If you would have told me five years ago that I would be a race director, I would have laughed in your face. Heck, even a year ago, I would have scoffed at you.

It’s not that I didn’t want to be a race director, I absolutely love running and races, it’s just that five years ago I didn’t have any idea how to get involved with a running company. I started my blog and was running all the races I could, never knowing that there was a possibility I could be in charge of those races.  Fast forward a few years and I became an ambassador for a local running company, 3W Races.  Another year after that, I was offered a job in marketing for the same running company and another year after that I was transitioning into the race production side of things.

I don’t know if I ever had “race directing” on my list of possible jobs, but now it seems like a perfect fit. I love running. I love races where people can socially share their love of running and, quite frankly, I love being in charge of that! During all the smaller race-production tasks, I have loved being a part of the background, doing things people don’t know go on to make a race successful.  Then hearing people compliment the race, I feel pride, knowing I had a big part in that success.

While being on the marketing team, my transition to the production side of things started out as a volunteer coordinator, organizing the race day volunteers and making sure the course marshals and water stations were set up properly. Add in setting up the race, then mix in some website tasks, fold in packet pick up and swag ordering and you’ve got the recipe for race directing.

I was taught race director tasks little by little and my first solo race as race director was a couple of weekends ago, the Heart Throb Run 5k in Longmont. I have been an assistant race director, registration captain, and many other things, but without my mentor there, I was a little nervous to be THE Race Director. I wasn’t completely alone, the other 3W owner was there to set up the course, but it was me running the show – so to speak.

And….. It went well! Not a snag, complaint or conundrum to be had! (Knock on wood). The day after the race, I was constantly checking my email, worried someone was going to email in a complaint, but all I saw were words of gratitude and compliments! To top it off, my mom and my boyfriend came out to run as well! Ben even took first in his age group!

I was nervous at first to be in charge of a race because sometimes, no offense, runners can be needy, crazy, and hard to please, but now that I have one under my belt, I am super excited to do more!

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Check out 3W Races in Colorado! Run any race and chances are you find me there!