The South Riding Running Club is a Northern Virginia community of runners and walkers of all levels and ability. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to participate regardless of age, gender, athletic inclination, and goals.
Questions? Comments?
Contact us:
srrunner@srrunners.org
Without goals, and plans to reach them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination. -- Fitzhugh Dodson
Run Schedule 
Weekend Runs: 7:00 a.m.—Sat./Sun.
Join us for our weekend runs. It's more than just a fitness benefit—you'll meet your neighbors and see why South Riding really is such a good place to call home. Club runs are scheduled every Saturday and Sunday at 7:00 a.m. All are welcome and every run offers distance options. Some runs on the schedule include field trips to run trails or country roads, so be sure to check the schedule for exact dates. Run sponsors will circulate more information if necessary. (Click here or on the little running canine to see the current schedule, meeting locations, and run sponsors.)
SRRC Latest News
Cold Weather Running Tips
Cold weather is finally here. Resist the temptation to bundle up in sweat suits or too many layers. Your body warms up quickly, and you'll be more comfortable dressed lightly in technical fabrics designed for running. (Three cheers for Coolmax.) Also, how your body regulates its temperature will be different in cooler weather. In the summer, we sweat profusely to stay cool. As temperatures drop, our bodies do clever things to keep us warm. The colder it gets, however, more blood goes to warming our core, and we start slowing down. Speed will decline, and risk of injury from pushing too hard increases. Read More . . .
South Riding Triathlon
Registration for the 2012 South Riding Triathlon is now open for South Riding residents. Public registration opens April 1st. This race is perfect for beginners or seasoned racers. It consists of a 400m pool swim, 12 mile bike through the neighborhood, and a 5K run. Thinking about doing your first Tri but a bit intimitated? DON'T BE! Tri training clinics will take place throughout the summer to get you ready to race. You can even download a tri training schedule here.
SRRC JumpStart Running Program
Struggling to get it in gear after the holidays? Looking for an excuse to get off the couch and get active? Need a jumpstart to lose those extra holiday pounds? Join the SRRC JumpStart new runner program right here in South Riding. The program will prepare you to participate in a 5k (3.1 mile) race in eight weeks. The program runs from January 30th to March 25th with a graduation run at a 5K. Coached training runs are held every Saturday and Sunday at 7:00 a.m. with the SRRC. Read more . . .
SRRC Technical Shirts Have Arrived
The weather's getting chilly. You probably need a good, long-sleeve technical shirt. SRRC running shirts are now available. If you pre-ordered one of these stylish red ASICS technical shirts, please coordinate with Adam or Dawn to arrange delivery.
If you missed the opportunity to pre-order, you have not been forgotten. We do have a limited number of extra shirts in men's & women's sizes (Small, Medium, and Large) for $25 each. Please make your check payable to South Riding Running Club.
You can thank your Members-at-Large for making this possible. Special thanks to Dawn for working the entire ordering process. Some of last year's Under Armour shirts are also still available for $20. We have men's sleeveless and women's tank in a variety of sizes. As above, get in touch with Adam or Dawn for details.
Rock the Capital
DC's National Marathon is now the SunTrust Rock ‘n’ Roll USA Marathon & CareFirst Rock ‘n’ Roll USA Half Marathon. The 2012 edittion will be held on St. Patrick's Day, March 17th, 2012. In addition to being an amazing tour of Washington, DC, the marathon and half marathon courses are a couple of the fastest around, definitely a place for personal best. Rock 'n' Roll series races are well organized and designed for fun. Even though they're responsible for a big race operation, the organizers are also nice folks who go out of their way for runners, the kind of people to support! Set a spring marathon or hal-marathon goal, then drop a note to srrunner@srunners.org to add your name to the club race calendar.
Minimalist Shoes?
What's all the hubbub about minimalist shoes? Do they work? Should you try them? Lots of articles have been published about the pros and cons of this running craze. Read more here about local experience with both the Vibram Five Fingers and the New Balance Minimus Trail shoes. They're probably not for everyone, but with a little patience and adaptation, you might find they really add some value to your training. Read more . . .
