c-ville-athon - Design Your Own 26.2 Mile Racing Experience

The c-ville-athon is the brilliant idea of my coach, volunteer race director, and running store owner Mark Lorenzoni. Created as a way to encourage runners to try a variety of local not-for-profit races as well as to track one’s progress over the year, the c-ville-athon allows participants to design their own racing experience by running at least 26.2 miles in charity events in a calendar year.

I worked behind the scenes to create a logo, flyers, website, and social media presence for this initiative and it was a huge success during its first year.

Of the 243 people who signed up for the challenge in the inaugural event, 83 runners submitted their checklists, running a total of more than 2,500 miles for worthy causes!

Currently we have 216 likes on Facebook and 46 followers on Twitter. We hope to increase our visibility and engagement over the next year.

Since I’ve been a race addict since 2007, it came as no surprise to me that I was at the top of the leader board for total miles raced with 98.4. Andrew Hersey came in 2nd with 51.1 miles and Kristin Morgan was 3rd with 46.9 miles.

Although I didn't PR in any distances during my c-ville-athon, I was the most proud of my Charlottesville Ten Miler time of 1:16:42 which is my 3rd fastest time in that distance (and the two faster times were on the flat Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run course).

I had a few really bad races this year especially in the 5K (for me, anything 24 or above is disappointing unless it's the week after a marathon :) which was the Chocolate Chase after the Chicago Marathon). Luckily, I was able to finish off the year with two 5Ks averaging 7:40 pace on my Garmin and finish times of 23:26 and 23:05.

I created an evaluation form to get feedback and suggestions from the 2015 finishers. Here is a sampling of some of their kind words:

"Fun idea :-) Enjoy participating in local events and supporting local organizations; motivation to participate in an extra event or three during the year!"

"This was a great way to stay involved, get healthy, and contribute to some very good causes. Please do this again in 2016!"

"Thank you for hosting such a fun competition! I look forward to participating next year.”

"It looked like a fun thing to do, since I was planning to run several races already. I love tracking my progress."

"Thank you for putting this together! It's been really fun!"

"I thought it would be fun since I was running enough races. I told all if my running friends and we did discuss our progress especially toward the fall."

"This was such a good idea! Thank you!"

"Thank you for sponsoring such an innovative way to encourage race participation in the Charlottesville community. It certainly kept me motivated!"

"That was fun! Thanks for organizing it!"

"It was so pleasant an experience to run all those races and learn of this recognition."

"I thought it was a neat way to turn lots of little events into a bigger event; it was also great for tracking progress (or, sometimes, the lack thereof). I considered it fortuitous timing, since I had only been in town for some months, and found out about it while looking for races to participate in last spring. Being in on the inaugural edition seemed pretty neat, and putting the focus on non-profit races is quite nice."

Click on links below to register for the individual races. RSVP on facebook to let other C-VILLE-athon participants know which races you are running!
Download a checklist!

2016

JANUARY
1st -- New Year's Day 5K

FEBRUARY

MARCH
5th -- Haven 8K
12th -- Sugar Hollow Bridges 5K & 10K Run
19th -- Charlottesville Ten Miler
20th -- Fix a Leak Family 5K
Camp Holiday Trails 5K

APRIL
2nd -- Zeta Run For Life 5K
16th -- Run For Autism 5K
23rd -- Martha Jefferson 5K
30th -- Montalto Challenge
Lile Mile / Pi Miler
Masters Mile
Hoos Hea l 5K

MAY
May 7 — CHS Band/Cross Country 5K Fundraiser
14th -- Red Hill 5K
14th -- Batesville 10K
21st -- Keswick Hunt Club Foxtrot 5K
Oakland School Kids' Trail Race
Run & Remember 5K
Discovery Dash (Kids edition)
Mimi's Run 5K
Ramblin' Rabbit 5K

JUNE
4 the Wounded 5K
Bruce Barnes Mile

JULY
4th -- Independence Day 5K
Fairview 5K
CTC All-Comers Summer Track Meets

AUGUST
Stagger Start-Predict Your Time 5K Trail Race
Firehouse 5K

SEPTEMBER
3rd -- Women's Four Miler
17th -- Pepsi 10K
CCS All-Terrain 5K

OCTOBER
North Branch School Dragon Dash 5K Run/Walk
Buzz by Belmont
VSA Color Me Cured 5K
Glenmore Volunteer Fire Department 5K Run/Walk
Chocolate Chase 5K
Jaida's Joy 5K Monster Run/Walk

NOVEMBER
24th -- Boar's Head Turkey Trot
Run for Shelter 5K
James Monroe 5K
Charlottesville Men's Four Miler
Race and Taste 10k by ETF to benefit St. Jude Children's Hospital
Honoring Our Heros 5K
Kelly Watt Two Miler
4th Year 5K

DECEMBER
Monticello Classic 5K
Freedom 5K

Sponsored by C-VILLE Weekly and Ragged Mountain Running Shop.

Charlottesville Ten Miler

Registration for the Charlottesville Ten Miler on March 21, 2015 is now open!

