This is somewhat of a test email. I've selected you because you are either possibly interested in my 50K/25K race I hope to direct next fall, or you are a friend or relative of mine.

If you receive TWO or more of these emails at the same address, please let me know. If you do not wish to receive this, please let me know. (I won't be offended!) I will periodically be sending out updates. I'm not sure how often I'll send these out but probably not too often and you can opt out at any time.

You can find race info at http://www.chemsmith.net/50k.html.

As some of you know, I'm only in the beginning stages of organizing this race, and my background is that of a runner but I have absolutely no experience in race directing and am in rather dire need of help.

Although I have the course mostly laid out, and I have gotten some good verbal feedback from the folks who need to approve the race (DNR, City of Solon, Johnson County, U of Iowa). My next main step is to make sure I can secure insurance for the race and then to get more formal approval from the above folks. After that, the real nuts and bolts work will begin.

There is so much to think about that I'm not even sure of all I have to do, but I do need help for sure in the following areas:

1. I need a volunteer coordinator to help organize all the race day volunteers. We'll need start/finish line volunteers, aid-station volunteers, volunteers on the course to keep runners on the right path. Of course we also need folks to go out before the race to mark the course, and folks to clean up after.
2. I need a "chef" to help prepare not only the aid stations but some kind of post-race food. I pretty much know what to have at the aid stations. Some hot soup/hot chocolate and treats (e.g., cookies) would be great post-race food. Or pizza, or brats, etc. Who knows!
3. I need someone who is good at finding sponsors.
4. It would be nice to find folks who want to run the course so they could double check that my course is reasonable, and to help check the length.
5. I don't really know how I should handle the issue of what to do if someone gets hurt.
6. Gotta do a bunch of other little things, like get porta potties, get firewood for the fireplaces at the lodge, find tables for the aid stations; deal with awards, timing, bibs, t-shirts, etc.
7. I need a graphic artist (to design t-shirt and signs) but I might have that. Well someone I know volunteered her daughter. But I still don't know how to get the shirts made or how to get signs made yet.
8. My guess is that to secure the insurance, I will join the RRCA and get insurance through them as a nonprofit. I will use any proceeds of the race to give to charity. (One strong possibility is to donate to Lupus research.) Anyone with experience with RRCA/insurance is welcome.
9. Who knows what else I've not thought of! Probably lots! The more help we get, the better!

Anyway, if you're interested in helping, here's a great chance to pick and choose something you might like to do. Hopefully it'll be fun and a great race! Of course I encourage you to run it if you like and to invite others who might be interested. Feel free to have them email me.

There's also a Facebook Fan Page

Thank you and please reply with any comments/questions/suggestions or if you want to help. I'm not averse at this time to bringing in others as co-race-directors. I cannot do this alone.

Tim