INSIDE TRACK
SUMMER 2017
Road Runners Club of America ! !
IN THIS ISSUE: ♦
Building a Network of Sponsors for Your Organization
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Recent RRCA News
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60th RRCA Convention Spotlight
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Member Accountability Reminders And more
RRCA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Mitchell Garner President Jean Arthur Vice President Craig Minyard Treasurer Dwight Mikulis Eastern Region Director Sue Brown-Nickerson Central Region Director Ron Macksoud Southern Region Director George Rehmet Western Region Director Lisa Rippe At-Large Director
Building a Network of Sponsors for Your Organization
By Michael Alcamo, Dashing Whippets – Presented at the 59th RRCA Convention At the outset, let me say that your priority is to always do what is in the best interest of your club or event, because as a director or officer of your organization, you are a fiduciary. All that matters is the best interests of your members and your organization. With that said, you can invite businesses that share your organization’s values and goals to be a partner to your team/club. By inviting businesses to support your efforts, it can bring important benefits and services to your members while adding valuable revenue to your club and promoting your organization within your community. To build your network of sponsors, you have to think differently about your “sponsorship” program. Think of the businesses in your community as your “partners,” not just as sponsors. “Sponsor” implies a hierarchy, as if you are going to the Bank of Mom and Dad for yet another check. As a running club or event, you not only will have an equal relationship with your partners, but you will try to do more for them than they do for you. From your organization’s perspective, your plan for your partners should focus on the “theory of victory,” which is to win renewal year-after-year with partners. Keep in mind; your partner’s business plan for the relationship is their return on investment (ROI). Think of your partnership this way, if a partner pays your organization $1,500 for an annual sponsorship, help them derive value of 3x or 5x on their investment. Here’s an example of how a partner thinks about ROI: The average physical therapy patient (PT) visits a practitioner six to eight times. If you have 600 members, and only 1% checks out your physical therapy partner, you have just created up to 48 patient-hours for the practice. As an added value, your teammate or club member has received high quality physical therapy as a result of the partnership – a win:win. If the PT’s billing rate is $80 to $120 per visit, the base level of new business could be $4800, if only 1% of your club makes a visit to that PT. On a $1500 partnership, that represents ROI of more than 3x. By outlining this to your PT prospective partner, you can illustrate that you understand their goals, and you can help meet and achieve them.
Goody Tyler At-Large Director CONTINUED ON PAGE 3! !
We Run the Nation!
President’s Letter Dear RRCA Members, The great America poet, T.S. Eliot, once said, “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” In 2018, the Road Runners Club of America will be celebrating its 60th anniversary. Many special things are being planned to celebrate this milestone at our annual convention next April in Arlington, Virginia, just across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. The 2018 convention is not to be missed.
Garner running the RRCA 1 Mile Championship in Tucson, AZ!!
In 1958, the individuals who founded the RRCA took a risk. They recognized that the Amateur Athletic Union was not interested in serving athletes who wanted to participate in distance running events. In response, they started a national running organization that aimed to serve the needs of distance running. On February 22, 1958, the RRCA was born, initially with just a few founding member clubs, including the New York Road Runners. Over the years, the sport of distance running has changed markedly. What started as a physical activity promoting health and fitness has evolved into a multi-billion dollar industry. Keeping up with the times, the RRCA has adapted in the way it serves our sport, always striving to improve and move forward. And we have gone far. Today, the RRCA has 2,400 clubs and event members serving 4,258,000 runners, and each year events hosted by RRCA member organizations raise hundreds of millions of dollars for charitable causes. We have the distinction of being the oldest and largest running organization in the United States. More importantly, we are America’s leading voice of grassroots running. In this hyper digital age, our membership reflects the diversity of America, bringing together individuals of different ages, races, creeds, ethnic backgrounds, and social strata. We are all a community of runners. Back in my college days as a coxswain, I took note of a small plaque mounted on the Yale Crew boathouse in Gales Ferry, Connecticut. The plaque, written in Latin, reads, “Fortuna favet fortibus.” That is, “Fortune favors the brave.” Those words have stayed with me over the years in my approach to new things and new ideas. The RRCA’s founders were brave. It took great courage for them to take a step into the unknown in 1958 and start a national running organization. 59 years later, we are still brave. Through the efforts of Executive Director Jean Knaack, our National Office staff, our Board of Directors, our state reps, and others who serve the RRCA in various capacities, we remain the leaders of grass roots running in America. We have gone far, very far for sure, since our humble beginnings. It has been a journey. How far can we go? As we stand on the brink of our 7th decade, that remains to be seen. But like T.S. Eliot, I know that it is worth taking the risk of going too far to know how far we can go. After all, we are distance runners. Always on the run,
Mitchell Garner RRCA President
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Garner with RRCA’s Randy Accetta at the Festival of Miles in Tucson, AZ!
