Late Summer Race Results

I wanted to take a quick minute to share some race results from the end of summer. I am sure there are other races that I have missed, so please feel free to email me when you are racing, and I will do my best to get it on the blog.

Trail Run Challenge: The Forrester family decided to take advantage of a trail race during our summer vacation. The Trail Run Challenge was held at the US National Whitewater Center in Charlotte. The entire race took place on their mountain bike trails. Michael ran the 10k and took 2nd in his age group with a time of 47:00. Ursula paced Henry in the 5k to a 41:19. Caroline was not far behind finishing in 50:57 and taking 3rd in her age group. It was a fun race at a great venue.

Gold's Gym Waterpark 5k: This Greenville 5k is in it's 13 year and has a fast course when the summer heat backs off. Ashley Bass took full advantage and clocked an amazing 17:01 to win the race outright! You read that right. . . 52 year old Ashley ran a 17:01. Ashley edged out 55 year old Phillip Rowan of Greenville who set the state age group record during the race. Wayne Painter of the RMEC took 10th overall posting a 19:33 (6:17 pace). This was strong enough for second place in his age group. This really was a very impressive race with two of the top masters runners in the state on display. Great job everyone! Complete results are available online.

Greenville-Pitt County 8k: A new race on the calendar this year is the Greenville 8k. Derek Hurdle has been going through a tough summer training regiment as he prepares for the Blue Ridge Relay and the Steamtown Marathon. He decided to test the legs in the 8k and had a strong showing. His finishing time of 33:11 (6:41 pace) was strong enough for 12th overall and second in his age group. Well done Derek! Complete results are available online.

Golf Club at Rocky Mount Shirts

For the non-Face Book crowd, be sure to check out the race shirts for the Golf Club at Rocky Mount 5k & 10k. We intentionally went with a simplified design that you would enjoy running in, or wearing around Rocky Mount. Don't forget that 10k runners will receive a technical shirt while they last. Sign up today to guarantee your tech shirt!

Medoc Meltdown a BIG Success!

We had a crowd of almost 25 runners at the Harris Teeter for a normal group run on Saturday. While our group was preparing to hit the flat paved roads an even larger group of runners were poised to take on the trails at Medoc Mountain State Park.

The 3rd Annual Medoc Meltdown was helped on Saturday, August 28th, and was an enormous success. This years race brought out the biggest crowd ever for the "fat ass" style run. In total 44 people ran the trails. Not to mention Frank Lilley and Cameron Kelly were on hand to host the event. As typical of the Medoc Meltdown it provides a self guided tour of the upcoming Medoc Trail Races. People run anywhere from one to four loops of the race course. Here is how things broke down for 2010.

• 13 Runners completed 8.6 Miles
• 10 Runners completed 17.2 Miles
• 7 Runners completed 25.8 Miles
• 14 Runners completed 34.4 Miles (full Meltdown)

This is by far the most runners that have ever completed the full ultra distance. Laura MacLean was the overall winner with a time of 5:56. Laura is also the defending champion of he Medoc Trail Marathon.

From the RMEC, Ron Fleming covered 25.8 miles in 4:50. Ted Lord and Ralph Willey completed 17.2 miles in 2:53 and 3:41 respectively. Eric Seale and Jeanie Kerr completed the 8.6 mile loop in 1:46 and 1:57 respectively. Both Eric and Jeannie are training for their first Medoc Trail 10-Miler.

Congrats to all finishers and thanks to the outstanding organizers. To view photos from the event check out Frank's Flicker Page.

RUN RSVP: Saturday 8/28 @ 6:00 am

First and foremost, if you are able, please join Frank and many RMEC members at the Medoc Meltdown tomorrow morning. This is a great opportunity to run some fun trails with lots of fun people. I anticipate 40+ runners will be on hand.

For those of you that can't make it to Medoc, or those that need to stay on the roads, we will still have a group run from the Teeter. According to our long run schedule, we will have a 4, 9, and 13 miles run options. This is a "recovery week" on the plan which is why the runs are all shorter. I know several of you are planning to go longer, so adjust the routes to meet your needs. I had a 10 and 13 mile route that shared the same roads, so the nine-mile run was increased slightly.

Run Details:

• Where: Saturday, 6:00 am @ Harris Teeter
• Supported: Yes at my house and Co-Ah-Bar
• Weather: Forecast
• Routes: 4-Miles, 10-Miles, 13-Miles

We will actually not run Candlewood tomorrow! The routes head out the opposite direction that we normally do. The first fluid stop will be at my house. The second stop will be at Co-Ah-Bar, and the third will be a water fountain at City Lake. If anyone can help with fluids at Co-Ah-Bar, please post a comment. Please note, the 4-mile route will not pass a fluid stop, so bring your own if you need it (sorry about that!).

The weather forecast is fantastic! It will be 64F at 6:00 am, and only 68F at 8:00 am. Enjoy the cooler weather, but don't forget to arrive hydrated and stay hydrated. Please RSVP below with your pace and distance. When setting up two fluid stops having an exact headcount is a big help.

