Why I Love Race Directing

I hadn't blogged about the New Years Double and then a friend suggested I do a Race Report from my perspective as the race director. Cool idea! Although finding time for it was harder than I thought. As I sit recovering from sinus surgery and at a moment where I'm awake and not currently on a pain pill, I'll try to spill out my thoughts quickly. I want to tell you about my love for putting together running races, and then next time I sit down, I'll prepare a little race report of my race weekend with the New Years Double.

My Elevator Speech on Me and Race Directing

My name is Libby, and I have a passion for race directing. Yes, I'm a runner and love running too. But what an adrenaline surge to put together a run for others, and then what a fantastic payoff when people cross that finish line and have that huge smile on their faces. It's a moment where you feel like you had an impact in someone's life. Really truly. It's absolutely addictive.

And yes, I can have thin skin. But I'm working on toughening it up. People need to recognize that this race comes from passion and is put on by one person, not a team of staff members. I need to understand that people don't realize when they are critical that I feel like I'm putting a part of myself out there, vulnerable, ready to be rejected. I'm learning that sometimes people want changes that they don't realize will cost them more money to put into place, money they usually don't want to pay. And I'm learning that the races I produce are not the right races for some people. And that's okay. If you're my friend, I hope you'll still support me, but if my race isn't your cup of tea, I get it.

However, if you question my motives or objectives, you obviously don't know me at all. I'm about as open as a person can get, and trust me, if I was making a six-figure salary directing races, you'd all know it. And the entry fee wouldn't have started at $45 either. Instead, it's a chance to raise a lot of money for a great cause, and a cause that is important to me, because I'm the race director and I can choose that. (for this race, the money is actually going to several different awesome causes!)

But I've watched something I create change the life of another. I've seen sobs at the finish line. I've seen people drop to their knees at the finish and praise God (although please recognize that may cause me and the medical staff to come running!). And those race days are each engrained in my memory for all eternity, and they carry me through each of my days and each of my own runs. And I'm thankful for each person who has been a part of it all!

My sister Elaine on the left and me on the right - race day at the New Years Double