More local race updates

Wow, things are really picking up for the "spring" racing season. A couple of quick updates:

The Krispy Kreme Challenge on February 6 has already registered over 3,900 runners towards their expected cap of 6,000. About 60% of the registrants have signed up for the full Challenge. If you want to be a part of the KKC, you need to register now. Don't dawdle or you may find the race already full.

The St. Paddy's Run Green 8k, which had a great inaugural run in 2009, is offering a special pint glass with one complimentary free beer after the race to the first 1,500 race registrants. This race, which will be on Sunday, March 7, also adjusted the race course and will hopefully take some of the hills out of it. Last year I categorized it as "tough course, great party."

The Race of Grace 5k (expected to be on Sunday, April 25) also changed its course a little bit to get out of the back-and-forth-on-Hillsborough-Street rut. Instead, some of the route will include the nicer neighborhoods behind Hillsborough Street. The uphill to the finish line will remain, however.

New Charlotte Trail Races

The National Whitewater Center outside Charlotte, where you can raft the rapids down several man-made channels of water, is making use of the surrounding trails with a new set of trail races under the Charlotte Running Company Trail Race title. Three races will be run on Saturday, January 23 at distances of 3.8, 8.2 and 13 miles. The routes are promised to be mostly single-track. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (Team in Training) will benefit from the races.

Krispy Kreme Challenge Halfway Full!

I went by to register today for the Krispy Kreme Challenge in the NC State Brickyard and was told that they are already halfway to the 6,000-runner expected limit. So if you're considering the Challenge, don't dawdle -- get registered now!

Undy 5,000 coming to Raleigh?

Word on the street is that the Undy 5,000 race, a charity 5k to raise money for the Colon Cancer Alliance that is held each year in various cities around the county, may be coming to Raleigh this year. The Undy 5,000 is promoted as "a brief run to fight colon cancer." Stay tuned for updates.

You Can Vote to Bring Skirtchaser 5k Back to Raleigh

The last two years, the Skirtchaser 5k has put on two of the best parties in downtown Raleigh. The folks who came up with the running skirt put on these series of 5Ks around the country where the women start first --preferably after buying one of the running skirt packages -- and are followed by the men 3 minutes later. The first person to cross the finish line wins a sweet $500. In 2008 one of the men caught up to and passed the women to win, in 2009 one of the women held on to win.

They haven't officially announced all the cities in the 2010 series yet (Tempe will host the 2010 kickoff on February 13), and they've put up a vote page where you can vote to have them come back to Raleigh. Of course, they just want your e-mail address to take your vote, but heck, you can make up a temporary e-mail address, right? :-)

Yes, I did vote, and I'm hoping they come back in 2010.

Great New Year of Running

Whether it's a continued re-expansion of the running community or just a burst of healthy New Year's resolutions taking effect, New Year's Day in Raleigh had great turnout for its running events. The RITNY Run 5k, which started at midnight on New Year's Day, had just over 100 participants -- 100 had been the goal -- and the North Carolina Roadrunners Club's own Resolution Run 5k at NC State's Centennial Campus had 323 official finishers, not counting bandits and entries in the kids' races. (News 14's coverage) (The 2008 RR5k, in much colder weather, had 260 finishers.) Hopefully all the folks who started their 2010 with a healthy start (including me) will keep it up throughout the whole year!

Over in Durham, the Carolina Godiva club's 8k New Year's Day Run through Duke Forest also included nearly 100 participants. (pictures)

And one of my favorite race names, the Hair of the Dog 5k on New Year's Day in Virginia Beach, included a formal-wear division for those just getting in from their NYE parties.

Have a great running year!