Race Directors

Why We Charge Races
In late 2010 outside funding for the Road Warrior program ended (Trillium's 2-1/2 year grant finished).  We continue the program with support from the races we promote. We’re trying for sponsorship but meantime realize that the only way to create revenue now to keep the program going is to charge races for the promotion they receive through the program.

As of Dec. 1^st 2010, Road Warrior started charging an annual fee to race directors for each event of $75 for a single race (and an additional $25 per race associated with that event – meaning a ‘Half Marathon’ would be charged $75 and a 5k with it would be charged an additional $25... or a 10k race would be charged $75 and a 5k with it an additional $25). Any more races than this would just be charged $25 more, so the cap is $125 for a three-race or more event. Payment is online.

Rationale for charging: it’s a small affordable cost for races - it will really only cost you the price of two to three entries. Races are averaging 20 Road Warrior members at them... if your entry fee is $40, that's $800 of income... definitely worth the cost of the service.

If a race director chooses to make just one of his or her two races Road Warrior races (if they have a half and 5k for example), we’ll promote just the one that they prefer. The other won’t be processed or promoted as a Road Warrior race nor will Road Warrior points be awarded for it.

We found that 95% of the races involved with Road Warrior saw a significant gain in the number of Road Warriors at them. The revenue from the above we hope will make the program self-sustaining and in the meantime we’ll attempt to find new funding and/or sponsorship to augment that.

To help the program in 2011 and 2012 we are NOT charging runners to become Road Warrior members – that may come in future years. We will continue the newsletter, promotion and prizing. We’ll continue the results processing that is so critical to the program (thanks to David Brooks of RoadRaceResults.com). So far we have over 2,400 members to promote your races to and we hope to keep growing that, partly with your help.

If your event isn't involved with the Road Warrior ‘Runner Rating Program’ you're missing valuable promotional opportunities.

How Do Races Benefit? The Road Warrior membership is now over 2400 which means the website regularly gets hundreds of hits by members who check their ratings and standings and which Road Warrior event to do next. It means your event also gets promoted in the Road Warrior newsletter AND RoadRaceResults.com site as a “designated Road Warrior race”.

# of Road Warriors at some ‘Road Warrior’ races:
                                                  2010                           2009
                                                   #    $ value (approx.)     #     $ value
Hamilton Marathon:                     198    $12,585               75    $4,535
Toronto Marathon:                       242    $17,265             131    $8,125
Chilly Half, Burlington:                 127    $ 7,595             10    $   470
Robbie Burns 8k:                        105    $ 3,695             29    $1,015

The more Road Warriors we push to your event, the more participants you get and the more revenue you earn. The program works. The cost of two or three entries is all you need to have your event participate.

Races will get additional exposure:
- on RoadRaceResults.com with a Road Warrior logo beside the race name
- in the monthly Road Warrior newsletter
- where Road Warrior has a promo booth or table

What Do Races Have to Do to Participate?
Register and sign up your race (a fee is required for 2011 races). Send us your race logo in jpg format along with basic info about your race. We'll have it up on sites within a few days. To sign up right away look at the right side column on this page and scroll down to the PayPal option.

Can You in Turn Help the Road Warrior Program?
The more you tell your database of past participants about the program, the more it helps you as has been proven time and again by race directors. Plus we want more exposure so any way you tell your race constituents or database is helpful. You can:

1. place the Road Warrior logo and a brief explanation (with a link) on your race site (we'll provide the logo and info)
2. place a brief blurb of the program in one of your emails to your database (we'll provide the blurb)
3. add a space on your race's on-line and printed entry forms for people to check that they are Road Warriors
4. let Road Warrior staff attend your race with a self-standing banner to hand out promotional cards
5. in a post-race email announce the winners of the Road Warrior category (we'll contact winners and mail them prizes)

Which of these would you be up for doing?

How Does the Program Work? see the home page.

“The program is designed to encourage current runners to train a bit more, to enter more races and have fun with the competitive aspect of running ‘against’ others of all abilities“, according to Road Warrior manager Michael Brennan. “It’s not supposed to replace current road race results like overall winners or age group winners, it’s just going to add another category of winners. The ‘Road Warrior’ winners at races are often people who never win awards at races so for the masses, this program is fun to participate in.”

Any Ontario running race can be a ‘Road Warrior-designated’ event and benefit from the exposure the program offers. Races will be added as the season goes so that eventually ‘Road Warrior’ events will be offered all over the province and everyone will have a chance to participate. Sign up your Event for Road Warrior!