1.    Certify all courses.  Results on certified courses are the only way to measure progress against a runner’s goals.

2.    Set age brackets of no more than 5 years.

3.    For the last age group e.g. 70 and above, use age graded results to give the awards.  How else can an 85 year old compete against a 70 year old?  (See one example below)   

4.     Start on time.

5.    Have (more than) enough port-a-potties.  I’ve seen lines of 50 or more, mostly women when the race is ready to start.  If a race has 1000 entrants that’s a thousand visits plus those who go twice.  

6.    Don’t give out the awards beginning with the youngest and ending with the oldest.  It does get a little tiring getting an award when the only people left are 70 and 80 year olds.  Personally, I’ve thought about leaving many times but when the organizers have worked so hard it always seemed a bit of an insult not to stay around.  One of the all-time best race directors (George who can be reached at Naples on the Run) has a unique system that could be used by all.  He begins with the youngest and goes up to 20.  He then goes to the oldest and starts down.  He finishes with the 20 to 40 year olds.

7.    Three of the best organized races I run most years are:

Naples Half Marathon        3rd Sunday in January

Gasparilla 15K (Tampa)        About March 1st

Twin Cities 10 Mile        1st Sunday in October

Now having said all that, I’d like to thank all the folks who work so hard to put on the races.  We who get the benefits of all your hard work do appreciate it.

One example of reported vs. age adjusted results using a 5K with 33 finishers age 70 and above:

Reported results:                                            Age adjusted results:

Male #1     Age 71     21:04     84.67%              Male #1     15:19     84.67%

Male #2           70     22:03     79.87                Male #12    16:13     80.03

Male #3           71     23:00     77.55                Male #2      16:15     79.87

Male #4           70     23:16     75.70                Male #6      16:31     78.58

Male #5           72     23:57     75.44                Male #3      16:44     77.55

Male #6           76     24:17     78.58

Male #12         84     27:22     80.03

Note: age adjusted times are "handicapped" back to that of a 25 year old runner.