Posted: January 20, 2004

Athletics: Race Directing (Part 3): Big Business & Bothersome Runners

By JAMES RAIA

The laments and experiences of the Chester Classic 4th of July Fun Run in Chester, Calif., are shared by race organizers far and wide.

Even in the ultramarathon world - races usually with small fields and where the attitude is less intense than the road race world - things can get tense.

The quality of ultramarathons and the behavior of the involved runners is an often-repeated thread on a popular internet ultra forum. The daily exchange covers the niche sport’s every detail -- hydration to sanitary bathroom breaks and race results to the proper use of duct tape.

One regular contributor, an accomplished trail runner, read the various postings between runners and race directors and decided to address the issue. Without mentioning names, she suggested a review of common behavior among some ultramarathon runners:

* Chronic complaining about inconsiderate race directors when they've never even attempted to direct a race themselves;

* Never volunteer to help at races;

* Whine about having to volunteer or do trail work to get into a race;

* Expect race directors to comp them because they think they're fast;

* Expect race directors to pay their way because they're fast;

* Expect race directors to extend cutoffs because they're slow;

* Continue to run on a remote trail after they've been told they missed the cutoff and couldn't continue for safety reasons;

* Yell at and/or insult volunteers because they're having a bad race;

* Yell at and/or insult race directors because they got lost, even though the trail was well-marked;

* Take for granted the races they like to run and bitch as if they will always be around.

The Arizona ultramarathoner who contributed the list provided a disclaimer, saying she was not "flaming" anyone specifically. But she also commented "If you see yourself in any of the points, please take it personally."

Greg Soderlund, race director of the Western States 100, among other events, can empathize.

Following a long medical career in the military and in the private sector as a teacher and physician's assistant, the veteran long-distance runner retired and is now a full-time race director.

Soderlund began his new career by rekindling a low-key event that was first held some 20 years ago in his running club.

The five and 10-mile Mud Run was held in a parkway less than two miles from his Sacramento home. The winners received old-style large ribbons and the proceeds from the nominal race entry fee were directed to a local SPCA chapter.

Soderlund approached his new career with the same meticulous ways he knew from his previous careers. He bought a computer system and began to develop business relationships. He cultivated a stable of volunteers. He fretted over T-shirt designs and race entry fliers.

He also began to quickly understand the bureaucracy of negotiating with the sport’s various governing organizations.

And while race directing is still the fun Soderlund believed it would be, he also knows it’s a business.

"As a race director, you are in the business of entertainment," he said. "Because of that runners expect a lot. My first ultra was a 60km in 1978. It cost $10 to enter. There were no aid stations, except the one in my car trunk. The finishers' award was a sun visor. The modern-day ultra runners' expectations aren’t a bad thing, just a reflection of our society."

Unlike Soderlund, some race directors, just aren't particularly runner-friendly. There has been more than one lawsuit in recent years after an event winner has tried to claim an expensive advertised prize that never materialized.

In another example, the 1998 inaugural Suzuki Rock & Roll Marathon in San Diego was the largest first-time marathon ever held. But there wasn’t one entrant in the 20,000-runner field who didn’t have an opinion about race's delayed start, its lack of water at aid stations and its less-than-the-advertised musical selections.

As one running friend commented, "Until, the gun went off, it was the best- organized event I’d ever been to."

Race organizers at 20,000-runner events or 200-runner events have to address problems and concerns each year. Whether an event supports a charity or provides a large staff with its income, every race director knows or should know, the runners have the final word.

The Western States 100 has a $195 entry fee. The Chester Classic 4th of July Fun Run has a $15 entry fee. Both events are well-organized and they rely on volunteers, the satisfaction of their runners and the desire of the race directors to provide a quality event.

If any of the three integral components is lacking, the event will eventually disappear.

And then, of course, it’s no longer relevant if the event starts on time.

(End of Part #3)

Read Part#1 in this series at: rw_news_20040106_Raia.html.

Read Part#2 in this series at: rw_news_20040119_Raia.html.

Posted with the permission of James Raia. Vist his website at: /www.byjamesraia.com.

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