5K Gator Bowl Run

 

Warm, sunny day in Jacksonville, Florida and the city is excited for today's Gator Bowl game.  This race is run along the Gator Bowl parade route which includes crossing and returning over the Main Street bridge at Jackson Landing.  Lots of spectators and over 1200 participants in today's event.  Largest group of walkers I've seen in some time, partly due to the day's activities and the scenic view available on this course.

Race day registration was higher than anticipated and t-shirts were gone before the race start.  Kudos to 1st Place Sports for realizing that pre-registered runners were entitled to shirts and when told that the stock was depleted, 1st Place immediately informed runners that more shirts would be available in about a week at the local store and for those driving in from out of town (such as myself), shirts would be mailed free of charge as soon as available - the operative word being "pre-registered".

The START and FINISH lines were on opposite sides of Jackson Landing thus vendors were scattered in several places and parking was ample yet not central to either point of entry or exit.  This was not a bad thing, just an unusual arrangement for a downtown area.  Chips were standard plastic chips that are typically threaded through shoestrings.  These had 4 inch strips of velcro threaded thru the chip slots which made for really easy attachment - creative idea.

I had a change of plans last week and gave serious thought to opting out of this race.  As always, I am glad I persevered even if it was a walking exercise for me.  JAX is a joy to visit and this race was well organized and easily maneuvered.  Good luck to Florida in today's game!!

CHIPTIME:  47:16

Cold Winter's Day 5K

 

There is a first for everything...

I ran in the snow... 

Not just snow on the ground but an actual snowfall that continued through most of the race...

Temps in Columbia SC were actually high 30's and low 40's causing the snow to melt quickly but nonetheless, 260 dedicated athletes showed up to run the final race of the Palmetto Grand Prix series in South Carolina.  This was a small event, locally organized and well managed.  Medals were awarded to all winners of each age group category and the "Palmetto Grand Prix" patch was also given out to winners.  

Course was not flat as described nor was it an out and back as described (which is what I was anticipating for this particular race).  The track was very hilly and a complete circle (loop) through a residential area behind the START / FINISH line with no repeated sections along the course and very few volunteers. 

Race Directors realized that weather conditions may cause a cancellation, delay or reschedule for this event and did not send out any information relative to this possibility.  Runners had to reach out to possible contacts or other known members of the local group to discover if in fact the race would run as scheduled.  

Local Police made the decision at 1:30 pm (race start was 3:00 pm as scheduled).  Participants driving in from non-local areas should have been given a courtesy email or phone call with contact information in advance of race day.  M.C. for this event made several "jokes" regarding a similar situation that happened at Myrtle Beach earlier this year (snide remarks regarding the cancellation which took place at last minute) and while the Palmetto group was allowed to continue, their efforts were no better than Myrtle Beach in regards to notifying the public.  The comments were inappropriate, all things considered.

This group (sponsored by Strictly Running) also does a very 'economical' version of race shirts, or at least they did for this race.  All shirts were technical tees, all had identical logos which promoted Strictly Running on the front side and "See ya!" on the back.  The shirts varied from short sleeve, long sleeve, male, female, and every color under the sun.  Participants that picked up goody bags before race day were allowed to pick their own shirts from boxes of available sizes.  Those picking up packets on race day, were given the listed gender/size shirt in whatever color available. 

No vendors were listed on the shirts and no specific race logo other than the timing company, "Strictly Running".   While this is positive in that it's a technical tee without multiple sponsors, it's negative in that it does not commemorate the particular event.  Anyone who had just run his or her first race would not have the usual "I got the t-shirt" experience. It's a minor issue but it's out of sync with the majority of race events.

I delayed writing this post as I honestly could go either way in my view of this race.  I would not register for another race in the Palmetto Series for reasons listed above but at the same time I would not discourage someone else.  The race overall is slightly below average and gives me a renewed appreciation for Run For Your Life and Event Marketing Services (www.runforyourlife.com) and all that they do for the Charlotte NC running community.  I think my disappointment lies more in the fact that I've lived in a large city most of my life and much of the amenities available are taken for granted.  

This was perhaps a timely experience for me and a reminder that there are privileges to living in either environment - city or rural - there were no strangers in that running group and lots of family present.  Race directors searched out young people whose results were impacted by lost chips or incomplete applications and appropriate awards were presented same day during the ceremony.  That is truly going the extra mile and very much a rarity in a larger network.

Sincere wishes to the Palmetto Grand Prix group's success in 2011.

CHIPTIME:  45:47

Mt Mourne VFD Elf Run 5K

2010 was the first year that I have ran this particular race, although I suspect I may have registered for it in previous years and failed to show up due to cold or rainy weather (it's a December / January race).  In setting out to blog about today's course, I noticed a significant decline in attendance over the last four years and I am not sure why.  The management, course, pre/post amenities and support were tremendous!  This is a rare event that actually gives out trophies to winners in each age category and also has a huge selection of door prizes (provided by sponsors).  I'm about to brag here so realize I very much enjoyed this 5K!

The firehouse was full of hustle and bustle this morning even though temperatures were in the low 30's.  Runners were allowed to stay inside the building right up until the Race Start which was nice.  We were provided with Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Biscuitville (sausage and ham), fruit and water both before and after the race!  Vendors were allowed to set up tables inside the firehouse (Fire Trucks were outside and/or on the course itself) and Run For Your Life was present although not the timing company for this race.

I was impressed!  The only thing not present were sport drinks which, due to cost, many local races with less than 1000 turnout have stopped providing (I hope someone from Coca-Cola or Gatorade reads this!)  and due to the economic downturn, sponsorships from the various distributors have ceased.  The alternative is to buy the powdered drink mix and make a water cooler or two for post race.  Irregardless, the race did not lack without it.

