Protection from Dangerous Heat Loss

With the start of winter less than ten days away, bundling up correctly for cold weather exercise is as critical to runners in mild winter as it is to those who run in Chicagos notorious winters. To help prepare runners and walkers alike, Fleet Feet Sports offers five essentials for outdoor enthusiasts to keep safe and warm this cold weather season:

1. Cover the head: Approximately 40 percent to 50 percent of body heat is lost through the head. Non-cotton caps made of technical materials can trap warmth and wick moisture away from the skin. Keep the ears covered as well to prevent additional heat loss and exposure.

2. Protect the fingers and toes: In cold weather, as much as 30 percent of body heat can escape through the hands and feet. Socks and gloves should be made with a technical, moisture-wicking fabric that will keep extremities dry and warm. Avoid socks made from cotton which does not pull moisture away from the body. Damp socks can make a runner feel colder. The trapped moisture will also leave feet prone to blisters, fungus and bacteria.

3. Layer on top: Especially in the Atlanta climate, dressing in lightweight layers, rather than one heavy layer, will provide optimum protection with comfort. Overdressing can lead to overheating once the run is underway and the body warms up. A general rule for running is to dress 20 degrees warmer than the weather outside. For example, if the weather is 20 degrees, dress as if its 40 degrees. For a simple, yet reliable layering system, start with a lightweight long-sleeve base-layer tee made of technical materials to wick moisture away from the body. Over it, add a long-sleeve half zip top. When the temperature drops below 25 degrees, or it is windy or rainy, add a breathable running jacket manufactured for wind and water resistance.

4. Support leg muscles: Since the legs generate a lot of heat during a run or brisk long walk, the compression of technical running tights or running pants is ideal. Technical compression will warm and support the leg muscles, keeping them from tiring as quickly during a run or long walk. Unless the weather is below 10 degrees, a single supportive layer on the legs is enough to prevent leg chafing and retain heat.

5. Be visible: Along with the colder weather, the days also get shorter during the winter time making it more difficult for drivers and others to see runners and walkers, especially in the early morning or evening hours. To be safe, wear reflective apparel and gear for every run. While more winter apparel includes reflective strips to alert others to your presence, to ensure safety, its a good idea to invest in a reflective running vest or LED light that provides more visibility in the darker hours.

Early December Results

A few RMEC runners participated in the Reindeer Dash for Cash this past Sunday in Greenville. This afternoon race consists of a 5k and a 10-miler, and usually draws a decent size crowd for both races. In the 5K, Ashley Bass continues to impress, taking 2nd place overall out of a field of 316 finishers! The 50-year old RMEC member just narrowly missed first place by a margin of 13 seconds. His finishing time was a 17:55 (a 5:46 pace if your are curious). For complete 5k results, visit the Active site.

In the 10-miler drew a crowd of 142 runners. Among those were Steve Cooper and Patti Miller, both of whom are returning from some injuries and time off. Steve finished 5th in his age group with at time of 1:22:53 in his first race since OBX. Patti continues to run pain free and had a nice run of 1:32:09. Complete results are found here. Once Steve and Patti team up with their spouses, they look to assemble some strong teams in the Sweetheart 5k!

I would like to post some Medoc Rerun results, but need to hear from more of the people that ran. We ended up with close to 30 runners. Five did the full marathon on a very chilly morning. They were Frank (RMEC), Levi (RMEC), William, Tom, and Dave. All earned their Medoc Medals and finisher hats. Great job guys!

Spring Marathon?

It looks like lots of RMEC members are considering a half or full marathon this spring. This is very exciting news, and I am thrilled to see you are all staying active, and keeping up your miles. I do want to try to see what race or races people are planning.

At one point we had 16 names interested in the Flying Pig Marathon and Half Marathon. I know there is a growing group of people interested in the Shamrock Marathon as well. Frank and Scott are entered in the Umstead Trail Marathon too. All races have advantages and disadvantages (travel, cost, weather, size, fun, wind, course, etc). Of course both the Shamrock and Flying Pig races are far enough apart that you could do both. I know many people are considering this. So here are the options:

Shamrock Marathon and Half

• Date: March 22nd
• Link: Official Site
• Location: Virginia Beach
• # of interested RMEC runners: 8
• Names: Tim, Cliff, Derek, Ryan, Eric P, Steve, Robin, Kelly

Flying Pig Marathon and Half

• Date: May 3rd
• Link: Official Site
• Location: Cincinnati
• # of interested RMEC runners: 15
• Names: Frank, Michael, Tracy H, Ursula, Arthur, Scott, Patti, Ron, Derek, Amber, Levi, John, Misty, Jeff H, Eric P

The names above are what I have heard and read. They only mean someone might be interested. I will update the names as I hear more. Please post comments. If you are new to the RMEC, or plan to join, you are welcome to comment as well.

