RRM Now Accepting Nominations for Race Director of the Year

[rt-pam]

If you want to nominate someone (including yourself!) for the 2007 Road Race Management/Marathon Foto Race Director of the Year Award (presented by Running Network) you can now download a nomination form on the RRM website. All the rules and the nomination forms are available at http://www.rrm.com/rdm/rdy.htm. You can also see who the past winners have been. The 2007 Award will be presented at this year's RRM Race Directors' Meeting in Ft. Lauderdale, FL on Nov. 8, 2007.

[warmsnow]

How about a race director of a small race, in a small town, who does a fantastic job of organizing and most importantly gives back to the community and charity.

How about not nominating or awarding any such award to a race director who manages a for profit race.

[Trailrunnerdude]

I don't think anyone is opposed to nominating such a race director, but if someone does a good job of directing a local race that doesn't have national, or at least regional visibility, it's hard to compare that director to those who manage well known races. BTW, races don't have to be small to be not-for profit (Army 10 and Marine Corps Marathon are a couple). Also, more and more races are moving to a collegial system in which there are several co-directors, which makes it hard to nominate one and not nominate the others.

[jeff darman]

The committee is a varied one and it is happy to assess and review all submissions. While many are from nationally known races, we also get several from more prominent local or regional evernts as the abilities of the director is the bottom line.Just to be nominated is an honor.

[JamesM]

I think it would be quite possible to have more than one award.

A) One for the big races. (Professional / elite division, remuneration allowed)

B) One for a single mid sized race, ( Amateur, no remuneration allowed).

C) One for the Amateur club organizers. (Amateur, no remuneration, and all the races organized throughout the year count. Award could be awarded to one director or to the club board.

We score runners in two divisions, based on pro or Amateur status, so should race directors be judged.

Also, as an organization who’s charter says we are out to promote running, we should recognized the local club organizers who do so much or the grass roots organizing.

Some of whom manage to pull of a good sized race every month, with nothing but repeat volunteer help. I think it may be harder to repeatedly pull off a 400 to 600 person race every month or so, than an annual bash. It shows they have a formula for keeping the runners and volunteers interested and returning.

If you have an active local club, and you total up all the runners and volunteers that come to each race, over the year you have some sizable numbers.

It's also more difficult to repeatedly run smaller races because you just don't have the economics of scale, and you are repeatedly calling on the same volunteers every month. Keeping it all in hand, and all on schedule, and yet keeping it fun for all involved is a true art.

When I see a club of around 400 people, fielding up to 100 volunteers, multiple times a year, not only for their own club events but to help out other events, then some one is doing something magical.