RUN RSVP: Saturday 05/01

When I walked out the house this morning, I though about going back inside and putting on my running gear. What a beautiful morning! Even with things warming up over the weekend, we should have a perfect morning for a run. I think some of us could use a break from just a Candlewood run, so I picked a route that has a bigger loop.

Run Details:

• Where: Saturday, 7:00 am @ Harris Teeter
• Supported: Yes - at my house & Co-Ah-Bar
• Weather: Forecast (61F @ 7am and 69 @ 9am)
• Routes: 4.5 Miles, 10 Miles, 13 Miles

The 4.5 mile route is an out-and-back to my house. You can turn around at any point, but if you need fluids, go the full distance. The 10-mile and 13-mile routes share most of the same roads, but pay attention so you don't go the wrong way. Fluids will be at my house and also behind the brick wall on Co-Ah-Bar. Please keep things neat at Co-Ah-Bar. This is a home. There is also a fountain at City Lake. Don't skip this stop late in your run!

Don't miss this perfect morning for a long run. Come join us!

Good Luck RMEC!

We have a few RMEC members racing this weekend in some endurance events. For starters, Steve Cooper and Eric Pate will compete in their first half ironman distance triathlons on Saturday. Both guys are racing White Lake. True to history, the temperatures will sky rocket this weekend and hit a high of 90 on Saturday. Good luck guys. . . stay hydrated!

Further from home, Dave Lavely and Dennis Crossen will be racing in the Pittsburgh Marathon. This will be the second marathon for Dennis, and I think the 300th marathon for Dave. This race was "reborn" last year after several years of not being run. Last year was met with rave reviews, and a large crowd of runners. We look forward to seeing how two of our "PA boys" in the RMEC handle the bridges of the race.

Running the furthest marathon from Rocky Mount is John Clark (aka Teddy Cheetah). John is taking on the Eugene Marathon on Sunday. This scenic race takes in miles of bike trails along the river and finishes on the historic Hayward Track. I must admit, I am amazingly jealous. John, I hope you will share a race report when you return.

Good luck everyone!

Hill Workouts Begin!

A few weeks ago we had a post about beginning Hill and Speed Workouts. Next week we will kick things off. It looks like Monday evenings will be the best for most runners, and the "hostess of the hills". Here are the details:

• Date: Monday, May3rd
• Time: 6:30 pm
• Place: Tracy P's House

We will begin with a short warm up run of about 8-10 minutes. After this we will congregate at the bottom of the hill outside of Tracy's neighborhood and begin. We will run up the hills for a set time period, and then jog down.

Bring your own drink and leave it at the bottom of the hill for when you need it. Also, bring a towel to sit on for the ride home. You will probably get sweaty!

We can discuss how many repeats, and the length of each interval when we get there. We will start somewhat conservative and build up over time. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to come out. If you need directions to Tracy's please post a comment or email her. I prefer not to put addresses on the blog site.

We can discuss next Monday if we want to rotate every other week with a tradition track workout at Red Oak Park.

RMEC Cookout?

It has been a while since the RMEC has had a social gathering that wasn't at a race, on the roads, or in the trails. I think it is time that we all get together for an old fashion cookout and pot luck dinner. Plus, we never formally had our annual meeting and I never tried to collect annual dues (although some of you overzealous members sent a check anyway).

May 15th is the date for the Fun Run for Charities, so I expect this is a weekend that most of you are in town. I know we will never pick a weekend when all 50 club members are in Rocky Mount, so we kind of need to pick a date and go with it. So if we do a cookout the late afternoon/evening of Saturday May 15th, who can make it?

EVERYONE is welcome. If you run every weekend, or have never been out to a group run, this is a chance to meet everyone. Don't be intimidated about showing up. To be honest, no one in the club knows everybody (not even me). So don't feel like you are going to show up and not fit in. The RMEC prides itself on being an organization that welcomes and encourages anybody who wants to run.

Please post a comment if you would like to attend. We still need to work out the details about where and the exact time. I will send out an email too so everyone knows. Right now I am just getting a general idea. Families are of course welcome!

This weekend will also give us a chance to update the picture at the top of the blog!

RACE REPORT: Boston Marathon

Submitted By: Derek Hurdle

Last March at Shamrock I reached a goal of mine(just barely) to qualify for Boston. That day I decided not to fret over my time in Boston time and just enjoy the race. That was a sentiment I have carried with me over the last 13 months, including the last 16 weeks of training(despite not missing a workout during the training plan and getting up at 5am). That sentiment changed a little the week before the race mostly because John talked some sense into me-why train hard not to go run your best race. The other side of me did want to enjoy this race more than the others-and that was the internal battle I had when I approached the starting line. For the first time ever as I approached the starting line I had no set goal-which surprisingly felt kinda good.

