Welcome to "The Future of Running" podcast on Head Start presented by Brooksee and hosted by Phil Dumontet.

In this episode, Phil sits down with Rob Simmelkjaer, CEO of New York Road Runners for a supercharged deep dive into the future of running.

What will the next decade of running look like? Why is NYRR producing a film for Tribeca? Can races go fully carbon neutral — and how soon? From media savvy to mental health, fan engagement to climate action, Rob shares visionary insights and hard-earned lessons from his Olympic broadcasting days to his current leadership of the world’s largest running organization.

Also in this episode, how one smart registration question can unlock a content goldmine, what race directors can learn from ESPN, and two bold ideas that could reshape the entire sport. Don’t miss this inside look at where the sport of running is headed — and how you can be part of shaping it.

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Welcome to "The Future of Running" podcast on Head Start presented by Brooksee and hosted by Phil Dumontet.

In this episode, Phil sits down with Dawna Stone, CEO of Abbott World Marathon Majors. Together, they unpack the latest milestones in global marathon events, including Sydney’s entry as the seventh major and the tantalizing possibility of Cape Town joining next. What does it take to become a World Marathon Major? And what’s the bold vision behind a possible Nine Star Medal?

Dawna and Phil also dive into some of the biggest trends shaping the future of running — from the rise of Gen Z runners and their mental health-driven motivations, to tech innovations like real-time glucose tracking and performance-boosting nutrition strategies. What does the future hold for race formats, participation, and the marathon experience itself?

This episode is a must-listen for race directors who want to stay ahead of the curve. With insider insights from one of the most influential leaders in the sport, plus practical takeaways on race excellence and community impact, it’s packed with ideas to inspire your next big move.

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In 1897, the Boston Athletic Association, then only ten years old, decided to organize the first ever Boston Marathon, thus giving birth to the longest continuously running marathon in the world. Of the 15 people who took part in the race, ten finished. And to commemorate the achievement of its members in that inaugural Boston Marathon, all ten finishers came away with a medal, thus giving birth to one of the most enduring traditions in mass participation sports: the finisher medal.

So, what makes a great medal? How should you choose a medal that works best for your race’s theme and budget? What kinds of things should you look out for in designing your medal and managing those all-important order quantities and delivery timelines? And how can you use your most important race bling to attract new participants to your event?

That’s what we’re discussing today with my guests, mother and daughter, Kim and Morgan Ashworth of veteran medal suppliers’ Ashworth Awards. Now in its third generation, Ashworth Awards has been the go-to medal supplier for some of the greatest races in the United States for over 60 years. And with Kim and Morgan’s help we’ll explore every aspect of race medals, from production and design to order management and - seeing as the world’s heading that way - the effect tariffs may already be having on the price and availability of that all important finisher bling.

In this episode:

• Pros, cons and costs of different types of medals: die-cast, stamped, acrylic, wooden medals.
• Medal platings and colours
• How race medals are produced
• The popularity and versatility of utility medals
• Made in the USA dimensional steel medals
• The effect of tariffs on medal imports and costs
• Working with a vendor to design your race medal
• Obtaining samples before a production run
• Managing order quantities and lead times
• Tips for reusing and recycling leftover medals
• Pros and cons of ordering through a vendor vs ordering directly from an overseas manufacturer
• Using your medal in your race marketing
• Offering personalized medals

Many thanks to our podcast sponsors, RunSignup and Brooksee, for supporting our efforts to provide great, free content to the race director community:

RunSignup are the leading all-in-one technology solution for endurance and fundraising events. More than 28,000 events use RunSignup's free and integrated solution to save time, grow their events, and raise more. Find out more at https://runsignup.com/.

Brooksee are the timing technology industry-leader, bringing affordable real-time tracking and timing checkpoints to races with their patented iPhone-sized micro checkpoints. Find out more and get 50% off your timing for your next event at https://www.brooksee.com/headstart.

You can find more resources on anything and everything related to race directing on our website RaceDirectorsHQ.com.

You can also share your questions about liability waivers or anything else in our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/racedirectorshq/