RD training
| Author | Date | Message |
|---|---|---|
| Liam Vines | Mar 5 2024, 2:14pm | Race Director Training Night Wednesday 27th March 2024 7:15 pm (Sitting and listening for 7:30) In The Dropping Well Milltown Co. Dublin For anyone who wants to take on the RD role at some stage this year. Or maybe someone that feels they might need a little refresher. Tea/Coffee and a few finger bits on the night. Leave your name below if you are interested and can make the date. Being an RD at an event is a great experience and with our growing number of events we always need people to step up and take on the job.. So let’s be having you Liam |
| Alan Kennedy | Mar 5 2024, 2:35pm | I'll be up for this, thanks Liam |
| Derek Hay | Mar 5 2024, 6:25pm | You can stick my name down too, thanks. |
| Richard Leahy | Mar 6 2024, 6:05pm | please stick me on the list as well |
| David Rouse | Mar 6 2024, 7:09pm | Mise freisin, le do thoil. Me too please. |
| Liam Vines | Mar 8 2024, 11:45am | On this international Woman's Day it would be great to see a few more female RD's this year. Just saying.. |
| James Heggie | Mar 11 2024, 7:11am | Put me down please Liam |
| Alice Clancy | Mar 11 2024, 7:55am | I’m in Liam! Seeing as you asked so nicely and all! |
| Alicia Christofi-Walshe | Mar 11 2024, 1:55pm | Great point Liam! Maybe you could look into the barriers that women are facing to RD and get breaking them down. :) |
| Eoin Keith | Mar 11 2024, 2:15pm | Alicia, are there any specific barriers that you are thinking of that inhibit females from volunteering to be an RD? I'm genuinely unaware of any, but I am ill equipped to know! |
| Alicia Christofi-Walshe | Mar 11 2024, 2:25pm | I'll leave that to yourself and Liam. ;) |
| Eoin Keith | Mar 11 2024, 2:30pm | That's why I'm asking you Alicia. At the moment I am unaware of any barriers. I can't try to help fix something if I don't know what the problem that needs fixing actually is. I would guess that applies to most people. So again, are there any specific barriers that you are thinking of that inhibit females from volunteering to be an RD? |
| Anne-Marie Flaherty | Mar 11 2024, 2:38pm | Alicia can probably articulate better than me. Barriers include childcare - it's a fact that women are still the primary caregivers and don't all have partners willing or able to support volunteerism like this. The RD role is more time consuming than other roles as it does involve longer term planning. Doing recces, not all women are in a position to recce routes for races, not always an issue for an RD, depending on a route marker, but it can be helpful for pre-race briefings and knowledge of a course, this can come down to feelings of safety and access to areas in the mountains. We don't all feel comfortable going out alone, or with people we don't really know too well. Toilet and changing facilities at events, these aren't just barriers for participants in the events, they can also put off volunteers! I know at times women worry issues that may arise at a race and the consequences of that, an aggressive participant etc. not all of us feel comfortable dealing with that kind of situation. Personally, I can't drive, but I rely heavily on my partner, family and friends to assist me when volunteering, I'm so fortunate to have that, but I'd never be able to give the time I've given to IMRA over the years if not for then, they've given up hours of time to make up volunteer positions for me when I've been RD. I think the fact that women make up such a small portion of the IMRA membership we more than pull our weight when it comes to volunteering! |
| Alicia Christofi-Walshe | Mar 11 2024, 2:50pm | Thank Eoin & all that AM said plus I'd add lack of time. |
| Clare Keeley | Mar 11 2024, 2:57pm | I was delighted to see that 3 races held by IMRA last Saturday were RD’d by women. The RD role is a huge amount of organising , regardless of gender, but it is also a massive team effort to get it to the start line, having RD’d a number of races I am always blown away by everyone’s willingness to contribute their time and energy to put these races together for everyone to take part and enjoy. That’s everyone’s time and energy away from friends, family, work commitments . As a full time working mum of three teenage girls (and a dog that’s needs loads of running!) of course there are so many barriers that challenge though I am not sure this is the forum to start a debate on that. Let’s just keep the RD training evening list going for everyone! Clare |
| Brendan Lawlor | Mar 11 2024, 3:39pm | The Race Director role is one of the most important in IMRA but is also hugely well supported by the IMRA committee, experienced RD’s ( who will very willingly act as deputies) and of course IMRA volunteers who sign up to assist at each race. Prospective new Race Directors, whether male or female, should not be put off by some of the challenges outlined already, many of which are not gender specific. We trained nearly 15 new Race Directors in 2022 when we last did this training and each and every one of them did a fantastic job when they got round to organizing a race. And finally as a counter point to some of the barriers, here are a few rewards to think about - fantastic knowledge of the inner workings of IMRA - a chance to work with superb and beautiful volunteer teams - an amazing end of year RD gift from our wonderful committee - a rousing round of applause at your race briefing and pub prize giving ! So if you are on the fence please don’t be put off but go ahead and sign up.. please call or contact myself ( oh 87 too432798) , Vivian O Gorman or any committee member if you wanted any further information or have any questions . Do the same if you want to sign up less publicly Regards Brendan and Vivian RD Trainers |