John did have a goal and I didn't want to hold him back, and I didn't want to worry about the stress and push of a 3:05 goal-so we said our goodbyes as the race started. As I started I remember thinking that I would like to run a 1:35:00 first half-that way I would at least be on pace for 3:10:00 if I had enough in the tank second half to push it. That would be nice I thought if I could re qualify at Boston-so maybe that will happen. I also made myself a promise to smile more, look around and take it in. And when I started to hurt I would tell myself to quit whining I am running the freaking Boston marathon.

The first half went well at 13.1 I was at 1:34:20 so I was ahead of my goal. My next goal was to run to mile 16 at BQ pace which I did. At mile 16 the Newton Hills started-my goal for 16-21 was just to exert consistent effort. I did not want to worry about splits just equal effort-which I did. So how were the hills? Were they as bad as I thought? Well of course nothing is ever as great or bad as you make vision. Its always sensationalized! BUT those hills were bad, nothing we could duplicate in our part of the state and the timing that they come at mile 16-21 is enough to bring a man to his knees. And at one point on the second hill(the worst one in my opinion)I thought it would be easy to stop and just walk up the rest of the hill to "conserve energy". Then I thought about what I told myself at the beginning about enjoying the whole race-so I kept pushing. As I was making my way through the hills, again not worried about my splits, I was thinking about my next goal 21-26.2. After these hills I would check my time and see if I could push it qualify for Boston again.

When I finished heartbreak, it was like I had already accomplished my race. The famed Newton Hills are behind me now, the last 5 would be cake. I looked at my watch and I did the math and figured I needed to do between 7:10-7:15 for the last 5.2 miles. But the hills had taken a toll on me, my pace had slowed greatly and my calf started to tighten on me about 19-the muscle would tighten and almost cramp about twice a mile. I was scared to push it to hard-cramp in the calf and walk some of the way in. My #1 goal was to enjoy this race and walking/cramping was not the way I wanted to finish this marathon-because the first 21 miles had been so perfect.

The last 5.2 miles I continued to exert my same effort and I did look at my watch and the math was not in my favor-so I made an extra effort to take it all in. As I crossed the finish line I felt like I just went on a 3 hour 13 minute out of body experience. This is the way it should be-I thought to myself as I was wrapped in my "space sheet". I think I had a couple of minutes left in my tank that I didn't use up but I didn't care. I ran free, no worries and just soaked in this experience- its not always about your next mile split. That's what I learned in Boston and I think this lesson will help me enjoy future races more and maybe my life. Smile more, look around and take it all in.

RUN RSVP: Saturday 04/24

When I walked out the house this morning, I though about going back inside and putting on my running gear. What a beautiful morning! Even with things warming up over the weekend, we should have a perfect morning for a run. I think some of us could use a break from just a Candlewood run, so I picked a route that has a bigger loop.

Run Details:

• Where: Saturday, 7:00 am @ Harris Teeter
• Supported: Yes - at my house & Co-Ah-Bar
• Weather: Forecast (61F @ 7am and 69 @ 9am)
• Routes: 4.5 Miles, 10 Miles, 13 Miles

The 4.5 mile route is an out-and-back to my house. You can turn around at any point, but if you need fluids, go the full distance. The 10-mile and 13-mile routes share most of the same roads, but pay attention so you don't go the wrong way. Fluids will be at my house and also behind the brick wall on Co-Ah-Bar. Please keep things neat at Co-Ah-Bar. This is a home. There is also a fountain at City Lake. Don't skip this stop late in your run!

Don't miss this perfect morning for a long run. Come join us!

Congrats on Boston!

Big congratulations are in order for John Batchelor and Derek Hurdle for their performance in the Boston Marathon on Monday. It is an accomplishment just to qualify for Boston in my eyes, but these two guys trained hard throughout the winter to ensure another strong race. Their training paid off. . .

John set a new PR on the challenging Boston course with a finishing time of 3:07:07. After cruising through the halfway point at 1:32:14, the late hills slowed him down just a touch. He still managed an amazing 7:09 pace for the race and finished in 2,182nd place. Only in Boston would a time that fast place you over 2000.

