Registration to start to finish

I am always tweaking our events. I try to work with local police officers to make sure we do not create any problems with our routes. One thing I always try and do is to keep the starting line close to registration. Second thing is to try and keep the finish line close to the starting line. But this is not always the case. Look at the 5k's we stage at the Central Y. The start line is a couple hundred yards from the registration area. Which is ok with me......but the finish line is at the bottom of the hill under the Washington Street Bridge. A bit far from the start but heck....do you want to finish the 5k up Adams Street hill? I doubt it. I am working with the folks at Child Inc. on this years Race Against Family Violence 5k held Mother's Day weekend. We stage this 5k at the Iron HIll Brewery on Main Street in Newark. The IHB is a fabulous host. Only problem is for us to start and finish at their restaurant the police fees are .....lets say not feasible. We register at the restaurant and walk or drive to the Christiana Towers for the start. This is about a half mile. Good warm up for those who run but not so good for those who walk. Another problem is the finish line is on Creek Road. And another half mile back to the IHB. We decided that we would try and work with the U of DE to secure the Commons at the Christiana Towers for registration this year. Plenty of parking available. The post race party and awards would be back at the Iron Hill Brewery. A bit inconvenient but sometimes you just got to do what you got to do. Promise....the folks at the IHB will make it worth your while.

my work space

I am one of the lucky ones who work out of the home. I took our 3rd bedroom and made it into my office. I am very productive working at home. No one to bother me and i can come and go as I please. My desk is pretty neat except on days when i have to data enter names into my software to score road races. I use a pc for that and also for my quickbooks. Also on my desk is my laptop. I use the lap top for all other work related issues. My files are just a draw away both personal and business. While on vacation I have been watching CNN way too much. (Hey....it was 32 degrees here yesterday). Kind of got caught up in the Obama thing. I now know why Mr. President has so many meetings and briefings from the folks who surround him. He has nothing to do in his office but make phone calls. They showed him sitting at his desk. I just loved his desk. NO computers, no pencil holders, no files, nothing but a phone. Think he gets bored? I mean you can't call world leaders just to say, "Hi, President Obama here......I have nothing to do here at my desk so I thought I'd give you a call." From what I have been reading, Mr. President no longer carries his blackberry....or is that just a rumor? While we google world events to find out more info Mr. President meets with Cabinet members to discuss world and local issues. So you see.....Mr. President really does not need a computer while in office. He is World News......I bet he really misses the Weather Channel.

what i do on vacation

Yep....on vacation here in sunny frigid SW Florida. 40 degrees here today. I know.....it is a balmy 18 at home. Yesterday I watched VP Joe Biden and President Obama get sworn in and then i listened to the Presidents Inaugural Address. Then went to a lunch meeting with Mark and Linda Toretsky (Lin Mark Computer Sports) who are staying in Cape Coral. I use this group to time our Delaware Marathon and our Caesar Rodney Half. We went to a nice restaurant on the water but sat inside due to the cold temps outside. Mark and Linda stay in Florida for the months of Dec through March with Mark heading north to time our CR half. Lucky them. We had a nice lunch which was really a nice lunch when Mark picked up the check. They do a great job which allows me more time to manage the event to make sure all goes smoothly. At a table next to us was a 3 some. Two guys and a girl. All in early 30's. I could not help but notice how much one guy looked like Peyton Manning, QB for the Indianapolis Colts. I got up to go to the bathroom. On my way i stopped at their table and asked the guy, "anyone ever ask you for an autograph?" He looked at me and said, "why would anyone want my autograph." "Cause you look exactly like Peyton Manning." "Who is that?" was his answer. I said "never mind" and continued to the bathroom. He does not know who Peyton Manning is? I guess he must have been a soccer player.

