To Snobby Race Directors - Why Do You Only Give Awards to Runners Who Stay for the Awards Ceremony?

why stay around for an awards ceremony when the races in nyc dont have any post race food(other than old bagels) or protection from the elements. i win my age group i get the award. if they dont give it to you take them to small claims court. you pay 30 bucks to run, not to hang out for an hour after the race.

No, it's not too snotty. You need some trinket to lure you to enter a race, you have no interest in being there otherwise? Talk about a snotty, selfish attitude. Yeah, we get it, you need the ego-stroke of knowing you came out ahead of the low-talent older runners and being given the chance to flaunt such a huge accomplishment by sauntering up to collect your $2 piece of plastic. We're all sorry that your self-esteem is that low that you'd build up an age-group award to something so much more than it really is but at the same time can be glad that you can supposedly find fulfillment in something that's not far removed from a Special Olympics medal. Just because you've got nothing better to do with your time that you think post-race scenes are so fun doesn't mean that many of the rest of us feel the same. Most of us race for the intrinsic rewards, we like the intangible things we get out of it, and if we can get something tangible out of it that's also meaningful then great, but if we think it's ultimately worthless then there's nothing you can do to convince us of its worthiness in your beady little eyes.

trailrunner63 wrote:

Some of you seem to have a too-snotty attitude towards age-group awards. They are a great way to attract and reward medium-talent older runners ( like me ! )and I for one never mind hanging around to see if I've won something.... good for the ego if nothing else. Plus, is not the entire ambience of a race ( before, during, after ) supposed to be FUN ? What's the big rush to get away ?

[quote]u loser wrote:

No, it's not too snotty. You need some trinket to lure you to enter a race, you have no interest in being there otherwise? Talk about a snotty, selfish attitude. Yeah, we get it, you need the ego-stroke of knowing you came out ahead of the low-talent older runners and being given the chance to flaunt such a huge accomplishment by sauntering up to collect your $2 piece of plastic. We're all sorry that your self-esteem is that low that you'd build up an age-group award to something so much more than it really is but at the same time can be glad that you can supposedly find fulfillment in something that's not far removed from a Special Olympics medal. Just because you've got nothing better to do with your time that you think post-race scenes are so fun doesn't mean that many of the rest of us feel the same. Most of us race for the intrinsic rewards, we like the intangible things we get out of it, and if we can get something tangible out of it that's also meaningful then great, but if we think it's ultimately worthless then there's nothing you can do to convince us of its worthiness in your beady little eyes.

[quote]trailrunner63 wrote:

Gee, please let me and others know how you really feel, Dork. Glad you know so much about me. You're a shithead, how's that ?

Wow, that's one response that I didn't see coming! Guess I was way off the mark on that one, didn't hit at all close to home! LOL

I think it's all been said so I'll just summarize:

My race, my rules. Go f*** a duck.

Let's see how fast you're running when you're 63, hotshot.

Peace and love to all, even you. Merry Christmas.

Hey chump. How long have you been neglecting your family while spewing your childish whiny rants on this thread? Could have done at least 9 holes in that time, I bet.

Somehow I'm missing the relevance here.

Anyway, regarding your last line, back atcha.

They should only give the awards to those who stay..The snobs are those damn road prima donna 15:50'rs who always interrupt a Race Director who is busy as hell and tell him they have someplace they just gotta go and they want their award......

I don't think people should be forced to stay to pick up an award, especially when it takes over an hour to get the damn ceremony started.

I was part of a relay triathlon team that won once, and instead of just doing the ceremony, they would hand out a few plaques, then stop and do a raffle, then hand out a few more, then talk about what a great day it is outside, then talk about what everyone was having for dinner. It took like 2 hours just to get a damn plaque. I don't care. Unless I'm with someone at the road race, I could care less about socializing with the people at these races. If they want to socialize, they can do it after they get their award.

And if you really need people to stay so you can get a group of strangers who won't remember you give as half ass round of applause as the director butchers your name and you insist on correcting him (or her) despite the fact that no one really cares, then by all means continue to pat your self on the back for a false sense of accomplishment by coming in 3rd out of your 2 person age group (because the winner probably lapped you on his cool down).

Keith Stone wrote:

I could give out dinner and a b******* and someone would complain.

Do you happen to live in Nevada? With these prizes, you could have the entire male population in your area code competing if you put an award as a door prize.

The RDs that are responding so ferociously should back off and take a look at their practices. Rarely have I been to a race run like one that Keith Stone describes. While Keith might be able to get things started 15 minutes after the last finishers, efficiency like that is truly a rare find.

Keep in mind that the award winners are mostly those that finish in the least amount of time, with some of the oddball age groups (extremely young/old) the exception. Since we finish the earliest, it holds true that we're waiting the longest for the awards ceremony.