It is a lot of fun doing a trip with a group for a race. You are welcome to choose whichever race interest you. I am just trying to provide a forum for people to do some planning.

Christmas Shopping Discounts

FootLocker family of stores is having a 30% off Friends & Family sale. Coupons expire December 7. Good chance to get some Christmad deals if you know what you are shopping for.

• Foot Locker coupon code: FF8C345P printable [Store Locator]
• Champs coupon code: FF8C66CP printable [Store Locator]
• Footaction coupon code: FF8C34VP printable [Store Locator]

RMEC General Updates

A few quick updates that will interest the RMEC.

The Umstead Trail Marathon (not the ultra) is open for registration. This race only allows 200 runners, and could sell out as soon as today. It is very popular, and a well organized trail race. I know many of you really enjoyed the trails at Medoc, so this is another great chance to do more.

Sweetheart 5k registration is open. The early pricing ends when the new year begins. You can register online, but I also have a paper form you can use. The paper form will save you about a buck. The RMEC is taking a very small fee for each runner that registers. Currently the club does not pay online processing fees as a non-profit organization. This free service goes away on January 1st, so it is very beneficial to the club for people to register now. If you know you plan to run, please take a few minutes and register now, or shoot an email to runrmec@yahoo.com and request the paper form. Remember, this event is not a couples only race, in fact the large majority of the runners are entered as individuals.

A Club Meeting is planned for next Wednesday at 12:30 pm. I will email details shortly to every, but we hope you can join us. It will be short, and you can bring your lunch with you. We will review the club finances, discuss our 2008 accomplishments, and our 2009 plans. Your opinions, ideas, and suggestions are welcomed.

RMEC Shirts have been shipped. I should have these Monday to begin to distribute. If you have not paid, please do so quickly. I really do not want to drive around with 70+ shirts in my van, so please help me get these out to you.

Medoc Rerun this Weekend!

We are only six days away from the Great Medoc Rerun. I am really hopeful that a big group will come out for this run. I know it is cold, and I know it take 25 minutes to get to the park, but this will be a fun. You might not want to get out of bed on Saturday morning, but you will regret it if you don't later. Plus, it will give us something to chat about over a beer at the Lavely's Christmas Party!

At last check, here are the names that were planning on joining us: Frank, Scott, Michael, Patti, Arthur, Brian, Sandy, Michele, Deb, Cliff, Ursula, Elizabeth, Nancy, Levi, Misty, David, Tim, Ryan, Andy, Carol, Amber, Jon, Kelly, Robin, and Ron. This is at least 25 runners that we know of.

As a reminder, to join in on the run, it is FREE! We are trying to sell-off the extra race gear for those that are interested. People who run and/or volunteered get priority, but I expect we will have enough for those that are interested. We will always give out Awards (plaques), because we have plenty of extras of those too!

$10 - Long Sleeve Tech Shirt
$9 - Finishers Hats (must complete the course)
$4 - Finishers Medal (must complete the course)
$20 - Get all three (shirt, hat, and medal)

The time for the run is not set in stone. Technically, you can start at any time that works for you. It sounds like most will be starting at 8:00 a.m. This will give you plenty of day light on the trails. Even if you start later, you will see people on the trails.

This really will be a good time. Come out and run off some of those Thanksgiving pounds. You will be glad you did. Bring a friend. . . bring the family!

Gobble! Gobble!

A few that I know of did a Turkey Trot this weekend. Patti Miller is running pain-free for the first time in nearly a year. She decided to test things out at the Ridgewood Turkey Trot 8k on Thanksgiving morning. This race drew a crowd of nearly 2,000 runners! Patti ran in the non-competitive division with friends. The most important thing for Patti, is the race was pain free! I think it is time for Patti to go from "flying turkeys" to "flying pigs!"

On a more competitive front, Derek Hurdle ran in the Gold's Gym Turkey Derby 5k in Virginia. With multiple marathons under his belt, it might surprise you that this was Derek's first 5k. As Derek said, it is a different kind of running doing a 5k, and he felt like he might throw his lungs up after the race. He finished 9th overall out of 205 finishers with a time of 19:15. Very impressive performance for a 5k debut.

If anyone else ran a race over the holiday, let me know.