Rocking Seattle

Kim Blackwelder is back from Seattle, and now has notched a second marathon in her running belt. Some leg ailments had prevented Kim from following her planned training schedule, so she knew this race was going to be a challenge. That being said, Kim has taken on bigger obstacles in her life, so I had no doubts that she would push through. Her overall finishing time was 5:58:41. Great job Kim!

Kim has now completed Disney and the Seattle Rock 'n' Roll Marathon. Next on her race calendar is the Medoc Trail Marathon. We do not have Mickey Mouse, and bands on the course, but Medoc says he can't wait to eat her. . . err. . . I mean meet her!

Defying Age

Eric found and interesting story that is worth sharing. As he said, I am not sure if a runner or swimmer could continue having this type of success for this length of time. He thought some in the RMEC might get a charge out of the fact that someone at age 50 was a national champ in a discipline that is not broken into age groups. Read more online.

RUN RSVP: Saturday June 26

For three weeks in a row now we have had over 20 runners show up on Saturday. This weekend may be a bit more tricky, because several of us will be at the Kid's Tri on Saturday. I had planned to move the group run to City Lake, but decided against it when I realized I could not be there, and many from the group had not run there yet. So this may be boring, but we will stick with the same routes as last weekend.

Following the Marine Corps training plan we will run either seven or 10 miles this weekend. Going forward we will stay on schedule. My apologies again for getting us a week ahead. The run will start at 6:30 from the Harris Teeter.

Run Details:

• Where: Saturday, 6:30 am @ Harris Teeter
• Supported: Yes - at the tracks
• Weather: Forecast
• Routes: 7.2 Miles; 10 Miles

Please print and review the routes. Some people got lost last weekend. To see directions click on "Tools" and then "Route Notes". You can copy-and-paste these, and then print them if needed.

FLUIDS: I need someone to put out fluids at the tracks. I can not do it and I am pretty sure Steve is not able to do it as well. If you spend any money, give myself or Scott a receipt and the RMEC will reimburse you. POST A MESSAGE IF YOU ARE DOING IT, or we will end up with 12 gallons of Gatorade. Stay hydrated, and don't forget to drink before and after your run.

SUNDAY OPTIONS: I plan to squeeze in a run on Sunday before church, and Frank is planning a Sunday morning Medoc trail run. If you are interested in one of these two options, please post a comment as well.

JULY START TIMES: Beginning next weekend we will push the start times for the runs to 6:00 am. I know this sounds early, but it is for safety reasons. Our runs will be getting longer, and the days will be getting hotter. Please don't let this keep you away. Our groups are the biggest we have ever seen. I know they will get small in the summer time, but don't skip a run just because you need more sleep.

As always, please post a comment if you are coming. Happy running!

Good Luck Kim!

Some of you may not know this, but Kim Blackwelder from our group has been quietly training for another marathon. This weekend she will be out west for the inaugural Rock 'n' Roll Seattle Marathon.

Kim had her marathon debut at Disney, and now is hooked. She has been battling some bad knee problems this time around, and actually has some surgery scheduled. . . but like any true RMEC member, she is trying to squeeze in one more long run (a marathon) before she has it done.

Good luck Kim! Get healthy soon, as Medoc is anxiously waiting for your return!

Adjusting Your Pace for the Heat

The following is from Jeff Galloway. This is very important information to consider. As the heat rises you simply must adjust your expectations. This not only applies to racing, but also to training. You cannot run your favorite training route on two different days and expect the same results when one day is 20 degrees hotter.

The hot and sticky days of summer are here. Make sure that you are making some adjustments in your running. Most runners begin to slow down at 55 degrees and start suffering at 65 degrees. Of course, the body can adapt to heat stress and push the threshold up a bit, but you usually can't run as fast on a 75 degree day as on a 45 degree one. High humidity is also a major problem. It's like a wet blanket; it doesn't allow much evaporation or perspiration and your body heat builds up.

If you try to run too hard in hot or humid conditions you'll hit "the wall" sooner than expected. Trying to maintain a goal pace in heat is like going out too fast early in the race. Temperatures generally increase hour by hour; therefore you must adjust your pace for the temperature expected at the end of the race.

Adjusting Race Pace for Heat:

• 8 minute mile becomes...
• 55-60 degrees - 1% - 8:05
• 60-65 degrees - 3% - 8:15
• 65-70 degrees - 5% - 8:25
• 70-75 degrees - 7% - 8:35
• 75-80 degrees - 12% - 8:58
• 80-85 degrees - 20% - 9:35
• Above 85 degrees - Forget it... run for fun

* Note: This chart is based upon Jeff Golloway's own experience in the heat and talking to other runners. It has no scientific verification. Use your own judgement, but be careful

Another SeatShield Group Buy?

Last year we did a group buy on SeatShields. If you are not familiar with the product it is a water proof seat cover that you just throw over your head rest after a run. It drapes your car seat, keeping your post run sweat off of you fabric or leather. I have one of these and love it. They are machine washable and take up no space at all. After seeing all of us dripping in sweat after Saturday's run, I realize there may be enough interest to do another group purchase.

The regular price is $29.95 for the mid-range product.
Here is the group buy pricing:
Qty 1 = $29.95
Qty 12 = $24.00
Qty 24 = $21.00
Qty 48 = $19.00

If you are interested, post a comment We will confirm the final price before any orders are placed. If we do not get 12 people who are interested, we will not make a purchase. For more information on the product, click the picture of the seat cover.

