RRCA 2008 Winter Inside Track

WINTER 2008

IN S ID E T R A C K

Quarterly Newsletter for the Members of the Road Runners Club of America

IN THIS ISSUE: ! !

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KIDS RUN THE NATION PROGRAM

Kids Run the Nation

By: Jean Knaack, RRCA executive director

Purchasing a Timing System

In 1986, in response to the growing national concern for children’s health status in the United States, the Road Runners Club of America launched its children’s running program. Developed by a team of experts including Olympic marathoner, Don Kardong, the program included a Teacher’s and Coach’s Curriculum Guide along with a booklet about running designed for children and parents. These materials were reprinted in 1994 and continued to be sought after resources. Over twenty years later, childhood obesity continues to be a serious problem facing our nation.

Hosting an RRCA Coaching Certification

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Convention Preview

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And More

RRCA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Brent Ayer President David Cotter Vice President Dennis Novak Treasurer Lisa Paige Secretary, At-Large Director Mark Grandonico Eastern Region Director Mitchell Garner Central Region Director Ken Bendy Southern Region Director David Epstein Western Region Director Bob Holmes At-Large Director

When a PE teacher from a West Virginia school purchased a copy of the 1994 version of the Teacher’s and Coach’s guide and informed us that this would be the school’s PE program, I was proud that the RRCA was able to provide a resource for the school. I was also saddened by the reality of this school’s situation, which is like so many other schools around the country. I knew we had to do more!

As a result, the RRCA set out to invest more resources in youth running. In 2007, David and Sharlee Cotter provided a contribution that was matched by several donors including the Badgerland Striders and the Peachtree City Running Club. These gifts helped launch the popular Kids Run the Nation Grant Fund. At www.KidsRuntheNation.org you can read about the outstanding 2008 Kids Run the Nation grant recipients.

To build on the success of the Kids Run the Nation Grant program and after gathering feedback from a variety of running and fitness experts, I set to work throughout the summer months on the task of rewriting the RRCA curriculum. Today we are proud to introduce the evolution of the curriculum, which is now known as the RRCA Kids Run the Nation Program Guide.

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Continued on page 4

From the RRCA President

Dear RRCA Members, As 2008 draws to a close, I am pleased to announce that for a third year in a row we have exceeded our membership numbers from the previous year.

In 2007 we ended the year with 863 members, and by the end of the year we will have over 980 member clubs and events. This growth is a testament to the strength of grassroots running around the country and a testament to the dedicated individuals who make running happen locally.

2008 saw a major leadership change for the organization, and the newly elected board wasted no time in getting to work. An important result from our August 2008 board meeting was the consensus that it was time to develop a strategic plan for the organization. David Cotter, RRCA Vice President, answered the call of duty and was appointed to chair the RRCA Strategic Planning Task Force. In collaboration with David Cotter and Jean Knaack, executive director, I appointed the following people to the Strategic Planning Task Force: Mitch Garner (Eastern Region Director), Mark Grandonico (Central Region Director), Kelly Richards (N. Texas State Rep), John Devitt (Montana State Rep), Bee McLeod (Past RRCA President), Marlene Atwood (Former Georgia State Rep), Dan Edwards (Tidewater Striders President), and Lisa Paige (Secretary and former Regional Director and CO State Rep). The Task Force is hard at work and our goal is to present the results of their work by the 2009 Annual Meeting of the Membership. In the coming weeks a member of this task force may contact you, or you may receive a survey via email. Please take the time to talk with a member of the task force if called upon, and participate in any surveys they send. Your feedback is very important to this process.

In the fall, we asked for a volunteer to fill a vacancy on the National Championship Selection Committee.

I appreciate everyone that expressed an interest in serving, and I am pleased to announce the appointment of David Samuels from Arkansas. We will continue our improved efforts to contact members when volunteer opportunities such as this become available. We are still seeking 2-3 volunteers interested in serving on the RRCA History Working Group. If you are interested, please contact Jean Knaack at execdir@rrca.org.

