Week in Review

70 Miles
12m MLR
6 x 2min workout
8k in 27:55 @ CRC Winter Classic 8k

This was my first step towards building upon my fitness that was lost during my recovery time after Cal International Marathon.  Taking advantage of the MLK holiday off from work, I started the week with 12 miles at McAlpine with some friends and then completed my first workout back on Wednesday.  Although the workout was really mini (only 6x2 minutes on and off), it was a great way to get the legs moving again.  Then, on Sunday, I completely surprised both myself and my coach by running a 27:55 at the CRC Winter Classic 8k at McAlpine.  In fact, the direct quote from Terry was "Okay so wow. Do not take this the wrong way but I did not see that coming."  Me neither!  My feat here was actually my third fastest 8k ever, which isn't saying much, but it does indicate that I had not lost nearly as much fitness as I had expected over the past six weeks.  Terry agreed:  "You were so good at recovering fully after CIM that I assumed there were would be a decent loss of fitness (but a healthy loss, for sure)."

My splits were promising as well:  532, 537, 527, 541, 535.  While there were muddy sections on miles 2 and 5, it didn't slow me down.  In fact, it really felt more like a road race because all other parts of the course were very fast, with nicely compacted dirt.  Also, this was the most competitive race I've ever competed in Charlotte.  I was 29th and had several guys to chase after throughout the entire race.  There were about 15 guys from Asheville and, to battle them, a slew of Charlotte guys also came out.  In the end, I'm very pleased with where my fitness level is at this point and am excited to get back to my first real week back to training under Terry's guidance!

Week in Review

60 Miles
12 Mile Long Run
8k Race in 29:32
7 runs
1 Lift session
1 Deep Stretch Class
1 Mobility Class

I hadn't planned on racing the CRC 8k, but after the gun went off and my legs felt good, I decided to.  I had contemplated running with Anna and holding hands as we crossed the finish line, but my competitive spirit got the best of me and I decided to take advantage of this situation to test my fitness.  I went through the first mile with Ben Hovis' high school star, Emma, on my right shoulder.  We came through in a relaxed 6:01.  I didn't want to run over 30:00 for this race, so I set my sights on the guys in the club that I normally beat and tried to catch them.  Mile 2: 5:57.  By the 2.5 mile marker, I had caught Matt Rich and John Fillette.  Up until that point, I had several men to set as targets to reach, but after that, it was somewhat lonely.  There was a pack of guys about 200m in front of me, so I kept driving my pace to pass them.  Mile 3:  5:54, Mile 4: 5:55.  I passed all the people who were within a reasonable distance of me and continued to pass more in the last mile.  I felt relaxed until the fifth mile and began to feel fatigued before crossing the finish line in 29:32.

While I would have liked this effort to feel a little bit easier than it actually did, I am quite happy with where my fitness stands right now.  Over the past three months, I've averaged under 40 miles a week and haven't done any real workouts.  This race effort only puts me 83 seconds from my 8k PR, which I hope to break this year.

Additionally, I was able to hit 60 miles and still put in a decent race effort.  I plan to stick between 60-70 miles for the next couple of months so that I can stay healthy and avoid overtraining.  I may perhaps do a Fall marathon, but we'll see how this spring training segment goes before making any decisions.

Charlotte Running Club's 100x5k World Record

Goal:

Break the 100x5k World Record (37:12:53 - 22:30 5k ave) set by the Florida Striders in December 2010

Actual:
Demolish the 100x5k World Record in 30:56:49 for 18:32 average 5k (5:58 pace/mile)

30:56:49!!!!

It all started with the Charlotte Running Club's Director of Competition.  Ben Hovis - always competitive with an insatiable desire to win - caught wind of the Florida Striders' World Record and immediately knew that the Charlotte Running Club could break that record.  After only 2 months of planning, Ben, with the help of the CRC President, Aaron Linz, was able to turn an idea into a reality, putting together a successful event during terrible, rainy weather.  Of course, there were definitely some hiccups along the way as our Club had never organized such an event, but, with the help and support from many CRC members, we were able to persevere through some of the worst weather conditions we've seen all year for an entire 31 hours. 

Ben Hovis and Megan Hovis kicked off the relay with a 6am start, before heading off to a wedding in the Northeast.  It was unfortunate that Ben could not see it all go down as he had organized every single detail to ensure that we could make the relay a success.  After their legs, ninety eight more runners completed 12.5 laps each around the Providence Day School track, and a large number of other Club members came out to support those ninety eight in their laps of glory.   I was amazed at how many people of the Running Club came together to help make this event a success.  Running and non-running members of the relay really showed how passionate they are about running by making an appearance.

Mike Beigay, Aaron Linz, and Emily Barrett were there in those early morning hours to provide support and help count the laps until the sun came up and more people began filing to the track.  Our fearless leader, Aaron Linz showcased why he is indeed the President of the Charlotte Running Club as he was at the Providence Day Track for probably 25 out of the 30 hours. 

CRC President Making the Most of the Rain

Emily Barrett took on the daunting, high pressure task of counting laps for so many different runners.  After Aaron got sidetracked and miscounted one person's leg, it was immediately clear that the task of counting laps wasn't as easy as it looked.  Emily performed the job with perfection! 

The generosity from the Charlotte running community didn't just stop there.  Numerous people donated their own personal tents to us to use as the rain continued to pour down onto the runners.  People brought coffee for those runners who got the middle-of-the-night time slot.  The Hadleys baked a cake for everyone.  So many different people took pictures with their awesome dSLR cameras.  People ran a triathlon in the freezing temperatures and then made their way to the Relay on Sunday to see the final leg.  Owners of the Charlotte Running Company donated t-shirts for the event.  Providence Day School allowed us to use their facilities and carried away our trash bags. 

Meagan Nedlo brought Karhu wear test shoes and a bear out for the kids to play with, despite the rain.  Our middle of the night captains gave up a night of sleep to ensure that everything continued to run as planned.  Stephen Spada painted the CRC Logo onto his abs to showcase his pride in the Club.  Rebecca Thomason gutted out a 5k after almost two years of not racing.  Jordan Kinley gutted out a 5k in front of his admirers even though he had not run for the past two months.  Emily Barrett graciously ran our second to last leg to ensure that we sealed the deal on the record, in case of lap miscounts.  The list of items goes on and on...I probably left out three-fourths of all the other kind things that people did for the CRC this weekend. 

The most exciting part about this entire weekend was to see so many members of the running club come together and finally meet each other face to face.  The number of people that I met this week was astounding.  Some introduced themselves to me, or I introduced myself to others.  I was finally able to meet members that I had previously only known as a name on a list of race results.  Passion exuded from each and every individual out there on that track.  Not just from the people who were running, but also from the people who were cheering on loved ones.  

After this weekend, I feel so grateful for each and every person that has taken the time to join our Club and to share that passion for running.  I am so proud to be in the Charlotte Running Club!

