More Random Stuff

Here is another blog entry with lots of information. Nothing was big enough to make its own post, so I combined them into one. Feel free to comment on anything below.

Spirit of the Marathon - Tonight's one night only showing of the movie is sold out at both locations in Raleigh, so if you were planning on driving to Raleigh and buy tickets there you should stay home and watch the Virginia Tech vs. Duke game instead. We are actually still looking for a sitter tonight if anyone knows someone who can help please let me know.

Lower Potomac River Marathon - Frank would like to run this Maryland marathon on March 9th, but would prefer not to do it alone. This is a small race, but receives good reviews. The course is scenic, the average temperatures are 49, the entry fee is only $55, and you can split gas money and a hotel with Frank. Post here or let Frank know if you are interested.

Myrtle Beach 5k - As you know we have a very large crowd going to run at Myrtle Beach. Most of the people from the RMEC are staying at the Dunes Village hotel which includes an indoor water park. If you are looking to take advantage of the three day weekend, but don’t want to run the marathon consider doing the 5k race instead. There are actually 23 people from the expanded Rocky Mount and Wilson area signed up to race at Myrtle.

Krispy Kreme - There are now over 2,100 "runners" signed up for the Krispy Kreme Challenge, and there is still room for more. You can even buy official race gear now through Bay Six USA. Check out their site for more details.

RMEC Shirts - Just a reminder that we are getting names for more RMEC shirts. Look under Quick Links to add your name. We still need nine more to complete the order.

Battle Park - Those of you who run through Battle Park know there are a few sections where roots have caused a problem. Parks and Recreation have begun to repair the problems. They are digging trenches and installing under ground barriers to stop the roots from doing this again. I assume repaving will not be far behind on these sections. Thanks Scott for sharing the details!

Kenya Violence Effects Marathoners

I know our blog is more about local running than the world of running, but there is a tragedy occurring right now that id destroying some of the most gifted runners on the planet. Some of you may not be interested in this story, but I know some of you are.

In December, Kenya held their elections. The results of the elections are very much in question, and have caused some long time tribal riffs to resurface. The end result has been vicious and deadly violence in a country that produces countless world class runners. It seems that attacking runners (a person of status) is a way to hurt the most and gain the most attention.

Sadly, Wesly Ngetich became the latest victim to the ethnic violence yesterday when he has shot in the chest with an arrow during fighting in his hometown of Trans Mara. Ngetich, won Grandma's Marathon two of the last three years, including 2007 when Ryan, Frank, Ursula, Tracy, and I participated in the races.

Truly another sad day for the running world, as one of the most talented people on the planet lost his life, and knowing many more are still at risk. We so often take for granted the things we have as Americans. Enjoy your run today and be thankful for the safety of your surroundings.

For a summary on the violence in Kenya visit marathonguide. For more information on Ngetich, you ran read the article at TwinCities.com.

This and That. . .

I had a few things to post, that were all short, so I am combining them into one. Feel free to use the comments to respond to any of these topics.

Grandma's Marathon - Tracy P. will likely be running Grandma's Marathon again this June, and is extending an invitation to everyone to make the trip back to her hometown of Duluth, MN. She has family who can offer a place to stay, so there are no hotel expenses for the trip. You will of course need to buy your plane ticket and marathon (or half) entry.

If you are not familiar with Grandma's, it is rated as one of the top 5 races by runners consistently. Don't let the name fool you. This is a world class event, that draws people from all over the country to run. The fans are great, and the course is beautiful. Plus, where else can you run a June marathon without the heat (usually).

Post here, or email Tracy if you are interested. This really is a great opportunity. I hope some of you will consider going. You will not regret it! We had a blast last year. . . Other than that little visit to the medical tent of course.

Shoe Coupon - Scott found a great coupon code for anyone looking to pick up some winter running gear, or a new pair of shoes. I am a big fan of supporting your local running stores, and have always been partial to Raleigh Running Outfitters, but Omega Sports in Wilson is also a solid store that is runner friendly. Here is a $20 off coupon that you can use.

Gate Analysis - Raleigh Running Outfitters is now offering free gait analysis. Huh? Your "gait" is your manner of running. Not everyone runs alike. Some people's feet role out, and some role in. Some are heavy heal strikers, and others are not.

Analyzing your gait helps to ensure you get the right shoe. By using a treadmill, and a slow motion digital video camera, the staff at RRO is able to examine your stride and make better recommendations. To be honest, it is really cool to do. The analysis is a free service. Don't forget the RMEC gets 15% off purchases, so be sure to tell them you are with the RMEC.

RMEC Shirts - We still need nine more shirts to complete the next technical shirt order. Click the link to the right to add your name to the list.

