Frostbite 5K

Delightful day for a run. Temperatures were perfect, 60 degrees, overcast, lots of fresh air. The Kannapolis YMCA did a great job with this event and much to their own surprise, had a far greater turnout than expected. The run had a later than usual start time of 10 AM and many participants arrived at the last minute to join in. The Y has a wonderful location in a residential area of Kannapolis along with a grand park for families and children.

The route was not as flat as described in the brochure, it was quite hilly and entirely on asphalt, but, it was well directed and proved to be an excellent challenge. The police officers did an outstanding job with traffic control and with following the runners for safety measures. I am very much looking forward to future runs at the Cannon YMCA. Kannapolis has much to be proud of!

Posted Guntime: 46:34

Thunder Road / Presby Jingle Jog 5K

I must say, of all the 5Ks I've participated in this year, the Thunder Road event was by far the most enjoyable. Over 6000 runners total for the three races. The courses included a full marathon, a half marathon and a 5K. Run For Your Life was in top form. Digital timers at each mile marker, well marked routes, excellent traffic control and LOADS OF FUN!!

The "Girls On The Run", a local youth organization had an enormous turnout and they were most encouraging to both watch and trail alongside. Each young lady had a mentor. Mentors were parents, friends, relatives and volunteers and each child was coached and supported throughout the entire race. They ALL ran supremely well and as one brilliant young athlete stated "We made it and we're not dead!" They met the challenge and should be most proud of themselves.

As for me personally, I have discovered what shin splints are, or at least what they can be, took me 3 or 4 races to realize it wasn't the cold weather, it was something more. Did you know a pair of running shoes averages only about 300-400 miles. Mine exceeded their odometer about a month ago and I failed to realize it, I simply thought I was growing steel beams in my lower front legs, chuckle! A new pair of Saucony's for me and I'll be good as new next race!

Personal Time: 45:34
Nephew's Personal Time: 31:12
(and it's only his second 5K!)

GO MITCH !!

Turkey Trot 5K

Fabulous run! Absolutely fabulous! It had a considerable number of participants and a fantastic timing set up (velcro ankle bracelet chips). The participants were a lively, versatile group, ranging through all ages and a great many out of state residents. There were two police officers as a courtesy but due to the excellent location of the route, they were representational at best. Cones weren't used, but simple signs at each turning point. Track went through a quiet business area surrounded by distant subdivisions. Perfect for a running course. This particular excursion included a 5K, 10K and half marathon.

I must say, of all the 5Ks I've ran this year, this was the safest, most congenial route of all, and since it IS ABOUT the RUNNING, the management of the entire running element was SUPERB! I would recommend this race for anyone - family, individual, group, pro or novice - and trust that their supporters will continue to multiply at future promotions as they had very few sponsors, none of which appeared to be present for the ceremony but certainly contributed to a worthy cause.

Best wishes to Buttar.com and I look forward to more of their hosted events.

OFFICIAL TIME: 49:47

Fall Harvest Run 5K

I did not run. I walked. With ATTITUDE.

My and my walking mate, I. Pod, really wanted to enlighten a few motorists.

"EVER SEEN A PEDESTRIAN BEFORE??"

Apparently, some of the local Huntersville police officers had never covered a 5K / 10K event before and they chose to allow vehicles to continue on route with runners traveling the same street. In doing so, they failed to encourage the motorists to use the opposite lane for passing - as it was clearly marked. Having a dump truck two feet behind you in the same lane, while on foot, is not the most enjoyable sporting event. While traveling uphill, through a curve and under a train trestle makes it even less appealing. It appeared that only two of the officers did not realize the importance of redirecting traffic, the others had evidently managed traffic at some time previous during their prestigious careers in the bustling metropolis of Huntersville.

This was my second run in Huntersville. The previous event was held July 4th and the route was directed very well. Not sure what went awry at this event but I trust it will be managed more appropriately in the future. My experience was minimal compared to those participating in the 10K. The longer runners had many more obstacles to overcome on this route.

There were less sponsors at this event, although it was still managed well. Realizing it was also scheduled in November, a time when many dedicated runners drop back to indoor sports as temperatures lower for the fall and winter seasons.