Garner, 2nd from right, with friends Frank Shorter, Joe Vigil, Lorraine Moller, Abdi Abdirahman, and George Rehmet at BoulderBolder 10K in Boulder, CO
Building a Network of Sponsors for Your Organization CONTINUED
To help build your network of sponsors, your annual operating plan should include preparing a really nice media or marketing kit. After all, you are pitching an association with your audience. Take time to describe that audience and what your organization can offer in terms of marketing exposure for partners.
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Accentuate the positives of your organization. Make a detailed chart with your demographics, broken out by gender and age. Tell a story. Describe the leading professions in which your teammates/club members work. Don’t dwell on your 40-year history; talk about the “now.” Describe a few recent races your club has participated in. Outline your growth rate. Outline your social media outreach abilities. Outline if your club has won any awards. Outline your charity partners or contributions made to your community from the club.
In the last section of the marketing piece, include a contract template that specifies what you are providing to the partner (deliverables) and what the partner is receiving for their sponsorship fee. Make it clear and easy for the partner to say “yes” and sign at the bottom. Be willing to draft a more specific agreement with your sponsor if they are seeking terms not outlined in the template agreement. For any agreement, offer finite deliverables, and be prepared to over-deliver. For example, Dashing Whippets offers our partners’ exposure on our home page; extensive listings on our roster of Wellness Partners and Retail Sponsors; four blog posts per year; thank you notes on Facebook; and up to ten Instagram hashtags per quarter. Visualize the outcome of you partnership. When you post your race results, it elevates your brand if you add the hashtag for your local Subaru dealer, for example. The dealer is ecstatic to be associated with a vast community of sporty, health-conscious members of the community. Outline for your potential partners, “wouldn’t it look great if we gave you a ton of social media exposure to our 3,000 Instagram friends.” Most established businesses are wrestling with how to “win” on social media. You and your millennial teammates and club members can potentially solve this important marketing problem for partners. How do you find your partners? Start with the assumption that businesses have a need and problems that you can help solve: • An audience to market to; • A social media following with high engagement; • Ability to provide ROI; • Opportunity to help grow a partner’s business. If you need to prioritize your time, consider pursing businesses in the health and wellness categories first. Our club loves the designation “Wellness Partner,” because everything about those two words resonates with our audience. Seek to build a roster of potential partners: podiatry, chiropractic, dental, sports massage, orthopedics, physical therapy, acupuncture, family practice, dermatology, ob-gyn, ophthalmology, orthodontics, and more. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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Building a Network of Sponsors CONTINUED How do you find good candidates to partner with? Ask your teammates/club members, “Has anyone had some great experiences with a podiatrist they can recommend?” You will get six potential partners. You can contact the podiatrist and say, “You are highly regarded by some members of our team/club. I wondered if you would like to consider becoming a wellness partner.” What about retail categories? Think about professionals or stores that are large enough to have a marketing budget, but not too large that a decision has to go to a corporate office. Good examples are car dealerships, local eyeglass stores, lawyers who handle real estate closings, real estate agents, local hospital/health systems, local insurance brokers (home, apartment, auto), and local restaurants. Always apply a rigorous values and goals test for your potential partners. Our organization’s partnerships are always subject to board review and approval. We ask rigorous questions about our new partnerships to ensure they align with our organization and a partner’s needs/interests. For wellness professionals, do a Google search, and make sure health care partners are accredited/licensed and have top ratings with their state boards. You and your partners should each feel that you are elevating one another. Avoid the mistakes our club had to learn from. Most important, listen to the partners and ask them what their goals are for the partnership. If they prioritize hashtags, then get some great photos of your athletes at the Subaru dealership and add hashtags. Say “thank you” often in your communications about your partners. If your partner’s priority is foot traffic, then find a way to provide foot traffic from your members. Be clear in your contract that your