Until next time …
Tuesday, April 8, 2008

I feel that it's appropriate to have some sort of closeout entry for this RBlog. It just wouldn't be right without saying goodbye. I want to thank every for reading this over the past couple of months. Your feedback is greatly appreciated! I also want to thank the Richmond Sports Backers for giving constant updates to this race and for feeding all the media with story ideas.

For all the runners who finished on Saturday, I send out a big "congratulations" to you. For those completing their first race ever, I hope this is only the beginning of great things for you. Richmond is full of road races, so there's no excuse to stop now. It's never too early to start thinking about doing a half marathon or the Richmond Marathon later this year … or just sticking to shorter races.

So for now, I say farewell to writing about running. Until next time … 

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The winners are ...
Saturday, April 5, 2008

As the heavy rain held off this morning, it appears another successful Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k has come and gone. This being my first time participating in the event, I have to say that all in all it was a good experience. Maybe next year I won't have a bum foot that prevented me from full enjoyment. But from a well-organized start, to some good bands, to fans lining the streets in the rain, to some free 100-calorie snack packs, it was a good day.

If you have any short stories or anything you'd like to say about this year's 10k, email me at david.hylton@corp.richmond.com by noon Monday. I'll have a post to close out this blog early in the week. Anyway, on to the race details. Here is the latest from a Richmond Sports Backers news release:

Abdi Abdirahman of Arizona defended his national championship title in the USA 10k Men's Championships at today's Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k. The 30-year-old finished in 28 minutes, 32 seconds.  

Dan Browne, 32, of Oregon, was second with a time of 28:36.    

Billy Weldon, of Glen Allen, was the day's spoiler, as he captured the $2,500 purse as winner of  the AT&T Dash for the Cash. Weldon, an everyman runner who was selected at random from Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k registrants, was given a 2.8-mile head start and the opportunity to claim the cash if he bested the field. He crossed finish line almost two minutes ahead Abdirahman, who had teased him to watch out at a press conference the day before. This is only the second time in four attempts that the Dash for the Cash runner has claimed the prize.

In the Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k women's race, 32-year-old Kenyan Leah Kiprono won the $2,000 first prize with a 32:24. Richmonders Cheryl Anderson (34:22) and Maria Elena Calle (35:15) were second and third respectively.

With a record registration of 31,158 runners and walkers, and a record finishers' tally of 24,055, the Monument Avenue 10k, now in its ninth year, continues its torrid growth rate. The morning began with another registration record as 1,891 children ages 6 through 12 participated in the First Market Mile Kids Race presented by Minute Maid.

There were more than 27 bands entertaining runners and spectators along the route and at the Minute Maid Race Festival. More than 20 spirit groups in the Hirschler Fleischer spirit contest rallied participants with cheers and encouragement. And four Anderson & Strudwick Party Stops spectators fashioned placards and encouraging signs for a favorite runner or walker.  Stops also featured noisemakers and band accompaniment.

Almost 180 runners and walkers participated in the Richmond Times-Dispatch Dress Up and Contest, another event record. The individual winner was Boren Eam, of Midlothian, whose costume as the Ultimate Warrior earned him $500. The group winner was the Tooth Troop a 13-person ensemble of themed teeth, a dentist and a tube of toothpaste who work together at Atkins, Maestrello & Associates Pediatric Dentistry in Richmond. They will donate half their $500 prize to the VCU Massey Cancer Center.
 
Another area of growth was in the Performance Food Group 10k Healthy School Challenge, which recruited more than 2,200 high school and middle school kids to enter the 10k. The winning high school Trinity Episcopal won the high school division, claiming a $500 prize. Millwood School in Chesterfield County won the middle school division, also good for a $500 prize.

To check out individual results, visit sportsbackers.org. 

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The forecast
Friday, April 4, 2008 at 11 a.m.

On top of worrying about getting up on time, making sure your shoes are tied tightly and just being nervous, there's yet another obstacle: the weather. The Sports Backers Web site says it clearly: the Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k goes on rain or shine. Don't let a few raindrops get in your way!

