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Overcoming Challenges When Things Go Wrong RunSmart : RunSafe Video Message Launched National Running Award Recipients First Timers Guide to the Convention Nominating Committee Report And more
RRCA BOARD OF DIRECTORS David Cotter President Mitch Garner Vice President Dan Edwards Treasurer Mark Grandonico Eastern Region Director Beth Onines Central Region Director Lena Hollmann Southern Region Director Bailey Penzotti Western Region Director Kelly Richards At-Large Director
OVERCOMING CHALLENGES WHEN THINGS GO WRONG By: Trish Portuese, RRCA Certified Race Director
Overcoming challenges when things go wrong on race day and what you do as the race director to make them right makes all the difference. Every race has its set of challenges. What matters is how we, as race directors, plan for the challenges, especially when you have curve balls thrown your way. I wanted to share with you my own race day experience and reflect on how the RRCA Certified Race Director training helped me to get though the tense morning before the gun went off for this year’s Red Shoe Run, the RRCA Alabama 10 Mile State Championship, that took place in January 2014. To give you some background, which leads into some decision-making criteria, the Red Shoe Run has some challenges due to the area through which we take our 10 Mile course. Most pressing are the time limits to get runners to the finish line. The Red Shoe Run consists of three different races: a 5K, 10K and 10 Miler. The three races need to be done by 9:00 AM so that the city streets can be reopened. That puts the 10 Mile and 5K in operation at the same time with the hope that the bulk of the 5K runners come in before the fast 10 Mile runners approach the finish. Trust me, there’s nothing worse than a finish line collision. The race has about 250 volunteers, and on a good year, 1,700 runners in the three events. The 2014 race…not so much. This year’s race day came just as the Polar Vortex hit us in the South. Needless to say, it is bad news for a race when all the news channels are broadcasting is how bad things are about to get with the weather. It is like turning off the race registration faucet. While this circumstance is far from ideal, it does help to know going in to the race that things like this can happen. One tip from the RRCA Race Director Course that was particularly helpful was to have tiered pricing. By offering a lower entry fee to people who signed-up early, we helped to level-out registrations and provided an early cash flow for the race. By the time the weather forecasts for race day started to come in, we already had a solid base of competitors in place. These price changes are also key benchmarks to see if your registration numbers are on or off track from the previous year, with the idea to increase the marketing efforts if necessary. It was somewhat odd preparing to put on a race in cold weather, as heat is usually the extreme weather condition we have to account for in planning this race. The 2013 event gave us 73-degree temperatures, which can create a medical situation if a 10 mile runner is not prepared. Another big tip from the RRCA RD Certification Course, have a medical plan, a crisis plan, and a communication plan that outlines what to do when a runner has a medical situation on course.
Jean Arthur At-Large Director !
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We Run the Nation!
PRESIDENT’S LETTER Dear RRCA Members,
SUPPORT THE RRCA
The first quarter of the year is always a busy time for the RRCA as our national office staff work to finalize the National Running Awards selection process, our nominating committee is hard at work interviewing interested candidates for RRCA board services, and much more.
Financial contributions to the RRCA from you, your club, or your events supports our programs. Your financial support enables the RRCA to implement and improve programs that benefit runners and the running community. The RRCA is a BBB Wise Giving Alliance Accredited Charity and a Gold Level Guidestar Exchange Member. This means you can give with confidence that your donation will be used effectively.
Give today! Mail your contribution to: RRCA, 1501 Lee Hwy, Ste 140, Arlington, VA 22209 Give online at: www.RRCA.org/about/support/
As a result of these efforts, I wish to congratulate the RRCA’s National Running Awards recipients that are outlined on page 7. We look forward to honoring these individuals and their organizations at the upcoming awards banquet. I also congratulate the individuals that have been recommended by the nominating committee to serve on the RRCA Board for the 2014-2016 term. The RRCA has made efforts during the last two election cycles to engage new board members, who bring new ideas to the group, while retaining incumbents to ensure continuity for the organization. Executive Director Knaack has been busy working with our independent auditors going through the process of working with the firm Murray, Johnson, and White to review our financial processes and procedures and finalizing the audited financial statements and the IRS tax form 990. These items will be posted on the RRCA website in the About/Governance section of our website as they are finalized. We invite our members to review them as we are proud of our efforts to be a transparent organization that seeks to serve our members. I look forward to seeing our members in Spokane in May. Be sure to register for the RRCA Convention today at www.RRCA.org/Convention/! #RunSafe and stay healthy,
David Cotter, RRCA President
RunPro Camp
RUNPRO.COM the Professional Distance Running Resource Center
RunPro Camp is for distance runners interested in pursuing a professional running career after college. College graduates from June 2013 – June 2014 are encouraged to apply. Select individuals will receive funding to attend the camp provided by the RRCA. The 2014 RunPro Camp will be held in Arlington, VA on July 17-19, 2014. Applications for RunPro Camp are due on May 15, 2014. Encourage soon-to-be-college-graduates to apply for this great opportunity!
www.RunPro.com !
