Wilmington YMCA Tri Race Results

Jeff and Dave continued their tour of North Carolina triathlons this weekend in Wilmington. Both participated in the sprint triathlon event. The race consisted of a 1500 meter swim (with the current), a 20k bike ride, and finished with a 5k run.

Jeff placed 4th in the Novice Division, and 191st over all. His running skills shined through by running the 53rd fastest time. Dave placed 1st in the Novice Masters, and 195 overall finishing just 10 seconds behind Jeff. Dave had the fastest bike and run times of all Novice Masters.

Overall times were 1:23:54 for Jeff, and 1:24:04 for Dave. Their splits were as follows:

• Jeff - Swim: 23:38, Bike: 36:55, Run: 20:13
• Dave - Swim: 24:30, Bike: 35:15, Run: 21:11

Congrats Jeff and Dave on another fantastic race!

RMEC Race Results: If you have not checked recently, take a minute to review the RMEC 2007 race results. It is honestly an impressive list that I have enjoyed updating. I expect that I am missing some races, so if your race is missing, or more importantly your name is missing, let me know so I can share your results with the group.

Lake Royale Triathlon: Don't forget, that lots of RMEC members are participating in the Lake Royale Triathlon in two weeks. This one is just a short drive away. Jeff, Dave, Mary, Carol and Tim are all participating. If you are in town on the 13th, try to support them at the race!

RUN RSVP: Saturday 09/29

Repeat after me. . . This is a recovery week. Treat it that way! It is important to let your legs rest this weekend. Next Saturday we all have very long runs and you need to have fresh legs. The route stays close to the Teeter, and should let you see each other a few times during the run.

Run Details:

• Day: Saturday @ 6:30 a.m.
• Where: Harris Teeter
• First Carolina State Bank Half: 5 miles
• Novice and Intermediate: 12 miles
• Supported: Yes - Powerade
• Weather: Forecast

Don't be surprised or disappointed if 12 miles is a little tougher than you think. Even through 12 is short compared to last week, it is still a pretty good distance. Relax, forget about your watch, and have a good run.

Tracy will have fluids for everyone and get you started. I will be out of town this weekend. 6:30 am will still be a little dark, so please be careful. The routes start going down Sunset to Candlewood. Be smart, and do not run out in the middle of the road.

Long Sleeve Technical Shirts?

I know that we just finalized all of the short sleeve running shirts. In fact some of them are still in the back of my van. . . but, is there any interest in getting long sleeve technical RMEC shirts? I was thinking about getting all the shirts in one color, and putting the RMEC logo in fall colors (not Black and Blue).

I am the first to admit I have far more technical shirts than I need, but I actually have very few cool weather shirts. If we can get 24 shirt orders they will be $17.85 a piece.

Let me know if you are interested, and what size you would like. These will all be standard t-shirt sizing. We do need all 24 shirts to place the order. Anyone is welcome to get a shirt, even if you just want a cheap technical long sleeve shirt. Thanks!

UPDATE: Unless we want to wait until November, we only have Black and White shirts to choose from. I normally shy away from dark running shirts, but this is a shirt for cool/cold weather running, so a black shirt is not a bad option. Plus, I doubt many of us have a black technical shirt already. I have added a poll on the blog. White is also a good option, because we can select ink colors more easily.

Vote for a shirt color. Majority wins. After that, I we can decide on logo colors.

We now have all 24 required shirts!

First Carolina State Bank Half Marathon Training

Now that the First Carolina State Bank Half Marathon (formerly Tar River Half Marathon) is a reality, the RMEC needs to do everything it can to promote and encourage runners to participate. To do this, I am going to have a third map each week for those wishing to train for the December 8th race.

There are already hundreds of training plans available for a half marathon. Rather than create a new training plan, I will borrow from Hal Higdon, a proven coach. That plan is listed below. This is a novice plan, that peaks out at a 10 mile long run. Hal has lots of other plans that can be found on his site. For those training for a fall marathon, your training would obviously be very different, but lets not worry about the First Carolina State Bank Half Marathon until after your fall marathon.

Of course people are welcome to design their own plan, but I needed to pick something as a target so I went with a Novice plan. It is always easy to add miles to the end of your run. Based on the plan below I will have a four mile route included this Saturday.