If you've been keeping an eye on the forecast, you know that surprisingly it hasn't changed too much. Rain has been predicted on Saturday all week. Here's a look at what's being reported through this morning.

Weather.com
Showers and thunderstorms likely, with a high of 68. Chance of rain is 90 percent. The hour-by-hour forecast right now has thunderstorms in the forecast for 8 a.m. and 9 a.m.

Weather Underground (wunderground.com)
At 8 a.m., there is a 60 percent chance of light rain and thunderstorms. The temperature should be in the low 60s.

Accuweather.com
At 8 a.m. and 9 a.m., rain is in the forecast, with temperatures in the upper 50s.

CBS 6
A message from Meteorologist Aaron Justus on CBS 6's Web site, www.wtvr.com: "Spotty showers will persist into Saturday, so my best advice is to keep the rain gear handy if you are heading out for the Monument Ave 10K.  Luckily Saturday doesn't look like a complete washout."

NBC 12
As of 11 a.m. today, on its Web site www.nbc12.com: "Rain could be heavy Saturday with a chance of a few embedded thunderstorms mainly in the southeast portion of the state." 

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Headphones are allowed!
Wednesday, April 2, 2008 at 3:05 p.m.

For headphone wearers out there, have no fear, you can wear your headphones in Saturday's race. Jon Lugbill of the Richmond Sports Backers just told me this within the past half hour.

But with more than two dozen bands expected to line the course, wouldn't you want to just use that to keep you going?
I won't start another headphones debate, but I thought many of you out there would like to know this news.

For more details on Saturday's Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k and First Market Kids Mile, check out a separate story Thursday on Richmond.com.  

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What should I eat?
Tuesday, April 1, 2008 at 2 p.m.

A while back, someone asked me to discuss what to eat the day before race day. I think a better way to approach it is what NOT to eat the day before race day … or a few days before … or the morning of. Let me first caution you that I'm giving you advice based on what's worked for me in the past few years and what others have told me. I'm no expert … and in fact, some experts may disagree. So be it.

How ever old you may be, you know your body best. If there are certain foods that you know cause digestion problems, then stay away from it. I have often pigged out on pizza for lunch the day before a race, but for some people this may cause some major cramps on a run the next morning.

Most runners are familiar with the term "carbo loading." Someone once gave me some excellent advice to not over indulge in carbs the day before, but instead "load" up two days before. There's nothing wrong with a nice spaghetti dinner the prior evening, but I have found that I get more benefits having a big carb meal 36 hours before.

You'll want to avoid high-fiber foods the couple days before as well. No one wants to be behind that runner who, the day before, had Fiber One cereal for breakfast, a salad for lunch and broccoli as a side for dinner. I have often "fiber loaded" early in the week for big events to know that I'll be worry-free on race day.

As for eating on the day of the race, you'll want to get that out of the way about two hours before the event. My personal favorite is a plain bagel with honey. I've also been known to get a big Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pie. While on any other day this may be "empty" calories, I have found it to provide some nice fuel in a race, and quite tasty.

On race morning, I've always been told to avoid dairy products, so yogurt and milk have never even been considered. Look at it this way – if you don't want to see it coming up and out of your mouth in a few hours, stay away from it. I know of no other way to put it.

I can't even begin to tell you how many people I have passed that are having this conversation with their friend: "What did you eat this morning." "Nothing." "Me neither." Big mistake.

The most important thing to remember is to hydrate. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. One mistake I've made and seen other people make is not getting enough hydration in the day or two before a race. You can't "water load" the morning of – you're asking for trouble if you do. It really shouldn't be any drastically different that what you do leading up to your long run.

Another important aspect of eating and running is what to do after the race. There are different ways to approach this. I've always been a big fan of rewarding myself for the hard work that got me to that finish line. My biggest concern is to make sure I'm hydrated. Even though you may have properly hydrated in the days leading up to the race, make sure that you continue getting fluids into your body in the hour past the race. The staple at most races for food is cookies and fruit. Have at it. I often enjoy a pizza on race day if I didn't have it in the days leading up to the race.