The course was an out and back with mild hills.  Only one volunteer was on the course, other than the police cars and fire trucks at pivotal intersections.  The single volunteer had paper cup duty at the half way point (water station) and he was doing a mighty fine job!  Course monitors weren't really needed on a loop route, so again, this event lacked for nothing.

Goody bags held coupons, two water bottles and a 100% cotton t-shirt and no registered participant left without a shirt.  Parking was easy to find and the VFD is just off of I-77.  I would truly love to see attendance increase for this race as it is an excellent venue and one of the few local events for December!

GUNTIME:  42:36

Girls On The Run 5K

 

This was an untimed event sponsored by New Balance, Goody and Girls On The Run.  Sixty-six teams from 38 schools were represented with over 900 young girls in participation.  This does not count the sponsors and coaches that ran with each girl or the local residents that registered and ran in support of the event.  For those not entering with a child, timing was completely out of the question.  At no point did we ever pass the starting group or run in small sections with very few people.  The crowd was too large and the route too narrow for such an attempt and if you know how energetic children run, you also know adult runners spent a great deal of time making unexpected pauses, stops or sharp turns.  *smile*  A digital clock was positioned at the finish line so that all runners had an approximate time of completion.  I personally wore my Garmin Forerunner but walked the majority of the 5K due to the constant crowd en route.

UNOFFICIAL TIME:  46:40

The t-shirts for this race were long sleeve, 100% cotton, burgundy with the GOTR logo on the front and sponsors on the back.  The entry fee was only $15 and it supports a wonderful cause, therefore, even without a clear route and chip timing, I would still recommend this event.  Lots of family fun and good exercise on a Saturday morning!  

This route was also predominantly uphill - a very unexpected choice for a kid's run.  Had the exact same route been run in reverse, it would have been predominantly downhill which would seem a far better choice, but then, it would have also been less of a challenge.  Each child received a bib with the #1 on it and all #1 runners received a medal at the end of the race (standard neck style, white ribbon, pink/green GOTR logo medal) and they earned it, they truly earned it!   

Congrats to GOTR for another fantastic event and best wishes for next year.

Lake Norman Turkey Trot 5K

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!

This was a last minute decision for me, I literally registered late Wednesday afternoon.  I had no idea that I would be "pain-free" after my half marathon and I had zero runs on my calendar as a result.  As it turns out, signing up and showing up may have given me a new PR in the 5K category (waiting on final results to post).

This is the 5th year for the Lake Norman Turkey Trot and the event is growing larger than anticipated.  A new location for the course was introduced and it's a keeper.  The START/FINISH was held at Gold's Gym in Cornelius which also allowed ample parking and much easier access / directions.  The registrars had over 1300 signed up by Wednesday afternoon which is 500 more than 2009.  Fantastic growth for the Buttar event and a energetic crowd for the runners.

TO BE CONTINUED WHEN RESULTS ARE POSTED  10:29AM 11-25-10

CONTINUATION  4:36PM  11-26-10

Apparently I live in a bubble...  I seem to be the only attendee that actually enjoyed myself.  Please read here --> REVIEWS  & REVIEWS and you will obtain a more accurate or perhaps a more common opinion of the event.

Results were posted today, I personally emailed Buttar.com, Epic Sports Marketing and Zahid Buttar to find the results.  Seems Buttar was bought by Epic and Zahid Buttar was the one responsible for posting the results.  He delayed postings for accuracy.  The timing may be accurate but according to professional runners, the distances are not.  The half marathon was short by over 2 miles, the 10K was 6.1 mi and the 5K was 2.8 mi all depending on whether or not you followed the designated route or the people around you as a majority of complaints centered around a lack of volunteers and proper signage for the course.

Buttar.com is part of the Center for Advanced Medicine and Clinical Research and has also been the recipient of a recent Medical Board investigation here in NC: --> Dr. Rashid Buttar Article so some of the comments will be quite critical.

Back to my bubble...

I am still glad I attended.  This was an easy location, an energetic crowd and, in my humble opinion, an improvement access-wise over previous years. I can only hope that Buttar will take all the feedback from this year's event to heart and make some drastic improvements to the course set up, volunteer arrangements, packet pick-up and t-shirt design (truly the ugliest race shirt I own!).  Failure to do so will hinder turnout for future events.  Due to the current number of registered runners - over 1300 registered, 1149 posted results - Buttar needs to consider hiring a Race Director like RFYL or Queen City Timing to manage this process or at least educate them on the areas where improvement is needed.

While other attendees believed this to be the "worst race ever", I have attended much worse than this so I wasn't as displeased.  2009 UNCC and 2010 James K Polk hold that record on my list in a very close tie.  I am open-minded towards improvements by both organizers but I have nothing positive to say about either at this point.  So, I can say in clear conscience, I enjoyed this race even though it was short by .3 mi and I sincerely hope it improves for 2011.

GUNTIME:  42:00

RESULTS:  Epic Sports Marketing

And yes, I will count this as a new PR as chip time was not given and all timings were "adjusted" by Buttar for accuracy.  The actual clock time when I crossed the finish line was 41:38 and I started from the rear (behind 600+ others) meaning the 41:38 would have been reduced to allow the group ahead of me to cross the START line first. The timing will not have perfect accuracy but it is improved based on distance feedback (increased) and that is acceptable, all things considered.

St Pete Women's Half Marathon

St Petersburg FL 2010

CHIPTIME:   3:24:53

4756 finishers

Largest Age Group:  35-39 (842)

My Age Group:  45-49  (556/633)

Oldest Runner: 76  (3:22:26)

Youngest Runners:  12, 13, 14

This is a superb event!  Well managed, well sponsored (many, many kudos to Publix) and as runner friendly as any event could possibly be.