Races for SRRC in February
| Austin Marathon and Half Marathon Austin, TX Sunday, February 19, 2012 | Who's Running? - Amy (1/2) |
Don't see the race you entered here? If you're a member of SRRC and want your races posted to promote a run or encourage other runners, just contact us with the details, and we'll update our calendar. Click here to see the races for the year.
SRRC Membership
Have you noticed how crowded the health clubs are right after the new year? It's those "New Year's resolutions". We all make them. Will $50-$100/mo. in membership fees really motivate us to work out? Sometimes the motivation that comes from camaraderie and knowing that someone is counting on you is all it takes.
SRRC offers both camaraderie and positive peer pressure with a generous sprinkling of great advice, encouragement, and support. Add organized runs and web resources, and your annual dues are a bargain. If you're not yet a member, just download and complete the appropriate membership form. Dues are as follows:
December "early bird" sign up:
– 1 year: $22 individual, $33 family
– 2 years: $40 individual, $60 family
After January 1st:
– 1 year: $25 individual, $35 family
– 2 years: $45 individual, $65 family
If you sign up early, you can save a few dollars! Once your membership form and payment are received, we'll promptly mail you your membership package. Don't forget to note on your application that you're an early bird. If you are already a member, don't procrastinate--confirm your support for running in our community by sending in your check. January 31 is the official deadline, which simplifies record keeping, but dues and applications are welcome year round.
On Line Membership Sign-up
You can also sign up on line. Simply go to the membership page, and follow the the instructions for signing up using PayPal.
Member Discounts
The following vendors have extended discounts to SRRC members. Careful math reveals that the deals will be comparable, so shopping based on availability of a preferred product, loyalty, service, advice, selection, etc. continues to make sense. Also PRR does gait analysis and shoe fitting, which you really can't get online. On the other hand Running Warehouse carries some products that you can't get in many stores.
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Potomac River Running has graciously offered a 10% discount on to all club members. Please visit their stores in Ashburn, Leesburg, or Burke and mention that you're a member of the SRRC during checkout. |
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Road Runner Sports in Falls Church, VA offers a 10% discount to all club members. Mention that you're a member of the SRRC during checkout. This does not currently extend to on-line purchases, but the RRS VIP Club is a pretty good value if you go through shoes quickly. |
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Running Warehouse has set up a 15% discount for SRRC. (This discount cannot be used with any other discounts and is only valid for online purchases.) Note that the discount is only available to SRRC members and can be obtained by e-mailing president@srrunners.org. |
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The Running Store in Gainesville, VA does not currently offer SRRC special discounts, but they are knowledgeable, convenient, have a good selection of running gear at competitive prices, and have offered generous sponsorship support for the Annual Kilt Run. They are included here as an encouragement to support our sponsors! |
New Runner Orientation
Are you just starting out and have questions you're not sure how to ask? You can get directions and a few introductory answers here, which should make coming out to run with us easier. If you have other questions or concerns, join our e-mail list. You'll be able to send messages to the whole club as well as read messages of interest to all. You can run with us any time you like. (Read more . . . )
Run When You Travel
Lots of us travel for work or to visit family and friends in other cities over holidays and long weekends. Don't forget your running shoes! As a member of SRRC you're also associated with the Road Runners Club of America, an organization made up of about 175,000 members in over 700 running clubs around the country. Practically every major or medium-sized city in the country has a running club affiliated with RRCA. (Many smaller towns may have clubs that you can also find through a little runner networking.)
Why should you care? If your job or vacation is taking you someplace unfamiliar, don't leave your shoes behind! Go to the RRCA web site and check out clubs in the area where you'll be traveling. You can get in touch, plan ahead, and meet other runners who will be delighted to share their local running routes. There's no better and safer way to get a tour of a city than with the local running club. It can also make business travel personally productive, too.