Early morning start; this is not a sprint. It IS a marathon. And I am down to that last blasted 6 miles. The true test of tenacity.
The last few days have been busy, no doubt. Up at 4:00 am, and plan to be for the next few days. This Race Director gig makes the literal turn figurative, and vice versa.
Yesterday we got the shirts for participants and volunteers alike - two truckloads! They look amazing, and thanks to Action Graphics we have them in plenty of time. Also we have some nice merchandise for all of you to purchase as souvenirs if you wish.
We drove the course yesterday & did some preliminary marking. It is in great shape. The full marathoners will enjoy gorgeous views and a run through the pines. It made me wish I was running too! ;-)
What else? Forestry Permit has been signed off on and we have our dedicated Course drivers & set-up team in place. They are the ones the runners really need to thank! It is an amazing job that they do; very detail oriented, tedious at times, and not for the faint of heart. They begin their day on Saturday meeting at 3:00 am.
I would also like to point out that Bryan H. at A-1 Water in Prescott is a HUGE lifesaver. He also shows up at 3:00 am with his water truck and fills up all of the barrels at the water stations. What would we do without Bryan? I don't know.
Our hard working Volunteer WRM Committee has also been working side by side with myself and Craig Malone, our Asssistant Race Director for nine months now "giving brith" to this event. It is not easy, and they have put in a lot of time and lended a lot of support and expertise.
We had our first (ever!) Volunteer Training Meeting this week at the Y. Although turnout was slim, it was fantastic to meet some of our dedicated volunteers and hear their stories. They are ready to help you have a wonderful race experience too!
If you are a local, please support the businesses that support the event (visit our webpage Sponsors tab) - and stay tuned to the Prescott Daily Courier. We should have four days of WRM coverage this year! Great!
See you all tomorrow at the Expo & Packet Pick-up!
Jessica
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
We're Gearing Up and Counting Down
We are on the 3 day countdown to our 33rd Annual Whiskey Row Marathon! I am keeping busy confirming all the details for race day. We are ready for your to join us at the YMCA on Friday between 3:00pm and 8:00pm. Some of the questions that I have been answering frequently are listed below.
We DO allow you to have your packet picked up by a friend or family member.
You CAN change the distance of your race at packet pick-up time on Friday night or Saturday morning. The timing company (Raceplace Events) will handle the change.
Professional event photography will be provided by Zazoosh.com
http://www.zazoosh.com/events/418
This is the site to visit after the race to find images of your smiling face crossing the finish line.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
WRM Race Swag
Hats, socks, stickers, shirts and more! We have expanded the WRM merchandise for sale at this year's Whiskey Row Marathon Events. These are your first sneak peaks!
Be sure to check out the merchandise in person at the Expo Friday night @ the YMCA (3-8pm).
And last, but not least, here are the long sleeved forest green technical shirts for the Full Marathoners (we will also have some for sale).
Friday, April 29, 2011
2011 Shirt Design Released!
Here you go...your sneak peak at this year's race shirt. This is the shirt given to all paid participants (while supplies last), except Full Marathoners. The Full Marathoners will receive a technical long sleeved shirt in forest green.
We look forward to seeing you all on race day: Saturday, May 14th, 2011.
Remember that packet pick-up & Expo will be at the YMCA on Friday night from 3:00pm-8:00pm.
See you there!
Saturday, March 26, 2011
"Are YOU running the Whiskey Row Marathon?"
"Are you running the Whiskey Row Marathon?" I get asked this all the time. No, I am not running the Whiskey Row, I am RUNNING the Whiskey Row. Maybe someday I can do both simultaneously, but for now I better just focus on coordinating the event and training on the course on the weekends.
The job of Race Director is starting to gain exponential intensity. Although I have worked as second in command on this race for the last five years, my first year as R.D. certainly is loaded with expectation - both intrinsic and external. If you are curious about what goes on in the mind of a race director, please read on.
I truly want to have a race that makes the runners happy! As a runner, I gather anecdotal mental notes when I participate in races throughout the year; in Colorado, Flagstaff or Tucson. The feedback that I receive is never falling on "deaf ears".
Some runners think that it is bothersome to give an R.D. comments about how you think the race could be improved. Well, if we do not have the open mindedness to hear your ides for improvement...then can we really say we are open to making this race better for YOU, the participant? I don't think so! I welcome the phone calls, the emails and the "Hey...can I ask you something about Whiskey Row?" grocery store conversations.
So in the last couple of weeks I have discovered a few things that were not on my "checklist" which I found out, by the grace of other generous-minded community members, just in the nick of time.
I taped an interview on an episode of "Prescott Today" which should be airing on Access 13 on the 28th. I believe it is only viewable by those with Cable One service. We are also filming a WRM Commercial that will be airing on Cable One during April.
What else? Oh yeah- ADDING more bands to the After Party. You better just plan on being there because once you hear the music and are hanging out on the Courthouse Square, you will want to be there for hours and take it easy in Prescott. Lounge in the grass, tapping your toes- or better yet- dancing to Greg & the Gringos or Big Daddy D! A HUGE thanks to the Eagles Club of Prescott for organizing the After Party. It will be a wonderful and welcomed addition to our big event.