I signed up for this race several months ago with the intention of training prior to race day.  Several unforeseen events prevented me from training thus my choices were to forgo the event or walk it.  I chose to walk (all but 1.5 miles) and never regretted a minute of it.  At present, I'm not in it to compete, I'm in it to complete.  The course was open and monitored (cordoned off) for 4.5 hours.  Runners passed through Demens Landing Park, Vinoy Park, The Pier, Snell Isle, Crisp Park, around part of Tampa Bay, around Mirror Lake, inside Tropicana Field, and START / FINISH in front of Mahaffey Theater.

Even though this is listed as an all women's event, men do register and run it.  Last year 138 men posted results and this year is about the same.  It was actually not a noticeable occurrence, with all the volunteers, security and race staff, the genders present were fairly equal everywhere except the track itself.  I truly enjoyed the fact that is was predominantly women as it produces a far less competitiveness and LOTS of PINK!!

On that note, I will mention the marathons (half and full) are all about the "bling" and WRM did not skimp on this aspect.  Ladies received designer goodie bags, v-neck hot pink tech tees, Publix running towels and hot pink banded, palm tree laden, oval charm included, medals!!

Looking forward to future races with Women's Running Magazine!

Thin Blue Line 5K

 

As always, CMPD puts on a fantastic event!  This was the second year for this event and it was as much fun as the first year!  Lots of energy with these guys and gals and a fantastic course (challenging) for runners!  The race supports a scholarship fund for high school students choosing to pursue a career in law enforcement and it is in honor of fallen officers of the CMPD, with special regard to those who lost their lives on 4/1/07.

Back of Cotton Shirts sold at Fundraiser during race

COURSE:

Ashpalt, Trail, Grass, Gravel, Asphalt, Stairs, Grass, Trail, Asphalt, Stairs, Gun Range Weave, Stairs, Asphalt and then BUBBA... Bubba is one big bad hill... so help me I believe it is a 90 degree + angle up that hill and when you reach the top... there is 'cruel and unusual punishment'...  Cops in full uniform holding out boxes of Krispy Kreme doughnuts...   *laugh*

If you are planning your 2011 calendar, this is a "must add" for the Charlotte area.  

This year's event included technical tees for all registered participants (we know it's all about the shirt!).

 FRONT

 BACK

The fundraiser also included (for sale) dog tags, cotton t-shirts and raffle tickets.  Post race refreshments were phenomenal - water, two vitamin waters, bagels, cookies, oranges, apples, crackers, bananas and DON'T FORGET the doughnuts!! Looking forward to next year!

GUNTIME:  48:36  Race Results

RACE NAME: Thin Blue Line 5K              
LOCATION:  Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Academy
DATE:      11/13/2010
TOTALS ENTRANTS:  321
FINISHERS:     126 MALE  129 FEMALE (255)

Aquesta 5K

This 5K race is staged in beautiful Robbins Preserve at Robbins Park in Cornelius, NC .  The course begins on a packed dirt access road and travels along a paved greenway path along McDowell Creek. The race is in honor of a prominent business person in the community who suffers from ALS. - Dennis Coogle - who was present to greet the runners at the START line this morning. The proceeds from the event will benefit ALS Research.

Awards were presented to the Top 1st Overall Male and Female, no other awards were given.

The course is an out-and-back lollipop that allows runners to circle the Birkdale movie theater at the halfway point before returning to the greenway.  Hills were rare and moderate, the dirt packed portion is actually about a quarter mile stretch of large gravel and dust so those not familiar with trail running should be advised.  The greenway portion was scenic as promised, complete with a large trailing creek with ducks and a residential wooden bridge that runners passed under during the event.  

Goodie bags contained 100% cotton t-shirts, coozies, ink pens and two runner snacks (trail bar, goo) as well as a brochure from the local sponsor, Aquesta Bank. Post race refreshments included bottled water, bagels (with cream cheese) and bananas.  This is a small but well managed race that I would recommend to anyone or any family - provided of course that you aren't expecting a timing award.  

Best of Luck to the Aquesta group in their fundraising efforts!

CHIPTIME:  47:23  (60 runners total - 44 F / 16 M)

Race for the Cure 5K

Fantastic day for an outdoor event.  Temps were in the low 60's, the sun was shining and this is Charlotte's largest 5K running event.  I personally made a last minute decision to enter this 5K with a friend.  It was her first 5K and she is more of a walker than a runner so we walked almost the entire course and truly enjoyed watching the tremendous outpouring of support for this cause.

We were both members of the Williams Warriors team and earned our black #34 jerseys by reaching individual donation goals.  This year's event did not have as many Williams Warriors showcasing as last year, nor did DiAngelo's team reach its fund-raising goal.  Something to be said for the late entry by his team and the economy we are currently facing.

I also noticed the long lines from previous year's events were not present.  Much less of a crowd after the run than last year.  Not sure if it was the temperature or the multiple sponsor areas or the multiple personalities with loudspeakers broadcasting from various blocks. Overall the event seemed much more disorganized and with lower attendance post race than in years prior. It is also interesting to note that this years competitive 5K had a start time of 7:15am.  That also makes a difference with a crowd this size and family involvement.

According to the Charlotte Observer:

A crowd of 16,000 showed one way to fight breast cancer in the early-morning chill along Tryon Street. Wearing pink wigs, pink tutus and a few pink sombreros, they ran or walked to raise $1.6million in pledges and other donations during the 14th annual race. That's up from last year's total of $1.2 million.

Seventy-five percent of the money stays in the Charlotte area to pay for early detection, education and treatment, said Gloria Scienski, executive director of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Charlotte Affiliate, which serves Mecklenburg and eight surrounding counties. The other 25 percent goes to national breast cancer research.

