RUN RSVP: 03/03

Seems like people are getting back into the swing of things. Our groups are getting larger every week. I am heading out of town on Saturday, so I will only have a very short run, but let's still plan to organize a group run, for those who want to run longer.

Run Details:

• Day: Saturday
• Time: 8:30 a.m.
• Where: Ford's Colony Food Lion
• Distance: 4-13 miles
• Route: Cart Path Routes (10 out-and-back or 6 loop route)
• Supported: TBD
• Weather: Forecast

If someone would like to help, we could drop mini-Gatorades like we did two weeks ago. It might be a little chilly at the start (upper 30s), but it should warm up during the run. The highs are in the mid 60s. Post a comment if you plan to run.

Dont forget to complete your survey! Even if you are new to the team, I want to hear from you.

So, what ya gonna run?

Spring is on the way, and with it comes "racing season". I am not talking about NASCAR either. I wanted to provide some reminders of upcoming races. Several people are showing interest in these events, so you would likely not be alone. These are all shorter races, and could be a great motivation to get you back on the roads.

• Shamrock 8k: Jeff, Patti, and Scott are all running in the Shamrock Marathon at Virginia Beach. There is also an 8k the day before the marathon. Great chance to race 5 miles, and then cheer on the marathoners.
• Muddy Buddy: Several people are looking to compete in this event. Jeff, Patti, Ursula, and others have all shown interest in this Richmond event. It fills up every year, so if you want to participate, find a buddy and sign up. This is a bike/run team event. They even have a Mini Muddy Buddy for the kids! Check out the site for more details and click on Richmond
• Dismal Swamp Stomp: This is another Virginia event. Tim found this race for the team. He is planning on running. Frank is back on the roads, and would like to run. He is working on getting Andy and Carol to run as well. This really seems like a great race option if you are looking for a half. It is run through a swamp, but I believe the path is paved.
• Monument Avenue 10k: This is one of the largest 10ks in the world (24,000 runners), and it is only a short two and half hour drive to Richmond to be part of it. This race is 92% full, so it will fill up very soon. Tracy H and her sister are running this event. If you want to run in a major race this is one of the closest and affordable options out there.
• Cooper River Bridge 10k: Although not as big as the Monument Avenue 10k, this Charleston race is still a massive and has been around for 30 years. Ryan is registered for this race already. Ursula and I may also enter the race if we travel to Charleston that weekend.
• National Half Marathon: I am still on the fence about doing this race. Ryan is also considering this one. It is a fun race, and a great family trip to DC. We are trying to decide if we can make it to this race or not. It largely depends if we run the Cooper River Bridge 10k the previous weekend. This race does not fill up, so you can enter a few days before.

If you look in the February archives of the blog and scroll down to 02/07, I posted lots of other local races at the beginning of the month. Those are other great options as well. The races above are ones that I knew some RMEC members were doing that I wanted to share.

There will soon be races happening every other weekend as the weather gets nice. Now is the time to get back on the roads, so your legs will be ready when your heart says "lets go do a race."

Triathlon Relay in Raleigh

I know that many of you may not be ready to jump into a triathlon. Here is a chance to get to experience the event, without having to do all three legs. Patti, Kinnie, and Mary are entered as a team in the Duke Liver Center Half in September. I know this event is more than six months away, but they fill up fast. This one is in Raleigh, so there is no travel expense.

This event has 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and a 13.1 mile run. If you are reading this blog, I know you all can run 13.1 miles by September. This is not about trying to win the race. This is about trying something new.

So, if you know a swimmer and a cyclist, give them a call and make a team. If you don't maybe you should try it, and get one of our runners to join you. Bottom line, if you are interested, act fast. If you need some partners, post a comment, and let them know which leg you are willing to do.

Come on. . . give it a tri!

$10 Under Armor Shirts

If you like the Under Armor shirt style (compression) this is a great deal. You place the order through rangerjoes.com, which is a military gear sight. The only color they have is brown, but for 10 bucks, who cares. The inventory on this site is not updated live, so they may run out of stock, and cancel the order. Probably worth taking a chance for $10. If canceled, you will of course be refunded, if your card was already charged.

Bike Ride

There is a potential bike ride this Sunday at 2:00 for those who are interested. The potential rain may kill the ride, but I wanted to post it here just in case. Eric Seale plans on riding Sunday afternoon from the dentist office on the corner of Winstead and Michael Scott. It is pretty easy pace and route. Check out the Rocky Mount Road Cyclist Yahoo Group to see more information.

Ride Details:

• Day: Sunday
• Time: 2:00 p.m.
• Where: Corner of Winstead and Michael Scott (Dentist Office)
• Pace: ~15 mph
• Distance: 18.5 (Not sure about this)
• Route: Reservoir Loop

RUN RSVP: 02/24

Another good turn out last weekend for a run. I think we had six meet at Ford's Colony. I will switch it back to a Harris Teeter run for tomorrow. Mileage can vary to meet your needs. I plan to run 13.

Run Details:

• Day: Saturday
• Time: 8:30 a.m.
• Where: Harris Teeter
• Distance: 6-13 miles
• Route: Candle Wood, Knob Hill, etc. (link) - add on or subtract to meet your needs
• Supported: TBD

If we get enough people, I will put fluids at the tracks, so be sure to reply in the comment section if you are coming. Hope to see you tomorrow.

Survey - Please Complete

Last weekend I finally got around to creating a mini survey. I am really trying to get a pulse for what the runners in Rocky Mount are looking for from our group, and also if there is interest in another Fall Marathon Training team. If you run every weekend, or if you have never been out with our group yet, please take a few minutes to complete the survey. I am interested in everyone's opinions. I want to hear from you, even if you do not plan to run a marathon or join us on weekends.

If you have a spouse that runs, each of you should fill out the survey. . .even if your answers are the same. This will make sure I can get a good headcount on the number of people interested. If you have a friend that is not on this email, but you know is interested in running a marathon, or just running on weekends, feel free to forward this to them as well.

I tried to make the survey easy to complete, and included some humor so you would not get bored. It has 18 questions, but it should take you no more than five minutes. There are two pages in the survey, and the questions are broken out into the following sections:

• Fall Marathon Training Team
• Rocky Mount Endurance Club
• About You

Here is a link to the survey. Please try to complete it as soon as possible. I will share the results if you are interested. Thanks!