Posted by Andy Burek on January 18, 2005 at 21:27:42:
In Reply to: NYRR Club Council Meeting - January 10, 2005 posted by Andy Burek on January 17, 2005 at 08:56:01:
I received the following e-mail from Mary Wittenberg of the NYRR. Looks like the Half Marathon series will be back this year. Also, based upon this new decision, the Club Championship Race series will probably be revised. I'll post it when its changed.
Here's Mary's e-mail:
Dear Club Team Members,
Thank you for your input at last Monday's night's Club Council meeting and since. It was helpful and illuminating.
Some facts as I see them:
NYRR is in existence to promote health and fitness through running and walking - seeking to serve people of all ages, abilities and means.
We are deeply committed to our runners and our community
We strive to enhance the runner experience - service their needs and provide new opportunities
We have many different kinds and levels of runners
It is time to review, and change, our NYRR annual calendar to better serve our various constituences
We are also about to review our runner based communications and services, including the magazine and the Website - to further enhance our participants' experience and efforts in health and fitness.
It is also time to review, and likely change, our NYRR annual calendar to better serve our various constituences
There was much misunderstanding as to our reasons for changing the five borough half marathon series to a progression series. Those reasons included: being more welcoming/encouraging to newer and younger runners not yet half marathoners, providing a progression goal to those not interested in running marathons and providing a more gradual year round build up for those interested in running fall/winter marathons.
The local competitive/committed running teams are one of those constituencies, and a very important one to us
The current Club Council system has flaws and doesn't work as well as any of us would like
There is little consensus among Club Teams on most issues.
The conclusions:
The five borough half marathon series will remain this year. It will be enhanced to promote the "series"
nature of it.
Will ask Gary and Andy to work with Club Council to revise the 2005 club team points races in light of the change back to a five borough half marathon series.
We will review our race/run calendar for 2006 - as well as the magazine and Website by conducting research, including focus groups, across our membership and race participant base, including club teams. Will also invite Club presidents/captains to meet with NYRR management, as promised
We will evaluate, with your input, a means of improving communication between NYRR and local teams
We will seek to enter calendar 2006, with plans for an improved race calendar, website and magazine
With a Club team competitive schedule and system of feedback that works better for all.
The goals:
For NYRR to better and more clearly articulate externally our mission, goals and objectives
Improve communication between NYRR team members and local runners
Enhance the race/run calendar for 2006
Enhance the communications vehicles
Develop higher level of trust in NYRR. We actually work quite hard to best serve our runners and the community.
Thanks again for all your feedback, and I, together with all of us at NYRR, look forward to working together with you as we seek to strengthen our services and further our mission as we plan for 2006.
With best regards, Mary