Read more:  Article

For all the survivors, supporters and those participating "in memory of" this is a monumental event for a worthy cause.  Komen is highly recognized nationwide for its efforts in this field and more importantly for the percentage of donations that go directly to cancer treatment and research.  Congratulations of the Susan G. Komen Foundation for another successful year in Charlotte NC.

CHIPTIME:  47:12 

GPX Hit the Brixx 10K

I set a new PR for the 10K! 

Having said that, I must also state this is only my second 10K and both were logged this year.

The unofficial time is:  1:26:11   (Overall results not yet posted)

CHIPTIME:  1:26:12

This is one of the most popular races in Charlotte and it earns that spot for several reasons. 1) Two races, a 10K and a 5K are offered back to back so for distance runners this is a great event to log 9+ miles on a Saturday morning 2) Free Pizza and Beer 3) Because there are two events at this race, parents can split childcare duties and both are able to participate in a race on the same day / same event.

I ran with a friend from the Hickory, NC area and she posted somewhere in the neighborhood of 1:02:10, this is also a favorite race for her even though she has to drive a distance to attend.  Weather was warm but stayed below 90° and it was perfectly sunny.  We were blessed with lots of friendly volunteers and police officers to cheer us along the way. 

The 10K awards ceremony actually took place during the 5K for time's sake and the crowd stayed for the majority of the presentation.  The GPX series is known for its stellar awards and door prizes so runners do tend to stay and cheer for the winners!  Downtown Charlotte was very active today as there was also a Heart Walk that took place a mile or so west of the Hit The Brixx event.  The Heart Walk is a dedicated fund raiser and truly a walk, no runners present, so for those of us leaving the 10K, we sat at stoplights and very politely waited for the walkers to press forward.  Quite a large turnout for that event also, which goes to prove that 2010 has truly seen a major increase in the number of active runners at local events.

While my pace for this event showed progress (all 6 miles each had a pace less than 14 min per mile) it is still 30% above my target pace, 50% above competitive pace, and I intend to meet that target goal before year end.  I have four races lined up for October and three in November with a fourth race in pending status.  My goal will be met this year and 2011 shall see a more fit version of me!

Apple Festival 8K

Pardee Hospital Apple Festival 8K is a small, unsophisticated, yet pleasant run through the hills of Hendersonville NC. Weather was absolutely perfect for this run. Temps in the low 60s Saturday morning and runners were rearing to go! All packet pickups were done Saturday morning and the t-shirts were royal blue tech shirts with the Festival logo, quite nice!

325 participants came out, most of which were seasoned runners, proof of which lies in the fact that only 24 runners had a finish time above one hour (See: Results ). The awards ceremony was held off until the final runner crossed the line, and yes, she was the only person behind me... *laugh*

I knew she was back there because I chatted with her for about the first three quarters of a mile and then didn't see her again after about a mile and a half. The first two miles we were trailed by an ambulance (that's how I knew she was still back there, the driver was NOT riding my back but hers...), we then ran through a cemetery and the ambulance returned to the hospital. As I left the cemetery, I crossed a major intersection with two police cars and they made plans to open the intersection as I crossed. I did tell them there was one other runner... but at that point the only one that knew for sure was the ambulance driver and he/she had returned back to the hospital.

The two policeman and their respective cars now became the race trailing vehicles and they followed me for the remaining two miles believing I was the final runner. The final finisher was 20 min behind me and a spotter (on bicycle) picked her up about five minutes after I crossed the finish line. Made for an interesting perspective.

I am often one of the final four so to speak so I had no idea that an entire crowd could be sitting there wishing the final runner would hurry it on up... but then I usually don't run the longer distances. I do know and firmly practice the one hour rule at 5Ks as most timing companies consider that an appropriate cutoff time, thus I have never finished a 5K in over an hour.

I walked the last three quarters of a mile with a group of teenage cheerleaders that were volunteers for the event and since all of them were wearing flip flops I did them the courtesy of not attempting to run anymore as it would have been too much for them. They had to walk back to the post race area after the police told them I was the last one so they chose to walk and cheer for me from that point forward. Grand group of young ladies indeed!!

Also makes me wonder what my time might have been had they chose to walk on their own. I set a new PR for the 8K distance in this race by over 7 minutes and could have possibly came closer to a 9 minute difference had I not chosen to 'hang' with my new friends, but then, that wouldn't be me *smile*. I am quite content with the new PR and intend on setting a few more new PRs before this year closes out.

The Apple Festival is a long standing event in the town of Hendersonville and with the advent of Hurricane Earl during this celebration many Labor Day beach vacations were changed to mountain vacations and the festival itself was jam packed... literally! The race was over and done before Saturday's festival events began so runners had ample time to shower and return for the bluegrass/bbq/apple cider/street preachers/crafts/etc that lined Main Street for the week!

CHIPTIME: 1:13:57

GPX Greek Festival 5K

900 Runners crossed the Finish Line early this morning before the timers logged off and once again the Greek Festival 5K proved to be one of Charlotte's best races - the flattest and fastest - which is evidenced by the top scores; M 15:20, F 16:35.

The actual Greek Festival will be two weeks from now with fabulous food and lots of activities.

CHIPTIME: 43:55

Soldier's Reunion 5K

Newton, North Carolina is a small town off of Hwy 16, southwest of Hickory NC. The 2000 Census recorded a population of 12,560 and it is the county seat of Catawba County. The city has a total area of 13.0 square miles. Yep. Drive slow or you'll miss it completely. Newton NC is also the birthplace of NASCAR driver Dale Jarrett. It's an old mill town for those of you familiar with the phrase.

