Thursday, February 25, 2010

Team TRIumph Open House is March 4, 2010


Lady triathletes are invited to an Open House hosted by Team TRIumph, an all women’s triathlon and endurance sport training group in the Lake Norman area.  Team members train together in all of the triathlon disciplines (swimming, biking, running), as well as join for informative clinics on topics like nutrition, yoga and Pilates.

If you just signed up for your first triathlon, or if you’ve done several, Team 
TRIumph has something to offer you.

The Open House is scheduled for Thursday, March 4, at 7 p.m. at Brooklyn South Pizza in Cornelius.  Brooklyn South is located at 19400 Jetton Road.

For more information on the team, visit their website  www.teamtriumphnc.com.  For more information, send an e-mail message to:  teamtriumphnc@yahoo.com.

Thanks, Sue M.!

Saturday, February 20, 2010

New! Birkdale Runners/Walkers Meetup Group



This morning my wife Laurie and our son James went to Birkdale Village in Huntersville, NC to check out the new Birkdale runners and walkers meetup group.  I'm accustomed to having only two or three people show up for my weekly runs, so it was a real treat to see nearly two dozen other participants waiting in the in the parking lot.  After a few introductions we were off at whatever-pace-you-choose on the new McDowell Creek Greenway Trail.

The McDowell Creek Greenway Trail is a ten foot wide 1.5 mile trail from Westmoreland Avenue to the future Robbins Park, surrounding residential neighborhoods, and Birkdale Village.  It's mostly flat with several entry points along the way.  We started and finished at the new Fleet Feet store on Cranlyn Road.

Local resident and longtime runner Tim Richter started the Birkdale Runners and Walkers Group in January with the intent of getting people together to enjoy the benefits of being outside, be it running or walking.  Kristin and Mark Harris, owners of the Fleet Feet, have graciously offered up their store as the meeting spot.  They had Starbucks coffee and treats as well as water at the finish.  Talk about a reward!

After the run we stuck around a talked with many of the other participants.  Everyone was overwhelmingly positive and happy to be there, especially on such a sunny day.

If you are in the east Lake Norman area (Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson, Mooresville, etc.) and are looking for a group with which to run or walk I'd highly recommend joining the Birkdale Runners and Walkers Group.  Joining is very simple - just go to their website and submit your information, then show up.  I think you'll really enjoy it.

Chad R.
Davidson Area Running Team

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

2010 High Country Triple Crown



This came to me from Stacy Sears, Race Coordinator of the 2010 High Country Triple Crown.  I ran in the Valle Crucis 15-miler last year and had a blast.  If you like hills you'll love these races.  - Chad R.



"On behalf of the High Country Triple Crown, I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to participate in the 2010 race series; the Valle Crucis 15-miler, the Cub 7-miler, and the Knob.  The High Country Triple Crown is the premier running series in the High Country of North Carolina. Beginning in 2010, 100% of the proceeds from the race series will benefit Girls on the Run of the High Country.  Girls on the Run is a national organization that is new to the high country and is dedicated to the well-being of our young girls of the high country.  If you would like more information about Girls on the Run and the organization, please visit their website at www.girlsontherun.org.  


The Valle Crucis 15-miler will be held April 24th; the Cub 7-miler will be on August 28th; and the Knob is scheduled for October 8th.  Registration is now open for all three events.  You may register online at www.triplecrown.appstate.edu.  If you have questions regarding registration you may contact us at triplecrownraces@gmail.com.  


Please share this information with other fellow runners.  We look forward to seeing you run in the High Country soon!"


Thank you,
Stacy Sears, Race Coordinator

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Race Recap: Iron Horse 100k, Florahome, FL



The Sun Also Rises...And Then Sets
So there I was, three miles from the finish line, and almost instantly what was dusk turned to near darkness.  The sun goes down pretty fast here in northeast Florida in February and I had been running since sunrise.  That meant that the next 35 minutes would be spent running in blackness along an old rail bed pitted with potholes and gravel the size of golf balls, and crossing an old railroad trestle with rotted out timbers.  One false step and I would be knee-deep in swampy water, or worse.

As I considered my options I recalled some of the events leading up to that point.  What a day it had been here on the old Norfolk and Southern rail trail!

At the starting line it became apparent that while the Iron Horse Endurance Run might have been billed as an ordinary ultramarathon, some of the contestants were truly extraordinary.  One female runner had a prosthetic leg akin to what Oscar Pistorius wears.  Another female runner had already qualified for the Western States 100.  Yet another, Monica Scholz, was running thirty 100-milers in 2010.  I overheard a male runner saying that he had run Badwater a couple of times.  My history of 21 marathons, five 50ks, and one 40-miler looked like peanuts in comparison.  On the other hand, there were a few others like me who were stepping it up, including Greenville, SC-based Jason Sullivan who was shooting for his first 100-miler.

