Goats climb to top-third finish

The Screamin' Mountain Goats, the only relay team from Ohio, emerged from out of the pack to claim 9th place out of 32 teams in the mixed category and 31st place out of 97 teams overall.

Averaging 8:11 per mile, the Goats finished in 28:50:07.

Great company, great course, great weather, great challenge, and a great finish!

Race photos!

Julie A's, Kim's and Kirk's photos here.

Runner Profile: Kirk

Q: What's your occupation?
A: Marketing firm partner

Q: How long have you been running?
A: 39 years as a casual "jogger" (counting high school cross country), but only five years as a distance runner

Q: How are you training for the BRR?
A: Sleeping on COTA buses late at night while wearing sweat-drenched clothes

Q: Are you training for any other races this summer or fall? Which one(s)?
A: The Chicago Marathon

Q: What's your favorite energy drink or gel?
A: Whichever ones are being offered for free

Q: What's your favorite post-race meal?
A: Fish and chips, and cold microbrewery beer.

Q: What is your best running memory?
A: I used to run the trail at the Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve. It's a narrow maze of rocks, roots, footbridges, and stairs. One false step at a decent pace spells bloody knee or broken ankle. There is no time to think. Trail running requires total concentration at every step, truly in the moment and exhilarating.

Q: What is your greatest running accomplishment?
A: Finishing eight marathons and coming back for more.

Team names: from the boring to the, well, really weird

Over 100 teams are registered for the 2009 Blue Ridge Relay and based upon some of the team names, some members have been pulling all-nighters already.

Many sound more like thoroughbred names. Imagine the race call: "Into the stretch now and Where is Stacy's mom? has the lead by eight lengths. Call Us Whatever You Want Our Real Name Was Banned is on the rail in second. Kiss My Quaker Grits has no prayer of catching the leader, but he's full throttle, now third and moving magnificently. Not Particularly Fast And Not Especially Furious is another half length back. Do Not Resuscitate has faded."

Among the names, there seem to be some common themes, having to do with everything from controlled substances (including chocolate and pancakes) to religion. Here is a sampling, organized by category:

Names that are or might be associated with places:

• ‘Boone’Doggles
• Bull City Ultra
• Cleveland Rocks!
• H20 – Haywood Harriers Outfitters
• Palmetto Rickets
• Providence Harriers
• Rock Hill Striders
• Run For Your Life – Charlotte
• Sandhills Striders
• Semiahmoo Sunrunners
• Slow Poke Rodriquez Running Club
• The Bull City Ramblers
• The Blacksburg Joggers
• The Ulmstead 12 Rides
• WCU Health Sciences
• Waxhaw Express
  

Names that suggest a volatile mix of male and female members:

• Quick and the Drop Dead Gorgeous
• Three Beauties & The Beasts
• Vicious & Delicious

Names that claim speed:

• 0 to 208 in 28 Hours
• Hauling Assets
• Kenya Catch Me
• Kickin’ Asphalt
• Shaving More Time

Names that imply substance abuse:

• 12PACK
• Designated Drinkers
• Do Not Resuscitate
• Full of Stimulus
• Gnarly Barley Bunch
• Godiva Masters
• Make It A Case
• Tapdance For Flapjacks
• The Six-Pack
• Team CRAVE

Names that number the participants:

• 4Tunate (to have 2 more runners)
• Runners Dozen
• Ultralicious Six
• Ocean’s 12

Names that reflect the venue:

• Blue Ridge Divas
• Blue Ridge Relay test
• The Blue Ridge Streakers
• We Need A BRR-Ache

Names that question the sanity of runners:

• Crazy Legs: The Sequel
• Hoof and Mouth Gang
• Insane N The Membrane
• Insane Posse
• Mixed Nuts
• No Sprain No Gain
• Ultra Crazy Legs

Names that identify obstacles:

• Are we there yet?
• Runnin’ for the Midnight Moon
• Running on E
• Team Vas-O-Lean

Names about (what else?) running:

• Fleet Feet Females
• Grateful Tread
• On The Run
• RUNNINGASFASTASWECAN
• Running 4 Katie
• Running for a Reason
• See jane run
• Team Mizuno
• Team Waddle

Names associated with animals:

• Bear Footers
• Channel the Goat
• Kate’s Cats Running for Rhetts
• Mountain Lions I
• Norm’s Maggots
• Rabies Awareness
• Run dog run
• Screaming Mountain Goats
• Tag and Release
• Team Panda
• Team Wildlife

Names beyond categorization:

• Call Us Whatever You Want Our Real Name Was Banned
• Flip Flop
• Kiss My Quaker Grits
• Not Particularly Fast And Not Especially Furious
• Running in Heels
• Sisterhood of the Traveling Bracelet
• THWACK!
• Team Hammercocks
• Tramps Like Us
• Where is Stacy’s mom?

