Odds + ends for my running friends

A few interesting nuggets to pass along on this beautiful winter afternoon:

Dowd YMCA Running Expo: Need some new ideas for training for the upcoming race season? This event -- scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 23 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. -- will be a great opportunity to get a few. Featured guest is Dr. Bill Pierce of Furman University, who will be presenting his "Run Less Run Faster" training program; other speakers will include Becky Mestas from Run For Your Life on shoe and gear selection; Siskey YMCA dietician Diane Lancaster on nutrition; Josh Kollman of Carolina Sports Clinic on injury prevention; and Mark Kane of Kane Personal Training on strength and conditioning. This training, designed for runners of all abilities, is free for Charlotte YMCA members. Non-members can attend if space permits. E-mail questions to dowdyrunning@gmail.com or get more info here.

Run For Your Life-University: If you're looking for deals on running gear, check out the winter sale going on Friday and Saturday at the store at 1816 E. Arbors Drive (in the Trader Joe's shopping center). Clearance shoes will be priced as low as $35, new shoes will be at least 10 percent off, and apparel will be marked down by as much as 50 percent.

The Palmetto200 Relay: The deadline is fast approaching to take advantage of the race's early registration special: Through Feb. 2, cost is $900 for regular teams and $450 for ultra teams; thereafter, it increases by 25 percent to $1,200/$600. The full course is here; organizers are still working on making the map more interactive, but runners can now peruse information on individual legs (distances, maps and turn-by-turn instructions). The race Web site also now features a "Runner's Forum" that allows runners to post questions and suggestions, and also can help individuals find a team in need of runners -- or vice versa. The Palmetto200 Relay, set for April 30-May 1, will take teams of four to 12 runners 200 miles from Columbia, S.C., to the edge of historic Charleston.

The Ragnar Relay New York: This is another cool-sounding relay, also designed for teams of 12 and also held in the spring -- although it's a little shorter (175 miles) and a bit further away. The 24-hour relay race, scheduled for May 14-15, follows a route from legendary Woodstock, N.Y., through the Catskill Mountains and charming country towns before ending in the Big Apple. Team registration is $1,080 before Jan. 31 (or $540 for an ultra team of six runners or less). On Feb. 1, cost goes up to $1,260 (or $630 for an ultra team). And if you register online with the promo code CLUB100, a $100 refund check will be issued; or, enter the code NY1ZGFBZ and get two free headlamps. Register online here. You can also get race updates by joining the event's Facebook group.

New York City Half Marathon: The lottery has already been held and registration is officially closed for the March 21 race -- but there's still a way to get in on the action. The Fresh Air Fund is looking for runners and sponsors to join its Fresh Air Fund-Racers team for the NYC Half. This is a great way to participate in New York City's premier summer road race while helping Fresh Air Fund children. (The Fresh Air Fund, a not-for-profit agency, provides free summer vacations to more than 1.7 million New York City children from low-income communities.) The minimum pledge for runners is $1,000, which can be obtained through third parties or otherwise. For details, click here.

Got other running-news tips to pass along? Or have ideas for future features? E-mail me at tjanes@charlotteobserver.com.