The Directors

On this special edition of the Directors Dave and Cooper chat about Friday night's event at Icahn Stadium in NYC. They unpack some of the top athletes to watch in the high school and elite races, and also share some of the storylines to watch for in the open races. You can watch all the action on RunnerSpace or can come to the stadium to watch all the action live. See you under the lights!

On this episode of the Directors Dave and Cooper chat with Jon Hughes the director of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon in Orlando. During the conversation Jon explains why this race presents so many incredibly unique challenges, the Olympic Trials Marathon business model, and the bidding process required to get the trials to your city. Jon also chats about what the future of the Trials looks like in 2028 and beyond. It's a great conversation and a must listen for any fans of this incredible race.

On this episode of the Directors Dave and Cooper sit down with Aimee Kohler the director of A Running Kind, a PA based events company that hosts carbon neutral events. During the conversation they discuss the challenges associated with putting on carbon neutral events, the biggest contributors to the carbon footprint of races, and the economics of carbon offsets. Aimee also shares some practical advice for race directors who want to begin thinking about lowering their own event footprints and talks about the challenges that she sees as her events continue to grow. There's a ton of super valuable information in this conversation and we hope you give it a listen.

On this episode of the Directors Dave and Cooper chat with Kristy Maki the Director of the Berkie (or the American Birkebeiner) the biggest cross country ski race in America. During the conversation they chat about the history of the event and how Kristy and her team managed to pull off the event this year despite the fact that Wisconsin got almost no snow. Give the episode a listen and hear how they pivoted and all that goes into putting on a ski race with 13,000 competitors.

Another mailbag episode where Cooper and Dave chat through some topics from the world of racing and events. This week's episode includes talk about the Speed Project, World Cross Country, declining triathlon participation numbers, and talk of a new pro track series in the works. Give the conversation a listen and let us know what you think. If you have any suggestions for future mailbag episodes let us know!

On this episode of the Directors Dave and Cooper sit down with David Trimble, the man behind some of NYC's most iconic races including the Red Hook Crit and the Midnight Half. During the conversation David shares the story of how the Red Hook Crit got started and explains why it no longer exists today. David also unpacks the differences between putting on running and cycling events and shares some important lessons that race directors in the running space can learn from cycling events. It's a great conversation and we hope you give it a listen.

On this episode of the Directors Dave and Cooper chat about the experience of directing the 2024 installment of New Balance Indoor Nationals. During the conversation they discuss the logistics associated with hosting the event in two locations, the challenges associated with covering and highlighting field events, and share some of their highlights of the weekend. Give the episode a listen and let us know what you think!

On this episode of The Directors Dave and Cooper chat with Aaron Robison the Associate Director of the Penn Relays. During the conversation they chat about what makes the Penn Relays so special, what other meet directors can learn from this iconic event, and the challenges associated with organizing America's largest track meet. Aaron is a true historian of the sport and this is a can't miss conversation for any track fan. Give it a listen and let us know what you think.

Ahead of Saturday Night's Trials of Miles at the Armory presented by Tracksmith, Dave and Cooper breakdown ten story lines to watch. These include a handful of masters runners chasing age group records, high school kids chasing Nationals Qualifiers, some fast seeded two miles featuring the likes of Taylor Werner, Sam Parsons, and Thomas Ratcliffe, and a very men's mile taking shape. Give the episode a listen, tune-in to the broadcast on RunnerSpace or come out and join us at the Armory. It's going to be an epic night of racing.