RUN RSVP: 1/11/11

Happy New Year!  It is time for our annual New Years Day run in Battleboro, NC.  If you are geographically challenged, this is 10 minutes from the Harris Teeter.  For this year's run we will start at Gerry's house.  We know that many of you will be celebrating the night before, so we pushed the start time back to 8:30 instead of the normal 7:00 am.

• Where: Saturday, 8:30 am @ Gerry's House
• Supported: BYOB
• Weather: Forecast
• Routes: 3.6 Miles; 8.4 Miles

This is always a fun morning of running.  It is the one day when you can honestly say "I have not missed a day of running this year". 

Routes are updated now with two options.

So start the year off on the right foot, and join us at the RMEC New Year's Day Group Run!

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5. . . Time to Start a Training Log!

If you are like most runners, you are pretty proud of your races, but you are even more proud of the work you put in to get there. It is easy to look up past race results online, and remember that day, but it is difficult to remember your training runs.

Saturday is 2011. This is the perfect time to start keeping a training log. A training log is a way to keep track of all of your runs for the year. You can also track any cross training, and weight training you do. There are multiple benefits to a training log:

• Track your progress - see how you have improved, and get motivated by reviewing the miles you have accumulated
• Prevent injury - by noting how you feel during and after your runs, you can detect injuries before they become severe and cause you to miss a race
• Follow a plan - if you have a training plan, a training log will give you a way to track it.
• Shoes - training logs will let you know how many miles you have on your shoes, so you know when to replace them
• Graphs - get a graphical view of your training progress

There are countless ways to have a training log:

- Paper - Lots of runners still use a notebook and a pen to track their runs. Gets the job done just fine.
- Spreadsheets - There are lots of spreadsheets available online, or you can create your own. Here is one you can download.
- Garmin - Most Garmin watches will download your data to he Garmin site. If you don't do this yet, I highly recommend it.
- Online - Countless sites now have tools to track your progress online. Here are a few:

• Runner's World Training Log
• Running Ahead (also supports Garmin downloads)
• Cool Running Active Trainer
• Nike Training Tool

There are even lots of phone "aps" out there now that you can use as well.  It does not mater what you pick. Find the one that you like the best. This is the time to start! January 1 is on Saturday. . . get in a run, and start your log!

2011 Sweetheart 5k

RMEC I need your help. The registration for the Sweetheart 5k presented by Dental Care Center is going great.  In fact this is the best it has ever done. Unlike all of our other races, the Sweetheart can handle virtually an unlimited amount of runners. I really would like to see the race grow into something special over the years to come. So how do I need your help?

• Sign up for the race ("RMECMEMBER" gets members a discount)
• Send an email to a friend (runners know runners)
• Call a friend
• Post it on facebook
• Sign up you kids for the Fun Run

We have 70 registered members in the RMEC. If each of you can just get one person to sign up it would have a tremendous impact on the race.  Seriously take five minutes right now and get someone to sign up.  The race is only six weeks away.

It really will is a fun event. The 5k is at 9:00, and the 1 Mile Family Fun Run is immediately following. The entire day including awards should be wrapped up by 10:30 am. We will once again have custom medals for award winners and gift certificates from Raleigh Running Outfitters, a Couples Division, and a diamond giveaway from Wade Designs. All runners get a race shirt and a free sling pack as well.  The first 100 to register get a technical shirt.  There are about 30 of these left right now.

Thanks!

RUN RSVP: Christmas Weekend

It is a pretty safe bet that no one will show up for regular Saturday group run this weekend.  I have a funny feeling that you will all be busy.  That does not mean there is still not plenty of chances to get a run in.  This post will be a "catch-all" for the Christmas weekend.  All runs will be BYOB unless someone posts about fluids.

