Dam 2 Dam - Canceling after 2018
- Thread starter ISUKing
- Start date
"Volunteers have been putting on Dam to Dam since 1980. Race organizers said the race outgrew the time and energy needed for the volunteers to keep going."
I won't bag on em for the decision. Sounds like the event outgrew their abilities. Give em props for having it make it 34 years.
I won't bag on em for the decision. Sounds like the event outgrew their abilities. Give em props for having it make it 34 years.
That's one of the things I really liked about it. You start the race and you can see your goal the whole time.When I ran the drake 1/2 marathon I felt like I was constantly turning.
But that's also one of the big issues with keeping it going. Busing 8000 people out to Saylorville is not an easy task.
As mentioned...it IS NOT race day volunteers. Those are easy to find. They even said so in the press conference. It is find someone to, at no pay, organize a race outside of your normal full time job and do it do a level that is consistent with this fine event. They have been losing a few key members per year and couldn't find suitable replacement volunteer organizers.
My favorite race I've been a part of. I will be sad to see it go. I'm really thrilled, however, to see the original 20k distance and route back for the final year.
My favorite race I've been a part of. I will be sad to see it go. I'm really thrilled, however, to see the original 20k distance and route back for the final year.
It's hard to have a race called dam to dam that doesn't go from one dam to another.
This year was the first time I ran it, the weather made it unbearable (hot). I'll probably have to give it another shot next year if it's my last chance.
If this year was 'unbearable' you're probably never going to enjoy it.
The route has changed before. It's more than just the route that makes a race. The key points they were going for were: bands throughout, party at the end in downtown, good swag. That can all still happen on the same weekend.
Maybe it isn't the right word but, I've done 8 in a row and that was the most difficult weather conditions for that race I've been a part of. And that was with an arguably easier route with the long hill into North out of play.
They said it was around the third hottest day for the run in the history of the race. Around 70 degrees and 80% humidity at race start with no wind and sunny skies. Do you even know what you're talking about?
So you want a different route and a different name. Got it. But it's still a replacement. A replacement just like all the other runs.
I would say the main key point is standing at the top of the dam and seeing downtown and knowing that is the destination. Then being able to see 801 grand nearly the whole way there.
How many people run in this thing? Why wouldn't you just raise the entrance fee $10-$20 to keep a great thing going and hire someone pt/ft if needed?
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
And they sent out pretty blunt warnings about the heat, with ideas like "if you have any doubt about running in heat, stay home."
It was a rough one. Every friend I know that ran it had a really difficult time, no matter how many distance runs they've made.
I have been on a board of directors that's had to cancel a large event due to lack of volunteers. Not to this scale but I absolutely believe them when they say it is difficult to find volunteers to organize this.
Volunteering is like herding cats (or preschoolers) who can walk away at any moment for any reason. Most stick to it but unless this is that person's passion it will fall through the cracks. Unless the volunteer's jobs allow them to meet and work during business hours it's darn near impossible to make it work.
Volunteering is like herding cats (or preschoolers) who can walk away at any moment for any reason. Most stick to it but unless this is that person's passion it will fall through the cracks. Unless the volunteer's jobs allow them to meet and work during business hours it's darn near impossible to make it work.
I don't personally know but I read elsewhere that one problem they've had is the older people have squashed ideas from others and that now they don't have younger people to takeover and keep it going. Just judging by the people I saw at the press conference I can easily see that being the case.
Seems as though their thing has always been cheap entry fees/no corporate sponsors, and they want to keep it that way.
The name Dam to Dam will be done, but the race will surely continue under a new name/sponsors.