Upcoming Events

I try to keep the race schedule to the right updated with local events. Here are a few that I know some RMEC members are doing. Wanted to make sure these were not missed.

10/25: Great Pumpkin 5k & Dog Run: Help Vollmer Farm celebrate the birthday of their farm dog Bea. On October 25th beginning at 9am they will have the Great Pumpkin 5K & Dog Run. Race, run or walk with or without a dog, $25 registration. Sign Up Now. After the runners can play in the Back Forty. Dogs on a leash (and rabies tag displayed) are welcome to enjoy a day on the farm! Admission for dogs is $5. This could be a fun event for the RMEC. Ursula did a cross country race here a few months ago, and it was a really nice course, plus the Back Forty is a blast for kids and adults!

10/25: The Robin Run - This event is help in Wilson at 5:00 pm. There are very few events with afternoon starts, so this one allows for people to do their other weekend "to dos" before they come. There is a 3-mile run course, and a 20 mile bike course. I honestly am not sure if you do both the run and ride, or if you choose. This is a family event, so bring the kids with you. It is only a $10 entry. Kinnie has more details for anyone that needs it. There is not a website.

11/01: Whirligig Ride - Wilson is hosting their 3rd annual bike ride on November 1st. The full distance is a 100k (62 miles). There is also a 20 mile and 40 mile loop. The event is part of the Whirligig Festival. If you have been wanting to give cycling a try, this is a great opportunity. It is not an official race, so you can relax and enjoy the company of other cyclists.

If you are interested in any of these events, please post a comment.

Viking Dash has PR Performances

There were two strong performances this Saturday in the Viking Dash 5k Cross County Meet. This inaugural event was hosted by the Tarboro High School at Indian Lake Park. About 70 high school runners, plus a handful of college runners turned out to compete. Ashley Bass who previously won the Ford's Colony 5k was 7th overall, and 3rd in the open division with a blazing 17:56. Brian Lankford (1st Place Masters at Ford's Colony 5k), was close behind finishing with a time of 18:21. This was good enough for 9th overall and 4th in the open division.

Both Ashley and Brian set PRs in the 5k, which is even more impressive considering it was a cross country course. I can only imagine the look on the high schoolers faces when 50 year old Ashley, and 45 year old Brian lined up at the start. . . bet they were surprised at the finish! Great job gentlemen!

Flying Pig Anyone?

Okay RMEC. . . it seems like once or twice a year we get a group to go do a marathon. It is a great way to take an extended weekend trip with friends, and get a self guided tour of a new city. In the past the RMEC has taken group trips to Richmond, Chicago, Va Beach, Duluth, Myrtle Beach, White Lake, and more. With the right planning it can be an affordable trip.

There is talk building about a trip to do the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati. If you have ever thought: "I'll run a marathon when pigs fly!" than this is the perfect race for you! The race is not until May 3, 2009 so there is PLENTY of time to get ready.

Some perks about the race are:

• a really cool two sided medal
• a pretty flat course
• lots of fun "pig stuff"
• half marathon option too.
• in general. . . just a fun time!

Post a comment here if you think you might be interested. This is not a commitment. We are just trying to get some ideas on who may want to try it. We hope to see you all at the Finish Swine!

The Great Medoc Rerun

WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT: We have extra Medoc items that we plan to sell to RMEC members and friends. There is a small catch however. We feel the medals, and hats are something runners should earn. This means you must have completed the Medoc course to be able to buy any extra items. So, for those of you who could not make it to Medoc Trail Races or were volunteering, here is your chance!

THE GROUP RUN: Please join us for the Great Medoc Rerun on December 6th! It will be cold, there will be leaves on the ground, there will only be one fluid stop, and the course will be unmarked. It will be a challenge!

PECKING ORDER: We will try to sell all of the extra Medoc items. Any items will be sold in the following priority:

1) Volunteers who are doing the Rerun
2) Other's doing the Rerun
3) Anyone who completed the official race
4) Anyone else

We really want to make sure people have a chance to get the extra Medoc items, especially those who volunteered instead of running. I will keep a list of who is signed up, and what items you are requesting. I will not know who gets what until the day of the run and I can see everyone who signed up, so please be patient, and understand we want everyone in the RMEC to own a piece of Medoc.