What is astounding about this small community is that it hosts an annual Soldiers Reunion Event that celebrated its 121st year. This is a 10 day long activity that includes; Gospel Concert, Parade, Bike (motorcycle) Ride, Cruisin' & Car Show, Beach Music, Baby Parade (decorated wagons), Softball Game, 5K, crafts, food, and many other fun things to do for all ages. It began in 1892 as a tribute to veterans of the Civil War and has expanded to include veterans of all wars. The American Legion hosts a free fish fry for all local veterans during the event.

The 5K celebrated its 20th Annual run this year with a record-breaking 407 runners participating and I can say without hesitation it was managed with the best of the best. All amenities were present - water, bananas, oranges, cantaloupe, watermelon, door prizes, restrooms, actual trophies for winners and several large groups of teams present to show their support.

I was privileged to run with a group of friends that live in this area and we truly enjoyed ourselves. Temps were high 70's followed by an even higher humidity and a most welcome breeze. The course ran through downtown Newton and was for the most part quite flat. Several local school track teams showed up to participate and it made for a great run all around.

T-shirts/packets were given out the morning of the race; cotton, top quality, great logo. Packet included coupons and a water bottle. Amazingly, this race's entry fee was only $15 which is a great value all things considered.

I hope to run this route again in the future as I firmly believe our Soldiers deserve our Support!

God Bless Our Troops

GUNTIME: 44:14

Rock 'N Run 5K

This was a STELLAR event!!

Anyone that reads my blog regularly knows I don't dish out hefty compliments without justifiable cause. I am practical, plain spoken and will give very honest feedback regarding racing events in the Charlotte area. I can say without hesitation that this race was spectacular in all aspects, especially given it was the inaugural race! It was humid today, temps were in the 70's , a wonderful overcast breezy morning which made for a perfect run.

Parking was ample/good fit, directions were easy to understand, cones lined the way to the registration/parking/event areas, Charlotte Mecklenburg Police were on top of their game in full force (at least a dozen present at intervals throughout the course), signage/cones gave excellent markers/route designations, post race amenities were perfect (bananas, oranges, crackers, Dunkin Donuts doughnuts/coffee), Dasani Water and Powerade at Finish Line (more than enough for crowd), ample volunteers (SUPERSTARS of the event!), post race games and freebies (cups, t-shirts, water bottles, frisbees, stress balls, pens, etc), a live band in sponsor area, a marching band at start line and halfway mark, approximately 10 booth sponsors post race, very family oriented!

Most importantly - for those from the Charlotte area - this was a SAFE and FRIENDLY environment!

Regardless of any past preconceptions about the North End, I was in no way or by no means alarmed to be running in this area. Half of the course ran through the local subdivisions off of Dalton Ave. The locals woke up to the sound of the Marching Band and came out to cheer us on. Some of the friendliest spectators you'll ever meet as they sat on their porches or out in their front yards watching the running community breeze by their respective homes. The subdivisions are well kept and our course was an out-and-back through the neighborhoods.

The sections of our route that covered the industrial areas were clean, well directed and police monitors were posted throughout. I can honestly say I would recommend this race, hands down, no questions, to anyone young or old.

Run For Your Life did the timing and digital apparatus (chip timed) and as usual put forth their best effort. This particular event though did not lack for sponsor involvement. Many races are managed by the timing companies which is why we give so much praise when a job is well done (lots of hard work from a small crew of people), but in this case, the timing company was simply one of many actively involved parties that made this an enjoyable experience in every aspect, and that in and of itself is both unusual and gratifying!

If you plan your race calendar in advance for 2011 - you most definitely want to add this race to your late summer runs!

GUNTIME: 45:26

GPX RFYL 4 Miler

Almost 700 runners showed up in the midst of an unprecedented heat wave to do this 4 mile run today. Great turnout, great run! Run For Your Life once again did an outstanding job with this event and quite a few sponsors were present for the post race ceremonies offering information regarding their products as well as Vitamin Water, Great Harvest Bread, Lemonade, Beer, Water and lots of mutual support!

My only goal for this run was to finish in less than an hour and I accomplished that. Officially, 10 runners were behind me although I only saw about three of them. One runner collapsed on the course today and was taken out by ambulance somewhere around the 3.5 mile marker. Medics believed he would be fine but took him to assure his safety.

Heat and Humidity are obstacles that cannot be ignored in running Most of today's runners are the elite from the Charlotte area which is a given when reviewing the top scores. Male - 20:26 Female - 23:09 and they are well aware of the risks associated with running in high temperatures and humidity. For those running this summer, just a friendly reminder to stay hydrated and be safe. Better a lower running score and a healthier you!

CHIPTIME: 59:48

James K Polk 5K

I was on time! I WAS!! Arrrgghhh!!!

This was one of those races where everything that could go wrong did go wrong, at least for me. I arrived ten minutes early for what is considered a small race (250 runners total) on secondary streets in a rural small town area but the entrance roads were both blocked off. I had to park 7/10 of a mile away from registration and had to ask volunteers which secondary roads to take to walk to the start line which kept me from starting on time. Several others ran into the same situation, I did see vehicles simply leave because of the blocks and the realization that time wouldn't allow for a solid start.

Understand, I realize had I been there 30 minutes early this would have been a non-issue, I also realize had I been familiar with the downtown Pineville area, again it would have been a non-issue. I realized belatedly that I could have driven around Town Hall (where I parked) and drove through the secondary roads to park right at the start line. But then, that would require actual SIGNS for parking or the EVENT itself of which there were NONE.

Okay, so I need the exercise, I venture forward and forgo the possibility of not being the last finisher. I am here to complete not to compete (for now). As I pass the start line on the way to pick up my chip at registration, the timer is already being moved... runners are only 45 secs into the race. No favors for late arrivals. Chip attached, back to the start line which forces you to cross the finish line before arriving at the start line, thus the ladies said yes, my chip had now registered, I would be timed. Off I go.

