Below are the Nominees to the CRC Board of Directors for 2021. All active club members may vote for up to FOUR beginning 6/19 through 6/26. The top four vote-getters, who will serve a two-year term, will be announced at the Annual Meeting at Catawba Brewing Company on 6/26/21.

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Amy Cronin

 Thanks so much for allowing me the opportunity to run for the Charlotte Running Club Board. Here’s a little bit about myself and my love for running. 

I began running 6 years ago at the age of 43 after battling my way through a health scare that left me unable to walk unassisted. Needless to say after my first 5k I developed a passion for running as well as a connection to the Charlotte running community. I proceeded to join a few running groups and through the support of fellow runners I began marathon training. I have now completed 4 marathons including Boston and running is now a lifestyle. Therefore it would be an honor and a blessing in my life to actively serve on the Charlotte Running Club Board.

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Arun Kalikadavil

Reflecting back on my 6 year running journey, 16 Marathons, 39 half marathons, a 50k and countless 10Ks and 5Ks later, I attribute my ability to accomplish all of it to the incredible running community in our local area.  Taking the first step, acquainting myself with running in my late 30s, wasn’t easy. All of you taught me the art of enjoying endurance running and in doing so you were judgement free.  You also taught me consistently that the joy of running should be shared and promoted with the broader community.  Following all of your lead, over these 6 years, I have been fairly active in our local running community and always attempt to carry forward the positivity that has been instilled in me by this community.

I consider it an honor to call myself a member of the Charlotte Running Club. We are one of the very few clubs around the globe that enable accessibility to everyone, CONSISTENTLY. Be it the weekly track meets, to the free 5Ks, scheduling a virtual Boston marathon event, to trail runs to many more projects and programs that allow everyone to participate is incredible. It will be my privilege to work alongside leaders who have driven incredible community events this organization stands for.  

As a member of the board, in addition to working on these incredible initiatives, I will promote establishing additional initiatives

1. Helping non-runners (like when I started) to be runners and help with a lifestyle change, allowing to grow an inclusive and diverse group of runners within our club
2. Proving personalized growth for members to accomplish their individualized goals.
3. Advocating for mental, physical and emotional wellbeing through running.

 I request your kind consideration for my candidature to allow me to serve on the board!

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Lisa Landrum

 

Lisa has been an active member of the running community for some time. She has served on the board of CRC for the past 2 years. Through runCLTrun, she loves engaging with others and connecting runners to offer motivation and support.  She loves playing a role in helping the running community grow and become more involved with the city of Charlotte as a whole.

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Tim Mann 

I am a financial advisor with Truist Wealth and am fairly new to running after many years as a competitive swimmer.  I ran my first marathon in New York City in 2017 to raise money for Let Me Run.  Since then, I have served on the finance committee for Let Me Run, and have served as a run group leader at Wooden Robot’s RunBots group. I can also be seen most weekends at Flying Biscuit’s Sunday Run Club.

As a board member I would like to help bridge the gap between novice runners and experienced runners. Running has brought me so much joy and fulfillment and I will seek to share that joy with others as a board member for the Charlotte Running Club.

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Jon Myers

I just celebrated 10 years being here in Charlotte with my wife, Crystal and our two boys. I work for Atrium Health and Crystal is a Physical Therapist. We live in south Charlotte and access to running was a big part of why we chose the area we live. You can routinely find us chasing our boys on bikes or pushing them in a jogging stroller on the Four Mile Creek Greenway.

I started running in middle school as something to do after school. While I was never a very competitive runner growing up, I loved the team environment. Crystal and I met in college at Virginia Tech and incidentally our first date was a run on a local greenway! Fast forward a lot of years and we found ourselves loving life in Charlotte.

I found a love for running again through some running workouts with some guys in F3, training for the race formerly known as Thunder Road Marathon in 2014. Over the years I’ve enjoyed training for other regional marathons and most mornings you can find me out and about running in the Ballantyne area.

Running has become such a big part of my life and I’m passionate about the outlet and therapy it can be for anyone. It’s such an accessible means of fitness and community. I’d love to be a part of an organization that shares that passion and uses it’s influence to make running accessible for people of all walks of life as well as continuing to make Charlotte a city people think of as a running community. I’ve previously served on and held leadership positions on boards within F3 and the Greater Charlotte Healthcare Executives Group. I would be honored with an opportunity to serve the running community in Charlotte.

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Philip Sanford

As a leader in the running community in Charlotte, it would be an honor to continue to serve on the board of the Charlotte Running Club. In addition to serving on the board, I am the local event director for the Get Your Rear In Gear 5k, a coach for Let Me Run, and an ambassador for the NoDa Brewing Run Club. My passion for running and building the running community led me to earning my RRCA coaching certification and in 2020, I began Team Sanford, a training program and a weekly running newsletter. I am looking forward to using my experience and community building to improve the experience for all runners in the Charlotte region.

