[jroden]

<p>I missed the first race of the year last week due to family stuff, so was hoping to get out this weekend and get dirty.  I was promoting a two day cross race with the bulk of the adult stuff saturday and kids u-16 races sunday.  the sunday races were run concurrent to a 8 mile trail run, so it was kind of a fun weekend at a nice venue.</p>
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<p>Spent a relaxing 10 hours friday pounding in 500 stakes and stringing 12,000 feet of caution tape.  Course was pretty tricky with a lot of off camber turning on some soft grass.  Up at 6 and off to the venue saturday to finish setup and do registration.  Decided to do prereg only this year, it saves a lot of headaches, if the riders put the correct information on the forms.  Funny the same guys botch up things every single year and make more work for me.  Same guys who never, ever manage to help with a race, hmm interesting trend.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>At 11 the women and mas45 raced for 40 minutes.  We had a great women's field with lots of canadians and some real talented women.  I like that the woman who won looked kind of goofy with a baggy jersey and was all happy with a big grin.  She made me smile.</p>
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<p><img alt="IMG_1473.jpg" class="bbcode_img" src="http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y173/jroden99/IMG_1473.jpg" style=""></p>
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<p><img alt="IMG_1480.jpg" class="bbcode_img" src="http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y173/jroden99/IMG_1480.jpg" style=""></p>
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<p>At noon we ran a kids race.  I delegated it to my wife as the results were giving us fits.</p>
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<p>At 1 we ran open and mas 35.  We had a really strong field and the two canadians who were leading rode together until the last 200 feet, it was quite a finish.  They were riding about 23 mph on bumpy grass, wow.  With the big field and short course it was pretty tough staying on top of the numbers.  Results were a little messy but I think we got them straight finally.</p>
<p><img alt="IMG_1483.jpg" class="bbcode_img" src="http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y173/jroden99/IMG_1483.jpg" style=""></p>
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<p><img alt="IMG_1485.jpg" class="bbcode_img" src="http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y173/jroden99/IMG_1485.jpg" style=""></p>
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<p>Relaxing 5 hours ripping down and re configuring course and home to cook dinner and relieve my exhausted wife.</p>
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<p>Sunday we ran a kids race.  I got up early and ran, after 3 days with no exercise beyond pounding stakes I needed it.  Kids race was a blast, we had a short course mtb event on some singletrack, then a cross race on a 1000 meter course with a 6 inch barrier.  Kids had a blast then we had 10 pounds of hot dogs and 5 pounds of candy</p>
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<p><img alt="IMG_1488.jpg" class="bbcode_img" src="http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y173/jroden99/IMG_1488.jpg" style=""></p>
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<p><img alt="IMG_1490.jpg" class="bbcode_img" src="http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y173/jroden99/IMG_1490.jpg" style=""></p>
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<p><img alt="IMG_1495.jpg" class="bbcode_img" src="http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y173/jroden99/IMG_1495.jpg" style=""></p>
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<p>Relaxing 2 hours packing up the box trailer heading home and unloading all the crap.  Still have a bit of paperwork and banking left to close out a successful race.  </p>

 

[MBannon]

<p>Nice work, Roden.  Someone's got to do all this shi...stuff.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Looks like the kids took the race more seriously than the adults, look at their faces!</p>

 

[jroden]

<p>the kids were a delight.  Almost every single one said "thank you" and the parents went out and tore the course down for me and cooked hot dogs.  It was really fun and low stress to put on, I will do it next year for sure.  I stink at getting volunteers so I get to frazzled doing the grown up races, stuff gives me a stomach ache when the results are messed up or someone goes off course.</p>

 

[Yo Sake]

<p>Well done, that was a lot of work.  I have never been to cross races, but assuming they are somewhat similiar to MTB races... spending more time at MTB races ever before this year, I came to appreciate the organizers work for ALL DAY event, on top of all the preparations.  They are not like running races where everybodyd starts at the same time and races are done within a few hours (unless they are marathon and longer).  </p>
<p>Do you advertise your event at local bike stores, biking group/associataion, etc?  Sounds like you got a good turnout.  I am sure many racers appreciated the great race you put together!        </p>

 

[SpartyGirl]

<p>Looks awesome JR.  Everyone looks very appreciative of a well organized and well run event - good work race director!</p>

 

[jroden]

<br><br><div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>Yo Sake</strong> <a href="/forum/thread/70203/weekend-race-report-cyclocross-season-sort-of-begins#post_1947098"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a><br><br><p>Well done, that was a lot of work.  I have never been to cross races, but assuming they are somewhat similiar to MTB races... spending more time at MTB races ever before this year, I came to appreciate the organizers work for ALL DAY event, on top of all the preparations.  They are not like running races where everybodyd starts at the same time and races are done within a few hours (unless they are marathon and longer).  </p>
<p>Do you advertise your event at local bike stores, biking group/associataion, etc?  Sounds like you got a good turnout.  I am sure many racers appreciated the great race you put together!        </p>
</div>
</div>
<p><br>
it's a long day, the course setup was pretty much all day for me, i only ask the volunteers for a half day.  That night i did all the registration paperwork after the online reg closes, look up license numbers for people too lazy to provide them all that garbage.  Next day I setup the site and volunteers roll in an hour before the races start, then we work through the middle of the day, run the races, process awards then tear down and clean up.  Because this was a 2 day event I had to reset a second course for the kids which I did alone and in haste.  Next day was pretty easy just run the races, cook lunch and tear down / load up the trailer, go home do an hour of  paperwork and pay people, send around the results and press releases and all.  Next day I visit the park and make sure they are OK with how we left facilities and grass.  That's it</p>
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<p>I put posters in shops and use online media a lot.  I know most of the guys and run a weekly practice so i can pitch it to them.  We had many first timers who started with my practices, so that was satisfying.   I may not do it next year, it's a lot of time away from my family and puts a stress on my wife, plus it's a nice time of year to actually race.  My plan was to hand it off to three others guys to promote but they helped a lot but did not take enough ownership, so back in my lap...  We got a nice poster this year from a fellow rider in graphic arts, that last sentence did get fixed.  We gave the winners a big foamboard version of the poster along with their $100, tires, clothes, ski passes, etc.   Only one american in the last photo from the elite race winners.  I told them to make sure to wear their team clothes for the awards and all but one did, I like how that looks more professional and I sent all the winners photos to share with their sponsors along with a letter exhorting them to do so.</p>
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<p><img alt="CCweekend1.jpg" class="bbcode_img" src="http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y173/jroden99/CCweekend1.jpg" style=""></p>