Congratulations, Victor, for running a balla first marathon at OBX and for finding your race!

You made CAC proud.

Q:  Briefly describe your club’s mission statement and philosophy regarding the importance of developing athletes after leaving our school-based programs and fielding competitive teams of open athletes in local, regional, and national events.

A:  Carrboro Athletics Club might well be the last bastion of TRUE amateurism in the sport track and field.  Every one of CAC’s runners has full-time work outside of running, with 3 of our members in medical school, one applying to PT school, three finishing up PhD’s (in English, Pshychology, and Public Health/Engineering). Those not in school work 40+ hours a week yet all come together with a single, post-collegiate purpose - to keep pursuing their dreams of training hard, racing fast, and making that ever-elusive breakthrough to truly elite status.  We feel honored to be among the quality teams in the United States classified as “elite” by the USATF, but I would be remiss if I didn’t say we are, more accurately. pre-elite … on a mission to live up to this classification.

We are elite-seeking missiles!    In two short years, we have become a cohesive, supportive group of like-minded individuals despite our wildly varying training styles, professional pursuits, and personalities.  Creating a TEAM out of an amorphous group of milers, marathoners, track men, and road women is one gargantuan task … but CAC is finding it’s way!  We’ve only been at it two years and we’re just getting started.  We really do need another “cycle” together to have that collective breakthrough.

and then this “ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:”

Q:  What additional information and considerations would you like the USATF Club Council to know in evaluating your club’s interest in, and resources for, elite athlete development?

I am hopeful that CAC will continue to attract graduating athletes from Duke, UNC, and other surrounding schools as our reputation grows in the post-collegiate running community.  Chapel Hill/Carrboro offers a fantastic training environment and top-notch graduate programs for those elite-seeking runners leaving the cocoon of college running.

what would you add?

Randy Stockbridge runs 3:05 in her first marathon.

Rebekah Potts runs 2:55 in her first marathon.

Congratulations, training buddies!  You two ROCK.

Here at the “end of days” as it were for CAC elite development program, I feel as though I need to say something.  I don’t feel like I’ve contributed as much in this aspect of the team as I should have, and I feel guilty for not doing so.  What do I have to contribute?  I don’t know, but here goes.

Over the last three or so years I’ve had the unique perspective of being a quasi-CAC member.  Sometimes on the inside and at others feeling like I’m on the outside looking in.  I’ve been an intimate part of the team and “that guy who trains with us but runs for Raleigh Running Outfitters”.  I’ve seen CAC grow and flourish (highlights, Marc making the Oly Trials in the marathon and Jason’s 3:57 mile in TN, just to name a couple) and the seen it dwindle (Alex’s and Jason’s injury then subsequent departure from the team; Brent’s heart issue).

With all these ups and downs and loops and somersaults, one steadfast has remained.  John Hinton has been out there “doing it” since before “Team Wednesday” was even a moniker.  Unwavering, this Oak of Running has stood the test of time in a sport that is often thankless and unforgiving.  What lessons can us mere mortals learn from “the Oak”?

First, he’s not easily swayed.  Ups are ups and downs are downs, but no matter which way the wind blows he doesn’t bend too far in either direction.  Next is unwavering determination.  Sure he’s not as fast as he used to be (this is inevitable for all runners), but he is faster than his competition because of his focus on the task at hand.  Train hard, train smart, recover, compete, and win (rinse and repeat cycle!).  Finally, his heart and passion for the sport are incomparable.  He’s a quiet-natured guy, but I’ve always had the feeling that he’s saving everything up for the moment when he steps on the track to unleash the beast.

I’m incredibly thankful for the lessons I’ve learned from observing John and being his teammate.  From my own experiences, what would I hope that someone would take from observing me?  Love the sport for your own reasons and never lose contact with those reasons.  I like challenging myself; pushing myself to the brink of exhaustion and then going again.  I like traveling to races with my wife.  I like trying to figure out the puzzle that is training (how do I get faster?; I feel like I’m getting closer every day).  Even more recently, I love racing and knowing that I’m only getting faster as the season progresses.

I want to thank Joan for all the hard work, dedication, and perseverance she has shown in being the coach of this club.  I want to thank her for believing in me even when I didn’t believe in myself; for caring about my running when she had no obligation to do so.  You are a great coach and great friend!!!

To Alex and Jason, you guys have amazing talent and abilities.  I’ve seen both of you do things on the track and trail that were astonishing.  The time is ticking on your respective competitive running careers.  I hope you can both find the passion and love for the sport that drove you to it in the first place.

To conclude, I guess my blog entry came out a little more melancholic than I would have liked.  CAC is not over, it is only changing/morphing into something new.  Even if it went back to Team Wednesday, I will still be out there as I’m sure both John and Joan will be.  It is all about being a part of something bigger than yourself.  A group (club) of people committed to and passionate about RUNNING!

Here are two pictures from my run last weekend. I’m still feeling some tightness in my right calf and dull pain and stiffness in my plantar, but otherwise feel good.

