I'm not sure if you understood or saw what i was after from my concept right away, but i will take the chance and explain.
in #3 , i've used the " R " to form a body of a racer with the inner thick blue side of the " R " forms the shoulders and hands, while the upper letters that follow it after " ED " form the neck and head of that racer.
the black part of the " R " which is on the left of it , forms a human abstract that looks like jumping or flying up in the air with his body stretched and hands up and his small head.
Thank you for the submissions and the explanation. I did not immediately recognize it as a runner, but someone else who was viewing with me did see it. I do like it though. I like the revisions that you made - the tighter "R" and enhanced color and outline of it. I am undecided whether I would like to have any part of the name in black letters, but here I think it works/looks good.
Thank you. I tend to still like #8 of your submissions the best. I will admit that while I am able to see the jumping/soaring figure on the left, I am having trouble seeing the runner - but I have not given up looking! :) But, whether or not I am able to see it as you do, I still like the look, creativity, and uniqueness of it.