CRC Board Retreat Summary

Noting that the club was growing rapidly and recognizing that a sustainability plan would ensure the club exists beyond the terms of the current board members, the Charlotte Running Club Board of Directors headed to Asheville, Saturday to develop a fresh mission statement and a clear vision plan. With members now paying dues, the board also discussed important budget issues and the importance of transparency when it comes to spending club money. And we hashed out a rough draft of a 2011 calendar.

Before summarzing the details of the retreat, I want to let everyone know that no club funds were used for this trip. Board members paid for their own lodging and food. A remote location was chosen so the board would be focused and without distraction.

First, our broad vision and mission. While each is brief and distinct, what we came up with was one of the more time consuming tasks and lead to some of the most vigorous debate. Before we could really define what who we are, we had to agree on what we wanted to be and what direction the club was going to go in. One topic we dwelled on at length was objectivity. After much discussion, we agreed that the club was to not take stances on running related issues that skew political. The most recent and easiest example to share is the proposed paving of parts of McAlpine Greenway. While we realize that this is an issue runners may feel passionate about, it will not be in our best interest to take a stance. However, we will do everything we can to promote awareness of this issue and others like it. Furthermore, we will encourage members to get involved and share their opinions when running related issues, debates or challenges arise in the Charlotte community.


The Charlotte Running Club's Vision is to promote a passion for running.


With that statement in place, we were able to move on to future business. All decisions were made by determining if the course of action being discussed fit into the above mission. Our next step was to define a mission; what we hoped the club would achieve for its members.


The Charlotte Running Club's Mission is:

*Help members become more consistent

*Motivate

*Create a sense of comaradarie

*Help members meet running goals.

While it was the final exercise of a nearly eight hour day, perhaps the most important discussion we had was about our one, three and five year plans. We were able to narrow it down to seven broad goals for 2011, five for 2014 and three for 2016. Goals are not listed in order of priority.

2011 Goals:
*Set world record in 5K X 100 relay competition

*Expand team competitions

*Establish regulary scheduled and consistent social events

*Launch an annual race

*Appoint a volunteer coordinator

*Begin developing relationships with other regional and national running clubs

*Develop a system of ordering and distributing branded apparrel.

2014 Goals
*Have an established annual race

*Have a defined mentor/coaching system in place

*Purchase a race timing system

*Have a system for measuring success of group runs

*Have criteria in place for relationships with local and national vendors interested in sponsorship/partnership.

2016 Goals
*Have a firm sustainable management structure

*Be a regionally recognized and respected running club

*Field a sponsored elite team

In setting these goals, the board discussed things we were good at and things that needed improvement. We agreed that we were good at helping runners improve and remain consistant. We were good at motivating runners to come to work outs or try to chase a personal best in an upcoming race. We are good at helping runners reach personal goals. We are good at promoting comradarie. We are good at organizing team events.

On the flip side, we need to work on including more of our members. We realize the is a perception of elitism and that the onus is on the leadership to shed that perception. We are not an exclusive club. We tend to focus on competition and need to do a better job of making more of our group runs fun. We have not done a good job at building a sustainable leadership structure. As a side conversation, we identified runners within in the club that may be suited for leadership roles and board positions in the future. We need to do a better job at fielding multiple teams at team events (i.e. Corporate Cup, Blue Ridge Relay). We excel at fielding one team, but then leave others out.

Along with mission and vision, the board also moved to purchase membership in the Road Runners Club of America. The primary benefit of our membership in the organization is the liability insurance. It allows to hold group functions in a safe and responsible manor. Cost for the board is $150. The insurance will cost roughly $1,000. An exact figure will be communicated to the general membership when the transaction has been completed. As an RRCA member, we will be required to have bi-laws, a bi-annual election of board members and open meetings where all due-paying club members are welcome to attend.
Along with RRCA, we moved to renew our membership with USA Track and Field for three years at a cost of $180. This allows us to compete in team competitions and championships at the club level at USATF sanctioned events.

With membership dues continuing to come in, we etched out a spending plan for the remainder of 2011.

