advise.

Please let us know ASAP if you are willing to help and contact me for more details if you are interested in taking on the other weekly session. The volunteers were great in the past and all seemed to have really enjoyed it.

We would love to see the great response again from the RMEC, let's not let the children down!

Update on Cycling Crash

Below is information from Eric S. Many of you have heard that there was an accident this morning with the cycling group here in Rocky Mount. Tim, Eric, Richard, and Cliff were involved. Cliff had the most serious of the injuries and was taken to the ER. Eric provides several details below:

Cliff is home. He is very sore and has some stitches, but the CT and Xrays came back negative and thankfully everything seems good there. We are still trying to piece together exactly what happened, but we know there was a cable tv cable in or across the road that Richard hit with enough force that it snapped a mailbox post off at the ground.

I hit Richard and went over the bars and slid. My back quite sore (but I think it is only an impact/muscle soreness and nothing more severe or related to the operation from last year) and have a fair amount of road rash. It seems that when the mailbox sheared off, it spun into the road and Cliff it it head on. It sheared his front forks off in a straight line, almost like a saw cut them off, about 4 inches below the head tube.

All in all, we were very lucky. Richard managed to stay up and Tim managed to get around me and was not hit by the mailbox as it snapped into the road.

On a positive note, of the 12 or so cars that passed us while we were on the road, over half of them stopped to offer assistance, including one nice man who drove Tim back to get a car to get Cliff to the hospital. Ironically, one of the cars that did not stop... had a bicycle on a rack on the back. Still, it is nice that there are people who are willing to offer help. -- Eric

RACE REPORT: OBX Tri/Duathlon Race

Submitted By: Eric Pate

As many of you know, Steve Cooper and I headed to Nags Head this weekend for the OBX Triathlon. Please keep in mind that we are both Tri novices (this being my first). We have both put in good training hours and both of us had to teach ourselves to bike and swim in a short period of time. Needless to say as the race weekend approached I started having the “first-timer” feelings that many of us are familiar with. You finish a run workout feeling top of the world great and jump in the pool and feel completely inferior (or vice versa). Well throw in a Cat 3 hurricane 500 miles off the coast churning up 15’ waves to add to the fun and I was spastic. When we arrived at the beach, the ocean was so violent that it was spewing mist that covered the beach, enveloped the dunes and fogged the road. I have never seen a mist like this on the beach before, it was mucho intimidating.

Until 6:00 pm Saturday evening before the race no announcement was made on the swim. Finally at the Outer Banks YMCA at about 6:15 pm we learned that all our swim training would not matter in this event, it is now a duathlon. The format was changed to 2 mi run, 13.5 mi bike, 2 mi run. Yay! Who wouldn’t want to do that? I have to say I was relieved and disappointed at the same time. I really didn’t want drown in those vicious currents, but I have spent many hours in the pool and some open water training.

Well, race morning arrives and Steve and I decide we’re close enough to ride our bikes to the start; however we underestimated the distance and arrived as the National Anthem started. We get marked, stash our bikes at the TA and it’s time to start running! The humidity was about 200% due to the hurricane system to the east and a huge thunderstorm system coming in from the west so the run was a little on the south of comfortable. I had a strong run (guess those lunch-time speed workouts paid some dividends). My 1st transition time was pretty slow, but I made it on my bike and onto the course and even went in the right direction!

About 3 miles into the ride, I looked around and realized that my anxiety was gone and I was having an absolute great time. I am definitely a novice on the bike, but I passed people more times than I was passed and I was completely happy with that. At the halfway point turnaround my inexperience cost me. I was trying to eat an energy gel while riding and lost several items on the road. I dismounted to retrieve them and lost some serious time, but I still enjoyed the ride. Approaching the TA, I missed the correct turn-in which lost more precious time.

My second transition was quicker, but I left my bike gloves on and almost ran with my helmet (that would have made for some cute pictures). The 2nd run was much more difficult, but I still stayed under 8 minute miles, so I won’t complain. Approaching the finish line I finally passed this 6’ 6” guy who looked like he just missed the Olympic Trials or something. We had been passing each other throughout the race and it felt good to get by him, but he somehow snuck by me and finished a few seconds ahead of me. During the 2nd run I ran into a familiar face: Mary Whitwell was out there slugging it out!