Week	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
09/17	Stretch & Strengthen	3 m run	2 m run or cross	3 m run + strength	Rest	30 min cross	4 m run
09/24	Stretch & Strengthen	3 m run	2 m run or cross	3 m run + strength	Rest	30 min cross	4 m run
10/01	Stretch & Strengthen	3.5 m run	2 m run or cross	3.5 m run + strength	Rest	40 min cross	5 m run
10/08	Stretch & Strengthen	3.5 m run	2 m run or cross	3.5 m run + strength	Rest	40 min cross	5 m run
10/15	Stretch & Strengthen	4 m run	2 m run or cross	4 m run + strength	Rest	40 min cross	6 m run
10/22	Stretch & Strengthen	4 m run	2 m run or cross	4 m run + strength	Rest or easy run	Rest	5-K Race
10/29	Stretch & Strengthen	4.5 m run	3 m run or cross	4.5 m run + strength	Rest	50 min cross	7 m run
11/05	Stretch & Strengthen	4.5 m run	3 m run or cross	4.5 m run + strength	Rest	50 min cross	8 m run
11/12	Stretch & Strengthen	5 m run	3 m run or cross	5 m run + strength	Rest or easy run	TURKEY TROT 10k	Rest
11/19	Stretch & Strengthen	5 m run	3 m run or cross	5 m run + strength	Rest	60 min cross	9 m run
11/26	Stretch & Strengthen	5 m run	3 m run or cross	5 m run + strength	Rest	60 min cross	10 m run
12/03	Stretch & Strengthen	4 m run	3 m run or cross	2 m run	Rest	FIRST CAROLINA STATE BANK HALF!	Rest

Please invite and encourage friends to come out and run with the group. I will do my best to make the routes match the beginning of those training for a Marathon so they will not be alone. If you have been trying to bring a friend out to run, now is the time! Normally our runs are too long to bring in a "newbie" but this is a great opportunity.

If you plan to run the First Carolina State Bank Half Marathon, please post a comment below. Everyone is welcome to post. Even if you are just a "reader" of the blog.

Cycling - Week of 9/24 to 9/30

Trying to see who is doing what for rides these days. I assume that the morning rides are finished due to daylight. I know that I have a difficult time riding in the evening after work as it is getting dark earlier and I like to have that time to spend with the family. Therefore, I am riding from my office during lunch as often as possible. If you are free around mid-day, we can always try to get rides together. I have about 4 routes that take between 45 minutes and an hour and 15 both north of Rocky Mount/Nashville for some elevation changes and South around the reservoir for doing intervals.

I would like to organize a group ride for Saturday morning, 9/29/07. Who will be around and what might your riding time/distance preferences/constraints be? Thanks. Seale

RSVP: Core Clinic

I am trying to get an idea of how many people to except at the core strengthening clinic tomorrow night. Please RSVP if you will attend.

We have come a long way over the last three months with our training. I feel like this clinic could help ensure a good race for each of you if you follow the techniques we will cover. Remember marathon training is more than just strengthening your legs. You have invested too much in your training to start cutting corners.

Stick with your runs. . . try to work in some hill workouts and/or speed. . . eat a smart carb-filled diet (you need it now). . . and stay focused.

RUN RSVP: Saturday 09/21

Long runs are planned for this weekend. For the Novice plan, this will be your longest run to date. For the Intermediate plan this will be your first 20 miler. No question, this will be a challenging day, but you have trained for this and are prepared.

Tracy, Ryan, and Scott ran their long run today and I only plan to do 18 tomorrow. This may make a very small 20-mile group. When you reply, please say how far you plan to run. If you are doing 18 miles, you can follow the 20-mile route and not do the last part over by the Outback Steakhouse.

Run Details:

• Day: Saturday @ 6:30 a.m.
• Where: Harris Teeter
• Tar River: 5 miles ** NEW **
• Novice: 16 miles
• Intermediate: 20 miles
• Supported: Yes - Gels, Powerade, and Water
• Weather: Forecast

Tar River Training: You will notice I added a third shorter route option above (Tar River). This route is for those who want to train for the Tar River Half Marathon on 12/08/07. I know other people visit the blog and would like to come join us for a run. Because we are deep into our marathon training now, our runs are long. This does not however mean that we are a group of elite runners that you should feel intimidated by. We are actually quite the opposite.

