Posted: October 25, 2004

Athletics: Rafael Acosta Named 2004 MarathonFoto/ Road Race Management Race Director of the Year

Road Race Management has named Rafael Acosta, Director of The World’s Best 10K in San Juan, Puerto Rico, as its 2004 MarathonFoto/ Road Race Management Race Director of the Year. Acosta accepted the award at the Road Race Management Race Director’s Meeting and Trade Show in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, October 23rd. The award is presented by Running Times magazine.

Described by Bill Rodgers as “the Gold Medal of race directing,” the award is determined by a vote of a diverse ten-member committee comprised of race directors, media, sponsors, and elite athletes.

“Our winner’s event changed Puerto Rico. Long distance running was dormant in Puerto Rico until the first World’s Best 10K back in 1998. Today, runners are inspired to take part in what they simply refer to as the ‘big race in February’,” said Phil Stewart, editor and publisher of Road Race Management in making the presentation.

“It takes a certain amount of panache to name an event The World’s Best 10K,” Stewart continued, “yet every aspect of the event supports this moniker, thanks to the creativity, hard work, and inspiration of its leader. Rafael Acosta decided to bring in some of the world’s elite runners—and today the event is the site of the women’s world record for 10K and the majority of the top 10 times for 10K in 2004. He is truly an individual who has made a difference, a big difference, to local runners—over 10,000 of them—to top runners, and to the state of fitness in Puerto Rico.”

The other finalists for the award, in addition to Rafael Acosta, were Tracey Russell (Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10K, Richmond, VA); Chuck George (Great Spillwall Classic, Norco LA); and Philip Lockwood (Steamboat Classic, Peoria, IL).

The MarathonFoto/Road Race Management Race Director of the Year award is made annually to recognize and promote excellence in race directing. Nominees were judged on several factors including overall ability, reputation of race, creativity and organizational ability. Previous recipients have been: Steve Bosley (Bolder Boulder), Julia Emmons (Peachtree Road Race), Ed Froehlich (Quad-City Times Bix 7), Chuck Galford (Cascade Run Off), Susan Harmeling (Bank of America Gasparilla Distance Classic), Jon Hughes (Disney Marathon), Scott Keenan (Grandma’s Marathon), Fred Lebow (New York City Marathon), Dave McGillivray (Boston Marathon), Jeanette Park (Gasparilla Distance Classic), Carey Pinkowski (LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon), Earle Reed (Utica Boilermaker), Bill Reef (Bolder Boulder), Steve Shostrom (Steamboat Classic), George Regan (Freihofer’s Run for Women), Allan Steinfeld (New York City Marathon) and Harold and Louise Tinsley (Rocket City Marathon).

Road Race Management (www.rrm.com) publishes a newsletter and comprehensive Directory for race and industry professionals and conducts a prestigious annual national race director meeting and trade show in Ft. Lauderdale, FL each year. MarathonFoto is the world’s largest race photography company (www.marathonfoto.com). Running Times is a national magazine known as the runner’s best source (www.runningtimes.com).