Polar Pug Race Director Recap

This past weekend, I got a chance to see a race from the other side, as a Race Director.  I helped EDGE plan the Polar Pug 10k and Half Marathon, and it was a really fun (and very busy!) experience.  

 

Polar Pug Race DIrector Recap

 

Remember way back in October when I posted about EDGE Trail Camp?  Trail Camp kicked off a 15 week training Track ‘n’ Trail training program at EDGE, with the goal of getting more athletes, specifically women, out on to trails.  For 15 weeks, athletes trained on trails every Sunday.  We focused on different trail running techniques: uphills, downhills, technical footwork, and trail fartleks.  It all culminated with our very own race this past Saturday, the Polar Pug 10k and Half Marathon.

 

In November, Robyn asked if I wanted to be the Race Director. It’s always been a goal of mine to plan a race, so I jumped at the chance.  And MAN did I learn a LOT!  Securing permits (EVERYTHING needs a permit, even porta-potties!), coordinating volunteers, communicating with participants, marketing to get participants, food/drink, awards and swag, establishing a course, getting county approval… so many different steps.  I am very grateful to Robyn and the EDGE coaching team, and to all the volunteers for helping out when they could.

 

polar pug race bibs
Pugs are a big deal at EDGE – check out Pugcovery on Instagram to see more

 

The biggest hiccup turned out to be an easy fix.  About two weeks before the race, the permitting department told us we needed to chance locations.  The county did not want us using any single track because of weather concerns.  Cue me panicking. Fortunately, we were able to change permit locations to a location that avoided single track trails.  I changed the 10k course to an out and back, and the half marathon course to an out and back plus three 1.25 mile loops.  I let out a HUGE sign of relief when the county approved it.  PHEW.

 

The day before the race, runners picked up bibs, race swag, and a memorial ribbon for June, Robyn and Brian’s pug that recently passed.  I also got a jump start on setting the course.  With all the snow, I chose bright orange ribbons to hang in trees along the route.  My brother also helped me make neon pink signs with arrow on them to direct runners at various turns.

 

On race morning, the volunteers, some coaches and I met at 6:30 to head out to the race start.  The volunteers helped set up the rest of the course, the start/finish area, and assisted with bib pickups.  Everyone was fantastic and very efficient – I was grateful for all the help.  Around 7:45 the first runners arrived.  IT WAS HAPPENING!

 

Polar Pug
Meet Tank the Pug




With the race starting at 8:30, the course marshals headed to their locations around 8:10.  I gave final instructions to the time keepers and made the call to head to the corrals at 8:20.  I had been so focused on making sure everything was all set that I hadn’t planned announcements for the start of the race! So when Robyn handed me a megaphone, my mind went blank.  EEEK.  I remember welcoming everyone to the inaugural Polar Pug, because the runners cheered and wooed – causing a bunch of coyotes to howl back at us from the woods.  Luckily, no one saw any coyotes during the race… as far as I know.  I blew the air horn and the runners took off!

 

Polar Pug 10k and Half Marathon

 

 

The start of a race was very anticlimactic for the rest of us.  Everyone sped off, and then the start area was silent.  Minutes before it had been loud and energetic… and then it was crickets.  Those of us remaining piled into cars to keep warm – it was about 25 degrees with chilly wind gusts.  Given the snowy course conditions (about 5 inches of fresh powdery snow), we figured that the first runner wouldn’t be back for at least 40 minutes.

 

Our prediction was close!  At the 43 minute mark, one of the volunteers shouted, “Runners coming in HOT!” The time keepers and I hurried to the finish line.  Since we were not using chip timing on our bibs, we just had stopwatches and spreadsheets to record times and places.  For a small size race like this one, it worked perfectly.

 

Polar Pug 10k and Half

 

 

Once the majority of runners had finished, we held the awards ceremony.  We awarded top overall male and female in the 10k and half.  We also had age group awards for 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, and 60+ for both male and female in both races.  Instead of medals or ribbons, we did a grab bag for age group awards.  Robyn and I had found a bunch of running related things to throw in a bad.  Pries ranged from cooling towels, to water bottles, to individually wrapped pickles!

 

After awards, most people left.  There were still a few people out on the course, so a handful of volunteers remained.  We started packing up and tearing down the course until finally the last runner crossed to finish line for the half marathon in a little over three hours.   Polar Pug was officially over!

 

By Saturday afternoon I was totally brain dead and exhausted – I slept for twelve hours that night! But I awoke to tons of posts about the race. People seemed to have had a blast! I know I did.  Even though I didn’t run, the post-race blues still hit me.  All the planning and excitement and adrenaline the day of… I learned a LOT and my favorite part was seeing all the smiles at the finish line.  One of the goals of Polar Pug was to get more athletes out onto trail.  When we tallied up participants, over 60% of runners at Polar Pug were first-time trail runners!  Mission accomplished.

 

Polar Pug Race Director

 

This race and this whole day couldn’t have happened without the amazing volunteers.  They stood out in the cold to direct runners along the course, helped me with timing, manned our aid station, and assisted with course set up and cleanup.  They were the true superheroes of the day.  At every race you do, make sure to thank volunteers!

 

Polar Pug was a big success and I can’t wait to plan and direct more races in the future.  Our Track n Trail training program was also a big hit.  I’m so excited that more athletes want to run trails!

 

Have you ever directed a race?  What distance trail race would you be interested in running?  Let me know in the comments below! If you’re interested in hearing more about future trail races or trail training, follow along with @rabbitfoodruns or @edgeathletelounge on Instagram.

 

 

Happy running,

Becca

 

 

 




 

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Paul Millsom
3 years ago

good luck.
You’re not alone. In the UK there’s a Vegan Runners club of 3,000.
https://www.veganrunners.org.uk/

Maggie
4 years ago

Can’t wait for the next trail race!

Wendy
4 years ago

I’m so excited for you! I’m just dipping my toes into trail running and I love it! Keep me in the loop for future races! I’ve got USOLE’s spring trail race in Palos on my calendar.

Deborah Brooks
4 years ago

Wow huge congrats to you all! I bet this was a huge undertaking and an amazing learning opportunity. Nice job!