partnerships are non-exclusive. After all, your partners are part of your roster of health and wellness professionals, and it is okay with you if the wellness partners want to support other clubs/events/teams, as well. If you have 600+ members, there is more than enough business to go around. If a partner wants an exclusive relationship, your sponsorship fee should reflect what it would cost your organization to only have one business category as a sponsor. Make the process uniform and regular. Keep your partnerships on an annual calendar. Fix your rates for the year. If it’s your first year, $1,000 is probably a good level, because you can and should increase it in subsequent years. Avoid giving discounts or take payment in in-kind, because this can create headaches. By requiring a minimum cash sponsorship, you are treating all partners equally, and then you can build in in-kind support to round out a sponsorship commitment. Over-deliver. Remember, your theory of victory is to win a renewal each year. So, deliver “extras.” Look for things that can benefit each of you. If the partner has a workout space that is not being used on a Monday night, this could be your venue for yoga for runners. If you have 600 members, most likely, at least one is training to be a yoga instructor and needs to teach 200 hours before she or he can be certified. Payment can be voluntary, but at $5 per class, everyone wins. You have just created weekly foot traffic and awareness for your partner. Another great use for an office in an evening is a pre-race strategy session 10-days before a big race. A lawyer’s office, a physical therapist’s space, or even a car dealer’s office can serve your team by giving you a space to bond and strategize. It also helps raise awareness of the partner, whom you will be mentioning and thanking for three weeks while you market the event. What if the partner says, “Sorry, can’t afford this” or “It’s not in the budget.” The right answer is, “We don’t have to decide right now. Let’s stay in touch.” Now, create another price point. We had a lot of success with a nice tech shirt that we sold for $20 to our members, which represented a $4 profit per shirt. We added logos to the back of it at $262 per logo, and this was easy for nine businesses to say yes to. This is something you can go back to all the partners who said “no” to $1500.
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A good pitch might be, “No advertising is permitted in Centennial Park, but there are thousands of runners there on any given day. Most of them are going to be running behind one of our teammates at some point. This is the only way to get your logo and message in front of these desirable customers.” At $250 or $300, it is hard to disagree with that argument. A word of caution, don’t overproduce your shirts and get stuck with extra inventory. It’s better to run a little short, and create a new run of shirts a year later. Any excess inventory represents a loss, so start with a print run of about 10% to 15% of your membership. Lastly, an important source of revenue to your club can be a voluntary contribution drive. Start the fundraising effort over a short period (20 days) once per year. Ideally begin the effort during the taper period leading up to a big marathon. Then continuing your fundraising efforts during the 10-days of euphoria after the race. Rationale, these races can cost $150 per entry and more. Your dues are only $30. People are happy to be listed in your annual report and on your website as patrons, angels, eagles or anything else idiosyncratic to your team or club. Our club used Crowdrise, which takes a fee for each donation, but the automated nature was well worth the return on investment. Thank each one of your donors on Facebook as the donations come in. Keep the drive top of mind on social media, but only for a finite period of time, and with a specific, achievable goal, that you can meet and exceed. Then, after the 20-day period, turn it off completely, and thank everybody. If you need help in learning how to sell, buy or borrow the book by Stephen Gitomer called The Little Red Book of Selling. ❏
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Recent News from RRCA National RRCA Launches Updated Kids Run the Nation Program Guide
! Encouraging the next generation of runners through community-based programming is the goal of our Kids Run the Nation Program, and we are happy to introduction of the newly updated Program Guide for Teachers, Coaches, and Program Leaders. The RRCA invites teachers, coaches, and program leaders to use the Program Guide in the classroom, as part of a before- or after-school program, or to develop gender-inclusive, community-based youth running clubs or programs. The curriculum is offered free of charge to clubs, schools, PTAs, before- and after-school programs, community centers, homeless shelters, and other organizations and facilities interested in starting a youth running program. Learn more at RRCA.org/our-programs-services/programs/kids-run-the-nation!