OFFICIAL GUNTIME: 46:56

Dowd YMCA 5K

Very cool morning for a run. Trail circled Latta Park in downtown Charlotte. Course could have possibly been longer than 3.1 miles, as best scores were slightly higher than average. Still a good run. Not my personal best, hadn't run since Oct 4th Race For The Cure and the score reflected my detour into the world of mountain biking.

Time 43:40 Pace: 14:10.

Susan G Komen Race for the Cure 5K

Best time yet.

Recorded at 1:24:12
ACTUAL Time 39:12

Clock started at 7:30am for the competitive race and continued running for the non-competitive which started at about 8:15am, thus I subtracted 45 minutes from my recorded time. Due to the enormous size of the crowd, there were delays and route restraints not present at most 5Ks, nonetheless, this was an outstanding event. The support and compassion for survivors and decedents was beyond words - you simply had to be there.

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - The chilly temperatures Saturday morning got people energized for Charlotte's Race for the Cure.

More than 14,000 walked, ran and jogged down Trade Street in Gateway Village.

We checked the group's website and they raised $1.4 million to help fight breast cancer and raise awareness. That's their biggest number ever.

WBTV Anchor Molly Grantham was there to MC the event.

http://www.wbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9130294

Run For Green 5K

This run took place at McEver Fields and is part of the Davidson Lands Conservancy. Much of the trail was over the asphalt guide through the park and was quite scenic. Temperatures were perfect and the event was well hosted by both the organizers and the sponsors. Several local schools were represented and the top male performer was coach for a local track team, Top Female was a track team member from the community. There were two events for the day - a 5K and a Half Marathon, 249 runners in the 5K and 332 in the Half Marathon. Excellent turnout for Davidson NC.

My personal time was not where it should have been, but then, it matters more to have shown up, ran, and finished the event. I was recorded at 45:38 (guntime only). Queen City Timing managed the electronic chip process and once again, I was not impressed with their overall process. Run For Your Life truly has an excellent skill level for managing timed sports events - from beginning to end - they excel in their field. QC has not yet achieved an exact chip time for any event I have participated in which they have managed.

Davidson Lands Conservancy did choose an excellent trail and parking was typical for the area. Several events were happening within the town on this particular date yet there were still parking places available in the area of McEver Fields. I would recommend this 5K to anyone who might enjoy a wooded area for an early morning run. Security was commendable and several staff members on golf carts covered the entire pathway to ensure the safety of registrants. Great place for a run !

Hog Jog 5K

I did not run.


I walked.





I walked with a wonderful young lady who is joyfully expecting her first child(ren)... she is carrying identical twins.

We had a grand time and on this particular run, I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

The route was not the best and it actually took us through some very degraded areas of Charlotte and too close to the interstate for my personal comfort level. We walked beside and under more than one overpass, were approached by several vagrants (homeless) and while we had a police escort, our path was not coned off as other events have been. RFYL did the timing and I suspect they had nothing to do with the choice of route, as their usual timers and volunteer staff were not present. There were more police officers present than at any other 5K I have participated. RFYL did have markers and a water station but none of the digital apparatus was present through the track and no one had any idea where the awards ceremony would be held. Many left previous to the ceremony or simply joined the crowd listening to the blues band. A total of 583 runners were present for the first annual Hog Jog 5K.

The event for which the 5K was supporting was a BBQ festival. Beer, BBQ and Blues Music. Quite entertaining and lots of food. The event itself was a success, the run had unique challenges due to the location.

RFYL did not log start times, thus only guntimes were used. Many participants (myself included) started well after the horn, thus I reduced my overall time by 3 minutes. I also left the track momentarily to put the registration gear in my truck. The registration booth was at the opposite end of the event/start line and many missed the startoff simply because they weren't sure where it actually was. Again, I don't think this was RFYL's choice, just simply an effect of the overall location for the Blues, Brews and BBQ being hosted.

Guntime was 51:10 for me, 51:09 for my pregnant walk mate. I will post 48:10 for my records and am looking forward to the next event and a more reflective running time.

Cornwell Center 5K (4 miles)

It's been a while... I haven't ran since the July 12th 4 Miler race... and as fate would have it this turned out to be a 4 miler also.