Some expenditures include:
*$200 for food and refreshments at group runs
*$1500-$2000 for an annual social (details to be discussed at a separate meeting)
*$500 for a fall social
*$400 for rental of McAlpine Park for marquee race

(funds are based on a 300 member projection. We are currently at 220+ paid members)

Finally, we planned out a tentative social schedule for the remainder of 2011. Details of events to come in the near future:
•Feb 6 -- TrySports/Craft event 2-5pm -- TrySports Charlotte @ Blakeney Shopping Center, details at the Club blog here.
•Feb 13 -- Freedom Park -- 5.30pm -- Valentines Day Run. No one left behind! We will have a sweeper and will divide into pace groups.
•Mar 13 -- Freedom Park -- 5.30pm -- Saint Patricks Day Run. No one left behind! We will have a sweeper and will divide into pace groups.
•Apr 30 -- Annual club social (details to come in early spring!)
•May 5 -- Cinco de Mayo Run -- Dilworth Neighborhood Grille.
•May 7 -- CRC club birthday! -- First Annual 5k at McAlpine.
•June 18 -- CRC family picnic in Freedom Park.
•July 2 -- Fireworks group run in SC.
•Aug 20 -- Marathon Social.
•Sept 11 -- Beer Mile. (Leave your camera at home...)
•Oct 23 -- Freedom Park -- 5.30pm -- Halloween Group Run. No one left behind! We will have a sweeper and will divide into pace groups.
•Nov 20-- Freedom Park -- 5.30pm -- Food Drive Group Run. No one left behind! We will have a sweeper and will divide into pace groups.
•Dec 18 – Freedom Park -- 5.30pm -- Holiday Lights Group Run. No one left behind! We will have a sweeper and will divide into pace groups.

There were so many side discussions and ideas that came out of this retreat; far too many to list here. However, we all took detailed notes and would be happy to share any details with any club member who'd like to learn more. Please don't hesitate to contact myself or anyone else on the board with any questions, suggestions or input by emailing run.charlotte@gmail.com -- jay

CRC Event at TrySports with Craft Giveaways!

Are you in the need of new spring gear? Are your running shoes getting old after sloshing through all the snow and ice this winter? The Charlotte Running Club is partnering with Craft's Field Marketing Manager Meagan Nedlo and with TrySports of Charlotte to offer our club members a fun-filled day at the store, complete with a prize drawing for running related goodies, including CRC hats, hammer nutrition, Craft technical tees, Zulu socks, and other fun items.

There will be a group run at 2pm from the store front for all pace groups and Meagan Nedlo will be providing Craft gear for you to run in and test out. Don't forget about the discounts that TrySports will be offering exclusively to CRC members. Remember this will be on Super Bowl day, so come out to get a group run in with friends before you start eating and drinking lots of party food!

All the information you need is below:

What: Craft/CRC/TrySports Fun Day

Discounts! Wear test runs! Craft/TrySports giveaways!

20% Discount on all Craft gear

10% discount on all Apparel

15% discount on all Shoes

When: Sunday, February 6 from 2pm-5pm

Where: TrySports Charlotte @ Blakeney Shopping Center

UNC Charlotte Homecoming 5k

I added this to the Social Page of the club website ...

Upcoming Events

• UNC Charlotte Homecoming 5k February 5 http://recservices.uncc.edu/hc5k.htm
  

As I know nobody reads anything I write :-) I thought it was safe to post this:

First, the Homecoming 5k race is a low-key, family-friendly event supporting a great cause (the American Heart Association), and welcoming fast runners, slow runners, walkers, kids, parents, an' all. It's hilly. Typically ALL my friends win something, even if they have to pretend to be on the faculty to do it (I'm looking at YOU, Stephen!)

Second, there is traditionally an R&R session at my house afterwards to which everyone is welcome (as long as you tell me by midnight on the Thursday before, so I can go shopping on Friday). This involves 2 big pots of chili (one veggie, one turkey) and an excellent carb-loading drink called a Guinness Blast ( = Guinness with a shot of espresso down the middle). If you're interested. let me know and I'll divulge my secret location.

As we say in my country*, g'wan g'wan g'wan, ye will ye will ye will.

Eimear emgoggin@gmail.com

* well, on an old TV show anyway

Runner in the Spotlight: Jamaar Valentine

Jamaar Valentine is a fairly new member to the Charlotte Running Club who has taken his passion of running to new heights by finishing the Frosty 50k in Winston-Salem in 5:19:24. A Tar Heel graduate, he shares his reasons for joining the Charlotte Running Club and how he caught the running bug again once he moved back to Charlotte. Best of luck to Jamaar in his next race!

What brought you to Charlotte?
Growing up in the mountains of North Carolina, I've always been drawn to the "opportunities" Charlotte has to offer in different facets of life. Since I started specializing in hospitality, I decided that Charlotte would be a fantastic avenue for lateral movement then moving up in the industry. Most of my friends from college lived here and my sister moved here after high school, so no matter what, I had a great pool of people for whom I cared here in the Queen City.