Do you have any favorite pre-race meals or tips? If so, email me at david.hylton@corp.richmond.com and I'll include them in a posting this week.  

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Race week is here
Monday, March 31, 2008 at 11 a.m.

Doesn't it seem like the first quarter of this year has flown by? It seems hard to believe, but at the end of this week the ninth running of the Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k will be here.

Another thing that's seems hard to believe is how big this race has become. In 2000, just a little more than 2,400 runners signed up for the race. This year that number is 31,000. That kind of percentage increase hurts my head to even think about. The kids run has also seen a steady increase in number of registered runners since it first began. In 2003, there were 669 registered runners. Last year that number topped 1,700. This year is expected to draw similar numbers.

So are you ready for the big day? Stay with Richmond.com all week as we bring you more details about this weekend's race, what to eat the day before the race, what the weather might be like, and much more. In case you missed it, click here to check out this week's "20 Questions" in which 20 different runners give their biggest running lesson learned. 

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A group effort
Wednesday, March 26, 2008

As the Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k race day quickly approaches (it's next week!!), here's a look at more of the larger groups participating in the April 5 event. There are even more groups in a blog posting below or on the next page from earlier this month.

w There are about 20-25 Red Cross staffers and volunteers running/walking in the 10K. They've been training together after work. This is a big increase over last year when about 12 people signed up for the race, but only three finished it. This group will be wearing shirts that say, "The American Red Cross: Running to Disasters Since 1881." "We all feel safe knowing that if one of us passes out while running, we are CPR experts," said Tracy Baird, Red Cross' public relations coordinator.

w About 30 Owens & Minor employees have signed up for the 10k. This group has also raised about $1,500 so far for the VCU Massey Cancer Center.

w Dominion has 32 employees participating officially on behalf of the company, says Jennifer Culhane of the company's human resources department. Team Dominion has participated in this even every year since 2002. Team Dominion is a companywide team made up of Dominion employees running in races generally benefiting lesser known organizations or smaller races like the Race Against Domestic Violence (benefits Henrico domestic violence programs), the Jingle Bell Run (benefits Arthritis Foundation), ASYMCA Mud Run (benefits Armed Services YMCA) and so on. "Speed as a runner is not important -- only that they run," Culhane said of the team.

w The YMCA training groups have hundreds of runners. Here's a look at the number of registered runners per group, according to Mike McCormick of the Richmond Sports Backers: Shady Grove, 614; Downtown, 503; Tuckahoe, 411; Midlothian, 444; Chester, 311; John Rolfe, 286; Manchester, 196; Patrick Henry, 192; Chickahominy, 169; North Richmond, 120; Powhatan, 106; Southside, 103; Goochland, 85; and James Center, 52. 

Lessons learned?
Monday, March 24 at 10:40 a.m.

What the biggest lesson you've ever learned while running? Please send an email by 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 26 to david.hylton@corp.richmond.com with your story. Include your first and last name and where you live. You answers will be featured early next week in a separate feature.

Also, this is a last call for any large groups running in the Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k. Include the name of your group/company/organization, how many people are running and any other information you'd like to include. Look for another list later this week of large groups running in the April 5 event. (The initial list of large groups is below.) Details can be emailed to the email address above.

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Watch them … they can do anything
Thursday, March 20, 2008 at 1:30 p.m.

With 1,700 kids already registered, the First Market Mile adds to the excitement of the Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k on April 5.

Of those hundreds of children – ages 5 to 12 – are 106 students from Echo Lake Elementary. Last year the school had a large turnout and the participants wore T-shirts with "I can do anything" written on the front and "Watch me" on the back.

This year local law firm Hirschler Fleischer is sponsoring the team – the Echo Lake Wave Runners – and the students are once again gearing up for a fast mile.

Cherie Givens, marketing manager for Hirschler Fleischer, said they wanted the children to spread a positive message, so they kept the "I can do anything" slogan.