When the route/cones were laid out early in the AM, a misdirect... or two... caused the route to be longer than originally planned. Dedicated runners, who measure their own distance and time, calculated 3.8 miles for the full route which was supposedly corrected mid-race, but volunteers admitted they were not made aware of the change and many critical turns had no volunteer present for direction. For an accurate measure, I am using 4 miles for distance and timing.

The chartered path was, nonetheless, absolutely charming. It's definitely upper end Charlotte in this particular area of Myers Park and it is the original elite neighborhood for the Queen City. The landscaping was immaculate, homes meticulously groomed, complete with iron gating, georgian / plantation style verandas, which were not to be outdone by the stately columned mansions along the way. The run was well worth the view and complimented by the relaxed environment.

Queen City timed the race using the electronic chip system. The clock was running prior to the race start, giving approximately a 2 min overage plus the chips were not used for start times, only for stop times. My time, posted by Queen City was 55:50. I made adjustments both for the correct distance and the correct start time. 53:50 for 4 miles gives a pace of 13:38 overall, and had it been a genuine 5K, my time would have been close to 41:29, which is only an estimate since the pace would have changed as the distance grew longer.

Hurricane Hannah was on the radar making the morning overcast and breezy, just perfect for a run! As for the Fall Family Festival after the race - this event is solely for small children and small groups. There were about 4 activities, a petting zoo, and a pottery sale at the event. The new director was still acclimating herself to the challenges of a well organized event. Good luck to the Cornwell Center and may their future events only get better!

RFYL 4 Miler

This race literally kicked my over weight, out of shape self right in the teeth! Awesome run, awesome turnout. 740 entrants total. 603 recorded placings. Clock stopped at 1 hr 8 min.

My ranking was #595 (out of 740). No joke. I did finish in less than an hour and I actually completed the entire track, which was 9/10 of a mile longer than my usual 5Ks. Not my best time, not my worst. I was not physically or psychologically prepared for this race but part of my goal includes exercise and commitment to the goal itself, thus I participated in spite of personal challenges (i.e., moving into new residence same day - yes, my mind was completely somewhere else!).

The run was in Dilworth (downtown Charlotte) and along secondary roads behind the Park Rd. Run For Your Life store. Roads were excellent the uphill / downhill route was very moderate. This event was not slated as a walk/run event so most of the participants (all but about a dozen) were die hard runners. I personally kept pace with a group of trainees and crossed the finish line with them in under an hour. Great group of ladies that have been training with a local YMCA to run in a 5K. They began in May and are not yet up to the point of running the entire event so it gave me proof that I am on target for my goal since I began at the end of April to get back into running shape and these ladies began 6 weeks earlier in May. Every little bit of encouragement helps!! Runners are an enthusiastic group and very encouraging one to the other. Great sport for any former couch potato :-)

This particular event was a major showing for RFYL. There were more sponsors than at any other event except for the Twilight 5K and the t-shirts for this event were Tech Shirts with the RFYL logo ONLY! Awesome shirts and this was the first event in which they ran out of shirts during registration. To their credit, RFYL took a list of names/sizes and will supply the Tech Shirts to those who did not receive theirs at the event. I left before the awards ceremony, as my movers (gotta love family!) were waiting on me, but I have no doubt the winners were very deserving of the recognition! This was also a double points race for the RFYL GPX series for 2008, thus for anyone who may have missed a race or two, running in this one gave them the points boost for the overall competition.

Another grand event hosted by RFYL !

Guntime: 59:00
Pace: 14:56 per mile

Firecracker 5K Road Race

Today was a last minute decision to participate in a 5K. Have a very full day planned for the holiday and wasn't sure if this was what I wanted to start my day off with. Very glad I did. Excellent family oriented event, the highest number of small children I have seen at a race and they all did extremely well in the Fun Run.

RFYL did an outstanding job with this event!

The timer was allowed to run for the entire hour, regardless of whether all entrants had completed or not. The MC was just loads of laughs and kept the crowd in constant cheer for all of the runners. The very top performer for today's event is also an employee of Run For Your Life and I know they must have been quite proud of him today - even though he was jokingly labeled "Flash Gordon"! He somehow managed to turn out today in a bright red t-shirt and a bright blue pair of shorts - - - GO JASON!!!