At the awards ceremony later, I found out that I was one minute out of 3rd place in the Clydesdales and felt a little remorse at the stupid mistakes that cost me time, but overall I was happy with my performance and with the entire event. Cooper, as is normal, powered his way through and finished in 1:13:50. I was a few minutes behind him at 1:18:21. Both times are respectable and we walked away with a great feeling. Mary finished between us and took 1st place in her age group. That’s pretty impressive considering her favorite event was omitted! Thanks to everyone who helped with advice and training. Also thanks to my family and the Cooper family for a fun weekend.

Gold's Gym Water Park 5k Results

While many of us were running trails, or racing at the beach, two of the RMEC Masters snuck down the road to Greenville for a race at the Gold's Gym Water Park 5k. The race gets it's name, becuase runners are invited to jump in the pool to refresh after the run.

Ashley Bass and Brian Lankford, have been training hard in preparation for the Second Empire Race Series in Raleigh. This weekends 5k, was one final tuneup beofre the series begins.

Ashley had a very good race coming in 4th overall, and 1st in his age group with a time of 18:02. I expect a sub-18 performance will be seen very soon. Only 42 seconds behind came Brian in 6th place with a time of 18:44 also first in his age group. It was a hot and humid race but you would never know it by looking at their results! We all look forward to tracking your performances through out the Second Empire Series.

RUN RSVP: Saturday 08/22

This weekend the RMEC will set out on an adventure for our long run. Instead of meeting at the Teeter, we will travel 25 minutes down the road to Hollister and participate in the Medoc Meltdown. Frank is expecting over 40 runners!

If you are follow the MCM long run schedule you will be running 10 or 18 miles. Those only planning to run one 20-miler in their training have a recovery week. Those doing three 20+ milers are to 18. Bottom line. . . run whatever is comfortable to you.

Run Details:

• Where: Saturday, 7:00 am @ Medoc Mountain
• Supported: Bring Your Own
• Weather: Forecast
• Routes: Map

If you have not run trails before, I suggest ignoring your watch and just enjoying the run. Trails are different, but not in a bad way. When running the roads, you take for granted that your next step is just like your last. In fact you could probably close your eyes, and run 10 steps without having a problem, although I really don't suggest trying that.

On the trails, you are always planning your next step. It makes running more of a mental challenge, which adds to the excitement. If you have not run Medoc, don't panic. The trails are not that difficult. There are no rocks to climb, or streams to jump. In fact you can run the trails pretty fast. . . that is why you need to be careful.

If you are on the fence, bite the bullet and come run! You will be glad you did. You don't need special shoes or any special gear (although bug spray is a good idea). Just come out and enjoy the adventure! It is a fun and friendly introduction to trails.

Please RSVP even if Frank already knows you are coming. Non RMEC members are welcome!. Please post a comment. If you are interested in carpooling from the Teeter, let people know, but it will be important that you let the know how long you plan to be at the park.

Marine Corps Marathon Transfers

In case you missed it, the Marine Corps Marathon has announce their 2009 Transfer Policy. Participants registered for the MCM may transfer their registration to another person between now and September 21. The process includes filling out the transferor and transferee forms as well as a $25 processing fee. Learn more about the process. Click here to access the transfer form.

If you are looking for an entry or need to give yours up, post a comment here. I believe there are 33 from our group signed up currently, so there may be some opportunities. You can also occasionally find people looking to give their spot up on running forums. In fact the facebook MCM group has almost 4,000 members. There is probably a good chance to find an entry there.

Carol Stands on the Podium!

This past weekend Carol and Andy snuck off to the Mayo Lake Sprint Triathlon. This is another great event put on by Finish Strong. Carol is really taking well to her triathlon training. It is a rare day when you don't see she and Andy at the Y, swimming, running, or cycling. All of that hard work is paying off!