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“There was a great group of athletes and advisors at the 2013 RunPro Camp. I cannot even begin to count how many times I have thought back to things I learned that weekend as I have continued my running this year.” Laureen Kleppin – 3rd Place Overall Female 2014 LA Marathon
OVERCOMING CHALLENGES WHEN THINGS GO WRONG CONTINUED Each race is different based on size, but for a small race to a 3,000+ person event, a plan needs to be developed that outlines who the decision makers are as well as the flow of information to those decision makers. The volunteers need to know who to contact if they feel there is a medical situation out on the course and what actions and documentation they should comply with. If you have directed enough races it is not a matter of “if” a situation will occur, but a matter of “when” it will occur. Having a well-developed plan that is communicated to staff and volunteers is critical. As race day was approaching for the Red Shoe Run, we were facing seventeen mile-an-hour winds, thunderstorms, and lightning, right as the race was expected to go off. An important takeaway from the RRCA Race Director training that helped in this situation was to ensure that events have a pre-established cancelation clause/policy in the registration process, on the website, and in the email confirmations. It is critical to communicate the policy early and often. Another important takeaway was the importance of communicating frequently on the website that the race will take place rain or shine. We also shared this on the event’s Facebook page, through email, etc. By having this information in place, it cut down dramatically on the phone calls and emails that came in about the event’s weather policy. At 3:00 AM on race morning, the thunder woke me up an hour before the (still ridiculously early) alarm was scheduled to go off for my 5:00 AM arrival at the race site. When I arrived on site, it was raining, and no general volunteers had showed up to help with registration or outside setup. Many volunteers cancelled due to the weather. This is where another tip from RRCA Race Director training came in handy. If you have critical areas that require assurance they are completed as expected and on time – pay for that help! I typically have a core group of runners that I can count on rain or shine. I typically pay those individuals for their work. The other key element is to limit paid staff/volunteers to specific tasks that can be accomplished in the allotted amount of time needed for setup. I have teams broken down into specific tasks ensuring they can be successful within a timeframe. The helps ensure they will help out again in future years. At 6:15 AM, with set-up well under way, the first runners started showing up. Naturally, the question on every runner’s lips was what the plan was for the race. To keep the situation under control, we had the PA announcer run through his script, which included information that the race is monitoring the weather information and will be making periodic updates on the status. My plan was always to do a wait-and-see approach, knowing I only had a 30-minute window to get the 10 mile race off and running before the police would pull the plug on the event. When 6:30 AM rolled around, the rain had slowed enough so we could get the race started on time. However, just as I was about to breathe a sigh of relief, my phone rang. It was our traffic engineer who was out placing cones on the course calling to let me know that a 42” water main had broken and four lanes of the road were four feet under water. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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Race Director T. Portuese makes announcements to runners Photo: mRuns.com
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OVERCOMING CHALLENGES WHEN THINGS GO WRONG CONCLUDED After determining the exact location of the break, there were no side roads available for course re-routing. It was now 6:35 AM. I reached out to the core team to advise them of the situation and started trying to devise back-up plans to avoid the growing flood. One potential plan was to move all the runners to just the 5K, which was unaffected by the flood. Another potential plan was to have the 10 mile runners run the 5K for 3 loops. As we talked through it, we realized that was not a good solution. Essentially, our timer felt it was going to be difficult to monitor how many times each participant in the 10 mile race had crossed the finish line and next to impossible to differentiate the finishers from those in the 5K. Pictures began to come in from the volunteers trying to get to their positions. Cars were in the flooded center median. Things were not looking good. At 6:50 AM, we brought the runners into an auditorium to bring them up to speed on the weather situation and shared with them the news about the water main break on the 10 mile course. We were as transparent as possible, letting them know of the course situation, and that we were working on options. We asked our runners to give us a bit of time to work out a solution. Like with the thunderstorm earlier, we lucked out again. Just before the scheduled start of the race, we learned from our on-going conversations with police that water was beginning to recede from the road. In order to get the race finished on time, we still had to have a course modification to zig and zag across the four lanes where the flooding had been the worst. Finally, amazingly in fact, at 7:20 AM the 10 mile race started with the 5K group not far behind them, leaving 10 minutes later. Ironically, as the 10 milers came in, they told us how the flood created a mist and a nice cool area to run through as the temps began to rise with the rain out of the way. My big takeaway from this experience was remaining calm though the situation while also trying to think outside the box. Being creative while also making runners’ safety a top priority was a pointed stressed in the RD Certification Course. When all was said and done, the runners were happy they could run the 10 mile course, which made the extra effort and planning worth it. Many compliments came in about how we handled the situation, with the greatest appreciation being how we kept the runners informed about the status of the race and our plans. The result of the race this year has demonstrated once again that keeping the runners safe and happy will always keep them coming back year-after-year. The strategies and guidance provided by the RRCA Race Director Certification Program were a tremendous help to me during all the crises that hit during our race. The course has many very experienced race directors conducting the online training sessions and the Organizing Running Events book is a very good guide. I still pull the book out when I have a question or I need to find a recommendation for an issue I’m facing. Putting on road races has become much more difficult compared to past years. Having the training makes it easier to make the right decisions and enables me to give the runners the positive experience they expect and deserve. ! The Red Shoe Run is owned by and benefits the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Alabama.