When and why did you start running?
As a soccer player in middle school, I always appreciated the endurance our sport required. My soccer coach in high school was also a track coach, so running became very key. I was big on athletics year round in high school, but when I found track & field, I couldn't settle on a single event. 300IM hurdles were the single event that took me to states, but not a good enough quality effort to carry me to college.

At UNC, I continued to run off and on fairly casually with multiple 5K sprinkled throughout my five-year plan. While my priorities started to change, I didn't realize how much less effort I was putting into running. As I moved to Wilmington from Chapel Hill, my running further decreased and my lifestyle became much less active. The town's running community simply doesn't compare to what I've found in Chapel Hill, Charlotte, or Asheville. Now it's pretty sad to consider how much I let this once great passion slip, but a year before moving to Charlotte, I caught my decline and haven't looked back since.

What are some things you love most about running?
Running allows me a clear head to focus on my spirituality more than any time I have spent in a church or temple. Running became my reason to enjoy mornings again. It's one thing to experience sunrise, but having seven miles under your belt before sunrise brings me to a position of true appreciation for the moment. A lot of the cares of the world tend to get the volume turned down on days with double-digit mileage.

Favorite Place you’ve traveled and loved for running?
Growing up in the mountains, I always thought anywhere on the Appalachian Trail had to be the perfect setting for a run. Maybe it was the single-track technical trails, or maybe it was all the rolling golf courses, but eventually I discovered life on the coast. Wow! It hardly matters what time of day, very little compares to salt water splashing me as a I trot along a sandy beach. With regards to individual experiences logged in recent memory, it's still a toss up between Salem Lake and Wrightsville Beach.

What is your most memorable race and why?
Different races for different reasons:
Salisbury Run for the Greenway -- I learned a lot about crashing & burning in the summer heat, but still took first place age group. If you ever have the chance, you should do a race put on by the Salisbury Rowan Runners.

Thunder Road Marathon -- I found so many familiar faces and so much time to converse with them for the "hometown" marathon. It may have been my most social race to date.

Salem Lakeshore Frosty 50K -- I could write a small book on the lessons learned and the people I encountered for my first ultra, but the experience itself was really enhanced by the snow falling all around at Salem Lake. The Twin Cities Track Club puts on unique events at great prices.

Where is your favorite place to run in Charlotte?
McAlpine Creek is my best option any day of the week. The Greenway is only a few miles from my place, and the trail has always been much kinder to my joints than other greenways in the city. Still, I find some great runs with buds up at Mallard Creek Greenway Saturday mornings and from the Dowd Y Thursday mornings.

What motivates you to run in the cold winter months? Did you run in the snow over Christmas?
For all the reasons I love running, I can't sacrifice that on account of a few snowflakes, ice on greenways, or numb fingers. Like my buddy Allen Strickland said, "Just ran in the freezing rain and sleet on Christmas day. Hope my rivals are enjoying their egg nog." I have to train in the cold so that I may be prepared to race in the cold. Seriously though, it's not always that serious. I did get to spend a few hours running in the snow over Christmas weekend. I was fairly proud to be responsible for the first footsteps in the snow at McAlpine last month. I think I can at least say I'm less likely to pass out from heat exhaustion in this wintry weather than I was in July. Counting my many blessings, I'll take the temps in the twenties.

Favorite Charlotte area race?
Since I've only raced in Charlotte for nine months, it may come as a surprise to some that my favorite was LungStrong 15K. Since it's the last race in Run For Your Life's Grand Prix series, everyone seemed to take time to enjoy the post-race festivities a little more. It's also a distance most Charlotte area runners rarely have the opportunity to race, with 5K's almost every weekend throughout the year. As a cause, I think the LUNGevity foundation is key. It can be tough to draw attention to a race for the leading cause of cancer deaths in America the same month as Komen's Race for the Cure, but running along Jetton Village, I certainly felt inspired.

What’s your favorite distance and your PRs for that distance?
I found I get the most enjoyment out of the half marathon / pikermi... whatever the cool kids are calling it these days. 13.1 miles seems to be just a long enough race for me to soak up the experience and push through multiple surges. So far my PR is 1:38:19 via the Dowd Y half, but a little more hard work and training should see that time drop before the summer.

You are planning on running a 100 Mile race. Can you tell us what inspired you to make the jump to ultra distances?
The obvious answer is that I have to be a big idiot or just insane to want to do a 100 Miler. Really, I just keep discovering every distance milestone I cross, I find out a little more about myself. Eventually my body won't even be able to finish a marathon, so I might as well find out what extremes it can handle before it's too late. I think that's a great way to show my appreciation for the working body I've been given.

