Head Start
Head Start is a podcast for race directors and anyone involved in the business of putting on races.
It doesn't matter where you're based or how many years experience you have or whether you're putting on a running race, a triathlon, an obstacle race or whatever. If you’ve got an interest in planning, organizing and growing endurance events, this is the podcast for you.
The focus of the podcast is twofold:
1) we bring you the latest and coolest innovations hitting the mass-participation endurance events industry, and
2) we bring you tips and actionable advice from industry experts to help you improve your race - one episode at a time.
Head Start is produced by RaceDirectorsHQ.com, an online resource platform and community network for race directors and race management professionals.
Episodes
84 episodes
Community & Inclusivity at the LA Marathon
Welcome to "The Future of Running" podcast on Head Start presented by Brooksee and hosted by Phil Dumontet.In this episode, Phil si...
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54:38
Introducing: The Future of Running
Today we have something a little bit different for you: we are announcing the upcoming release of “The Future of Running” mini podcast series, a limited, five-episode podcast series hosted by Brooksee CEO...
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18:41
Race Trends 2024
RunSignup’s annual RaceTrends report is the closest thing we get in the endurance events industry to a market-wide survey of what is happening in events and event participation. And the latest RaceTrends report for 2024 is out, shedding a uniqu...
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Episode 76
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1:29:32
Permits
When it comes to putting on races, obtaining a permit (or permits, as the case may be) is one of the most fundamental aspects of the race planning process. However, with increasingly busier local event schedules and ever-changing permitting req...
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Episode 75
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1:10:29
2024 Global Runner Survey
Running USA’s annual Global Runner Survey has always been an important gauge of runner attitudes and trends for the endurance ...
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Episode 74
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1:31:22
Waivers
A couple of episodes back, we looked at event liability insurance: why it’s important that your race is covered by a robust liability insurance policy, the circumstances under which a liability policy would kick in, and what happens when it doe...
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Episode 73
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1:14:17
Course Measurement & Certification
If you’ve ever directed even a single race, there’s a good chance you would have received at least one email from a frustrated participant complaining about the distance they ran not matching your race advertised distance. They do have a GPS wa...
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Episode 72
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1:02:36
Race Insurance
If there’s one thing you can’t have enough of as a race director, it’s race insurance. Particularly - knock on wood - when the unexpected happens and you’re faced with a dreaded lawsuit that threatens to take away your livelihood and your piece...
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Episode 71
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1:26:18
Crisis Communications
When doors start dropping off planes mid-air or your favorite online retailer gets in touch to let you know your personal details may have been compromised, it’s tempting to think you may have done a better job handling that crisis were you in ...
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Episode 70
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1:16:22
Race Trends 2023
It’s that time of the year again. RunSignup’s annual RaceTrends report is out for 2023, and it’s larger and more comprehensive than ever before!Among the most notable trends highlighted in the report...
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Episode 69
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1:05:52
Instagram & Influencer Marketing
With more than 2 billion monthly active users (MAUs), Instagram has secured a comfortable lead as the social media platform of choice for the vast majority of online-active almost-30s and 30-somethings out there. And with Instagram’s core audie...
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Episode 68
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1:21:29
Designing a Race Course
As a race director, few things in the race planning lifecycle can be as exciting and enjoyable as designing a brand new race course. From picking a start area to mapping out race distances and figuring out where to place amenities, such as aid ...
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Episode 67
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1:14:25
Building a Race Series
Building a race from the ground up, as anyone who’s done it will know, is a tough business. But what about planning, coordinating and growing a whole series of races, all with a common theme and brand identity? How do you finance and gr...
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Episode 66
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1:19:22
Spotlight: Hood to Coast
First run on a whim in 1982 by Oregon Road Runners Club president Bob Foote with only 8 teams participating in the inaugural race, Hood to Coast has grown from modest beginnings to become a huge success st...
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Episode 65
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1:19:55
Supporting Female Athletes
Racing has come a long way since the days when women were being told that running the marathon would cause your uterus to fall out. And with women now making up 54% of all race registrations in the US, according to RunSignup’s 2022 RaceTrends r...
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Episode 64
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1:36:37
Spotlight: Boulderthon
Nestled in a valley in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Boulder, CO, is often referred to as the fitness capital of the US. So it was a bit surprising to Phil Dumontet, a young East C...
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Episode 63
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1:20:55
The 2013 Boston Marathon Bombing
On April 15, 2013, two homemade bombs planted by brothers Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tarnaev exploded near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. In the devastation that ensued, three innocent people lost their lives, while 281 others were injured,...
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Episode 62
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1:40:49
Sponsorship Proposals
If you’ve done the hard work of prospecting and soliciting sponsors, and got some of your prospects to engage with you, you may be forgiven in thinking your job is done. Actually, that’s where the real work begins - understanding your s...
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Episode 61
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1:33:11
Race Merchandise
Selling merchandise is a great way to increase brand loyalty for participants outside race day, and, of course, a very good way to increase revenue from your event.So, how do you get started selling race merchandise, both online, on pac...
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Episode 60
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1:01:47
Race Medical Planning
From the minute the first participant shows up on race day till the time the last one leaves, responsibility for the wellbeing of everyone on and around your race course rests with you - the race director.So, how can you make sure your ...
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Episode 59
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1:29:41
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The Business of Trail & Ultra Races
If you’ve been following our industry updates on race and participation growth, you may have picked up on the fact that trail running, and trail races, have been doing particularly well over the last few years. In fact, trail racing seems to be...
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Episode 58
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1:43:07
Mastering Social Media
Over the last decade or so, lots has changed in the social media landscape. Facebook has gone from exciting upstart to the mature granddaddy of social media, Instagram has grown by leaps and bounds to become the platform of choice for visually ...
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Episode 57
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1:31:59
Hiccup: Reusable Water Cups
In a number of our past podcasts, we’ve touched on the issue of race waste - and specifically a particularly significant and persistent part of that issue which is water cup waste.In an ideal world - or shall I say in a trail running wo...
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Episode 56
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59:06