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Flooding on course before the race start Photo: mRuns.com
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MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL REMINDER MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL REMINDER As announced in the last issue of Inside Track, the RRCA is accepting membership renewals for 2014. Annual membership in the RRCA, including insurance coverage, begins on December 31, 2013 at 12:00 AM and ends at 11:59 PM on December 30, 2014. Clubs and events must renew their membership by January 31st. There is NO prorating of dues or insurance for late payments and no refunds. Be sure to review the membership requirements for each member category, which includes dues and insurance rates, at www.RRCA.org/membership/. >>>REMINDER: As part of our Membership Accountability Process, all members are required to attest to having read the following items posted on our website as part of the online renewal process: • Insurance Program Information • Guidelines for Leading a Group Run • Guidelines for Safe Events • Race Director Code of Ethics Members need to review all of the information on the appropriate membership page. Once you have reviewed the information you will find the button to access the online membership portal and renew your membership. The button is at the bottom of the information, because it is important to actually read everything on the page to be an informed primary contact for your running club or event.
PLEASE CHECK!!!!
PAY
BY
RRCA members are encouraged to pay by check. Your check allows the RRCA to invest our resources into programs, not credit card processing fees. Members with dues and insurance fees over $5,000 MUST mail a check. We will no longer break payments into multiple batches for credit card payments above the $5,000 threshold. Our system won’t accept payments over $5,000. Paying by check is an important way to financially support RRCA programs. !
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CONGRATULATIONS TO THE RRCA NATIONAL RUNNING AWARD WINNERS Since 1971, the RRCA has honored dedicated individuals for their outstanding service to the RRCA and the sport of distance running through the National Running Awards Ceremony. We are delighted to announce the 2014 RRCA Distance Running Hall of Fame Inductees and the 2013 National Running Award recipients. These outstanding contributors to our sport will be honored at the upcoming RRCA National Running Awards Banquet and Ceremony on May 3, 2014 in Spokane, WA. We encourage all RRCA members to join us for this event to celebrate these award-winning contributors to the running community. RRCA RUNNING HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES ANNE ANNE AUDAIN KEN MARTIN OUTSTANDING CLUB PRESIDENT OF THE YEAR BONNIE SEXTON Kalamazoo Area Runners – Mattawan, MI BROWNING ROSS SPIRIT OF THE RRCA LOUISE TINSLEY Huntsville Track Club – Huntsville, AL OUTSTANDING STATE REPRESENTATIVE SUE BROWNBROWN- NICKERSON Indiana State Rep
Club Writer of the Year-- MARTY WILLIAMS Second Wind Running Club –Champaign-Urbana, IL Journalism Excellence JOHN HUNT Chattanooga Track Club – Chattanooga, TN OUTSTANDING WEBSITE BALTIMORE ROAD RUNNERS RUNNERS CLUB WWW.BRRC.COM
OUTSTANDING YOUTH PROGRAM DIRECTOR GRACE OWEN Lakeland Runners Kids Running Program Lakeland Runners Club – Lakeland, FL
OUTSTANDING BEGINNING RUNNING PROGRAM SCOTT PEACOCK San Antonio RoadRunners – San Antonio, TX
KEVIN CASTILLE CASTILLE, Male Master (presented by Running Times magazine)
LIBBY JAMES, Female Master (presented by Running Times magazine)
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E-Newsletter – OMAHA RUNNING CLUB NEWSLETTER Editor John Fey Omaha Running Club – Omaha, NE
OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR BILL WERLING Peachtree City Running Club – Fayetteville, GA
ROAD RUNNERS OF THE YEAR SHADRACK BIWOTT, Open Male MATTIE SUVER, Open Female
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EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNICATION AWARDS Print Newsletter –MILES MILES AND MINUTES Editor Edward Kelleher Richmond Road Runners Club – Richmond, VA
JEFF GLASBRENNER, Challenged Athlete Little Rock Road Runners Club – Little Rock, AR
RRCA ROAD RACE OF THE YEAR THE GREAT CRANBERRY ISLAND 50K ULTRA MARATHON Co-race directors, Gary Allen & Mary Ropp – Crow Athletics – Bar Harbor, ME The RRCA thanks the following individuals for serving on the various award selection panels. Each selection panel includes RRCA members from around the country. Thank you to: Mitch Garner, Brent Ayer, Creigh Kelley, Don Kardong, Doug Kurtis, Frank Shorter, Jacqueline Hansen, Jim Oaks, Joan Samuelson, Kim Jones, Lisa Rainsberger, Steve Spence, Simone Adair, Chip Allman, Brent Ayer, Ken Bendy; Betsy Boudreaux, Chris Burch, Gary Corbit, David Cotter, Larry Eder, Dan Edwards, John Farrow, Tony Flesch, Kathryn Gleghorn, Mark Grandonico, Larry Eder, Johnathon Beverly, Don Lein, Jean Knaack, Lena Hollmann, Dan Kesterson, Tom Kramer, Blaine Moore, Sherilyn Johnson, Mark Miller, Gary Morgan, Bee McLeod, Doug Pitchford, Beth Onines, Bailey Penzotti, George Rehmet, Kelly Richards, Lisa Rippe, Goody Tyler, Mariska van Rooden and Mark Ward. Thank you to RRCA Program Coordinator Andy Smith for coordinating the selection process.