About Us: Most of us just started running marathons in the past one to three years. Many of us our training for our first. If you read the blog you may be fooled into thinking we are old pros at this, but truthfully we are just "ordinary joes" trying to do "extraordinary things." (Hey. . . that might look good on a shirt) After showing up one day, you will realize everyone fits in at the RMEC.

Directions: I will add the written directions to the maps shortly. I wrote them last night, just need to get things updated.

Start Time: 6:30 will still be a little dark, so please be careful. The routes start going down Sunset to Candlewood. Be smart, and do not run out in the middle of the road.

The Duke Liver Tri Results

The results are in, and the Rocky Mount Endurance club did great! Right off the bat, I am excited to announce are two women’s team took first and second place. Great job ladies! The men topped out in 4th place.

This event was a 1.2 mile open water swim, 56 mile hilly bike ride, and 13.1 mile cross-country style run. To put it bluntly, nothing was easy about this course. I have tried to write this blog entry several times, and kept changing my approach. I want to give everyone credit for their performances, but do not have the time to write something about all 24 of you. I have everyone's times posted below, but here are a few highlights.

Women's Awards: Victory's Edge (Rebecca, Kim, and Tracy P) took first place by one second over team Triple Crown (Mary, Kinnie, and Patti). There was a true RMEC team effort in the race, as Tracy and Patti crossed the line together with hands held high.

Quote of the Day: As Patti left the transition area, several minutes before her husband Jeff, she turned her head and shouted, "Come catch me Miller!" . . . Of course Jeff did just that.

Biker Chicks: Move over men. . . Here come the ladies. Kim, Tracy H., and Kinnie all road on Sunday. Tracy impressed everyone on the 56 mile course for only the second time. Kinnie absolutely flew with a time of 2:44:28, beating most of the men.

Personal Records: Several people set PRs on Sunday. I honestly can't speak for the swimmers and bikers, because I don't know if these are distances that people track for PRs. Let me know if you set one! Ryan, Jeff, Tracy P, and myself all set PRs in the half marathon distance.

Naughty Swimming: Mary had some minor panic during the swim. To catch a breath and refocus, she turned on her back to calm herself. Another male swimmer went directly over top of her at the same time. In a related story, Mike was swimming when some crazy women rolled on her back. He swam right over top of her! Hmmm. . . The stories sound familiar.

Swim Success: Wow! We have some talented swimmers in Rocky Mount. Five of the first 15 relay swimmers were all from Rocky Mount. Doug was first out of the water with Brandon only 39 seconds behind. Rebecca was one of the first women out as well, with an impressive 33:27.

Race Photos: The offical photos are availalbe. Stay tuned for the RMEC photos this weekend. Click on the team names below to see the search results for their photos.

Official Team Results:

Team	SwName	BiName	RuName	Time
THREE BLIND MICE	Doug	Eric	Michael	4:49:41
ROCKY MOUNT BOYS	Brandon	Larry P	TBD	4:53:54
SKIPPER, GILLIGAN & PROF.	George	Tim	Ryan	5:07:30
BALL, CHAIN, & ANCHOR	Mike	Dave	Jeff	5:13:15
VICTORY'S EDGE	Rebecca	Kim	Tray P	5:27:30
TRIPLE CROWN	Mary	Kinnie	Patti	5:27:31
PIXIE DUST	Elizabeth	Ken	Jenni	6:07:08
BEAUTIES AND THE BEAST	Emily	Tracy H	Rob	6:10:02

Individual Performances (Sorted by Name)

Name	SWIM	Leg
Brandon	31:20:00	Swim
Doug	30:41:00	Swim
Elizabeth	46:59:00	Swim
Emily	39:42:00	Swim
George	33:03:00	Swim
Mary	37:22:00	Swim
Mike	33:07:00	Swim
Rebecca	33:27:00	Swim
Dave	2:50:08	Bike
Eric	2:42:49	Bike
Ken	3:16:27	Bike
Kim?	3:05:23	Bike
Kinnie	2:44:28	Bike
Larry P	2:39:34	Bike
Tim	2:53:51	Bike
Tracy H	3:32:19	Bike
Jeff	1:36:39	Run
Jenni	2:02:12	Run
Michael	1:34:53	Run
Patti	2:04:18	Run
Rob	1:56:33	Run
Ryan	1:39:16	Run
TBD	1:41:14	Run
Tray P	1:47:10	Run