What’s your next race?
Since I haven't run an 8K yet, Winter Flight in Salisbury is looking very tempting. I'm still deciding on a spring marathon, but I think it would be nice to return to the coast for an easy marathon PR.

What compelled you to join the Charlotte Running Club?
All the cool kids are here. As far as my training goes, the people in my age group who beat me most often in races, are all in CRC. You have to respect that. By being in a position to run with all these speedsters, I am giving my training an extra push.

What do you love most about the Charlotte Running Club?
Did I mention the cool kids yet? As CRC has become the most dominant club in town, there's a wealth of experience and exposure. I can almost always find someone from the club to do a run in any part of town and give me feedback on races, training, and gear.

Runner in the Spotlight: Théoden Janes

Théoden Janes is the Pop Culture Write for the Charlotte Observer. On Facebook, he's better known for being the biggest running celebrity of Charlotte. He is known to many inner circles as the "Perez Hilton" of the Charlotte Running community, not for digging up juicy gossip on local runners, but for being the first to receive critical insider information. Théoden is always the first to find out the latest information regarding door prizes, the parking situation at an upcoming race, and discounts at local venues. Through his Blog and his Facebook Page, Théoden has inspired and connected runners.

How long have you been in Charlotte? What brought you here?
[Theoden Janes] I moved my family down here from New Jersey in 2006. We were getting tired of paying more than $2,000 a month to live in a house the size of a shoebox in a neighborhood that was, um, kinda gross ... so when the Charlotte Observer offered me a job as Entertainment Editor, I took it and ran -- although to be honest, I wasn't a runner at that point.

When and why did you start running?
[Theoden Janes] I did a little running for exercise while I was in college, but when I say "a little," what I mean is I ran maybe a few miles a couple dozen times, total, on no regular schedule. I also took up smoking in college. Although I was always a light smoker -- for many years I only smoked when I drank, or in the evenings -- I carried the habit around with me for more than a decade and a half. It actually pains me to admit that. Given the company I now keep, it almost makes me feel a little embarrassed, since so many of my running friends have always been so healthy.

Anyway, I quit cold turkey in the spring of 2007, then shortly before my 35th birthday in September 2008, I decided to start running. Not to lose weight, since I've always been fairly slender. Just for general health and fitness reasons. I ran my first 5k a month later. I enjoyed it so much that I wound up running a 5k the next weekend, and the weekend after that, and the one after that, and the one after that. I was hooked. Obviously.

What are some things you love most about running?
[Theoden Janes]The fitness benefits are great. It's been a fun way to meet some very cool new people. I like starting my day with a run; there's something invigorating about getting up before sunrise and logging a bunch of miles. It can be hard to get out the door sometimes, but by the time I walk back through it, I feel much more ready to face the day. I think what I love most about running, though, is that I find it so inspiring.

Through my blog and through Facebook I've been able to inspire many runners to do more, go farther, go faster, et cetera. But I also find so much "self-inspiration" through running. Not sure that's a real word, or if this makes sense, but it's been so amazingly satisfying to maintain discipline and work hard and set goals and achieve them -- or set goals and learn from the mistakes I make when I DON'T achieve them. I never would have imagined I'd accomplish 1 percent of the things I've accomplished through running in the past two years.

What is your most memorable race and why?
[Theoden Janes] That's a tough question. I mean, I'll never forget my first race -- the 2008 Komen Race for the Cure -- because in a classic newbie move I pinned my timing chip to my bib. Hey, I had never run a race before and the volunteer didn't hand me any ties when she gave me the thing! My first 10k was memorable. My first half was, too. My first trail race....

All six of my marathons have been memorable in some way. New York because it was my first and because of the spectacle and because it was my introduction to both the bonk and to serious cramping. San Diego and Shamrock in Virginia Beach; I have now melted in marathons on both the East and West coasts. Ridge to Bridge because I put up such a huge PR. And Thunder Road, twice, because I ran such evenly-paced races amid so many great friends. By the way, I think it helps to write race recaps, whether they're for hundreds of friends on Facebook or just for yourself, in a private journal. I only do them for major races now, just because I usually can't find time to do them for smaller ones, but having that document in my personal history is priceless. Memories fade, but if you put your experience into words, you can bring those memories back into focus anytime you want.

Where is your favorite place to run in Charlotte?
[Theoden Janes] Also a tough question. I love the cross country trails at Davidson College, the Greenway system in the University City area, and in Dilworth. But there are also so many places I haven't had the chance to run yet: Reedy Creek, McMullen Creek, Crowder's Mountain. I guess the easiest way to answer this is "anywhere that's not my neighborhood," or "wherever my friends are running."

