Skorts rule! From left: Barefoot Josh and Iris Sutcliffe, Jack Plymale, Dena and Blair Harris, Nathan Daughtrey.

Wow, what a morning! Three trophies, four PRs, skorts aplenty. MadMayo was like a giant sparkler blazing its collective way through the Kernersville Rotary Club Fourth of July 5K—and in a totally fun, totally cute way! With results this good, everyone gets to tell their story. We’re posting ‘em as they arrive…

BAREFOOT JOSH
Time: 19:45 (PR! No shoes!)
Place: 25/407; 3rd AG!
I think it was the Goya Coconut Water (with coconut chunks!). I chug-a-lugged half a can after we parked. My legs, back, and neck were still stiff from a tough fitness assessment by RunnerDude and a day of shrub planting, but I felt like I had a good chase in me anyway. I played around with a slight adjustment in my stride, which I think warrants further investigation. The upshot: I PRed with a 19:45, placing third in my AG. If you’re wondering how my shirt stays so brilliantly clean, I’ve got two words for you: Charlie’s Soap.

DENA
Time: 22:30 (PR!)
Place: 85/407; 2nd AG!
I ran most of the race thinking about how much I hate running 5Ks. Give me my slow, plodding marathon pace any day. Still, perfect weather and a mass of MadMayo runners on the course made for a great day. I ran a PR of 22:30, meeting my goal of a sub-23 race. More important than a strong finishing time, however, is the fact that Iris and I rocked the skort look.

Sing it with us: Weee are the chaaampions!

JACK
Time: 27:45
Place: 227/407; 2nd AG!
[Check back for Jack's recap!]

BLAIR
Time: 28:15 (PR!)
Place: 243/407
What a great day for a race! The weather was perfect and everywhere I looked, I saw a lot of happy, smiling people. I enjoyed the turnaround on the course as it gave me an opportunity to see our front-runners in action (I never get to see Josh, Dena, Jack, and Nathan run as they’re incredibly fast). Kudos to my fellow MadMayo runners who took home awards, set PRs, and generally just killed it. The MadMayo group is really starting to make a name for itself!

IRIS
Time: 32:20
Place: 324/407; 19th AG
32:20! Seriously? That’s five minutes faster than I thought I’d run. It’s 1:34 faster than my previous PR. Who knew running the hills of Madison would slow me down and make me faster at the same time? And walking really does make me run faster! Once I remembered that it’s okay to walk every few minutes, everything fell into place and I actually got faster in the second half. Baby’s first negative split! I sprinted across the finish! Who am I? But my favorite part? The running skort is clearly gaining momentum. Run! Be cute! At the same time!

MadMayo Shout-Out to fellow Madisonians and—whether they like it or not—new MMRC members Ana and Brad Bumgarner. Everyone in the club has spotted Ana and Brad running around town while pushing their TWO kids in a doublewide stroller. They are hale, hearty, and fast! The four Bumgarners ran the K’ville 5K today—kids in said stroller—and crossed the finish line as a family in a stout 32:42. Now that is MadMayo Moxie! Welcome to the cult—er, club!

Kudos to involuntary (and therefore highly intelligent) MMRCer Nathan Daughtrey for peeling through the course at a new PR of 22:50! We’re betting he’s composing something on his new vibraphone to celebrate.

Check out the Rotary Club Fourth of July 5K results here >>

Funny what a little heat and humidity will do to people, isn't it?

Remember winter? You know, the season that makes you shiver uncontrollably as the chill freezes the marrow in your bones? Sounds refreshing, doesn’t it? In no way does that describe Saturday’s Fun Fourth Freedom Run 10K.

MadMayosians present for this drippy furnace of a race were Iris, Blair, Jack, and Nathan (he’s one of us whether he admits it or not), plus Christine from MadMayo: Asheville Division. And me, Josh. We all finished a few pounds of sweat lighter, and the general mood around the tables of bananas and Krispy Kremes was, well, cranky.