Kid's in Training Triathlon Reminder

I wanted to reminded everyone that the "Kid's In Training" Kid's Triathlon is this coming weekend, and there is still time to register. This will be the first event of it's kind in our area, and we hope you will help support it!

• When: Saturday, June 27, 2009
• Where: Nash Recreation Club, Nashville, NC (5 minutes from Rocky Mount)
• Time: 8:30 am - Packet pickup and bike setup starts at 7:00 am and ends at 8:00 am.
• Child Cost: $35 - Kids *$10 Late fee begins after May 27*

There are also relay options and beginner adult options. The registration fee includes Training Sessions, a KIT Race Souvenir, and all Finishers receive an Award! Kids must be USAT members to participate in the event. It takes just a few minutes to sign up and costs only $5 for the year.

Age. . Swim . . / Bike. . / Run
5-7. . 50 yds . / 1.45 mi / 0.5 mi
8-10 . 100 yds. / 2.90 mi / 1.0 mi
11-17. 150 yds. / 4.35 mi / 1.5 mi

There have already been two training sessions, and each one had over 20 participants, and different children showed up each time. This will not be a super-sized race, but it should have between 70 and 100 kids. Please come out an support the event.

Seriously, take the time and email one or two friends with kids. Ask them to sign up. If they like to play in the pool, and ride a bike. . . they are qualified. This event is about encouraging fitness, and having fun. All ability levels are welcome. Kids can even use training wheels and flotation if needed

RACE REPORT: Grandma's Marathon

Submitted by: Tracy Proctor

“Grandma” must have been MAD this year! I can sum up this experience in two words—black flag. For my fellow runners who ran this race with me in 2007, that was a piece of cake compared to this year. 2009 has officially been named the hottest Grandma’s Marathon in their 33 year’s of running.

Knowing I had a long shuttle ride up the North Shore I stumbled out the door at 5:30 and find a nice plush coach waiting for me at the designated pick-up. Impressive upgrade from the bumpy school buses of years past. The downside of course to this was they did not run the coaches as frequently and my well planned schedule failed when we did not leave until 6 putting us at the start at 7.

First stop is the “port-a-potty city”, I’m looking at the massive sea of people thinking there is NO WAY I would make it to the starting line but it was urgent so I get in line. 20 minutes later, still waiting and the National Anthem can be heard in the background and then the blue angels do their annual flyover. At this point I am the fifth person in line and still have not checked my bag; neither have ¾ of those waiting.

Finally I get through the line and rush to the drop zone, the trucks are closing up and they are yelling to throw them in the truck so I toss it and rush to the start. Fortunately I get behind a group trying to work their way up to the 4:15 zone so I follow along hoping to get past the crowd before the gun goes off.

At this time the weather was approaching 70 and the humidity was listed at 78% with virtually no breeze, not a good sign. The first five miles were rather uneventful, I knew the weather was hot and adjusted accordingly to run a slower pace. I pass the mile 5 marker and notice a red flag out already, all I can do is laugh. Just past the mile 8 marker I spot the first down runner with an ambulance, I don’t believe I have ever seen one that early in a race before but I keep going.

Mile 10 I notice my legs feeling a little funny and realized they had that rubbery feel—WHAT I run 10 miles regularly at a faster pace than this, really not a good sign. By this time I am thankful I decided to carry my own 20 oz bottle, I was going to need it!

At the half way mark I realize I am going to have to change my plan to a run/walk and conserve energy. I was not alone on this, a large number were already walking and I have seen a couple more down runners. By 10:00 the weather was close to 80 but humidity had dropped some, the damage was done though and the heat was taking its toll on runners. There was no conversations going on and people were not smiling. The peak ambient temperature during the race was recorded at 92 degrees.

I keep trudging forward, walking hills and drinking, oh did I mention walking?? By mile 16 my leg is starting to cramp and both calves are twitching. I know this means a matter of time before the muscle locks up on me. As I approach the 20 mile mark I notice a black flag—not sure when it came out as I didn’t check in the last couple stations.

The remaining miles all flow together, they are spent stopping to stretch and rub my legs, drinking, walking but still running some. I try to enjoy the scenery along the way, sing along to my ipod, whatever it takes to distract myself and do pretty well except for the random searing pain that is now also in my thigh.

I have just passed Lemon Drop Hill, the last hill on the course and have 4 miles to go. I swallow hard and push on. Despite having drunk 3 full bottles, I am not sweating and no sloshing in my shoes, not a good sign as I normally sound like I just stepped in a water puddle after a five mile run. I don’t remember much about the last 4 miles, I did run more than I had been. There are a lot of people stopping with cramps; more are walking now then running.

Feeling completely defeated I pass under the final bridge knowing the finish line is ahead of me .2 miles. This is normally a very emotional time for me, however, I am too spent and have no emotions as I cross the finish line. I’m done is all I can think. I later find out over 500 people that started did not finish and the largest number ever was treated in the med tent. I walk on, get my medal and t-shirt, bypass any food—not a good idea at this point and look for my family. To no surprise I could not find so I walk all the way to pick up my bag and call.

Once we meet up I collapse thankful to still be moving on my own. Fifteen minutes later a searing pain goes through my left calf, as I curl in pain it hits my right calf and then my thigh. I’m screaming in pain as my muscles look like an alien is trying to pop out the back of my leg. Finally my leg relaxes enough to handle the pain so I check my messages. I have a very nice congratulations from Michael and appreciate the words of encouragement UNTIL he mentions training for the Marine Corps…

Medoc Training Shirt

Congrats and Good Luck!

