Looking for a fun new way to cross train and/or strength train? 9RoundDilworth is offering CRC members a 20% discount on month to month training plans($99 vs. $129), plus a $20.20 registration fee (usually $199). This offer includes unlimited workouts, gloves/wraps and a keytag.

According to owner John Dee, “Runners benefit by cross training with us because it gives the running muscles a chance to recover while strengthening other parts of the body, improving overall fitness & preventing injuries.” 9Rounds is located at 1412 East Blvd.

https://www.9round.com/fitness/dilworth-nc-x6584

who finished 20th overall at the NYC marathon and was the 9th American! She timed her run just right as the Men's Overall Winner was coming down the finish. Watch Paula run the Olympic Trials in Atlanta on February 29, then run a marathon / half marathon with Destination Marathons.

  

Registration is now open! 

Take advantage of the lowest rates by signing up early.

New this year!

Youth Age Group Award Divisions (4k only) (8 & under, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, then 15-19...)

Special YOUTH Rate: $15.00 Race Entry Fee for 18 & under!

Seperate 8k OPEN Race & USATF Championship Race

Winter Classic Race Registration

Charlotte Marathon week is here and the Charlotte Running Club will play an active part of it.

• On Friday come visit us at the Expo in the Charlotte Convention Center. Someone will be there from 10a to 8pm giving out free pacing bands, selling you some great CRC merchandise, or providing you information on all the great things we have planned.

• On Saturday, we have over 3 dozen members serving on the CRC Pace Team. We will have pace teams from 3 Hours to 6 Hours (and every 15 minutes in between) helping several runners meet their time goals for this year’s race. Special thanks to Eric Smith who is our Pace Team Captain and also thanks to Lululemon who provided this year’s official Pace Team outfit.

• If you plan on racing and haven’t signed up yet, take advantage of our 10% discount for any of the 5 races Saturday morning. Access the discount code by going to https://charlotterunningclub.wildapricot.org/discounts and logging in.

• If you’re racing on Saturday and make a PR, look out for our new CRC PR Bell which will located just after the finish line after you get your medal. Ring that bell with pride!

• If you’re not racing or pacing, we hope that you are spectating somewhere along the course. Please join our CRC Cheer Zone at the corner of 5th and Osborne near Mile 23.

Speaking of Charlotte Marathon, I had the opportunity to sit down and talk everything Charlotte Running Club with Race Director Tim Rhodes on the Running Around Charlotte podcast. You can access that podcast by going to the link below.

Link to podcast

Later this month you will be receiving our 2020 annual member renewal notices. Please make sure to renew as soon as possible so you can continue to take advantage of our many race discounts, store discounts, social events, and help us support local running. We are proud to continue to offer race discounts next year with Sisu and Start 2 Finish. We are excited to provide new discounts for the Charlotte Marathon, Wilmington Marathon in March, and the Grandma’s Marathon in June. Our race discounts alone are worth over $180 alone. Not bad for a $20 membership.

Along with your renewal, we are providing each member with a survey. The results of this survey will assist your leadership team going forward in understanding your needs and what you’d like to see from CRC in the future. It should only take 5 minutes.

We have posted many updates on social media regarding CRC members Paula Pridgen’s successful day at the New York City Marathon. I was visiting with the Ballantyne Running Club at Hooligan’s that Sunday morning. I was beaming with pride as I saw Paula’s name come flashing across the screen (20th Female / 9th American) The whole room filled with cheer and excitement when we saw her live on national television as she approached the finish line with the men’s winner, Geoffrey Kamworor. Great job Paula on your new PR and great race!

Paula will be racing at the Olympic Trails in Atlanta February 29.  We have a group trip planned that is being coordinated by our travel partner Destination Marathons.  This trip will sell out soon so please take care of your accommodations soon by going HERE. The Package includes 2 hotel nights, VIP tent at the trials, pre-race dinner, and an entry into the Publix Atlanta Marathon or Half Marathon March 1.  Members will be receive a discount.

See you at a future race, group run, or CRC Event.

In great strides,

Chad Champion

Charlotte Running Club President

Around the Crown brought a lot of runners to uptown two months ago, one of whom was Chelsea Schlepp. Upon finishing the race with a PR time, she came upon CRC’s PR bell and decided to join the club. The busy mom of two does not have time for long runs but enjoys a good 5K or 10K until the time when her daughters are older.

A native of California, Chelsea has lived in Charlotte for the past 11 years. In 2013, she completed her longest race, the Rock N Roll Nashville Marathon. “Finishing was my goal,” she explains. Like many runners, she signed up for another marathon, but was unable to fit in the training. Soon after that, she started her family and the second marathon was further put on hold, but not forever.