In closing, I want to thank the staff of the RRCA, Jean Knaack, Jessica Sleight, and Dorothy Commock, for their hard work and dedication in 2008. As you may have read on the RRCA News, Jessica Sleight will be leaving the RRCA in the capacity of Director of Program Services. During my brief stint as the volunteer interim executive director in the summer of 2005, I had the pleasure of hiring Jessica and working with her. She has been a great asset to the organization and will be missed.

I look forward to seeing everyone in San Francisco in March for the 51st Annual RRCA Convention. It promises to be a great time.

Regards, Brent Ayer

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INSIDE TRACK

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GREENING YOUR EVENT By: Claudia Piepenburg In the February 2008 issue of Road Race Management newsletter, the editors considered why races might want to consider incorporating green practices into their event management plan, and took a quick look at what some races were doing to become more environmentally friendly. Since then, they have been doing further research into green road race practices around the U.S. Although being environmentally conscious may appear to be a recent trend in race management, a few race directors recognized its importance years ago. Jeff Crumbaugh, owner of Great Lakes Endurance, a Wisconsin event management company that produces seven trail races yearly in Wisconsin and Michigan, says that when he started producing events on his own eight years ago, his intent was to blend environmental education with trail running competitions.

Crumbaugh, a high school teacher, marathoner and veteran of many road races, explains that he was “…disgusted with the amount of waste and lack of environmental awareness” he observed at events around the country. In 2006 he started Great Lakes Endurance, and he and his staff have not only continued his mission but have expanded it to such an extent that Crumbaugh proudly asserts that he expects all his races to be completely waste-free and carbon neutral this year.

“Many people choose to run our events because we’re environmentally sound, and they’re willing to pay extra for it,” Crumbaugh explains. “We offer only organic cotton T-shirts, made in the U.S., and beginning this year we will also offer Patagonia recycled polyester shirts for those runners who want a more technical shirt.”

According to Crumbaugh, “being environmentally-friendly improves nearly every aspect of managing the events, and makes the entire running experience better for the participants.”

He cites two examples to prove his point: aid stations and registration. “Runners competing in any of our races longer than 15K must carry 20-ounce bottles of water. The id stations are set-up with fluted pitchers to refill the bottles, there are no cups allowed anywhere on the course. This not only keeps the course litterfree, it’s also safer for the runners because they have an adequate supply of fluid available to them throughout the race; they don’t have to wait for an aid station to hydrate.” He further explains: “Eighty percent of our entrants register online, which reduces paper usage and is much easier from a race director’s standpoint; no one has to spend time entering data from registration forms.”

Continued on page 7

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KIDS RUN THE NATION CONCLUDED The Kids Run the Nation Program Guide is designed to help teachers, coaches, or program directors develop youth running programs that can be implemented as a physical education or classroom wellness curriculum, as a before or after-school program, or as a community-based youth running program. The emphasis of this program is on participation and developing a healthy lifestyle as opposed to being a competitive running program. The Program Guide is a full-color, 40-page educational curriculum divided into eight lesson plans, with a bonus ninth lesson on competitive running. Each lesson plan can be taught during a one-hour class period over an 8-week time frame, with 30 minutes of educational instruction followed by a 30 minute running exercise.

You can view sample pages from the Program Guide at www.RRCA.org/programs/kids. The Program Guide outlines the elements of a locally run Kids Run the Nation Program, which is designed to be a multi-week, gender neutral, youth running program designed for children in grades kindergarten through sixth grade. The information in the Guide can be adapted for older grades as well.

The RRCA’s vision with the Kids Run the Nation Program is to see a youth running program in every grade school in America. We call upon our running club and event members to help us make this vision a reality by purchasing a copy of the Program Guide, and giving it to local schools in your area, and by helping them establish a youth running program.

All RRCA member running clubs or their youth programs may use the royalty-free, RRCA trademarked name, Kids Run the Nation", along with the Kids Run the Nation logo found on the RRCA branding page of our website (www.RRCA.org/services/branding). Schools interested in developing a Kids Run the Nation program may also use the name as long as the school, as an official school activity, runs the program. Programs run by PTA’s or as after-school enrichment programs must join the RRCA as a youth running club in order to use the Kids Run the Nation name. There are NO burdensome royalty fees to brand your program as a Kids Run the Nation program. If your program already has a name or you want to use a different name, but you still want to use the RRCA Kids Run the Nation Program Guide, no problem. Our stated vision is clear, to see a youth running program in every grade school in America. Our materials were created for that purpose. We are not picky about what you decide to call your youth running program; we just want you to have one.