Getting the news from the CAC brain trust (a.k.a. Joan) on our swan song was a bit of a surprise. Though I knew that we were always on unstable footing, I thought our rag-tag group would be able to keep at it, in our own, idiosyncratic way. Still, I do not think we should be sad about this turn of events. It is part of our collective personality, always tenuous yet committed, driven yet exhausted, fighting yet yielding to larger forces.

I want to extend my gratitude to all of you who were on this journey with me the last 1+ years. I have grown considerably as a runner during that time, and have come to appreciate this gift more by being able to share it with others again. I remember in college having conversations with my teammates about how this activity seemed very selfish and self-absorbed. At some point, many of us realized that that was the superficial reality only, because our running made us better people and thus had very positive side effects. Thanks to all of you for helping that process along as I returned to running in a big way these last two years. Best of luck with the future, and thanks especially to Joan who made it all happen, though it was never easy.

a poem by Jim Harrison from Poetry magazine, September 2008

The moon comes up.

The moon goes down.

This is to inform you

that I didn’t die young.

Age swept past me

but I caught up.

Spring has begun here and each day

brings new birds up from Mexico.

Yesterday I got a call from the outside

world but I said no in thunder.

I was a dog on a short chain

and now there’s no chain.

It was dark when we woke up and the sun came up about 15 minutes before race start time. It was overcast and low 60s. warm enough, but not too warm. The marathon and half-marathon went off at 7am and we followed at 7:30am. There were special events that were scheduled for the visiting women. On Thursday, there was a luncheon talk and press conference and then a local family hosted everyone at their house for dinner (I arrived Friday afternoon, so did not get to partake in this and thus also did not really get a chance to meet all the elite women). Friday there was a Mayor’s Reception in the art musuem and the top 35 elite women were announced. I was floored at the competition that was there - Katie McGregor, Elva Dryer, Sarah Slatterly, and one of the 2008 Olympic steeplechasers to name a few. WOW!

Back to race day - we were escorted over to the elite tent in the morning at 6:30am (yes i was actually awake and energized at this hour!) and began our warmups on the street behind the start line - the sun rose as the marathon gun went off and we took over the main drag to finish our race preparations. There was a special tent with water and gatorade and gels and fruit where we could put our bags.

I was just trying to take it all in and be mentally ready for a race course I didn’t know (not my forte). It was neat to see what those women did and how many times we all went to the bathroom before the beginning of the race! haha. Guess I”m not the only one and special designated bathrooms helped with that situation. The skirt girl from Duke Invite was there also! It was neat to see and speak with her again.

The announcer was talking about the competitor’s with awful slow dramatic music in the background and at 7:25 we were all stripped down, flatted up, and striding it out. I had on my CAC duds and neon green sparkle laces JC Cross shoes. 7:29 we were toeing the line; it was weird to line up on a start line with so few people and when the gun went off - it was whoosh into the pack running. The pack went down the street to the bridge. Here I faced a critical decision, stick with the pack or run my own race - knowing those women were flying at 5:00 minute miles, I decided to stick back to my race plan and let them pull away a little bit. I still went through the first mile at 5:10 without so much as batting an eyelash - showed me that maybe I’m in a different place then I thought, also made me think - maybe I’m not due to race with these women, but soon I realized…no this is just a first stepping stone and the desire to run with that pack in the future was planted. The course was rolling hills, which was nice since hills are my strength. I was passed by four other members through miles 2 and 3 and thought for sure I was the last one, but kept everyone in sight till 3 and a half miles. I just kept trying to get to the woman in black, but when your racing with people as fast and faster than you - running them down is a whole new game. On the hair-pin turn at mile four I saw that I wasn’t last! and I thought “Well, isn’t that nice!” and just ran for the finish.

The last 1200 meters were the longest ever! I thought that 800 meter sign would never show up! But, then it was really the last 400 that were drawn out - when I hit the cobblestones leading into the stadium I was just trying to make sure that I wasn’t going to get sprint kicked, luckily the field was springy and I loped into the finish with a 28:43. Slower than I wanted, but a decent first effort and place to start. Knowing I still had more to give, I am ready for a 10K PR.

Sarah Slatterly won the race and McGregor came in second (she’s going for marathon I think now - thus the locker room talk indicated). It was neat to hear the women’s chatter. We got special massage treatment and food (holy shamolies! sandwiches, soda, water, Smartwater, Vitamin Water, apples, oranges, bananas, energy bars, chips and then in the locker room - Laffy taffy, Twizzlers, and Double Bubble!) Go figure the Double Bubble tub had four pieces left by time I got to it after my cool down - distance runners and gum….

It was really indescriable to see such support and change going on in the running world making it possible for people to actually make this a career. I was just stoked that they let me race without a race fee - I had no idea what I was really in for, but man was it an experience and I’m ready for more!

Anyone who thinks Geb was wrong to skip the Olympic Marathon should think again. Under 2:04 is disgusting. At least it’s inspirational going into my race next week. I hope conditions are as good in the Twin Cities as they were in Berlin.

the far bank

When Dave and I arrived at the race this weekend, the sun was just coming up over the lake.  I could not resist taking a few pictures…enjoy!

view of the lake from the registration tent