Cones were set up for both the 5K and the 1 mile race. The 1 mile started only a few minutes after the 5K and the first split was manned by several volunteers. They were too busy chatting to realize they weren't giving directions... I took a wrong turn (2/10 mile) and had to back track thanks the the positive encouragement of the 2nd set of volunteers on the course.

I'm ten minutes late, took a wrong turn have already logged a mile at this point and it is HOT! Yes, I'm whining today but believe it or not, I was glad I went, solely for the exercise though. Twice during this run volunteers had no idea where to tell me to go (race course, of course) so as I STOOD on the route waiting for them to configure, I got further behind. The course I will mention just now, is a hodge podge of turns in neighborhoods and includes a few out and backs in cul-de-sacs. I skipped one of them (3/10 mile) in order to catch up with the tail end of the runners and register a time under one hour (as they shut off the timers at one hour).

This put me in a group of about 10 final finishers, five of which I passed as we went along. All to no avail. Yes, you heard me right, to no avail. The timers were shut off at 55 min regardless of the final dozen or so that were still headed in. And the timers KNEW there were still runners on the field as they had a most wonderful trailing biker who kept watch on those at the end (Kudos to RFYL for great volunteers!!). Picking up my chip then was useless, I could have simply stepped in with the runners at the start line as I was only 20 ft from them when the gun went off.

All in all, I did a total of 4.05 miles at this race. My Garmin timed me at 52:35 for 3.35 miles which included three stops to get directions from volunteers. I do not have an official time nor does my name show in the results due to the timer cutoff. The race went fairly smoothly for most other participants. The use of the community center was a big help. There was plenty of water after the race. No post race bananas, oranges or bagels. One of the sponsors brought pretzels, cheese crackers and animal cookies. I'm glad for the indoor plumbing and the AC as we were all drenched from the humidity but for some reason they chose to give the award presentation outdoors in the parking lot. Most runners had left, about half of the winners were present and some winners simply had friends pick the awards up for them.

At the beginning of the awards presentation the remaining crowd (100+/-) were told there would be great door prizes given out after the awards. The award ceremony was stop and go, so people kept leaving. When the final age category was announced there were maybe 30-40 people still standing. The registrars were answering questions for about 10 minutes or so, such that about a dozen people remained milling around wondering if there actually would be door prizes.

Amazingly enough, I won one. A very nice massage gift certificate I will add. I "won" it though because I was one of the few left standing when they were given out. All of us that waited it out were extremely grateful. I do not blame RFYL for the lag or early departures. That was due to the heat and the overall lack of enthusiasm at this race. RFYL did an outstanding job for this event, even with what appeared to be very little support from the actual race organizers. Although they did shut off the timers 5 minutes early, I have no doubt it had to do with the heat and folks wanting to leave as soon as possible, and nothing whatsoever to do with failing to give credit to the final runners as they left the digital apparatus in place and running so the times could be seen as they crossed the finish line.

I've said all that to say this. This is not a race I would run again.

I love the shirt and it's design, I'm grateful for the door prize and the superb job by volunteers and RFYL. My overall opinion though is that the race is poorly organized and lacks critical elements for the larger running community. I've run smaller races that were much more well organized and I've run larger ones that were in far worse shape but this race left you with the feeling that the community could care less, and by community I mean either those who originally created and planned the event and the town that profits from the participation. Nine residents from Pineville participated today (that's 3.6%), all other runners were from other areas in North and South Carolina. That alone expresses my view perfectly.

My personal late arrival would not have altered my review, as I said, I was glad I went even if for no other reason than the quality exercise in good company but I do not, at this time, anticipate repeating this one unless improvements motivate it to be more of an event and less of an endurance.


UNOFFICIAL TIME: 48:16
OFFICIAL TIME: 48:17 (added at my request by Registrar)

Rabun Ramble 5K

62° at 7:00 AM Saturday morning made for a perfect day and a perfect race. If you have never been to scenic Lake Rabun in Georgia, you're missing a well kept secret for mountain and lake lovers alike.

(photo courtesy of T.D. Rabon)

A hazy overcast day with cooler temps in a surprisingly upscale lakeside community of Georgia surrounded by gorgeous mountain scenery just makes a soul at peace. This race was not what one would expect if having never visited the area. Yes, it was a small mountain community but it was NOT a redneck, hillbilly environment, easily ascertained upon arrival as the parking areas were filled with Mercedes, Lexus, Volvo and the shiniest 4 Wheel Drive toys a man could desire or woman for that matter. We too can appreciate the feel of the ride from a high powered road warrior.

The race course was out and back on a typical snake path of a mountain road, complete with hills, albeit none were elongated. The top finishers times prove the course was not amateur, 19:25 male, 24:08 female. This race is also an annual community event so many of the summer residents that own or rent houses on the lake show up for the socializing. A very large number of walkers were present as well as the top notch dedicated runners utilizing the 10K as a qualifier for the nearby Peachtree 10K.

Timing is manual with a digital clock at the Start/Finish line. Route is very straightforward, no street turns, just one single road out and back. Same route is used for both races and the turning point for the 5K was well marked with a volunteer present to 'suggest' that runners were more than welcome to continue on for the 10K if they were up for it. 119 runners made that effort - kudos to them!

My time was in line with all my previous races, something I intend to change this summer (lowering the PR for good!) but I was by no means in the "Final Four" so to speak. Something I confess I rather enjoyed. In the 5K division, 517 runners posted times of which I was 362nd overall which puts me in the 70th percentile (not recordbreaking, but definitely in the right direction!).

