Race Directors

You?ve been part of the running scene for a number of years and have decided to host one of your own. Being a race director is not as easy as designing a race application and hoping people will come. To give you his point of view is an excerpt from one of the most famous race directors, Boston Marathon RD Dave McGillivary.
?I often ask an audience the day before a race how many are running in the race? Hundreds of the folks in the room raise their hand. Then I ask how many in the room are directing the race? No hands go up?except mine. I?m immediately reminded how the odds are truly stacked against the race director and his/her team.
So, how, or better yet, why, do most race directors become race directors? For most, like me, it just happens by default?right place, right time?or could it be wrong place, wrong time.
Most race directors do this on a volunteer basis and to help a specific cause near and dear to them. Others have chosen this as a career path and end up producing multiple events a year with the hope that when it is all said and done they can earn more than ten cents an hour.
Without race directors, there are no races. And, without runners, there are no races either. So, it sort of makes sense for all of us to work together and to support each other. Most race directors are or have been runners. However, most runners probably have never directed a race.
The part I dread the most about being a race director is the few days following a race?and I mean every race. You know going into a race that you just cannot and will not please all the people all the time. No matter how well you think your event went, there will always be a few who simply just didn?t have a good experience. Given today?s easy and instantaneous way to communicate, the comments inevitably pour in. If you don?t have thick skin, you don?t belong in this business.
Constructive criticism is always welcome. It?s even better when it comes with recommended and reasonable solutions to the stated problems. Are race directors sometimes guilty as charged?of course. However, many times the complaints center on areas the race director either had no control over or on an unexpected occurrence. Two of the biggest complaints I received about the 2005 Boston Marathon is that it was too hot and please get rid of the hills. Sure. On the outside looking in, things seem to look a lot easier than they are, especially in this business.?
The next time you attend a race take a moment to reflect on the time and effort that went into providing a positive race experience for you.

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At this year?s Boston Marathon Boyd Kalnay ran 3:03:13 and was followed to the finish line by Mike Kelly (3:46:48), Eric Lindenberg (3:51:59), Lou Scanlon (3:28:33) and Kim Walsh (3:46:50).