www.ArkansasRRCA.com

One of the highlights of the Grand Prix season is the River Trail 15K. This is a runner’s race, put on by runners for runners. It is a great course and a fun distance that most of us only get one shot at each year. Following the race awards are the 2011 Grand Prix season awards.

Because all the Grand Prix clubs pitch in to put on this race, the volunteers are plentiful. It’s just a matter of getting everyone in their favorite spot, many of which still allow for running the race.

Here are opportunities to be assigned:

1) Registration – this will be a party so just let me know if you would like to join the fun. I will post the time frame later.

2) Course marshals – Two at intersections early and late in the course. Runners pass the first spot at miles 0.5, 2.0 and 8.5. Runners pass the second spot at miles 1 and 9. Thus, these two spots are a little lonely in the middle of the race, but there is no better place for multiple chances to cheer for your 400 closest friends. Get in a couple miles in between.

3) Packet pickup at Easy Runner from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, February 3rd. Just let me know what shift of any length you are interested in.

4) Burns Park Hospitality House – the perfect job for someone who can arrive early for a warm place to wait for the awards and lunch. This job also involves guarding the chili dropped off by runners on their way to the race.

Email me at jacobwells@live.com and I will get you on the registration list, get you details of the course marshal locations, or get you on the schedule for packet pickup. As race planning wraps up and additional opportunities arise, they will be posted here.

Thanks to Bill Torrey, Brian Sieczkowski, Nicholas Norfolk, Eugene Atha, and an army of others working to continue to make this race great.

Melonvine will bring the speaker system again. Maybe even a little G n' R can find it's way into the Sound System

I really hope I don't have to use a shovel this year.....lol

With the race starting at 9 am, the race day registration is from 7:30 am to 8:30 am, so those who wish to assist can arrive around 7:15. If too many volunteers are available, there will be a course preview warmup run option.

Is there a chili cook off this year? I need to start getting my team together.

captkirk wrote:Is there a chili cook off this year? I need to start getting my team together.

Yes, the chili cook off is back for 2012. Same (lack of) rules as last year.
The 15K Race Awards, GP Awards and Chili Cookoff will be held indoors at the Burns Park Hospitality House once again. That building will be open starting at 7:30 AM on race morning. On your way to the race, you can drop off a crock pot of chili and plug it in to one of the kitchen outlets to keep it warm during the race. We'll have a volunteer at the Hospitality House to help with this.
Or if you want to bring a little Coleman stove or other such device, feel free. We had several of those firing up last year. There is room outside the hospitality house kitchen.

We've got a bunch of bowls and spoons already. If you don't want to bring chili you can always bring the fixings - cheese, sour cream, jalapenos , etc. Or cornbread.

Also, drinks - we'll have water from the race, but otherwise you are on your own for that. So, Bring Your Own Beverage if you want something other than water.

Regarding the chili cook off, be advised that Chef Gattin will not be defending his title, so it's anyone's game. The trophy is up for grabs.

http://www.arkrrca.com/msgboard/viewtop ... sc&start=0

Check this link for photos of the coveted trophies and other witty banter (as well as some blithering overflow from the RVR forum).

"Blithering Overflow" Amazingly witty, insightful, good-natured banter would be SO much more descriptive of the discourse regularly exchanged between RVR members.

Volunteers are practically fighting for the last available assignments.

One not listed above is chip clippers. I suggested the first three finishers clip their own and then clip the rest of the field, but the race committee suggested I have a backup plan.

This assignment starts at approximately 9:50 and runs through approximately 11:30, wrapping up just in time for chili and 2011 Grand Prix awards. First or second half shifts are also available.

The Burns Park Hospitality House will be open at 7:30 and I'll be there to accept your chili crock pots. Please include written directions if you need anything special - otherwise it will be plugged in and setup for serving.

The Grand Prix awards will be presented at Noon including a talk by Dr. Nix of OrthoArkansas, one of our sponsors. To all the 2011 GP award winners, please attend if you can. I don't want to haul around these awards more than I have to. :-)

See everyone there!

My wife (Cheryl Drake) and daughter (Hope) will be glad to clip chips again this year.

Tis the Wednesday before the 15K and the volunteers are all keyed in on the spreadsheet. Everything is covered. But all these tasks are more fun, the more people there are. The water stops and course marshal locations will be more like a street party. Definitely have your ladies take a shift clipping. Thanks to all!

Any volunteers who did not get a shirt yet, please let me know via email at jacobwells@live.com how many and sizes. We are out of large.