Health IQ Becomes Official Life insurance Partner of the Road Runners Club of America Research and data showing that health conscious people, including runners, have lower risk of mortality and deserve to save money on life insurance. The RRCA is pleased to announce our partnership with Health IQ, which offers special rate life insurance for runners. Health IQ has gathered research and data showing that health conscious people, including runners, have lower risk of mortality and deserve to save money on life insurance. Health IQ offers runners unique underwriting advantages including athlete-friendly measurements that help endurance athletes with slow resting heart rates. RRCA Members can qualify for special rates by verifying their running activity, runners club membership and taking a Health IQ quiz. “We are excited to partner with Health IQ to bring a great value-added product to our members, special rate life insurance,” explained Jean Knaack, RRCA executive director. “In support of the sport of running, Health IQ is also now a presenting sponsor for the RRCA Championship Event Series.” Avid runners and marathoners are unsung heroes who deserve to be celebrated! Health IQ has insured thousands of health-conscious people, including runners, with more than $4 billion in insurance coverage. About Health IQ: Health IQ believes the best way to improve the health of the world is to celebrate the health conscious through social and financial rewards. Learn more at: HealthIQ.com/life-insurance/rrca
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BID TO HOST AN RRCA CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT IN 2018 The RRCA Championship Event Series is one of the oldest traditions in road racing in the US, dating back to 1958 when the RRCA awarded its first championship designation. The 2017 RRCA Championship Event Series will conclude the year with over 220 races at the State, Regional and National level, attracting over 300,000 runners nationwide, making it the largest grassroots-organized, running event series in the U.S. The RRCA is accepting bids for the 2018 Regional and State Championship designations and the 2019 National Championship designation. The RRCA Championship designations are awarded at the State, Regional, and National level for the following events:
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1Mile 5K 10K 10 Mille Half Marathon (13.1 miles) Marathon (26.2 miles) Ultra (any distance over 26.2 miles) Cross Country (variable distance; only one event)
CHAMPIONSHIP BID SUBMISSION DEADLINES: • 2018 Regional Championship bid deadline: October 1 • 2018 State Championship bid deadline: November 1 • 2019 National Championship Bid Deadline: March 1 SPONSORSHIP SUPPORT: All RRCA Championship Events receive our popular champions’ medals sponsored by the RRCA; Gatorade Endurance sponsorship (some exclusions apply); race numbers sponsored by RRCA; and Championship Event promotion via RRCA calendar, social media, and more. INSTRUCTIONS FOR BIDDING: Find detailed sponsorship information and bidding instructions at:
22001188 RRRRC CA AN Naattiioonnaall C Chhaam mppiioonnsshhiipp EEvveennttss** M M 4 2 0 1 8 Maaarrrccchhh 4 4,,, 2 20 01 18 8 NAPA VALLEY MARATHON – NAPA, CA NapaValleyMarathon.org A A 8 2 0 1 8 Appprrriiilll 8 8,,, 2 20 01 18 8 CREDIT UNION CHERRY BLOSSOM 10 MILE – WASHINGTON, DC Cherryblossom.org A A 2 1 2 0 1 8 Appprrriiilll 2 21 1,,, 2 20 01 18 8 CHRISTIE CLINIC ILLINOIS HALF MARATHON – CHAMPAIGN, IL Illinoismarathon.com M M 7 2 0 1 8 Maaayyy 7 7,,, 2 20 01 18 8 ROCKET MILE – ROCKY MOUNT, NC Therocketmile.com A A 8 2 0 1 8 Auuuggguuusssttt 8 8,,, 2 20 01 18 8 WOODSTOCK 5K – ANNISTON, AL Woodstock5k.com A A 1 9 2 0 1 8 Auuuggguuusssttt 1 19 9,,, 2 20 01 18 8 ANCHORAGE RUNFEST 49K – ANCHORAGE, AK AnchorageRunfest.org SSSeeepppttteeem m 1 6 2 0 1 8 mbbbeeerrr 1 16 6,,, 2 20 01 18 8 TOUGHEST 10K KEMAH – KEMAH, TX Onetough10K.org *Check all websites for final race dates and prize money information.