What’s your favorite distance and your PRs for that distance?
[Theoden Janes] Would you stop asking hard questions?? Hmm. I mean, I hate 5ks because they hurt so bad, but I love that they're so challenging and the fact that you have to fight so hard just for seconds. I don't like being tied down to a marathon training schedule, but I love the sense of accomplishment that comes with running a marathon. 10ks are great -- although there aren't nearly enough of them in Charlotte. 10 miles: an awesome distance. The mile is such a pure event, and it makes even average runners like me feel fast.

I guess if I had to choose, though, I'd say the half marathon. Easy to train for, easy to recover from, and for whatever reason, it feels like there's a bigger disconnect between effort level and actual speed in half marathons than at any other distance. I have often looked at my watch in the middle of halfs to see that I'm running a 7-minute pace, tried to back off, and then clicked off another 7:00. Compare that to the last mile of many 5ks, when I'm at 6:40 or 6:50 and it feels like I am going to die. My PR for the half marathon is 1:34.

How do you manage your time between being the Pop Culture Writer for the Charlotte Observer, a dad, a husband, and a runner?
[Theoden Janes] I could talk all day about how difficult it can be find time for everything, but I know there are tons of runners out there who are performing the same juggling act. I'm no Superman. I mean, the bottom line is it's all about compromises. I'm very fortunate to have 1) a wife who pretends to understand my obsession -- even if she really doesn't -- and 2) the ability to get out of bed when the alarm clock goes off at 5 a.m. instead of hitting the snooze button.

What inspired you to race the Frosty 50k, your longest distance yet?
[Theoden Janes] Peer pressure. It won't happen again.

What changes in running community have you seen since moving here?
[Theoden Janes] I don't think there's any question whatsoever that Charlotte has a great running community, possibly one of the most-tight-knit in the country, for a city as big as this one. For years, we've had healthy competition between the running stores in town that have yielded lots of terrific local races. But the proliferation of Facebook combined with a running boom here -- the creation of the Charlotte Running Club and other great smaller clubs around the area, plus the Observer's support of my efforts to bring unique content to the running community -- it's like a perfect storm.

Two years ago, when I first started running, people were lucky to know a dozen other runners in Charlotte. If they didn't run with them regularly, they didn't exist. You might have regularly seen some of the same people at local races, but there weren't a lot of genuine connections being made. And then everybody started getting on Facebook and the various factions slowly started intermingling. Friends of friends were making connections. And if you really put yourself out there, you essentially would go viral. Take my friend Kevin Ballantine. This time a year ago, we had exactly zero mutual friends on Facebook. He joined the Charlotte Running Club in 2010, and now we have 56.

Another example of growth that you can see: Sometimes I'll bring a new person out to run with my other group -- the University City Road Runners -- and when I introduce them, one will say to the other, "Oh yeah, I've seen you post comments on Théoden's Facebook page." Later that afternoon, I'll see on my News Feed that the two of them have become friends, then a Wall post that reads "Great running with you today!" The community here is so diverse, so active, so supportive. The only drawback is that Facebook can be a huge time vacuum -- sometimes on Saturdays, after a big race, it can take an hour or more to go through and congratulate everyone on their performances.

What do you think can be improved upon in the Charlotte Running community for 2011?
[Theoden Janes] I'd love to see the club throw itself into efforts to help make the Thunder Road Marathon an event that brings out more runners and more spectators. I'd like to see more variety from event directors when it comes to race distances. 5ks are great, but especially during peak times there are just way too many of them going on. Quality of choice matters to me more than quantity of choice. I'd also like to see the boom continue. We've done a great job of unifying the runners who are out there, but what can we do to encourage all those people who are merely *thinking* about running to actually get out there and do it?

What do you enjoy most about the Charlotte Running Club?
[Theoden Janes] Because of my schedule and my family's schedule, it can be difficult to take part in many of the group's runs and social activities. What I love though is seeing so many other people get so much out of the club. To use Kevin Ballantine as an example again, this is a guy who was a good but not great runner a year ago. He joined the club and his enthusiasm for the sport exploded -- and he went from being about my speed to becoming one of the fastest runners in Charlotte, in a period of maybe six months. Obviously individual results will vary, but the point is that the Charlotte Running Club really knows how to get members fired up about running. It will help you set goals, and it will help you achieve them. It's a joy to watch.

What’s your next race (after Frosty 50k)?
[Theoden Janes]I'm running the Charlotte Running Co. Trail Race -- the 13-miler -- out at the U.S. National Whitewater Center on Jan. 22. I ran it last year and had a blast. Once again, the goals are to have fun and not twist an ankle.