Derek, took a slightly more conservative pace from the start hoping to take in the entire Boston experience. I use the word "conservative" in relative terms, as he still ran a blistering 7:23 pace for the entire race and finished with a 3:13:20.

If you did not keep up with the Boston Marathon, it was a great race. On the women's side Teyba Erkesso dominated the race having almost a two minute lead late in the race. It really looked like a boring race to be honest. She started to have cramping in the final miles however, and Tatyana Pushkareva made a hard push to close the gap. By the final straight away, Tatyana had a sprinters kick and only missed claiming a victory by three seconds! Good thing for Teyba it was not a 26.3 mile race.

On the men's side a pack of about eight were running strong until about mile 20. At this point Robert K Cheruiyot and Deriba Merga made a move to stretch things out. Merga could not withstand Cheruiyot endurance and dropped back. Cheruiyot went on to not only win by 91 seconds, he also set the course record! Of more local interest Ryan Hall who had dropped way off the pace had one of the strongest finishes in the race. He came back from roughly 10th place and managed to pick off tired runners one at a time, eventually climbing to fourth place, only two seconds out of third! On most years his time was good enough to win, but not on a year when a course record was set.

Congrats to everyone on completing Boston!

Tri Roanoke Valley Sprint Results

The RMEC sent a small group to Roanoke Rapids to compete in the Tri Roanoke Valley Sprint Triathlon on Saturday. To say we had a good showing would be an understatement.

Jason Irvin was first to finish with a time of 1:20:06 earning 20th overall. Despite being the fastest RMEC finisher, his competitive age group kept him off the podium by only 20 second! One place and seven seconds behind Jason came Cliff Amos finishing in 1:20:13. This was good enough for 1st in his age group. Cliff also posted the fastest run in the RMEC with a 7:48 pace on a hilly 5k course.

Nipping on the heals of Cliff was Steve Cooper finishing 25th overall with a 1:22:04. Steve stood next to Cliff on the podium placing 2nd in their age group. Steve has been fighting some vertigo for several weeks but still managed to improve his time by 15 minutes over last year!

Colin Amos returned to defend his age group victory from last year, and did not disappoint. Finishing 30th overall with a 1:23:55 he once again took 1st by 13 seconds and was the youngest competitor too! He improved his time by 13 minutes over last year. 61-year old Ralph Willey finished in 1:27:48, and also took first in his age group. Complete results are available online.

RUN RSVP: Saturday 04/17

Looks like we should have good weather this weekend, so hopefully we can bring out a big crowd to run on Saturday morning. A few from the club are racing at the Tri Roanoke Valley Sprint Triathlon, but I think the vast majority of the club is not racing this weekend.

Run Details:

• Where: Saturday, 7:00 am @ Harris Teeter
• Supported: Yes - at the tracks
• Weather: Forecast (60F @ 7am and 63F @ 9am)
• Routes: 2.5 Miles; 7 Miles; 11 Miles

I don't think anyone came out to last weekend, so I used the same routes. There will be fluids at the tracks. The 2.5 and the 7-mile routes pass it once, and the 11-mile route passes it twice. If you need more fluids, please bring them with you.

Hill and Speed Workouts

With the change in time, we now have an opportunity to run in the afternoons and hopefully avoid some of the mid day heat that will be coming. In the past, we had done some group hill workouts from Tracy's house in Red Oak (10 minute drive from the Harris Teeter). We did it a few times in Candlewood as well. We normally had 4-10 runners that would show up. I think these workouts are very beneficial to improving your speed and strengthening your legs, and would like to get these started again.

Who can come? Everyone! A "speed" workout does not mean you have to be fast, and it is not designed for just one group of runners. In fact, hills and speed are perfect for big groups of all skill levels. Why? Because you do all of your running in the same place. This means we are always working together as a team. We are not all running the same interval distance or the same pace, but we are all on the same stretch of road, or on the same loop on a track/trail.

How does it work? After a 5-10 minute warm up, we all congregate at the bottom of a long hill. We decide how long and how many intervals we will be doing before the workout. We typically start with four or five intervals, and normally something around 80 seconds. At the same time we all run up the hill at an aggressive, but not "all out" pace. When you hit 80 seconds, you stop, turn around and slowly jog back down the hill. Each runner will run their own unique distance during those 80 seconds. The jog down should take you a few minutes. Once back at the bottom of the hill we catch our breath and go back up. The goal is to hit the same point on the hill every time.

