GREAT RAISIN RIVER FOOTRACE SURVEY- 2007
This is the 8th year that I have been doing this survey (7th time online), and I have received some pretty good feedback and some constructive comments that have helped make this a better run. For example, last year a few people commented that they were unsure where the race started and would like more information in the race kits. In response, I have inserted a flyer into your race kits that gives a map showing the location of the registration, the start point for the run, a route map of the Footrace and key timings, as well as a flyer for the Fair. A few commented on the traffic on the road and the state of the train bridge. I was able to come to an agreement with 2 levels of government (county and township) to have the main roads closed to all but local traffic during the peak part of the footrace, and arranged for a sturdier cover (plywood rather than aspenite) for the old train bridge.
Once again, I seek your input on how we can make the Great Raisin River Footrace even greater. After all, this is your run, not mine.
I will post my response to your comments in the coming weeks.
PREVIOUS PARTICIPATION
1. Including this year, how many times have you run in the Great Raisin River Footrace:
2. This year did you participate in:
11 Km 5 Km As volunteer
PUBLICITY/REGISTRATION
3. How did you hear about the Great Raisin River Footrace?
4. Where did you obtain your entry form?
5. Are there other locations where you feel we should have entry forms available?
6. If you used our online registration, what did you think of it and do you have any comments on how we can improve?
RACE DAY SUPPORT
7. How would you rate the following race day support?
Any suggestions on how we could improve race day support?
SPORTSTATS
8. This is the fourth year we used chip timing. It is now the only service that Sportstats offers. Being an engineer, I like techie things, but it comes at a price. This year it cost over $1000 to have Sportstats deliver their service including chip timing. Chip timing is becoming the norm these days. What did you think of it?
a. I like it and don't know how I lived without it. Please keep it. b. I don't like it. I prefer the low tech and lower cost solution. c. I don't care, as long as I can find out my time and look it up on the website.
Other comments regarding race timing?
START TIME 9. It is always a fine balance to pick the best time for the run to start. I want to try to beat the heat, but am also well aware that many of our runners travel a long way to be here and an earlier start time might be too inconvenient. In response to your comments over the past couple of years I have moved the start time from 10:00 to 9:30 to 9:00 as it has been for the past few years. Do I have the right balance?
a. yes, 9:00 is a good start time b. no, I would like an earlier start c. no, I would like a later start time d. doesn't matter, just tell me when it is and I'll be there.
CHILDREN'S FUN RUN 10. This was the fifth year for the children's fun run. All children received a toy from Wendy's, a Wendy's dessert coupon, a rainbow coloured participant's ribbon from the Fair, and an iron-on transfer with our new footrace logo. We chose to keep things simple by not having them do any sort of registration and all received the same prizes. Do you have any feedback regarding the Fun Run or any suggestions for improvement?
11. T-Shirt Design: For the fourth consecutive year we have gone with long sleeve t-shirts. What would you like to see next year? Note that this question was asked last year, and although many indicated a desire to have the higher tech, 'coolmax' type running shirts, there wasn't a clear consensus on this matter so we went with long sleeve cotton again this year.
a. continue with long sleeve cotton shirts b. go with high-tech 'evapowick' or 'coolmax' type shirts (which would increase registration cost by about $5 or $10) c. go back to short-sleeve cotton t-shirts. d. doesn't matter, just give me a shirt
Suggestions for improvement, including colour suggestion for next year's shirt? Race director note: Occasionally people comment that there should be more shirts. I would like to point out that although our numbers are gradually increasing, there is some fluctuation in our race numbers which makes it difficult to predict. Bad weather would probably keep race day registration down. When I pick up the shirts and put ~$3000 on my personal credit card, there is a certain leap of faith that people will show up. But there is a limit as to how big a leap of faith I am willing to take. Bottom line: If you want a shirt, let me know you are coming by pre-registering. Everyone who pre-registered got a shirt. But if you really want me to order more shirts, perhaps you could let me use your personal credit card? ;-)
12. Other races in the area: Are there other races in this area that you would like to see us promoting? (i.e. with flyers in the race kits?)
13. What is your favourite race? (Ontario Roadrunners Assoc would like to know.)
LOOKING AHEAD TO 2008!
14. Although the Footrace will officially be only 30 years old by that time, as some of you have heard me say, there were earlier incarnations of this run including a version that saw the legendary Tom Longboat win back in 1908. Wait a minute! If you read last year's website or listened to my earlier ramblings during the award presentation, didn't I say that Tom Longboat was here in 1907? I had two publications indicating it was 1907, but as part of my preparations for what I thought would be the 100th anniversary, I visited a local resident whose uncle ran in that race against Tom Longboat. He brought out the medal that his uncle won for placing 5th and it indicated that the run was in 1908. D'oh! A friend went into the archives at the Cornwall Library and confirmed 1908 as the year that the legendary Tom Longboat was here. So next year will be the year we celebrate the anniversary - which is also the year that Tom Longboat ran for Canada in the Olympics in London. In fact, in those days marathon running was a bigger spectator sport than professional hockey or baseball. Some of Tom Longboat's marathons were in places like Madison Square Gardens where a sellout crowd would watch Longboat vs one competitor doing 262 laps around the inside of the arena. So the fact that he ran at the Williamstown Fair was a pretty big deal in those days. Tom Longboat has also had a very positive influence on a lot of people over the years, particularly in the aboriginal communities.
So far, I have made contact with the Aboriginal Sports Centre in Akwesasne to solicit their involvement in next year's event and hope to have a member of Tom Longboat's family here to help mark the occasion. I have also contacted the Heritage department and will be putting about putting up some sort of plaque - likely at the main gate to the Fair. Other ideas that have been put together for a tribute to this anniversary include a low-key training run on Saturday morning, retracing the old route between Lancaster and the Fair, perhaps call it the 'Tom Longboat Friendship Run' or something to that effect. We may have a certificate for each finisher, but no official timings, no t-shirts, no water stations, and no cost (aside from perhaps a voluntary contribution). Of course the Sunday event would carry on as usual and likely involve the official unveiling of the plaque after the awards presentation.
Do you have other suggestions as to what we might do to commemorate this event?
WILLIAMSTOWN FAIR AND THE RUN
As race director, I am also a member of the Fair Board. Answers to the following questions could be useful for my discussions with other fair board members.
15. Did you attend the awards ceremony? yes no
16. Did you attend other parts of the Williamstown Fair (Midway, exhibits, etc.) yes no
Comments:
17. How many non-running people in your group attended the Fair?
18. Do you have any general feedback regarding the Williamstown Fair?
VOLUNTEERS
19. As I am sure you are aware, it takes a lot of work to put together an event like this. A good cadre of volunteers will ensure a generation of fresh ideas, reduce workload per person so that nobody gets burned out and guarantee a pool of experience to ensure continuity when the existing committee members move on. Would you be interested in playing some sort of role in organizing future runs?
a. As race committee member
yes no
b. Performing some other sort of task, such as dropping off entry forms, picking up food on race day, helping set up or take down the course, shake down potential sponsors for draw prizes, assembling race kits, etc
GENERAL COMMENTS
20. Can you suggest any general areas for improvement that have not already been covered?
Your name:
Phone number:
E-mail address:
Thank you for taking the time to fill out this survey. I hope to see you next summer!
Bill Chambré Race Director footrace@williamstownfair.com