This is our second email update. To read previous updates and to be reminded of what all this is about, please visit http://www.chemsmith.net/50k.html. (For those on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Hawkeye50K?ref=ts )
(I've added some folks to this. If you're not interested in receiving emails about this, please let me know!)
There are just a few things in this email.
1. I will be running/jogging the course on the weekend of March 20/21. I invite anyone to come along. I'm not yet exactly sure which day or what time I'll be running, but am willing to try to accommodate anyone who wants to come. At least one other runner should be there with me. Please email me if you'd like to come along. The pace should be slow. Probably like 11 min per mile-ish. Hard to say, exactly. But I wouldn't leave anyone behind. And I can only go so fast. :-D
2. I've still had no offers to help with the race. It's getting a bit serious and as much as I want to do this, I'm not going to do it alone. So here's your chance to jump in on the action. We can learn to do it together and maybe some day you'll be a race director. In fact, I'm happy to take on co-race-directors right now! I'd love that. Along with possible co-race-directors, I need the following positions. I'll try my best to describe what each person might be doing.
A. Volunteer coordinator. You and I would gather names and emails for awhile. Then you would be charged (all with my help) of figuring out where each person would be on race day. Some will be at aid stations. Some at points on the race to direct the runners. We'll also need some at the start/finish for various tasks. We'll also need some folks who can go out the day before and mark the course, and help with removing flags and such at the end.
B. Food coordinator. There will likely be three aid stations. In ultrarunning events such as this, the aid stations need food. Things like pb&j sandwiches, fruit, crackers, pretzels, peanuts, M&M's, water, a sports drink, and even cola. I need someone to help gather all this stuff as well as hit up HyVee or other local stores for free food (HyVee evidently has a track record of donating food and maybe things like cups). You might be helping me get tables set up as well for the food. And you'll oversee that the racers don't run out of food.
I don't know if there will be much in the way of post-race food. Surely we can just set out some snacks and that will be fine. But if someone is gung ho and wants to make something special for the runners like soups or burgers or whatever, I'd happily consider that. Obviously that would be a hefty amount of work.
C. Medical Director. I really don't know what level of medical assistance to provide, or how to do it. Any help on this would be appreciated.
D. Sponsor Coordinator. Someone to run around town to try to get sponsors. E.g., Scheels and other sport stores, restaurants, etc. Also trying to get freebies from places. E.g., water bottles, recyclable bags (as goody bags?), Gu, etc. I have some vague idea of how to do this, but I need help. We can probably live without much of this, really, but it would all be nice. In other words, lots of folks like swag.
E. I'm sure I forgot something.
I'll basically be handling the course design, getting permission from various authorities for the race, getting race insurance, reserving the lodge at the race start, maintaining the web site, race registration, port-o-potties, flags for the course, getting t-shirts, awards. Although in all of these cases, any advice is good.
I have gotten some good advice on how to do many things, but I just don't have the time or even confidence to do it myself.
Like I said, here's a chance to jump in and really take over a lot of the effort, if you want! I'm just a runner at heart who thinks this would make a great race. Directing is more scary than running!
3. Finally, here's something those of you in the area might be interested in: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=350148289737&ref=ts (I guess you have to be on Facebook to see that.) Also here: http://www.soiowa.org/IowaCityPolarPlunge/tabid/189/Default.aspx . If there are some other locals who want to do this, I might be interested in forming a team.
Thanks again,
Tim