COST: So, how much does it cost?

• $0 - Rerun Entry
• $10 - Long Sleeve Tech Shirt
• $9 - Finishers Hats (must complete the course)
• $4 - Finishers Medal (must complete the course)
• $20 - Get all three (shirt, hat, and medal)

WHO CAN RUN: Everyone! This is a group run. Even if you raced already, come join us! There are lots of you who did not get a chance to run the official Medoc Trail Races, so we are hopeful to get a BIG crowd out for the Rerun. I came up with about 30 names off the top of my head: Frank, Patti, Michael, Arthur, Scott, Misty, Eric P, Derek, Kelly, Russ, Tom, Robin, Brad, John, Tracy P, Cliff, Tim, Ryan, Julian, Yvonne, Jason, Andy, Carol, Mary, Deb, Evan, Josh, Leigh Anne, Richard, Doug, Cam, etc.

INVENTORY: We do not know how much we have of everything yet. We are going to have a "Packet Unstuffing" party to figure what we have left over. I had hoped to have extra cotton shirts, but I am afraid these might have been taken during the event, because I only found one left over, and we did not have 40 volunteers.

AWARDS: Yes, we have extra awards too, so we will even do age group awards at the Rerun. This in no way is intended to diminish those who earned awards on race day. I just don't need a stack of plaques hiding in my garage for the next 10 years. I would rather share them with the RMEC.

SIGNING UP: Post a comment here if you plan to join us. One comment per person will be helpful. I need to know the following:

• Name: ________________________
• Distance: 10M, 26.2, Other (just out for fun)
• Shirt Requested: Grey Tech. . . White Tech. . . Navy Cotton 50k Meltdown Shirt
• Finisher Items Requested: Hat. . .Medal

Nothing would make me happier than to see 40+ ruuners come out for the group run. It would be a great way to thank those that volunteered, by joining them on the trails

City of Oaks Needs Volunteers!

There is a saying among those that do road races. . . "Don't ever forget that the reason you are racing is because somebody else is not". It takes volunteers to execute a good event. We were fortunate with Medoc to find some of the best volunteers available in North Carolina. The City of Oaks Marathon and Half Marathon are now looking for volunteers as well.

Medoc had just under 250 registered runners. The City of Oaks already has TEN TIMES the number of runners. They also do not have the benefit of a triple loop course that is contained within a park. In other words. . . they need volunteers to have a successful event. Please consider giving your time to help them out.

For more information, visit them online. You can find out what area they need help, and email them to get on the volunteer list. Remember Raleigh Running Outfitters is putting on this event, and they were a sponsor of both RMEC races we held in 2008.

Sweetheart Logos

RUN RSVP: Saturday 10/11

Needless to say I will not be here on Saturday to organize the group run. The good news is this is a recovery week for most of you. I realize your plans are not all the exact same, but for those of you running OBX, your last long run is next weekend if you are taking a three week taper. If you are doing a two week taper, your miles should be up this week.

Those training for their first half marathon have a 7 mile run this week. Some of you are ahead of this schedule, and might do more. Just try not to add more than a mile over your previous long run. I know the weather is cooler and you feel better, but you should still not ramp up your miles too quickly and risk injury. If you raced at Medoc on Saturday. . . take it very easy this coming weekend.

Run Details:

• Where: Saturday, 7:00 am @ Harris Teeter
• Supported: TBD - Fluids at Tracks
• Weather: Forecast
• Routes: 7 miles, 12 miles

The 12 mile route gets fluids at roughly mile 3.9 and 9.5. The 7 mile route does the Steeple Chase loop and gets fluids at 4.7.

I pushed the start time back to 7:00 am, because the runs are shorter, and the temperatures are cooler. I want to make sure you have a safe start, and avoid running in the dark. This really is a great time of year to run. I hope you will decide to join the RMEC for a run. It is not just about training for a race. It is about a healthy lifestyle, and doing something you enjoy.

As always. . . ANYONE is welcome to join us! Tell a friend. . . RSVP online with your pace and distance.

Quote for the Day: "To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift" - Steve Prefontaine