AARC & RRCA merge

This is huge news because it will change???? NOTHING

Not sure why the 4 question marks and the all caps ?nothing?. RRCA has 130,000 members. That?s a boatload of runners. Not sure how many members AARC has. I?m sure this is of interest to some here.

So? What does this mean? How does it change anything?

I?d say that first that these two major national running organizations have resolved their differences. It means that each group and all their members become stronger as their numbers increase and they speak with one voice. The RRCA is the largest running organization in America.

It means that they will survive, as that was in question before. It means the RRCA Championships the Safety Workshops, the Women?s Distance Festival and their Coaching Certification program will continue. Their support of developing runners through the Roads Scholar program will continue. It means that things like 501c3 status and insurance will continue for many clubs around the country. Not only continue but improve with more members, money and strength.

The RRCA has done much for the improvement of running in America and I think this merger is what was needed to assure that they and their purpose will continue and grow.

Counting you patio, that makes one that gives a shit.

Note for clubs - when RRCA bestows its tax exempt status on a club, it does so incorrectly. It is nice that they tell you that you are in their group exemption, it is not possible. The group exemption requires the RRCA to be the parent organization that exercises control and supervision (mainly through 51% or greater ownership/Board seats or through detailed organic documents, such as By-Laws, that give the RRCA control of most operational activities).

I realize this is not an issue for most. But evidence of how RRCA (and AARC for that matter) do business. Ask them about their "unlimited" insurance - then ask an insurance agent how often you get this coverage. Just beware (on the tax issue, be careful when making claims to contributors).

IRS - you are obviously unaware of you're own publications. Please read:

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p557.pdf

. Specifically, the section heading "Group Exemption" on page 6. It clearly states the premise for the RRCA and its member clubs to claim a "group exemption". Basically, you have no idea what you're talking about.

Patio - as for your ideas about all these great benefits - they ceased two years ago when the RRCA was about to go belly up. It will be interesting to see what the new leadership decides to do. As for those who think the organization is usless and you don't care about it, take a look at any road race you run, 95% of them are possible because of the RRCA, so they do more than you think.

Now if we can just get them< usatf and running usa under the same banner it'll mean something.

Patio -

This is a total joke....the "new" merged organization is nothing but the same old ego maniacs coming back together to recreate the same meaningless organization that it always was. The RRCA/AARC is nothing but a glorified insurance agent. They provide nothing to the running community other than being a recepticle for insurance premium payments that could just as easily be collected by the ACTUAL insurance provider. The insurance company choses not to do it themselves because they don't want the hassle of having to deal directly with the stupid little running clubs.

>>>>RRCA Championships the Safety Workshops, the Women?s Distance Festival and their Coaching Certification program will continue. Their support of developing runners through the Roads Scholar program will continue.<<<<<

Let's look at these great programs...

RRCA Championships.....all you have to do to become an RRCA NATIONAL Championship race is send in an application with your $250 fee and you get to become a championship race. Can anyone here name one national championship race they have???? Didn' think so.

Safety Workshops.....let's see....."Don't run wearing head phones, don't run alone in poorly lit areas.....carry a cell phone.....yup, we need these kind of workshops (for the freakin BRAIN DEAD runners out there...chances are they are Gallowalkers anyway).

Women's Distance Festival .... this is 2004 isn't it??? Don't women make up roughly 50% of nearly every road race held today? I think the time for women's only races is loooooooong gone. That's right, most of the "leaders" of the RRCA are middle age women who recently discovered their sense of self worth thru running.

Roads Scholar Program ... $4,000 per year to up and coming runners. Big deal. For a national organization that has been around since the late 1950's you'd think they could scrape up a few more $ than $4k/yr for a runner.

You are exactly right, the group, in essence, is a "glorified insurance agent". So what if that is all they offer. That is the service that local races need, therefore they fill an important niche. As said early, 95% of the road races everyone runs are "RRCA" races.

The problem is that certain people in the organization, and the people on here bitching for that matter, try to make the organization something that it is not.

Even if they've been little but an insurance agent the last few years that's still a valuable service. The group policy (and board policy's) that are available can't be had through other carriers at the prices that are available through RRCA.

Since you're a fool to have an incorporated club without insurance for your board, and in many communities it's impossible (or sometimes illegal) to have a public event without insurance, the RRCA makes it possible for many events and clubs to exist.

You can get similar insurance through USATF, anyone who's gone through the sanction paperwork knows it's a pain the the ass and something that has to be repeated for every event, not at a group level like RRCA's. Also, from a cost standpoint, private insurance is often cheaper than USATF.

Now could RRCA (and AARC) do more. Sure. I've been pretty damn dissapointed with the antics of the last few years. There's one simple things that would make the RRCA a better organization, getting a few "serious" runners off their complaining, whining asses and out volunteering in member organizations (and for state and national positions). The reason that groups like the RRCA get their tit in a wringer and why they're more concerned with "social" aspects of runner lately, is because people with less concern for management and competitive running in general are main ones stepping up to the plate and doing the work.

If you look at Roads Scholar, just a few people put that together. We need more people like Don Kardong working in the organization and Scott Douglas putting in the time to fund raise. Now's a good opportunity to do something positive instead of sitting on the sidelines bitching.

LMAO wrote:

Safety Workshops.....let's see....."Don't run wearing head phones, don't run alone in poorly lit areas.....carry a cell phone.....yup, we need these kind of workshops (for the freakin BRAIN DEAD runners out there...chances are they are Gallowalkers anyway).

"Don't run with scissors."

As a runner involved in club and race management, the RRCA has been invaluable to my club and me. I agree that there have been less than perfect situations over the last few years.

There is now a whole new regime and I optimistically look forward to the future of the RRCA.

As for those who think the organization is usless and you don't care about it, take a look at any road race you run, 95% of them are possible because of the RRCA, so they do more than you think.[/quote]

Simply not true and depends on what area of the country you are in. Here in CT it is highly unlikely that the RRCA has a hand in more than a handful of races. And this is in an area that probably has more races per sq mile than any area in the country. I would think the same is true in Mass. Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Maine.

You're probably mistaken about the Massachusetts races. Many (most?) are put on by Mass Running Clubs. These clubs get their insurance through RRCA.

Here are list of CT RRCA clubs:

Shenipsit Striders Coventry CT

Hartford Track Club Inc Farmington CT

Club Connecticut Georgetown CT

Hartford Marathon Foundation Glastonbury CT

Silk City Striders Marlborough CT

River Valley Runners Old Saybrook CT

Stamford Running Club Stamford CT

Old Goat Running Club Suffield CT

Willimantic Athletic Club Willimantic CT

I would say these clubs are responsible for more than a few races in CT and any of those races are probably under the RRCA umbrella. The organization is much more omnipresent than most realize.

more penquin races

16x wrote:

more penquin races

Come on 16x. Really? What are you saying?

Running clubs that are members of RRCA don't put on "real" races?