If you aren't an early bird, you can't get to Charlottesville for the race or you have no desire to run but want a cool Charlottesville Ten Miler shirt, then register as a "Sleep-In Participant." :-)

REGISTER ONLINE

Registration Dates	Fee
Through December 31, 2014	$45*
January 1 - January 31, 2015	$50*
February 1 - March 18, 2015 Online registration closes 12 pm, Wednesday, March 18.	$55*
Sleep-In Participant (NOT racing, but receive shirt)	$25

*Charlottesville Track Club members receive a $1 discount.

PLEASE NOTE: NO REFUNDS, DEFERRALS OR TRANSFERS!

Who is the beneficiary of the Charlottesville Ten Miler?

Proceeds from the 40th running of the Charlottesville 10 Miler will help fund Hope House and Steps To Success. Hope House is a family stabilization program for homeless or imminently homeless families. Steps To Success is a program designed to help families secure and manage the resources necessary to overcome barriers to success, especially through sound money management practices. 

For more information about the race, vist the Charlottesville Ten Miler website: www.cvilletenmiler.com

Racing to the 2013 Boston Marathon

So I've been reviewing my races so far this year and trying not have a panic attack about how I might perform at the Boston Marathon.

I've been much slower and that's concerning.

Here's a breakdown (2013 vs 2012):

New Year's Day 5K

23:10 vs 23:09

(OK, this one was close.)

Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge (1/2 Marathon on Saturday & Marathon on Sunday)

(5:50:05) 1:48:17 & 4:01:49 vs (5:46:29) 1:50:22 & 3:56:07

(It was HOT this year so that probably didn't help. And, I probably ran the half too fast. Oh well!)



Princess Half Marathon

1:44:09 vs 1:40:05

(Once again, it was MUCH hotter this year than last year, so that could be part of it. The good news, Malinda and I finished 1st in sister / sister team category!)



Martha Jefferson 8K

37:58 vs 37:08

(Can't really explain this away with weather because it was nice and cool. At least I came in 2nd in AG, was 4th last year. And there was no one near me at the end. Last year I was passed by two women within feet of the finish line, ouch!)

Ten Miler (2013 Charlottesville / 2012 Cherry Blossom)

1:18:14 vs 1:12:26

(The Cville course is notoriously hilly instead of flat like Cherry Blossom so I can't really compare those two races, can I? I just wanted to run my 3rd fastest 10-mile race and I did that by nearly a minute. And, at least I came in 3rd in my AG!)



So what's my problem?!?

Last year was AMAZING and I can't really hope to have success like that consistently.

I just wonder if I should continue to panic or CHILL OUT... if there's a reason for this that I can fix or if it's just a phase?

Is it because I weigh a little more than I did last year at this time (could 5-7 lbs, could that make that a huge difference?!?) or have I been holding myself back in these races because I know the big prize - BOSTON - is just mere months or weeks away?


I definitely knew that I wasn't trying for a PR in any of these races, because it was a race for "fun" and training or because of the forecast or because within the first mile when I just wasn't feeling it. So instead, when appropriate, I did my best to run as close to my ideal marathon pace (7:55 - 8:00) and run comfortably hard rather than push it and constantly check my watch.

Some people might say I race too much, but I've actually raced LESS so far this year.

In the 5 weeks between my Princess Half Marathon PR and Cherry Blossom 10 Miler PR last year, I also ran a 4 miler, 8K, 1 mile, and 5K in between. And I PRd in those distances, too!

This year, I had 3 weeks between the Princess Half Marathon and the Charlottesville10 Miler and I only raced the Martha Jefferson 8K in between.

Oh well, at least I'm having fun while I'm running.
.
All the anxiety doesn't set in until I'm resting. :)

Irish Twins Run Together

It's been a year since we decided to run the 2012 Chicago Marathon together with Team Lemon. We wanted to run in memory of Leah's Irish brother-in-law, Michael, to support Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer. Four months later, our Irish grandma "GG" died suddenly of cancer. Over the past year, we ran 4 races together and raised over $1,500 to fight childhood cancer.

We're identical (and 1/4 Irish) twins running together to remember Michael and GG. While we didn't race together today, we each ran 10 miles at the same time. Another virtual run together. We'll run the B.A.A. 5K together on April 14 and our 2nd Chicago Marathon together on October 13.

Leah's Charlottesville 10 Miler

1:18:14

Malinda's 10 mile Cherry Blossom training run

1:34:22

We're grateful to run together to remember.

Today, it's 8 months since GG died.

Aileen O’Connor Hill

January 7, 1938 – July 16, 2012 

Tomorrow, it's 10 years since Michael died.

Michael Connor

November 23, 1973 – March 17, 2003 

Leah's brother-in-law, Michael Connor, was diagnosed with leukemia as a child. Michael fought cancer with his inspiring Irish spirit, so it was bittersweet when he died on St. Patrick's Day 10 years ago. 

Our Irish grandmother, Aileen O'Connor Hill, (affectionately know as "GG") was diagnosed with cancer on Friday, July 13, 2012 and died on Monday, July 16, 2012. 

We run 2gether to remember Michael & GG. No donation is 2 small 2 fight childhood cancer.  Could you skip a green beer or Irish coffee this weekend and donate $2? ;-) 

Thanks for your support!








“Fighting Childhood Cancer, One Race at a Time”
www.alexslemonade.org/mypage/91042
www.facebook.com/twinsruninourfamily
@TwinsRun