I included some pics that I took with John's camera.

Had to post Meagan and Jordan's Handoff because Jordan shouted at Meagan to "RUN!"

Meagan and Jordan Handoff Pic #2

Despite the fact that Jordan gave Meagan the baton, she is still behind

The late night crew - Matt Jaskot, Billy Shue, Kelly Fillnow

The Karhu Bear made a rainy day appearance

Emily Barrett Bringing in her Leg

John Bringing in the Fastest Leg of the Day - 15:12?

Week in Review

73 miles
2 Doubles
1 Day off
13 Mile Long Run (3 miles up a mountain)
2 days in Asheville for CRC Board Retreat

This week was definitely a unique one as lots of interesting things happened.

1) On Monday, I got new orthotics from Dr. Bert Fields in Greensboro, to hopefully correct my leg length discrepancy. As the days went on, I could tell my legs were happy to have an updated pair of inserts.
2) For both of my workouts this week, I worked out complete solo, in an unconscious effort to test my mental tenacity and push my mind to the limits. Both workouts went quite well and, most importantly, I did not have any pain in my knee before, during, or after those workouts.
3) Garrett got sports hernia surgery on Thursday in Boston and I was not there. Like any normal person, it pained me a lot that I could not be there for him, but fortunately his mom was there to make sure he had everything he needed after the surgery. Garrett is really strong, both mentally and physically, and he is doing great considering the circumstances.
4) The Charlotte Running Club Board made a trip to Asheville to race the Hot Chocolate 10k and to make lots of decisions for 2011 and beyond for the Club. While we stayed in a sweet mountain cabin and had lots of fun, we also had over 6 hours of debate, conversation, and decision making that made me very exhausted. You can read Allen’s recap here about the retreat.

In terms of running, I was able to run 18 minutes up a mountain on Sunday at Bent Creek, but then convinced Aaron, Billy, and Matt to turn around with me instead of continuing to climb for another 3 miles, as Ben Hovis chose to do. I did not want to risk tweaking my knee or making myself sore for my half marathon in just 6 days, so we turned around and made our way to the NC Arboretum, which featured a very flat trail that ran along a stream.

Considering that my legs have endured two pretty solid workouts and that there is no pain in my leg, I’m feeling ready to go for this coming Saturday’s race. I can’t wait to see Ruth and also watch friends run the marathon on Sunday. This week I'll be focusing on getting lots of rest, eating right, and keeping my mind calm.

Last Tempo Before Houston Half

Goal:
30 min at Goal Half Marathon Pace (6:00)

Actual:
5 mile warmup
30 min at 5:58 pace
1.75 cooldown for 11.75 miles total

I ended my streak of not working out alone in five months with two back-to-back solo workouts. While many of my fellow CRC board members are racing the Hot Chocolate 10k tomorrow, I did not want to run this race as a workout and opted to run, by myself, a day earlier in Charlotte instead. This was a good decision because, although I ran alone, I was able to get in a good workout on familiar terrain and in temperatures that were 20 degrees warmer than those forecasted for Asheville tomorrow.

Michelle, Matt, and I all met at my house for a nice warmup together on the Sugar Creek Greenway. We ran 5 miles easy and discussed how Title VI needs to be revised in such a way that men's sports such as Track & Field, Wrestling, and Gymnastics do not continue to be dropped from colleges as funded programs. Matt's alma mater, University of Delaware, is the latest university to drop its running program. Matt has vowed to never donate any money to their sports programs any more.

Once we reached the 5 mile mark, I bid my farewell to Matt and Michelle as they made their way back to uptown and as I began to prepare for my 30 minute tempo. Going into this workout, I was really nervous that I would not be able to hit my goal times. This is very unlike me to not possess a calm confidence and peaceful state of mind before a workout, but every now and then it is hard to keep such thoughts quiet. I decided it would be best for my mental psyche to not look at the splits as I ran from Freedom Park, onto the roads, back into Freedom Park, onto Sterling, and on the Sugar Creek Greenway and then back down Sterling.

In the first mile, I felt fairly relaxed but I was still doubting I was hitting my times. After the second mile, I peaked a glance at my overall time and was pleased to find that I was hitting right below 12 minutes. Here, my confidence seemed to get a boost and I continued to press forward, trying to ignore the fact that the wind was much stronger than I had anticipated. For the fourth and fifth miles, I really had to dig in as there were some decent sized hills and my legs were starting to feel the fatigue build up from Wednesday's speed workout, my weight lifting, and the current workout. For some odd reason, I thought it would be more fun to go through Sterling than to run through Freedom Park. Making this decision meant that I would spend my entire 4th entire mile uphill, versus flat in Freedom Park. In the end, I'm glad I did this because focusing on driving my arms forward on the uphill took my mind off the fatigue I was feeling in my legs.

Splits
5:54 (flat)
6:00 (slightly uphill)
5:53 (flat and wind at back)
6:07 (uphill, turnaround, wind)
6:00 (flat)

I finished up and was pleased to find that I had finished at 5:58 pace for 5 miles, which is exactly where I want to be for the half marathon in 8 days. Considering that I am usually babied when Jordan does all the work in my hard effort runs, I am exceptionally pleased with my ability to push myself to maintain an honest pace as well as with my determination to keep going after mile 4 when I really wanted to just stop and call it a day. I think that running 13.1 miles at this pace is something that is within my reach, if all things fall into place perfectly. On another positive note, my IT Band and knee caused me absolutely no pain or discomfort. In fact, I didn't even notice anything in that region.

After the workout, I ran almost two miles back home and began to stretch for a while before packing. I'm about to head off to Asheville for the Charlotte Running Club Board Retreat. This is where we are going to make a lot of decisions about the future of the club, outline our vision, and determine our 2011 Social Calendar. Don't worry, your membership fees are not paying for the house we are renting...The board members are splitting the cost. We feel this is an important activity that needs to be completed in order to keep our club moving in the right direction and to continue meeting the needs of its members. In fact, Larry Seavers provided us with some great information on how we could throw one really HUGE annual social, with a band, at a low cost to members. I think this could be a good one!

2010 in Review

While I was at Wake Forest, when my teammate Merry and I were having a bad season, we would muse that when we looked back on our college days, our best and our worst races would not be the defining moments of our collegiate experience. Instead, we both agreed that we would remember the overall experiences with our friends that were most memorable. Experiences like road trips to meets (like getting so lost in the Boston ghetto that we were late for a meet and had to have the race postponed for us), experiences like Student-Athlete Semi-Formals (where the track team always was the first on and the last off the dance floor), experiences like the Annual Sketch Party (where teammates' feet feel through the ceiling in the attic) - these experiences are what I remember most and I revisit these memories often.

