a nicer group of people. It doesn’t matter if you’ve
done 50 of these events or it is your first, they always
racers that are pushing as hard as they can.
We grew up playing competitive sports; both
have open arms and a space under their tent for you.
competed in collegiate Cross Country, and continue
So how do you merge the two worlds of being a
to compete on the roads and courses year after year.
race director and elite competitor, very carefully.
Again, just like many of you, our job can get in our
See, some of you might think it makes it easier for
way of competing. One of the toughest things that
us but that is not always the case. We walk around
we have to do is race direct our own events. Why?
events analyzing every little aspect to see what other
Because we want to be out there competing as well.
race directors are doing. For good or worse it’s just
Everyone who has “toed a line” knows that rush of
something that goes through your brain when you
energy and excitement. The MC amping you up,
also put on a similar event. It’s hard to just sit back
music pumping then BAMM (the gun goes off). As
and simply enjoy the race as just a fun day in the
you all go out to tackle the course, we watch, wait,
sun. Don’t get me wrong, there is no other place
and listen to how each wave unfolds.
I would rather be on the weekend besides a race.
Another aspect that makes it tough of knowing
the ins and outs of an event is experiencing delays
or under-marked courses. We know the cost
of putting on such amazing events and for how
inexpensive it is to ribbon off corners
or use arrows and flags it makes it
super frustrating during a race.
35
It may not seem too crazy to
many of the runners but it is
very important to the top 10
At many of the events we actually do race we do
not get to stay ?B??r?WB2?V6?2vRv?V?@???R??W"&6RF?&V7F??rGWF?W2&R6???rW2&6?F??&V?G?F?6??F??VR'V??F??r?'7F6?W2f?"?W"6?W'6P??B&W&??rf?"?W"?W?BWfV?B?v?F????6???V6?F??Rf??&?R??F?RvVV?V?G2vR?fRF?G'???B?Vvv?R?W"6?6??F??Rv?F?6?W'6R'V??G2??vRG'?F?vWBF?2????bF?R??6?WfV?G20?vR6??d??$?2WfV?WBF?vWF?W"6???&6P?FV???#"?vR6??WFVBB???7FW"6???V?vW0??