The other hat (race director)



This guy's definitely asking himself some questions..

As my profile mentions, i'm a part time race director.  I never really set out to be, but this can probably be said for many of the great journeys we make in our lives.  I started doing it because i was 'stuck' in Grand Forks, ND and wanted more people to talk to. Back then, almost no one up here understood the things that made me tick.  Most people still don't of course - but there are now enough folks out there that do so that  i don't feel so lonely.  i found that i liked doing it.

Directing races has allowed me to discover my long lost artist.  And it is an art - especially the kind of races i favor.  I get to weave together a course that like a painting, film, or book, is designed to evoke emotions.  I piece together the elements to take racers on a journeys where they will in turn experience triumph, heroism, despondency, anger, fear, joy, sadness and hope. 

My goal is always to leave racer with their own lessons learned - the course providing challenges that force them, at one point or another to look inward for at least a moment.  A good race for me is one in which i ask myself all the tough questions - "what the hell am i doing and why am i doing it?"  It's asked in the context of the race but the meaning, at least for me, always cuts deeper.  I aim to create races/experiences that help reveal these questions to racers.  I want participants to be moved. I also want them to be damn fun. Luckily, these two elements don't seem to be mutually exclusive.