The Path to Ultra Success: Reflections of a Guest Race Director
Event: Ridum30
Date: 7th September 2024
Organiser: Pegasus Ultra Running (Husband and wife team Rhys and Cerys Jenkins and baby Nye)
The RIDUM 2024 • Pegasus Ultra Running
30 mile ultra marathon along the Rhymney Valley Ridgeway Walk.
Rhys and Cerys reached out to me in February 2024. Their aim is to make ultra-running as accessible as possible and they are particularly passionate about increasing the level of female involvement in ultra-running, whether that is as a runner or as a race director! For their 2024 season, they wanted to invite female guest race directors as a way on increasing female participation.
About • Pegasus Ultra Running
We had a catch up on zoom, sharing more about what they already provide and asking me to be a guest race director, I did not hesitate. A few of the things already available at Pegasus events include:
* Toilet provision at the start and finish of Pegasus events and other details of toilets available along the course
* Dedicated checkpoints at the events for female running clubs. There were 3 checkpoints at this event and they were hosted by run clubs. She Runs, Running Punks, Albany Road Run Club
* No cut off times
* A generous pregnancy / postpartum deferral policy
* Sanitary products available at the start, finish and checkpoints
* At least one female race director at every event
* Equal coverage of both women and the men’s field with equal rewards at all events
* Detailed race manual
* Sweepers to help participants at the back of the pack to feel safe, particularly during night hours
Amazing Gruby of SheRuns Cardiff - joint RD
Being a race director offers a chance to be at the centre of a race event, making key decisions on race control, safety, and regulations. It allowed me to experience running events from a completely different perspective. I have been blessed to be asked to be a guest race director previously. My first time being in March 2024 Lea Valley 25k/50km. Camino Ultra are an ultra-marathon event organiser based in London. They are known for hosting races in London focusing on urban and natural trails. One of their signature races is the London to Lea Valley 50km that follows the waterways and trails in the city and surrounding areas. Camino Ultra’s ethos is about providing a safe, inclusive and enjoyable event for their athletes and volunteers.
Camino Ultra gave me a huge insight into the practicalities of the role. The side that us runners do not see or even care to think about. We turn up on race day, collect our bibs or receive it in the post, turn up and run. The night before the event I travelled to Welwyn Garden City to help Darren (Co-founder) and other volunteers to get everything ready.
Exposure to New Technologies
Race directors have access to the latest technologies in race monitoring, safety equipment, and communication systems. This is really fascinating as I am always interested in cutting-edge developments in running.
At the Camino Ultra event I was introduced to ONETIME | Timing & Results and how it is set up on the system to connect the runners details and the timing chip. With this system, you can either match the timing chip to the race bib yourself as the organiser or can pay the company to do this, to save time. The morning of the event we set up the registration desk, the start line (infamous pink arch) and the products that were to be driven to the check points and bag drop.
Safety briefing at Camino Ultra 50km
Passion for running
As a race director, you have to have a deep love for the sport and see it as a way to give back or be more involved in the sport you care about. If you follow my journey, you will know that as much as I love running, I love being an advocate for the sport and support the increase of women and girls into the sport. My run journey started a long time ago in secondary school where I took part in many sporting events ranging from weightlifting to cycling and track and field events of course.
From the two events that I have been guest race directors, the passion of the organisers and their love and care for the sport, the runners and the volunteers is clear.
Insight into Race Dynamics
Acting as a race director these opportunities provides me with a deeper understanding of how races are run, from safety protocols to technical regulations. It offers a hands-on learning experience in managing various aspects of an event. I am in this for the long run!
Challenge and Responsibility
The role of race director is high-pressure (though you wouldn’t know from the faces of the organisers!), requiring quick thinking and sound judgment. For many, the challenge of managing a race and making important decisions in real-time is highly rewarding. Not only are you just putting on an event, but health and safety is a huge task requiring you to carry out detailed risk assessments of the ‘what—ifs’. And with 300 runners, that signed up for Ridum30, this is a huge ask but it would still be a huge ask if only 100 runners registered.
Safety and Inclusivity – Having a safe route which is well lit, secure and patrolled will make participants feel more comfortable. This involves avoiding isolated areas and visible marshals including a tail walker along the course.
Support for all levels – Pegasus cater for all abilities of runners, from elite to beginners and with their ‘no cut off times’ it takes the pressure off anyone who is new to ultra-running or wants to walk the entire race.
Inclusive facilities – The offer of accessible toilets, female sanitary products and pregnancy deferral policy means that it is a female friendly set-up.
Prior to attending my first event as a race director, I did plenty of research to find out what exactly I need to know and what I will be doing. I mean, I even looked to see if there were courses or qualifications I could complete. I didn’t find any courses as such, though there were some US ones which were not relevant but there was lots of information on what RD do and their responsibilities.