OFFICIAL TIME: 47:09

After the race and a very cozy breakfast in Clayton GA, I headed to Tallulah Falls Gorge for some hiking, or in this case, some very intense stair climbing. *laugh* The views were worth the effort in each case.

(photo courtesy of T. D. Rabon)

Georgia is renowned for its well maintained State Parks and this was no exception. After a very pleasant yet very short trip, I could easily see myself planning a 4 day retreat at a local Bed & Breakfast in Rabun County with close company for a very enjoyable hiatus, after all...

~~The Mountains are for Lovers~~

(photo courtesy of T. D. Rabon)

Summer Breeze 5K

Okay, I'm going to go all girlie here and confess that entering this race was purely conceived out of jealousy.

I think the confession is supposed to make me feel better...?...or at least a little guilty of registering for reasons other than racing or exercising.... NOT !

I loved this race, really loved this race and was so glad I drug myself out of bed to head down to Freedom Park to see what all the fuss was about. Freedom Park was my childhood playground and while I have fond memories of monkey bars, trains, planes, and water fountains, the park is nothing like my memory. I should have done this years ago.

The course is truly predominately flat, although not completely flat. Flyers promoting the race should have mentioned that there are three entrances now to the park and parking is suggested at the Main entrance since it was closest to registration. Anyone who Googled or Mapquest'ed their destination would have arrived to an empty area, such as I did upon arriving at the ball field entrance in Dilworth but no worries, neighbors are friendly around there and directions are simple.

The race is broken into two separate start times for male and female. The Ladies got a headstart at 7:30am and the Gentlemen followed suit at 8:00am. Needless to say, my arrival at the empty ball field caused me to miss the female start time by five minutes so I was forced... ohhh the agony... to start with the male running group. LOL! Yeah, me and at least 25 other ladies, some accidentally, some on purpose as their running partners were male.

This had both advantages and disadvantages. I won't embark on the advantages, I will simply smile as I type away. The disadvantage though is that due to permit restrictions for race events (length of time roads can be blocked off and police officers paid based on specific time allotments) the latter runners could not afford to fall behind the Trailing vehicle. In this case it was a pick up truck and a young teenager was collecting all the cones, markers, and signage as they trailed the runners. Any runners who lagged too far behind would have no direction, no police protection and no water as stands were being removed.

I kept the truck in view until the last half mile and gave the police officers a heads up to the three runners I was aware of that were still behind me. Twenty persons had finish times after mine, all but one were female so they actually crossed the finish line before I did which supports the organizers methods. Technically, all but one male runner finished prior to the Trailing vehicle making it "all good" in the end and a great way to break up the start line crowd for a good run.

Results were chip timed but with the exception of all second starters not having an electronic start time so the the measuring apparatus could be moved over for the ladies that were crossing the finish line before the males began their run. Results for the latter group simply had their start times deducted by a specific number of minutes for the adjustment.

GUNTIME: 44:38

As for my jealousy... what..?...you thought I somehow lost my train of thought? Nope. I'm still here. My jealousy was stirred when I saw a now retired runner sporting last year's t-shirt. Golden yellow with a bright glaring Sun Logo. I just had to have one - it's a Leo thing. We are creatures of the Sun, born under a Fire Sign and this shirt stirred my inner animal to seek out this attire to compliment my flowing mane. Don't laugh, Leos are all about passion and fortunately we find sunshine in the most inexplicable places. This was a 100% cotton version of radiant light for my day!!

This particular day was also a full class schedule for me - NRA class to be specific. A Ladies Only Gun Range course which began at 9:00am thus entering the race was adding a bit much to my morning's activities. I'm quite glad I did as the race was an excellent way to start out the day's events followed by some serious target shooting. Oh, how I love my Glock!! A wonderful day, t-shirt earned and targets nailed! Out with a Bang!

GPX King Tiger 5K

This was my third year running this particular race, I've run it every year since it's inception in 2008 and I must say this year was by far the best!

Lots of post race amenities, including a King Tiger booth with a "Spin The Wheel" contest. All participants received a nylon back sack with the King Tiger academy logo as well as whatever prize was spun on the wheel - in my case, I won a ticket to the premier of the latest Karate Kid movie starring Jackie Chan.

The course was altered for 2010 and in my opinion, the change was a good one. Runners were routed off the main road of Mallard Creek and into the nearby subdivisions which made for easier traffic control and less vehicles attempting to bypass the event. Some area homeowners were apparently unaware of the event and/or it's schedule and were agitated at the short wait necessary before exiting the subdivision but I trust the organizers will send out homeowner notices for next year's event so as not to discourage anyone from supporting such a fantastic community event.

King Tiger 5K is part of the GPX series with Run For Your Life and it is commonly spoken of as one of the "T-Shirt favorite" races in Charlotte. Definitely ranks in the Top 3 overall in the area for it's college logo type design. This year's shirt was black with red lettering, a very strong color selection yet again. Congrats to King Tiger for a most reputable means of public advertisement! The 2009 shirt was royal blue, and my personal favorite, the 2008 was burgandy. It's all about the shirt, people, all about the shirt!

616 runners logged their respective times for 2010 which is another record turnout for the University 5K. Expecting 2011 to exceed all previous records as it is set to continue it's positive trend once again.

Chip Time: 47:26

GPX Great Harvest Bread 5K

Tough course! Started out on a hill and was up and down throughout the entire route. This was the first time this race has been part of the GPX series and the turnout reflected that change. Over 670 entrants logged their time for this event, while the race itself had over 800 registered. The course went through the Piper Glen subdivision and police officers were highly visible to ensure safety. Kudos to Charlotte Mecklenburg's finest!