Let's hope we are better at running than naming.

Runner Profile: Charity

Q: What's your occupation?
A: Paramedic

Q: How long have you been running?
A: 5 years

Q: How are you training for the BRR?
A: Running and cross-training at the gym

Q: Are you training for any other races this summer or fall? Which one(s)?
A: I haven't decided. I've been too busy vacationing with my family.

Q: What's your favorite energy drink or gel?
A: Lemon Sublime GU

Q: What's your favorite post-race meal?
A: Just about anything that's easy on my stomach. I usually have the same pre-race meal for my long races.

Q: What is your best running memory?
A: Setting my PR in Chicago with my husband and son there to cheer me on.

Q: What is your greatest running accomplishment?
A: Finishing my first marathon.

Runner Profile: Barbara

Q: What's your occupation?
A: Specialty Retail - Express

Q: How long have you been running?
A: 9 years, 4 months, 2 days and 6 hours ... but who's counting?

Q: How are you training for the BRR?
A: I have no idea.

Q: Are you training for any other races this summer or fall? Which one(s)?
A: Marine Corps Marathon in October

Q: What's your favorite energy drink or gel?
A: Vanilla Bean Gu ROCKS!!!

Q: What's your favorite post-race meal?
A: One egg, over easy, and a bagel with cottage cheese--yummy!

Q: What is your best running memory?
A: Taking first place in my age group at the Key West 5-Miler and winning two round-trip tickets to anywhere in the continental US on Continental Airlines

Q: What is your greatest running accomplishment?

A: Running NY for the first time. I forgot my watch (Garmin watches were not even invented yet!). I ran a PR and qualified for Boston ... something I had been striving to do, unsuccessfully, for three years!

Runner Profile: Dan

Q: What's your occupation?
A: Fighting for truth, justice and the American way!!!

Q: How long have you been running?
A: Quite a while now ... either chasing, being chased, or running towards the light ...

Q: How are you training for the BRR?
A: Generally vicariously through others ... planning on relying heavily on the veterans in the group!

Q: Are you training for any other races this summer or fall? Which one(s)?
A: C-bus, baby! Looking forward to the new and exciting course and the ample crowd support ...

Q: What's your favorite energy drink or gel?
A: No brainer here: Mountain Dew -- high octane Voltage version.

Q: What's your favorite post-race meal?
A: Blue Moon w/ a garnish of orange slice to recharge the batteries

Q: What is your best running memory?
A: Boston '09 -- actually finished somewhat upright, which was a novelty there

Q: What is your greatest running accomplishment?
A: Yet to come ... still early!!!

Runner Profile: Julie M

Q: What's your occupation?
A: Respiratory Therapist

Q: How long have you been running?
A: 5 years. 1-1/2 with MIT

Q: How are you training for the BRR?
A: Drinking lots of beer since I am probably driving the van!

Q: Are you training for any other races this summer or fall? Which one(s)?
A: Spirit of Columbus Half, Marine Corp Marathon

Q: What's your favorite energy drink or gel?
A: Does beer count? Tri-Berry Gu

Q: What's your favorite post-race meal?
A: Again, beer and wings!

Q: What is your best running memory?
A: Every time I beat John! Actually, I would have to say qualifying for Boston at my first marathon (2008 Flying Pig).

Q: What is your greatest running accomplishment?
A: Every time I finish!

Goats get organized

In a secret meeting at the Situation Room of The Rusty Bucket last evening, members of the Screaming Mountain Goats met to plot race strategy and debate the preferred color and style of the team shirt.

Additional topics included packing, transportation, lodging, pre- and post-race dinners, and expenses.

Race legs were assigned. The team will leave from the parking lot of Xenos Christian Fellowship, September 10, at 10 am.

Most of the team were present, including Amy E, Amy D, Kirk, Barbara, John, Bryan, Dan, Del, Kim, Julie A, Julie K, and Julie M.

It was further agreed to limit the number of Amys and Julies who participate on future teams.