Race Directors' Meeting

December 11-13, 2023| Hollywood Beach Marriott | Hollywood Beach, FL

Schedule of Events for the 2023 RRM Race Directors' Meeting and Trade Exhibit

MONDAY, December 11

2:30 P.M. - 5:45 P.M. Packet Pickup

2:30 P.M. - 6:00 P.M. Trade Exhibit

4:30 P.M. - 5:00 P.M. First Timers' Session
Two veteran attendees, Michelle Juehring (Director, Quad-City Times Bix 7) and Craig Ottinger (Director of Operations, Hightech Signs) will give you some tips on how to get the most out of the meeting.

6:00 P.M. - 7:15 P.M. MarathonGuide.com/Publix Gasparilla Distance Classic Welcome Reception - (includes MarathonFoto/Road Race Management “Race Director of the Year” Award, presented by MYLAPS)

TUESDAY, December 12

7:45 A.M. - 8:45 A.M. Ashworth Awards Continental Breakfast

8:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M. Trade Exhibit

8:00 A.M. - 8:45 A.M. Packet Pickup

8:45 A.M. - 8:55 A.M. Welcome - Phil Stewart

8:55 A.M. - 9:55 A.M. Compensating Staff and Volunteers
An examination of the various ways events compensate staff and “volunteers.” Some events pay groups to handle tasks such as water stops, but don’t pay if volunteers don’t show. Many “stand-alone” events pay stipends to Volunteer Coordinators and other key, non-full-time staff because they cannot amortize paid staff on an annual basis. So, who gets paid and how much? How do you decide what is fair?

This session will focus on core staff below the Director and Deputy Director levels.

Faculty: Sean Ryan
Moderator: Phil Stewart

9:55 A.M. - 10:20 A.M. Publix Gasparilla Distance Classic Coffee Break

10:20 A.M. - 11:20 A.M. Best Practices for Communicating with Participants, Volunteers and Sponsors
What are the most effective ways to communicate with participants, volunteers and sponsors on behalf of your event? This session will cover email content, frequency and how to get emails opened and read, plus tips on measuring the effectiveness of your emails. How do you respond to feedback from recipients? We will also explore communicating through other sources such as apps and social media. With more ways to communicate than ever before, how do you avoid turning people off and making sure your messages get read.

Faculty: Andrea Dowdy
Moderator: Jeff Darman

11:25 A.M. - 11:45 P.M. Gatorade Endurance Break

11:45 A.M. - 12:45 P.M. Timing Anatomy
We pull back the curtain on timing operations. Most events have experienced timers, but do race directors really know what is going on behind the scenes and how to take advantage of all the services today’s timers provide? Besides just compiling accurate results, how does the timing team work with other race components such as the app, tracking runners, during the race and more? How can events get the most out of the timing team and assist them? How can your timer facilitate using your data in helpful and innovative ways?

Faculty: Ryan Morris
Moderators: Phil Stewart

12:45 P.M. - 2:15 P.M. Lunch Break and Trade Exhibit Visits

2:15 P.M. - 3:20 P.M. Event Anatomy
This year our traditional session dissects the Quad-City Times Bix 7. Race Director Michelle Juehring will discuss the planning involved in “recreating” the event post-COVID and the challenges and opportunities of taking over from a predecessor who had directed the race for 40 years. What did she do differently and why? What were the challenges in replacing longtime volunteers and retaining and recruiting sponsors? How does she manage everything from registration to awards? What unexpected and expected challenges has she faced and how did she overcome them? What will she do differently in 2024? How did the team tackle declining numbers and how is the turnaround going?

Faculty: Michelle Juehring
Moderator: Phil Stewart

3:20 P.M. - 3:40 P.M. Break

3:40 P.M. - 4:40 P.M. Event Planning: Before and After
“After Action” meetings aren’t just about drinks and socializing. They should be an integral part of ongoing successful event planning. Written reports and operations manuals provide a blueprint for the future and create organizational memory. Preparing them may be tedious but having them is a great help when there is turnover. The post-event “lull” is the time to undertake these efforts.

Faculty: Dave McGillivray
Moderator: Jeff Darman

4:40 P.M. - 5:30 P.M. Trade Exhibit Break

5:30 P.M. -6:30 P.M. Race Directors’ Reception in Conjunction with the Trade Exhibit
Talk with exhibitors of awards, competitor numbers, banners, signs, timing products, apparel, running organizations, online registration services, apps and more. It’s a relaxed opportunity to meet fellow race directors, the faculty and exhibitors in an informal atmosphere.

6:30 P.M. - 8:30 P.M. MarathonGuide.com Keynote Dinner
The dinner includes the announcement and presentation of the MarathonFoto/Road Race Management Lifetime Achievement Award.

Speaker TBD

WEDNESDAY, December 13

8:30 A.M. - 9:00 A.M. Breakfast Snacks and Publix Gasparilla Distance Classic Coffee Break

8:30 A.M. - 11:30 A.M. Trade Exhibit

9:00 A.M. - 10:00 A.M. Event Timelines and Scheduling
How do you develop a timeline for your event? What should be included and in how much detail? How far in advance do you develop it and how do you update it? What is the best format? Who has access and who can make changes? How do you disseminate it for optimal use?

Faculty: Laurel Park
Moderator: Phil Stewart

10:00 A.M. - 10:30 A.M. Gatorade / Trade Exhibit Break

10:30 A.M. - 11:30 A.M. Open Forum
A chance to talk about what you have learned and raise questions about any aspect of your event with attendees and faculty.

Moderators: Jeff Darman and Phil Stewart

11:30 A.M. Trade Exhibit Closes