In the same light, I could choose to list whatever accomplishments I achieved in the year 2010, but breaking a PR does not compare to the friendships that I've acquired. It does not compare to the trips that I've taken...nor does it come close to having my parents there as I debut in my longest race ever. Unlike college, where I had the rare opportunity to travel to places like Stanford or Oregon to race against some of the best, I kept the majority of my 2010 racing within a 200 mile radius of Charlotte (with the exception of two big races - Cherry Blossom and Twin Cities).

What I liked most about 2010? All the new friendships that were formed. Fortunately for me, some of the best female talent is centered right here in NC, so I had lots of competition in Meagan Nedlo, Molly Nunn, Addie Bracy, Megan Hovis, Kelly Fillnow, Alice Rogers, Alana Hadley, and many many more. Megan and Addie have already qualified for the Trials and I know that Meagan, Molly, and Alice have the determination and talent to do the same in just a few weeks. I have enjoyed racing against and running with all of these women in 2010 and look forward watching their 2011 accomplishments unfold on the roads. With many miles on the roads, through rain, sun and sleet, I have gotten to know each of these women and know that these relationships will carry on into many more new years.

Although I just mentioned some people above, to list all the people who I have gotten to know better is probably a bad idea because someone will inevitably get left out, but I can list people in groups. The standard Thursday Dowd run boasts so many runners that I actually look forward to seeing them every Thursday in the hours of dark-thirty. I got to know some of Charlotte's finest masters runners this year and had the opportunity to work out with them on a regular basis. I've shared sweat and water with some of the best sales and technical representatives in Charlotte. I've road tripped with Aaron, Jay, and Matt to races and long runs. I've had the Thunder Road Marathon Champion, Jordan Kinley, slow down countless times to pace Meagan and I. I've continued to meet more and more members of the Charlotte Running Club, all individuals which are making an impact on our running community.

I've continued to build upon my relationship with the founders and board members of the Charlotte Running Club. As our Club evolves, I watch as our relationships evolve as well. We accomplished a lot in 2010, but we know that there is so much more to be done in order for us to make some noise regionally. I've shared in fun CRC socials that have ranged from taking a shot of tequila to celebrate CRC's first birthday, to singing karaoke, to racing in a prediction run. At all of these events, I was able to put one more face to a name, and to help one person find a running buddy. I was able to connect with my current coach, Mark Hadley of Maximum Performance Running, who has helped me move achieve some fast times.

What do I most remember about the summer? Running in super hot, terrible weather and then heading to the Hepp Hovis Training Facility to eat and swim. Those are some of the best days! Nothing like running together and then hanging out for a couple of hours with your legs surrounded by a body of water. We are all forever indebted to the Hovis' for their graciousness in allowing us into their home. These summer long runs aren't remembered for the sweltering heat, but for the company and food that was shared afterward.

These are the long runs that helped propel me to success in my debut marathon and to make my dream of making the Olympic Trials a reality. Without the company of many friends on so many long runs, I doubt I would have been able to have as much fun as I did during the Twin Cities race. The slew of texts, facebook messages, and voicemails that I received from friends and family after this race might be up there as one of my top memories from 2010. The support, love and friendship radiated from each of those messages, and I was so proud to be able to call Charlotte my home. To make the moment even more special, I was able to share in this entire experience with my parents and high school coach at my side. Not only did they bounce around the course, but they took pictures, provided words of encouragement, and gave me a hug as soon as I crossed the finish line. Did I mention that my parents and coach are 58 and 61 years old? I'm pretty sure they have more energy than me sometimes. I couldn't have asked for anything more.

Personally, I celebrated my third anniversary with Garrett while we were in Costa Rica with my family. I've continued to learn more and more about Garrett's family and have enjoyed every moment with them, which is quite often in comparison to how often I see my own parents. I have been blessed to have a second family so close to me in North Carolina. However, since my family is all over the place (and since I've gone to some good races), it has given me the chance to go so many places this year! The list is great! Costa Rica, California (three times - LA, SF, LA), Boston, Illinois, Orlando (twice), Minneapolis, DC, Nashville. I traveled quite a bit this year, but it was totally worth it.

While I may have just slated 2010 to be one of the best years ever (which is was), that doesn't mean there weren't any lows - there were definitely some, but the best is to always learn from those experiences. I had a terrible race soon after the Marathon at the Huntersville 10k, where John and I thought there was prize money but instead we won a blanket. I did terrible on my GMAT (and probably did not put in the amount of work that was necessary). When I list these things now, they seem so menial (especially considering that my best friend Merry is fighting poverty in the Dominican Republic), so it's probably best to just stop writing anything. 2010 was one of the best years I've had since college, and I hope that 2011 will bring the same happiness to all.

Exciting weekend to be in Charlotte

This Saturday, Charlotte is going to notice an influx of runners wandering the streets. Thousands of runners from all over the country will be arriving today and tomorrow for both the Thunder Road Marathon and the USATF Club XC Championships. These runners will make drivers mad when they jay-walk/run diagonally across the street, they will give local Italian restaurants a boost of sales when they flock in for carbo-loaded meals, and they will showcase their finishers' medal after the races in pride. Some of these runners you will not know, others you will know, or should have at least heard of. Friends from out of town, former teammates, and old high school rivals will all be coming to Charlotte for the same reason: our shared passion for running. There will be a slew of professional women out there - Tera Moody, Nicole Feest, Colleen de Reuck, Renee Metivier, Sara Slattery, and many more. I'm sure there are talented men coming out, but I'll leave it to Bill Shires to track them down.

This is an exciting time to be in Charlotte if you are a runner, and I would highly recommend that you take advantage of the events. The expo is going on uptown at the Convention Center on Thursday evening and all Friday. The Thunder Road Marathon starts at 7:45am. It's most likely that if you are a resident of Charlotte that you know of at least one person running the race, so get out there and cheer for them!

The Men's Masters XC Championship race is at 11:30am. The women's XC open race is at 12:45 and the men's start is at 1:30pm. The XC Champs after party starts at 5pm at Whiskey River and makes its way over to Strike City.

The Charlotte Running Club will have a booth at the Expo, which will really give us a lot of exposure. I think it's important for us to promote our club more and more as people are still under the misconception that it's for "faster" runners. We just want people who are passionate about running, and if you have that passion, then you are the best fit for the Club. I highly urge everyone to make it out to at least one of the events listed above!

CPCC Skyline 5k Race Recap

Like most races, I woke up naturally at 615am before the alarm even went off. I ate some oatmeal with soymilk and then got my race gear on. I was ready earlier than expected and was in the process of putting on my Charlotte Running Club t-shirt when there was a knock at the door, promptly at 655am. I knew that people were coming over around 715am, so I was slightly surprised to open the door to a smiling Meagan Nedlo and a groggy Jordan Kinley. Of course, Jordan forgot his bib at home and had to sort out how to get a new one, so Meagan and I just played with Cicero and talked on my bed until the rest of the gang got there. It was definitely a great way to spend my time before a race. I felt like Meagan was my teammate chatting me up before a race.