The message this year has spread to a song by Richmond-based band Silly Bus called "Watch Me, I Can Do This." The song will be on a compilation CD of Silly Bus songs that children can pick up with their race packets.

You'll be able to hear "Watch Me, I Can Do This" on Friday morning as Silly Bus debuts the song on "Virginia This Morning" on CBS 6. The show airs from 9 to 10 a.m.

You can also catch Silly Bus at 7:15 a.m. April 5 in front of Virginia Commonwealth University's Shafer Court Dining Center near the First Market Mile Kids Run start line and at 8:30 a.m. on the main stage in Monroe Park. For more details on the band, check out sillybus.net.

In addition to helping out the Echo Lake team, Hirschler Fleischer is the Spirit Contest sponsor for the 10k.

For more details on the First Market Mile, check out the Richmond Sports Backers site at sportsbackers.org. There's still time for children to sign up.

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Simulate race day
Tuesday, March 18, 2008

As I continue recovering from my Shamrock Half Marathon experience this past weekend, I rely on the recent email from 10k head training coach Danny Shea for words of wisdom regarding the Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k:

"Here's what I am absolutely recommending that everyone does regarding this 6 miler coming up ... Pretend it is the actual race. What I mean is, do everything that you're going to do for the actual event. Start the night before. Get your workout attire ready. Eat a light carbohydrate dinner, and then lie on the couch sipping water and watch the local weather for Sat. morning. Sorry, but social plans will have to wait. Get off your feet. Simulate everything you are going to do on event day, and the preceding evening. Go to bed a little earlier. This is a perfect time to rehearse everything you've been experimenting with. Get up early Saturday, and eat the food you plan on eating on race day. Then, execute your race day game plan exactly as you will for the real deal. I'm talking warm-up/stretching, starting out slowly, pacing, nutrition – even visualize crossing the finish line strong. Appropriately, this is the 'dry run' workout. This can be a tremendous help. Once again, you are trying to eliminate as many potential 'issues' now vs. trying to deal with something for the first time on April 5. That is no fun. Ideally, you just want to be able to concentrate exclusively on your start-to-finish game plan."

As a side note, I'm still seeking information about groups running in the Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k. See the posts below for additional details and contact information.

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31,000
Thursday, March 13 at 4 p.m.

This title is actually an understatement. When registration closed last night for the Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k, the number of registered runners was more than 31,000.

At this figure, this makes the event very close to one of the 25 largest road races of any distance in the world and one of the 10 largest in the U.S. Last year the 10k was the 16th largest U.S. race of any distance, according to a Richmond Sports Backers news release. Races, however, are ranked based on the official number of timed finishers, so the Sports Backers urges participants to wear the timing chip they receive at packet pickup (and for people to actually show up on race day).

"We are thrilled that over 31,000 people have made a commitment to a healthier lifestyle and have signed up for the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k. Since 2005, we have almost doubled in size," Jon Lugbill, the Sports Backers' executive director, said in a news release.

For those still wanting to participate, the VCU Massey Cancer Center is offering 10 special entry slots. To qualify, you must donate or raise a minimum of $500 and deliver it to the Sports Backers office. Spaces are awarded on a first-come basis.

Of note is the fact that the kids run is still open. Entries for the First Market Mile Kid’s Run will be accepted online through March 31 and then until the conclusion of the Anthem Health and Fitness Expo at 9 p.m. Friday, April 4 at the U-TURN Sports Performance Academy. More than 1,600 kids ages 5 to 12 are already registered.

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We're in this together
Thursday, March 13 at 11:11 a.m.

As I discussed last year during the marathon training, running is often thought of as an individual sport, but it's really not. It's a team sport in so many ways – whether you're running with friends, a training group or you're raising money for a nonprofit, there's always the support of others around you.

Earlier this week I urged large groups to contact me if they were participating in this year's Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k. Thanks to a few emails, some personal connections and some help from Mike McCormick at the Richmond Sports Backers, here's a look at a few of the groups participating. If you'd like to be added in a future blog entry, send an email to me at david.hylton@corp.richmond.com with your information.