New race series

Race series events are pretty cool. Our Seven Sisters Two Brothers series in Dewey Beach has been a huge hit with the runners and walkers. Many who join us come from all over the US. We are fortunate to have the cooperation of the Town of Dewey Beach and the local residents who allow us to run through their neighborhoods. Fast flat routes, great tee shirts, and a post race party on the decks of local restaurants owned by sponsor Highway One Group. Beer is provided for those over 21 thanks to sponsor Michelob Ultra. You just have to complete ALL 9 events to win awards. Another series lined up for 2009 is the Michelob Ultra Race to the Finish Line Restaurant Series. We have 15 restaurants who we work with to raise funds for charities. You only have to run in 6 of these races (the six pack) but the more you run the better chance of winning prizes. We will score your top 6 times and use place finish in age groups to score points. JR Ward will handle this for us. The overall male and female will win mountain bikes courtesy of Michelob Ultra. Age group winners win a tailgate beach pack. Details posted on races2run. And yes.....beer at all these 5k events......thirsty yet?

How do you do it?

My largest event is the annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer run walk held in October. This event started out as a womens only 5k run walk at Rockford Park. We moved this event to the Wilmington Riverfront a few years back. The event went from the Women's only 5k to the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk and Womens only run. Last year we had over 5,000 folks walk and run to "Fight Breast Cancer." Problem was we could not get folks in and out of the Riverfront.....just way too much traffic. So.....another move in 2009. This time to Rodney Square in downtown Wilmington. Our first meeting was last Thursday. We talked about venues for this event and we all agreed that Rodney Square works best. The folks at the American Cancer Society wanted to move back a week to Sunday, Oct. 18th. Plus it was up to me to map out a new route. I stepped out of the meeting ....made one phone call to my connection in the City of Wilmington and got a verbal ok for proposed route that i came up with. Next step was to secure date with Special Events in the Mayors Office. One phone call and done. Next I needed to fill out permit (24 pages) and drop off at Cultural Affairs Office. I then sent one email to my contact for the Buddy Walk run. They were able to move back a week to the 24th. Strides was now set for the 18th and with the 11th now open the Delaware Distance Classic 15k decided they too wanted to move back a week to get off of Bike to the Bay weekend. This is what i do.....a phone call here....an email there and you have 3 different organizations working together to make thing work. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh....life is good. Just had to juggle some things around.

I Won!

I don't know about you but i never seem to win much. Only won my age group once in my life and that was due to the fact i was the only person in my age group. But a win is a win. In an earlier blog i wrote about all the FREE stuff sent to me to give away at my events. The latest was the Power Bar Gel Blasts. The deal is i get Runners World race numbers for 3 events. Race Against Time, Road to Super Bowl and PSCI icicle run. I give all participants a sample bag of the gel blast and take a few photos of folks holding the product. Seems easy enough. The folks at Rodale Press who were in charge of this sampling e mailed me to make sure i send photos of my events to them for promotional use. Ok...simple enough. I sent them a handful of photos and received an email back that my name would go into a pot with all other race directors who sent in photos for a grand prize. One lucky person from this group would win a $100 gift card from American Express. Guess what? I WON! What a surprise to open a letter from Rodale telling me i was the lucky winner with the gift card enclosed. Perfect timing too. I can use on my upcoming vacation. Wonder if i was the only race director to submit photos?

The handwriting is on the wall?

Have you ever taken a good look at your handwriting? I do. I have been handwriting thank you notes to those who have donated money to our Friends of the Delaware Marathon. (e-mail me if you would like to donate). I must admit. I really have to slow down when I write these notes. Handwriting gets a bit sloppy when in a hurry. I make sure I don't use any short cuts when writing. Is hand writing getting to be a lost art? Or maybe all of us have a bit of doctor syndrome in us......Just how do those pharmacists read those scripts that doctors fill out? In my case just how do I read the handwriting of those who wait till race day to sign up for our events. Yes....you sometimes get to registration late and scribble your name, age, sex, and address. I look at these paper forms knowing that I will have to data enter into our software to score the events. What I have decided is that we are so use to typing on the computer or texting that we really don't care how our handwriting looks. Heck....as long as you can sign your name on checks and tax forms do we really care what our handwriting looks like? So if I misspell your name on the results of the latest 5k don't blame me......I most likely could not read your handwriting. It could be worse....I could be that pharmacist who fills your prescription......lets hope they get it write opps I mean right.