Thursday, June 2, 2011

Missoula Marathon: Better…. Then bigger

Bigger is not always better. But as the Missoula Marathon Race Director, I hope we can be both. We may not be a being a bigger race this year, but we hope to be better.

This time last June, race registration was up a few hundred people over this year. Not bad considering we had just been named the Best Overall Marathon by Runner’s World. Our goal this year… to put on an even better race and remind people why we are the best. No matter what your profession or passion, the goal is always to better, right? This might be hard to believe, being 5’8’’ and growing up in rural Montana, but I was somewhat of a basketball fan when I was young. When I say “somewhat” I mean my room was covered in wall-to-wall posters of Michael Jordan (along with runners like Jim Ryun & Steve Prefontaine). When Jordan was asked when he would retire from the game he replied, “When I stop improving”! We could easily decide that the Missoula Marathon is a great event and we are just going to keep doing what we do. But we’re not ready to stop improving yet.

A few improvements you’ll see this year:
• Race shirts that have a better fit and nicer material
• Great finisher medals (you will be hard up to find a better medal, but I don’t want to ruin the surprise)
• A professional course company to help make the course safer for participants
• More visible mile markers

Run Wild Missoula is not only financially helping the Missoula Marathon become a better race, but has invested countless hours in hopes of making it the best marathon yet! I hope when you cross the line on July 10th you will agree!
~ Anders Brooker, Missoula Marathon Race Director