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#RRCACONVENTION
Convention Central: The Davenport Hotel The Davenport Hotel opened in 1914. The hotel has served as a beacon of culture and refinement throughout the region for the better part of a century. The original historic hotel was fully restored to its early splendor between 2000 and 2002 and is widely regarded as one of the grandest hotels in North America. All education session, luncheons, and the RRCA National Awards Banquet will take place here.
Host Hotel: The Davenport Tower The Davenport Tower will provide the sleeping rooms for all RRCA Convention attendees.
The Bloomsday Road Runners Club invites you to the 56th Annual RRCA National Convention scheduled for May 1-4, 2014 in Spokane, WA. The RRCA Convention starts with the Welcome Reception on Thursday May 1 at 5:00 PM and concludes on Sunday May 4 with the 37th running of the Lilac Bloomsday Race, the RRCA National 12K Championship. Registration for the event is separate from the Convention registration. A special code will be sent to attendees to get preferred seeding for this 50,000 person event.
Register Today! The $375 convention registration includes all educational seminars, attendee goodie bag, commemorative jacket from Leslie Jordan, coaches’ continuing education, and much more. Registration also includes ALL social events, and meals including: • Thursday Welcome Reception • Friday Breakfast sponsored by K&K
111 South Post St Spokane, WA 99201 800-899-1482 Across the street from the historic Davenport Hotel is the Davenport Tower where the Convention has a block of rooms. The Convention room rate is $129-$189 per night for single/double occupancy. Use the booking code “RRCA” when calling the hotel to make your reservation.!
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and Star Insurance Friday Luncheon Friday night social sponsored by Spokane Sports Commission Saturday Luncheon Saturday Evening National Running Awards Reception and Banquet
www.RRCA.org/Convention/ !
#RRCACONVENTION
EXCELLENT SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORUTNITIES
The cornerstone of the RRCA Convention is our education program for club leaders, race directors, coaches, runners, volunteers, and industry professionals. Highlights from the education program include:
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RRCA Coaching Certification Cohort – presented by Randy Accetta,
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RRCA Insurance Program and Risk Management – presented by Terry
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Successful Networking with Run Specialty: Making it a Win:Win –
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Injury Detection, Prevention, and Recover Strategies – presented by
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Keeping Events Safe: Practical Measures for All Budgets –
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Developing and Maintaining Beginner and Experienced Training Programs – presented by Dwight Mikulis, Howard County Striders Complying with the ADA: Making a Win:Win Environment for Events and Challenged Athletes – presented by Kevin Shroyer,
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RRCA Director of Coaching Education Diller presented by Cari Setzler Kirk Herring, DPM, MA, FAAPSM
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Club Governance: Implementing Best Practices – presented by Jean
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What to Do When the Government Shuts Down your Race and Other Unforeseen Circumstances – presented by Steve Nearman,
Knaack, RRCA Executive Director
Wilson Bridge Half Marathon director Coaching for Ultra Runners – presented by RRCA Coach Ryan Knapp
Dehydration in Ultrarunners & Other Health Considerations – presented by Lissa Bliss, MD
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Developing an Inclusive Youth Running Program – presented by
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Developing a Medical Team and What is Road Race Medicine –
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Understanding the Ins, Outs, and Informatics of Social Engagement – presented by Andy Smith, RRCA program coordinator! Course Measurement and Certification – presented by USATF!
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Angelo and Sherry Celesia presented by The International Institute of Race Medicine
Find education program details at: www.RRCA.org/Convention/Education/!