• If your last interval is too easy. . . you did not run hard enough.
• If you can't hit same same point on the last interval as you did on the first. . . you went too hard.

How is a speed workout different? For our group, it is not very different. Essentially we will do a similar workout but on a track or looped trail. You can use a watch as your guide again, or pick a set distance. You can also run "ladders". For example, your first interval is 60 seconds, your next is 90, than 120, than 90, and than 60 again. In between each interval you will always catch your breath and get your heart rate back down again.

When will we do these? Afternoons are more challenging than a Saturday morning. My recommendation is to try Monday or Tuesdays at 6:30 pm. We can alternate week-to-week from hills to speed. For speed, there is a cinder jogging trail at Red Oak (easy on the legs) and also the paved jogging trail at the Sports Complex by the YMCA.

I am open to suggestions, so please post your feedback below. We don't have to all meet the same day if two groups want to form.I know this might not sound like fun, but workouts like this are really nice to do with a group. Even if you think you are the slowest runner to ever step foot in Rocky Mount, you will have a good time working together as a team, and it will improve your race times.

New Runner: Training Program

Tracy Proctor and Kinnie have begun a a new training program for women who are just getting started with running. I know we have several people who read the blog, but have not taken that next step to come out and join the RMEC for some group runs. Here is your chance! For more information, post a comment here, and Tracy can contact you.

For those experienced runners in the RMEC, please try to help support this group with encouragement, or volunteering some time with Tracy and Kinnie. Remember that one primary goal of the RMEC is to welcome and encourage all runners regardless of experience or ability.

From Tracy:

Our run/walk program kicks off this week so get those shoes ready and let’s begin the journey together. We had several ladies meet with us this morning and had a great time on our 30 minute workout. We will meet Monday mornings at 9:00 at St. Andrews Church off Sunset Ave and Saturday’s at Harris Teeter with the RMEC (Rocky Mount Endurance Club) to keep you motivated.

The workout schedule for the next four weeks is available. Contact Tracy for your copy. This will help you to plan and schedule your week. The plan does show 6 days a week. This is not required but we do STRONGLY encourage you to do the run/walk four days a week. The remaining days can be taken off or used to cross train with other activities. Each day is around 30 minutes with easier and harder days throughout the week. If possible, recruit a friend to help you stay motivated and moving!

Helpful tips to get you started:

• Make sure you have a good pair of shoes that supports your foot. If possible visit a specialty running store such as Raleigh Running Outfitters to have your step evaluated
  and proper shoe for for your foot type. (Michael's note: Running stores are very accommodating to a new runner. Don't feel intimidated to visit one. Tell them you are new to running, and they will make the best recommendations for you. If they don't make you feel welcome, buy your shoes somewhere that will).
• Wear a good supportive sports bra. If needed wear two or three to avoid the “bounce” and discomfort associated with it. There are several good brands available.
• With summer coming, be sure to have WATER available on your run. Gatorade is not needed unless you exercise more than 60 minutes and is just extra calories.
• Avoid cotton clothes if possible. Cotton absorbs sweat and can make you feel hotter and stick to your skin more. Target carries a good workout line for a reasonable price. (Michael's note: You are looking for "wicking" or "technical" fabric. This is normally 100% polyester)

Let me know if you have any questions and I look forward to working with you over the next several weeks. Always feel free to contact me with questions of if you need support. Keep in mind it will be difficult at first but I promise it does get easier. You will have your good days and bad, so do not get discouraged!

Tracy

Michael's note: Although the program is targeted towards women, the RMEC welcomes and encourages everyone to get active and run. Saturday group runs normally slant more towards males, but with this new program we expect about a 50/50 split between men and women will show up for Saturday group runs. Come join us. . . bring a friend!

RESULTS: Tar-Heel 10 Miler and 4 Miler

What a fun weekend for the RMEC. We took a crowd of runners to Chapel Hill to compete in the Tar-Heel 10 Miler and the Fleet Feet 4 Miler. We had near perfect race conditions, which helped to offset the challenging race course. Between the hills and over 50 turns (not kidding) it was not a course built for speed. Running through the tunnel and in to Kenan Stadium was a pretty cool way to finish the race.

Because of the non-traditional race distances, virtually all of the RMEC set a PR. I don't think anyone in our group has run a 4-miler before, and most of us have only posted a 10 mile at Medoc. That being said, we had some impressive runs on Saturday! With so many people racing, it is difficult to write a quick summary, so I will hit a few highlights and post the details below.

