September 2010 News
Nominate your State Rep for the Outstanding State Rep Award
Has your State Rep done an outstanding job this year? Did he/she attend your State Championship race or club meeting, send regular newsletters, assist with your membership renewal, or with any other questions that you had? If so, you want to nominate him/her for the prestigious Outstanding State Rep Award! This is one of several RRCA Awards that will be presented at the Convention in Fredericksburg, VA, next year. I encourage you to nominate deserving clubs, races or individuals for other awards also. To review categories and selection criteria, and for a link to the nomination form, please click here. Nominations are now open, and are due 5pm Eastern time December 31.
Championship bidding season is upon us!
It is time to bid for 2011 State Championships! Deadline is October 1, 2010. If you want to submit a National Championship bid for 2012, the deadline is January 31, 2011. The Regional Championship deadline was September 1, 2010, and winning bids will soon be announced on this site. If a distance is still open (i.e. no qualified bids were received) I will take bids on a first come first served basis.
Winning championship bids enjoy several benefits: Free Gatorade (for races 10K or longer with 400 or more participants), free bib numbers, championship banner displayed during the race, and special awards to Overall, Masters and Grandmasters winners (free for National, Regional and some State Championships). Winners of National and Regional Championships will also receive gift cards from our partner Sports Authority.
Bidding information can be found here. Please scroll about one third down the page to find a link to the online bid form.
Yes, you CAN enforce a "No Headphones" policy in your race!
In the most recent issue of 'Inside Track' (a printed publication that is sent to presidents of RRCA clubs), there is an article by NC State Rep Mike Walsh, where he describes how one running club successfully enforces a "No Headphones" policy in their races. Please click here to read the article and learn how to make your race headphone free!
New North Florida State Rep
We have a new State Rep in North Florida, Todd Neville of St Augustine. You can read his bio by clicking here. Please join me in welcoming Todd to our great team of Southern Region State Reps!
National Run@Work Day Friday, Sept 17
On National Run@Work Day, always the third Friday in September, we want to raise awareness of the importance of daily physical activity for adults. Running clubs, running stores, employers, communities and individuals are encouraged to plan fun runs lasting at least 30 minutes. To learn more about National Run@Work Day and how to organize an event, please click here.
If you are local to the Raleigh/Durham/RTP area in North Carolina, please join me for a Run@Work Day event at noon on Friday Sept 17, starting at the parking lot by the corner of NC 54 and Davis Drive, near Vachovia Bank. We will run a 5.2 mile loop, and shorter options are available. For more info, please email me at southerndirector@rrca.org.
Insurance Coverage for Volunteer Medical Personnel
RRCA members covered under the general liability insurance program can now purchase additional insurance coverage for volunteer medical personnel. This coverage is over and above any other insurance held by the medical professional, but does provide coverage when volunteering at events not covered by their professional liability policy. For more information, click here, or contact Eve Mills at the National Office.
Weight Watchers Walk-It-Day held June 6
About 3000 walkers participated in 5K events held in in 16 different locations on June 6. This nationwide initiative is a partnership between RRCA and Weight Watchers, and part of the Weight Watchers Walk-It Challenge that started earlier this spring. You can read more about Walk-It-Day on the RRCA home page, www.rrca.org, under "In the News".
Future Conventions
Mark your calendars already now to attend the next two conventions: 2011 in Fredericksburg, VA, May 12-15, and 2012 in Memphis, TN, March 15-18.
2010 Regional Championship season is in full swing!
Next on our calendar is the 5K Southern Region Championship, the Woodstock 5K in Anniston, AL, on August 7. This is a terrific race which hosted the National Championship last year, and will do so again next year. (The 2010 National 5K Championship was our Convention race in Lakeland, FL, the Run the Lakes 5K).
So far this year, we have held three Southern Region Championships. Our first Championship, the Red Nose Run 10 miler in Birmingham, AL, was held on January 9, in a bone chilling 17 degrees! For complete results, click here. The Marathon Championship followed on February 7, at the Tallahassee Marathon, and results can be found here. Finally, the Germantown Half Marathon took place in Memphis, TN on March 21, in wind and pouring rain. Results are here.
Winners in the Open, Masters, and Grandmasters category at all Championship races are listed in our Championship database., and the complete list of 2010 Southern Region Championships can be found on the Championships page of this website.
Are you receiving your copy of Club Running Magazine?
Every member of an RRCA running club is supposed to receive a copy of Club Running magazine three of four times per year. If you are not getting yours, check with your club officers to make sure they sent a membership roster with current mailing addresses to Eve Mills at our National Office.
Donate to Kids Run the Nation
Kids Run the Nation is a multi-week, gender neutral youth running program designed for children in kindergarten through sixth grade. Each year, a number of grants of up to $1000 each are awarded to such programs through the Kids run the Nation Fund. To read more about the Kids Run the Nation program click here. To find out more about the Fund, to apply for a grant, or to donate, click here. cl. Please make a tax deductible donation to this worthwhile cause!