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Following the round table discussions, convention attendees, including our Coaching Certification Cohort, are invite to join us for drinks and hors d’oeuvre to celebrate Running in the Lilac City. Then dine around Spokane on your own with new and old friends. Craft beer lovers, check out No-Li Brewhouse for dinner.
presented by Al Odenthal, Head of Race Security – Lilac Bloomsday Run
Lynchburg Road Runners Club
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Welcome Reception
Friday Night Wine Dinner This is a not to be missed occasion. Our host will provide transport to Arbor Wine Cellars for a spectacular wine dinner, which will include great views, great food, and great wine. In 1982, the Mielke family started Arbor Crest Wine Cellars, the 29th winery in Washington State. Located atop a 450 ft. cliff with exquisite views of the city, The Cliff House Estate, as it is now known, has since become a destination for exceptional wines and memorable events. For the wine enthusiast, The 2010 Arbor Cellars Dionysus, a Meritage Blend, received a 91 rating from Robert Parker.
And much more!!!!!!!
TRIO OF INSPIRING OLYMPIANS TO SPEAK
#RRCACONVENTION BERNARD LAGAT – Friday Luncheon
Lagat is a twelve-time track and field medalist in World Championships and Olympics including five gold medals. He has competed in four Olympic Games, winning medals at 1500 meters in Sydney 2000 (bronze) and Athens 2004 (silver) while representing his native Kenya and then competing for USA in Beijing 2008 and London 2012.
DON KARDONG – Saturday Luncheon May 22, 1976, Kardong finished 3rd in the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon (2:13:54), and was 4th in the U.S. Olympic Trials 5000 meters a month later. He finished 4th in the Olympic Marathon in Montreal (7/31/76). He helped launch the Lilac Bloomsday Run, which now attracts 50,000 participants a year.
DEENA KASTOR – Saturday National Awards Banquet
March 26, 2000, Kastor broke the American road record in the 5K with a time of 15:08; it was also the fastest time in the world that year. She won the bronze medal, the first medal for an American marathoner in 20 years at the 2004 Athens Olympics. In 2005 she won the Chicago Marathon, and in 2006, Deena won the Berlin Half Marathon and broke her American record in a time of 1:07.34.
ENJOY SPOKANE Downtown Spokane balances the hip, bustling culture, dining, nightlife and shopping of a big city with the intimate, walkable scale of a small town. The exceptional natural beauty of the area makes it an outdoor lovers paradise with miles of trails perfect for running. A great way to start or end your trip on the Inland Northwest Ale Trail. The Trail is a new community feature that highlights the Spokane region's growing “craft beer scene."
GETTING THERE Getting to Spokane is easier than you think. Spokane International Airport gets regular direct flights from Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, Chicago, Denver, Salt Lake, Minneapolis, Oakland, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Boise and Honolulu. Check out the flight maps to Spokane at www.rrca.org/convention/tour/. The airport is only seven minutes to downtown Spokane! All convention attendees staying at the host hotel, the Davenport Tower, will receive complementary, round-trip airport transfer. Guests will need to provide flight information and cell numbers to the hotel in advance of their trip. The hotel is pet friendly, so bring your fury friend along with you. The Spokane Amtrak Passenger station is located in the heart of downtown and within walking distance of our host hotel. There are daily trips from Portland, Seattle, Chicago, Milwaukee and Minneapolis-St. Paul. !
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FIRST TIMERS GUIDE TO THE RRCA CONVENTION !
#RRCACONVENTION
By Kelly Richards, RRCA Board Board Member
Before you go: • Review the RRCA Convention information. This event is specifically designed to give you the tools to better govern your running club, direct your events, and coach your runners. • See if there is an opportunity to save costs by sharing a room with another club member, State Representative, or other attendee. Use the RRCA Convention event page on Facebook to find a roommate: • Determine a few specific things you want to learn more about while at the conference i.e. how to engage or reward volunteers, responsible event growth, or membership management. (www.rrca.org/convention/education/) • Inform your club members, friends, and family of the items available at the silent and live auctions to determine what items you should bid on for them. Be sure you know their max bid amount. What to bring: • A sweater or light jacket (for indoors). You never know if a room is going to be packed and therefore warmed by all the bodies or if the AC is set so low no one will fall asleep. Good news, we are giving you an awesome Leslie Jordan jacket this year to wear at the event. • Snacks – we’re runners, which is to say, we’re always hungry! It’s not always easy to sneak off to a convenience store and these things are pretty expensive at a hotel. So pack some trail mix, energy bars, or whatever you enjoy. • Your club kit – proudly wear shirts/shorts from your running club during the morning runs and at the Lilac Bloomsday Run (RRCA National Championship race). • Pens and paper (yes, those still exist!) for taking notes. • Cash – some expo vendors accept cash only, and there are times when tipping is appropriate i.e. cocktail receptions. • Business cards. • Your phone charger. • Empty space in your suitcase – you’re likely to come home with more than you left with. It’s common to receive a shirt or two, items from vendors, purchases from the expo, winning bids from the auction, souvenirs, etc. Things to Know: • There is not a dress code for the Annual