AAT Events Limited trading as The Race Organiser Blog

Why we run - welcome to The Race Organiser blog

07 Aug, 2019 03:12 By: Admin Account

 

We started The Race Organiser in 2012, beginning with The Regent's Park Summer 10K Series. Since then, we've grown to delivering around 140 events per year - both for ourselves and for clients ranging from running clubs to big brands. One event at a time, we've learned as we've gone along, and met more runners than we ever thought possible.

What is inescapable even from being at just one event is the diversity of runner who turn up to organised races. If you volunteer with us anytime, or stand around the finish line as a spectator, and you'll notice the range of ages, body shapes, paces, accents - everything. 

As organisers, it's one of the greatest privilieges of the job to spend time talking to runners. Whether its first timers with their nerves, charity fundraisers changing the world one pound at a time, veteran athletes inspiring with their skills, club runners with their camararderie and community, self-described 'back of the packers' proudly running at #sexypace, every runner has their own story; their own reasons for running. There are no two of us the same.

As The Race Organiser approaches it's eighth birthday, we're planning on doing much more to get to know our runners better. We all know that nothing stays the same for long, so we know that each of reasons for running changes over time and therefore, what we want from organised events and the people behind them changes. Whether we opt for something a bit clunky and old fashioned like an 'Annual Runners Survey' or find smarter ways to hear more from each of you on what you think and what you want, we know that we have a responsibility to do it.

One of the advantages of being a small organiser with a larger number of events, is that we tend to meet more runners, more regularly. It's difficult to think of other organisations or 'major brands' who get to stand face to face with 50,000 - 100,000 runners every year - week in, week out - so we're going to grab the opportunity to talk to you more, listen more and work with the industry to help shape where we all go next.

If you'd like to share some thoughts now, or any time in the future, drop us a line. The likelihood is that if you're thinking of something, your fellow runners will be too.

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by Rich Parr, The Race Organiser's Director of Development & Communications

(pictured on bended knee with the race day team delivering the Pride in London 10K, July 2019)