I ususally wait for the awards ceremony to start, but there are situations where I do leave. It's when the RD wants to do all the womens' awards first, making it so I have to wait for all the women and then the male age groups before mine. I used to leave if they would start with the oldest age group first, but since I'm older now and I'm closer to those groups, I don't mind so much.

I leave when a RD gives a few awards and then raffle items. Or if announce they are going to do a raffle before they start the awards. While the RD has spent plenty of time and effort to get the race off the ground, as well as allocating the entire day to the race, the racers might have other responsibilities which don't allow them to spend the entire morning waiting for a medal, plaque or trophy. I've been racing for over 20 years; rarely do I get away from any 5/10K race with less than 5 hours invested. The actual race lasts anywhere from 15 (when I was younger) to less than 40 minutes.

While the Keith Stone's of the running world probably put together a terrific race, many "RDs" are not as effecient. Some RDs are no more than the PE teacher acting as the RD for the school's fundraising 5K. Instead of getting defensive and telling us racers who have other responsibilities to go "f*** a duck" or "to run in somebody else's race", why don't the RDs reading this thread find out what we're looking for? By the way, those attitudes are not conducive to the longevity of any race. Remember, while runners can't have a race without a race director, neither can race directors have races without any runners.

Here are some ideas:

1. If you're the RD and don't want to be disturbed by the runners, then designate a volunteer who is available to inform the award winners how to arrange to get their awards if they are unable to stay.

2. Hold raffles (or other activities) until after the awards have been given.

Just remember, RD, each dissatisfied runner who doesn't return the following year puts the race that much closer to becoming a race that "used to be".

As I have said in other threads of the same subject..(in my opinion) as a 30 year race director (this morning included) IF YOU HAVE NEVER DIRECTED A RACE...GO TO ANOTHER THREAD..You are not qualified for an opinion.

The complaints that I get from runners are some of the most asinine complaints in the world.

Race directors for the most part aren't snobby..they'll be trying to keep an entire race on track and suddenly some GOOF, will come up and wanna look at the times or where he fell into the results or complain about a split being just a tad off.

The real problem is that mosr of the participants don't realize for example that if there are 500 people in your race, they are only 1/500th of what's going on.

No, they are even less than that.

arf wrote:

As I have said in other threads of the same subject..(in my opinion) as a 30 year race director (this morning included) IF YOU HAVE NEVER DIRECTED A RACE...GO TO ANOTHER THREAD..You are not qualified for an opinion.

Sorry, arf, as a runner who has raced for over 27 years, I am very qualified to have opinions regarding how races are conducted.

Based on your logic, unless you are a race director, please refrain from stating opinions about race directing. Sustitute "race director" with politician, musician, artist, writer, etc, then I am afraid, arf, that you would have very little to opine about.

I've never met a snobby race director, and I'm sure that race directors have to put up with some of the most asinine complaints. But like I said, without race directors there would be no races, but without runners, there would be no races. Race directors HAVE to serve the runner. Race directors are a businessmen and women; runners are the customers. You don't HAVE to like this fact, but you should accept it. When you cease serving the runners, they will find races where they are better served.

And I don't have to have ever been a race director to put those simple facts together...

Yeah and most of the races are put on by the same race directors year after year. Anyone who directs races knows exactly what I am talking about and I think this is a good thread for us.

Like salesmen, we walk around and put on smiley faces when confronted with asinine complaints like the original poster and we have no outlet to air how we really feel about this.

Hopefully some of the prima donnas who just can't stick around and wait for their awards (like those smelly common folk have to do, it is rarely the 20 minute 5Ker's that just have to leave)

Will read this and realize that people notice.

The basic thing is, if there is a race, that does something you don't like, don't go back. Write a letter (not an annonymous one, like the many I got, many more complimentary)

Most runners feel like a a RD is someone looking for publicity or trying to get themselves some ink or something.

Hell, I started doing it because nobody else would and like many, I saw some things in races that I didn't like, SO I JUMPED IN AND DID IT!

And that's what you complainers should do. I mean that in a positive way.

Don't puss out. Get in front of people..put on a race that's better than the other RD's YOU"LL SHOW EM!

arf wrote:

Yeah and most of the races are put on by the same race directors year after year. Anyone who directs races knows exactly what I am talking about and I think this is a good thread for us.

I have to disagree that this is a good thread for race directors. Why? Because I doubt that seasoned race directors are the source of the problem addressed by the original poster.

Like salesmen, we walk around and put on smiley faces when confronted with asinine complaints like the original poster and we have no outlet to air how we really feel about this. Hopefully some of the prima donnas who just can't stick around and wait for their awards (like those smelly common folk have to do, it is rarely the 20 minute 5Ker's that just have to leave) will read this and realize that people notice.

That's part and parcel to running a business. If you're not guilty of the posted complaint (starting the award ceremony 1-1.5 hour after the race end, then you shouldn't take this complaint personally.