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RRCA.org/our-programs-services/programs/ rrca-championship-series/
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2016 FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE RRCA Audited financial information as of December 31, 2016
YEAR 2014 2015 2016
ASSETS $2,457,082 $2,470,700 $2,525,190
LIABILITIES $1,069,092 $1,094,031 $1,114,425
NET WORTH $1,387,990 $1,376,669 $1,410,765*
YEAR 2014 2015 2016
REVENUE $2,975,988 $3,050,854 $3,214,726
EXPENSES $2,836,390 $3,033,270 $3,171,002
NET PROFIT $139,598 $17,585 $ 43,724
* $406,370 in net worth is restricted by a board designation, $47,002 is temporarily restricted for program use in future years, and $10,000 is permanently restricted.
RRCA FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES REPORT INCOME Insurance Program Income Membership Income Coaching Program Income Sponsorship and Convention Contributions & Other Income Investment Income TOTAL INCOME
2015 ACTUAL $1,669,862 $615,645 $417,688 $57,308 $275,5339 $14,818 $2,975,988
2016 ACTUAL $1,737,267 $611,160 $469,624 $91,779 $231,271 $73,625 $3,214,726
2017 BUDGET $1,830,433 $609,000 $487,880 $110,250 $164,500 $20,000 $3,222,063
EXPENSES – PROGRAMS Championships & State Programs Coaching Certification Program General RRCA Programs* Kids Run the Nation RunPro - Roads Scholar Program Insurance and Music License Services SUBTOTAL
$194,258 $365,588 $226,295 $75,085 $153,002 $1,767,481 $2,781,709
$137,399 $380,564 $262,506 $100,032 $80,178 $1,893,714 $2,854,393
$193,500 $372,707 $231,400 $118,700 $105,500 $1,883,980 $2,905,787
$137,496 $41,896 $72,169 $251,560 $3,033,270 $17,585
$174,713 $47,750 $94,146 $316,609 $3,171,002 $43,724
$165,000 $45,000 $95,000 $305,000 $3,210,787 $11,276
EXPENSES - ADMINISTRATIVE * National Office Management Board Services Fundraising SUBTOTAL TOTAL EXPENSES Net Profit/(Loss)
*Functional expenses - The cost of providing various program and supporting services have been summarized on a functional basis in the statement of functional expenses on the RRCA’s Audited Financial Statements. Accordingly, certain costs have been allocated among the programs and supporting services benefited.
A copy of the RRCA’s audited financial statements and IRS-990 tax return can be found online at www.RRCA.org/about/governance/ 10 • RRCA Annual Report
ClubRunning Magazine Transitions to Digital Only Content In 1960, the RRCA launched its first membership magazine, FootNotes. In 2009, we re-launched the membership publication under its new name of ClubRunning and successfully mailed several years of great content in the magazine. As the world of publishing continues to evolve, we are proud to share the digital evolution of ClubRunning with the running community. Every other month, the RRCA will email ClubRunning to our household list of members. The email will link to original feature articles, community spotlights, RunPro spotlights, and more on RRCA.org. Our feature articles can also be read through the iNews app (search ClubRunning) or by clicking on the iNews icons in the email. Club and event spotlights and press releases can be sent to clubrunning@rrca.org We know our readers love great running content, but everyone hates to have a flash screen pop-up an advertisement the minute you click over to read an article. That's so annoying! When you click to read one of our ClubRunning articles, we promise no pop-up ads, no flashy GIF ads, and no sneaky re-direct links to unrelated content. There may be a few links for races or clubs referenced in an article, because we want to promote our members. You may see one or two sponsor ads in our emails and mid-article, but that's it. We want your reading experience on RRCA to be enjoyable! Event directors interested in advertising in the email or in featured articles can learn more at: RRCA.org/newsarticles/advertise-with-us.