| Linda Rowden | Mar 11 2024, 5:01pm | Sold by Brendan and Vivian. Please sign me up too. Thanks for organising:) |
| Rachel Cinnsealach | Mar 11 2024, 5:28pm | Being a race director can be done by a male or female. I don't see any barriers to women doing the job. Personally I volunteer to do it because I enjoy doing it. |
| Laura Flynn | Mar 11 2024, 5:41pm | It’s helpful that you’ve detailed some of the concerns you feel women might have in RDing races Anne-Marie. Unfortunately, in my view, some are issues for our broader society that specific to IMRA. When I read Alicia’s comment re lack of time I was reminded of a former President’s comment to me when I told him I was too busy to RD Bray Head that year. He embarrassed me into it when he replied bluntly “ well we’re all busy Laura.” My experience of RDing has been that you get exceptional support from the committee and other RDs. It’s also a role that lends itself very well to delegation. For instance, if you cannot do the recce you can ask the race marker or someone very familiar with the course to do it and report back or you’ll find no shortage of members willing to accompany you. The mentoring role of Deputy RD was brought in a few years ago to encourage people as it is undoubtedly daunting to do RD for the first time - this applies to both men and women. I’ve also had to deal with the odd aggression (again, true for female and males in the RD role) but when it’s happened there has always been a committee member at hand to step in and help. You’re never on your own. Like you Anne-Marie, I’ve been fortunate to have support and encouragement at home and I recognise that not everyone has (whether female or male). However any member taking on the role can expect to get 100% support from the IMRA community. I’d urge us to look at the whys rather than the why-nots. Alicia, If any of your female trail-running friends are interested in becoming RDs I’d be happy to chat with them to see if myself of some of my IMRA friends can help them overcome any obstacles they might be facing. We have a great and growing gang of amazing IMRA women willing to help and delighted to have more women take up the sport. |
| Anne-Marie Flaherty | Mar 11 2024, 6:27pm | I agree Laura, a lot of what I mention as barriers are also societal, but why should that stop us from doing our best in our little corner to remove as many of those barriers as we can? Many of these barriers do apply to men and women, but that's no reason to ignore them, or brush them aside. There has to be practical ways to reduce, or remove barriers in IMRA. I think a lot of us can be complacent about barriers, at IMRA, or society in general, because we don't face them ourselves, I just think it's important for us to acknowledge that there are genuine reasons why people (women, or men!) who can't give up as much time as others. Many of the volunteering barriers are also participation barriers. As for being embarrassed into volunteering, I think unfortunately this is why the same names crop up time and again as volunteers (in all capacities) they feel a sense of responsibility to the IMRA community. The people who DON'T volunteer and turn up year in year out and have shameful records when it comes to volunteering are the ones that should be called out and embarrassed. I have been fortunate enough to enjoy my experience as RD, otherwise I wouldn't keep doing it, I've been supported and helped, luckily I've faced no major issues (none that anyone has mentioned to me anyway!) When IMRA is good, it's a great community we have here, I've met some amazing people, mostly through volunteering. I'd just like to see our community grow as much as it can and if we can help with that I'd like to see us try! (Hope are the lurkers are enjoying the thread :P) |
| Syl Ivers | Mar 11 2024, 9:17pm | Hi, Liam could you put my name down...Thank you...Syl. |
| Liam Vines | Mar 12 2024, 7:26am | So after all the excitement of yesterday we have. Syl Linda Alice James David Richard Derek Alan Orlaith Have a good day all and be kind… |
| Richard Fox | Mar 12 2024, 7:44am | Hello Liam. Apologies for delay but just wondering if I could stick my name on the list too. Cheers foxy |
| Jenni Miley | Mar 12 2024, 7:57am | Hi Liam, Please add me to the list too, thanks. Jenni |
| Liam Vines | Mar 12 2024, 8:11am | That’s great.. At this rate I am going to have to put a limit in place and we all know what happens when the limits are in place…. About 15 is a full class… |
| Liam Mooney | Mar 12 2024, 8:30am | Hi Liam. Put me down also if you still have room. Thanks |
| Niamh O'Gorman | Mar 12 2024, 6:52pm | Hi Liam, I would like to sign up if there are still spaces. Thanks. |
| Greg Robins | Mar 12 2024, 9:50pm | I've volunteered to be RD at Ardgillan on May 8th so please include me. |
| niall flynn | Mar 16 2024, 8:00am | I'd like to do the training if there's still space. |
| Brendan Lawlor | Mar 16 2024, 8:57am | Thanks Niall and others We have 15 now so our class is full and it’s naked warrior dance time.. please get in touch if you missed out and we’ll add you to the wait list in case we have any drop outs Big thank you to all who have signed up, looking forward to a great training session with you all |
| Martina Colville | Mar 18 2024, 8:42pm | Hi Brendan, sorry I was slow to the party but if you could put me on the list please? If there are no slots this time happy to wait for next time. Meanwhile I will observe the experts |
| Brendan Lawlor | Mar 18 2024, 9:22pm | Hi Martina I’m sure we can squeeze you in so plan to come along |
| Liam Vines | Mar 24 2024, 10:13am | There is an email gone out to all who put there name down to do the training evening. We nearly had to put a limit on it..... If you didn't get it please email me at races at imra .ie and I will reply. See you all on Wednesday. Liam |