It has been a busy week, so the blog is a bit behind. First of all, lets start with some congratulations. Two RMEC members races in the inaugural Buckhorn Triathlon last weekend. This open water sprint tri had a 1,000 meter swim which made it more challenging than most sprints. Cliff finished 4th in his age group with an overall time of 1:40:55. Nipping at his heals came Mary with a time of 1:42:30. Mary knew she was the only one in her age group, so she set a goal to crack the top 10. . . she finished 9th among all women and also was in the top ten of each leg of the tri. 10th place was over four minutes behind her. Great job guys!

New member April G. ran just her second 5k when she traveled to Raleigh for the Race for the Cure. Her previous 5k was at the Fun Run for Charities where she debuted in 38:31. In her second race she knocked three minutes off her time finishing in 35:24. Nice job April. Ford's Colony is calling you for your first 10k!

Now on to the good luck. . . Fist of all, Frank and Ron are both running the Galberry Stampede in Scottland Neck on Saturday. This race is only 30 minutes away for anyone else who is interested.

Further from home, Tracy P. is racing in Grandma's Marathon. If you are not familiar with the race, it is held annually in Duluth Minnesota. This summer marathon is one of the last chances to squeeze in a race without worrying about heat and dehydration (excluding my personal performance). The current forecast looks favorable (Start - patchy fog and a temp near 55. Finish - partly sunny with temps near 70) You can track Tracy with alerts by signing up online.

RUN RSVP: Saturday June 20

We have had 25 runners the last two weekends. Lets keep it going! As I mentioned last week, I goofed and started the Marine Corps training plan a week early. To get things back in sync, we will run the same distances the next two weeks. This means we will have a seven and a 10 mile option on Saturday. We once again will start at 6:30 from the Harris Teeter.

Run Details:

• Where: Saturday, 6:30 am @ Harris Teeter
• Supported: Yes - at the tracks
• Weather: Forecast
• Routes: 7.2 Miles; 10 Miles
  

Be sure to know your route, so you don't follow the wrong person. As always REVIEW THE ROUTES. The directions for the 4-mile route are in the notes below the map. To see directions click on "Tools" and then "Route Notes". You can copy-and-paste these, and then print them if needed.

Fluids will be at the tracks. Please stay hydrated, and don't forget to drink before and after your run. We almost ran out of Gatorade last weekend. Please post a comment (members or non-members) to let me know you are coming so I can mix the right amount. See you on Saturday!

Wednesday Group Runs

Now that our Saturday groups have grown to 25 runners each of the last two weekends, I have had several emails about the Wednesday morning running group. This group is traditionally a faster pace group and is normally guys, however. . . we would gladly welcome anybody who wants to come run. In fact we encourage it.

The main reason that it has evolved into the group that shows up, is that a single runner does not want to come out in the dark and run by themselves. Well this has changed! 1) Right now the sun is up very early, so the entire run is in full daylight. 2) Four people have emailed about Wednesdays, so chances are pretty good you will not run alone.

This group meets at Cliff's house at 5:45, and normally does about a seven mile route, but you can easily customize a shorter route. These are all roads that we normally run from the Teeter. Here are the three routes that we normally use:

• Over Winstead Loop
• Outback Loop
• Candlewood Loop

If you think you may come out for some Wednesday runs, post a comment here. It would be nice to see this group grow for the summer months. It is a great way to get in your runs and beat the heat.

Galberry Stampede Reminder

I wanted to remind to RMEC that Tom McDowell will be hosting the Galberry Stampede Health and Fitness Challenge this coming weekend in Scottland Neck. Tom is a RMEC member, who is a regular participant in our races.

This inaugural race will provide participants with the option of a 2K walk/jog, 5K jog/run, or 10K run on a farm path cross country course next to the new "Our Community Hospital Wellness Center". The event will take place on Gallberry Farm, once a large dairy operation and now a cotton farm. The course is mostly flat with a few hills. Learn more at the race website.

We are early enough in out Marine Corps training that a 10k can fit nicely into your training plan. It seems like there is a 5k every time you turn around now, but 10ks are not as easy to find. Take advantage of having one that is only 30 miles from Rocky Mount. Although this race is held off road, it is not a technical course at all. In fact the main focus of the event is to attract all skill levels of runners, especially encouraging new one to come join the fun.

RACE REPORT: Boogie Marathon

Submitted By: Frank Lilley

What an afternoon and evening . . . and morning! Last week, Elaine Weisner asked me what had been my hardest race. And I couldn't come up with a good, single race that was the hardest race for me. Oh what a difference a week makes! Now I have a single answer . . . Boogie 2009 is the hardest race I've ever had. . . by far! None of my other races through the years have even been close! Not Capon Valley 50k. Not Sweaty Butt 50k. Not God's Country Marathon (by a long shot!). Not Ridge Runner Marathon. Not my 50 miler. This race - the 2009 Boogie marathon - for me was the race from hell and my hardest finish by far! Not even close!

I have to say that the Boogie Races (Marathon and 50 mile) are the coolest races ever. Super hard for a road race even with the best of conditions. But at Boogie its never the "best of conditions" . . . EVER. First, the race is run in mid June in southeastern North Carolina. No matter what, you're talking hot and humid! Plus, there is the thing about hills. Not mountains, but many, many hills . . . steep hills! I really don't know how race director Doug "Boogieman" Dawkins has developed a course that starts and finishes at the same place and is 80% uphill! Only in Ellerbe, NC!

As I drove to Ellerbe Saturday afternoon it was hot. As I passed the bank the sign said the temperate was 94*. Great! Just what I needed! Picked up my race number and had a chance to "catch up" with a number of my Mangum Track Club friends. Several were running and a bunch were volunteering.