• Charlotte Burnette has been a loyal race volunteer but completed her first race this weekend finishing the 4-miler in 1:01:54
• Ron Fleming set a PR by running 10 miles at a faster pace than his 10k PR!
• Ursula Forrester knocked one minute and 45 seconds off of the 10 Mile PR she set just one week ago.
• Juliet Stutts completed her first 10 miler, which is the longest race of her running career.
• Misty Schmitt continues to shave off time running an impressive 9:36 pace.
• Arthur Bennett realized a dream when he get to see himself on the Kenan jumbo tron.
• Jon Shingleton gets lighter and faster everyday, finishing with a solid 1:31:17

It really was a nice race and a great day. They have some kinks to work out to make it even better, but this is a race I would highly recommend. The course was challenging, but it is a beautiful run, and finishing in the football stadium is a unique experience. For complete result click here.

RESULTS: Tarboro 5k and Charlottesville 10M

I am a bit behind on race results, so I am doing some updates from Easter weekend. For starters several RMEC members stayed close to home and raced in the Movin' For Community Outreach 5k. This third annual event is held in Tarboro. A 10:00 am start made for a warm race, but the RMEC still did very well.

Jon Singleton set a new PR with a time of 24:29. This performance placed Jon 15th overall out of 135 finishers. Jon's partner in crime, Amber Poole ran a solid 27:40, which was good enough for a 3rd place finish in her age group. Also racing from the RMEC was "5k-specialist" Tom Thurman finishing with a 24:57. Tom's time also earned him some hardware as he place 2nd in his age group.

Further from home, Ursula and Michael Forrester were running in the 35th annual Charlottesville 10-miler. This hilly course is one of the longest running races in Virginia. Running together they both posted a time of 1:30:02. Despite a strong finishing kick a sub-90 minute race was just out of grasp. This was still a solid PR for Ursula.

Well done everyone! Next up is the Tar-Heel 10-miler. . . we just need them to post some accurate race results. Stay tuned!

Tar-Heel 10-Miler

With 16 RMEC members racing in Chapel Hill this weekend, I thought it was best to use the blog for discussing any race day plans. By my count, the following are racing: Michael, Ursula, Scott, Leigh Ann, Ron, Robin, Kelly, Arthur, Michael D., Laura, Misty, Brad, Elaine, Charlotte, Amber, and Jon.

I expect all of our plans are quite mixed up. I know we plan to spend the night in Raleigh, so we are getting our packets today. We had discussed trying to gather for lunch after the race. I am still open to that idea, but do not know the area well, and do not have the time to organize anything. That is why I wanted to create a blog post on the topic.

Does anyone want to suggest a place to try to meet for lunch? Keep in mind, we will all be in running gear after a race. Also keep in mind that the Chapel Hill area will be filled with 2,000 runners plus the people in town for the spring football game. Please post comments, suggestions, ideas, your plans etc.

Good luck to everyone that is racing!

RUN RSVP: Saturday April 10

Thank you rain! Finally Rocky Mount is not a big yellow mess. Not only that the morning temps feel great. This is an excellent weekend to get in a long run or a race. With almost 20 RMEC members racing this weekend, it might be a small crowd at the group run, but don't let that keep you away!

Run Details:

• Where: Saturday, 7:00 am @ Harris Teeter
• Supported: No
• Weather: Forecast
• Routes: 4 Miles; 7 Miles; 11 Miles

There are a few race options that you may want to consider as well. With the cool morning temperatures, it might be a good chance for a PR!

• Galberry Stampede - Scottland Neck, 2k, 5k, 10k
• Lace Up for a Cure 5k - Greenville, 5k

Thanks from Frank

Submitted by: Frank Lilley

Now that Saturday is over and I've had some time to consider my 100 miler run attempt, I'm left with three key thoughts:

1. I'm proud of what I did accomplish.
2. I'm disappointed in I didn't come closer to my 100 mile goal.
3. But most importantly, I am humbled by the collective support of the Rocky Mount Endurance Club, and individually I want to thank each of your for your support and concern. Believe me when I say, I was and continue to be overwhelmed by what you all did for me. Thank you.

And I promise I'll be there for you too! Here is my race summary.

Fall/Winter Marathon Running

Thanks to everyone who voted in the marathon poll last week. In total we had 32 votes. There was one clear winner, and a solid number for two others as well. Here is where things stand:

11/13 Richmond Marathon - This race was the clear favorite with 18 votes. I know the RMEC has done this race twice as a group, but I still think it is one of the best options for our club. It is close enough for an easy trip, but far enough away that it feels like we are doing something special. Plus the course is great, they have two other race distances, and it is easy for us to do stuff as a team (expo, dinner, post race drinks, etc.)