As you can imagine, there is a lot of work that goes into this role. The first and foremost is getting people to attend, you need a great grassroots outreach, or social media presence. Let’s put it this way, most people wouldn’t want to run a race with a race director that has no idea what they are doing, or doesn't have significant experience in the running community. Other things to consider include (but not limited to):
* permits/insurance
* getting sponsors for swag and race prizes
* staying financially solvent (you may not be in it for the money but you need to break even or it doesn't work)
* having an actual interesting race is hard. Having an interesting course, is a good vibe
* enough volunteers to staff aid stations, enough equipment to staff aid stations, medical professionals
Taken from Pegasus website
Rhys is a seasoned ultra marathon fanatic having spent the last decade compiling an impressive repertoire of race completions. He has completed many challenges including the badwater 135 mile official race, the canalrace c.i.c.’s 145 mile GUCR, 145 mile KACR and 130 mile LLRC canalslam and a 2,000 mile run from boston to Austin.
It was lovely chatting to Rhys about his adventures on our drive to set up.
Broadening Skillset
Many people take on the role to develop new skills such as leadership, crisis management, and communication under pressure. These skills are not only valuable within running but also transferable to other areas of my personal life.
Being a guest race director, I hope is a way to contribute to the growth and success of the sport. I hope to provide feedback to ensure races are competitive, fair, and safe, whilst playing a crucial role in maintaining the integrity of the sport. Ultimately increasing female participation and diversity on the start line.
I would love to talk about some of the amazing work that SheRACES are doing with race organisers. If you are not familiar, SheRACES focuses on helping event organisers increase female participation and representation in endurance sports, particularly in running and ultra-running events. The movement advocates for creating a more inclusive, supportive and safe environments for women in races. Founded by the wonderful Sophie Power, SheRACES highlights the barriers women face in competitive sports ad work to eliminate them through advocacy and awareness. Sophie founded SheRACES so that women have the same opportunities as men, where women are encouraged to participate and whilst there are differences, these are held in equal regards. Why: ‘Because a woman’s place is on the start line’ – Sophie Power. This initiative encourages race organisers to adopt policies and practices that actively promote a more female-friendly race environment.
Bringing a Fresh Perspective
Guest race directors, particularly those from outside the regular race control teams, can bring new ideas or approaches to how races are managed. A fresh perspective can improve decision-making, race strategies, or safety standards. This role also provides a chance to implement new technologies, procedures, or safety protocols, which can set precedents for future races. Being part of such innovations is exciting for people who enjoy pushing the boundaries of the sport.
Building Relationships
I feel like I have made amazing connections and these are people that I will keep in contact with. Rhys, Cerys, Nye and the wonderful people that make up Pegasus running community welcomed me with open arms and I will definitely be returning to run and if invited again, be a RD!
On an extra note, Pegasus take this aspect to a whole new level. One that I had never come across at any of the events I have participated in. As part of my role, I was tasked with calling a third of the participants as the plan was to have three female race directors on race day. Rhys and Cerys compiled the list of participants and sent it though. I started calling the participants 3 - 4 days prior to event day. The aim of this was to give the runners an opportunity to ask any questions, alleviate anxieties and just make them feel more relaxed before race day. I absolutely LOVE this! and so do the runners. Such a great USP at Pegasus and the runners really do appreciate this call. They actually look forward to this!
My final takeaways:
* Constant learning- each race provides valuable lessons for future events as no two events are ever the same.
* Emotional reward - watching runners push their limits and achieve personal goals left me with a sense of pride. These emotional highs and lows create a lasting impact for the organisers, volunteers and the whole event team.
* Community and passion - these type of events attract a unique community of passionate and dedicated individuals. Witnessing the camaraderie between us all on the day was beautiful and will hold a place in my heart.
* Teamwork and dedication - it really does take a village. It takes the art of delegation from Rhys and Cerys to coordinate the events and having a strong and passionate team contributes to this success.
Final thought
" The success of a race isn't measured by how fast it's run, but by how well organised and the memories it leaves behind "
Future hopes
I still have so much more to learn. This is only the beginning. I am so grateful for the invites. I would absolutely also love some international involvement.
It would be an opportunity to gain insight into how different countries and regions handle race management and regulatory practices. I am also open to consulting and advisory roles. Hit me up!!!
I will continue to share my experiences and if you have managed to read this far, I hope you have found this useful. Please feel free to reach out to me and ask me any questions. Leave and moment and let me know what you think! ❤️
I appreciate you spending a few moments of your day here with me. Your time and engagement help make this blog what it is, and I am thankful for your continued interest. I hope you'll continue to follow along on this journey.
Peace and love ❤️
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