Can you share one of your new year’s resolutions?
[Theoden Janes]Trying to go 365 days without using a drive-thru. I don't eat much fast food as it is, but I'd like to eat even less. But if they open an In-N-Out in Charlotte, all bets are off.

New Group Runs! Check them out!

So how about as a new year's resolution, every club member attempts to attend at a minimum 1 group run a week? Stay plugged in and motivated thru the bad weather of winter by participating in a group run.

The club activity I am most proud of is the strength of our group runs. As a running club, at the core of what we do is run. Therefore, no better way to demonstrate that than to have lots of group run options throughout the city. We have had a number of new runs come online with the start of 2011 and several others than have grown in size and pace. I often hear a new member mention that they were shy about trying to come out to a group run because they were concerned about the pace. Please reach out to the contacts at each of these runs to learn more and/or show up to a group run and start your own revolution by leading. It only takes 2 runners to call it a group :) If we are not providing you with good options, let us know so we can work to help establish a run in a location/date/time that works for you.

Link to current list of group runs: Weekly Runs

Charlotte Area Group Run Listing
Members and non-Members are welcome to join us at any location. On weekends we attempt to rotate throughout the various parks in the Charlotte area. Look for Mr. Hydro on the weekends. We have moved to listing CRC and non-CRC events as we just want you to find a group and be happy on a run.

Have a run you want to have published? Want to be the contact person for a CRC run? Email run.charlotte@gmail.com
Nothing below fits your schedule or you are looking for some last minute miles? Rotating weekly long run not posted yet? Try us on Facebook

Monday
5:05am From the Dowd YMCA. 4-8 miles @ 7:45-8:45 pace. Contact John Cantrell jc9000@gmail.com
6:15am From Dowd YMCA. 4-5 miles @ 8:30 pace. Contact heather.wachtler@baml.com
6:30am From TrySports or McMullen from Rea Rd entrance. 6-8 miles @7:30 pace. Contact justinbreland@trysports.com10:00am From TrySports in Blakeney. 3-6 miles; all paces welcome. Contact http://www.trysports.com/location/charlotte

6:00pm From Dowd YMCA. 6 miles @ 7-7:45 pace. Contact Jocelyn Sikora jocelyn.m.sikora@bankofamerica.com
6:00pm From the Pineville-Matthews entrance of the McMullen Greenway. 4-6 miles @ 7-7:30 pace. Contact Brandon Hillis bhillis@learfieldsports.com
7:00pm From the University Run For Your Life store. 4 - 6 miles; all paces welcome; Drinks and dinner afterwards. Contact Kara kara@runforyourlife.com

Tuesday
5:30am From Miners Run from Old Bell McAlpine entrance on Sardis Rd. 8-12 miles @ 7-8:00 pace. Contact Megan Hovis meganhovis@gmail.com
5:30am From Mecklenburg Aquatic Center. 3 miles @ 8-9:00 pace. Contact Laure Dasse cherdass@gmail.com
5:30am From Lake Norman YMCA. 7.5 mile loop or track intervals @ 7-8:00 pace. Contact Todd Mayes todd.mayes@gmail,com
6:00am From Downtown Davidson CVS. 6 miles @ 8+ pace. Headlamp recommended. Coffee at Summit Coffee post-run. Contact Chad Randolph davidsonarearunningteam@gmail.com 6:30am From Water fountain at Christ Church on corner of Providence and Colville. 4-6 miles @ 9 pace Contact Lauren Robbins laurobbins@gmail.com

1:00pm From Belk Gym at UNC Charlotte. 3+ miles; all paces welcome. Contact Eimear Goggin emgoggin@uncc.edu, or check the UNC Charlotte Branch of the CRC Forum on the Campus News website for this week's runs.

6:15pm From TrySports in Blakeney 3-6 miles; all paces welcome. Contact http://www.trysports.com/location/charlotte

Wednesday
5:30am From Mecklenburg Aquatic Center. 5 miles @ 8-9:00 pace. Contact Laure Dasse cherdass@gmail.com
5:30am From Dowd YMCA. 8-12 miles. 7:15-7:45 pace.Contact Jason Martin jlmartin21@hotmail.com6:00am From Dowd YMCA. 6-9 miles. 7:15-7:45 pace. Contact Michael Kahn michael_s_kahn@hotmail.com or Jocelyn Sikora. Jocelyn.m.sikora@bankofamerica.com 6:00am From Dowd YMCA. 6-8 miles. 8:30-9 pace. Contact Jill Pritchard jillpritchard@gmail.com or Jill Michaud jillfm10@hotmail.com
6:00am From Downtown Davidson CVS. 6 miles at 8+ pace. Headlamp recommended. Coffee at Summit Coffee post-run. Contact Chad Randolph davidsonarearunningteam@gmail.com 10:00am From TrySports in Blakeney 3-6 miles; all paces welcome. Contact http://www.trysports.com/location/charlotte

