Rule #1 of Race Directing

I co-direct a wonderful race in our community, and during the last few weeks I’ve been surgically attached to my legal pad and file folders full of planning materials.  More than the details of the race, I’ve come to appreciate the saints who volunteer to help in races and who execute race-day activities.  From my work with them, I’ve established one rule:

Rule #1 of Race Directing: Never ever get in the way of volunteers doing their jobs.

Examples of our tireless team of volunteers include:

• A moving van lines company owner who donates his truck and driving time to deliver tables, water, cups, and waste containers before the race and retrieve them after.

• A single mother far busier than many of us who coordinates all the details of packet pick up, which also includes 11th-hour registrations.  If you know packet pick-up hoopla, then you can appreciate the hassles of confirming information, remaining polite and flexible with runners who change their minds about shirt size, collecting higher-fee registration payments, and answering the same questions to new and nervous runners, plus from those veterans who know better than to ask.

• The retired CEO of our community’s biggest employer, a multi-millionaire who rolls up his sleeves to coordinate the behind-the-scenes warehouse work riding the truck and grunting with the rest of us unloading and loading the equipment.

• The queen of organization who coordinates the donations and delivery of food and refreshments for the runners.  The only thing that exceeds her brilliance and meticulous notes is her ability to manage the relationships with those donors to keep giving generously year after year.  Today’s leaders, Wall Street deal makers, and politicians could lessons from her.  Her full time job—wouldn’t you know it—a kindergarten teacher!

• Two men, buddies and next-door neighbors, who in the quiet of the night, spray-paint the mile markers and directional arrows on the street along the course.  Sure they love graffiti, but they’re not even runners.

• The husband of my co-director who does all the computer, data base, and  logo graphics work for the brochure and shirts and signage.

• A grade-school principal, who's known for greeting his students every morning outside of school and saying good bye to them in the pick-up line every day.   He can set up the finish line scaffold, PA system, banners, finish chutes, and sectioned-off runner finish area faster and tear it all down, accomplishing more  than most people can do in a weekend.

One detail all these volunteers have in common is runners won’t even see them on race day.  Their work is done out of site, quietly, and with minimal to no exposure to the runners themselves.  We also have legions of other volunteers who hand out water, direct the runners, take finish tags, and hand out medals.  But our invisible guardian angels give race volunteering a whole new meaning.

If heaven holds a place for runners, then I predict the race volunteers have a loftier, special section just for them.  Imagine all the brightly-colored race volunteer t-shirts they’ll be wearing.

Race registration on Flickr by Analog Chainsaw

Comments

[The Laminator]

Such an amazing race with such amazing people helping to put it together. I'm jealous. I wish I could come, run your race, and then take a tour to meet all the cool people that helped organize it...sort of like going backstage in a chocolate factory to see the manufacturing process. Thanks for remembering the little people. Great post.

[Kent]

That is the amazing piece of running a race -- all these people volunteering to help often some charity put on the event. I try to thank everyone I can as I grab water or have my timing chip removed, and conversely volunteer whenever possible to return the favor to other athletes. I have to imagine sometimes it seems like a smooth oiled machine and other times closer to an activity like herding cats. Much appreciation for your and others work on the Capital Pursuit race -- if only it wasn't on the week on the final 20 mile training run.

[Amy]

And thanks to the race directors too!

[Doug]

My dad co-directs a 5k and it really is great seeing everything fall into place on race day.

I wrote a program to run on a laptop, and use it to time and compile all the overall/age group results. Granted I do not have one of the thankless jobs, since everybody sees me right at the finish line!

By the way, Tom, if you had a use for this I would gladly send it your way. This is my way of saying 'I would volunteer' if I was nearby!

[bill carter]

Good one Tom. I always try and thank race volunteers who are out there supporting runners. In Erie, they were out in pouring rain handing out drinks and working the logistics of a 26 mile course out of the kindness of their hearts. The people behind the scenes deserve just as much consideration and thanks from us runners. We truly couldn't do it without them.
Bill

[Danielle in Iowa]

Capital Pursuit is my favorite race of the year I think, in part because it is so well run! I am sad that injury will keep me out of it this year! (plus you guys always have the best shirts!)

[Nancy]

Whaddya think, Tom? Should I do it? I will definitely finish in last place, but I can prepare myself for that. I don't need to do 20 that day now. Amy, are you doing it???

[Amy]

Oh Nancy - I would love to, but am attending a family celebration a few hours away that whole weekend. There would be nothing more fun than to cross the line dead last with you. (And I am being serious.) You could show the runners how to do it in style!

[Andria]

The volunteers of the race really are soooooooo important. I've only done one race, but it was really well organized and an amazing experience. When I crossed the finish line I was trying hard to concentrate on not puking (and praying to God to help me make it to the bushes if I was going to). The people at the end were so nice to me. I had no idea I had to let them rip off a tag and take some info. My first race, but they didn't seem to mind I was clueless. Peak's Island 5 miler in Maine rocks!

[david]

After watching me race numerous times, my nonrunning wife finally volunteered earlier this summer. She had a blast and admitted that it gave her a better appreciation for everyone who gets out there and do what they do. That all being said, THANK YOU, to all the volunteers at every race. I know it can't be done without them!

[pat monahan]

You haven't finished a race until you've thanked numerous volunteers. Thanks to all the volunteers.