Happy Anniversary RRO

Raleigh Running Outfitters is proud to be celebrating seven years of serving the Triangle as an independently owned and operated specialty running store. To thank you for your support, they invite you to shop their anniversary sale.

• Friday, August 27 — 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
• Saturday, August 28 — 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Sunday, August 29 — 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

20% to 50% OFF ALL SHOES & SUMMER APPAREL Enjoy savings at either of their two locations: Raleigh or Cary!

Notes: Not to be combined with other offers or discounts.Discount pricing available Friday, Saturday and Sunday ONLY

New North Carolina Races!

There are three inaugural races coming up in Eastern North Carolina, and none of them are a 5k! I wanted to make sure the RMEC knew about these options.

Greenville-Pitt County 8k Road Race
Date: August 28
Distance: 8k & Fun Run
Location: Greenville, NC

Picasso Run
Date: November 6
Distance: 10k & Fun Run
Location: Roanoke Rapids, NC

Nash Street Mile
Date: November 20
Distance: 10k & Fun Run
Location: Wilson, NC

Of course I also want to remind everyone that this Saturday is the 3rd annual Medoc Meltdown. This is a great chance to preview the race course of the Medoc Trail Races. If you plan to run, post a comment here. Frank needs an accurate headcount of everyone coming.

Master's Swim Class Update

Eric heard from Yvonne at the YMCA today. They are going to try the Tuesday/Thursday master's swim class at lunch. There should be paperwork on it available at the front desk now. The way it will work is that the usual master's class fee of $15.00 per month will apply and you will be able to attend any two of the classes offered - either Monday 6AM, Tuesday 12:15PM, Wednesday 6AM, Thursday 12:15PM. The class will be an hour, ending at 1:15PM - but of course that will be variable depending on every one's lunch schedule and time available.

The Tuesday/Thursday schedule will start on Thursday, September 2.

Please help to get the word out. I realize that not everyone will be able to attend every week/class, but regular attendance is needed for the YMCA to see value in continuing at this time.

RUN RSVP: Saturday 08/14 @ 6:00 am

Several folks got in a good run on Friday morning, but I expect some will be back for more on Saturday. According to our long run schedule, we will have route of 4, 11, and 20 miles. Last week the routes worked perfectly. The group stayed close together for most of the run. Not sure we will have the same luck this week.

Run Details:

• Where: Saturday, 6:00 am @ Harris Teeter
• Supported: Yes at the Tracks
• Weather: Forecast
• Routes: 4-Miles, 9-Miles, 11-Miles

I picked a 9-mile route to supplement the 11 mile route. If you are planning on doing 20, you will do both of these. The 9-mile and 11-mile routes head out in opposite directions, so you will pass runners going the opposite direction. This is not as interesting as 20 miles without any duplication, but I had to keep it simple for the fluids.

When you are running, please know your route. If you just follow the person in front of you, you may end up going on the wrong route. If you do not know the routes, please print them out! As always, it is critical that you arrive hydrated. If you do not think there will be enough fluids on the routes for you, please bring your own.

Please RSVP below with your pace and distance. We ran out of fluids at the end of last weeks run. We need to know you are coming so we can plan properly. See you all in the morning.

Master's Swim Class

Eric Seale is trying to encourage the Y to make a change to the Master's Swim Class. He and seven others have expressed interest in getting a mid day class on twice a week (M/W or T/H). If 10+ people are interested the chances are greater that a new class could get started. You need to respond quickly if you are interested so it could get on the August 25th schedule release. If you have any questions, check with Eric.

Time to Get Registered RMEC!

Okay RMEC, we need your help. The Golf Club at Rocky Mount 5k & 10k is over 20 runners ahead of last years pace. If we keep it up we should hit 310 runners in the "timed" races. This would be a new record for us. That of course would be fantastic, but we really want to hit 350.

We know our race is unique. Racing on a golf course is not something you see everyday. We also know we put on one of the best races you will find anywhere in the state. With the help of some outstanding volunteers we feel like our race can go head-to-head with anything else you will find.

So what do we need you to do?

1. Sign Up: Seriously, if you plan to run, take five minutes and get registered today.
2. Volunteer: If you can't run please volunteer. It is an easy race to volunteer at and we are done by 10:00 am. If you are running, have your spouse volunteer!
3. Email: Send an email to your friends telling them about the race. Word-of-mouth advertising is the best way to get people signed up. . . and it's free!
4. Facebook: Lets flood Facebook with posts about the race. People will get the hint
5. Flyers: Do you have a place to put up a flyer? Let us know and we will get you a copy

The race is now only one month away. We need to start to build up momentum. We have two race banners on the way, and brochures all over the place. Help us keep it going.

One last thing. . . we are not kidding. Seriously take a few minutes and help out. This is one of two races that the RMEC puts on. Help us make it GREAT!