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Eric Smith

I have served on the Charlotte Running Club Board for several years and have been President of the Charlotte Running Club since last August. I’d like to return to serve another term on the Board to coordinate social events and to also showcase the numerous businesses who provide invaluable support for runners.

Anyone who knows me personally can attest that I love running butnot that many people know I was a late bloomer. I started running after college by doing a few 10ks during the late 90s but became more focused when I turned 30 and my weight was over 230 pounds with the onset of back problems. Knowing I had to make a change, I started running on a consistent basis and completed my first marathon in 2003 (Richmond) at the age of 33. In 2009, I completed my second marathon (City of Oaks in Raleigh) and proceeded to run more marathons & an ultra before getting the opportunity to pace a marathon in 2012. The experience of helping participants finish the race was rewarding. Overall, I've paced dozens of marathons including the Chicago Marathon multiple times and completed over sixty marathons overall along with a few 50 milers and a 100K. 

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Don't forget to vote by June 26!!!

by Eric Smith 

“Spring is the time of plans and projects” - Leo Tolstoy

I share this quote as it rings so true for almost all of us today. Things are looking promising for the running community with several in-person local and national races scheduled to occur in 2021 and along with this the vaccination rates are increasing at a pace much faster than anyone expected. 

This Spring is indeed the time for plans and projects. Making plans to run races and take on new projects to improve mental and physical wellness. The Charlotte Running Club wants to be a resource for both new and seasoned runners by offering opportunities to connect and support one another through social interaction in person and online. We will be hosting multiple in-person events over the summer starting next month with the CRC Dash N Dine at Capishe: Real Italian Kitchen in Dilworth on May 18th.  This will be a great opportunity to meet up, run, and support a locally owned establishment that you may not have tried before. As for online support, we have three private Facebook groups based on pace range that serve as a resource to connect with other runners. Please join the Seven Minute Milers, My Pace or Yours, and Dawdling Gazelles groups to ask questions or find a running partner. It’s a fact that the Charlotte running community is very strong, with dozens of run clubs meeting on a weekly basis and multiple options for anyone who wants to receive guidance from Coaches who have competed at elite levels. CRC will continue to seek new ways to help runners connect.

If you are interested in becoming more involved in the Charlotte running community, we are seeking individuals who want to join the CRC Board this July. Please e-mail run.charlotte@gmail.com if you want to be a nominee as the vote will occur this June. Also, if you have any questions regarding what to expect by serving on the Board, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at the same e-mail address above.

by Philip Sanford

The Charlotte Running Club has three upcoming events covering different types of gatherings, along with a premier event back on the calendar. Join us for a live Zoom meeting with a decorated runner, an in-person run and social “Dash & Dine,” and a fundraiser to benefit our friends and neighbors served by RunningWorks. Details below:

Live conversation with Dean Karnazes previewing his upcoming book, "A Runner's High: My Life in Motion"

• May 4th
• 7 p.m.
• Zoom (live meeting, link will be provided closer to event date)

Dean Karnazes is one of the most decorated ultramarathon runners in the world and his new book details the physical and emotional challenges for somebody in their mid-50s training for the rugged Western States 100-Miler.  This live event will give you an opportunity to interact with Dean and learn more about his life and what keeps him going. A copy of the book will be raffled off to a Charlotte Running Club member in attendance.

Dash & Dine Group Run + Dinner

• May 18th
• 6:45 p.m.
• Capishe: Real Italian Kitchen (Dilworth)

Do you want to go for a run and enjoy a good meal afterwards? Join the Charlotte Running Club for a casual group run open to Charlotte Running Club members and non-members. At 6:45 p.m., there will be a group 5k run followed by dinner on the outdoor patio. A gift card for the restaurant will be raffled off to one of the runners in attendance. We will be following mask and physical distancing requirements in place by the county and the restaurant.

Global Running Day: 12-Hour Run to End Homelessness

• June 2nd
• 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Virtual run

RunningWorks uses the structure and routine of running to assist our friends and neighbors experiencing homelessness in the Charlotte community. The Global Running Day event is a major fundraiser for RunningWorks and you are invited to join the Charlotte Running Club team. Registration is free and prizes will be awarded to the top fundraisers and runners who run the most miles during the event's 12 hours.

2022 Winter Classic

• January 2022
• In-person race

The Charlotte Running Club Winter Classic will be back in 2022! Stay tuned for details in the coming months. We are looking forward to having a competitive elite race in addition to the standard open race.

by Melissa Seuster

As your local running club, Charlotte Running Club has always aspired to offer special benefits & support to our members. Last year was a tough year for everyone, especially small businesses like our local running stores and race companies. We are happy to announce that three local running stores are once again able to offer special discounts to CRC members! All locations of Charlotte Running Company, Omega Sports, and Run for Your Life will give 10% discounts (some exclusions apply) to anyone who presents their active CRC membership card at the register!