USA Swim meet at YMCA

On Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th, the Rocky Mount YMCA will host a swim meet that will have some swimmers from our relay teams. You will see some of last year's best high school swimmers and other teams from the region. Teams from Wilson, Greenville, Wilmington, and New Bern will be there.

Swimmers 10 and under
Warm-ups 7:30 am
Timed finals 8:30 am

Swimmers 11 and over
Warm ups Not before 12:00 pm
Timed finals 1 hour later.

Cotton Century

I have not yet checked with my controller (AKA - The Mrs.) to see what my availability is, but how many would be interested in doing a big Rocky Mount Group ride at the Cotton Century this weekend? There are three rides, 40 miler, metric century, and full century. It is on Sunday morning, 9/23 and starts at 8AM. It has a $30 entry fee, but full SAG support.

We could certainly set up car pools and travel together and ride together. If you are interested in going, please respond and indicate whether you would be interested in the 40, metric century or English Century route. My vote (if I can go) is the 62 mile(metric century).

I would think that we would need to leave at 6:30 to 6:45 and we would be back before 2 PM. - Eric

Core Strengthening Clinic

If you do much reading about running, or subscribe to Runner's World, you have probably seen something about the importance of having a strong core to run a marathon. At first glance, that may seem odd. "Why do I need strong abdominal muscles when I run with my legs?" A valid question. Your legs are essentially the motor that moves your body. Your body however, needs to hold itself upright so you can stay balanced and maintain good form. That is where your core comes into play.

This Richmond Training Team had a Core Strengthen Class this year for the first time. I have been asked by a few of you about doing one in Rocky Mount, so now we have one. Angela Barnhill will host a 30 minute class at the YMCA on core strengthening. Will will do some exercises, so come in comfortable clothes, but the class is more instructional than an aerobic workout. The goal is for you to learn some exercises that you can add to your marathon training.

• Date: Tuesday 09/25
• Time: 6:30 pm
• Where: YMCA - Spinning Room
• Who: Everyone
• Instructor: Angela Barnhill - Certified Trainer, and 1:55 Half Marathoner

When you are running your next race, and see other's hunched over and shuffling their feet at mile 20, you can run by them with some extra confidence knowing you took an extra step to prepare! I really think this is an important clinic, and hope we have good attendance.

Note: I have been short on time, but hope to have a Duke Tri Recap up tonight.

Duke Liver Tri a Huge Succes!

What a great day! The RMEC sent eight teams (24 athletes) to compete in the Duke Liver Half Ironman this Sunday. We had a blast, and produced some impressive times along the way. Once the official results are out, I will give a race recap, and publish the results to the blog. I will also post tons of pictures and a slide show once I can collect everyone's pictures.

For now I want to pass out some "thank yous". . .

• Thank you Andy, Carol, and Jennifer. . . for coming to the event and cheering like we were all world class champions. It made us all feel great. Thanks Andy and Carol for making a special trip to lug down tons of gear, and a tent to make things more comfortable for everyone. It was no short walk from the race start to where we were parked.
• Thank you Mike. . . for finding us eight swimmers to pull these relay teams together. Your dedication to the Master's Swim Program was shining through on Sunday as Rocky Mount swimmers flew through the water, and into the transition area. You are already sorely missed in Rocky Mount.
• Thank you Kinnie. . . for coming up with this idea. I never dreamed 24 athletes from the greater Rocky Mount area would all be competing in a Tri event. Your team was the first stone cast into the water, but the ripple effect was huge.
• Thank you Eric. . . for organizing countless rides on the course, many times sacrificing your own workout pace to ensure new cyclists felt comfortable on the ride. Your knowledge of cycling, and your willingness to share with the team helped to create some new passionate cyclists. Thank you also for organizing and hosting a fantastic cookout this summer.
• Thank you Ken and Kim. . . for filling in at the last minute to keep the tri teams intact. We never expect injuries, but when they popped up, both of you were there to fill the void.
• Thank you family members (too many to name). . . for putting up with us while we trained, taking care of the kids, and coming to the race to cheer. I felt like we were one big family at the race. All of us cheering for and supporting each other. The presence of Rocky Mount was strong before, during and after the race.
• Thank you Ursula. . . for more than you will ever know. I too often get the credit for organizing things for the RMEC team. Truth of the matter is none of it would be possible without you by my side. For that I will always be grateful. Thank you also for taking countless photos. I felt like we had an official photographer chronicling the RMEC's performance. You were there to capture virtually every moment of the race, and it is appreciated by much more than me.
• Thank you athletes. . . for sacrificing months of training to do your best. Each and everyone of you should feel proud of your accomplishments. What we did on Sunday was no easy task. Congratulations to all of you. You never cease to amaze me, make me laugh, make me smile, and make me proud to be part of such a stellar team.