“That was hard. Hot.”
“Yes, hot.”
“And that hill at the end? Uncivilized.”
“I agree, hot and uncivilized.”
“I don’t feel I did as well as I could have, but it was so hot.”
“And uncivilized.”
“Yes, I was going to say that. Hot and uncivilized.”
“Did anyone place? No? Let’s go home. I need a gin and tonic.”

And so forth.

The organizers, who were not responsible for the climate, did an excellent job. The volunteers were skilled in the art of the water hand-off, and there were plenty of post-race goodies like the aforementioned doughnuts and bananas, as well as bagels, oranges, Gatorade, and some kind of tasty apple bread.

While the course was hillier than I thought it would be (although the heat might have made the hills bigger and steeper), it was nice running through some of the prettier neighborhoods of Greensboro. Most of the course was in the shade, which was certainly appreciated. Thanks, trees!

We did bring the camera; however, would you believe those things still require batteries in this day and age? Crazy, right? I should have brought some paper and a pencil. I could have drawn us. Or maybe not, as sweat and graphite are not artistically compatible.

“I guess I understand why there aren’t many races in July and August,” Iris said as she stopped, dropped, and rolled, thinking she was on fire. “Yup,” was all Christine could say in response, struggling to open a fire hydrant with her bare hands. Sniffing, Blair asked, “Is something cooking?” “We are,” answered Jack from underneath his fancy parasol. “Air conditioning and couch. Vamos, amigos,” I said, hopping from foot to foot, toes smoking a little.

With no further ado we drove off to our respective homes, soon to forget the trials of the day and start looking forward to the next race—next Saturday’s Kernersville Rotary Club Fourth of July 5K.

Fun Fourth Freedom Run 10K results here >>

Jack departs in style at the PTI 5K on the Runway.

Enjoy this week’s MadMayo race recap by Jack Plymale:

Prerace at the PTI 5K on the Runway had the feel of a big event (lots of first-time runners, buses to the start line, planes, security, and race officials everywhere). This is the first time I knowingly participated in a one-time event—this race will not be repeated on the FedEx runway.

The race started about 30 minutes late due to a late surge in registrations (700 preregistered, and several hundred more registered on site). It was more of an event for most of the participants than just a race; it seemed as if people were there  to be seen and not just race. The race was well organized and well run in every aspect, except that they ran out of water at the finish, so the runners who did not finish in the top 50 percent had no water at the end of the race. This was not a big deal since it was just a 5K. I saw one runner receiving medical assistance (it was very hot and muggy) but he was up and walking around later.

The race was chip timed, so it was a little crowded at the start going between the timing devices, but then we had the largest track I have ever run on for the race itself. I’m sure at least 100 or more runners could have run side by side on the huge runway, which had little grooves cut in it (would have been hard on barefoot runners, as well as hot).

I finished first in my age group (65–69), but I did not hang around for the awards ceremony. This is the second time that I wore my MadMayo Running Club shirt, and the aero design propelled me to my second age group win (guess what I will be wearing at the upcoming Freedom Run 10K in Greensboro and the July 4^th run in Kernersville?).

See the full results of the first and only PTI 5K on the Runway >>

Yeah, we were surprised by Jack's choice of headgear, too, but he insisted that this is how they do 5Ks in the Sahara. (We think he misheard "Siberia," but you can't argue with a hat this fabulous.) From left: Barefoot Josh Sutcliffe, Iris Sutcliffe, Dena Harris, Royce Richardson, Jack Plymale.

That was a blast! Kudos to Greensboro Parks & Recreation and Janes on the Run for putting together a great inaugural event for a totally worthy cause: the Trail Mix 5K at Bur-Mil Park, with 100 percent of all donations benefiting Greensboro trails and greenways. Greensboro has more than 80 miles of awesome trails and it’s gotta be no small feat keeping them in runnable, bikeable, and hikeable condition. Consider investing in this valuable resource and make a donation. And a hat tip to the volunteering Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts, who earned a badge or two today for their service keeping the runners hydrated, motivated, and moving in the right direction.