In addition, we continue to partner with other businesses to provide our members-only discounts. Most recently, you may have seen that TruMotion Therapy is offering a free use of their Recovery Lounge (includes recovery boots & muscle simulation), RecoveryCLT will give 20% off at-home Normatec boot rentals, and Destination Marathons is offering $50 off travel packages. To stay in the know, please join our FB & IG pages!

Not sure how to find your membership ID card? Log in at www.charlotterunningclub.org and download your card to your phone. You may choose to save a picture of your ID card for future use.

 

by Mike McMillen

This time last year I was still in the denial stage. "The lock-down will just be a couple of weeks. My race in the summer should be fine. Even if that falls through, I still have Chicago," I told myself. I soon fell into yearning for any race possible before withdrawing and disengaging, skipping workouts and diluting long runs at the first sign of struggle. Those were dark days for all of us, but from darkness there is always light. Sure, it was nice to take several weeks or months off, but that euphoria soon disappears. Many runners felt the same way. As we entered the new year, we began searching for the motivation to train with purpose again despite uncertain race timelines and restrictions.

If you ask my wife why I run, she'll likely tell you it's so I can buy more running shoes. But in truth, with races cancelled and my lack of motivation to train, I was questioning it too. Was it just for those race moments? The likes or recognition on social media? The sense of accomplishment earning a PR? These are all reasonable reasons for why we may run but take a deeper dive and I'm sure you'll find something more meaningful.

Heading into 2021 I decided to take a new approach to make training for a race fun again for both myself and the athletes I coach. Here are some tips on how to freshen up your own running while training for an upcoming race:

Play and Create

Just because we are adults doesn't mean we shouldn't get to play. Have a 16-mile-long run coming up? How about creating some cool Strava art with your route to take your mind off those miles? Not one for the arts? Freshen things up with a new route. Better still, just head out the door, hit some new roads and figure out the route along the way. Had your eye on a juicy segment for a while, or maybe someone stole your crown? Go at it! Not into segments? Try fartleks, ladders, hill repeats, sand dune running, or create your own workout by mixing and matching something you've done before. This is your time to experiment.

Cut the Strap

How often do you run without looking at your watch? Technology can give us lots of helpful and important data, but sometimes we become over reliant on them and stressed over hitting the right pace. Your body gives you lots of helpful and important data so leave your devices at home and run on feel. Scan and analyze your body one part at a time to become fine-tuned with it. It takes practice, but over time you'll recognize and respond the right way. If you're like me and still crave the Kudos, place some tape over your watch face so you can still record your run, but don’t look at the data as you're running.

Find Balance in Your Life

I ran seven days a week because I felt that was what I needed to get faster. On the advice of my fellow running buddy, Joey Woltjer, I dropped down to six and still got faster. What did I do with the extra day? I made it a weekend day so that I could be with my family or work on fun projects. Not only did this make me feel great, but I also banked some valuable brownie points with the family for next month when I'll be resuming Saturday runs. If I push my luck, I may even be able to convince my wife I need a new pair of shoes!

Get involved in the running community

Without race day volunteer and pacing opportunities, this is becoming even trickier. Stay connected with the running community and help local races that ARE happening. It can be empowering to be on the other side of the course tape. Now that more run clubs are beginning to open, hook back up with your old club (if you feel comfortable doing so) or be adventurous and try out a new one. You never know, you might just meet that perfect pace partner!

Try Something New

Freshen things up and set your sights on a race that is a little different or out of your comfort zone. Many small trail races have been able to go ahead safely and successfully, so now is the perfect time to switch the road for the mud. If you're used to training for long distances, aim for something shorter. Training for something different allows you to break from your status quo and can provide an air of excitement to strengthen areas of your running you've not focused on for a while.

Become an Expert

Kids ask on average 120 questions a day (as a teacher I think it's higher), while adults ask just four. Use this time to research and learn more about one area of your running that you’re interested in. For me this was nutrition. I played with new recipes, spent two months being a vegetarian, experimented with different meals before a big workout and gels during the run. It was my own personal project that involved lots of trial and error, but it kept me interested in my running. The result: I found new ways to fuel that I'll continue to use in the future. You could do something similar… try measuring and recording your sleep cycles, screen time, time of day you exercise, amount of time you sit at a desk. Experiment with these habits and see what impact they have on your running. 

So, the question is - Why do you run, and how are you going use this reason to increase your motivation during these continually uncertain times? I hope these suggestions provide some useful insights and give you ideas of your own. If so, I would love to hear from you.

Mike McMillen is a Physical Educator who offers running advice, personal insights, and coaching at www.flowmotionrunning.com. Follow him on Instagram @flowmotionrunning.

by Melissa Seuster

Art McDonald loves to run. A lot. Like, 3,339 miles in 143 days. That’s an average of 23.3 miles a day.