For those who were not able to participate, I hope you will considering doing this next year. This truly was an amazing and bonding experience! I got more enjoyment from seeing 24 people participate than I did my own race. Seriously, think about that for a minute. 24 people! Two years ago would you ever have dreamed 24 people from around the Rocky Mount area would do such a thing?

There is a fitness movement happening in our little town. Make sure to keep inviting new people along for the journey!

Spirit of the Marathon

WOW! WOW! WOW! You will all love this video! This is a 6 minute trailer for the upcoming 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 was ready to throw my shoes on and burst out the door for a new PR!

This movie will debut at the Chicago Film Festival and will eventually make it's way to other theaters. Once it is released, we will find the nearest theater and play a field trip to see it. 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%,
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."

Shirt and Sack Pack Inventory

Here is the complete shirt and bag inventory. This does not include the long sleeve shirts.

Please help me get rid of the extra items. I know over time they will all get picked up, but if you have any interest grab some stuff now!

• $11.00 M - Black Cotton Tee with Pink Logo
• $11.00 L - Black Cotton Tee with Pink Logo
• $11.00 L - Black Cotton Tee with Blue Logo
• $11.00 Orange Sack Pack
• $11.00 Green Sack Pack

I still need to deliver

• Brent - L Tech Tee, M Tech Tee

RUN RSVP: Saturday 09/15

This is a rare week when the Novice Plan runs longer than the intermediate. This is a recovery week for Intermediates, so please remember to recover. The 15 mile route is tricky. You will be close to the finish twice before you actually reach 15 miles. It will take some mental toughness, but you will all do great.

Run Details:

• Day: Saturday @ 6:30 a.m.
• Where: Harris Teeter
• Novice: 15 miles
• Intermediate: 12 miles
• Supported: Yes - Gels, Powerade, and Water
• Weather: Forecast

Weather should be great for a run. See everyone Saturday morning!

Hello RMEC members! I may be over stepping my bounds as your fearless spell check challenged chief blogger, but I am going to use the forum to ask for your help.

As most of you know Ryan Bullard and I are both running the New York City Marathon in November. This is a dream race for each of us, and one that we are both eager to run. As everyone knows, training for a marathon in itself is a challenge, but Ryan has decided to take on an even greater challenge. Ryan is raising money for the Team Fox foundation in a hopes to find a cure for Parkinson's disease, and I am helping him towards that goal. That is why I am posting on the blog today.

Ryan decided to make this commitment because a close friend's mother is living with Parkinson's disease. She is very active and savors time with her children and grandchildren. However, she is unable to participate in some of her favorite activities due to her Parkinson's. Knowing that we can make a difference in the fight to end Parkinson's disease is strong motivation for the challenge ahead.

More than six million people worldwide are living with Parkinson's disease. There are currently no known ways to prevent or accurately predict who will develop Parkinson's disease, but scientists believe that, of all the brain disorders, Parkinson's is the one closest to a cure. Please help us make a difference and help find this cure.

To give to the cause, please visit Ryan's personal Team Fox page. There are many ways to give, including PayPal and Credit Card. You can even make recurring donations over the next several months reducing your monthly obligation.