MadMayo members representing North Carolina’s North Star were:

Jack Plymale
Royce Richardson
Dena Harris
Iris Sutcliffe
And of course your humble author, me, Josh Sutcliffe.

Some other Rockingham racers were also in attendance: Jay Jones, who won February’s Run to the Endzone 5k, and Brian McCandless, who won the Phoenix 5k just two weeks ago. Talk about a star-studded field.

This was my first barefoot trail race, so I was a little nervous. I have run many of the trails around Bur-Mil without shoes, but never in a race. I will also say without reservation that in previous trail races I was very grateful for the footwear I had, however “minimal” or whatever the kids are calling aqua socks these days. So I had to be smart. Not my strong suit.

For instance, Iris and I were a little preoccupied before and after the race with thoughts of our coffee machine. Neither one of us remembered turning it off. Fortunately, it was off when we got home. Maybe the dogs did it.

Click the pic to make a donation to help maintain GSO's greenways and trails!

Dena and future MadMayo Member (once all the paperwork is turned in and notarized) Nathan showed up ready to go, having run a few miles beforehand(foot?). Jack and Royce hobnobbed with the crowd, since they seem to know everybody. Iris was looking mighty sporty in her new racing skort, I must say. I might have to add a kilt to my racing wardrobe.

Okay, the race. Awesome. Nice out-’n-back on the greenway, where some jockeyed for position while others saved it for the trails. I started in the middle, with Iris, Jack, and Royce. Thank you, volunteer at the turnaround who laughed at my lame “U-turn. Who turn? Me turn?” joke. Above and beyond the call of duty, my friend. And then, the trail…

I really like the Big Loop. It’s a nice mix of technical and smooth, with a few muddy puddles. Getting muddy is one of my favorite things about trails, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Of course, I hope some of my footprints survived long enough to confuse a future hiker or two. I am pleased to report that I released an expletive only once, when I failed to notice a medium-size rock underfoot. That brings my average to about 8.37 miles per swear word. Not too shabby.

The real obstacle, however, wasn’t the terrain, but the humidity. Hoo-boy. I wasn’t sure if I was running or swimming at times. But hey, better to run in the shade of the woods than out on the road in such blazing sweatiness. Another reason to pony up.

The only MadMayoite to win his age division was Jack. For his exemplary representation of our club, he shall receive a Josh Art Original (well, sort of original—it’s a linocut print):

Shameless Plug: If anyone is interested in learning the principles of running barefoot, and maybe even wants give it a try, I’m conducting a FREE workshop and you’re invited. We’ll talk for a bit, then run around a bit, then talk some more. Should be fun, and maybe even educational. Friday, June 11; 6:30–8 p.m.; RunnerDude’s Fitness, 2307 W. Cone Blvd., Greensboro. Info: 336-288-6155.

Race results are posted at the Janes on the Run website >>

Thanks again to all of the organizers for putting on a splendid race. See you at next year’s Trail Mix!

Saturday’s 2nd Annual Phoenix 5K Run-Walk/1-Mile Race Against Cancer was an excellent way to start the weekend. Being able to sleep in and drive a mere 10 minutes to a race is a treat in itself, but when the race is on our home track, so to speak, we like it even more.

Last year’s inaugural Phoenix 5K is where MMRCers Josh, Royce, and Jack met for the very first time. (It’s also where Josh won his first-ever overall victory, but let’s not dwell on that today.) So, really, this race is where it all began for the MadMayo Running Club. For that reason, and because our mission is to support local races and runners, we are especially proud that race director and McMichael HS social studies teacher/cross country coach Jonathan Williams asked if we would donate a club tee for the raffle and put our logo on the race tee. Our first sponsorship! Yay!

The Race: The weather was warm and humid. Because this is the Piedmont in May, remember. The well-marked course was kind of tough—but in a fun way! Started at the soccer field, ran up and down grassy hills to the path around the pond, around the big tree, around the baseball field, around the lake, more grass, more hills, ohmygosh it’s humid and who’s that kid running so fast and barely even breathing hard … FINISHED!

