Mary Wittenberg Steps Down as President of New York Road Runners to Head Virgin Sport

well that's interesting.

I'm a fan of MW - the 2012 marathon was a disaster that should not define her term. The NY running scene is a better place from her leadership. Not massively, but to some degree.

Between this and the huge windfall the NYRR is going to get from selling their building, there could be some big changes over there. Should be interesting.

I don't get this Virgin Sport thing at all - I've read the press release twice and can't quite picture what it is.

I didnt always agree with her decisions and her methods but I am thankful for her role in bringing elite professional athletes to our city and for working hard to elevate American Distance Running. She has been a trailblazer and great for the sport and for NYC.

Wow - Richard Branson buys the Queen of NYC running. I see this as unfortunate news for professional running in the US and for competitive recreational running in NYC - hope I'm wrong.

The way the NYRR has grown since 2005 (whether you like the means/methods or not) makes her arguably the best running organization director in the world. In addition to the NYC Marathon becoming arguably the biggest/strongest in the world, the other NYRR races also continue to grow. One could argue that the BAA is trying to match what NYRR has successfully accomplished in terms of creating year-round events/programs.

I would love to know how much she is getting paid. Because for her to leave NYRR, she has to be making bank.

Finally, I think this will be a great move for running in general. NYRR is not going anywhere. I doubt their support of American and professional running will suffer because the events are just too strong and it seems as though the individuals taking on the new roles know how to get the job done. Meanwhile, with Virgin's money and Mary's knowledge/abilities, we can expect some new and great opportunities to appear. In a world where it seems like these opportunities are disappearing (competitor group cutting back on elites; other races dropping elite programs), anything new with such strong force behind it will be both welcome and exciting!

Also - the press release photo is all Nike branded material.

I always liked the no-nonsense style Peter Ciaccia would take in telling us the course and starting the races in Central Park. He seems like a promising alternative to the relentlessly pr and ambitious Mary Wittenberg, with her constant price increases to subsidize her pet programs, her world travel to woo athletes, and her failure to deal realistically with the true clientele of NYRR, its local runners. She took the NYC marathon and half marathon (that is, the halfs that they put on before that one) and led the national wave of charging prices that only wealthy professionals could afford, and thus needed to push as hard as possible to recruit and set aside many spots for well-heeled foreigners that would have gone to time qualifiers and local volunteers.

jjjjjj wrote:

I always liked the no-nonsense style Peter Ciaccia would take in telling us the course and starting the races in Central Park. He seems like a promising alternative to the relentlessly pr and ambitious Mary Wittenberg, with her constant price increases to subsidize her pet programs, her world travel to woo athletes, and her failure to deal realistically with the true clientele of NYRR, its local runners. She took the NYC marathon and half marathon (that is, the halfs that they put on before that one) and led the national wave of charging prices that only wealthy professionals could afford, and thus needed to push as hard as possible to recruit and set aside many spots for well-heeled foreigners that would have gone to time qualifiers and local volunteers.

I too like Ciaccia's style

I do not agree with the rest of what you say - fact is that most CP races are $18 if you sign up early, right? Maybe it's $23, I dunno . You can't beat that.

And the high prices of non Central Park races is mostly due to the absurd prices from the city of NY - not NYRR's fault.

Calling the true clientele of the NYRR locals...that's a tough call. I think you have to split it up between NYCM, NYCHM and the rest of the races. The big two are NOT for locals - they are world events. The other races...totally affordable and fine. If huge.

Really - I don't agree or even really understand the arguments you make.

...and for the NYCM and NYCHM don't they take every time qualifier and 9+1 volunteer (for NYCM)? Not sure you are even being factual there. But I'm not exactly sure what their procedure is.

My understanding is that the lottery is the problem with the NYCM - that after foreign quotas and time qualis and 9+1 entrants, your odds in the lottery are very small. Which actually seems fair to me.

I think this is only one side of the story. NYRR made a strategic move away from being a local runners club to being a national brand. It did leave the NYC-local runners without a home and that is an unfortunate by-product. There is an opportunity for any organization to become the non-profit community-based running organization to fill that need. However, as NYC runners we have races every week that are safe, start on time, challenge us at various levels and distances and we can brag that our races are 2nd to none. Her role in elevating NYC and American distance running, in my opinion, make her one of the best strategic leaders in the history of our sport.

I think the Competitor Group started the wave of charging prices only more wealthy runners can afford with the RNR Marathon series. Disney certainly hopped on that boat ($200 entry fee for its recently held Tinker Bell Half Marathon). The NYC Marathon's price jump (it went up $85 in one year about 7 years ago or so) was because the City decided to start charging the race for the Police and Sanitation services it had been giving for free every year previously. The City was strapped for cash and the marathon was an easy target. That said, the entry fee for the NYC Marathon is still outrageous.

So what is Virgin Sport?

Glad she's gone.

dead cat wrote:

So what is Virgin Sport?

Runners in high school.

Mary and Allan entrusted me to recruit athletes for one race in 2001, the Oakley New York Mini 10-K, and I landed Paula Radcliffe and Fernando Ribeiro. The race went well (Paula won), and Mary handed me a folder for recruiting athletes for the 2001 NYC Marathon. That remains the greatest break of my professional life. I'll be working on my 15th TCS NYC Marathon this year, just one of over 70 events I've recruited and managed athletes for under Mary's guidance and support.

Thanks, Mary. I'll always be grateful. Branson is getting one of the best sports executives in the USA (from any sport).

Old Man Runner wrote:

dead cat wrote:

So what is Virgin Sport?

Runners in high school.

2 points Old Man Runner. Well done!

I think MW did a fantastic job with the NYCM and rode that wave of increased participatory 'runners' vis-a-vis competitive runners. I wonder if Fred L., would have jumped on that bandwagon. I would bet he would have been resistant as he did not have any charity sponsored races for a very long time.

Perhaps unfortunately, the growth of the NYRR has hurt the locals a bit. ( I know I have been closed out of many races and not been selected via lottery for one of the biggies.) Probably unavoidable as you grow into a premier international event.

There are other organizations that has stepped in to fill the void, there are many options for runners in and around Manhattan on any weekend.

Best of luck to MW in her new role and wish the continued success to the NYCM/NYCHM and especially to the NYRR.

I think this is only one side of the story. NYRR made a strategic move away from being a local runners club to being a national brand. It did leave the NYC-local runners without a home and that is an unfortunate by-product.