11/14 OBX Marathon - Eight people also voted for OBX. This race is great for many of the same reasons as Richmond. The smaller size also would make it easy to navigate the town as a club. The race is the same weekend as Richmond, so people can follow the same training cycle even if they are doing different races.


10/30 Ridge to Bridge Marathon - The small town North Carolina marathon had eight votes like OBX. If you are looking for a fast marathon with a personal touch, this is a great option. It is two weeks before Richmond and OBX, so the training plans would not sync up exactly, but the long run schedule most likely will hit the same weekends, it will just be ahead by two weeks.

Other Options: Outside of the voting poll, some emails have been moving around about some other races. Even though Steamtown only had two votes in the poll, a group is already booking hotel rooms and registering. In addition, Kiawah in December has garnered some interest for several ladies in the RMEC.

10/10 Steamtown Marathon - Right now the following runners have committed to Steamtown: Ryan, Dave, Michael, Steve, Eric, and Tim. At least four others seem to have a strong interest. Some are driving, and some are flying ($200 flight). It is shaping up to be a fun trip. Right now my plan is to still do Richmond, because it is a full month after Steamtown.

12/11 Kiawah Marathon - This race is held on the island of Kiawah and has a half and full option. This race falls a month after Richmond/OBX, so runners could do the double if they are interested. Kiawah gives the benefit of cooler training weather if you don't like the summer heat.

So as we get closer to the fall, I will start to make the Saturday runs build up to the Richmond/OBX weekend. I will try to have other distances to support those doing different races, but ultimately it is up to you to follow your plan. We don't all train the same way, so the Saturday run is just a way to have a team feeling and to motivate each other.

So please take a minute now and post your race plans!

Plan to run:

• (10) Steamtown: Ryan, Dave, Tim, Steve, Eric, Michael, Derek, John, Jeanette, Ursula
• (1) New River 50k: Frank
• (1) Ridge to Bridge: Brian
• (11) Richmond: Amber, Jon, Michael, Charlotte, Russ, Frank, Tracy H., Charlotte, Jeff, Arthur, Kelly
• (0) OBX:
• (2) Kiawah: Kinnie, Tracy P.

RUN RSVP: Saturday April 2

Time for an Easter weekend run! The weather looks great in the morning, so set the alarm clock, and start your weekend off on the right foot (or left). As you know, Frank is taking on his 100 mile adventure this weekend, so for the group run, I will use the same route he is following. It is a five mile loop so do as many or as little miles as you would like.

Run Details:

• Where: Saturday, 7:00 am @ Harris Teeter
• Supported: No
• Weather: Forecast
• Routes: 5 Mile Lilley Loop

Don't forget to check in on Frank during the day and night. If you are going out in the car drive by the route to see how he is doing. If you have some time, get out on foot and give him some support as well.

I know many of you are traveling this weekend to see family. As a reminder, if you will be out of town, it is not recommended that you post that message on the blog.

Local Race Updates

Wanted to share a few local race updates with the club.

04/03 Movin' Fro Community Outreach 5k: This Tarboro race is in it's third year. Several from the RMEC have run it in the past and enjoyed ourselves. If you are looking for a low cost local option on Easter weekend go join them. The race starts at 10:00 am, so you don't even need to wake up early!

04/10 Gallberry Stampede: We already have nearly 20 RMEC members racing in the sold out Tar-Heel 10-Miler, but the Gallberry Stampede is another option to consider. The event has a 2k, 5k, and 10k and runs on the Gallberry Farm cross country course. Only $25 to race!

04/17 Tri Roanoke Valley Sprint Tri: This years race is shaping up to be a great one. With FS Series timing, the word has spread, and a nice sized crowd is expected. This entry level, pool swim tri, is great for everyone! They also really need volunteers, so please consider giving your time to help out Halifax County.

05/15 Fun Run for Charities: Registration is now open in the Fun Run for Charities. This year Ryan Bullard is a member of the Reach Out Rocky Mount committee organizing the race. With a 5k, 10k, 1M, and Kid's Dash, there is an option for everyone in the family! This year has an earlier start and two new race routes (5k, 10k). You will not want to miss it. Be sure to pick your favorite local charity and give an extra $5 to $25 when you register!