RUN RSVP: Saturday 01/10

Last week we had 20 people show up at the group run. If you have not joined us on a Saturday for a while, you are missing out! Set the alarm, tie your laces, and hit the road! I can not be there tomorrow to put out fluids, and I am not sure what distance people plan to run.

Run Details:

• Where: Saturday, 7:30 am @ Harris Teeter
• Supported: Yes - at the tracks
• Weather: Forecast (34F @ Start)
• Routes: 13 Miles

I picked a 13 mile route that goes past the hospital for something a little different. You do not hit the tracks until mile 7 and 10, so bring fluids if you need them more often.

Please RSVP if you are coming (seriously. . . please post if you are coming). Put your pace and distance in your post. This really helps me, and also helps others decide who to run with.

Races this weekend

Tracy H., Patti, and Ursula are all earning their Donald's this weekend at the Disney Half. I am sure they can run with a little less worry knowing they are not running the full the next day. Speaking of the full, I plan to hobble my way through Disney yet again, and earn the new Mickey Medal. Also running from Rocky Mount is Kim Blackwelder. This will be Kim's first marathon. She will be joining the RMEC for 2009, so let's all wish her well in our first (and hopefully not last) marathon. If you are interested, you can sign up to track runners online.

Not to be outdone, Frank is setting the bar high in his first race of the year. He is jumping head first back into running (or is that feet first?). He will kick of the new year by doing another Ultra. This time Frank is running the Frosty 50k at the Salem Lakeshores. Good luck Frank!

Let's get 2009 started!

Everybody Needs a Goal

REPOSTED TO ENCOURAGE MORE COMMENTS - NEW MEMBERS CAN POST TOO

Frank had sent me an email a few weeks ago with the same subject line as this blog post. I think he is right. As runners, we are always setting goals. It might be about how far to go. . . it might be about how fast to go. . . it might be just about finishing. The bottom line is we all use goals to keep us motivated.

In 2008, Frank pretty publicly set a goal of running the marathon distance 12 times during the year. He came very close to missing his goal when he had to make a trip (or two) to the hospital, but he persevered and still reached his goal. I think we all enjoyed following his progress during the year, and in some cases used it as motivation for our own training.

So, now is the time. . . what is/are your 2009 goal(s)? They can be as general, or as specific as you want them to be. I encourage you to share your goals with the RMEC. Don't be afraid of embarrassment, and don't worry about missing your goal. By sharing it with a large group of motivating friends, I think you will find you are more likely to reach your goal.

Here are some examples (not mine):

• "I want to run a sub 4:00 marathon"
• "I want to set a PR at the Flying Pig"
• "I want to qualify for Boston"
• "I want to finish my first marathon"
• "I want to run four days a week"
• "I want to complete my first triathlon"
• "I want to join the RMEC and run my first 10k"
• "I want to catch Medoc"
• "I want to finish an Ultra"
• "I want to break 20 minutes in a 5k"
• "I want to complete a half-ironman"

Give it some thought, and post a reply to this blog entry. You do not have to share your goals, but it would be great to see this post get 30+ comments.

FREE Tri Training Clinic Opportunity

Tri Roanoke Valley will hold a series of free triathlon clinics offering information on equipment, training, nutrition, and training plans. The clinic series will be presented 7:00pm-8:30pm on:

• January 15 - "Introduction to Triathlon",
• February 19 - "Gear Night" (special guest and gear swap),
• March 26 - "Race Day Prep" at the T.J. Davis Recreation Center.

An additional "Performance Based Training Clinic" will be offered by Tom McDowell for beginners and intermediates who want to excel in their race efforts. For more information contact tom@triroanokevalley.com or Roanoke Rapids Parks and Recreation Administration Office at 252-533-2847.

The tri clinics were a great success last year getting people up and started on a program. About half of last years Tri Roanoke Valley participants attended the clinics and well over half of the participants were first timers. Everyone finished and had a great day. This year the tri clinics will continue but the free clinics will be for beginners. A all day "Performance Based Training" clinic will be offered as well to both beginners and experienced athletes wanting to achieve top performance this race year (this one may have a cost).