Now, I run Farris a lot. But I usually run the path and not through the grass, which, it turns out, is like millions of tiny sea anemones grabbing on and holding me back. Jack pittypatted away from me and Royce a couple minutes into the race. Royce passed me during the first loop around the pond. I nearly caught him a few times, but his legs are about as long as I am tall.

This year’s attendance was higher than last year’s for both the 5K Run/Walk and 1-miler. It’s good to know that more people from the area are giving running (and walking!) a shot, either for the first time ever or for the first time in years. A few people I talked to said they hadn’t tried anything like a 5K in ages. I mean, think about how many people work through the 10-week Couch to 5K Plan, but these participants were just like, “Heck yeah, I’ll give it a shot right now!” Our county has some serious grit, that’s what that says.

The After-Party: After the run/walk, we all dug into hot dogs and cake (and you know how much MadMayosians love cake!). The winners received their medals and the raffle commenced. Lisa from Sandy Ridge won the MMRC tee, and I’m looking forward to running with her again. The winning runner was Brian McCandless, with a time of 18:43! It’s a good thing Josh was in Flagstaff is all I can say. Jack and I won our age groups, and Royce placed second in his. Woot!

I enjoyed everything about the Phoenix 5K, but I think my favorite part was watching Lillie Tucker, Kate Williams, and Logan Swain (the three girls in the big photo at the top) cross the finish line together. They ran an awesome race and supported each other during the final push to the end. They really earned their medals, and I look forward to seeing them at next year’s Phoenix 5K on May 21, 2011. Mark your calendars!

RESULTS

5K Run
Brian McCandless 18:43
Chase Schultz  23:29
Jeremy Stevens  25:41
Keith Richardson 26:07
Steven Edwards  26:25
Don Teague  27:42
Brittany Southern  27:52
Jack Plymale 31:28
Caroline Frye  32:13
Royce Richardson  35:41
Iris Sutcliffe  36:32
Misti Williams  37:50
Cindi Hardison 39:05

5K Walk Participants
Kyle Stevens
Mark Hill
Matt Hill
Lillie Tucker
Megan Stevens
Kate Williams
Logan Swain
Emily Blakey
Megan Stuckey
Emily Frye
Emily Teague
Jennifer Swain
Jinny Elmore
Tammy Richardson
Jodi Stevens
Maria Teague
Lyn Carlisle
Lisa Mason

1 Mile Participants
Anna Casto
Michele Casto
Melanie Golter
Julie Glandt
Bob Casto

It was a small field for the 3.5-mile run; most people were running the half. Harvey and I left the road start together, chatting with some nice folks along the way. By the time we reached the trail, I’d pulled away a bit, so we said our see-you-laters and I headed off. We noticed early on that even though we had started toward the back of the pack, we were getting passed like crazy in the first few minutes. We fought the urge to keep up with them and by the time we hit the trail, most of them were dropping back behind us again.

It had rained the night before, so the trail was very slick, but Harvey and I both managed to stay on our feet the whole time. It was also very humid; we were lucky that it was cool enough to not be much of an issue.  We’d thought it would probably rain while we were out there, but it held off for us. By the time I hit the midsection of the trail, I couldn’t see anyone else—in front or behind. The last mile was pretty much all uphill, so I was glad that our daily  runs are on rolling trails. At the end, we came up out of the trees onto the grass, over one last steep climb.

We were both pleased with our results: my time was 38:59 (pace 11:08); Harvey’s was 43:54 (pace 12:33). The only part about the experience I didn’t like was that we were the only ones applauding for 3.5-mile runners we didn’t know personally. Most people only started cheering once the half-mary runners started to trickle in. Not so friendly, I thought. But all in all, a fun run on a muddy trail, and a good time trial for us, since it was our first trail race.

