Just Call Me Coach RunNerdGirl

 So last post I said that 2022 has been A LOT. That doesn't necessarily mean bad, just that a lot has happened over the first half of 2022. In fact, there were a few amazing things that happened in 2022. 

An early win that I experienced that I briefly mentioned in my January posts is that I sat for and passed my RRCA Running Coach Certification. And not only am I now a "Coach" on paper...

I was lucky enough to be brought on as a Program Training Coach with Fleet Feet Sports: Fort Mill.

In fact, it is all because of Fleet Feet that I decided to pull the trigger on becoming RRCA Certified in the first place. I had been toying with the idea off an on for a bit, but it was a short conversation after a race that really got the ball rolling. I mean, if you've not figured it out from this blog or my socials (if you don't follow me on Instagram or Twitter, please do, links will be at the bottom of the post) and when I love something, I learn everything I can about it. And that leads to wanting to help others love it as well. So I had given some advice when asked, written the occasional training plan for others here and there and even "trained" a friend who had just started running for his first few races (which he awesomely dropped 17 minutes from his Half Marathon time in 5 months!) But yeah, all of that was just one runner helping out other runners out. Then came Around the Crown.

Me after Around the Crown

One of my favorite Charlotte-area races is the Around the Crown 10K. It's awesome. They close down the I-277 loop around the city and let runners literally run around Charlotte. It is the coolest. I'll be honest, it is a Charlotte race which means it is hilly, so it is not an easy course, but the Around the Crown is my 10K PB just for the pure reason that it is the most fun 10K I've run. I spent the whole first time I ran it in 2019 (the inaugural year) just kinda giggling as I ran it. So much fun. Anyway, at the finish of the 2021 race, I swung by the Fleet Feet Sports Fort Mill tent to say hi. I had run off and on with Fleet Feet for several years. I ran in their Training Program, occasionally served as a mentor, was on their Racing Team and just kind of came and went as my race schedule allowed. As I was chatting with a few runners, the then Managing Partner asked if he could speak to me to the side. Turns out he wanted me to join the Training Program as a Coach. A bit surprised and flattered, I told him I'd think about it.

Obviously I decided that yes, I did want that. And when the next opportunity arose to take an RRCA certification course came up, I enrolled and the rest is history! I'm a Coach now! And it has been pretty awesome.

I'm currently coaching my 3rd session with Fleet Feet Sports Fort Mill the Summer Trails Training Group. So far, this has been my hardest session to coach for a number of reasons which I will be sure to blog all about it, but I do love it. Even when it's hard, its exactly what I want to be doing. 

Love leading this group through the woods!

If you happen to be local and are interested in checking out the Fleet Feel Sports Fort Mill Training Groups, visit this link: https://www.fleetfeet.com/training?s=fortmill for more information and to sign up for one of our sessions (Trails is ending in 2 weeks, but Summer Sizzlin' 5K and 10K programs just started with goal races of the Greek Festival 5K and Around the Crown 10K (both that I will be running). 

Find me on Socials here:

Instagram: @runderdgirl

Twitter: @runnerdgirl

Cool Summerfest

This year's York Summerfest Road Races were nice and cool with a starting temp in the low-60s, despite having Summer in the the name. These races are an event during the annual Summerfest in York, SC.

This is an annual local race that I have known about for years, but never raced before. This year I was able to make the time in my schedule and signed up about 2 weeks prior to the event and was still guaranteed a tech shirt which was pretty great. Pre-event, the race management kept in great contact, often posting on social media and sending out email updates leading to the event. You could pick up race packets in 3 ways, in York prior to the race, at the Fleet Feet Sports store in Fort Mill prior to the race, or on site the morning of. I opted for the Fleet Feet pick up. The bag contained a tech shirt, bib, sponsor odds and ends like pens and magnets plus vendor ads. I walked in and right out again no problem - well except my daughter spent several minutes petting the FFS mascot dog.

The morning of the race I easily found the location and parked at a municipal building parking lot right next to the race start. The weather was perfect for a race day, low-60s and there were several local vendor tents set up (including my Fleet Feet Sports team) and ample port-a-potties. 5 minutes prior to the start, which was on the road in downtown York, a local ROTC group displayed the colors for the National Anthem and the race started. Both the 5K and the 10K started at the same time and would follow the same route for about 2.5 miles where they split with the 5K heading back to the finish (which was the same place as the start) and the 10K veering off for the remainder of their route before doing the same. The course was extremely well marked with several volunteers and police along the route for assistance. I ran the 5K and passed a water station around 1.5 miles in. I was told their was a 2nd water station on the 10K route as well. The route went through residential neighborhoods with a few challenging hills and there were a few spectators here and there. The last .1 mile back to the finish was a decent sized hill, but there were a lot of people there cheering you on so it didn't seem so bad. 

I crossed the finish line under my 30 min goal and was pleased with my time. Live time race results were posted on a monitor at the finish line and was even more please to find out I placed 3rd in my age group!

After the race there was lots of water bottles on hand and Fleet Feet Sports had a huge cooler of Nuun for the racers. There was a big table full of fruit, crackers and granola bars as well. I stuck around to cheer on the other runners as I had several friends on the course for both the 5K and 10K races. There were no finisher medals for either distance.

Awards were presented in a nice ceremony where medals and certificates were give to overall and AG winners 1st, 2nd and 3rd in 5 year increments. I believe overall winners received gift cards. There was even podium blocks set up for winners to stand on. I placed 3rd in the Female 40-44 AG. After awards, there were about 10 or so door prizes drawn from bib numbers. Overall, it was a great, well organized local race that I would highly recommend.