While not as many sponsors for this event, there was a good turnout of both athletes and fans, and an excellent run mapped out. For anyone in or near Huntersville, I would strongly recommend any events promoted by HFFA (Huntersville Family Fitness & Aquatics) as they are well organized and very family friendly. Great fun to be had by all ages!

Kudos to RFYL for their tremendous effort and support of today's race!

Personal Time: 42:24

Pride Stride 5K

Ya gotta luv a run at the Beach !!

This 5K event was sponsored by the local community center in Wilmington NC and is only a few miles from Wrightsville Beach (yes, you know why I chose this run for the weekend... laugh!). Most of the route was over an inlet waterway, which has been industrialized, thus the view of the harbor was sporadic but the soft gentle salt water breeze was without a doubt well worth the labor through the heat and humidity on our state's coastline.

The expected turnout was about 150, the actual showing was closer to 75-80 and the age range was close to the races in Charlotte. Smallest crowd yet for any 5K I've participated in and no children this time. Youngest participant was still college age and the oldest was under 70. This race had less than 10 walkers and of the, shall we say, 8 walkers, I came 2nd in that group - - not that I'm stating an achievement - - please understand, the group behind me were walking their dog, strolling and dancing and basically in 'beach mode'.

As for the location, this is a coastal city, but not nearly as busy as say, Myrtle Beach SC, or Tampa FL. Its pace is much more relaxed with less combustion. Really nice area if you are wanting a beach vacation without the long lines and busy crowds. I stayed in a motel near the large retail area on Market Street. At 10:30 pm, no heavy traffic, no long lines at any restaurant or bar, and this was a Friday night in a college town. If you're family oriented or just wanting some relaxation, this area has a lot of attractions and a suitable level of non-congestion.

Back to the race... I'm headed to the water in a few minutes so you know where my mind is... Total beach mode for some participants at the race. A local group, the Wilmington Roadrunners, were the biggest group of participants. The remaining runners/walkers were mostly locals. They ran in flip flops, jesus sandals and panama jack hats - - yes, total beach mode. One of the dog walkers danced the last 100 yards with her dog to the tunes of ABBA blasting out from the sponsors speakers. Just good fun!! The Roadrunners were also the ones responsible for timing the event and distributing awards. The results are not yet posted nor was it an electronically timed (no chips) event, but they did have the digital timer running from start to finish. My personal time was 43:50 - an improvement but still with room to grow towards my goal. The posting may not reflect an accuracy by a difference of 5-15 seconds due to the manner in which they recorded results. A volunteer removes the tag on your shirt and gives it to the registrar seated in the back of a pickup truck who then posts your time to his laptop. It works. I simply noted start/stop times on the digital monitor and am using that. All in all, just a great day at the beach!!

If you're running, stay cool and ENJOY YOURSELF !!

>>*..*<<

Results posted. 70 runners listed. I was 66th . Time was higher as I suspected, recorded at 44:05. Great Race!

King Tiger / University 5K

This was an excellent event. The University area is quite pleasant and has far less combustion than so many areas of Charlotte. This was the first year for this particular run and the sponsors were quite pleased. The turnout was greater than expected and the event couldn't have went any smoother.

Results were posted shortly after the race but I do not know my personal time as of yet. About a dozen of us who are 'punctuality challenged' got there right at the start time (7:30am) only to discover that parking had been moved to the farthest end of the retail zone, which was probably the right decision, but some turned and left rather than start the event late because they couldn't get from the parking lot to the start line in time. Again, this is not the sponsor's doing, it is simply an end result to arriving at the last minute - chuckle!

Most of us plunged ahead, late start and all and were quite glad to have done so. The weather was perfect and this particular stretch of road is both retail and residential. Many of the residents came out to cheer us on. All in all, just a grand time for an early Saturday morning !

