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 Mar 28 Mitch Garner's Convention Blog #2
Road Runners Club of America 51st Annual ConventionSan Francisco, California March 27, 2009 - Day #2 Yesterday morning, I rose very early to take a walk along the waterfront here in San Francisco. It was a beautiful morning, crisp and clear, and my walk took me west toward the Marina and Fort Mason and the Golden Gate Bridge. It was wonderful to see so many young people running in the early morning hours. By my observation, female runners outnumbered male runners by about four to one. I have no explanation for this phenomenon other than that more female runners must be early morning risers or that growth in the sport of running is coming from the female population. At one point, I was walking up a hill, and a man riding a bicycle came upon me and said, "I'll race you up the hill." His face was weathered, and his teeth were very discolored. I replied, "Well, you're riding a bicycle, and I'm walking." He said, "Yes, but I've just had three cigarettes to start my day." We tied in our race to the top of the hill, and he agreed to try to cut down on his smoking. Maybe men do need to start getting more involved in running! Day 2 of the RRCA Convention started with a Continental breakfast sponsored by Star Insurance and K&K Insurance and a special welcome, complete with a pair of Chinese dragon dancers and some musical accompaniment, to convention attendees from Josh Muxen, elite athlete coordinator and community outreach director for the ING Bay to Breakers 12K. Terry Dillard of K&K Insurance gave an update on the insurance coverage provided to RRCA member clubs. The coverage has three basic components: $1 million liability coverage for races and programs, with no aggregate; $10,000 medical coverage for injuries; and directors' and officers' liability coverage for running clubs. He addressed the following developments in the ever changing landscape of running. First, recognizing the potential danger of headphone usage, the RRCA does not endorse or encourage the practice of allowing runners to wear headphones during races. This policy is firmly grounded in the RRCA's priority of safety for all runners. Second, to better protect RRCA member clubs against liability claims, the RRCA has developed a "Refusal of Medical Assistance Waiver" for runners who need immediate medical treatment but refuse assistance. The form is available on the RRCA website. Third, the use of youth volunteers at races exposes RRCA member clubs to liability. He recommended that any club wishing to use youth volunteers obtain a liability waiver from parents. Fourth, the RRCA policy covers running events, not bicycle/triathlon events. Following Terry's insurance update, the attendees separated by region to attend meetings conducted by RRCA regional directors, including yours truly. These meetings gave members club officers and state representatives an opportunity to discuss issues specific to the RRCA's four regions: eastern, central, southern, and western. Later in the morning, conventioneers were able to attend presentations on a number of interesting topics, including best practices of effective board members, careers in running, the Blue Planet Run, and establishment of an intermediate running program. The traditional RRCA state representatives luncheon featured the presentation of the RRCA State Rep of the Year award to North Texas state rep Kelly K2 Richards and a talk by Marshall Ulrich, the only person in the world to complete was has been called the "Triple Crown of Extreme Sports": world class ultra runner, record-setting adventure racer, and Seven Summits mountaineer. His accomplishments as an ultra runner/athlete are remarkable. He has completed 120 ultra marathons, averaging over 100 miles each. He has reached the top of the world's seven highest mountains, including Mount Everest, all on first attempts. In 2008, he completed a 3,063-mile ultra run across the United States. His accomplishment was equal to the completion of 117 marathons in 52.5 days. In completing this continental crossing, he broke the masters and grand masters records for a cross-country run and marked the third fastest crossing ever on the San Francisco/New York City route. He has crossed Death Valley a record 21 times, including a solo and 586-mile quad (four times across) crossing. He has finished a record 15 Badwater146 ultra marathons. He is the only person to have ever completed the Leadville Trail 100 and the Pikes Peak Marathon on the same weekend. By the end of Marshall's talk, no one was complaining about doing too much mileage in training runs, and we all felt like slackers! The afternoon sessions for convention attendees included the following interesting topics: running club communications; making a race into an event; building a successful half-marathon or full marathon training program; sports nutrition for peak performance; athletes with disabilities; basic trail running; profiles in sportsmanship; and course measurement and the value of course certification. The annual RRCA business meeting proceeded very smoothly. Treasurer Dennis Novak reported that as of December 31, 2008, the RRCA has net assets of $529,729. Despite the economic downturn in 2008, the RRCA's net assets increased by approximately $16,600 in 2008. Executive Director Jean Knaack presented the 2009 budget. President Brent Ayer presented a combined report by the RRCA directors. Vice President David Cotter presented a report by the Strategic Planning Task Force. The strategic plan is intended to provide an outline of the RRCA's strategic direction over the next 10 years and to outline recommendations for long-term and short-term operational plans. The document will be posted on the RRCA website. Gar Williams presented the nominating committee report, and the membership unanimously elected slate of directors for the Southern Region, the Western Region, and the two at large positions for the 2009-2011. The day concluded with a lively reception at the Sports Basement Gala. The reception was sponsored by Sports Basement, the San Francisco Marathon, and the ING Bay to Breakers. Everyone feasted on a Chinese food buffet. Prizes were awarded for various distinctions, including most remote race, oldest t-shirt, longest traveling distance to attend the convention, and funniest hat. There will be many more exciting RRCA Convention happenings to report tomorrow. Keep climbing that mountain and have faith. Mitchell Garner Central Region Director Read the #1 Convention Blog at http://www.rrca.org/news/index.php?article=2426 ###
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