To help motivate students, there are several items that program directors can purchase and give to participants including the Kids Run the Nation: A Running Guide for Kids booklet. This 4x7 inch, full-color booklet contains 12-pages of information designed to help children continue their running program at home. The booklet is designed as a companion to the Kids Run the Nation Program, but it can also be purchased and given to kids in any youth running program to reinforce important concepts like warm-up, pacing, cooldown, runner safety, appropriate clothing, and more.

Program leaders, parents, or kids can also purchase Kids Run the Nation t-shirts and backpack tags in small or large quantities through the RRCA online store www.runthenationstore.com.

Writing, designing, and sharing the Kids Run the Nation materials with our members, schools, and youth organizations has been an extremely rewarding experience. Even more rewarding is that we are able to provide the materials at extremely low costs. The Program Guide is $5 each (plus shipping) and the Kids booklets are $1 each (plus shipping). This is possible because of the generous support of our members and Star Insurance Agency, Inc. !

Visit www.RRCA.org/programs/kids for more information or to purchase your copy today!

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SHOULD A CLUB BUY A TIMING SYSTEM? A CASE STUDY By: Pat Loebach for IPICO Sports The Montgomery County Road Runners Club (MCRRC) justifiably describe themselves as being well known for many low-key, but high quality club races, training runs, special events, and other activities.

Being involved in over 30 races annually, including acting as host to four major events, the question of investing in a self-administered timing system was often a point of lively debate.

With expenses exceeding several thousand dollars a year to hire outside timing companies, there was no doubt that it would be beneficial. The real question was, would it be feasible. Should a running club own an electronic timing system?

Points of consideration included choosing a system, operating requirements, and cost. In addition, concerns revolved around time to recoup the initial investment, affect on club revenue, and the impact on club membership.

This study will examine these issues as well as additional services and benefits an electronic timing system can provide to a club of any size.

WHAT IS ELECTRONIC TIMING Electronic timing for running events is often considered a highly complex process requiring an advanced level of expertise. Indeed, there can be a certain degree of complexity involved, especially when networking and media interface is required.

The simple truth is that for the majority of events timing is merely referencing an RFID tag to assigned locations at a specific time of day. The information is then managed within a database specially designed to calculate elapsed time between these locations and generate results (i.e. overall, age group, gender, etc.).

Event timing functions include creating the database, matching the RFID tags with the correct bib numbers, setting up the timing locations; and gathering, processing and distributing the results.

The success of an event is largely determined by proper database setup and being reasonably effective at managing the data. !! !

INSIDE TRACK

The size of the event or number of participants really has no bearing on whether or not an event should be timed electronically.

CHOOSING A SYSTEM Lyman Jordan and Phil Quinn, timers for MCRRC events, had been leading the charge to acquire a system for some time. The club had been paying large timing service fees, particularly for the four major club events. Their research found not only was it feasible to own a system, but it was also easy to implement.

They examined a variety of companies and chose an IPICO Sports system, because it was userfriendly, affordable, and did not require tag rental fees. Their research further determined the dualfrequency technology used by IPICO Sports provided the most accurate and reliable method of capturing times.

The entire system consisted of a reader, mats and tags. No additional components were needed. The readers were self-tuning and portable. The mats were much lighter than any other offering and required nothing more than to be connected to the reader and turned on. Once the system was connected to a laptop via the Ethernet port, they could view streaming data as tags passed over each mat. The entire setup could be completed in less than fifteen minutes.

In fact, Lyman found the IPICO Sports system to be so easy to operate that his very first event was managing a split location at the 50,000 runner event, Bolder Boulder, over Memorial Day weekend.

MCRRC is electronically timing all events that have more than 300 participants. According to Lyman, they will begin to use their IPICO Sports system for all events, regardless of the size.