Update: Registrar did update results postings this morning (great guy!) to include all times up to the 1 hour mark. Guntime was 53:37 Chiptime did not reflect the late start. About a dozen of us started 8-10 min late so I will use a 9 min difference for Chiptime of 44:37 This is a guesstimate only but it still within normal range for me at this point in time. What I learned from the Registrar is that they typically only use one computer for electronically recording start and stop times. They allow approximately 5 minutes from the gun sounding for all entrants to cross the start line, they then download all the start times and reset the computer for finish times simply due to the fact that in a 5K event, some runners will complete the race in approximately 15 minutes, thus the time is needed to complete the downloading before a runner crosses the finish line. I now have a signficant reason to Be On Time for the next event! :-)

Twilight 5K

What a crowd! This event was packed. Lots of first time runners, and to be honest, it was not as well organized as prior RFYL events.

Lots of factors made this run different. Since the starting point was central downtown Charlotte, parking was a challenge. It was just after working hours on a Friday which made for quite a combination of spectators and traffic maneuvers. When I arrived, all of the sponsors (except for the radio station and the registration sponsors) were still setting up. Because of the multitude of teams and event runners - - there were probably 5 different stations to accomodate team sign in and none had good signage for their location. Registration and chip pickup were indoors and that was probably the $64 million dollar question for the racers... This created a lengthy line for registration.

The results posting only listed 1196 runners. There were more but the timer stopped at approximately 55 minutes because the "Fun Run" began directly after the 5K. Again, not well planned. The start horn was set off three times at the beginning of th 5K and there was difficulty in aligning the runners/baby joggers as needed for the event.

There were a great many runners/walkers still completing the race when the timer was stopped. This is unfortunate because many of the first time participants were in that final group and their scores will not be recorded nor their completion of the run recognized. Once again, not well planned.

On a different note, this was a more social event than any previously. The fireman, policeman, sherriff's dept and police academy trainees were very enthusiastic. Lots of youth groups present and many family participants due to the school community involvement. The awards were to be given after the "Fun Run" but many of the runners were leaving at the end of the 5K. The Post Race Party was continuously broadcast before, during and after the 5K thus putting emphasis moreso on the "free beer to runners" than the race itself or its cause. This was truly a social event - at least in its presentation at the event.

My personal time was 45:42 (chiptime). The crowd before me and behind me was large but this is not reflected in the overall results due to the timer shut off. From a 'meet and greet' perspective, I very much enjoyed this race. Lots of really wonderful people out supporting the schools and kids and just having an all in all fun time! From a race perspective, it could have been planned better and should have been given more support for all of the families and kids that were first time runners and in that final group that was discarded due to time constraints / race alignment.

This is a good run for those that cannot make the Saturday / Sunday events and has the unique distinction of being an evening race. If you work in or near downtown, it is definitely an event worth your time and support.

Great Harvest Bread Co 5K

What a beautiful day !!

This was my second official 5K walk/run event. The turnout was far less than the CPCC 5K but still good. Mostly die hard runners. To clarify - of the 321 runners, 199 finished in 30 minutes or less. I can only say WOW!

Only 11 walkers for this event, of which I was one, and 5 of those 11 were baby joggers. One of the 11 ran almost the entire event but her pace was such that she was only two persons ahead of the baby joggers so she is included in my walkers count :-)

My time improved slightly for this event. The guntime was 45 min 14 sec. Someone complained that the chip time was off by two seconds... no I am not kidding... so the race director has not posted chip times. The score would only improve minutely with chip times since the group was much smaller so I am content.

Weight is a tremendous factor for these runs so along with my challenge to complete the 5K in less than 30 min is the additional challenge of 'lightening the load' . The Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 5K event is in October. I should be running full speed ahead and well streamlined by that event.

Can't wait for the next one - Friday night - Twilight 5K !!
If you're going - - see you there!

CPCC Skyline 5K

Saturday was an exciting day. I've set some personal goals in my life for 2008, one of which is group events / sports. This is a three phased goal and I met goal #1 on Saturday. I am thrilled! These goals are simple but add much to the quality of life for those of us that are still single after all these years. Group events are good for the soul even if not participating, but they can be especially uplifting as a participant or a volunteer. The goals for this particular category in my life's journey are:

1. To complete a 5K walk/run event
2. To run the entire 5K event
3. To have a 5K run finish time under 30 minutes.

Simple but satisfying!

Race Results:
1327 Participants
~ Top Male Score - 15:38
~ Top Female Score - 18:53

Personal Ranking:
Guntime: 49:59
Chiptime: 48:52