Thursday, March 22, 2012

RMEC Racing Singlets

We are getting new RMEC shirts.  The original plan was to get a nice racing singlet for men and women, so we look like a team at races.  The hope is these would primarily be used for race days. 

Brand:  We wanted to get a name brand top that was a good quality and would last.  We wanted to look sharp at races (well, as sharp as we can).  When looking at the name brand tops, the retail price ranges from $25 - $45 a piece.  We were able to work out some at a discount however for a Saucony Hydralite top for the club.

Discount:  Thanks to Jim and Raleigh Running Outfitters, we are getting a sizeable discount.  The singlets retail for $25 (+$4 for customization), but Jim is getting them for us below his cost.  He is doing this for one because we have loyally supported his store for our running needs, and he hopes this relationship continues. Secondly, we will proudly display a small RMEC logo on the chest, and a small RRO logo on the back below the neck.  It will not look like a typical race shirt with lots of logos.  So BIG THANKS to Jim for supporting the RMEC.

Style:  The focus of this order is on singlets, but I realize not everyone likes a singlet.  I was careful to pick a brand that had matching shirts in different styles.  This means you can get a singlet, tank top, or short sleeve.

Cost:

This is really a BIG savings over retail.  With logos, these shirts would cost $29, $32, and $34.  Jim is using his store to get us a volume discount and the RMEC is covering a portion from your dues.

Color: We are going for a team look, so we are only ordering one color.  Based on votes here and on Facebook we will pick the most popular choice.  Click here to see all three options:  BLUE IS THE WINNING COLOR.


Members:  We can provide the pricing above for those who have paid their 2012 membership dues.  You can see the sign up list here (scroll down).  If you did not sign up to become a member, you can sign up now at this link.  Please sign up ASAP.

Sizing: This is up to you.  You get what you request.  If you click the links above, you can see a sizing chart.  Women can order the men's short sleeve if they prefer, but I would not suggest a men's singlet or sleeveless as the arm holes are generally larger.

Ordering a shirt:  This part is important.  I need you to carefully complete the following information, and comment on this blog post.  You need to comment with your name, style, and size.  BE SURE TO IDENTIFY THE GENDER IN THE STYLE.  Please do a new comment for each order. 

Joe Smith
Men's Hydralite Singlet
L

Deadline:  I am turning in the order on Monday to Jim.  I will add a few extra tops, but I need to know what you want ASAP.

Matching Items:  One advantage of getting a name brand, is you can get matching items.  We are NOT doing a club order for anything except the tops above, but if you were looking for shorts, hoodies, jackets, etc. check out the Saucony website.  Of course we highly recommend buy all of your other gear at Raleigh Running Outfitters.
52 comments

Friday, March 16, 2012

RUN RSVP: Saturday 3/17 @ Teeter

The RMEC has several people racing at Tobacco Road on Saturday.  Not sure of all the names but Cliff, Tracy and Eric or doing the full, and Ron and Dave are in the half.  I am sure there are others as well.  Good luck everyone!  Please share a race report when you are done.

For those hanging out in Rocky Mount, lets hit the roads and have a great training run.  The time change has made it dark in the morning, so the offical start time is 7:00 am.  You can start earlier, but try to be back at the parking lot by 7:00.
I went with the "dead-end" route, because it is easy to adjust to meet your needs.  Please, comment if you are coming. Even if you are starting early or coming late.  I will put out fluids unless someone else speaks up about doing it.  Thanks!
10 comments

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Umstead Trail Marathon 2012 -Race Report

Submitted by: Eric Ghiloni
Web Site: http://denied3times.blogspot.com/

Umstead Trail Marathon 2012
(aka Umstead Swamp Fest)

It was with much anticipation that I awoke Saturday, March 3, 2012 at 6:00 am to the sound of rain tap-tap-tapping on my window sill. “Surely Jon and Amber will not want to run in this crap”… was the first thought to pass through my clouded morning haze. I looked at my phone. A text from Jon said, “This is not good”. Amber followed with a few…too much to type in response. So I called. The decision was made to AT LEAST go get our shirts…LOL. Fear…and relief at the same time.