As the clock neared 6 PM, Doug Dawkins gave his usual pre-race briefing. Among other things he warned everyone every single person who has DNFed these races has said they went out too fast at first. His advice was to go super slow the first loop at least. Doug also warns everyone about snakes . . . especially rattle snakes! But no snakes for me in two years. By the way, the thermometer at the start of the race said 92*. Great!

The Boogie has a crazy start! A black powder rifle starts the race. The 50 milers head one direction and the marathoners head the other! Marathoners go .1 mile, turn around and then chase the 50 milers.

The first section is a six mile loop . . . up and down and up and down and . . . well you get the picture! About 3/4 of the way my fluid belt / camera carrier broke! That's not something you have a spare for! So I carried it and dropped it off in my car as I finished the loop and picked up a plastic Gatorade bottle to carry the rest of the race. Ugh! I tried to go easy following Doug's suggestion and thought I had, but as I passed race headquarters I noticed my Garmin said I had averaged a 11:00 minute pace. Way too fast for me on that course in this heat and humidity. I would pay for that mistake.

The next section is a 1 1/2 mile run down Bethel hill, continue another 1/2 mile, turn around and climb the hill back to the race headquarters. No houses, no interesting anything on this section, but it is very neat at the bottom . . . the first six miles had 5 homes, but all this section had was a boat ramp! Sun was still out and there was little shade.

When I passed race headquarters I knew I was in real trouble. I felt then like I normally feel after 20-22 miles! And I had 16 miles to go! (Do the six mile loop again, the down and back section and then finish with the six mile loop one more time.)

On the 6 mile loop my second equipment failure occurred! My I-pod controls quit working! Now that sucks! As I passed my car, I dropped off my I-pod and picked up my headlight. I was dying! I really thought about quitting right there! 10 more miles to go and I was walking sooooo much and running sooooo little! I hurt everywhere.

In spite of my pain, I enjoyed the out and back loop for the last time! Listening to the whippoorwills, owls, crickets and frogs while watching the stars. Very cool! I found I really hated the headlights most folks were using as they spoiled the dark peacefulness. I only turned mine on when a car came by, so they could see me. I enjoyed the section but I was the walking dead. I even thought a little about cheating and not going all the way to the turnaround. No one would ever have known . . . except me! No way I would do that, but that tells you what my mental and physical condition was!

Passing race headquarters for the last time I REALLY wanted to quit! But I've never DNFed before and I knew had no serious problems . . . I was just simply totally spent! TOTALLY! So I forced myself on.

I kept trying to at least run the downhills and I sort of managed at least some of the downhills. But I was walking . . . a lot and not walking fast!! Lot's of people passing me and everyone is always so encouraging. Marathoners and ultra marathoners as a special breed. They all have had bad days and know what they feel like. The guy that ended up in second place for the 50 miler actually slowed down and walked with me for about 100 feet . . . trying to encourage me! How cool is that!

In typical Boogie fashion, the finish is a final 1/2 mile or so uphill to the finish line. Never, ever have I been so glad to get to the finish! 6 hours and 50 minutes. Well over a hour longer than my race last weekend! Oh well . . . I DID FINISH! Temperature at finish was 77*.

This time, I hung around the finish line, ate a hot dog (The Bethel Hill Church ladies fix hamburgers and hot dogs for runners and volunteers!) and waited for the winner of the 50 mil race to finish. And when he did he seemed fresh as a daisy! Damn him! (By the way he was a really nice guy. I talked with him both before the start and after he finished.)

So, the 2009 Boogie marathon is over and I'm damn glad it is. I guess the good thing is I didn't quit . . . in spite of how bad I wanted to. Lot's of excuses have gone through my head as I try to figure out what happened and why I bonked sooo bad (see my previous post to see a few!) Everyone needs to try this race. A definite "must do" if you like to challenge yourself. If you don't - stay home. For me, I'll be there next year to "take my beatin' like a man!"

Pictures

RUN RSVP: Saturday 06/13

We had 25 runners last Saturday. This is the biggest group we have had in probably a year. If you look at the top of the page, you can see the faces of everyone who came to run. I am really hoping for another big group as we hit week two of the Marine Corps Marathon training.

We once again will start at 6:30 from the Harris Teeter. Our long run plan actually has this weekend as a recovery week (shorter run). I planned the routes based on this, but realize some of you will want to run longer. To add miles, you can simply do the seven mile route, and then the four mile route.

Run Details:

• Where: Saturday, 6:30 am @ Harris Teeter
• Supported: Yes - at the tracks
• Weather: Forecast
• Routes: 4 miles; 7.4 miles

Both routes will start in Candlewood, but do not follow the exact same roads. Be sure to know your route, so you don't follow the wrong person. As always REVIEW THE ROUTES. The directions for the 4-mile route are in the notes below the map. To see the 7-mile directions click on "Tools" and then "Route Notes". You can copy-and-paste these, and then print them if needed.

Fluids will be at the tracks. The 4-mile route passes the fluids once, and the 7-mile route twice. Please stay hydrated, and don't forget to drink before and after your run.

I expect to see some new faces again at the run, so if you see an unfamiliar face introduce yourself and make them feel welcome. Please post a comment (members or non-members) to let me know you are coming. Posting your pace right now is a BIG HELP, so the new runners can pick someone to run with. See you on Saturday!

Good Luck on June 12

The RMEC is racing again this weekend. I am probably missing some of you, but here are the one's I know.

