May 2012 News
The RRCA Convention in Memphis was a Great Success!
If you missed the 54th Annual RRCA Convention last month in Memphis, TN, you missed our two outstanding luncheon speakers Dave Wottle and Chris Mc Dougall, some great educational sessions, and a couple of Elvis sightings! Attendees also had the opportunity to bid on various goodies at our live and silent auctions, and to run the Germantown Half Marathon, an RRCA National Championship. At the Annual Awards Banquet Betsy Boudreaux, our Louisiana State Rep, received the Outstanding State Rep of the Year award! Other honorees from the Southern Region were Al Becken (Browning Ross Spirit of the RRCA Award), and Ed Hardee (Club Writer of the Year). Congratulations to these three individuals, and to all the other award winners! And please mark the dates for the 2013 RRCA Convention: May 2-5, 2013, in Albuquerque, NM. This will be another good one at a nice location, and I am already looking forward to it.
RRCA Adopts Race Director Code of Ethics
We recently developed this Code of Ethics for Race Directors, which all event directors receiving RRCA insurance must abide by. To read the document, click here.
Runner Friendly Community and Roads Scholar Applications are due June 1
The deadline to apply for either of these two programs are rapidly approaching! If your town or community deserves to be among the second round of Runner Friendly Communities, make sure your application is in by June 1! For a link to the application and to read more about the program, please click here.
And if you or someone you know wants to be considered for one of our Roads Scholar grants, this deadline is June 1 also. These grants are for young promising runners who have recently graduated from college, and expect to earn less than $30,000 from all sources during the calendar year. Click here for more info, and a link to the application form.
The 2012 Southern Region Championship season is underway!We started the season with the Marathon Championship, at the Publix Georgia Marathon on March 18. Our next Championship is the Crazy Eight at Pigeon Forge, TN, on August 4. Please click on the "Championship" link on the left to view the entire list of Championship races. I received several great bids, and picking the championships was a very difficult task! Thanks to all the races that submitted bids.
And if you click here you will be able to see a list of National Championships in 2012, and Regional Championships in all four regions.
Senior Running Session at the Memphis Convention
At one of the sessions at the RRCA Convention in Memphis, runners in their 60's, 70's and 80's told us about their experiences and dished out words of wisdom. I wrote a column in Running Journal about it, which you can read here.
Deadline for the next group of Runner Friendly Communities is June 1.
And it is rapidly coming up! Please click here for more info, and a link to the application form. Lynchburg, VA, was selected as the Outstanding Runner Friendly Community for 2011, and they were recognized during the Saturday luncheon at the Memphis Convention.
Membership renewals for clubs and events are now overdue
But if your club or event has not renewed yet, it is not too late! Please renew your membership ASAP if you haven't done so already. Memberships are on a calendar year basis, and need to be renewed by February 1st to ensure full coverage of all club and event activities. Click here for more info and an online renewal form.
RRCA Insurance Notes
Stuff happens, even during races and club events, so it is extremely important to have the right insurance coverage. RRCA member clubs and events in good standing (i.e. dues are paid) receive insurance as part of their member benefits. Betsy Boudreaux, Louisiana State Rep, summarized info from the insurance session at the recent convention in Fredericksburg. To read her notes, click here.
Cajun Cup concludes the 2011 Southern Region Championship season
Click here for a video clip of the final Southern Region Championship in 2011. It's the Cajun Cup 10K, held on November 12, in Lafayette, LA. The Cajun Cup will be back as a Regional 10K championship in 2012. So if you missed it this year, we'd love to see you then!
And please click here for a list of the champions, and links to complete results for past championships.
Yes, you CAN enforce a "No Headphones" policy in your race!
In the September 2010 issue of 'Inside Track' (a printed publication that is sent to presidents of RRCA clubs), there is an article by former NC State Rep Mike Walsh, where he describes how one running club successfully enforces a "No Headphones" policy in their races. Please click here to read the article and learn how to make your race headphone free!
Insurance Coverage for Volunteer Medical Personnel
RRCA members covered under the general liability insurance program can now purchase additional insurance coverage for volunteer medical personnel. This coverage is over and above any other insurance held by the medical professional, but does provide coverage when volunteering at events not covered by their professional liability policy. For more information, click here, or contact Jean Knaack at the National Office.
Are you receiving your copy of Club Running Magazine?
Every member of an RRCA running club is supposed to receive a copy of Club Running magazine three of four times per year. If you are not getting yours, check with your club officers to make sure they sent a membership roster with current mailing addresses to Jean Knaack at our National Office.
Donate to Kids Run the Nation
Kids Run the Nation is a multi-week, gender neutral youth running program designed for children in kindergarten through sixth grade. Each year, a number of grants of up to $1000 each are awarded to such programs through the Kids run the Nation Fund. We recently awarded the grants for 2011 To read more about the Kids Run the Nation program click here. To find out more about the Fund, to apply for a grant, or to donate, click here. cl. Please make a tax deductible donation to this worthwhile cause!