By 720am, Boriana, Thomas, Michelle, Matt, Jay, Lauren, Meagan, Jordan, John and myself were all ready to warm up and pick up our chips two blocks away in front of CPCC. We ran parts of the course backwards and then just made our way back to my house, where we dropped off our trainers and switched into racing flats. John and I arrived at the start with about seven minutes to spare. I did a couple of strides and settled into the front of the race pack next to Val and all the fast guys.

As a way to signal our start, a small woman barely murmured “GO” and we were off, definitely without a bang. I settled myself a safe distance from guys that I know can beat me like Will Isenhour and Stephen Spada. I wanted to keep them within sight because I work out with Will and know what kind of fitness he is in. I had run this course about 3 times the week prior, and I felt familiar with the terrain. I saw Stephen Spada right in front of me and settled into a pack with about five other men. I saw Spada pat a baby jogger on her back and then he pushed a little harder and made a wider distance between the two of us. Megan Hovis was cheering everyone on, but I don’t think she could see me tucked in with all the guys. I went through the first mile in 5:42, but it felt like a 5:35 to me. To my right, Michelle Hazelton was screaming her lungs out for me, forcing me to smile. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see she was jumping up and down like a cheerleader so that made me forget about my slower than expected mile time.

The second mile boasted a nice downhill, followed by a slight incline with a grade of about 2%, so nothing too drastic. Will was about 10m in front of me, so I felt comfortable about my placement. I went through the second mile in 5:40.

The third mile featured the most turns and the best downhill. Once I turned right onto Elizabeth, about 800m from the finish, Alejandro came up alongside me and started telling me to push it and that I was faster than him. I thought he was absolutely delusional because I could have sworn he’s beaten me in almost every race we’ve ever run against each other. He repeated “Come on, you are faster than me!” or “You can get him!” or “Go faster! It’s a downhill.” Needless to say, his encouragement allowed me to push a little more on the hill than I would have had he not been there, and helped me to run a 5:35 third mile. I definitely did not feel good doing it, and then he blazed past me with 200m to go to finish in 17:30. I finished four seconds behind in 17:34. I was happy with my race time, but was disappointed I was not under 17:30. Also, I would like to run sub-17 at some point in one of my next 5ks, so perhaps that will be the goal for Beat the Heat 5k in July in Winston Salem.

At the finish line, I found all the top guys to figure out how they ran: Jordan Kinley 1st, Dan Matena 2nd, John Compton 3rd, Ben Hovis 4th and Paul Mainwairing 5th. Tim Rhodes gave me a high five and so did Paul Mainwairing. Mike Beigay, Greg Isaacs, and Stephen Spada also had some great times! I found out after talking to John Compton and Paul that they felt a little sluggish in the muggy weather, which made me feel better about my own race. I looked to find out if Chad Crockford’s hip had survived (it did!) and saw that Alice Rogers blazed to a sub 18:10 5k to place second, five days after the Boston Marathon!

I did find Alejandro later to tell him that he was much faster than me, and he assured me that I had beaten him before (at the Shamrock Four Miler).

A big thanks to all those who came out to cheer us on and also to Run for Your Life for being patient with me as I figured out our Charlotte Running Club team. The open Mixed Team champions went to Jordan Kinley, Paul M. and me, good enough for a $50 gift certificate to Mac’s on South Boulevard. Second place went to my roommate John and Dan and Val Matena.
For all those who did not stick around for the raffle, you should have because they just chose the winners for the door prizes by looking at the visible race numbers on people in front of the stage. It was pretty awesome.

All in all, I think that this course is conducive to fast times and boasts a spectator friendly atmosphere. The post-race beverages were good because they had big bottles of gatorade.

Cherry Blossom Ten Miler Race Recap 4.11.10

I woke up Sunday morning at 557am to the voice of a monotone, groggy John saying "Caitlinnnn...." I had been wearing my earplugs during the night because my mom was snoring in the same bed as me. I could not hear the incessant ringing of the alarm clock, and John wanted me to turn it off!

I jumped out of bed and immediately grabbed my Trader Joe's version of a nutrigrain bar out of my snack bag. I also made up a quick batch of oatmeal, which tasted disgusting and opted to eat a Kid's Clif Bar instead. Once I had all of my gear on and ready, I made my way downstairs to run a couple of extra minutes with Megan at 640am. Soon, the rest of the crew was out ready to warmup to the starting line, which was approximately .88 miles away.

Mike led the group and dropped Megan and I off at the expo, where he continued to warmup with Matt. From there on out, Megan and I were left to figure out the race start logistics on our own. We immediately went on a search for a short line at the porta-johns. Of course, there was not a short line, but we waited anyways. After that, I realized there was actually an elite tent that Megan and I could be utilizing! We ran off, asking every race official if they knew where it was. After three unsuccessful attempts, we finally found a person who pointed us in the right direction.

For what I will be most thankful for in the elite tent: private restrooms! I feel very lucky that I was given this opportunity and I thank the Cherry Blossom Elite Cooridnator for providing both Megan and I with such a privilege. In the tent, Megan and I were the only people who actually brought the plastic bags that were given to us at the Expo. Everyone else had brought their own Nike sports bags because they knew their stuff was going to be secure in the tent. Clearly, we are novices at this game.

With 15 minutes until the start, a man started pushing us out of the tent to go to the starting line. They were going to take all of our sweats for us, so we got to keep our warm clothes on. I shed my pants, but kept my CRC long sleeve for my strides at the start line. Once we were there, I noticed that Joan Benoit was not in the advance start corral with us. I had about 5 seconds of panic because I thought there would be no one for me to run with. I calmed myself down and revised my goal to stay relaxed through the first mile.

Megan and I strategically placed ourselves in row two of the start so that the Ethiopians who were much faster than us would not have to trip over us. The gun went off promptly at 730am, and we were off in a race that included only 20 women in the advance start.


From the get-go, it appeared to me that two main groups formed, and Megan and I situated ourselves comfortably into Group 2. Our group comprised of two women that I had competed against while running at Wake Forest - a runner from NC State and one from Duke. This made me feel more comfortable with the people I was racing against. The group of six or so settled into a nice rhythm and the pace didn't feel out of control fast. In fact, it felt comfortable. We went through the first mile in 551. Perfect!

The second mile I felt Megan at my side and felt safe. It was nice to know that my occasiosonal long run buddy was right there beside me. After a little ways though, I noticed that she was touching her side, and knew that she was not feeling too hot. I sent my feel good vibes her way. We continued to run together and apparently the 2nd mile we slowed up a bit: Mile 2 - 6:00.

Going into the third mile, Megan fell back and I was still catching a break from the wind behind Lucinda Hull (her name might have changed now). I could tell that the pace had quickened because all of the girls had seen the 6:00 2nd mile and panicked. Beyond our small group, there was not a runner in sight, so I knew that I needed to stay with this group as long as possible. Third mile: 545.

