Search

The article offers information on the sixth biannual Race Director Compensation Study related to professional race directors and mentions topics including the increasing professionalism of the occupation, duties and responsibilities of directors, and compensation.

The article discusses the results of Road Race Management's Fifth Biannual Race Director Compensation Study. It states that while the industry is growing and becoming more professional, nobody is becoming rich at an instant. Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) executive director Jean Knaack explains that people doing good in the business are those with a solid business plan and commendable work ethic.

The article presents a comparison of the results of the fourth biannual Race Director Compensation Survey in 2009 and 2011 in the U.S. The 2011 survey showed that more road race directors are working full-time in the field and an increasing percentage are employed by for-profit organizations. Further, it revealed about 31% of the respondents indicated that they receive no compensation or expensive reimbursement for their role as a race director, a decrease from 38.8% in the 2009 survey.

The article discusses the reasons behind race cancellations and offers the best practices for race directors to prepare for and deal with them. It points out that some veteran race directors have suggested increased race cancellations. Some causes of cancellation are extreme weather, natural disaster and financial problems. Race directors can prepare for cancellation by discussing the maximum allowable start time delay with public safety officials, acknowledging the possibility of cancellation and discussing refund policies with the owners in advance.

The article discusses the issue of allowing registration transfers from athlete to athlete on road races. In a survey that was conducted by the journal with 200 race directors as respondents, those not in favor of registration transfers mention administrative hassle to the race organizers and registration's principle of not being transferable for the longest time as reasons. For those in favor, customer satisfaction and keeping race participation up are some of the reasons for allowing such transfers.

The article focuses on a survey conducted by Road Race Management, which demonstrated the impact of the recession on race director compensation. Results showed that only almost a third of race directors experienced an increase in income over the past two years, compared with 56% in 2007. The survey also indicated an increase from 28.5% in 2007 to 30% in 2009 in the number of respondents having race direction as their only job.

The article reports on the growing popularity of the Hood to Coast Relay (HTC) since its inception by Bob Foote in 1982. Reportedly, HTC started with 80 runners at the top of Mount Hood. In 1999, 1,000 12-person participants ran the 195 miles from Mount Hood to Seaside on the coast of Oregon. In 2007, approximately 50,000 persons participated in the ultra-distance relay event. Factors contributory to its growth and perceptions on the effect to the preferences of running consumers are also discussed as well as the effect of Internet revolution.

The article discusses the results of the 2007 Road Race Management compensation study. According to a survey of about 250 respondents, forty percent of them do not receive monetary compensation for their job as a race director. Seventy-one of the respondents stated that their only job is being a race director. The study also found that a race director is more likely to get compensated if the event is big.

The article offers information on the Quick Response (QR) code, the innovative technology developed in Japan over a decade ago which has found its way into road racing application in the U.S. It notes that the small digitized square barcode initially used to track auto parts and which is increasingly being used for various applications in many industries, can now be seen on runners' bibs. Described is how the QR code provides quick post race results and other benefits.

The article reports on the results of a survey by "Road Race Management" magazine on race experiences with merchandising. More than half of the races that offer merchandise have a Licensed Merchandise Partner (LMP) and the respondents also indicated that the LMP carries the inventory risks. Majority of the races handle merchandise selection and design. Over half of the respondents are selling merchandise online.

The article argues on avoiding overreaction during a road race crisis. It highlights scenarios that happened during the Boston Marathon bombings in April 2013 such as media pressure and scrutiny. It also suggests that race directors should consider every suggestion from authorities and do not publicized precautionary measures to make the public safe.

The article discusses the confusion during the May 15, 2011 Cellcom Green Bay Marathon due to errors in markings of the turns on 13th street in the course map. It focuses on the corrective actions of race director, Sean Ryan, including verification with the certified course map and adjusting the 0.15 miles discrepancy in its database and press release announcement of the error with the adjustments on the race results. Lessons learned from the incident are also presented.

The article discusses how road races are dealing with unprecedented demand for participation. It states that the BAA Boston Marathon sold out more than five months before the event and Dave McGillivray's TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10 kilometer (K) race sold to more than 6,000 participants in less than 30 minutes in 2009. A study reveals some information on how directors of sellout races are dealing with this demand. Problems posed by a rapid sellout are discussed.

The article reports on the increase in the relay events in marathon, half marathon or stand-alone events as of February 2009. A survey participated by race directors was conducted and results show that relay events have an above average growth having a faster growth rate than the overall event itself. Also presented are the number of relay participants, transportation to exchange points, registration fees and finisher's medal, among others.

The article focuses on the heightened state of alert experienced by event organizers and public safety departments after the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. It details the experiences of the organizers of the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon after the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) elevated the terrorist threat level for the marathon. It looks at the efforts of the organizers to prevent panic during the investigation. The shift in perception of marathons following the bombing is also noted.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article about EventHub in the July 2011 issue.

The article examines the steps involved in passing an entry from a transferor to a transferee in race events. According to the author, the first step in the process is for buyers and sellers of registrations to find one another. This can be done through an online bulletin board where buyers and sellers can interact. The author says that in most cases, the event is not involved in the financial arrangement between the transferor and the transferee.