We debated the merits of running. We debated the merits of not running. I think we all knew we were going to run. As soon as I saw another runner, I was sold. The “buzz” of race day is so addictive. The rain had stopped…for now. The chaos of packet pick up is always interesting for a people-watcher like me. Runners are an interesting group…but trail runners are the MOST interesting subset…colorful and geared up for battle against the best Mother Umstead can dish out…camel packs…water belts…trail shoes…ponchos…hats…I imagine Dr. Seuss’ Prom to look like the last 5 minutes before the start of a trail race.

I had not eaten my normal pre-race meal…only a granola bar. I DID try a new hydration plan…taking 3 days to increase fluids (and I think it made the biggest impact on this race for me). But the race was quickly sneaking up on us…15 minutes…10 minutes…OH @#$% I forgot to use Body Glide. 5 minutes…rain…26.2 miles ahead of me…no Body Glide?!?...Oh Well….Ready….Set….CHAFE!

It always feels great to start a race…no exception today…the mud was a fact and not to be avoided…smile and suck it up…maybe the single track won’t be THAT muddy….LOL…little did I know.

I settled into an easy pace…the pack slowly forged ahead of me…game on. By the time 150+ runners made the trek through the singletrack portion of the course, it looked (and felt) like well-worn hog paths. I was with several other “runners” for a large portion of this section. Running for any kind of distance was not possible, especially after the downpour from miles 4-ish through 6-ish.

I am not sure of the exact distances, but I seem to think that I came out of the single track section at around mile 8-ish at around the 2 hour mark. For some reason the fact that I had to cover 18+ miles in 4 hours loomed heavy over me given the conditions and the 6-hour cut off made it hard to relax and enjoy the race until I had covered the next few miles at a decent pace. The bridle trails at Umstead are compacted and mostly dry. So I settled into the run/walk that is serving me well these days. The hills are AMPLE…but, that means the down-hills are long and a great chance to stretch out and get some miles covered.

I met some really super-nice runners…something about meeting someone on the trail…a very friendly bunch. I decided to be a cheerleader for the last 12-15 miles and made sure to encourage EVERY runner I came into contact with. Non-runners will never understand the power of a “good job, brother” when all you want to do is lie down and quit. I did the back-and-forth with several runners over a dozen or more miles and we were all very encouraging and friendly. It was great day to run. My body was not rebelling…my head was in the game…my feet were holding up…my back was behaving.

About ½ way through, I heard a swishing sound growing louder and louder…I looked to my right and 6 deer were paralleling me. As I approached a bend in the trail, they turned and crossed about 25 feet in front of me, so close, in fact, I can tell you that the last two, without having visible antlers, were males…LOL. I could smell them. I saw a wild turkey a few miles later. The course is absolutely stunning and is a quite the surprise being in RALEIGH…I often felt like I was off in a very remote area and was pleased by the peace and scenery throughout the race.

Of the 3 marathons I have “run”, this was, by far, my favorite. I “needed” this marathon after the week preceding it. A dear friend lost his daughter, unexpectedly, the week before. It had been a tough week watching a friend in pain, and, after the anxious feelings surrounding singing at her funeral, I was emotionally drained and in need of a re-charge. Calling a marathon a “re-charge” sounds backward, but I think many of you understand. Time running is all I have for JUST ME. It is the only time I disconnect…time alone with the Lord and His creation…time to consider the important things with nowhere else to be for the next 5:44:15. When I run, I laugh out loud at things no one else has a clue about…I cry about the things in my life that need to be mourned. Umstead heard my laughter and felt my tears.

There is no effective way for me to explain the feeling I get from running a marathon. The physical BEATDOWN is obvious. I wear it like a badge. But the emotional cleansing is harder to explain. The spiritual aspect is equally difficult to articulate. I have to simply acknowledge that there is a spiritual/emotional “place” or state I can reach when I push myself past discomfort, where, despite the physical ridiculousness of 26.2 miles, my mind and spirit leave the body on autopilot and explore places I am otherwise too busy to allow myself to visit.