During the fourth mile, I could see some of the runners from the big race, and two people cheered my name. I have no idea who they were, but that alone encouraged me to stay with the group for as long as I could. I fell off a little bit, but made a slight surge to catch back up. Mile four: 552.

It was around the 4.5 point that I fell off of my little training group. From here on out, it was going to me, myself, and I. I knew that I needed to focus a ton in the final half of the race in order to reach my goal of sub-60. If I fell off the girls that I was feeding off of, it was going to make that a much harded endeavor. Luckily, my mom was around taking pictures and she screamed her lungs out for me. You can see in the picture me falling off the pack.
Mile five: 555


I really hadn't looked at my splits up for the entire race; I was going mainly off feel. The next five miles could best be described as meditative because it was really a race against myself. I discovered new focus techniques that I had not used before in efforts to keep my pace honest. Since I was in no-man's land, I knew it would be a long day out on the roads of DC with few people to pick people off and use them as prey to catch. Therefore, I kept my eye on the next woman ahead of me (about 15m away), focused on my breathing and sometimes even counted each time I took a breath in. During these key miles, I repeated to myself whatever phrase someone had cheered to me. For instance, one man said “Keep it going Number 56!” and I just turned that phrase over and over in my head for miles six and seven. In fact, at mile six, I forgot to split my watch because I was too busy trying to grab water while running six min pace. It was during mile seven when I hurt the most, and I'm guessing I ran about a 608-612 for this split.
Combined 6/7: 12:14

Mile 8 was when the Kenyan males (who had started ten minutes later) began to pass me. Of course, I knew they were coming when the lead police motorcycle passed by me. However, I was not prepared for the speed in which the number one male passed me with. In fact, I found out later that he was running about 415-420 pace so it makes sense why I sped up a bit on this mile. I didn't want to completely look like a turtle compared to these guys.
Mile 8: 554

For the 9th mile, I was really ready to have the finish nearby. I saw the Washington Memorial in the distance and knew it was almost time to finish. Unforunately, the mile marker was completely in the wrong spot, and my watch told me I ran 630 pace. Slightly disheartening, if you ask me.
Mile 9: 630 (however it was probably more like 613 or something)

For the tenth mile, more men continued to pass me and I just didn't want any white guy to pass me, especially not Bert. I ended up accomplishing that goal and in the final 800m stretch, there was a hill strategically placed - the one and only hill on the entire course - and I was mad at that hill. I thought of the Twin Cities marathon and how miles 22-25 are all uphill, and told myself I was just preparing for that in a mini way. After the hill, I could see the finish and began to really push it in. Unfortunately a woman with a stroller decided to run in front of me with two children in tow. Luckily, an official yelled at her and she stopped just before I would have plummeled into her.
Mile 10: 543 (however, since mile 9 was off, this was probably more like 6 minute pace)

Overall time: 59:48! Woohoo! In the finish chute, I congratulated Phoebe and thanked a girl named Caroline for helping me out during the race. I saw Megan come in and we shared a half-hug and made our way to the tent to get some food and drink real quick. I hijacked my camera from my mom and we ran to cheer the guys in as they came in to the finish. That was pretty exciting to get to see the guys finish for once.

Once John, Dan, Jordan, Ben, Chad, Matt all came in, we said our congratulations and went our separate ways to get our cool down gear on. Megan and I never found Jocelyn or Kelly, but we found Danielle, so we cooled down with her and Chad around the WWII Memorial and other monuments. It was an absolutely beautiful cooldown on a sunny cool day in DC.

On the cooldown, I was able to reflect on a couple of things. First, I feel very honored and appreciative of having the opportunity to run with the advance start. On the other hand, running by myself helped me appreciate the company of others on all the training runs I’ve enjoyed with the Charlotte Running Club. I realized that I truly benefit from the camaraderie and energy in a large field of runners. I find running with others keeps my energy focused and pace on target for the duration of the race. There’s something unique about latching onto a runner, who ends up being your racing buddy throughout the rest of the race. At the finish line, there’s a shared moment because you both helped the other accomplish their goals. I didn't really get this with the advance start, so next time I will opt to start with everyone else.

After the cool down, Megan and I rushed back to the hotel to shower because we thought we would be getting an award. We were wrong. They just announced our names. On the website, however, it says the top 25 females will receive an award, so that was definitely false advertising.

We walked back to the hotel to get ready to enjoy some lunch! On the way back, my Uncle Joe took Megan, my mom and I through the Smithsonian Gardens!

In the end, all of the various CRC members and cars made their way back to Charlotte. However, the caravan of Caitlin, Matt, John, and my mom wanted to enjoy the weather in DC and we headed to Adam's Morgan to eat a delicious brunch/lunch and walk around. I got a double serving of Mochi in my frozen yogurt, so Matt and I were in Mochi heaven. We also hit up Dupont Circle and departed DC around 3pm.

To top it all off, our women's team won the Running Club, Open Female Team Division by over 12 minutes!!

1. Charlotte Running Club Feline Fatale

59:48 1:00:48 1:01:52 (1:01:55) (1:03:28) = 3:02:28

Caitlin Chrisman, Megan Hovis, Kelly Fillnow, Danielle Walther, Jocelyn Sikora

Our men's team placed third!

3. Charlotte Running Club

53:29 53:33 53:58 ( 56:19) ( 59:09) = 2:41:00

John Compton, Jordan Kinley, Ben Hovis, Mike Beigay M, Chad Crockford

Friday and Saturday Cherry Blossom Prep

This past weekend I competed at the Cherry Blossom Ten Miler as part of the Charlotte Running Club Open Women's Team. Essentially, this weekend served as the culmination of all of my training since December of 2009.

Of course, the race was defintiely fun, but the entire trip in itself was a great time, so I'm going to fill you in on the whole thing!

On Friday, Matt Jaskot, John Compton and I all met up at my house to start our road trip to Richmond, where we would stay at Matt's parent's house to split up the driving. Matt and I switched off driving throughout the trip, so it went by pretty fast. John served as our reliable co-pilot, ensuring that we always had good tunes playing through the speakers. We arrived at the Jaskots' house around 1015pm and shared some small talk with Matt's parents. John and I were ridiculously tired, so we said our good nights pretty soon after our arrival.

The next morning, I jumped on Matt and John in their separate bedrooms to wake them up for our morning run together. After they groggily got out of bed, the three of us ran an easy four miles, spotted some white squirrels, and did some light strides. Matt's dad made us some delicious waffles, which I topped with some yogurt and fruit. Once we all cleaned up, we were back on the road, heading towards DC.

Of course, we ran into some traffic, and I don't like driving in traffic. Once we made it to DC, we had Matt giving me directions, John repeating what the GPS was telling us to do, and me pissed that we were still in traffic. Overall, it made for an interesting interaction amongst the three of us, but we finally found our hotel and safely parked the car on the side of the street. John used his patience that he must use on the freshmen high school students he teaches as he was navigating us through DC.