He expects the club’s initial purchase to completely pay for itself in less than two years. He calculated they would increase revenue by more than $15,000 in 2008 by using the IPICO Sports system. Now, other IPICO Sports customers are contacting Lyman and MCRRC to participate in timing larger events that require multiple systems including some of the top national road races. This continues to become an added source of revenue for the club.

Concluded on next page

Page 5

SHOULD A CLUB BUY A TIMING SYSTEM? CONCLUDED Up to this point, electronic timing has been limited to professional companies willing to make the investment and acquire the expertise needed to accommodate complex equipment and the demands of major events.

Now, IPICO Sports has developed a system that makes electronic timing available to those who have been previously excluded from offering these services.

Today, electronic timing has become more cost effective and user friendly than ever before.

To answer the question, “Should a running club own an electronic timing system?” a few things need to be considered. First, does the club pay to have these service provided by a third party, and is it an expensive proposition year after year? If the answer is yes, further consideration is merited. If the club can commit to managing and maintaining the equipment it is only a matter of amortizing the purchase price.

Since IPICO Sports includes tags for sale as opposed to rent, there is no further investment needed once the system is acquired. Additional components can be added as needed.

Other things to consider, will an electronic timing system increase the participation level of our events?

Will our events be more profitable if we incorporate our own system? Over 73% of runners admitted they are willing to pay more for electronically timed events and 81% said they would prefer an electronically timed event over a manually timed event.

As more athletic organizations compete for members, clubs need to consider how to expand the level of services offered. Electronic timing systems can be used to log times, workouts and event records. Is it an advantage to be able to track the performance of members? Will it be a helpful tool for monitoring training programs? The answer is invariably, yes.

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Finally, IPICO Sports products provide a seamless interface to most third party scoring software packages, the most popular being RunScore and Race Director. IPICO Sports can also provide a universal translator for other software vendors at no additional charge and also offers custom scoring software.

Of course, the bottom line to any club is…the bottom line. Ultimately, only the club can evaluate the pros and cons of purchasing an electronic timing system.

Electronic scoring doesn’t require an unobtainable investment or a technical background. !

INSIDE TRACK

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GREENING YOUR EVENT CONCLUDED Besides organic T-shirts, non-cup aid stations and online registration, Great Lakes Endurance events are green in a myriad other ways: • Races shorter than 15K utilize aid station cups made from bagasse, the biodegradable fiber that remains after the juice is extracted from sugar cane.

• Post-race food and drink is served on “real” plates and cups – no plastic or paper.

• All food served is either organic or locally-grown or both.

• All food scraps are composted.

• All race supplies are purchased from companies using corrugated, recyclable cardboard containers.

• Beginning this year, all race bibs will be made from recyclable Tyvek and pins will be used.

• The course is marked with the red flags used by utility companies rather than paint, so once the race is over, there is no evidence that anyone has been on the trail.

• Any paper (brochures, signs etc.) is 100% post-consumer, non-chlorine.

• Beginning with this year’s races, the race director will use a Honda Element for all race-related travel, and race staffers as well as participants will be able to purchase offsets for driving to the race.

• Money from the events is donated to local environmental organizations and groups for education, land conservancy and to build and maintain silent sports’ trails.

Carlsbad Marathon Helps Keep the Ocean Clean Eight hundred runners in this past January’s Carlsbad Marathon and Half-Marathon pledged to “Keep California Beautiful” through a program developed by a Sacramento-based nonprofit environmental education organization.

Lynn Flanagan, race director and owner of In Motion, Inc., reports that runners “really loved the idea” of helping to keep the course, and the Pacific, free from litter. The Keep California Beautiful group had a booth at the expo where runners signed a pledge that they would get rid of trash along the way. Runners agreed to deposit used cups in trash bags carried by scores of volunteers lining the course. “Volunteers from the Burning Man came to help, they’re very experienced at trash removal,” Flanagan explains.