The event had over 280 athletes registered. Carol finished 84th among women, but more importantly, she was first in her age group with a time of 2:01:36. She was strong across the board, but she shined the most in the swim where she was 68th amonth all women. She moved well on the bike averaging 15.3 MPH, and then had a solid trail run.

Andy also had a strong performance, only missing the podium by one place! His time of 1:51:17 earned him a 4th place age group finish. Although his times were strong in the run, Andy says he was challenged by the rooty trails of the course. I am sure that things will go much better at the Medoc Meltdown on Saturday.

If you are not familiar with Finish Strong, they host several sprint triathlons around North Carolina. Next week they are hosting the OBX Tri of which Steve Cooper and Eric Pate are participating in. Their are events are becoming bigger in size every year, but they still have a personal feel. It is a great way to get involved in triathlons.

Ladies. . . Looking to do a Triathalon?

Endurance Magazine will be releasing 25 new $75 Ramblin Rose participant slots this Friday April 21st at Inside-Out Sports locations in Charlotte and Cary, NC during their *Ladies Night Event* which is designed to get women excited for the beginning of the 2009 Ramblin Rose Women Only Triathlon Tour. Check out the details online.

If you are not familiar with the Ramblin Rose, it is a great event for any woman wanted to give triathlons a try. All distances are short, and the swim in in a pool. You can use any swim suit, and any bike. The swim is only 250 yards, the bike in 9 miles, and the run is 2 miles.

If you are interested, post a comment. You very well may encourage someone else. You may not consider yourself a triathlete, but it just takes one to get hooked.

Food for Thought

Here is some more food for thought. I see more and more of you are out in the early moring for your runs. I thought this quoute applied well.

Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows that it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn't matter... whether you're a lion or a gazelle when the sun comes up you'd better be running. -Anon

Prize "Money" Announced for Local Races!

Raleigh Running Outfitters once again comes through BIG for the RMEC! Jim Micheels and the RRO team be offering a total of $3,480 in gift certificates as prizes for Ford's Colony and for the Medoc Trail Races!

The RMEC has been loyal shoppers at Raleigh Running Outfitters, and they continue to reward our club by offering discounts on shoes, and by sponsoring our events. Whenever you need new running gear, please continue to shop at RRO, and when you are there let them know you appreciate their support. Here is a breakdown of the "cash" payouts.

Ford's Colony 10k:

• $100 Premium for first man to break 37:00 and woman to break 41:00
• $100 First Overall
• $75 Second Overall
• $50 Third Overall
• $50 Masters Winner
• $20 Age Group Winners (seven age groups)

Ford's Colony 5k:

• $100 Premium for first man to break 17:00 and woman to break 19:00
• $75 First Overall
• $50 Second Overall
• $30 Third Overall
• $30 Masters Winner
• $15 Age Group Winner (seven age groups)

Medoc Trail Marathon:

• $150 First Overall
• $100 Second Overall
• $75 Third Overall
• $75 Masters Winner
• $25 Age Group Winner (six age groups)

Medoc Trail 10-Miler:

• $75 First Overall
• $50 Second Overall
• $40 Third Overall
• $40 Masters Winner
• $15 Age Group Winner (six age groups)

RUN RSVP: Saturday 08/15

The long run schedule calls for a 13.1 Mile race this weekend. We do not have a nearby race, so we will create our own! For some of you this will the the longest run you have done so far. For others this will be a test to see how your training is going so far. Regardless, set your watch and get ready to "race"!

I backed the start time up to 6:30 a.m. Some of you have not traveled to the park before, so I wanted to make sure everyone had time to get there and also have enough daylight to get started. The run will start beside the old pool house on North Taylor Street. There is ample parking for everyone.

Run Details:

• Where: Saturday, 6:30 am @ Sunset Park
• Supported: TBD & Fountains
• Weather: Forecast
• Routes: 13.1 Miles

I need someone to bring fluids if possible this weekend again. The best bet is to put them in the back of a pickup truck at the corner of River and Taylor. This way you can get fluids at mile 5.8 and at the finish. There is also a fountain on the trail that you pass at 7.9 and 12.1. If you need more fluids (and you probably do), take them with you.