Once we got to the hotel, we began our trek to the expo, where we would meet up with the rest of our Charlotte Running Club team Ben, Megan, Danielle, Chad, and Mike. The walk was not far at all so we decided to grab a subway sandwich before we made our way in. Once we arrived at the National Building Museum, we were directed to the packet pickup. I spotted Joan Benoit Samuelson but was too scared to ask her for pictures because she looked like she was ready to leave. Megan and I did try on some crowns though. Not quite sure why they were being sold at an expo for a ten miler, but whatever.


After the expo, Matt, John, and I went to China Town so that Matt could get some authentic Kung Pao Tofu. While he got his food, John and I sat on a stoop and people-watched. I saw a man with a beard all the way down to his shins and with one huge dreadlock down to his thighs. I wish I had gotten a picture. I also ate a huge chocolate chip cookie because I was hungry. I hadn't had a cookie in forever, and I decided it wouldn't be THAT bad if I ate it less than 16 hours before my big race. HA!

Once we returned from China Town, we relaxed in the hotel room by watching "Saving Private Ryan." Then we made it down to the hotel restaurant to enjoy a nice pre-race meal with Megan, Ben, Dan, Val, Mike, Andrea, John, and Matt. I had spaghetti and a big romaine salad. Afterwards, we all felt like we had gorged ourselves on spaghetti and decided it would be a good idea to take a walk. I got a great picture of the Capitol!


After dinner, Megan and I discussed our race strategy and how we could work together. We figured that we would probably end up going out in 550 pace, which would be fine, and then try to hang on from there on out. Once we had that conversation, I met Jordan to give him his packet, and waited for my mom to arrive at the hotel.

I crawled in bed around 9pm, and fell asleep around 930. However, my mom arrived around 1030pm, so from that point forward, my sleep was on and off. Matt also came into the room a little bit later, and I had to open up the door for him. I wasn't too worried about my lack of sleep though because I felt pretty lively once I awoke the next morning.

Winter Flight

(L-R: Molly Nunn, Caitlin Chrisman, Jay Holder, Boriana B, Bert Rodriguez cool down)

Might want to grab a drink. This is going to be a long one.

Doing the first race of your new training cycle is like going on a date with a beautiful someone.

Think about it.

You get nervous for the date because you have absolutely NO IDEA if the beautiful someone likes you. You contemplate all the 1943734986 different scenarios of how the date could potentially play out. If the date goes bad, you want to get over with it sooner. If the date goes great, you never want it to end. After the date, everyone calls you to see how you liked it, how it went, and if you think you'll do it again. Afterwards, you think of what you could have done different to make the beautiful person like you more or what you did wrong or what went great. You could also say that you feel successful at the end of the date if you get a kiss - the trophy of the date! :o)

Now apply this to your first race in over three months. You get really nervous for the race because you have NO IDEA what kind of racing shape you are in. You contemplate the 21433934 different races strategies that could happen. If the race goes bad, you want it to end ASAP but you know that it won't since you are probably running slower and want to keel over onto the side of the road. If the race goes great, you still do want it to end, but not so much the post-race festivities (especially if there is free beer). After the race, all of your friends call you, facebook you, text you to see how it went and if you would run that race course again. Using your running sense, you analyze every single aspect of the race: your mind, the course, the organization, the food, the awards...and the list goes on...At the end, you anxiously await to discover whether or not you will be receiving an overall or an age group trophy.

In so many ways, I had my first blind date with a road race in over three months yesterday in Salisbury at the Winter Flight 8k. There is something truly unique about racing that allows you to truly put your fitness to a test and to prove that the training has paid off. As far as I could tell, yesterday proved successful for most everyone in the Charlotte Running community who raced.

To start from the beginning, my team of Boriana and Jay met in the parking lot to pick up our race packets. Immediately we saw a slew of Charlotte running people who were out there to cheer us all on, which was extremely exciting. Like a true teammate, since the day boasted temperatures in the upper 60s, Jay was kind enough to bring his sport sunscreen so that this semi-albino's skin would not burn during the race. Teammate #2, Boriana, was also kind enough to let us store our stinky shoes in her car and be our driver for the day's activities.

After lathering up, we were off for the warmup. Knowing that we all had the support from our fellow countrymen, I began feeling excited to put everything on the line. Although my legs did not feel fantastic on the warmup, that is typically the way I like to start a race (never have raced well when my legs feel fan-freaking-tastic in the warmup). I will admit that I had several different doubts going through my head during this time. I was wondering if my breathing would be okay because my throat seemed really tight, as though I was coming down with a bad head cold. I pushed these thoughts aside because I really knew that the most important task at hand was to race to best of my potential on that day given the circumstances.

We made it to the start line to check out our competition. It looked like there were at least four girls who looked capable to run sub-30:00. Alana and I situated ourselves behind Bill Shires and, although it was hard to hear, the National Anthem was played. Immediately before the gun, we all gave each other a fist slap (is that what it's called??) as good luck. The race director blew the horn and we were off!

I could feel two people on my shoulder and instead of worrying about that, I focused on staying relaxed through the first mile. I settled into a groove with Molly, some guy in a red shirt, and Alana. It was nice to settle in behind red shirt guy so that I could get a slight break from the wind. First mile: 5:44. Perfect - ish. After a while I could feel the pace slowing and knew I needed to make a move to maintain the pace I wanted - 5:50s. Luckily, after the first mile, there was a decent downhill, which is where I pushed down and left the red shirt guy and the two girls. I said good job in my mind to them!

After the move, there were two other guys about 20 meters ahead that I could focus on for the next two miles over the rolling hills. I got a boost of energy when I saw Chris Jones and Todd Mayes at the top of the second big hill, especially because they told me that it flattened out from there. Thanks Chris and Todd!

However, I rounded one other turn and then there was a hill, or two, or three...again. I chuckled to myself, but instead of worrying about the hills, I focused on the guy that I was reeling in. I ran my fastest miles during four (5:40) and five (would have been 5:44), mainly due to the fact that I caught the guy that had been in sixth place and was trying to catch the guy in fifth place (never did). After running up the 400m hill in the last mile, we turned back into the Catawba campus, where a beautiful downhill awaited the runners before they entered the track for the finish. Running onto the track was fun and I felt fantastic considering it was fairly hot and the course a bit hillier than I had expected. As I rounded the last turn on the track, I saw my time ticking away the seconds - 28:37, 28:38, 28:39 - and I pushed harded so that I would get my reach goal of 28:50-ish.

As I stumbled through the chute, I was directed to a table where a woman wrote down my name and time with a pen on a piece of paper. Very old school, but very cool at the same time. I felt like I was in high school again. I met up with Jay and Bert and we waited for the next Charlotte crew. We cheered in Alana, Molly, Chad, Allen, Boriana, Larry, and Scott.