“We got a little bit of a late start with the whole program this year, so we’ll do better in 2009. We learned, for instance, that it can be difficult to hit a plastic trash bag with a paper cup, so next year we will have lots more trash cans along the course. But all-in-all we are pleased with the response. We even had spotters along the course to take pictures of runners who were properly getting rid of their trash and those runners were entered in a drawing for prizes.” Because both courses run for many miles along the shoreline, Flanagan says that they had long been concerned about race refuse going down storm drains. “Beginning in the spring of this year there’s a new state mandate to protect storm drains. Our race was a test case to see how well storms drains could be protected. We got a grant from Keep California Beautiful to purchase temporary drain coverings that we’re storing and will let other races and events use.”

Flanagan says that although it’s difficult to find cost-effective products that are recyclable, future races will continue to expand on the litter-free concept.

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51st RRCA Annual Convention San Francisco, USA March 26-29, 2009 www.rrcaconvention.org ROAD RUNNERS CLUB OF AMERICA

PURPOSE

The Road Runners Club of America is the national association of running clubs, running events, and runners dedicated to promoting long distance running as a competitive sport and as healthful exercise. RRCA's mission is to represent and promote the common interest of its member clubs, events, and individual runners through education, leadership, programs and other services. The RRCA website can be found at: www.rrca.org

Each year the RRCA gathers in a different city for its annual convention, business meeting, workshops, and national awards banquet. The convention has taken place since 1958 without fail. Hundreds of runners and club and event delegates attend the convention. The convention includes an RRCA Board meeting, training for RRCA state representatives, seminars, coaches training, luncheon banquets, fun runs, and an awards dinner banquet.

HYATT: HOST HOTEL & EXPO

CONVENTION HOSTS

Most activities, meals, & seminars will be at the “Hyatt at Fisherman’s Wharf.” Located in the heart of world-famous Fisherman's Wharf, this four star hotel has easy access to Pier 39, the Cannery, Harbor Cruises & Ghirardelli Square; across from the Powell & Mason Cable Car Line, about a mile from Union Square, Chinatown & Nob Hill. The convention room rate is $172 per night for a room with either 1 or 2 beds. For a special discounted rate, call reservations at 402-592-6464/800-233-1234.

(Be sure to mention you are attending the RRCA Convention!)

EXPO! Check out products & races from the sponsors, book signings, silent auction, & learn the history of the host clubs.

Four of the leading clubs in the Bay Area are heading up the effort: Dolphin South End Runners (DSE), Pamakid Runners, San Francisco Road Runners Club (SFRRC) and Lake Merritt Joggers & Striders (LMJS).

TRAVEL JetBlue will offer a 5% discount on flights to San Francisco.

Mention code “RRCA2009” when making reservations at www.jetblue.com. [CONDITIONS APPLY.] Once you arrive, take the Super Shuttle from the airport to your hotel in Fisherman’s Wharf. To take advantage of a discounted price for each way, mention code “3WG4F” when making reservations at www.SuperShuttle.com. [CONDITIONS APPLY.]

COMPANION RACE: PRESIDIO 10 Run across the Golden Gate Bridge! The Presidio 10 has been selected as the companion race for the convention. Attendees are eligible for a $5 discount off the pre-registered rates. Use code “2009RRCA” (use separate race entry form). For detailed information about the Presidio 10 & to register for either the 10K or 10mile race, visit www.presidio10.com.

RUNS/WALKS Attendees will be guided on scenic runs/walks around the Fisherman’s Wharf area that take in many of San Francisco’s iconic sights. For attendees who love trail running, the Tamalpa Runners will host a run with light refreshments on the infamous Dipsea trail. This run is limited to 40 participants who live outside of Northern California.

AWARDS BANQUET

THURSDAY EVENING RECEPTION

Included in the full convention fee is the RRCA awards banquet highlighted by keynote speaker, Frank Shorter, Gold Medalist in the 1972 Olympic Marathon and Silver Medalist in the 1976 Olympics. Take part as national award winners are honored.

Convention attendees will gather at the historic South End Rowing Club to learn about how this historical site laid the roots of Bay Area running. Attendees will meet national RRCA board officers and state representatives.

OTHER SPECIAL MEALS/ACTIVITIES Join us for other meals (see fees) with special guests & activities.