RUN RSVP: Saturday 01/19

Another recovery weekend for those training for Myrtle, so the run is shorter. I am trying to break the monotony a bit, and will start the run at Sunset Park instead. I figured we could do the half marathon course. It is easy to cut short for anyone who is looking for less miles.

Run Details:

• Day: Saturday @ 7:30 am
• Where: Sunset Park (by Tennis Courts)
• Route: 13 miles or 5.6 miles (just the first loop)
• Supported: TBD
• Weather: Forecast 37F at start and finish.

The weather is a gamble tomorrow. They are calling for a rain/snow mix. Not ideal running conditions, but if you dress properly it will not be bad. If there are others that plan to run, I can bring fluids for the half way point (where we start). If you don't knwo the route, print the directions.

Please use the comments to RSVP. If I do not see anyone else sign up, I will likely run elsewhere or at another time. I am open to suggestions. The afternoon has rain in the forecast still, but not as much. Sunday is not wet, but it is bitter cold (24F) in the morning. Thanks!

Counting Heads

Some of the original posts have scrolled off the board, so I wanted to see if we could get some head counts, and encourage more participation. You can search the blog, or look at older posts, if you have questions about the items below.

Spirit of the Marathon Movie - Who plans to go to Raleigh to see this movie? We could carpool and grab dinner before if anyone is interested. This is sold out in many theatres, but Raleigh still has tickets. This would be a great movie to watch to get you fired up for Myrtle Beach! Remember this is only being shown one night nation wide!

Krispy Kreme Challenge - The original post had lots of comments, but I am not sure many people signed up. Who plans to run the race? You do not have to eat a dozen donuts to race. This is something fun to do if for no other reason than to get an interesting race shirt. Over 1,000 people have signed up so far. Come join the fun!

Myrtle Beach - The half marathon is full, and the marathon I believe is over 2,000 runners, but space still remains. We have a big group going, and most are staying at the Dunes Village for the race. The hotel has an indoor water park and is not expensive. This is a three day weekend, so it is a great time for a mini vacation. There will be lots of RMEC kids. If you want to do a race, but not the full marathon, you can still sign up for the Myrtle Beach RBC Centura 5k too.

Donald, Mickey, Goofy, and Frank

Most of you know the results by now, but I had not done a post to share this information, so here is some information from last weekends races. Lets start with Friday. . .

Disney: Tracy, Ursula, Patti, and Jenni all lined up for Disney's 5k Family Safari run on Friday. None of the four really cared about their time. This was all about the medal and the shirt. The race ran through the Animal Kingdom Park. All four enjoyed the race and got their big square Safari medals to get the 2008 race year started for the RMEC.

On Saturday, all four were up at 3:00 am to catch the bus at 4:00 am, so they could start a race at 6:00 am, that was 15 minutes away (makes a lot of sense, huh?). The early start allowed all four to run (or walk) a good race, because it never got too hot. Patti, Jenni, and Tracy all crossed the finish line together at 2:21, and Ursula came in a 2:59. No one was setting any PRs this day, but that was not what this trip was about.

On Sunday, all four ladies were back up at 3:00 am again to head to the start. Tracy was not running the marathon, but it never slowed down her support of the others. She even made an extra trip back to deliver Ursula some Tylenol in the Magic Kingdom. A hot day, sore legs, tired bodies, and blisters could not stop them from finishing. Patti and Jenni finished in 4:53:29, Ursula came in a 5:42:25.

They were waiting for her when she finished at the "Goofy Tent" so they could pose with their collected medals. An official photographer took their picture and told them he would try to get them on the site. Well. . . Go to mydisneymarathon.com. Click on Goofy. Click on View Race. Click on Photos. TA DA!

First Light: Meanwhile in Mobile Alabama, Frank was beginning the Bank Trust First Light Marathon. This race has a beautiful but challenging course. As Frank says, some days you have it, and some days you don’t. Frank still ran an impressive 5:25:36.

If you had followed the post below on the blog, you will see that Frank made a "friend" on the blog. A race volunteer from Mobile named Charles posted a comment wishing Frank well, and after several more posts Frank figured out where to look for Charles. As the picture indicates, Frank found him! Congrats Frank on adding a new state to your marathon tour.

Note: I will updated this post with links to Disney and First Light pictures once they are uploaded.

2008 Race Results Page

There are still a few gaps right now, but we have a new page for 2008 race results. Rather than just put the race and time like I did in 2007, I added more details. You will now be able to see the race date, location, and distance as well. I think this is fun to keep updated and gives everyone a chance to see your accomplishments (good or bad).

Help me keep it updated, and send me emails, or post on the blog when you do a race. I will update last weekends race times (Disney and First Light) this week.