Mayview Madness is back

Stick Boy Bread Company and Bistro Roca will sponsor the Blue Ridge Conservancy’s Stick Boy Mayview Madness 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run for the fourth time Sept. 22 at 8 a.m. behind Memorial Park in Blowing Rock.

The 5K race was established in 2000 and has always been a benefactor toward protecting land in the High Country. The Fun Run is in place for kids who want to participate.

But this year’s race is continuing a newfound tradition: free training.

“In 2011, ZAP (Fitness) offered to provide free weekly training sessions in Blowing Rock,” said Blue Ridge Conservancy (BRC) land protection specialist Rob McCorkindale. “ZAP Fitness is the race coordinator for this year’s event, and they will provide the same weekly training session to anyone that is interested.”

Assistant coach Ryan Warrenburg at ZAP Fitness will conduct training exercises at Moses Cone Park off the Blue Ridge Parkway in a five-week, completely free training program every Wednesday evening, starting on Aug. 22 before the 5K.

“At ZAP, our expertise is in training distance runners, and we bring that to the training clinics to give people a better idea of what they should be doing to get ready for the race,” Warrenburg said. “After the short talk, we go out for a training run, the last of which will be a preview of the course itself.”

After each training clinic, Warrenburg said the group is invited out to pizza and pint night at Bistro Roca, the business that offered ZAP Fitness the opportunity to train runners for Mayview Madness.

As far as the rigor of the training clinics go, Warrenburg said they are open to “all ages and abilities.”

“The training will range from runs of two to seven miles, depending on your experience, and there will be some workouts that will be targeted toward running a faster 5K for people that are looking to improve their times,” he said.

After living in Boone for more than a decade, Stick Boy owner Carson Coatney said the BRC wanted him and his business involved because of their known values toward the respect of the land and the High Country.

“One of the reasons I live here is because of all the outdoor activities and the great things to do, and to see lands being preserved long term is something that Stick Boy definitely wants to be a part of,” he said.

Along with providing snacks and drinks from Stick Boy at the race, Coatney and many employees will take place in the 5K, which he said has a greater potential this year with the free training clinic attached to the race for the second time.

“This year, I’ll be surprised if we don’t set a record as far as the turnout,” he said.

Another change to this year’s race is that it is taking place at the end of September, versus its usual time slot in November, on account of bad weather in the past.

Fees for the race are $20 per runner prior to Sept. 1, $25 prior to Sept. 22 and $30 the day of the race. The one-mile race for the kids costs $10 prior to Sept. 22 and $15 the day of. Registration for the race can be done through http://www.active.com/running/blowing-rock-nc/stickboy-mayview-madness-5k-2012.

For more information on the race, visit http://www.blueridgeconservancy.org/news-events/annual-events/mayview-madness-run.