• Friday AM: Several have discussed a Christmas Eve morning run.  Time and location is TBD.
• Friday Nooner: Some of the regular "nooners" will be running from the YMCA at lunch time.
• Sunday AM: Sunday morning could be a nice snowy run.  If you haven't run in the snow before, don't miss your chance!
• Sunday 11:30:  Frank and others are running a 12 mile loop at Umstead on Sunday starting at the Reedy Creek entrance.  This would be a beautiful run for anyone who is interested.  Email Frank for details.
• Monday: Many of you are off on Monday, so if you plan to run, let people know.

PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO POST A COMMENT.  We have over 60 registered members, and we love to see you out on a run.  Posting a comment lets people know who is going to be there, and encourages others to come out as well.  I have seen times when five people will post and 15 show up.  This is great, but probably others would have come out if they knew you were coming too.

Happy running!

Also. . . would love to have our traditional New Year's Day run in Battleboro if that works out!

Bring on 2011. . . I am going to run a MARATHON!

If you have followed our blog for long, you know how much I like the trailer below.  I think this is the third time I have posted it.  With so many new people following the blog now, and with 2011 just days away, I figured this was a great time to post it again.

This video clip honestly gives me chills every time I watch it. It was the 6-minute trailer for the movie, Spirit of the Marathon.

If this video does not get your heart pounding, butterflies in your stomach, and maybe even tears in your eyes, I will be surprised. After watching this clip, I always feel ready to throw my shoes on and burst out the door for a new PR! The film documents five marathoners on their quest. They range from first timers to elites. Get ready for some goose bumps!

1. Turn up your volume.
2. Make sure the clip has loaded at least 50% (so it is not choppy).
3. Hit play.
4. Sit back and enjoy!

"When you cross that finish line, no matter how slow, no matter how fast. . . it will change your life forever."

Become a Member: LAST CHANCE!

The registration for the 2011 Rocky Mount Endurance Club will close on December 31.  We will order a RMEC item (still TBD, but it will not be another shirt) for all people who are registered before the end of the year. This is the roster that will be sent to the Road Runner Club of America for the RMEC.

It is only a $25 membership fee, and it will get you discounts on the Sweetheart 5k, Roanoke Canal Half Marathon, Golf Club at Rocky Mount 5k & 10k, and the Medoc Trail Races.  So help support local running and join today!

New Year. . . New You: Challenge Yourself!

To use a running reference, the RMEC is really hitting it's stride right now. It may be hard to tell in the cold winter months, but our membership is as strong as it has ever been. Once the holidays pass, you will start to see some of the biggest crowds we have ever seen on Saturday mornings. Don't be left out!

Every year when January 1st comes around we all set resolutions for how we are going to improve in the new year. Often we start late, and/or fall short. That is why I am posting this now. Don't wait until January 1, 2011 to decide your next goal. Decide now, and start to make a plan for your success.

Run my first marathon. . . Set a new PR. . . Drop 15 pounds. . . Run an Ultra. . . Run my first 10k. . . Run four days a week. . . Convince a friend to run. . . Run a half marathon. . . Become a RMEC Member. . . Run one race a month. . . Start to cross train. . . Do my first sprint triathlon. . . Become an Ironman. . . Run a 200 mile relay. . . Run my first trail race. . . Qualify for Boston. . .Start running on Saturday mornings with the group. . .The opportunities are limitless!

There are so many different goals that you can set for 2011. It is time to pick yours and work towards it. From the outside looking in the RMEC may look like a group on elite runners who have no interest in newcomers. If you join us for a run, you will find out we are a down-to-earth group of people who simply stay dedicated to our goals. In fact, four years ago the RMEC was originally built based on a beginner marathon training program. At some point we are all beginners.

So what do I do now?

• Step 1: Pick a goal (or two). Make it a big one. If it doesn't scare you at least a little bit, you should reach higher.
• Step 2: Tell people your goals. Your true friends will motivate and encourage you every step of the way. If you fall short they will be there to pick you back up, not to laugh.

Goals can also be internal and personal, but if you are comfortable sharing, please post a comment on the blog, and let the RMEC know what extraordinary things you are going to do in 2011!  Remember goals are relative to the person setting them.  Running your first 5k can be a giant goal for you.  Be proud of that and let people know.