Running Awards Banquet, however many people choose to dress pretty fancy – especially the ladies. You’ll see everything from jeans to coat and tie, sneakers to high heels, and business casual to cocktail dresses. Wear whatever is most comfortable for you. • Silent Auction items have a minimum bid amount listed. It’s in poor form to undercut the minimum bid amount. Remember the auction is a fundraiser for the RRCA. Bid high and bid often. • Don’t be shy! Many attendees will gravitate towards those they already know and haven’t seen in a year but everyone is friendly and welcoming – even if you have to be the first to say “hi”. • Let others know the specific things you wish to learn and they’ll help you to speak with the “right” person. • Always wear your name badge lanyard. Keep your meal/drink tickets and schedule in the lanyard provided. CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
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RECOMMENDED SLATE OF BOARD CANDIDATES !! On behalf of the 2014 RRCA Nominating Committee, I am pleased to provide this report of our proceedings in accordance with Article VIII(BB)(1) of the Bylaws of the Road Runners Club of America. I wish to thank RRCA President David Cotter for giving me the opportunity to continue to serve the RRCA in this capacity. I further wish to thank the following members of the committee for their service: Ron Macksoud (AL State Rep), Chris Burch (IA State Rep), and Betsy Boudreaux (LA State Rep). The committee presents the following slate of nominees for consideration at the 2014 Annual Meeting of the Membership. - David Epstein, Nominating Committee Chairman
PRESIDENT – David Cotter David Cotter is a California native and is a fifty year resident of South Lake Tahoe, California. He has been running since 1990 and his passion is running the trails of the High Sierra within the Lake Tahoe Basin and the trails of Hawaii, where he now resides. David is the Immediate Past President of both the Tahoe Mountain Milers (Lake Tahoe) and Sagebrush Stompers (Carson City, Nevada) Running Club. David was appointed as the RRCA Nevada State Rep in 1998 and as the RRCA Northern California State Rep in 2002. In 2004 he served as the Convention Director for the RRCA National Convention and was awarded as the 2003 RRCA State Rep of the Year. He is the race director for a variety of running events at Lake Tahoe including the Tahoe Rim Trail 50K/50M/100M Endurance Runs, which served as the RRCA National Ultra Championship from 2007 - 2011. David has served two terms as RRCA Vice President beginning in 2008 and one term as RRCA President beginning in 2012. David has served on numerous RRCA committees including chairing the Strategic Planning Task Force, the Fundraising Task Force, and the Executive Director Performance Review Committee.
VICE PRESIDENT – Mitchell Garner Mitch is very active with the Ann Arbor Track Club (AATC), where he has served as president since 2009 (vice president from 2004 to 2008) and as a board member and executive committee member since 2004. He writes a regular column for his club’s newsletter, The Streak. He is also a committee member of two mid-sized races hosted by the club. In 2013, the AATC hosted an RRCA coaching certification course that was attended by Olympic marathon champion Frank Shorter. From 2008 to 2012, Mitch served two terms as the RRCA Central Region Director. In 2010, he was appointed by the Board to chair the RRCA Distance Running Hall of Fame Selection Committee. In 2011, he drafted the RRCA’s Member Accountability Process, which was adopted by the RRCA Board, to establish procedures for addressing grievances against member organizations that flagrantly disregard RRCA membership policies. In 2012, he was elected RRCA Vice President. Following his election, he was appointed to serve as Chair of the RRCA Strategic Plan Review Task Force, which reviewed and updated the RRCA’s Strategic Plan. Mitch is a member of the AATC’s men’s masters 60+ team, which won the USATF men’s masters 60+ grand prix national championship in 2011, 2012, and 2013. In 2013, the USATF awarded Mitch its Gold Phidippides Award for outstanding performance and endurance in long distance running. Mitch is a principal with the law firm of Allotta |Farley Co., L.P.A. He graduated cum laude from Yale University with a major in economics. He received his J.D. from Loyola University of Chicago School of Law. He lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan with his wife Ellen, who serves as the Ann Arbor Track Club’s social media coordinator, and his daughter Kathleen, a University of Michigan senior and budding distance runner.
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TREASURER – Dan Edwards Edwards has been an At-Large Director of the RRCA, serving as Secretary for three years. He was then appointed as Treasurer in late 2012 where he has served in that roll on the RRCA Board. He has been a Tidewater Strider for the past 27 years, has been a board member for the past 24 years, treasurer for 19 years, and race committee co-chair for the past 9 years. He has also led a nationally-recognized youth program, coordinated the newsletter and many other critical functions within the 1,700-member club. The race committee, led by Dan, has 12 club races and over 30 club co-produced races. Dan serves as race director for the club’s largest race, the Turkey Trot Scholarship race, which annually exceeds 2,600 runners. He was the recipient of RRCA’s Volunteer of the Year award in 1993. Dan Edwards is also a proven leader outside the running community. He has served on the Virginia Beach School Board for the past 17 years and has also been elected to serve as chairman of this 11-member board annually for the past 16 years. The board oversees the education of 68,000 students with 13,000 employees and a budget of over $700 million.