Why would he do that, one might ask?

During a time of virtual challenges and little-to-no “live” races, Art wanted to add meaning to his miles. He recalled the story of Terry Fox, a Canadian athlete and cancer research activist who embarked on a cross-country run for cancer research, despite losing one leg to osteosarcoma. Fox got to 3,339 miles in 143 days before the cancer metastasized and forced him to stop. “My legs are a lot older, but I have two good ones,” said Art. “By completing this challenge, I was able to persevere and honor a great man.”

In addition to his personal challenge, Art accepted and met the CRAW challenge – Circumpolar Race Around the World. This virtual race started on Sept.1, 2020 with the goal of completing 30,167 miles among 10 team members. The “course” starts at the U.S. / Mexico border and moves south through Antarctica, wrapping back around the globe through the North Pole to return to the start (see https://www.craw.racing/ for details). Art’s team, Fear of the Running Dead,finished this feat in just 198 days, becoming the first run/walk team to cross the finish line! Contributing a total of 4,231 miles in just over 6 months, Art was averaging 21 miles a day. His teammate, local running legend and CRC member Joe Schlereth, led the team in mileage. They enjoyed teaming up with people from France, California, the Asia Pacific (military) and other regions in the United States.

Amazingly, Art’s impressive running career began just 11 years ago when he started running with his son, Graham. His first marathon was in 2014 in Charlotte. Since then, he has run 10 full marathons and one 50-miler, the 2017 JFK Ultra in Maryland. It was by far the most memorable of his races. “I wasn’t sure I would finish it, but Graham ran with me,” he said. He was so proud and grateful to finish that he commissioned an artist to paint a portrait of them at the finish (see below).

Although Art lives in Rock Hill, he spends a great deal of time running on the Little Sugar Creek Greenway in Midtown with the Run Far training program. “I just really love the Charlotte running community. It’s great to be around people achieving things.”

So what would Art tell the next generation of runners? “As long as you put one foot in front of the other, you are a runner. It doesn’t matter if it’s 3 miles or 30 miles. Everything’s an accomplishment.”

In 2021, Art intends to run the Chicago marathon in under 4:00 hours. If traveling is not an option, he will surely be running in Charlotte.

“I believe that 99.5% of runners are encouraging. I do this to further inspire the younger generation, my son, grandchildren, and other runners.”

Thank you, Art, for providing exactly the inspiration we needed to get through 2020.

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Art with Joe Schlereth Art with his son, Graham

Thanks for joining CRC in Feb/Mar/April. Glad to have you in the Club!

Rico Marcelo

TJ Sweet

Daniel McKillop

Chris Zuerner

Lisa Upchurch

Danae Dewar

Art McDonald

Garrett Black

Trevor Sanford

Ashley and Justin Carney

Todd Capitano

Chris Brown

Matt Hill

Charlotte is a vibrant running town with many group runs meeting north, south, east & west of the city.  CLICK HERE to find a list of group runs on various days of the week.

*** Note that two new groups just started last month. Both of these are new to the run scene after COVID restrictions kept groups from meeting. ***

Catawba Brewing Company run on Thursdays in Plaza Midwood: For more info contact Darius Moore at momotivates@gmail.com. 

STOKE x NJC monthly Saturday run at Not Just Coffee in the West End. For more info contact James Perez at James@stokeperformance.com.

Considering a destination race this fall? Destination Marathons has bibs for Berlin, plus a nice travel package to make it easy for you to get your sixth star (or even your first?). Mention that you’re a CRC member to get $50 off the package of your choosing. Contact mark@destination-marathons.com with questions. 

By Eric Smith

2021 is finally here and along with it comes renewed hope for things to become more “normal” for runners. Back in late November, the Charlotte Running Club board of directors agreed it was best to scale back on hosting events as there was concern that community spread of COVID-19 would increase due to holiday gatherings. It’s been great to see some recent improvement in the metrics for cases, percent positive and hospitalizations, but we are not quite to the point of moving forward with our plans to hold events that ensure safety for participants.

In prior years, we have been able to provide race discounts to our members and host the Winter Classic 8K/4K each January, bringing together runners to compete in a fun and unique event. 2020 was a challenging year for all race directors trying to stage races under the COVID guidelines and absorb the increased associated costs. In light of this, CRC will not be able to offer race and store discounts for members in the near future. The Winter Classic 8K/4K will be back in 2022 assuming we are allowed to hold the event with minimal restrictions. 

We truly appreciate everyone who has recently renewed their Charlotte Running Club membership. Please be patient with us in the coming months as we must continue to stay flexible with our plans to support Charlotte area runners, local running stores and businesses as much as possible to foster additional growth and further strengthen the running community.