Host an RRCA Coaching Certification Course The demand to host the RRCA Coaching Certification Course continues to be strong. The RRCA works with official representatives from member running clubs, events, shoe stores, and corporate clients to host the Coaching Certification Level I Courses. Our goal is to host courses bi-monthly throughout the U.S. All courses are financially self-supporting, and the RRCA handles all registration aspects including refunds for attendee cancellations. The RRCA uses the registration fees to cover all course expenses, including instructor fees, instructor travel expenses, course materials, testing, and more. We also provide a participant stipend, paid to the host organization, to assist with food and beverage costs. Each course host will receive one complementary entry for their course to use at their discretion. The RRCA has a waiting list procedure for soldout courses to ensure full-participation at each course. In order to host the RRCA Course, the organizing individual must be able to secure adequate classroom space to comfortably seat 35 people for two full days on an agreed upon date. The room must also have working power outlets, adequate heating or A/C, accessible restrooms, and space for food service. Suggested locations include: YMCAs, community centers, libraries, universities, and schools. Hotels should be used as a last resort, because they tend to be very expensive and exceed the operating budget. Learn more and apply today at: RRCA.org/our-programs-services/programs/coaching-program/hosting ! !
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RRCA Welcomes ElliptiGO as an Official Sponsor We are pleased to welcome ElliptiGO as an official sponsor. Current, former, and injured runners are using ElliptiGO elliptical bikes to experience the joy of running, including RRCA Hall of Fame Members Meb Keflezighi, Mary Decker Slaney, and Jacqueline Hansen. Athletes of all ages and abilities are using elliptical cycling to stay healthy, avoid and recover from injuries, and improve endurance. Several hundred professional athletes, including many RRCA Roads Scholar recipients, and nearly 200 universities and high schools are now using ElliptiGO-integrated training programs. Elliptical cycling combines the best of running, cycling and the elliptical trainer to give runners a fun and effective way to exercise outdoors. Because it is a low-impact exercise, elliptical cycling builds cardiovascular fitness, while being easy on the joints, which makes it great for everyone – young or old, health conscious to elite. Elliptical cycling is a great way to revolutionize your fitness. Riding an ElliptiGO bike constantly works your core in ways a stationary machine can’t. The patented elliptical motion and narrower stance of ElliptiGO bikes reduces stress on the feet, ankles and knees, while also more closely resembling the traditional and running motion. A study at the University of California – San Diego Exercise and Physical Activity Resource Center (EPARC) found ElliptiGO bikes elicited a similar HR and metabolic response, making it easy to translate running workouts using just time and intensity. A study from Ohio University found elliptical bikes to be the first form of cross-training capable of maintaining and improving running-specific fitness on its own. ElliptiGO will also be the presenting sponsor of the RRCA’s National Running Awards program. In 1971, the RRCA developed the National Running Awards to acknowledge the service and dedication of outstanding individuals and organizations that support the running community. The outstanding contributors to our sport are recognized at the RRCA National Running Awards Ceremony, which will be held in conjunction with the RRCA’s 60th Anniversary Convention, where ElliptiGO will host several demo sessions for attendees. “ElliptiGO is incredibly excited about our new partnership with RRCA. We believe that together, we can make a powerful impact on runners of all abilities by enabling them to train smarter, with less injuries, and thereby extending their ‘running lives,’” said Bryce Whiting, Chief Enthusiast at ElliptiGO. “Finally runners have a crosstraining option that they can believe in and actually enjoy doing.” ABOUT ELLIPTIGO: Since creating the world’s first elliptical bicycle in 2006, ElliptiGO’s mission has been to deliver a fun, comfortable and effective workout experience that inspires people, improves their lives and revolutionizes their fitness. By combining the best of running, cycling and the elliptical trainer, ElliptiGO bikes provide a strong cardiovascular workout that eliminates impact on joints and allows people to get out of the gym and enjoy the outdoors. Elliptical cycling is an effective way to build fitness without aggravating injuries. www.elliptigo.com
AND THE WINNERS ARE….. Nominate) deserving) individuals,) running) clubs,) or) events) today&to&be&selected&for&an&RRCA&Na3onal&Running!Award! Presented(by(Ellip/GO.! RRCA.org/our"programs"services/programs/! Na#onal"running"awards! !Inside
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UNCOVER MEB’S SECRET
TRAINING WEAPON
Meb Keflezighi (2004 Olympic Silver Medalist, 2009 NYC Marathon Champion, 2014 Boston Marathon Champion)
In addition to Meb, hundreds of professional athletes, including many RRCA Roads Scholar recipients, and nearly 200 universities and high schools are using ElliptiGO-integrated training programs. Curious to see how you can stay healthy, avoid and recover from injuries, and boost endurance? Visit elliptigo.com to learn more or sign up for a free test ride.
