Updating racing booklet information as times have changed

I was looking over things that I have written about fitness, running, and race organization last week. I was trying to get new ideas for a column and looking over my booklets I had self-published many years ago on running. Most of the articles, books, etc. that I have published still offer good advice on fitness or running.

There are two booklets that needed some changes to be up to date. The first was a booklet titled, “Running Around San Marcos” and had maps of running routes from one mile up to 18 miles. It was published somewhere back in the 1980s at a local print store. I copied a map of San Marcos and then highlighted the route with black markers. On the opposite page I had a written description of the course on the map. The shorter routes were measured with a wheel or a Jones Counter on my bike. The longer routes were measured on my motorcycle. I had some advice on hot weather running, and various speed workouts to follow at the end of the booklet. Most of the advice is still good for runners today.

The problem looking over the different routes I had put in the booklet can no longer be used. Between upgrades in the road to accommodate more traffic, to housing developments changing routes, and much more traffic on the roads that at one time were narrow two lane roads with little traffic to something close to a major highway. Some of roads I had measured off no longer exist.

An example of the “Coffee Stop Route” for four miles: “Start from City Park. Run past Jowers to Bugg Lane and turn left. Turn right at the parking lot area and run past Aquarena Springs. Follow the road to the left to Old Post Road and on out to Travis School. Past Travis School turn right on Uhland Road. Follow Uhland Road down to the first coffee stop at the Kettle Restaurant. Turn right onto the access road and follow it past the Holiday Inn and the Hospital to McDonalds. Turn right on Short Street which will lead into Hopkins. Follow Hopkins back to Bugg Lane and on back to City Park.”

A runner trying to follow those directions today will have a hard time finding the hospital on the access road past Holiday Inn. And Bugg Lane is now Charles Austin Drive.

I thought about making an upgraded version with a better map. The publishers of the map would not give permission to use their map for my running routes. That put an end to that upgrade.

The other booklet was “Race Directors Guide: Organizing A Small City Road Race.” It was about 40 pages with a few cartoons thrown in between chapters. I wrote the booklet after I started being a consultant for road races. Talking to a group of people from an organization that is planning a road race to raise some funds was difficult. There is a “language” that runners and race directors use. Unless you are in the running circles when talking to a non-running person it is like a foreign language. For a non-running person to remember all of the necessary tasks needed to put on a run was almost impossible. So, I wrote a booklet describing the necessary tasks and duties needed to put on a successful road race. I told the organizers to read over the booklet and if you have questions give me a call to answer your question.

This was published many years ago and it also needs some changes to meet today’s demands. For instance a 5K race years ago had an entry fee from $10-15. My book had $15-25 for entry fees. Today entry fees are more like $25-45 for 5K and 10K races. Some marathons now cost over $100 for an entry fee. Part of the change comes about because the cost of a race shirt went from under $5 for a cotton tee shirt to closer to $12-20 for a high-tech long sleeved shirt that runners favor now. Awards went from $8 for a standard trophy to $15 or more. A fancy plaque went from $15-50 for winning runners. All the costs mentioned in the booklet needed to be upgraded.

The certification of a race had a wrong contact person. It has changed three times since the booklet was written. Another change needed there. Most races today are chip timed so the chapters on using the ‘card and bucket system’ is not that relevant. The same is true for the ‘age graded system’ and the ‘name tag board’ system for determining awards. Time to make a new edition someday.