• Friday Luncheon - RRCA State Representatives are honored

by Runner’s World’s Chief Running Officer, Bart Yasso, who will give a slide show presentation of his running adventures around the world which was the basis for his book, “My Life on the Run.” • Friday Dinner - Join runners from around the nation for a special shopping experience at Sports Basement along with contests and music provided by the East Bay Gay Men Choir.

• Saturday Marathon & Beyond Magazine’s Luncheon Keynote speaker is Ultramarathon Man & local Dean Karnazes who ran 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days.

• Saturday Morning Cruise - Take a cruise as a local bay swimmer explains the sights & quirks of the bay. Light refreshments offered. LIMITED TO 40.

• Course Measurement - Hands-on session on course measurement. LIMITED TO 15.

• RRCA Coaches Continuing Education Course - 4 hours of seminars in addition to convention. See website for more details.

SEMINARS The heart of the convention is the seminars such as: • Careers in the Running Industry Panel - hosted by Runner’s World’s Bart Yasso • "How to Make a Race a Real Event" - presented by the Big Sur International Marathon • Ultrarunning Panel - highlighted by Western States 100 winner Tim Twietmeyer • Healthy Training Tips for Runners - presented by Presidio Sport & Medicine • Advanced Trail Running - Nancy Hobbs, Executive Director of the American Trail Running Association • Runners with Disabilities Panel • Marathon & Half Marathon Training Program • How to Utilize Active.com for Your Running Club/Race • Children’s Running • Diversity in Running: Frontrunners • Club College: RRCA Programs, Club Governance Check website for other seminars & schedule!

www.rrcaconvention.org

Convention Hosts: Dolphin South End, San Francisco Road Runners, Lake Merritt Joggers & Striders, Pamakid Runners

51st RRCA NATIONAL CONVENTION REGISTRATION FORM Registrant Information Last Name

First Name

Mailing Address City

State

Primary Phone

Zip

Email

Club Name

Title/Position in Club

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (Circle) T-Shirt Size: S

M

L

XL

XXL

Is this your first convention? Yes

PRICES $250 X # ______= $ ______ until January 15, 2009.

Convention registration (includes shirt, workshops, meetings, Thursday evening reception, goodies, CD of seminar hand-outs, 1 ticket to awards banquet)

$275 X # ______ = $ _____ postmarked after January 15, 2009.

Convention registration (same as above)

$325 X # ______ = $ _____ postmarked after March 1, 2009.

Convention registration (same as above, but limited in shirt sizes)

$50 X # ______= $ _____ Must register for convention as well. RRCA coaches only.

Continuing Education RRCA Coaching Certification (15 student limit) (Two 2 hour seminars.)

MEAL TICKETS Fri. Luncheon w/ Bart Yasso

$35 X # ______ = $ ______

Fri. Dinner Party & Contest

$100 X # ______ = $ _____ $60 X # ______ = $ ______

Do you want vegetarian meals?

Yes

No

RECEPTION & RUNS Do you plan to join us at the Thurs. evening reception? Yes No Do you plan to join us for the scenic runs?

Thursday AM: Yes No Friday AM: Yes No Friday PM: Yes No Saturday AM: Yes No

PAYMENT INFO Please sign waiver, mail and make checks payable to:

RRCA Convention 2009 PO Box 475224

San Francisco, CA 94147

Refund Policy: You may cancel your registration for the convention up until February 25, 2009 and receive a refund minus a 10% service fee. After that date no refund can be issued.

Convention Use Only:

$40 X # ______ = $ ______

$40 X # ______ = $ ______

No

Sat. Luncheon w/ Dean Karnazes Meal Package (Friday Luncheon, Friday Dinner, & Saturday Luncheon) Awards Banquet (one ticket is already included with each convention registration)

OTHER

Date Received: Check #: Amount: Comp: Comp plus additional: Database Entry:

$30 X # ______ = $ _____ NONLOCAL ATTENDEES ONLY. LIMITED TO 40. $25 X # _____ = $ _____ $25 X # _____ = $ _____ $___________

