Summary: For most runners, participating in a race is a matter of registering, training and showing up on race day. What they don't always think about or know is what it takes to put on their race and make it such a memorable experience. It takes the careful planning, dedication and endless hours of a race director to make it all happen in addition to thousands of volunteers. Jan Seeley is the co-race director of the Illinois Marathon in Champagin-Urbana, IL and publisher of Marathon & Beyond, a bimonthly magazine tailored specifically for marathoners and ultrarunners. In addition to her responsibilities as a race director and publisher of a national running magazine she has been a runner for 38 years and continues to run today. I asked Jan many of the questions runners often have (and sometimes even complain about) when it comes to races. In this episode you will get to hear the other side of the story, have a new appreciation of your Race Director along with a few laughs of delivering a memorable race day experience. You'll also learn about the Illinois Marathon, which I personally believe is one of the finest races in country to run for a variety of reasons. The Illinois Marathon offers a race distance for everyone, multi-event challenges, a flat and fast course perfect for attempting a new PR without the crowds of a big city marathon yet won't leave you on your own as some smaller town marathons can sometimes do. Did I mention the entry fees are among the lowest among races and they have fantastic swag? After this episode you just might have your Spring race scheduled. In the quick tip, I'll address the question of "What's next" after completing your goal race for the fall along with tips to keep the momentum going. Links Mentioned In The Show illinoismarathon.com - Official Race Website for the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon marathonandbeyond.com - Marathon and Beyond Magazine joes-blasts.blogspot.com - Blog of Joe Seeley chronicling his 21 month fight with Leukemia