CENTRAL DIRECTOR – Sue Brown-Nickerson Sue Brown-Nickerson, a lifetime resident of Northwest Indiana, brings 18 years of leadership and board management experience to the RRCA organization and running clubs. She is a member of the Calumet Region Striders where she served on their board of directors from 19952005. After five years of service as club president, she stepped down to form their club’s youth running program, and serves on the club’s race committee, which raises money for youth programs and scholarships. Sue has been the RRCA Indiana State Representative since 2006, and has served on the RRCA National Award and Nomination Committees from 2007-2012. She received the 2004 RRCA Outstanding Club President, the 2010 RRCA Outstanding Youth Program Director, and the 2013 RRCA Outstanding State Representative awards. Sue is a strong advocate for promoting running within the community for all ages and abilities of runners, promoting volunteerism within organization (s), coaching beginner runners including youth, and mentoring local event directors with race management obligations. An avid runner, and both a USATF and a RRCA certified coach, her training and fitness involves less racing, more recreational running, and coaching. She is passionate about the sport of running, and looks forward to her continued effort in supporting the mission, vision, and values of RRCA at the national, regional, and local level.
EASTERN DIRECTOR – Mark Grandonico Mark served in the Coast Guard for over twenty years and was highly decorated for his accomplishments in the field and behind a desk. He is currently a Healthcare Compliance Officer and Auditor for the largest hospital system in Maine. Mark holds a bachelors degree from Regents College in New York and is certified in Health Care Compliance. He is a member of the Maine Track Club where he served as a Board Member-At-Large, Vice President and President for over 10 years. Mark is also the Vice President and Membership Director of the MidCoast Triathlon club. During his tenure as the Maine Track Club president, Mark was noted for his organizational, communication, fund-raising and recruiting skills. Under his guidance, the Maine Track Club has donated tens of thousands of dollars to local charities and schools in Maine. Prior to his Board of Director duties, Mark served as the RRCA Maine State Representative and he has awarded several RRCA State Championships to area races. He has also been a member of the RRCA Audit Committee for two years. Mark has also been a race director for over ten years and is a member of the Beach to Beacon 10k organizing committee, and he has completed hundreds of races of all lengths including 57 marathons. Mark is working on completing a marathon in each state. When not running, Mark fills his spare time training for triathlons, completing his fifth Ironman at Mont Tremblant last year. Mark shares his passion for running and triathlon with his wife Jill. He has two grown children and resides in Topsham Maine. !
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S NOTE Dear RRCA Members, Running continues to boom, and we are very pleased with the growth in our sport. To help ensure and maintain our long tradition of integrity within our membership, the RRCA his happy to provide the following tips when working with out-of-town event promoters. As with any business venture, always work with an out-of-town promoter with an eye for “buyer beware” caution. With that said, there are many great event management companies that promote and own races around the country, and they depend on the local running community to make their events a success. As you work with these groups, make sure your club benefits from the effort, and isn’t taken advantage of, because you are the expert and local resource. If your club works with out-of-town promoters, make sure both parties outline, IN WRITING, in advance, the expectations, deliverables, payments, and more for the event. Request a nonrefundable retainer fee for services you will provide with a final payment to follow after the conclusion of the event. A reputable out-of-town promoter should be willing to agree to this, because it is their goal, after all, to ensure their race is a success in your community. Do your homework! Has the out-of-town promoter hosted events anywhere else in the country that has successfully occurred? If not, don’t stake your local reputation on their lack of experience! An out-of-town promoter should have a solid track record of successful events in their home community before they branch out to other communities. Are the out-of-town promoters already an RRCA member? We can verify membership, if you inquire to membership@rrca.org. We also keep detailed records of questionable promoters we have encountered. You can inquire if someone has a “red flag” in our database based on verifiable misconduct (collecting fees and cancelling event(s) due to lack of planning, scam, controllable circumstances, etc.). Check Facebook to see if they have a fan page. What are people saying? Google them to find information. If they don’t have any digital footprint from a running related search, that’s a red flag. Although the running community is growing rapidly, we are still a bit of a tight-knit bunch in the grand scheme of things. Reach out to others and check references before committing your club, your volunteers, and your local race experts to assist an out-oftown race promoter. This will help ensure the out-of-town promoters understand that your club and the RRCA take integrity and ethical behavior in our sport seriously. It is our duty as a community to work together to keep unethical and downright criminal operators from harming the sport that we have collectively grown over the last 56 years. Happy running,
Jean Knaack
FIRST TIMERS GUIDE TO THE RRCA CONVENTION: CONCLUDED • Vote (one time only) for your favorite shirt in the Annual RRCA Race Shirt of the Year sponsored by Sport Science. • Meet, learn more about, and thank all the RRCA sponsors/supporters at the expo. • Be nice, patient and thank the volunteers. Remember, everyone is doing this for the first time and they’re volunteers! Ways to Bring the Convention Live to YOUR Club, Event or Community: • Blog from the Convention. • Share videos or Vines of interview snippets – but no live streaming of entire sessions, please. • Send pictures to your club/event’s Facebook administrator to post. Share on your Instagram account • Tweet from the convention using the hashtag #RRCAConvention and/or @RRCANational. What to Do Following the Convention: • Report on what you learned, share best practice ideas, and share the contact information for RRCA sponsors and supporters to the club board and race directors. Share copies of the RRCA Annual Report and Convention Program. • Present to your club in-person and provide a written recap to be included in the meeting minutes or club newsletter. • Write an article or series of articles for your newsletter (include pictures) recapping your experience and what you learned. • Encourage others to attend the 57th Annual RRCA Convention in Des Moines, IA, in conjunction with the Drake Relays in May 2015. Details will be at www.RRCA.org/Convention/ following the conclusion of the 2014 RRCA Convention. !