• Good Luck to Mary and Cliff who are competing in the Buckhorn Triathlon on Saturday.
• Good luck to April who is running her second ever 5k on Saturday in the Race for the Cure
• Good luck to Frank who is running the Boogie Marathon on Saturday night. . . one week after his last marathon.

Please share your stories after you run!

Child Care and Saturday Runs

With the very large group of runners training for the Marine Corps Marathon, there are several people who are trying to find child care solutions. This is of particular interest when both parents are training for the marathon. I think we have six couples with young children in this situation.

A few have asked about ways to take advantage of a group our size and make it possible for both spouses to get out on Saturday morning runs. I have some ideas that I will list below, but honestly do not have the time to try to coordinate anything, so if anyone would like to get involved, please let us know.

1) Play Date: We can contact Play Date (1 mile from the Teeter) and ask if they can open up for us on a few Saturday mornings. We cannot honestly expect this to work every Saturday, because there will be some weekends when there may not be enough kids for us to do it. My suggestion is that we pick 3-4 weekends and see if we can come up with enough kids to make it worth it. October 3rd for example is the last long run before the marathon. This is an important run for everyone, and might be a weekend that is worth using Play Date.

2) Take Turns: We can take turns watching kids. With a group this size people could probably only miss a few long runs if parent all took turns watching the kids. It can be tricky however, because the group of kids could get large, and it might be more then one person could handle. Maybe each couple that is interested could take one Saturday?

3) Mini Groups: It may be easier to just do some mini groups on some weekends. For example, I may have a sitter coming to the house, and we could handle two more kids at the same time. This would obviously be arranged between the parents.

4) Friday/Sunday Runs: A final option, is that some of us can run on an "off" day. This already happens pretty often, and can be tricky if you cannot find someone at your pace, but it can work. If you can't be there on a Saturday, tell people when you are running. You never know who might be able to join you.

Summers are busy, and we know not everyone will be running on every weekend. This makes planning a bit more challenging. We also have this issue of waking up kids earlier than normal on a Saturday. Of course, we also need to meet and have a comfort level with each other. I created this post to give everyone an open forum to discuss options. I know it will not get solved for the entire summer, but it will get the ball rolling.

Running in the Heat

Every year, I like to remind you all about the seriousness of running in the heat, and I repeat this post. It is critical to prepare and take the right precautions one hot days. Running in the heat without the proper hydration does not make you tough. . . it makes you stupid.

Two years ago in Runner's World there was a sad but interesting article about running in the heat. It was about Kelly Watt, a young runner about to attend William & Mary. He was running alone doing a familiar route on some nearby trails. He did not show up for dinner that night. The police called his parents that evening with bad news that he had been found unconscious from a heat stroke. After what appeared to be three days of recovery in the hospital, Kelly's body finally shut down.

I know we have provided several tips for exercising in the heat, but it needs repeating, so please review them again.

• Stay hydrated! Before, during, and after your runs and rides. A cup of water 10 minutes before exercise is not enough.
• When possible don't run or ride alone.
• Run early in the morning or later in the afternoon.
• Always let someone know when your are going out. Tell them your route, and when you should be done. Even if it is a neighbor. Tell somebody.
• Can't find a person to tell? Leave a message on your home answering machine.
• Take an ID and if possible carry a cell phone. (I strongly recommend a RoadID)
• Last but most important. . . listen to your body. It is sometimes smarter than your head.

You never expect the worst, but you should always plan for it. Think of it like "athletic insurance." You don't want to have a problem and think "I wish I had. . ."

Ford's Colony Brochures

Thanks to Tim Shea, and the staff at Eagle Press, we now have some beautiful brochures for the Ford's Colony 5k and 10k. We need your help now to get brochures delivered all around Rocky Mount, Wilson, Tarboro, Roanoke Rapids, Raleigh, Cary, Greenville, etc. We honestly believe that Ford's Colony is a race worth traveling for and hope to pull people from all around eastern North Carolina. 10ks are harder to find now then ever, so let people know about our unique race here in Rocky Mount.

In the past we held back a reserve of race brochures to promote at later dates. We are not doing that in 2009. We want to get brochures out everywhere possible as soon as possible, and we have a lot of them! RMEC, we need your help. I have brochures with me all of the time, so ask if you need a stack. I will also have them at our group runs to pass out. You can take 10, or take 100. Just get them on display!

Think of creative places to put them out, but always ask for permission if there are any doubts. One thing that the Fun Run for Charities demonstrated is that by blanketing an area you can increase awareness and increase registrations. We operate a very lean budget for our races, but can still take full advantage of our brochures without impacting our bottom line.

Derek and Jeff H (I know you still read the blog), I can mail some to you if there are some running stores to get them too in your areas.

I can also email anyone a color flier that you can print as well. Here are the locations we have covered so far (or will be covered soon):

• YMCA - Rocky Mount
• Dental Care Offices
• Dunkin Donuts - Rocky Mount (don't laugh. . . this worked last year)
• RBC Bank - Main Building & Operations Building
• Raleigh Running Outfitters
• Omega Sports - Wilson
• Crowley's Gym - Roanoke Rapids
• Regency Gym - Wilson
• Subway - Rocky Mount

Where can you display some brochures?

RACE REPORT: Kerr Lake Triathlon

Submitted by: Mary Whitwell

And now…the rest of the story. Don’t be fooled by Michael’s always courteous race reports into thinking I know what I am doing with this race stuff! I thought I had it reasonably together this time and was still feeling mostly “on top of things” as I entered Transition 2. I took my time so I wouldn’t feel all scattered as I went out for the run. The nice volunteer at transition exit waved and said, “Good job.” In hindsight, it was probably to flag me down and there was an unuttered “Idiot” at the end of her greeting.