The only disappointment at today's event was the lack of bottled water and/or Powerade/Gatorade at the finish line. Diamond Springs offered the water stands with lukewarm self-serve water which didn't quite hit the spot in today's heat. The last GPX race actually ran out of bottled water/power drinks long before the race ended. I can only trust that Run For Your Life can negotiate a strong show of support from some of our favorite sports drink vendors. It is appreciated!

Parking was the top concern for the new course and it turned out much better than anticipated. Runners had a choice of shuttle locations or two park & walk sites. As is almost always the case, many runners "improvised", myself being one of them. Some parked at Stonecrest, others at Calvary church and a couple dozen of us actually parked at the apartment complex next door to the shopping center which made for a very short walk. I did see the largest group of park & walk participants at the South Regional Library. Easy walk to the start line from there. The shuttle pick-up and drop-off location for the race site was inside Piper Glen just a few hundred yards past the start line. Again, an easy walk for those that utilized it. The only oddity was that buses began shuttling back to the parking areas while the race was still in motion. The group I was with actually ran between the buses and the rider tent before reaching the finish line. Police were present to manage the process so it was hassle free - just unusual to see runners getting their ride home while others had not yet reached the finish line.

Bravo once again to Run For Your Life for sponsoring another excellent race!


CHIP TIME: 48:11

GPX Twilight 5K

Always enjoy watching the police cadets run in cadence for this race. They were drilled into formation this time by two female leaders and they "sang" (military style) for the entire course. For those folks who somehow managed NOT to read their self explanatory shirts, many assumed that the army was running with us for this event. That in itself cracked me up! Oh how I love (NOT!) deliberate stupidity! Royal blue shorts, gray shirts with CMPD on the front... yeah, those guys!

Crowd turnout was, as usual, quite large. Lots of kids. Charlotte has had a 'Girls On The Run' program for years to encourage female youth. There is now a male youth equivalent named 'Let Me Run' and a large number of those energetic young men were present and accounted for. In listening to some of the adult coaches... I can see why there is a need for separate groupings by gender. The female coaches simply inspire and encourage, they understand not all young girls want to be athletes. They push when needed and allow for 'meltdowns' as applicable. The male coaches on the other hand... "he just wasn't willing to try hard enough" "no spirit in him" "plays too much, lacks the focus" etc, etc. The expectations are slightly different, something I find rather disappointing. In a generation where obesity is at an all time high and our youth are plagued with technological fascinations, wouldn't we be better suited to encourage the physical exercise to the best of one's ability as opposed to discouraging a young person from an activity that their generation has precious little of? My .02

This is the only event I attend where medals are typically given to all runners, partly because it is a designated youth event. I now have two medals and like many of my adult friends, proud to add it to my collection. This run supports youth at risk and encourages a sense of belonging and peer support that not only builds self-esteem but is a proven deterrent from gang activity and juvenile delinquency. RMFY club members are taught the importance of social tolerance through involvement with clubs consisting of culturally diverse students.

Great event and excellent program in need of support!

CHIP TIME: 45:35

Run Like a Girl 8K

My first visit to the US National Whitewater Center was a doozy! I had heard lots of good things about the running trails at USNWC but had never been before. I read posts from prior runners of this race and was a bit daunted as to what I should expect. As always, the runner posts were exactly correct but before I go there, let me brag on Run Like a Girl and their efforts overall.

The support staff before and after the race (even though there were less than 5 sponsors present) was fantastic. Lots of water, Powerade and bananas, and AWARDS in abundance. No one who stayed for the awards presentation left empty-handed. If nothing else, each girl got a free 'bandie' with the RLAG 8K logo while many others won prizes from random drawings as well as the age group prizes. Photos of all runners and winners were also part of the proceedings. They also added one water station at mile 2 on the course, great addition from last year.

Now... for the rest of the story...

The trails were not "easy" as indicated and the course itself was not well marked. Lots of wrong turns for several runners, meaning the 5K'ers ran longer and the 8K'ers ran shorter thus skewing overall times. This event is also set up on a manual timing system with runners starting in "waves" and if a bib number higher than 125 started out in the first or second group, they may have gotten a 2 or 4 minute break in their overall score. While this isn't a big deal to me (at this time) I realize it would be discouraging to some runners who sought a competitive time.

USNWC also let bikers out on the course at about 9:30am (race started at 9am) and we actually had to derail to allow them to pass us as the track is not wide enough to allow two of anything - biker or runner. The biggest caution though, other than misdirected signage was the lack of course monitors. There were one or two monitors over the first mile, but the remaining 4 miles had nothing or no one other than arrows, most of which were not much help at crucial turns (splits in the trail).

I would also mention that since the trail is narrow and largely in a wooded area, there are tree roots everywhere. Injury is a strong possibility if you're not familiar with wooded trail running and... there will be snakes. We saw one (newborn) that someone had stepped on and were careful to watch for others. Other than that though, the shade of the trees was a wonderful relief and mosquitoes were almost non-existent.

This is a race that I would run again, albeit, as a more prepared runner. This is a tough 5 miles and you will feel it after the race, especially if you haven't run something similar previously. The last leg is uphill to the finish so if you want to place be prepared to 'finish strong'. Great cause to support and really neat to run a women's only trail race. Looking forward to 2011!

TIME: 1:21:28

GPX CPCC Skyline Run

I amaze myself sometimes. I went to bed at 3:30am this morning, got back up before 7:00am to run in the CPCC Skyline 5K. With less than an hour and a half sleep, I still chose to show up and complete the course, which is listed as relatively flat. It isn't flat, but the hills are mild to moderate so that made for a good workout/morning walk.

Temps were perfect and it drizzled the entire time which did not stop 820 runners from crossing that finish line in less than an hour. Kudos to RFYL for another fabulous GPX event and congrats to CPCC for a great turnout!

CHIP TIME: 45:53