5:45pm From Alexander Graham Middle School 1800 Runnymede LaneCharlotte, NC 28211 Track workout for ALL PACES Welcome on the oval of love!
Contacts caleb_boyd@yahoo.com and Emily Barrett, emilylpc@gmail.com
6:00pm From Promenade Charlotte Running Company. 4-5 miles; all paces welcome. Typically 10-11 min pace. 15% off purchases at store. Contact Aaron Linz amlinz@yahoo.com
6:30pm From Dilworth Charlotte Running Company. 4-8 miles; all paces welcome. 15% off purchases at store. Headlamp &/or reflective gear recommended. Contact Audra at the Charlotte Runners Meetup Group http://www.meetup.com/CharlotteRunners

Thursday
5:30am From Lake Norman YMCA. 7.5 mile loop or track intervals @ 7-8:00 pace. Contact Todd Mayes todd.mayes@gmail,com 6:00am From Dowd YMCA. 7-12 miles @ 7-7:30 pace. Contact Kevin Ballantine Kevin.Ballantine@ally.com
6:30am From water fountain at Christ Church on corner of Providence and Colville. 4-6 miles @ 9 min pace Contact Lauren Robbins laurobbins@gmail.com

1:00pm From Belk Gym at UNC Charlotte. 3+ miles; all paces welcome. Contact Eimear Goggin emgoggin@uncc.edu, or check the UNC Charlotte Branch of the CRC Forum on the Campus News website for this week's runs.6:00pm (2nd loop at 6:30pm) From Corner of Morehead St. and Dilworth Rd. Two loops of 3.7 mile course. 7-8:00 minute pace. Group meets at Dilworth Neighborhood Grill for dinner and drinks after the run. Contact Chris Cummins cbc673@gmail.com

6:00 pm From Dilworth Charlotte Running Company. 4.5 miles (occasionally the 6.5 mile loop); all paces welcome. Headlamp &/or reflective gear recommended. Occasional carb-loading afterwards. Contact Eimear Goggin emgoggin@gmail.com
6:15pm From TrySports in Blakeney. 3-6 miles; all paces welcome. Contact http://www.trysports.com/location/charlotte

Friday
6:00am From Mecklenburg Aquatic Center. 5 miles at @ 8-9:00 pace. Contact Laure Dasse. cherdass@gmail.com

12:00 From Harris Express YMCA . 5-10 miles @ 8:00-9:00 pace. Contact Bryan.Manges@piedmontng.com

Saturday
6:30am From Queens and Providence Road (the gold statue guy - good parking) 9:30+ pace for 8-12 miles. Contact Fred Wood fmwjr@yahoo.com
7:00am From the Caribou Coffee at Cochran Commons in University. All paces welcome. Contact University City Road Runners ucrun.com
7:00am From the East Blvd. entrance to Freedom Park; 8+ miles @ 8 pace or 8+ miles @ 9 pace; run the 8-mile loop or continue on for more miles. Contact mailto:caleb_boyd@yahoo.comor Chris Bradle chris@endurobrand.com
7:30am From Track Behind Barnette Elementary and Bradley Middle School off Beatties Ford Rd. Contact Todd Mayes todd.mayes@gmail.com

** Weekly rotating long run (Sat or Sun) -- Please check our Facebook fan page. **
Sunday6:00am From Downtown Davidson CVS. 10+ miles @ 8 +/- pace. Headlamp recommended. Coffee at Summit Coffee post-run. Contact Chad Randolph davidsonarearunningteam@gmail.com 7:30am From the main parking lot of McAlpine Park, 8711 Monroe Rd. Stop in lot every 4-5 miles for hydration/nutrition. All paces welcome. We park in the lower left hand corner of the lot, near where a water fountain is located. Please be there a few minutes before 7:30, especially if you need to use the restrooms. Contact Larry Seavers larry.seavers1@gmail.com or Tom Torkildsen Tom.Torkildsen@wellsfargo.com

** Weekly rotating long run (Sat or Sun) -- Please check our Facebook fan page. **

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OTHER GOOD OPTIONS

Charlotte Runners Meetup Group
http://www.meetup.com/CharlotteRunners/
They offer run options that cater to a bit shorter distances for beginner and casual runners. We have crc members who get a run or two in a week with meetup and participate in our runs as well. A few of their runs are integrated into our full listing above. See their link for a complete list of runs.