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RRCA LAUNCHES RUN SMART: RUN SAFE ANIMATED MESSAGE We can all agree that running is one of the best forms of exercise on the planet. According to the National Sporting Goods Association, there are more than 10 million fitness runners in the U.S.
To help educate and remind all runners to run safe, the RRCA, its members, and supporters are embarking on a yearlong, public-safety, awareness campaign starting with the launch of the Run Smart : Run Safe animated video developed by Space Chimp Media. The video is designed to engage and remind both new and regular runners to be aware of their surroundings at all times and to never trust drivers on the road. “Following the tragic pedestrian fatality of Karen Dubin in 2012, the RRCA has invested memorial contributions into re-launching the Run Smart : Run Safe efforts started by the RRCA back in 1989,” explained Jean Knaack, RRCA executive director. “Changing bad driver behavior is very difficult, so our focus is on improving runner safety awareness as millions are taking up running as their exercise of choice.” To promote our Run Smart : Run Safe animated message, the RRCA will be providing participating run specialty stores, member clubs, event, and fitness facilities with give-away cards that include a QR code for immediate viewing of the Run Smart : Run Safe message. To obtain give-away cards for your club or event, email Andy at programs@rrca.org. We encourage clubs and events to embed the video in their websites and email it to their members and participants. The RRCA’s goal is to get as many runners as possible, including youth, to view the message, enhance their personal safety efforts on the run, and to share the message with fellow runners. View the Run Smart : Run Safe animated message now by scanning the code (www.rrca.org/educationadvocacy/) and be sure to pass it on!
#RunSafe
NOTICE OF THE 2013 ANNUAL MEETING OF THE MEMBERSHIP All members of the RRCA in good standing as of April 1, 2014 are welcome and encouraged to attend the 2014 Annual Meeting of the Membership. Participation in the 2014 RRCA National Convention is not required in order to attend the 2014 Annual Meeting of the Membership. The meeting will take place on May 2, 2014 at 3:15 PM (Pacific) at the Davenport Hotel, 10 Post St, Spokane, WA, 99201. Voting Assignment and Proxy Certification Instructions The Bylaws of the RRCA allow for the assignment of a proxy vote for member clubs and events. If an RRCA member club or event is not sending their official voting representative (president, director, or owner) to the Annual Meeting of the Membership, then the voting rights of that club or event may be assigned to another authorized representative attending the meeting in person. That person must be qualified by being a member of either the same club or event or from another qualified club or event in good standing in the same state. In accordance with the RRCA bylaws, a proxy cannot be held for clubs or events from different states. To assign voting rights to a qualified proxy on behalf of a club or event member, the authorized representative must complete the Official 2014 Voting Rights Assignment to Recognized Proxy Holder Form. Each Appointed Proxy Holder must complete and submit the Membership and Residence Certification for Proxy Holders Form in accordance with the instructions on the forms. The forms and instructions can be found on the RRCA website at www.rrca.org/about/governance/. !
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ROAD RUNNERS CLUB OF AMERICA 1501 Lee Hwy, Ste 140 Arlington, VA 22209 703-525-3890 www.RRCA.org
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WE RUN THE NATION! RRCA Launches Mobile App – Get it now! We are happy to announce the RRCA app is ready to download for your iPhone/iPad, Android, Kindle, and more to Keep Pace with the RRCA. Key features for the RRCA app include:
• Easy to access links to RRCA publications on the
home screen including Club Running and Inside Track
• Quick links to RRCA social media accounts on Facebook and Twitter
• Read the RRCA News and Running News feeds directly on our mobile app.
• Find RRCA member events, member clubs, and RRCA certified coaches
• Shop the RRCA Performance Wear e-store • And more! Download it for FREE today to connect with the oldest and largest distance running organization in the US. Get the app at rrca.mobapp.at
facebook.com/Roadrunnersclubofamerica !!
Inside Track !
twitter.com/RRCANational
rrca.mobapp.at