Then I hit mile 20. I think it was mile 20. They had Oreos and Gummi Bears. I “hoovered” 2 Oreos like a hostage…thus creating a very dry mouth…I headed down the trail with a cup of Gummi bears in hand…Cookies and Candy…5 more mile fueled by SUGAR…SIGN ME UP!...I ate a few Gummi Bears and suddenly I cannot breathe….I panic…no one behind me…no one ahead…what the?.....i balled my fist…pushed it into my sternum and flung myself into a tree. I fell onto the trail as the Gummi Bear flew from my nose and mouth. I laughed….then I kinda shook for a minute…that could have been bad…but the good Lord takes care of fools and children, and I am grown! I decided that I would limit the next 5 miles to fluids…UNTIL I saw FRITOS! WHAT? BEST RACE FOOD EVER! Fritos are as good as a ribeye at the Angus Barn at mile 24 of a marathon…with a Dixie cup of Coke…WHAT?...amazing what the body appreciates after too-many miles on-the-hoof.

I ran for a while with a nice lady who was running her 46th marathon and 9th Umstead…she went on ahead…she had a little more rocket sauce left at mile 25 than I did….but she was encouraging and described every turn left in the race…knowing I was starting to flounder…picturing the last few turns helped a lot.

The Garmin said I was close…just around the next turn…clock reads 5:4something????….gonna make the cut!…Brandie and kids drove up to see me finish…Ethan and Luc smiling and bouncing…I think they are proud of “old dad”…Grandpa Rusty (B’s dad) was there…he thinks I am insane for running these things, but was there for OBX and Umstead…I think he knows, at some point, he needs to be there to help me into the truck again…LOL.

It wasn’t all rainbows and unicorns….I HATE mud…I hate wet feet (and the blisters that accompany wet feet)…I, now, know I hate running with a poncho on (at least when I am already wet)….not a cool feeling…I hated to find out my runnin buddy didn’t make the cutoff. But….
I love running without a shirt on…and did almost all day
  • I love the outdoors and this was some of the best scenery NC has to offer
  • I love the freakshow of colors at races…psychedelic Skittles in expensive shoes…LOL
  • I love the solitude….AND
  • I love meeting folks on-the-trail
  • I love the physical challenge of 26.2
  • I love the Shingletons…they make running a “family” activity…God Bless Jon and Amber!
  • I love seeing my wife and kids at the finish…hard to top that…period.
  • I love anything south of 5:59:59 at Umstead….
  • I love the feeling of being alive that comes from being keenly aware of aches and pains mere mortals don’t get to experience.
5:44:15…in the books…done!

Only 363 days til my next Umstead Trail Marathon…next year…I am shooting for 5:43:15…if I pass on the Gummi Bears, I should be able to hit the mark!

See you on the trail! Next stop…The Flying Pig…2 down…4 to go for 2012…Peace!
3 comments

Get Your Boogie On!

Submitted by: Frank Lilley

I just looked on the Boogie 50-miler & Marathon site and didn't see any RMEC folks signed up . . . except me. This is a classic run . . . probably my second favorite race each year and it may be #1!! This is not the 'normal' marathon . . .

  • Races start at 6 PM . . . Mid June . . . It's hot!
  • You will run into the night!
  • The course is all pavement but VERY rural! Only 5 houses on the course!!
  • Fantastic . . . ultra-style aid stations . . . think buffet!!!!
  • You park directly on the course so you can keep everything accessible . . . for the marathon you will pass your car 4 times!
  • It's a hard course but doable! Heck . . . there are folks who walk the whole thing!
  • The only way you'll PR is if this is your first marathon! So why worry about time?? Just come and have fun!
Right now there are plenty of open spots but this race will fill up . . .
2 comments

Tuesday, March 06, 2012

Canal Packet Stuffing

Hello everyone.  Many of you have had a big impact in helping with five different TRRC and RMEC races over the past six months.  Thank you again for your continued support of local racing.  The last TRRC event for a while is the Roanoke Canal Half Marathon & 8k.  After this, we have nothing until August.

We are stuffing packets this Thursday from 6pm - 8pm.   It is actually not a bad packet stuffing with just a few items to include.  We also only have unisex shirts so it goes quickly. 

We will once again meet at Consturction Imaging on Sunset Ave.  Thanks Michael Schear!
Here is the process:
  • Get a bag and put on the label
  • Verify the name and put in the number and safety pins
  • Add brochures, and cards
  • Get the correct shirt size
  • Put the bag in the box.
  • Repeat
Volunteers:
1 Michael F
2 Amber
3 Jon
4 Eric & Steven
5 Arthur
6 Margaret
7 William
8 Patti
9 Jeff

We line everything up, and it goes quickly as long as we stay in order and organize. We do need big boxes if you have them.
5 comments

Sunday, March 04, 2012

Colonial200 Relay

Who wants to run a relay?