And how could I forget...that sweet looking muscle car that will be at the Y on Monday, March 28th for you to check out in person if you thought it was too good to be true. This 1970 Camaro 454 Super Sport is cherried out and could be YOURS for as little as $50! That is right. I cannot tell a lie...just ask my family and friends. You can see it all over my face. Well, maybe not in this format. Anyways, the raffle tickets are on sale through the end of March for only $50 each. April 1st tickets will sell for $100 each or 3 tickets for $250. No matter what, the value is tremendous considering that this classic car is appraised at over $17,500.
This is all in the name of charity, people. What charity? This is not one of those "megathons" where you pay $150 and the money goes to...I don't know, your regular amenities and ... ?
The Prescott YMCA is a 501c3 and the Whiskey Row Marathon events are our largest fundraiser for the Scholarship Fund which provides opportunities for families in need to participate in programs that they could not otherwise afford. In 2010 the Prescott YMCA gave out over $200,000 in financial aid for programs like: swimming lessons, wellness programs, Preschool tuition and After School Care.
On behalf of the children and families that this helps,
Thank YOU! for your contribution and participation in the Prescott YMCA Whiskey Row Marathon Events.
The job of Race Director is starting to gain exponential intensity. Although I have worked as second in command on this race for the last five years, my first year as R.D. certainly is loaded with expectation - both intrinsic and external. If you are curious about what goes on in the mind of a race director, please read on.
I truly want to have a race that makes the runners happy! As a runner, I gather anecdotal mental notes when I participate in races throughout the year; in Colorado, Flagstaff or Tucson. The feedback that I receive is never falling on "deaf ears".
Some runners think that it is bothersome to give an R.D. comments about how you think the race could be improved. Well, if we do not have the open mindedness to hear your ides for improvement...then can we really say we are open to making this race better for YOU, the participant? I don't think so! I welcome the phone calls, the emails and the "Hey...can I ask you something about Whiskey Row?" grocery store conversations.
So in the last couple of weeks I have discovered a few things that were not on my "checklist" which I found out, by the grace of other generous-minded community members, just in the nick of time.
I taped an interview on an episode of "Prescott Today" which should be airing on Access 13 on the 28th. I believe it is only viewable by those with Cable One service. We are also filming a WRM Commercial that will be airing on Cable One during April.
What else? Oh yeah- ADDING more bands to the After Party. You better just plan on being there because once you hear the music and are hanging out on the Courthouse Square, you will want to be there for hours and take it easy in Prescott. Lounge in the grass, tapping your toes- or better yet- dancing to Greg & the Gringos or Big Daddy D! A HUGE thanks to the Eagles Club of Prescott for organizing the After Party. It will be a wonderful and welcomed addition to our big event.
And how could I forget...that sweet looking muscle car that will be at the Y on Monday, March 28th for you to check out in person if you thought it was too good to be true. This 1970 Camaro 454 Super Sport is cherried out and could be YOURS for as little as $50! That is right. I cannot tell a lie...just ask my family and friends. You can see it all over my face. Well, maybe not in this format. Anyways, the raffle tickets are on sale through the end of March for only $50 each. April 1st tickets will sell for $100 each or 3 tickets for $250. No matter what, the value is tremendous considering that this classic car is appraised at over $17,500.
This is all in the name of charity, people. What charity? This is not one of those "megathons" where you pay $150 and the money goes to...I don't know, your regular amenities and ... ?
The Prescott YMCA is a 501c3 and the Whiskey Row Marathon events are our largest fundraiser for the Scholarship Fund which provides opportunities for families in need to participate in programs that they could not otherwise afford. In 2010 the Prescott YMCA gave out over $200,000 in financial aid for programs like: swimming lessons, wellness programs, Preschool tuition and After School Care.
On behalf of the children and families that this helps,
Thank YOU! for your contribution and participation in the Prescott YMCA Whiskey Row Marathon Events.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Welcome!
We are busy planning a wonderful race experience for all of you and hope that this blog will assist you in planning for your race day!
The blog is one of several ways to learn, and share information about the Prescott YMCA Whiskey Row Marathon.
We are also on Twitter and Facebook! If you want to be in the know, follow us here, there and everywhere.
We anticipate over 2000 participants in this, our 33rd Annual, Prescott YMCA Whiskey Row Marathon. This year we have added a Sports Expo at the Packet Pick-up on Friday Night (at the Prescott YMCA from 3:30pm - 8:00 pm).
Also following your finish, you can celebrate downtown with our live music and after party on the Courthouse Square! The post-race celebration will start just after 11:00 am and finish after 7:00pm.
We also encourage you to get the most out of your WRM race experience by enjoying all that Prescott has to offer. It will be a beautiful time of year and our downtown area has multiple establishments to help you quench your thirst, quell your appetite and fill your needs for entertainment.
We can not wait for the big day. If you are unfamiliar with Prescott, above is a little map of where everything you need for Whiskey Row Marathon Race Weeekend is located.
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