Dipsea Run with Tamalpa Runners on Sat. morning (includes transportation & light refreshments) Bay Cruise w/ light refreshments [LIMIT TO 40] Course Measurement Session [LIMITED to 15]

Questions about registration: Contact: (650) 438-9589 or rrcaconvention2009@sbcglobal.net

TOTAL

For more info, go to www.rrcaconvention.org

Remarks: Quicken Entry:

Release form: I know that running is a potentially hazardous activity. I should not participate in the running activities unless I am medically able and properly trained. I assume all risks associated with running in these convention runs & other activities, including but not limited to falls, contact with other participants, the effects of the weather, including high heat and/or humidity, traffic and the conditions of the road, all such risks being known and appreciated by me. Having read this waiver and knowing these facts and in consideration of your accepting my entry, I, for myself and anyone entitled to act on my behalf, waive and release the Road Runners Clubs of America, Pamakid Runners, Lake Merritt Joggers & Striders, San Francisco Road Runners, and Dolphin South End Running Club, all city, county, and state governments, the Hyatt, South End Rowing Club, transportation, volunteers, and all sponsors, their representatives and successors from all claims or liabilities of any kind arising out of my participation in this convention & related activities. I understand that all entries are final with no refunds. The official convention hosts reserve the right in any event of emergency or local or national disaster to cancel the convention or to change the day and/or time to a later day and that in the event of cancellation or change there is refund of entry fees minus a service fee. The official convention hosts reserve the right to change the schedule of activities and seminars without warning. I grant permission to all of the foregoing to use any photographs, motion pictures, recordings or any other record of this event for any legitimate purpose. I have received a copy and read the above. ______[initials]

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ sign name print name date

Online Registration available at: www.rrrcaconvention.org

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S NOTE

Dear RRCA Members, By now you should have received your membership renewal paperwork in the mail. If you did not, do not worry, you can download the forms from our website at www.rrca.org/join/join. If you have questions about the forms, please feel free to contact us. The RRCA membership runs on the calendar year along with the insurance policy. It is important that you renew your club or event’s membership before the end of January, our renewal grace period. Your activities are not insured until your annual membership is paid if full.

The start of a new year often means significant turnover in board leadership for our nonprofit members. If you have questions about your club’s nonprofit status, we urge you to contact the RRCA first to determine if your club is under the RRCA nonprofit group exemption.

During the month of January, we will be in a transition period as we say goodbye to Jessica Sleight and welcome her replacement. I would like to take this opportunity to express my infinite gratitude to Jessica for her years of service to the RRCA. She has been a great asset to the organization over the last three years, and I want to thank Jessica for the support, hard work, laughs, and friendship that we have shared. I will certainly be calling on her to volunteer in the future.

After receiving over sixty resumes, the candidate pool was narrowed to the best person for the job.

Jessica’s replacement will begin work in late January, and we will introduce the new Director of Program Services in the next issue of Inside Track. In the meantime, if you need anything, please do not hesitate to contact Dorothy Commock, office manager, or me. Our goal is to make this transition as smooth as possible for our members.

I want to thank everyone that volunteered with the RRCA in 2008, and I want to thank those that made a financial contribution to our programs. I look forward to working with all of our members in 2009, and I especially look forward to implementing the strategic plan that is under development.

Happy Running,

execdir@rrca.org

BIDDING OPEN FOR 2010 RRCA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS The bidding for the RRCA 2010 National Championship Races is now open! Bid forms will be accepted until February 1, 2009. The chosen races will be announced at the RRCA National Convention in San Francisco on March 28, 2009. National Championship Races will be awarded for the following categories: Road Races: 5K, 10K, 10 mile, Half Marathon, Marathon Cross Country: One event per year – distance variable Ultra: One event per year – distance variable RRCA National Championship events receive product from Gatorade, plaques for the Open, Masters and Grand Masters Male and Female winners, RRCA National Championship banner to fly at your finish line, race bag fliers from RRCA, event advertised along with other RRCA National Championships in a national running publication, your winners listed on the RRCA Championship Database, and more.

Please read the General Information at www.rrca.org/programs/championships/rrcachinf.pdf.