“For now I really like the 5K to 10K distance,” says Chelsea, who spent the last two weekends completing the Running Scared 5-miler and the Great Pumpkin Run in Huntersville. “I love the feeling of accomplishment I get after a good run, and the sense that I did something good for both my body and mind.”

Aside from her own running pursuits, she sees the making of another runner in her daughter, Alice, who is four. “She already has her own medal rack with three medals,” beams Chelsea. Look for Chelsea pushing a stroller while running in Ballantyne.

For those of you who haven’t heard, this weekend’s Charlotte Marathon is sold out, and combined with the additional shorter distances, is expected to draw 6,000 runners to uptown. Charlotte Running Club will be well represented at the Expo and the Race. Here’s where to look for us:

• At the Expo, visit the CRC booth at Friday’s Expo to pick up a free pace band and customizable bib. While there, check out our merchandise and sign up for the Winter Classic.

• At the start, find your pacer! The Charlotte Running Club has put together an excellent team of pacers to help you run your goal race. Special thanks to board member Eric Smith for organizing the pace team.

• During the race, look for the CRC Cheer Station at the corner of 5th & Osborne, around mile 23 of the marathon course.

• At the finish line, expect to see several CRC runners leading the race and their respective age groups.

• At the end of the finishing shoot, look for our PR bell and ding away as you reach your new PR!

This year’s race is expected to be better than ever. Don’t miss another opportunity to do what we love in the city we love!

 

We are 487 Members strong! 

Welcome to our members that recently joined or renewed!

Karim Benaoudia

Nikki Cohen

Marcia Cooper

Cara Cremeans

Todd Hansen

Jill Hubbuch

Mary Neill Irvine

Tony Joy

Nikki Judd

Heidi Kittetman

Roy McDonald

Ken Partel

Sarah Turnbull

Two of our local youth running programs, Let Me Run and Girls on the Run, are holding their 5Ks in the next month. They need a number of volunteers to make these events happen. If you are available to help, please click here!

  

https://www.gotrcharlotte.org/Volunteer

https://letmerun5k.raceroster.com/

Grandma’s Marathon in Minnesota is known as a flat, fast, Boston-qualifying course. On June 20, 2020, several CRC members will run the scenic Highway 61 along the North Shore of Lake Superior to finish in Duluth’s Canal Park. Will you be one of them?

Registration is now open for Grandma’s, and the half marathon is already sold out! Get the following benefits by applying through Destination Marathons:

• Secure your spot in the sold-out half marathon with a DM package.
• Get the “Running Club Experience” (co-sponsored by CRC) which includes
• 10% discount on registration fee
• Pre-race pasta dinner
• VIP tent at the start
• Complimentary bleacher pass for a friend / spectator
• Grandma’s jacket (marathon only – must register by Dec. 31)

Click Here for more info and to sign up:

https://www.destination-marathons.com/grandmas

Keep Running in 2020 with These Three Injury Prevention Tips

The year 2019 is actually coming to a close and it’s about that time to start looking into the 2020 running season (if you haven’t already). Hopefully it was a great, injury-free year for you, and if so, let’s stay on that track! If you have been battling injuries and they’ve been holding you back, these three tips that can help manage and mitigate your injuries in 2020.

Running Form Assessment

Let’s be honest with ourselves, as we continue to get older, and as the days fly by, we open up the opportunity for change to occur in our running form. Perhaps it’s a slightly stiffer hamstring that is getting worse, or hip flexor that seems to be perpetually tightening up. Sure you may not hurt from it, but the reality is that you may be undergoing a slight change in your running form. Make sure to have your form assessed by a specialist to ensure you’re continuing to run optimally.

Off-Season Strength Training

Running is a sagittal sport, meaning we tend to ONLY adapt the set of muscles involved in running. This puts us in jeopardy of severely deconditioning our very important core muscles, particularly in our hips and back. Strengthen these in the off-season to help address your weak spots and minimize your risk of injury.

Mobility

Mobility is a KEY requirement in the ability to continue to run pain free as we age. Of note, the hamstrings, calves, and the hip flexors almost always end up as the arch-nemesis in the field of running. Make sure that you take this off season seriously with a mobility regimen that is CONDITIONED for YOUR body.

Dr. Chad Kuntz, DPT, OCS, SCS, CSCS, CISSN, TPI-1, USA-W is owner of Pr1me Movement Physical Therapy. His goal is to help active individuals return back to working out, playing their favorite sport, and enjoying life without worry, drugs, surgery or meaningless doctor appointments. Contact Dr. Chad at 704-835-0831 or chadk@pri1memovement.com.