50 yards or so into the run the course took a right turn and people were lining the sides waving and cheering. Right at that turn, the elevator finally finished its halting route up to the top floor and I realized I STILL HAD MY BIKE HELMET ON MY HEAD. There was a lovely family at the corner that burst into laughter at the clearly audible “Oh crap” that burst from my mouth. I looked over at them with an obviously pleading expression and called, “Would you mind taking this for me?” as I unbuckled and tossed the embarrassing pink sucker onto the ground at their feet.

Well, in true triathlete style, as these are the nicest, most supportive folks you can ever expect to meet, at the end of the race I found my bike helmet perched on my bike where they had obviously delivered it. My biggest race regret is not my own idiocy, I’m rather used to that, but that I never knew who they were to thank them.

RACE REPORT: God's Country Marathon

Note: Frank and Ron both raced God's Country Marathon in PA this weekend. Fortunately, both have excellent race reports, so I will not bore you with my interpretation of their races. You can go straight to the source. To read Frank's follow this link to his blog. He even has a few photos. Ron's is listed below.

Submitted By: Ron Flemming

This marathon is way off the beaten path up in northern Pennsylvania. It's a point-to-point course starting in a small town called Galeton and ending in another small town call Coudersport. There were 162 finishers.

To get to Coudersport, where we stayed, we had to drive through Galeton and then drive the course, up the hell, I mean hill, into town. Getting to drive and see the course was much anticipated because I had seen the elevation chart and it was very intimidating. Miles 1-17 were all uphill. 15-17 were very steep. Mile 18 was the peak.

We did packet pickup and pasta dinner at the Coudersport fire department and had an early night. The morning of the race we met other runners at the finish and we were shuttled to Galeton in an old school bus. The bus took us back "down" Route 6 to Galeton High School where the start was.

The strategy....Go slooow...I wanted to really pace myself through the peak and have enough in me to run backside of the hill respectably. The first mile or so took us away from the direction of the finish and we did an out and back and then weaved back through a few blocks of Galeton. I think around mile 3 or 4 we got on Route 6 and started the climb toward Coudersport. We ran on the left side of the highway with oncoming traffic. There was plenty of room and not a whole lot of traffic.

I managed to keep a pretty slow pace and worked in some walk-run up the steeper hills and usually while drinking the fluids I picked up at the aid stations. They had aid stations every mile and that was awesome. Every 5 miles they had GUs. The aid stations really seemed to come quick and break up the monotony of the lonely road. Again, there weren't many runners, so conversation was scarce.

Route 6, the longest segment of the course, was pretty much just a country road through the mountains. It was beautiful. But there was the weirdest thing...In between the white line and the actual shoulder of the road, there were caterpillars everywhere...You could hear them popping with each step. It sounded like bubble wrap. I even have a couple stains on the top of my shoes from caterpillar splatter. One guy that ran a little bit in front of me for a while was running almost in the center of the road when there wasn't oncoming traffic...I quickly realized that was the thing to do. There was also a couple feet of packed cinder/small gravel just off the shoulder of the road that was nice to run on, so I took advantage of that as well...which eventually landed me a rock in the left shoe around mile 22.

Back to mile 15....The climb was actually not that bad...It was worse than anything this flat-lander was used to, but I just made sure to pace myself to the point were I never really got concerned. You could have made that hill as hard as you wanted to...I did some hard walking, but once the peak was in view I ran the rest. In retrospect, I probably could have pushed myself harder up the hill, but I'm pleased with how it worked out. Getting to the peak was a great feeling...It was a huge mental and physical boost. Knowing the climb was behind me really put all the worries away and I was feeling pretty good. The mile after the peak was my 2nd to fastest mile...I was stoked about getting over that hill. I swear it felt like I had 100lbs lifted off my back.

So there really wasn't much left...I just ran as hard as I could for the remainder. I really didn't start feeling like I was giving out until I reached Coudersport and those last two miles started getting long and hot. We turned left off of Route 6 and ran into a neighborhood before getting on Main Street Coudersport. I'm really glad they ran the course that way because the last aid station ("unofficial" aid station), at about mile 26, was in front of some one's house and there were lots of people out there and they had a table of home-brewed beer...That was a nice touch to the near-finish.

Once I hit Main Street I really picked up the pace and stretched it out until the end. Even though my time (4:30:35) was longer than the Flying Pig, I felt much better about this race. I felt much better through those last few miles and felt like I was able to finish much stronger than in Cincinnati.

We finished on Main Street right off the side of the Coudersport courthouse. After finishing (and receiving a lame medal) I walked around for a little while to cool down and then sat on a park bench watching runners finish...until caterpillars started taking over the bench and falling out of the trees. I mean they were everywhere.Great trip, great race...Nice rural scenery, friendly people and volunteers and very well supported.

Results:
Ron: 4:30:35 (107th)
Frank: 5:37:45 (150th)
Overall: Link
For a graphical view of Ron's Race click to the right

Kerr Lake Race Recap

This weekend, four RMEC members competed in the Kerr Lake Triathlon. This popular event draws big crowds, and 2009 was no exception. 284 athletes started the race on Sunday. Mary Whitwell thrived in the event, taking full advantage of a longer swim distance. From the moment the horn sounded she was on a tear with her swim. Only eight women in the entire event came out of the water faster than she did. . . In fact only 47 men could stay ahead of her pace! She followed up with a solid bike, and then the self proclaimed "non-runner" drops a 54 minute 10k (wow!) and takes 3rd in her age group.