Then complete the bid form at www.rrca.org/programs/championships/rrcachbid.doc. !

RRCA PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT HOSTING AN RRCA COACHING CERTIFICATION CLASS In 2008, the demand for RRCA Coaching Certification increased dramatically. A local running club hosts each Coaching Certification, with the one exception, at least one course a year will be hosted at the RRCA National Office. The following information will help clubs interested in hosting a certification class. All certifications are open to the public and advertised on the RRCA website. To insure that the classes are filled, and can support the needed logistics, it is important that the host has about 15 persons committed to attending the certification. The remaining slots fill quickly. The best locations are within a major metropolitan area, not more than 20 -30 miles from a major airport.

Before a class is scheduled, the prospective host must contact the Coaching Program Director, Patti Finke, at coaching@rrca.org to schedule the course date. The coaching course presenters are busy working coaches, so hosts should contact Patti at least 3 to 6 months in advance of the desired course date to allow for adequate planning and promotion.

The host will be responsible for securing adequate classroom space to comfortably seat 30 - 34 people for two full days. Suggested locations for the class include: YMCAs, community centers, libraries, health clubs, and schools. Hotels should be used as a last resort, and the meeting room should be free or low cost, and allow the course organizers to bring in food.

All certification courses are financially self-supporting. The RRCA covers the expenses within the budget limits from the registration fees and will reimburse the host/s for the covered costs. The host receives one free registration for the certification. All registration for a coaching certification class is handled through the RRCA. When the certification is added to the website and open for registration, all subscribers to the email list on rrca.org/programs/coaching are immediately notified and the information is added to the news posts on rrca.org and sent to regional clubs.

For more detailed information about hosting an RRCA Coaching Certification course email coaching@rrca.org

2009 RRCA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS RRCA National Ultra Championship

RRCA National 10 Mi Championship

Tahoe Rim Trail 100 M Endurance Run Spooner Lake State Park, Carson City, NV www.sagebrushstompers.org/trt50/

Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Washington, DC www.CherryBlossom.org

RRCA National Marathon Championship

RRCA National 10 K Championship

Kaiser Permanente Napa Valley Marathon Napa, CA www.NapaMarathon.com

Presidio 10 K San Francisco, CA www.rrcaconvention.org/presidio10race.html

RRCA National Half Marathon Championship

RRCA National 5 K Championship

Parkersburg News & Sentinel Half Marathon Parkersburg, WV http://extras.newsandsentinel.com/halfmarathon/

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Bid On & Find RRCA Regional & State Championships www.rrca.org/programs/championships

Woodstock 5K Anniston, AL www.annistonrunners.com/woodstock/

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ROAD RUNNERS CLUB OF AMERICA 1501 Lee Hwy, Ste 140 Arlington, VA 22209 703-525-3890 www.RRCA.org

Running the Nation for 50 Years! !!

2008 RRCA National Race Shirt Contest In the RRCA News at www.RRCA.org, we announced the first annual RRCA National Race Shirt Contest. This is an opportunity to showcase your event from a little different angle. The RRCA is seeking shirts from 2008 events hosted by RRCA members. Only one shirt per event is needed; size L preferred. A club hosting multiple events can submit entries for multiple races. The race shirt must have the RRCA logo on it to be considered for judging. All entries should be mailed to the RRCA National Office; see address above. Please include the name of the event, event date, location, host club, contact name, contact email, and contact phone number.

A first round of judging will take place at the RRCA National Office by a team of local club members.

Attendees to the 2009 RRCA Convention will have the opportunity to vote on the finalists to select the 2008 RRCA National Race Shirt Winner.

In the Next Issue: 2009 RRCA Overview ! Email Marketing And More!

All shirts collected for the contest will be donated to the weekly race series at Camp Striker, Iraq.

For more details see the RRCA News.

RRCA Etiquette Brochures The RRCA Etiquette brochure is great for beginning running and marathon training programs, race bag stuffers, and more. The RRCA will gladly co-brand the brochure if you orders 1500 copies or more.

Contact Jean Knaack at execdir@rrca.org about co-branded orders and pricing.

Place an order today at: http://store02.prostores.com/rrca