I know that giving to any cause is a personal decision. Please only do what you are able to do. If your family is unable to give, or plans to give to other causes we completely understand. No one needs to justify your decision.

Ryan's goal is $3000 and he is already 18% towards that goal. Please help us make that number grow!

Thank you,

Michael

Registration is open for the Tar River Half

Okay Rocky Mounters (is that a word?), the Tar River Half Marathon is now acepting runners. Lets get out their quick and start filling the slots! Tell friends. . . tell family. . . post it in other running forums. . . Lets light up the ncraces website this week!

When you are at the Duke Like Tri, spread the word. North Carolina has a new Half Marathon, and it is in ROCKY MOUNT BABY!

• Date: Saturday 12/08/07
• Half Marathon: 8:00 am
• 5k: 8:30 am
• Where: Sunset Park (across from City Lake)

To register, click the Active.com link on the top right of the Tar River Half web page. I will give away five yummy Clif Shots to the first person who signs up online!

URGENT: Need a Biker ASAP!

As mentioned below, in the Duke Liver Tri post, we knew there was the potential of injuries for people on the Tri team. Our worst fears came true. We are short a cyclist, and need one in a hurry. The race is this Sunday, and we need a person who can ride 56 miles of a relay leg. Please reply ASAP if you know someone who can help.

This event is going to be a blast. We have eight teams from the Rocky Mount area going to the race. Sunday will be tons of fun, swimming, riding, running and cheering. Please help us out if you can. Male or Female will work, but it must be a cyclist. Thanks!

Rock 'n' Roll Pictures

If you have not checked yet, the official race photos are now available online. Ursula was also busy with the camera at the race. Here is a look at the pictures she took. Some are just general pictures of the race crowd, and others have RMEC runners. Most of those pictures are post race and on the beach. Enjoy!

RUN RSVP: Saturday 09/07

Now that our Half Marathon races are behind us, it is time to refocus on our marathon training. Your goal is to complete this run at a comfortable pace. Don't even worry about the time on your watch. Just relax and complete the run.

Run Details:

• Day: Saturday @ 6:30 a.m.
• Where: Harris Teeter
• Novice Distance: 10 miles
• Optional Distance: 14 miles
• Intermediate Distance: 18 miles
• Supported: Yes - Gels and Fluids at the Train Tracks, My House, and Co-Ah-Bar
• Weather: Forecast (64 starting Temp)

Can someone please review the written directions for me and post a comment if they look okay?

I mistakenly had the Novice route at 14 miles. I am making a 10 mile route as the plan indicates. Sorry for the confusion. Thanks Steve for catching this. It will be updated shortly. I left the 14 mile route incase anyone is interested in running that distance.

The 14 and 18 mile routes are the exact same for the first 12.5 miles. I did this, because I know people are shifting between plans now, and I wanted to give people an opportunity to run together for most of the run. The 14 mile route is essentially a gigantic loop. There are not too many ways to cut it short, so be careful.

The weather looks good for tomorrow, but it is still important to drink your fluids. This will be a challenging run for everyone, so load up on carbs and get a good night sleep.

HILL RSVP: 09/06 Thursday @6:30 pm

I could not get a speed workout organized for tonight, so we will plan to do hill repeats for anyone who is interested in joining. Begining next Thursday, we will start doing speed. I would love to get access to a track if possible.

Here is the planned schedule:

• 10 minute easy warm up
• 6-9 Hill repeats (85% effort with a slow jog down the hill)
• 5-8 minute cool down

We will plan to meet at the Harris Teeter and run to Candlewood. Bring your own fluids. Hope to see LOTS of people there.

Duke Liver Tri - 10 days away!

It is hard to believe, but the Duke Tri Relay is just 10 days away! Now that the runners are past the Rock 'n' Roll Half, I can start to focus a little more on this race. I will likely have another update with specifics on where our group can meet, the chance of a pre-race pasta meal, and maybe a post race celebration (any volunteers?)

