Costs

The annual (rolling 12 month) cost is 50 dollars* (less than the cost of the average pair of running shoes!). Special arrangements can be made for financial hardship on a case-by-case basis.

All (100%) of the money collected is returned to the team in one way or the other!

Benefits

There are several benefits that team members enjoy:

1. A 12 month subscription to Running Journal. If you are already a subscriber, your subscription will be automatically be extended by 12 months when you become a team member and each time your renew your membership.

2. A Running Journal Women's Running Team singlet or jog bra and a RJ Women's Running Team T-shirt. You receive a new set each year. Any pair of black or purple running shorts or bun-huggers complete the uniform. Other clothing items are available at very attractive prices. See the "Uniforms" web page.

3. Coaching. Most of our members find that coaching is helpful for improving their running performance. Details on my background are included on the "Carolyn" web page. There is no additional cost for my help developing a set of running objectives or for this coaching.

4. Camaraderie. Our members find that through the association with the team they get substantial support for their running and form friendships with other women runners both above and below their present running ability.

5. E-mail Updates. I use the Internet and e-mail extensively to keep team members up to date on the performance of their colleagues and other running highlights. I expect team members to help facilitate this by e-mailing me periodic updates on their racing endeavors. Over a year's time you can expect more than 50 such communications.

6. Local Running Events. I race virtually every weekend, mostly in North Georgia, Western North Carolina, Western South Carolina or Tennessee. Most team members race at least once a month. We find that it is pleasant to meet at local races, chat, cheer, warm-up, cool down and generally just enjoy each other. Obviously this is geographically restrictive. I publish a calendar for members information, and communicate regarding exceptionally well run races that I have discovered. I hope that new members will communicate with me about exceptionally good (or bad) races around the southeast so that I can share the data and we can build our collective data bank.

7. Major Races. As our membership grows I plan to select "a few" races that have National Importance and encourage team members to participate. Races that include "team competition" or Races that I know are particularly enjoyable will be selected. We will obviously put emphasis on the Running Journal Grand Prix series which starts with the Parkersburg Half-Marathon in August. In addition I recommend the Gate River Run, Grandma's Marathon, the Bolder Boulder 10K, the Philadelphia Half Marathon, and several others. We will expand the team participation in these "Major Races" as the team membership grows. We will also use "contacts" to secure "comp" entry fees and hotel rooms where possible and some of the monies that are collected from the annual membership fees will be used to give members financial support for participation in these races. The details of this support will be developed as the team makeup solidifies.

8. Women's Running Programs. In 2000 we, as the Atlanta Renegades, were in charge of the "elite fluids" for the Women's Olympic Marathon Trials in Columbia, South Carolina. We designed the system, collected the special fluid bottles from the contestants, delivered the fluids to each station (every 5k on the course) and we had a team member at each station to be sure that bottles were set up properly and that any that got knocked over were replaced. Team members who participated found the experience very exciting and rewarding and many of the Olympic hopefuls were very appreciative of the job we did. We were repeatedly told that our elite fluids system was the best of any race short of the Olympics. We plan other programs like this which will support women's running.

9. Speaking Opportunities. The Runnning Journal is frequently asked to provide speakers for running forums or other events. Mary Lou has agreed to offer the opportunity to satisfy these requests to interested team members.

10. Support for special races. As a team member you will be given the opportunity to do a few special things that benefit races which you consider special and to promote Running Journal. Details of this program are still being developed.

11. A Connection to the world of Elite Running. For the last 10 or 15 years Steve and I have been involved with a number of different activities that have brought us into contact with many different people involved in the world of Elite Running. We helped stage the Elite field at the Boston Marathon for 8 or 9 years, we have helped with 3 Olympic Marathon trials and the Olympics, and we have helped with several other races around the country. We have made many friends in this world including many of the runners and their spouses and friends, the coaches, the trainers, the agents, and of course the race organizers. These relationships can frequently be useful to team members that want to participate in some of the larger races in the country.

I think you will agree that this is one of the BEST values in running. Join us today.


*The membership fees may be adjusted if expenses change substantially, but this is not presently anticipated.