If you plan to run longer than route, do me a favor and once you finish the 13.1 course, turn around and run backwards on the race course. This way you can help check in on anyone behind you, and also give them some motivation.

This route does not have written directions. If anyone has the time to write them out, please post them here. If you have not run these roads, please be sure to review the map very closely.

Please RSVP so we can prepare accordingly. Even if you are not a regular group runner, or a RMEC member. Please post a comment.

Running and Nutrition

Thought I would dig back in the archives and find some useful handout information to share from the SportsBackers team.

Nutrition: Think of yourself as an automobile. If you don’t put gas in the car, it will not run. If you put too low of an octane in a high performance car, it will run but it will not perform at it optimum. The same is true of you body. As you become a regular runner, you are moving your body to a high performing, efficient machine. You need to put in the proper fuel to run at that level.

Food Consumption: As a runner, your diet should be in the following ratio’s:

• Carbohydrates 60 to 70%
• Fats (good fats) 25 to 20%
• Protein 15 to 10%

Why carbohydrates? The fuel for powering your muscles while running is glycogen. Glycogen is created when the body breaks down carbohydrates into simple sugars to be stored in the body. (About 78% of the glycogen is stored in your muscles, 18% stored in the liver and the rest in your bloodstream.) When at rest with plenty of oxygen, the body will burn fat in cooperation with the glycogen. But as you exercise, you will have a less ready supply of oxygen. In these situations, when you need fast fuel, the body looks for a better source of fuel. That is where the glycogen is needed. The more carbohydrates you consume as you train, the more you can store. An untrained muscle can store 13 grams of glycogen for each kilogram of muscle. With proper training, this rises to 32. Thus more fuel for you as you run.

Pre exercise eating: Part of your training will be training the way your eating interfaces with your running. Use the long Saturday runs as a way of testing how you eat before running. Some people can eat a full meal and then go out and run. Some people get stomach issues if they try to run shortly after eating. Experiment to see what works best for you.When you eat before exercising, it should be high is carbohydrates, low in fat with moderate protein content. Portions should be moderate and you should take extra fluids. To avoid sugar highs (and crashes), it is best to avoid sugars in the 45 minutes before running.

In regards to when to eat, the following chart may be helpful:

• If you are running 3-6 hours Eat a Large Meal
• If you are running 2-3 hours Eat a Light Meal
• If you are running ½ to 1 hour Eat a Snack

Eating while running: The body stores enough glycogen to allow you to run without issue for 90 minutes to two hours. Therefore as you increase the time of your training run (and run the race) you will need to resupply the body with fuel. This fuel can come from three sources. Solid food, sports drinks and energy gels.

Solid fuels are least often used by runners. Two reasons. One, it takes a lot longer to digest solid food. Two, solid food has a higher likelihood of upsetting the stomach.

Sports drinks (Gatorade, Ultima, Powerade and many others) are a mixture of sugars and water (many are now also including vitamins and important minerals). They range between 6 and 12 % carbohydrates. They are a quickly digested solution which supplies some carbohydrates. (See the later section on sports drinks)

Energy gels are a relatively new addition to the marathoning scene. They are concentrated mixtures of carbohydrates. They are more easily digested that solid food and easier to carry than sports drinks. Several words of caution on the use of energy gels. By training, you can allow you body to adapt to store more glycogen. If, during your training, you start to use energy gels too early in your runs, you will fool your body into thinking it does not need to make the physiological changes that are required to store more fuel. Then when you do need the extra glycogen, it will not be there.

The second caution. Gels are pure carbohydrates. Or put another way, pure sugar. Once you start using gels on a run, you will need to use them every 45 minutes or so to avoid a sugar crash. When do you start using gels on a run? First, as said above, never use them on a run of less than 90 minutes. There are two trains of though on when to take your first gel. Some people take them after 45 minutes of running and then every 45 minutes thereafter. Others like to wait until 90 minutes or so into the run to start. See what works best for you.