CarolinaTrail Runner
Carolina Trail Runner & Mountain Biker meetup group. All skill levels and various runs. All off road. The new home of the "Almost 10k" group runs. http://meetup.com/CarolinaTrail

Icoachurun - Fort Mill
icoachurun run group in Fort Mill/Tega Cay area. They have several meeting times. Currently Tuesday am (545) and Sunday am (730) They are adding more times in January. All levels of running, walk/run beginners to marathon finishers. Led by club member Jamie Dodge http://www.icoachurun.com/

Fort Mill Fast Feet
Saturday at 8am, run from Fort Mill YMCA in Baxter Village.
Tuesday 9:15am at the Gold Hill YMCA, Tega Cay.
Monday run at 6pm at the Fort Mill YMCA in Baxter Village.
Contact club member Paige Kell Ynotrun@hotmail.com, All levels of runners, some are 7:00mm, most are 9-10mm all the way to a few 12 mm.

Rock Hill Striders (Our good buddies barely to the South)
http://rockhillstriders.wordpress.com/

Wednesday 5:30 pm at Charlotte Avenue YMCA, back of parking lot. 8 miles @ 7:30 – 8 min/mile
Thursday 5:30 pm at Charlotte Avenue YMCA, back of parking lot. 8 miles @ 7:30 – 8 min/mile
Saturdays 7:30am at the Springs Complex on Hwy 160 in Fort Mill. Any distance @ 8 + minutes.
Sunday 7:30 at the Winthrop Coliseum. 7, 8, or 10 miles @ 8 minutes or faster. There may be some groups at a slower pace, depending on who shows up.

RFYL 2011 Race Calendar

Run For Your Life 2011 race calendar..enjoy! Posted hear before anyone else because that is how we roll! Thank you Kim Bruno at RFYL for sharing with us.

2/5 UNCC Homecoming 5K UNCC Campus
3/12 Alston + Bird LLP Corporate Cup 5k, Half-Marathon & Half-Marathon Relay Uptown Charlotte
3/19 SHAMROCK 4 MILER (1st GPX) Stonecrest Shopping Center
4/8 Celebrate Better Health 5K Uptown Charlotte (Friday night race)
4/16 Rodney’s Kids Triathlon Charlotte Aquatic Center
4/16 Run For The Money Gastonia, NC
4/16 Harrisburg YMCA 5K
4/30 CPCC SKYLINE 5K (2ND GPX) Uptown Charlotte
5/8 Falafel 5K Shalom Park (Sunday morning race)
5/13 Right Moves For Youth Twilight 5K (3rd GPX) Uptown Charlotte (Friday night race)5/14 Run Ballantyne 10K, 5K & 1 Mile Fun Run Ballantyne Corporate Park
5/14 Pet Palooza Kennelly 5K Independence Park
5/21 Great Harvest Bread Co 5K (4th GPX) Run For Your Life Piper Glen
6/4 King Tiger University City 5K (5th GPX) Run For Your Life University
6/18 Summer Breeze 5K (6TH GPX) Freedom Park
6/25 Kate’s Race for Hope McAlpine Creek Park
7/2 HFFA Firecracker 5K Huntersville Aquatic Center
7/16 Run For Your Cause Run For Your Life 4 Miler (7th GPX) Run For Your Life Dilworth
8/6 Panthers 5K (8th GPX) Panthers Bank of America Stadium
8/13 Rock ‘n Run 5K NC Music Factory
8/20 USNWC Trail Challenge 10K & 5K USNWC
8/27 Yiasou Greekfest 5K (9th GPX) Greek Cathedral East Blvd
9/3 Freedom 5K TBD
9/10 Hog Jog 5K Uptown Charlotte
9/17 Hit the Brixx 10K & 5K (10TH GPX) Brixx Pizza Uptown Charlotte
10/1 Race For The Cure 5K Uptown Charlotte
10/8 Lung Strong 15K & 5K (11TH GPX) Jetton Village / Cornelius, NC
10/15 Hopebuilders 5K Uptown Charlotte
10/22 Dowd YMCA Half-Marathon & 5K Dowd YMCA
10/29 HFFA 10K & 5K Huntersville Aquatic
11/12 KANGAROO EXPRESS THUNDER ROAD MARATHON presented by Marathon Oil, AMICA INSURANCE HALF-MARATHON & 5K Uptown Charlotte