Jennifer Crumley also had a strong performance in her debut at the international tri distance. Like Mary, she excelled in the swim portion of the race followed by a strong bike. A solid 10k gave her a total time of 3:00:16. This was strong enough for 4th in her age group, only missing the podium by 31 seconds! Great job Jennifer.

On the men's side, Dave Lavely and Jeff Miller continued their friendly competition finishing close yet again. Jeff had one of his best swims to date, and an impressive performance on the bike. Where he really shined however was in the run, when he ran a 41:41 10k! This is only 30 seconds off his 10k time at Ford's Colony last year. Only seven places and three minutes behind came Dave. His 40k bike time of 1:13:07 was the fastest of the RMEC, and help to secure him to a 8th place finish in his very competitive age group. Overall his finishing time was 2:31:51.

Below are the splits for every one. The men's split rankings are based on all finishers. The women's splits are just among the female athletes

Jeff 2:28:55 (13th age group)
Swim -- 27:57 (63)
Bike -- 1:16:11 (137)
Run -- 41:41 (22)

Dave 2:31:51 (8th age group)
Swim -- 28:52 (89)
Bike -- 1:13:07 (101)
Run -- 45:09 (55)

Mary 2:46:39 (3rd age group)
Swim -- 27:42 (9)
Bike -- 1:20:45 (38)
Run -- 54:09 (33)

Jennifer 3:00:16 (4th age group)
Swim -- 29:48 (28)
Bike -- 1:24:44 (40)
Run -- 59:06 (54)

Great job everyone!

Good Luck Racers!

The RMEC is once again doing some racing this weekend. For starters, Ron and Frank are heading to PA to run in the God's Country Marathon. Other than one hill, the course is entirely down hill. The only problem is the 17 miles long, with a peak grade at 6%. The elevation profile for this race is unbelievalbe. As Dave said, "Maybe you will see God". Good luck guys. . . I think you are going to need it.

Closer to home, Dave, Mary, Jeff, and Jennifer are tackling the Kerr Lake Triathlon in Henderson, NC. This international distance tri will a break nice challenge for everyone with a 1500 meter open water swim, 40k bike, and a 10k run. Good luck everyone!

On a side note. . . congrats to John and Derek for getting in the New York City Marathon!

RUN RSVP: Saturday 06/06

EVERYONE COME OUT TO RUN TOMORROW! The sun is up very early now, so I have change the start time to 6:30 for now. We will probably start to go even earlier as the summer heat builds up. We are meeting at the Harris Teeter lot as normal. If this is your first run, we park beside the post office building. Just look for a bunch of people wearing "short-shorts". . . that will be us.

The routes are 6 and 9 mile options. I know many of you are ahead of this with your training right now. You are welcome to do more, but do be mindful that you are about to start a long hot training program. Giving your body a "fresh start" is not a bad idea.

Run Details:

• Where: Saturday, 6:30 am @ Harris Teeter
• Supported: Yes - at the tracks
• Weather: Forecast
• Routes: 6 Miles, 9 Miles

PLEASE REVIEW THE ROUTES. These are roads that we have done many times, but we are going in a reverse order. To view the written directions, click on "Tools" and then "Route Notes". You can copy-and-paste these, and then print them if needed.

Fluids will be at the tracks. Both routes only hit the fluids once. If you need more, please bring a bottle to carry with you. We got a break in the weather. It looks like it will be 64 and 69 when we finish. This should make for some pretty comfortable running.

We will probably take five minutes to meet everyone before we head out on the roads. Please post a comment (members or non-members) to let me know you are coming. This way I can mix the correct amount of fluids. Post your pace as well, so people will know who they can run with. Remember, weekends are long/slower training runs. Don't feel like you need to impress anyone running a fast pace. . . just come out and enjoy a run!

Let's Get It Started!

It is finally time for the Marine Corps Marathon training to begin! It may seem like the October 25 race is far away on the calendar, but now is the time for us to start building up our miles.

As a reminder we have 30 runners from our area training for this race. Not only does this make for a super exciting race weekend, it also makes for a far more enjoyable training program. Previously I posted a long run schedule for our weekend runs. You of course are welcome to select the plan that is right for you, but I will use these long runs to plan the weekend routes for us. You can always adjust to meet your needs.


Tomorrow morning I will post a RUN RSVP, and encourage everyone to come out for a run (even if you are not training for a marathon). My true hope is that we can all find some good training partners for when you need one. Solo running is fine too, but you never know when you will need someone to push you through an 18 mile run on a hot day, so meeting other runners is nice.

Next week I will post the first names of everyone who I know that is signed up. I had previously emailed the Marine Corps runners about sending a few snippets of information about you. Most of you I have heard from. I mainly plan to use it to introduce everyone to the group, and to help you find people around your pace.

So lets get excited! We are about to start a 21 week journey as we train for the marathon!

Fun Run Results

As with many local races, there are too many participants for me to write something about every one's performance. I will once again try to hit a few highlights from the RMEC, and I have listed the club members and their families below. With such a big group, I am sure I missed someone. Please email me or post a comment if you see someone I missed.

First and foremost, what a great event, and what a great showing by the RMEC and the RMEK. Everywhere you looked you would see one of our shirts. If you check out the photos on the Telegram site, it is like looking at our own personal slide show. This is a great sign for our club that we come out to support our local races.