ELLIPTIGO.COM |
Registration
Promotion
RaceDay
Fundraising
Club Management
Built By !
Register Today! RRCA Convention registration is only $390 and includes all education seminars, attendee goodie bag, event jacket, and ALL networking events.
RRCA.org/convention/registration-information
Run the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run or 5K Run-Walk!
Special registration add-on opportunities include the ability to sign up for the RRCA Coaching Level I Certification Cohort or the Coaching Level II In-Person Session for qualifying coaches.
The first 300 attendees to register for the 60th RRCA National Convention before February 28, 2018 will receive (1) guaranteed entry into our partner race, the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run and 5k Run-Walk taking place on Sunday, April 8, 2018.
Host Hotel
This popular race operates on an annual lottery entry, so this is a great opportunity to run this marquee race.
DoubleTree by Hilton - Crystal City
Indicate your choice of event distance at the time of your Convention registration. Race registration instructions, along with the special registration code, will be emailed to all registered attendees around November 15, 2017.
300 Army Navy Drive Arlington, Virginia 22202-2891 Enjoy stunning US Capitol views from the newly renovated DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel - Crystal City. With modern furnishings and upgraded WiFi in all of the guest rooms and suites, you are sure to enjoy your stay. Located in the vibrant Crystal City neighborhood in Arlington, VA, the hotel provides easy access to restaurants, shops, the Metro, Reagan National Airport, and Washington, DC. The hotel offers complementary shuttles to and from Reagan National Airport. Room rate: $169/night Book online: www.rrca.org/convention/hotel ! !
Both events start and finish on the Washington Monument grounds. The Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run will host the Friday night function to ensure all attendees can experience the race expo, pick-up their packets, and enjoy visiting the National Building Museum.
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S NOTE Dear RRCA Members, As RRCA President Mitch Garner noted on page 2, we are excited to launch our celebration of 60 Years of Running the Nation. We hope you follow us on social media and via email to learn more about the long history of the RRCA and our impact on the sport of running over the years. One of the many long-standing traditions at the RRCA is supporting emerging elite athletes, from our first recipient of financial support going to RRCA founding member Ted Corbitt in 1962, to our recent RunPro Camp attendees. On July 21-22, 2017, thirteen recent college graduates came together to learn from leaders in the sport about opportunities for running professionally; the importance of working with an agent; understanding anti-doping compliance and drug testing; and much more. Our hope is to help young distance athletes understand the importance of taking a long-term view of the sport and understand their opportunities now and into the future. We look forward to tracking their progress in the years to come along with their fellow RunPro Camp alums. As we look to the fall racing season, we want to remind members working with post-collegiate athletes to share information about our Roads Scholar program: RRCA.org/our-programs-services/programs/roadsscholars Sincerely,
Jean Knaack
Read past issues of Inside Track at RRCA.org/publications/inside-track/
Shop the New RRCA Performance Wear Store Sponsored by Atayne
! We are excited to announce we have a new RRCA Wear design and store developed in partnership with Atayne. ! ! Atayne is proud to be a Certified B Corporation, a rigorous 3rd party certification awarded only to companies that meet the highest standards of environmental and social responsibility. In 2013, 2014, and 2015 they were recognized as one of the "Best for the World" businesses by scoring in the top 10% of all B Corps for overall positive impact. Atayne can help your club by creating eyecatching designs for your club wear.!
http://rrca.atayne.com !