TEAMS: Here are the teams that are entered:

1. Team 1: (S) Mary W, (B) Kinnie P, (R) Patti M
2. Team 2: (S) Mike S, (B) Jeff M, (R) Dave L
3. Team 3: (S) Doug S, (B) Eric S, (R) Michael F
4. Team 4: (S) Elizabeth, (B) Ursula F, (R) Jenni
5. Team 5: (S) George, (B) Tim S, (R) Ryan B
6. Team 6: (S) Rebecca, (B) Val, (R) Tracy P
7. Team 7: (S) Brandon, (B) Larry P, (R) TBD
8. Team 8: (S) Emily B, (B) Tracy H, (R) Rob P

PAYING: If you have not paid the teammate who entered your team. Please do so ASAP

TENT: Needless to say we will have a big crew with us at the race, but we welcome any RMEC members who just want to come down and cheer. Eric has checked with the Race Director and we can set up a tent. I think Kinnie has something that we can use for that. Be sure to wear your RMEC shirts! You can race in whatever is comfortable, but lets make sure people know who the Rocky Mount Endurance Club is.

RULES: Eric has provided links to the USAT Rules, and also to the most commonly violated rules. Look in the right navigation under Sites of Interest for both links. Most of the complex rules have to do with cycling and passing. The main purpose of the rules is to avoid drafting. Be sure to at least review the commonly violated rules.

PARTICIPANT MEETING: A participant orientation meeting will be held at 6:00 PM on Saturday, September 15th at the event site (swim start location). We will cover as many details as possible about the event and questions will be encouraged. A representative from USA Triathlon will also be on hand discuss USAT issues and concerns relative to rules and safety. This meeting should last about 30 minutes, we encourage everyone to attend. There will be NO pre-event instructions given on event morning.

PACKET PICKUP: You can get your race packets Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning. I would recommend not waiting until Sunday, as you will probably want to have everything ready the night before, and not need to worry about everything else in the morning. You need a photo ID to pick up your packet, and each individual must pick up their own packet. Here are the locations::

1. Saturday, September 15th (12:00 PM - 6:00 PM) @ Inside-Out Sports 2002 Grisdale Lane - Cary, NC Preston Walk Center (Corner of Cary Parkway & James Jackson) 919-466-01012)
2. Sunday, September 16th (5:00 AM - 6:00 AM) @ Race Site

USA Triathlon requires that all USAT annual members must show their USAT membership card at packet pick-up. Any USAT annual member who does not present his/her valid membership card at packet pick-up, will be required to pay the USAT one-day fee of $10.

HOTELS: If you plan to be there for the start, you probably want a hotel. There is a list of locations on the website.

THE START: The swim portion of the race will start in waives (not waves. . HA!). Each waive is designated by a special colored swim cap. I am not sure what color we will have, but I do know we start last. This will mean we all will be battling some athlete traffic during the race. It will hopefully make the first transition a little easier however assuming many people will already have gone (see below). Swimmer be sure you start with your teams timing chip!!

THE "HAND OFF": Relay team members obviously do not need to change clothing and equipment in the transition area like individuals do. We do however need to hand off a Velcro ankle strap in the bike transition area. Swimmers should know what your cyclist is wearing to make them easy to find, and cyclist should know what your runner is wearing. Keep in mind relay teams will be the only people waiting for a person to arrive, so just ignore the people changing clothes, putting on helmets, etc. There are 49 relay teams, so it may get a little confusing.

THE AWARDS: Relay teams get awards three deep in each category (Men, Women, and Mixed). With 49 total teams, placing will not be easy, but will be possible. Relay teams do not get finisher's awards like the individuals do.

SUBSTITUTIONS: As of right now all relay teams are 100% in tact, however there is always the possibility that an injury could show up in the next 10 days. If that were to happen, we would be scrambling to find a sub for a team. If you think you could be a last minute sub, let us know in the comment section, and let us know what leg(s) you can do. Again, we hope all teams stay as entered, but we would rather be safe than sorry.

INDIVIDUALS: In case you did not know Jason Irvin will be completing the full event by himself. Keep an eye out for him on the course, and be sure to help motivate and cheer him to a great finish.

MORE: There is lots of more information on the race web site. I tried to hit those things relevant to our group. Be sure to visit the race site again. Check out the maps, read the rules, get directions, check on fluids, confirm the times etc. Any other experienced Tri people (Dave, Jeff, Val, Kinnie, Jason, Tim, etc.), please feel free to share your insights if you have anything to add.