This is a GREAT opportunity for those of you who want to do your first Tri. Please consider supporting this race. They are going above and beyond to get first timers involved in triathlons. If you have always been too nervous to do one, you will not find a better and closer option than this race.

Post a comment if you plan to register and/or are interested in the clinics. We can easily arrange some carpooling to the clinics.

RUN RSVP: Saturday 01/03

Happy New Year! It is time to hit ground running. What ever your fitness goals for 2009, running will get you there faster. Don't tell yourself, "I'll start next week. . . it is too cold." HOOEY! (Is that a word?) Set the alarm, bundle up, eat a banana, and meet us at the Harris Teeter!

Run Details:

• Where: Saturday, 7:30 am @ Harris Teeter
• Supported: Yes - at the tracks
• Weather: Forecast (34F @ Start)
• Routes: 4.0 Miles

Bring a friend out to run this weekend. New Year's is the best time to find a person waiting to become a runner. Everyone is welcome to join us on the run and post a comment. Even if you have never run with the RMEC before, come out for some fun. I intentionally picked a shorter route, knowing some new people might join us. If you need to run more, just add it on. We all know these roads well enough to create a route on the fly. If you are new to the roads, the directions to this route are below the map linked above. After the Disney Marathon, I will start to plan routes based on those training for Shamrock and the Flying Pig.

Please RSVP if you are coming (seriously. . . please post if you are coming). Put your pace and distance in your post. This really helps me, and also helps others decide who to run with.

RUN RSVP: Thursday January 1st

Sorry for the late notice on this. Tracy P has offer to host another New Years Day group run. We did this last year and had about a dozen people show up. She has a 6.5 mile route that heads out to the new park in Road Oak, and then back to her house. I am waiting for a confirmed time, but have guesses a 10:00 am run for right now.

Run Details:

• Where: Saturday, 10:00 am @ Tracy P's
• Supported: BYOB - Gatorade at the Finish
• Weather: Forecast
• Routes: 6.5 Miles

This was a lot of fun last year. We all ran as a group out to the school/park area. On the return route we spread out a bit, but it was a really nice social run. Please post ASAP if you can run. If there is not any interest we will cancel the run. If the start time is no good, let me know that as well. If you need directions, email Tracy (see the member list link to the right).

February 7th - Busy Race Weekend

I love this time of year! As we get ready to turn the calendar to a new year I start to check out the local races, and always get excited about the opportunities that are ahead. We get so focused on endurance in the fall with our marathon and half marathon training, that it is easy to forget about the shorter and often more creative races out there. Here are two options on the first full weekend in February:

02/07 Saturday: Krispy Kreme Challenge
Simply put. . . you must experience this race once in your life. It is a two mile race from the NC State Bell Tower down to the local Krispy Kreme store. At this point you will eat a dozen glazed doughnuts, and then run two miles up hill back to the Bell Tower. . . all in under one hour! The entire race is a crazy experience full of competitive runners and crazy college kids. It has become one of the largest races in North Carolina, drawing over 3,000 participants. There is a "casual runner" option that does not require you to eat the doughnuts. Several RMEC runners are veterans of this event. You should do it just for the t-shirt alone!

02/08 Sunday: Run for the Roses
This race is a more traditional event when compared to the K.K.C., however it is anything but your typical 5k. The Run for the Roses is longest running 5k in the Triangle. Similar to the Sweetheart 5k, it also has a couples division using combined times. Another very cool aspect is they have an optional "Pump 'N Run" competition as well. Beginning at 12:30 p.m. on race day, men will be required to bench press their weight. Women will bench press 50% of their weight. For each bench press, 30 seconds will be subtracted from their 5K times! Seems like a great race for some RMEC members. . . Dave, Jeff, and Eric P come to mind!

So give some thought to these races as you plan your 2009 calendar. Both are close by and will be fun to do. I know most of us are training for Shamrock and/or Flying Pig, but don't forget to reward yourself along the way with shorter races!