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Important Reminders about RRCA Membership Compliance for IRS Nonprofit Group Members If your organization receives its 501(c)3 nonprofit status through the RRCA's group exemption with the IRS, there are certain RRCA membership compliance requirements your organization must follow. Unfortunately, we have been dealing with too many members that are abusing their nonprofit designation through the RRCA's group exemption. As a result, we are reminding members about your duty to ensure your organization is meeting our membership requirements, especially if your organization receives its nonprofit status through the RRCA. • Your organization MUST have no less than 3 unrelated board members, elected no less than bi-
annually, to serve on your board of directors. While three is the minimum requirement, we recommend having 5 or more to ensure you can always have at least three voting members present at a meeting. If your organization if found to not have three properly-elected board members, the RRCA may, at its discretion, revoke your organizations nonprofit status if the problem is not addressed within a reasonable period of time.
• Your organization MUST have a current board-approved conflict of interest policy on file with the
RRCA. If you have not provided your conflict of interest policy, please email a PDF copy to membership@rrca.org, ASAP. Members who do not comply with this requirement within a 90-day time period may be placed under the Member Accountability Process. Members should make all reasonable efforts to ensure board members are not profiting from their service or engaging in self-dealing as a board member to your organization. Event members and clubs with paid race directors need to take special care in addressing and managing conflicts of interest. The RRCA strongly discourages board members from being paid by their organization for services rendered. Your organization's bylaws must clearly outline if and how a board member can be paid by the organization. The RRCA bylaws clearly outline no board member can be paid or hired to provide services to the organization.
• You must provide the RRCA with a roster that includes the contact information for your board
members. This enables the RRCA to help educate everyone on your board about their duty to the organization they have been elected to serve. If you have not already provided your roster of board contacts, please do so ASAP. We are in the process of auditing our roster submissions and will be in contact with members that do not comply within the next 30-days.
• If you have updated your organization’s bylaws in the last few years, you MUST provide the RRCA
with the most current copy of your organization's bylaws. Email membership@rrca.org to determine if the RRCA has the most current bylaws on file for your organization. If your bylaws have not been updated in over a decade, now would be a good time to review them and determine if updates should be made.
• Review the information about being a member in good standing with the RRCA's group exemption with
the IRS. Be sure to file your charitable registration forms with your state. Be sure to file your tax returns with the IRS annually. If you need an updated IRS letter from the RRCA, contact membership@rrca.org. Do not go directly to the IRS for a nonprofit verification letter if your organization is part of the RRCA's group exemption.
If you believe your organization is not in compliance with RRCA membership requirements and need further guidance, please contact either Mike Webb at membership@rrca.org or Jean Knaack at execdir@rrca.org. If your organization is not functioning as a legitimate nonprofit organization, the RRCA can work with you to change your membership status to a for-profit event or training program.
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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! SUPPORT THE RRCA Financial contributions to the RRCA 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 knowing that your donation will be used effectively. GIVE TODAY! Mail contributions to: RRCA 1501 Lee Hwy, Ste 140, Arlington, VA 22209 Give online at: RRCA.org/about/support/ RoadRunnersClubofAamerica !!!
PAY FOR THE MUSIC YOU PLAY! Similarly structured to the RRCA’s group liability insurance program for clubs and events, the RRCA/BMI group music license service has a clearly outlined license schedule, and the fees assessed are based participation numbers for any/all events(s) that RRCA member owns and will promote during twelve (12) month period of the calendar year (Jan Dec 31) where music will be played.
fee on an the 1–
When an event organizer plays music or someone performs music at an event, it is considered a public performance and event organizers must obtain a music license for the performing rights from a performing rights organization such as BMI.Learn more: RRCA.org/our-programs-services/services/ group-music-license-service @RRCAnational!
@RRCAnational!