The Crossing on Lake Gaston

The annual swim across Lake Gaston, called "The Crossing" will be held this coming Saturday morning, August 14th.

As in the past, Frank was extended an invitation to come up to his place and either run or swim. Then, we can "cool-it" around his dock and just do "lake stuff!". We can either grill some burgers/dogs/brats . . . or we could order pizza.


Families are welcome. Frank has a big dock with lots of room and the lake bottom is very even (no drop-offs). Please post a comment ASAP even if you are just a little bit interested. Frank needs to know before the end of the week, so he can make his plans.

RUN RSVP: Saturday @ 6:00 am

Lets make it a big group tomorrow! Get you butts out of bed and RUN! The long-run-schedule calls for routes of 4, 10, and 18 miles today. I could not find an easy 18-miler without setting up three fluid stops, so instead I did a 14 mile route that can be added on to.

Run Details:

• Where: Saturday, 6:00 am @ Harris Teeter
• Supported: Yes at the Tracks
• Weather: Forecast
• Routes: 4-Miles, 10-Miles, 14-Miles

I picked routes that have some loops and a few out-and-backs. This should keep us grouped together for much of the run. For those who are doing 18 as listed in the long run schedule below, you will need to add another Candlewood loop.

When you are running, please know your route. If you just follow the person in front of you, you may end up going on the wrong route. If you do not know the routes, please print them out! As always, it is critical that you arrive hydrated. If you do not think there will be enough fluids on the routes for you, please bring your own.

Please RSVP below with your pace and distance. We may have some visitors join us on the run this weekend, and they will be trying to find a running partner. See you all in the morning.

First Ultra This Fall?

Several from the RMEC will be running the New River Trail 50k this fall. The race is on 10/09/10. Now your first reaction is probably this:

• Ultra? - Nope! Too far!
• Trail? - Heck no! Why make it harder?

Let me comment on both of those points (keeping in mind I have not done an Ultra myself). This race is a 50k. That is 31 miles. There are some obscure race distances out there above a marathon, but this is typically the closest you will get that is considered an Ultra. So it will require you run another 4.8 miles beyond the marathon distance which would add 40-70 minutes of run time.

As for the Trail aspect, this is actually a big perk to the race. This trail is not single track and rooty like Medoc. The trail is wide and made of packed cinder for almost the entire race. It is more like the Tobacco Trail Marathon, or Umstead minus the hills. Because the race stays beside the New River for all of the race it remains relatively flat for all 31 miles.

If you needed more convincing, check out this collection of photos online of the race course. This is absolutely beautiful! Not to mention the race is located in Virginia which makes it an easy drive. If I was not ruining Steamtown, I would sign up for this race in a heartbeat. It is a small personal event with under 200 runners. So far Ted, Liz, Ron, and Frank all plan to run.

So, take a chance and give your first Ultra a try!

Washington Tri Results

This past weekend the RMEC had three members decide at the last minute to race the Washington Tri, and all three found the podium! Tim Shea was 7th overall in the race and won his age group in the Srpint distance. He posted times of 17:15 in the 750 meter open water swim, 51:37 in the 18 mile bike, and 21:43 in the 5k. Overall his time was 1:32:32.

Eric Seale had a solid performance as well placing 3rd in the Clydesdale division. Fourth place can just eight seconds behind him, so every second counted. Eric posted a 17:24 in the swim, 55:42 in the bike, and 35:13 in the run. Eric is just beginning to focus more on his running training as he prepares for Medoc, so expect to see his "not-on-wheels" speed to improve going in to the fall.

Mary Whitwell decided to take on the Olympic distance at the tri. She finished 22nd overall. Of the 21 women who finished before her. . . their average age was 21 years younger than Mary. Translation: Mary is a beast! Without question Mary crushed her age group by posting times of 28:02 in the 1,000 meter swim, 1:28:43 in the 28 mile bike, and 57:11 in the 10k run.

Great job everyone!

Cash and Shirts - Help Please

*** REPLY REQUESTED ***

RMEC, I need your help. Several of you have paid cash for your RMEC shirts. Thank you! Here is the problem. My brain gets erased when I run over five miles. This means I most liely forgot you gave me cash. I still have the cash, but am not certain who has paid.

• CASH PAYERS: If you have paid, please post a comment here to help me reconcile who is still outstanding
• NON-PAYERS: If you have not paid yet, and you know you have not paid, please post a comment as well. This will help us reconcile.

We are anxious to put this shirt order behind us, so as soon as the extras are delivered, we want to distribute the shirts and settle up any payments asap. I have had LOTS of people ask about extra shirts. We order a small number of extras and some were already claimed. Until I can see every one's original shirt order fulfilled I want to hold off an getting rid of the extras.

When I see what extras are left, I will start by offering them to the RMEC members who do not have a RMEC shirt before we give extras to people who were in the original order.

On a somewhat positive note, the missing RMEC shirts were delivered from Zorrel today to the shirt printer. They should be getting printed in the next few days.