After a quick invocation by race director Chris Rodatz we were off.  Because there was no way to differentiate runners by race it was hard to tell what pace to use.  I decided to go it slow with a ten minute/mile pace.  Later on I realized that was too fast.

Pretty quickly I hooked up with a couple of guys running the 100-miler, Scott and Mike.  They spend their weekends making the rounds of ultramarathons throughout the nation and were of terrific help to me.  Such incredible positivism hour after hour.  They almost had me convinced that I should forge on ahead with them and do the 100 miles, but after twelve hours of hoofing it I came to my senses and demurred.  By sheer coincidence I met Thomas Eggars at the 50-mile mark; Thomas is a fellow member of the Charlotte Running Club.

My run was largely uneventful, other than having to use two Garmin GPS wristwatches because neither had a battery life of more than ten hours (total unofficial time of 11:48:53).  I did manage to trip and fall once at mile 20.  The 1979 movie Alien had a tag line of "In space no one can hear you scream."  In trail running no one can hear you cuss loudly.

For Whom the Belt Buckle Tolls
So with the stars shining and the clock ticking I reached into the pocket of my hydration pack and pulled out my headlamp, which I promptly affixed to my head and turned on high-beam.  With footing illuminated I trotted to the finish line and announced my number and that I was done with my first 100k. For my efforts I received a really cool belt buckle.




Monday, February 15, 2010

Delayed Gratification

Due to this past weekend's inclement weather in the southeast, some races have been pushed out a week (And some, like the Myrtle Beach Marathon, were canceled entirely).  So what does this mean for this weekend?  Races, and lots of them!  It's a veritable smorgasbord of racing opportunities.

Saturday, February 20th
Sunday, February 21st
  • Winter Flight 8k (Salisbury, NC) has been rescheduled from 1/30 to 2/21.  Note that the starting time is 1:30pm for the fun run and 2:00pm for the 8k.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Love the Race You're With


If you're not heading to this weekend's Myrtle Beach marathon, half-marathon, or 5k then why not run a race that's closer to home?

On Saturday, Feb. 13 there are a couple of local races and one a little further away in Greensboro.

  • Cupid's Cup 5k & 1.5 Mile Fitness Walk:  Word on the street is that this will be a fast course with some of the best local racers showing their skills.  Online registration is closed and there will be no on-site registration, but you can register in person at the Charlotte Running Company's Dilworth location, 1412 East Blvd., Ste. G, Charlotte, NC.
  • Valentine's Day 5k and Fun Run (Denver, NC):  If you're more inclined (sorry, bad pun) to run a hilly course then look into this race on the western side of Lake Norman.  In addition to the usual overall and age group awards there will be awards for the fastest couples.
  • Valentine's Day Massacre Marathon and Relay (Greensboro, NC):  They say there's a fine line between pain and pleasure, and here's your chance to prove it.  Taking place on Valentine's Day, this race consists of multiple laps of a 1.6-mile loop.  It's a Boston qualifier for solo participants, but most of the participants will be in four-person teams.
Happy Valentine's Day!

Chad R.
Davidson Area Running Team

Monday, February 8, 2010

Run-Blog-Run-Repeat

I've added a sidebar containing links to the blogs of local area runners.  By no means is this comprehensive, so if you have a Charlotte/Lake Norman area running-oriented blog or know of someone who does send me the info and I'll give 'em a shout out.

Speaking of blogs, I'm planning on adding a discussion board to the DART site.  Just gotta figure out how to do it.

Have a great week!

Chad R.
Davidson Area Running Team

Friday, February 5, 2010

Charlotte Running Club's Run for Haiti Location Change

Due to the latest series of storms passing through the Charlotte area location of the Run for Haiti has been changed from McAlpine Park to the Dowd YMCA.  

"The Charlotte Running Club invites members and non-members to lace up their shoes and run, while raising money for victims of the devastating earthquake in Haiti.  With nearly 200 members who all share a passion for running, we know our membership can make a difference in the efforts to bring relief to a community that lost so much. 

The concept is simple:  meet us at the DOWD YMCA at 8 am on Saturday, February 6th.  Then, we'll separate into pace groups and we'll all start running.  From there on out, it's just good exercise and good conversation.  When you're tired, stop, tally up your miles and donate a dollar on behalf of all the club's members for every mile you've run.  You can pay by cash or check, payable to the Charlotte Running Club.  All proceeds will go directly to the Red Cross Relief Fund.   Water and Gatorade will be provided - we can't wait to see you there!

Can't make it on Saturday? - no problem!  Just run around your neighbourhood or in your favorite gym, keep track of your miles (no-one will object if you exaggerate this time...), and give the money to a club member, or contact us to find where to send it.
Can't run because of injury? - no problem!  Show up on Saturday morning with your checkbook and sponsor someone who can.  Make sure they won't run so far you'll be broke for the rest of the week, though!"

Thanks, Theoden!