Post run refueling: By running you use up your stored glycogen. In the first hour after you finish running, the body is best conditioned to reconvert ingested carbohydrates into stored glycogen. Therefore, you should try to eat/drink plentiful carbohydrates in that first hour, preferably the first half hour. Some suggested recovery foods are Apple Juice, Bagels, Yogurt, Bananas and sports drinks.

Sports Drinks: Sports Drinks come in many shapes and forms. Gatorade was the first, is the easiest to find and is generally the cheapest. Each type of drink has its own formulation and it own ad campaign. The bottom line is that you will need to drink sports drinks during your race. Each race picks its own drink and it is generally readily available at the water stops on the course. Get in the habit of drinking it as a part of your training as described above. One area that is getting greater attention in recent years is the use of recovery drinks. Endurox is the most widely known. These drinks help with the post run refueling

RUN RSVP: Saturday 08/08

Originally I had planned to run the half marathon course this weekend for our group run. Then I realized that next weekend's long run calls for a half marathon race, so I will wait another week before we do that. This means another glorious weekend run from the Harris Teeter!

This morning felt nice when you walked out the door. Tomorrow looks like it will be the same. At 6:00 am, they are predicting 68F, but by 10:00 am it will be 83F. Please arrive hydrated, and stay hydrated.

Run Details:

• Where: Saturday, 6:00 am @ Harris Teeter
• Supported: Yes @ multiple locations
• Weather: Forecast
• Routes: 5 Miles; 12 Miles; 16 Miles

For those following the MCM training plan, we had a recovery run last weekend, so the miles are back up. For most of you, this will be the longest run you have done in your MCM training thus far.

It is challenging to squeeze runs of this length into neighborhoods around Candlewood. For this reason, we are going to start expanding the routes to take in new roads. This will take you out of your comfort zone a bit, but it also gives you a chance to take in some new sites. The two long routes do not start the same way. If all goes us planned, the 16 mile runners might start to catch some 12 milers before they are done, so you will likely have runners in front and behind you at all times.

Fluids are tricky this week, and I welcome any help.

• Stop 1 is at the tracks (normal spot)
• Stop 2 is at my house (Spring Forest Drive)
• Stop 3 is at Co-Ah-Bar (could use help here)
• Stop 4a are the fountains beside City Lake (12 mile route)
• Stop 4b are the fountains on River Driver (16 mile route)

DO NOT skip the water fountains on this run. This is too long of a route, and that is too late in run to skip fluids. If anyone thinks they need more, take them with you.

If you have not run these roads, please be sure to review the map and written directions. I strongly suggest printing them this week. The written directions are viewable below the maps.

It is challenging to set up three fluid stops without running out, or having a lot of waster. Please RSVP so we can prepare accordingly. Even if you are not a regular group runner, or a RMEC member. Please post a comment.

Ford's Colony Race Shirts

We got a near-final proof on the Ford's Colony shirts for the 2009 event. In the first year of a race it is pretty easy to slap the race logo on the shirt and move ahead. In year two, it takes a bit more creativity, trying to come up with something different that still reflects the actual event. Below is what we came up with. Click to see a larger version.
I tried to capture various elements from the race. You will see the race logo, the brochure cover girl, the bird from the Ford's Colony logo, a golfer, and even the gazebo at Ford's Colony. It is never easy to create a shirt that everyone will like. Trying to find something that men, women, and kids all find appealing is tougher than you might think (take the Sweetheart 5k shirt for example). Hopefully this one will have some mass appeal.

Food For Thought

For everyone that is training for a marathon, a half marathon, a 10k, or a 5k. Think of this the next time you want to skip a workout:

It's not the will to win that matters - everyone has that. It's the will to prepare to win that matters. ~Bear Bryant.

Reminders

Frank has extended the deadline for requesting a Medoc Meltdown shirt. As a reminder, we will run the Medoc Mountain State Park trails on August 22 at 7:00 a.m. Run anything from a three mile loop to a 50k. Your choice!

Also we needed to see if anyone is planning to participate in the Lake Gaston Swim on Saturday, and/or join Frank for a cookout on the lake. For more information, scroll down below several posts.

Post a comment here if you would like a shirt, or plan to join Frank this weekend.