Race Directors are probably the greatest un-sung heroes of road racing. Many runners who volunteer to help them soon realize that putting on a race is an unbelievable task. It is a life-consuming job that is filled with great risks and a never-ending barrage of requests to do more for runners, sponsors, volunteers and the community. Despite the perils, directors are passionate about what they do. Today, I'm taking the opportunity to give them deserved recognition for their contribution to us, the runners of Michigan. I leave you with their thoughts.

Patricia Ball — Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Bank International Marathon: "There is much about race directing that I love; building relationships, managing chaos and breakthrough, the challenge of growth. But, mostly I love working to build a team of people to accomplish something that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise. That’s what we’re doing in Detroit. The highlight of this year’s event was watching the entire team turn something, potentially negative (change in route), into a rewarding positive experience for all."

"Our mission of the marathon and all events is to give the ordinary person an extraordinary experience. Our goal is to build a city using the event! We are well on our way. 2002 marks the 25^th anniversary. We’re working on 5,000 people for the 25^th. Our longer-range goal is a sea of spectators 26.2 miles long."

Sherlynn Everly — The Crim: "This year's Crim Festival of Races was especially special in that it was our 25th running. We had 28 men who participated in their 25th Crim 10 Miler. We gave them all bib #1 and let them start before the rest of the pack. We also held a Crim Traditions Banquet, which premiered a 25-year retrospective video. Over 200 people attended, and everyone enjoyed this nostalgic trip down the Crim blue line!"

"This was the year I decided to try running. The highlight of my summer was joining the Crim Training Program in May to be able to complete the 10 Mile course. This experience changed my life, both personally and professionally. I now feel a closer bond to my "audience", and can appreciate their enthusiasm for their sport."

"I am truly blessed to be a race director. Runners and walkers are some of the most wonderful people I've ever met! In general, they are committed to healthy lifestyles, as well as to their families and their communities. If you're going to put on an event, runners are a pretty great group to do it for!"

Chuck Block - Super Bowl 5km, Summer Breeze, Lansing Turkey Trot and five other events: "As a race director I am always recruiting some non running family members to volunteer. After helping for the first time, all of them come up to me to express how nice the runners were. They can't get over how so many people thank them for being there."

"It's a thrill to get an idea of a race and work real hard to see it come to fruition. You feel like you created something that will hopefully live on a long time. It's exciting to see it all come together. Sometimes you think a race will be real big, and it ends up a small race. It's somewhat disappointing but in the end it doesn't seem to matter."

"I have set up a running foundation from event proceeds and we use investment dividends for the needs of the running community. Things like scholarships to low income runners, supporting H. S. and College booster clubs, and youth running clubs."

"My basic philosophy on life is that if everyone shared what they loved, this world would be a great place. I love to run, it is my gift, so I want to share it with the world."

Eve Howell - Riverview Winterfest, Zanglin Downriver Run: "My goal is to provide a safe course and give runners their money’s worth. I try to see that entry fees are returned to runners in the cost of t-shirts, awards, food/beverage, entertainment, etc., with an amount left over for a charity, club, etc.) I believe runners like the familiarity of a race and don’t like a lot of changes. But some small and fun changes are good to keep it interesting. I have fun doing it, which is why I've been doing it for almost 20 years."

"A misconception is that bigger is better. People seem to equate an increase or decrease in runners as an indication of the race was in general. A good race is one in which parking, bathrooms, food, are not overtaxed. I appreciate when a runner comes to you after the race to thank you. A great event raises money for a charity and provides your city with a good, clean, healthy environment that showcases their city. I get a thrill when I see young kids participating. And there is nothing like seeing several hundred or a thousand runners/walkers take off from the start line on a race that you helped organize."

Tami Duquette - Martian Marathon, Running Fit Trail Marathon, Dances with Dirt 100k Relay and Campaign Director for the Team In Training program for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: "The boom of relay runners in Michigan is amazing. We had record numbers for Dances With Dirt this year and it shows no sign of stopping. I think runners have found that sharing an event directly with others gives a new level of excitement and allows those that may not be able to complete an endurance event on their own a chance to participate. What I enjoy most is seeing the faces at the finish line. It is rewarding to know that I had some hand in either helping them or making their event special. It was fun directing the Martian Marathon through its first year and surprising to see so many from out of state come for our 'little' event."

Ed Kozloff — President of the Motor City Striders: "I have been fortunate to have been around before running reached its height of popularity and have been a race director since 1972, at over 700 events. Its been gratifying to know some runners who ran in high school, kept up with the sport and now continue running in their 40's. It has also been great to have worked with over two dozen charities and with the

Motor City Striders raised several million dollars for them. It's equally gratifying to be able to be a part of many individual's fitness programs through the sport of long distance running."

Anne & John Gualt - Direct monthly Riverbend Strider events, Mackinaw Island races - Lilac Festival 10, Great Turtle 1/2 Marathon: "We are fortunate to be the timing company for many great Michigan events including The Crim, Free Press Marathon, Volkslaufe in Frankenmuth, Dexter to Ann Arbor, Bay City St. Patrick's Day, Howell Fantasy of Lights and many other great events. This fall we timed NCAA Div. 1 and 2 cross country meets and last weekend the Div. 2 national championships at Slippery Rock University. It was the first time a cross country national meet was timed using the champion chip. The chip allowed us to give splits and score the meet at the half-way point which was very well received by coaches, race directors and runners."

Bob Baril - Co-Director Great Lakes Relay: "We love being out in nature. It gives us pleasure to know many runners who run the relay tell us they think the relay is the highlight of their running year. We enjoy finding new legs through rivers, over hilly sandboxes, etc., and then seeing the faces of runners who have just finished running those legs. We also enjoy hearing the stories from runners who ran tough or scenic legs. We try to make the race beautiful yet tough, but we don't take it to the extreme."

"We also like the fact that we've raised a lot of money for Michigan Special Olympics, and have helped out the state parks that we use with financial donations."

Kristen Aidif — River Bank Run presented by Fifth Third Bank - 2001 saw the return to the downtown Grand Rapids course after a one-year change in location due to construction. "The energy race morning was incredible -- plus we had almost perfect running weather. Our race committee is already excited about 2002 because it will be our 25^th anniversary." I'm also very thankful for the commitment by the new lead sponsor of the River Bank Run, Fifth Third Bank. Old Kent's history with the race will live on for those of us who have been involved with the event for so long. They, along with the Grand Rapids Track Club, had a vision in 1978, which brought us through to today. What a blessing that Fifth Third shares the same commitment to the community as well as to the thousands of runners, volunteers and spectators who will be positively impacted by future River Bank Run events."