The basic thing is, if there is a race, that does something you don't like, don't go back. Write a letter (not an annonymous one, like the many I got, many more complimentary)

While that might seem like a practical solution, it doesn't behoove you to alienate your clientel. And sorry, but reading your posts tells me you are a tad bit too saavy to simply ignore complaints and just "do it your way". I'm confident that over the years you have adjusted the way you conduct your races based upon input from the runners who have attended you events. I think you're just a little pissed at the petty complaints you are so tired of hearing.

Most runners feel like a a RD is someone looking for publicity or trying to get themselves some ink or something.

I think a better assesment would be that most runners really don't have a concept into what goes into being a race director. Only a total moron would think that the thankless job of race directing is being done for publicity or glory. And I'm sure you've encountered your share of runners guilty of being total morons.

I've been to plenty of races over the years that were true train wrecks. Most of those had the distinction of being "1st Annuals".

Pamela Anderson's Left Nipple wrote:

Here are some ideas:

1. If you're the RD and don't want to be disturbed by the runners, then designate a volunteer who is available to inform the award winners how to arrange to get their awards if they are unable to stay.

2. Hold raffles (or other activities) until after the awards have been given.

Just remember, RD, each dissatisfied runner who doesn't return the following year puts the race that much closer to becoming a race that "used to be".

Well, it's even more cut and dried than that. Advertise what you plan to deliver and deliver what you advertise.

We do a 10K/30K and there is a considerable time from the first to last finisher. There is even a significant time for the first to last award winner. That's a big problem for ANY RD. AN RD has two choices, make the faster award winners wait, or piss off the (larger) group of slower runners that have consistently voiced disapproval when the awards ceremony is over by the time they finish.

The solution isn't too complicated, at the race site and in the broshure post when you intend to do the awards ceremony. Talk with your results people and determine when they can produce results, give them a few minutes slack and go with that time. People can then decide for themselves what they want to do. The faster people can go take a shower or do a cool down and come back if they want. Everyone knows how long the wait is.

Obviously things can go wrong. The most common problem really isn't in results, but in registration. Runners can do a lot to help avoid this. Avoid registering race day as most registration problems are due to the last minute rush. If you must register race day, be courteous and show up on time. The odds of any race being able to support having a bunch of people show up 15 minutes before the race starts are pretty much nil, so get there with enough time and do your warm up AFTER registering not before. Also, keep in mind that someone has to read your registration form. If it's not clear and complete someone is going to try to research it. That 10 minutes spent figuring out if that 10th place finisher named "aaron" is a guy or gal is 10 minutes everyone waits.

Every registration problem delays results, so everything runners can to to stop them will help. They can point confused looking people in the right direction at registration, they can tell their new running friends to pre-register.

And of course the most obvious thing is if you don't like the way a race is run you have two choices, volunteer to help organize it or stay away. Either way the RD gets the message.

This last post is so much more sane than your previous posts. I've read your replies to rants on letsrun in the past regarding race directors. I have to tell you Keith, I would bet the right nipple that you (and race directors like you) are not the focus of these rants. The simple fact alone that you come to letsrun indicates that you are in touch with what runners want and how they feel.

I've been to races that take 90 minutes from the end of the race. I've been to races where they mismeasured the course, remembered water, but had nowhere near enough cups (or safety pins, or pencils to fill out registration), etc. I've been to a race that had the course go through a chainlink fence that never got unlocked. These situations happen to first time race directors who are not prepared and don't have a plan of action.

I applaud that you and others want to defend the responsibilities and problems encountered by race directors. It can sometimes be a thankless job. But you are absolutely correct in stating that the easiest way to avoid problems is to advertise what you plan to deliver and deliver what you advertise.

I've shown up to races late, and have had to run from the registration table to the start, and catch every single runner and pass most of them. From that I learned not to show up late. But I've shown up to more races where the RD holds the start for late registrants. Who is to blame then? Is it lack of planning in terms of registratiion staff, or is the fact of holding a race start teaching these late arrivers that if they get there late, there will be no consequence? Of course, wehn you're working for a charity race, then you are probably expected to hold the start to maximize entry dollars, but that only serves to delay everything, including the start of an awards sessions.

In response again to the orignal poster, though, I do think that race directors should make it accessible to the runners to receive their awards, either by mail or giving the runner information on how to obtain it after the event date.

I've been racing for the last 27 years, and I have witnessed the increase of "no shows" during the awards ceremony. For many years I was working weekends with a start time of 10a, meaning I raced and left to shower and go to work. It is no secret that people will leave before the ceremony. Stating the options for those runners upfont on the registration form, near the results, or making an announcement at the start would probably alleviate a lot of headaches for you guys.

And thanks for being a race director, just in case no one has thanked you for awhile.