My favorite part of the race was cooling down with Molly, Alana (for a bit), Jay, Boriana, and Bert. It was refreshing to know that everyone else didn't feel like going faster than 8 minute pace on our cool down and also that none of else wanted to run up another hill. It was great to share stories of how everyone felt at different parts of the race, especially for Jay since he literally had NO ONE to race with the entire time.

The awards ceremony took place in the college gym and the trophies were probably the biggest I've ever seen. I did come away with $100 so I'm only $1400 away from my goal race earnings for the year. :o)

Really Big Trophies

While the majority of the success stemmed from the individual efforts each person has exerted over the past months in their own training, I also believe that a part of that success may also be attributed to the amazing support that was out there on Sunday (and Saturday too at Cupid's Cup!). The list of people who came just to watch was extensive: Théoden Janes, Chris Jones, Todd Mayes, Garrett Bullock, Lauren Robbins, the Hadley family, Terri Nunn, Kathy Seavers, and there were probably even more people that I didn't know their names! Clearly, what we've got going on in the Charlotte Running community is just amazing. Every person is so supportive, encouraging, and enthusiastic about everyone else's success that it feels like we all make up a very large family.

Right on Track

ON Tuesday night, the Charlotte Running Club headed out to the JCSU track for a variety of different workouts om the blue oval with the Bull looking over us.

I met Todd and Aaron outside my house and we met up with Matt, Jay, Paul, Boriana, Billy, Jordan, William (I think is his name), Allen, and Justin. We warmed up some more together on the outskirts of campus and then did a couple of strides. Before we started the intervals, there was one man out coaching another sprinter and I approached him to make sure we would not be getting in his way. He assured me that he would not, and then asked me how much longer we intended to be out there. I told him maybe thirty minutes, and he offered to keep the lights on. I wasn't positive if it was the JCSU coach or not, but it was a kind gesture that was most definitely noticed by all of us.

What was most unique about this workout was the sense of camaraderie we had amongst a varying degree of paces. Despite having over four different pace groups starting at different times, everyone had someone to start with or at least to cheer them on. Aaron, Jordan, Jay and Paul teamed up for the milers as the super fast group. I led Justin, William, Todd, and Boriana for a down ladder starting at 1600m. Allen did his own thing, but we made sure he had a good cheering crowd!

In essence, I saw the Club's mission come to life: even though we were all running around the track at different paces, we were all still there together as a cohesive group and sharing in the accomplishments of the night. It was a fabulous feeling and it was so great to hear people cheering at all turns of the track. My favorite part was that Boriana probably had the toughest workout of all because she wanted to start with us all. As a result, she took an extremely shorter rest to always be with us at the line. It was great to know that she was there and cared enough to shorten her rest by practically a minute to share in the motivation of someone saying "Go!".

What I realized about track workouts is that it is easy to accomodate everyone's workouts. One thing that I would like to pursue for the Club is to get multiple groups out when we do venture to the track. It would be great if Allen and Boriana all had their own mini pace group that they could lead and have company every stride of the way. I'll work on making this happen.

Recap:

- Jay and Paul had a great mile workout with Jordan doing his own thing hopping in. (Paul is still recovering two days later as you can read in his blog)
- Crazy Aaron did three mile repeats after doing a 30 mile race three days prior.
- Billy wouldn't stop talking about his workout he was so excited it went so well and even more excuberant that he has found a coach in Chris Lamperski.
- Everyone in the ladder group hit the times they wanted.
- According to Facebook, Allen Strickland enjoyed watching all of blaze by, and we enjoyed figuring out what he was doing. :o)

Charlotte Running Club's First Social!!!!

I have been counting down for the Charlotte Running Club’s Social since I got back from the OBX Half Marathon. The main reason why I’m so excited is because there are so many people in the club and in the entire Charlotte running community that I haven’t even met yet. I’m excited to finally put a face to the name of a person that I emailed welcoming them to the Club, or a name that I perused over while searching results in Theoden’s blog. I hope everyone that can make it comes out and has a great time! Looking forward to it!!

Beautifully Painful

The Outer Banks Half Marathon came and went in less than 1 hour, 20 minutes, and 24 seconds. Of course, if you account for the warmup, cooldown, and awards, the time would actually span from 5am to 1030am, for a total of five and a half hours of anxiety, excitement, exhaustion, pain, fulfillment, excitement, and every other emotion few and far between.

In the end, I came away with over a two minute PR and $650 richer in my third half marathon of life. I was also lucky enough to be considered as an "elite" athlete, even though I did not make the qualifying time coming into the half. Forunately, the race director was kind to let several of the Charlotte runners into this category because Megan and Ben submitted all of us as a very large group (thanks, guys!). I know that Bill and I will definitely be back next year to enjoy in the fun again!

The best part of OBX is the beautiful scenery coupled with the sound of the waves crashing onto the shore. There are some great places to check out - Garrett and I went to the Wright Brothers Memorial, which was absolutely astounding and inspiring all in one. Except for the moment when Megan's car got hit in the driveway, the weekend was relaxing, enjoyable, and exhilirating.

In a brief race recap, I was alone for the entire race with the exception of the first two miles, when a Russian was running alongside me. This proved to make things a little bit tougher on me mentally, but I still managed to run right on my target pace for the first 8 miles. Once I got to the bridge around mile 9, my pace began to drop, the lowest point reaching a 6:33 mile on the atrocious hill. By the time I got my pace back under control, I only had one more mile and, at that time, I really just wanted the finish line to be migrated to the 12 mile mark because I was spent. The finish was pretty ugly as I could feel my form falling apart in the last 800m.

As I now relfect on my race splits, there are definitely race items to improve upon and focus on for the upcoming training cycle. For 2010 training, I need to run some more tempos as well as hill repeats. It would be ideal to have the Bueana Vista hill from when I was in college moved to Charlotte. If anyone knows of a good 800m hill in Charlotte near Dilworth or Myers Park, please let me know!

Now that OBX is over, it is back to running base miles for the next two months with minimal workouts and continuously easing back up to higher mileage to peak at 75 miles in late January. I'm not sure what's on the plate for next year's spring races, but the main goals are:

1) Foster the growth of the Charlotte Running Club.
2) Have fun.
3) Enjoy the company.
4) Achieve one new PR
5) Win at least $2000 in race earnings for the year.

Should be some good times ahead!

PS So proud of my sister who is getting back into running and training for her first half marathon!

PPS Proud of Molly N for making a tough, but smart decision during the race this past weekend. You can get your goals in the next one!

Unleash the Wild Things!

On Friday night I decided to bring one of my favorite childhood books to life by going to the movie "Where the Wild Things Are." The main character Max is, to be quite honest, somewhat psychotic and out of control; he is so wild that he makes even the "wild things" seem tame once he gets to their remote island. I walked out of the movie thinking that kid needed some major attention, otherwise he would be a complete wackjob by the time he made it to high school.

