If you have any questions not listed below, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team email (carolinamarathon@gmail.com) or one of our leadership members individually.
Q: Am I too slow/out of shape to join?
A: Of course not! We welcome all runners, regardless of speed or experience level.
Q: How much are dues?
A: Marathon Team dues are $40 per member, and last the whole year. They cover travel, sports medicine, lodging, social events, team merchandise, and many more wonderful benefits! We have some of the lowest dues of any Carolina sports club, and are always striving to make them worth the cost! Please feel free to talk to leadership about any financial concerns you may have. There is support funding available.
Q: Do I need to come to practice every day?
A: Nope! None of our practices are mandatory. Feel free to come as often as is convenient for your schedule and individual running needs.
Q: Do I need to pay dues/become an official member to attend practice?
A: No way! Anyone interested in running with us is more than welcome to attend practice. You only need to pay dues if you want to travel with us to a team race or enjoy the other benefits of being a member (listed above).
Q: Can I still run with the team if I’m not training for the team race?
A: Of course! While our weekly routes are tied to a training plan for the semester’s race, we always have many members who regularly attend practice and are either training for a different race, or not training for anything in particular. All are welcome!
Q: What shoes should I be running in?
A: Everyone’s feet are different! We recommend visiting the Chapel Hill Fleet Feet store if you’re on campus, or another running store near you, to have your feet and stride examined to find a shoe that works best for you. There’s no one perfect shoe for everyone, so you may need to do some test runs to see what you feel comfortable running in.
Q: I want training advice. What do you recommend?
A: While we are here to answer all of your questions to the best of our abilities, we are not professional coaches and most of our advice is anecdotal. We will not be giving extensive training advice or nutrition recommendations as we may not always know what will work best for you. We do provide general mileage recommendations for each week under the Routes section of the website, will tell you to make sure that you’re eating enough for your body and hydrating daily, and can give you anecdotal suggestions about what has worked for us. We hope that everyone can find a training routine that works well for them and the path that they want to take!
Q: What is the difference between UNC Marathon Team and UNC Club XCTF?
A: At UNC, we are lucky enough to have, not one, but TWO clubs focused on different disciplines in the sport of running. Club XCTF trains for cross country and track & field meets which are held throughout the semester. In contrast, Marathon team focuses on longer distance racing on roads and trails, as well as providing a welcoming environment for beginning runners. If you’re having trouble deciding between the two, we recommend attending practices for each team and feeling out the vibes for yourself. Both teams offer a fantastic way to get involved in the sport of running during your time at UNC!
Q: How do I get involved with Marathon Team?
A: Just show up to practice! We meet every weekday at 5pm in front for Fetzer Gym on South Road. On Sunday mornings, we do long runs from the same location. You should also join our GroupMe linked on the website homepage for important team updates.
Q: What is the Meme of the Week?
A: 