The RMEC has participated in two relays in the past few years.  One team did the Blue Ridge Relay in 2010, and three teams did the American Odyssey Relay in 2011.  I had the privilege to race in both relays, and can honestly say both are at the top of favorite running accomplishments and memories. 

We all run and train together, but on race day it is normally an individual achievement.  A relay changes all of this.  From the moment you leave Rocky Mount to head to the race start, you are a team.  You count on each other to pull you through the race.  It is running, it is driving, it is navigating, it is supporting. . . it is honestly amazing.  And you do it all overnight while covering 200 miles.

So the bug seems to have bitten again, and the RMEC is gearing up for another relay.  This time it is the Colonial200 in Virginia.  Unlike the other events we have done, the logistics of this event are very manageable and affordable.  They also have a one-day 70 mile option too.


Colonial200:  This race starts outside of Charlottesville and finishes in Williamsburg.  This makes for minimal driving.  It is a three hour drive to the start from Rocky Mount, and two-and-a-half hour drive home.  Not bad at all.  Depending on your start time, you might not even need the expense of a hotel.

Colonial70: If you are not quite ready for an overnight 200 mile relay, there is also the Colonial70.  This runs the last 12 legs of the Colonial200 course.  It begins just outside of Richmond in Hanover and shares the same finish line.

Date:  The 200-miler starts on Friday, September 28 and finishes on Saturday.  The 70-miler starts and finished on Saturday.

Team Makeup:  Teams can be 4-12 runners for the 200-miler.  A typical relay team is 12 runners in two vans.  The RMEC has always raced as ultra teams (6 or fewer runners), but typically 90% of teams are 12.  The 70-miler is intended for 4-6 runners.  Teams can be coed or same sex. 

Who is this for?:  This is NOT something only for "fast" runners do.  This is NOT something for only marathon or ultra runners to do.  This is for people who want to try something different and maybe push the bounds of their ability a bit in a team setting.  A six mean team pushes through exhaustion, sleep deprivation, poor nutrition, and running in the dark (doesn't that sound awesome?).  A 12 man is not nearly as challenging.  You only run three times, and you have long breaks when your entire van can park and rest.  Don't be afraid of trying this.

Assembling Teams:  I do not want to be responsible for assembling teams.  This will kind of fall together naturally.  To get things started, we need to know who is interested.  We can use comments on this post to see where people stand, and what you are looking to do.  If you want to be on a male-only or female-only team, that is fine.  If you want to be on a 12-man team only, that is fine.  If you want to do the 70-mile option, great!  Just post a comment so people know.

Commenting:  Please include the following information when you post:
  • Name
  • Race (200 or 70 mile race)
  • Team Members (Ultra or 12-man)
  • Type of Team: (Coed, single gender, or no preference)
  • Would you be a captain (the person to register and help keep the team organized)
  • Your goal (running hard, running for fun, or somewhere in between)
Other Runners:  If we are short on runners to fill teams, we can get non club members too, but I suggest trying to start from within our group.

Training:  The training is not as hard as you might think. Each leg of the relay is about 4-7 miles normally, so you never run too long. Having longer endurance training runs are important, and I also suggest having a few days where you do a "double" and maybe one day with a "triple" (for ultra teams).

Some motivation. . .

BLUE RIDGE RELAY
24 comments

Friday, March 02, 2012

RUN RSVP: Saturday March 3 @ Teeter

Apologies again for not getting last weeks run posted.  I had it typed up, but was side tracked and never got it out there.  Hoping to get people back out tomorrow.  Looking like it will be 60F and cloudy right now.
Please, comment if you are coming. Even if you are starting early or coming late. It makes a BIG difference to motivate other runners and encourages more to come out. Slow or fast. . . comment if you are coming.

I am pretty sure I will be running/marking the Roanoke Canal Half Marathon trail, so I will not be able to put out fluids.  Please comment if you can help. 

I picked our "dead end" route for this weekend. In total it 13.4 miles, but it can be easily adjusted to any distance you prefer just by removing the out-and-back sections. There are actually five times on this route where you do an out-and-back. It may sound boring but this guarantees you will see lots of each other on the run. REVIEW THE ROUTE so you know what you plan to do. See you in the morning!
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