—Tamara “Trail Mix” McClendon

Results are in for April 24′s inaugural—and we hear extremely brutal—Blue Ridge Parkway Marathon up the road in Roanoke, Virginia. MMRCer Barefoot Josh Sutcliffe finished the full marathon course in 4:17:31—a new PR(whoops, maybe not!), and his first marathon sans shoes! Read Josh’s full race recap at his blog.

Fellow MMRCer Lori Ratcliffe finished the half-marathon in 2:32:31, in great shape and smiling—a fantastic feat considering last year’s thrice-broken arm. This was Lori’s “if this goes well I’ll keep running” run, and we’re happy to report that she and Iris are already conspiring on future 10Ks and the Run to Victory half-marathon! A full race recap will be posted to the site later this week. Congratulations to everyone who ran this challenging and beautiful course! Check out the field’s results:

Blue Ridge Marathon 2010 Results

Blue Ridge Half-Marathon 2010 Results

Fellow MMRCer Lori Ratcliffe finished the half-marathon in 2:32:31, in great shape and smiling—a fantastic feat considering last year’s thrice-broken arm. This was Lori’s “if this goes well I’ll keep running” run, and we’re happy to report that she and Iris are already conspiring on future 10Ks and the Run to Victory half-marathon! A full race recap will be posted to the site later this week. Congratulations to everyone who ran this challenging and beautiful course! Check out the field’s results:

Blue Ridge Marathon 2010 Results

Blue Ridge Half-Marathon 2010 Results

Iris and Josh celebrate their respective EndZone 5K victories (and the fact that Josh is worm-free).

On the morning of Saturday, March 13, as Iris and I prepared for the Run to the EndZone 5K! in Eden, a plush carpet of worms was wriggling on the road. I learned this as new dog Sunny (aka Princess Sun Chip) and I set out for our morning run (the run before the run). We were both barefoot. Let’s just say I decided that the inside of the Five-Finger shoes would be an all-around more pleasant environment in this situation.

By the way, somehow this circumstance got interpreted by some Facebookians as I have worms. Hence the title. Just wanted to clear that up.

We were greeted by the Morehead High School football team, all practicing their aggro-adolescent poses. Which they should, as football players who giggle fail to strike fear in the hearts of their opponents. I suppose there won’t be any Run for Art Club 5Ks, which is too bad. It would be neat to be greeted once in a while by the art kids practicing their arty/gothy-adolescent poses. On an early Saturday morning, no less.

Iris models the most excellent EndZone 5K race tee (wicking, yo!). Oh, and is that a trophy? Why, yes, it is!

The shirt: Awesome. One of the best. The football booster club set the bar pretty high early in the season.

The race: Iris and I started in the back. We kept the pace casual for about 30 seconds, then I bid adieu and set off to catch some runners. Iris, more intent on enjoying the sights on what turned out to be a beautiful day, stuck to her steady game plan. [Iris sez: "I did the first, uphill mile a bit too fast, but soon fell in line with the fun and chatty 13-year-old Kately. We Gallowayed the rest of the race—but at Kately's request, we made sure to be running whenever we passed any of the football players who were standing guard at the various course turns. Note that the football players, for whom we were running, were not actually running. Anyhoo, as usually happens in these situations, Kately blew me off right before the finish line so she wouldn't be beaten by an Old."]

I managed to catch everyone but two and was first in my age group. Iris finished second in her age group. So, of course, we’re going to sell this as the Sutcliffe House takes first and second:

Dual podium finish! Josh takes third overall and first in his age group. Iris nabs second in her age group, somewhere farther down the overall list.

As if that weren’t enough, I won some swag in the raffle. Shirt, cap, and purse. Check me out:

Josh models his raffle swag, including this fabulous purse.

Also? Tot trot!

Some of these kids look like ringers, but we're just happy they're running. See you in the 5K next year, tots!

The weather was beautiful, the worms were comparatively scarce on the course, which was enjoyably hilly and scenic. The organizers did a great job of making all the runners feel welcome. Another fun 5K in the books.

Check out all the Run to the Endzone 5K photos here >>

Run to the EndZone 5K race results are here >>