The RMEK made me me proud to be a part of our club. These kids were AMAZING. We all owe Tracy Proctor a tremendous thank you for having the nerve to and the passion to create this program. We also owe that same thanks to Misty and Elaine for coaching the group at the Sports Complex. And none of it would have been possible without the volunteers who came out. If you never made it to one of the training sessions, you really missed out on some extraordinary kids. We will be looking for your help in the fall when we start again

Official Results
Telegram Photos
RMEK Photos

Here are the results:

-------5k -------
1 ASHLEY BASS 18:21
8 EVAN BRONDYKE 19:55
14 ZACH SHEA 21:14
16 TIM SHEA 21:32 6:56
40 TRAVIS HARTNEY 25:11
47 THOMAS THURMAN 25:53
91 MICHAEL FORRESTER 31:29
99 MURRAY SCHMITT 32:00
105 GRIFFIN WINGFIELD 32:25
107 MACKENZIE PROCTOR 32:25
109 ELAINE WEISNER 32:48
171 CYNTHIA LUCAS 50:28

------- 10k -------
6 KEVIN BOUDREAU 47:20
8 GERRY FELTON 49:36
11 ERIC PATE M 51:24
23 RYAN BULLARD 57:48
26 ARTHUR BENNETT 59:41
28 JON SHINGLETON 1:00:37
29 INDY CHESIS 1:00:48
33 WINSLOW ROGERS 1:02:41
35 AMBER POOLE 1:04:16
40 ROSS CHANDLER 1:07:26
45 CAROL DICKENS 1:10:00
48 INGRID BULLARD 1:16:42

------- 15k -------
6 ANTHONY LUCAS 1:12:42
10 SCOTT WINGFIELD 1:14:32
11 BRENT BRONDYKE 1:19:38
12 WILLIAM LUCAS 1:19:49
16 RON FLEMING 1:21:09
18 LEVI MOORE 1:22:40
19 LAURA HAYNES 1:23:33
30 DEBI BRONDYKE 1:37:01

Highlights:

• Laura Haynes won the 15k with an impressive 1:23:33. Way to go Laura!
• Ashley Bass continues his streak of victories wining the 5k in 18:21.
• New member Ross Chandler ran his first 10k (I believe) in very strong 1:07:26.
• Ryan Bullard ran a 57:48 10k while pushing a stroller!
• Scott Wingfield finished 3rd in his age group with a pace under 8:00.
• Hailee Griffin and Mackenzie Proctor placed 2nd and 3rd in their age group among much older children
• William Lucas ran a 1:19:49 15k, after running with the RMEK for the first two miles.
• New member Winslow Rogers left the bike at home and ran a 1:02:41 in the 10k.
• Zach Shea out kicked his dad Tim to finish in 14th place in the 5k
• Ashley, Zach, Mackenzie, Evan, Misty, Elaine, Eric, Kevin, Gerry, Carol, Laura, Anthony, Scott, Brent, William, and Debi all earned awards in their races!

Next Up for the RMEC. . .

• Marine Corps Training kicks of this weekend. Lets try to have 30+ runners show up so we can all meet each other. We will have a 6-mile and a 9-mile route planned. Get your training started on the right foot. . . don't start out behind.
• Ford's Colony 5k and 10k - As a reminder, we are open for registration. We need your help spreading the word. Thanks to Tim Shea and the people at Eagle Press, we have lots of race brochures. Please help us get these spread out around Rocky Mount, Wilson, Tarboro, Roanoke Rapids, Raleigh, Cary, etc. Registration is open and going well. Right now we have four times the number of entries in the 10k over the 5k. Also, don't forget we added a 1.5 mile Fun Run.

RACE REPORT: Lake Kristi Triathlon

Submitted By: Steve Cooper

Bitten by the TRI bug… I participated in my second sprint triathlon this weekend in Greenville, NC—the Lake Kristi Tri at Parker Overton’s private oasis. The swim was a 700 meters swim—which is 465 yards more than the 300 yard swim I did at the Roanoke Valley Tri. The swim is in a man made lake created for Parker’s daughter to practice competition slalom skiing. This was my first open water swim event. When you look at 300 yards—or 12 laps in a pool—it doesn’t look that far. However, when you look at the halfway point of a 700 meter swim, it looked like a long distance. And while I swam it slow, it wasn’t too tough. I finished 95th in the swim out of 129 participants.

I learned a lot about the need for quicker transitions from my first Tri and feel that I saved a few minutes there. I had purchased a used Trek triathlon bike and procrastinated once again and only got one training ride on it the Wednesday before the event. This Tri bike had Aero bars and I had never ridden a bike using them before—but it was quite enjoyable. I was able to cut 7 minutes off my bike time from my previous Tri event. The bike route wasn’t tough, but there was a lot of wind—that always felt like it was a head wind. Frank—you’ll be glad to know that it didn’t take me quite as long to get my feet in the pedal straps this time. The bike felt extremely comfortable the whole ride and I was able to transition to the run without as much resistance as the time before. I finished 84th in the bike leg out of 129 participants.

The run was around Parker Overton’s private golf course and property—which is really nice by the way—and I finished with the 29th fastest run time out of 129 participants. Overall, I finished 72nd out of 129 participants and absolutely had a blast. The post race food was great. My favorites were the watermelon and cinnamon & raisin bagels with walnut cream cheese spread—yummy.

From where I finished in the swim and the bike legs, I know where I need to work to improve the most. Eric and I are going to do the Outer Banks Sprint Triathlon on August 23rd and we’d love to have a bunch more join us. Come on out and tri—I know you can do it.