Holding a break tape at the finish of a major (or any) race and what the tape actually looks like is a perfect example of how something seemingly very simple can have huge implications.
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Anyone who knows me knows I like to put EVERYTHING in writing. In our industry, there are so many details and so many moving parts that documentation is critical to succeeding in this business. Sharing of information with your race committee can sometimes make or break your event. The more people involved in the race who knows what is going on in your event the better. A race director who holds all the information close to their vest is doing a disservice to everyone.
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Event refunds are a complex issue. I’ve been on both sides of the issue—as a race director faced with the possibility of issuing refunds, and as a participant of a canceled event. Whether a road race issues refunds for a canceled event is dependent upon several factors.
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Occasionally, it’s fun to look back and recall “the way it used to be.” Evolution is good and inevitable, but there is something about days gone by that was refreshing and just… easier.
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One of my most favorite expressions is, “The comeback is always stronger than the setback.” For those of us in the event management business, I am praying this statement holds true for all of us.
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Real estate. This is one of the single biggest challenges many races face given the current incredible and amazing growth of our industry. Where do you put all these people? Demand is far exceeding available space for many races – look at the BAA Boston Marathon, the TD Beach to Beacon, the Mt. Washington Road Race, and the New Balance Falmouth Road Race, to give just a few examples.
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When planning for an event, most of us focus on the front end—all the setup and race management details. Rarely do we focus on the back end—the breakdown and the cleanup.
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More often than not, runners arrive to the race site about one hour before the start. Everything is usually all set up by then. Do they ever wonder how that all happened? Who set up the scaffolding and truss, what about the photo bridge or the bleachers and all the barricades and fencing? What about the tents and staging and the sound system? Who moved all the pallets of food and water into place with forklifts? Contrary to popular belief, it didn’t all just fall out of the sky…or did it? So, who exactly does all of this “heavy lifting” at road races?
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Is it me or does it seem that lately all of us are being challenged by Mother Nature more than ever before? The problem with outdoor events is that, yup, you guessed it, is that they are outdoors...no kidding.
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No matter how meticulous your planning, sooner or later something unexpected is going to occur that is going to require you to make on-the-spot decisions. Veteran race directors Dave McGillivray and Sean Ryan offer some tips on what to do (and not do) when disaster happens.
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I previously wrote on the power of spectators, focusing on all the positives of attracting spectators to your event. However, there are a few areas we must consider when dealing with spectators along our course or even within the start or finish line areas of our races.
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Years ago, before the huge field sizes and multiple wave starts, I always thought seeing course clocks along the race route was both informative and motivational. Now, I'm just not so sure.
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Lately, I’ve been running in a lot of road races in preparation for the World Marathon Challenge (in fact, when you read this, I'll be a week from landing in Antarctica for the first of seven marathons). I haven’t participated in this many races in such a short period of time in 20 years. Back then, however, I was running fairly well, like in the 6-minutes per mile range. Now I’m closer to 7-minutes or even 8-minutes a mile. It’s a different experience running with the masses versus running closer toward the front with the faster and more competitive folks.
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When I'm hired to direct a race, the client will often ask, “Do you think we should put on a clinic for the runners, too?” I am always torn as to the best way to respond to this. I’ve been to many clinics that were well organized and well attended but I’ve also been to as many or more that bombed, especially in terms of attendance of participants running in the race. It can be incredibly embarrassing to both the organizer and the presenter to be talking to an empty room with only six pigeons and three squirrels present.
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“It’s not over until it's over” is a cliché, so as a race director, I usually say, “It’s not over until all the post-race reports are in from all your key people.”
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There was a time when I thought a road race could never be sold. Who would buy it and what exactly would the buyer be buying anyway? Today, however, races are now being bought and sold left and right. Boy, did I miss the bus on that one.
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As event directors, our focus tends to be on making sure our course is an accurate and safe one, that we have plenty of water to distribute, that our race starts on time and that we deliver quick and accurate results…all extremely important aspects of producing a successful event.
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“You actually get paid to direct a road race?” How many times have we all had someone say that to us?! Um, yes, we get paid… well, most of the time.
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Everyone has pet peeves. As race directors, we, too, have pet peeves—a lot of them—that drive us all insane. Knowing that misery loves company sometimes, I’ve listed a few of my race pet peeves, which I know all of you can identify with:
With all due respect to everything involved in creating a new road race, the course and the management of the course is arguably the most important aspect of your event.
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