Flash forward to the next day when I was exuberant that Garrett was in town for some quality boyfriend/girlfriend time. In the middle of washing the dishes, I would let out wild screams, cat calls, or meows. Random bursts of excitement would echo out through my strange sound effects, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. After I did these things that Garrett barely even noticed (this is a common practice for me, so it no longer seems strange to him when I cry out random sayings to nobody in particular), I realized that I was acting a bit like Max. Max loves to run around wildly, flailing his arms, and without notice to his surroundings.

The main reason I bring this up, is that despite the fact that "Where the Wild Things Are" is meant to show that sometimes being a family is hard, a completely opposite meaning resonates with me instead. My take-away from the movie is quite simple: you should let yourself be goofy sometimes.

With this main message resonating through my head, I could not stop thinking about running. Think about it...Aren't most of the runners you know a bit on the quirky side? Most of us have one distinguishing feature when we let our "wild side" come out. Take, for instance, some of the antics of our very own from the Charlotte Running Club. Aaron Linz lets out a tribal scream accompanied with a clap of the hands after almost every repition during workouts, even if he is feeling like absolute crap. This definitely keeps my spirits upbeat if my legs feel like garbage. On the other hand, Jay Holder likes to make a noise with his lips when he is either confused or surprised that sounds much like "bluh-blub-blub-blub." Matt Jaskot wears hand-me-down soccer shorts from his co-worker's eleven year old son...and the list could go on and on...What are your quirky ways???

In many ways, I believe that this wild side needs to be released every so often in order to keep life sane and also exciting. Wandering through the house, I'll break into a dead sprint and stop abruptly before I hit the fridge. This is me letting go of all social conventions, letting my soul out to fly openly and freely, shining in its brilliance. The same thing happens for me while running.

Although I am very biased, runners quite possibly could be the best at letting themselves act freely and without thought. After all, once we get into a running rhythm, our legs and arms flow freely without thought for hours every week as we mechinically go through the movements to create stride after stride. This is the true characteristic that runners eventually possess after running for years, no matter what your pace may be. For this, we should all rejoice in the spirit that we know how to let loose and just live life.

Feel free to share some of your strange antics!!!

Content in Charlotte - FINALLY!

I went to Mexico with Garrett who happens to be one of my best friends and also my boyfriend. It was awesome. I had a blast. It was nonstop fun, relaxation, and bliss, all rolled into one.

So why was I craving to be in the know as to what was going on with all my Charlotte buddies? Usually you are not supposed to want to leave an all-inclusive vacation because you miss your life back home. Obviously, I had a blast in Mexico, but by the fifth day of vacation, I was feeling separation anxiety from the social base I have formed here in Charlotte. I even caved in to my addiction and paid 15 USD for all day internet, that was only accessible in the hotel lobby, and logged onto gchat to catch up with family and friends. I even used Skype to call Aaron because he had such a huge PR in the VA Beach Half Marathon that I could not stand to wait and not get the race recap in his own words.

Clearly, my social circle that is mainly comprised of members from the Charlotte Running Club has become a strange addiction. Upon any separation that exceeds more than one day, I begin craving the facebook logon to read all the status updates, reading the "Weekly Runner" e-newsletter, and can't help the itch for the next long run to get caught up on the latest gossip regarding area runners.

It's a good thing that all of my other friends are pretty good facebook stalkers as well. :o)

The whole point of mentioning this addiction is that while some people may think it is unhealthy to think about your life back home while on your vacation, I think it is a clear indicator that I have formed my "third" family here in Charlotte. My second family would be those people that I met at Wake Forest, who hold an especially dear place in my heart. :o)

Some people have that itch to get out into the world and move somewhere completely new, and I definitely consider myself this kind of person. I'd like to include myself in the list of friends I know that have taken that risk to move very far away from everything that they have ever known to embark on an entirely new life experience where you can build your life from scratch.

Examples:
1. Kylee just moved to Colorado to be in the West since she had never been.
2. Matt is going on a cross country van trip until he runs out of money
3. My brother Joey moved to Phoenix without a job and now loves it
4. Merry took the leap and moved to Boston!

For those that know me, I have always stated that I really would love to live in California at some point in my life, and I still see this as a dream I would like to turn to reality...but not quite yet. Obviously, I love my sister and would love to be out in the West very much, but at this point everything has finally fallen into place for me here in Charlotte. The running club has really taken off, my job is getting better, and I have friends that I can depend on. I don't want to go through the whole process of making friends and finding running buddies all over again!

It is great seeing how so many of my friends who have pounded out grueling mile repeats or long runs all together have improved dramatically over the last four months. Together we are all truly a team, dedicated to helping each other achieve in all aspects of life - running, life, job, whatever.

Keep up the good work!

Charlotte Running Club

I tend to meet people in random ways. This is how I have met most of the people who have started the Charlotte Running Club.

To understand how the Charlotte Running Club was conceived, it is important to first understand how I met most of its original founding members. Matt was the first runner in Charlotte that I met. I purposely ran the Hog Jog 5k with the sole intention of introducing myself to the guy that ran the time closest to my goal times.

At the end of the race, in the post-run-party-tent, I waited for the announcer to present award to the third place male. After he walks away with his trophy, I immediately went up to him and said, "Hey! Do you live uptown?" He kind of looked at me all crazy and was not sure I was talking to him. I said, "Hey, I'm talking to you!" And then he said "Oh, Hey! yeah, I live uptown." From there I gave him my name and cell phone number to call me so that we could link up for some runs. Luckily, I did not scare him too much because he texted me a couple days later to schedule a "running date."

About a month after meeting Matt, I got a random email in response to a Craigslist posting that I had forgotten about. Right when I moved to Charlotte in July, I posted an ad for a running buddy that could run 760-730 pace per mile for long runs. Three months later, I decided to check my email account and someone had responded! I got excited and immediately responded, and after the email exchange got longer, I found out that this strange man also worked uptown and was willing to run from work in the evenings.

Of course, I put on my safety first hat, and was genius enough to google-stalk him first before I actually agreed to meet him. It was afterwards finding his personal webpage that proved he was not a creeper when I received an email from him, stating that he had a personal website to prove he was not a stalker. Clearly, we were both thinking of the same page. I found out later that he, Aaron, had also google-stalked me and found me on the Wake Forest Sports webpage.

To say the least, I introduced Matt to Aaron, and then as the months went by, Aaron met Jay, another local runner from Run For Your Life. With this core group, Aaron was inspired to launch a running club to bring together the masses of the CLT running community into one scene.

Now, two months after the inception, we boast about forty members, two sponsors, a newsletter, a webpage, and even a logo. Together, Aaron, Jay and I have truly made some big strides of making the club into a reality with the hopes of organizing what was once a disconnected conglomeration of runners that had no central place to find out where people got together to run.

Furthermore, it has been great to be surrounded with a group of people who are truly invested in running and share the same passion as my own.

This post was practically a marathon so I better stop here. Essentially, I trust that the Charlotte Running Club will continue to grow!!

www.charlotterunningclub.org