My Experience as a Race Ambassador
My final race as a professional athlete was the 2018 Detroit Free Press Competitive 1-Mile and it was a blast. A few months after that race I noticed in my instagram feed a call for 2019 Race Ambassador applications and immediately thought “I need to do this.” I had just retired from pro running and wanted to get involved in my local running community. As a professional athlete my running world had been so small: I never went to group runs, my training schedule was very regimented and I had other elite runners as training partners. I didn’t pay entry fees, races paid me to show up. Retirement meant leaving that small elite world behind and figuring out how to be part of the much bigger running community.
2018 Competitive 1-Mile
My last race as a professional athlete.
Without even knowing exactly what Race Ambassadors did, I excitedly applied and waited expectantly for the selection, praying to God that I would get the “job.” Selection date came and went and I was pretty disappointed - no word. Maybe an elite miler wasn’t really what they were looking for as a marathon ambassador. But my hope returned when I found out the selection had been delayed, and I dialed up my prayers to daily. A few days later I got the good news!
The first step was a meeting with the other race ambassadors and some of the marathon staff. To be honest, I was a little apprehensive and not sure if I would “fit in” or be relatable. The others ran simply for the love of running and trained hard in pursuit of their goals despite busy work-life schedules. I had just spent a decade running because it was my job (I did love it though). They all had many races lined up, and I had no interest in racing at all.
Turns out there was nothing to worry about. Everyone was excited to be race ambassadors and interested in learning about one another. The group of ambassadors selected was really diverse with so many different goals and running journeys but the common quality was they were all so welcoming. I began to realize for myself how big and friendly the running community is. I regret that that there never seemed to be enough time to get to know the other ambassadors. But that’s ok — our top goal wasn’t to pour into one another, it was to get other people excited about “Freep” the Detroit Free Press Marathon weekend of races.
For a few months our only duty as ambassadors was to get the word out and tell our network of people about the race. With my extensive background as a runner as well as being a running coach, I was asked to do a short TV segment about preparing for the big day. We had a few groups runs and a few of us did an instagram takeover. It was fun to interact with the runners who were signed up and preparing for race weekend.
At the Expo
Working the info booth with fellow race ambassadors David Howard, Jason Davidson, Erin Dawkins, Alyssa Anderson
The best part for me was volunteering at the expo on race weekend. We (race ambassadors) were at the Info booth and there were runners coming up non-stop with questions. It was amazing to meet all these people filled with anticipation and excitement for the race. Running races is something I’ve done my whole life and as a coach, it was really fulfilling to chat with the runners and offer my advice and encouragement and hype right before race day. 4 hours have never flown by so fast in my life, I can’t explain how much I enjoyed it. Second regret: not signing up for more shifts at the info booth.
Race day was amazing. I did the International Half Marathon, took a little jaunt in my home and native land and enjoyed every second. It was my first race since the competitive 1-mile a year prior and the goal was to simply enjoy it. I had a smile on my face for the entire 13.1. We race ambassadors had learned the extent of the planning, organizing and volunteers needed to pull off race weekend and I've never had more appreciation for the volunteers and staff while running a race. At one point I was just telling “thank you thank you thank you” to the lines of volunteers along the course.
It didn’t end there. The Freep marathon was the first time I ever got to see some of my own clients finish their race. I cheered two of my clients in their green bibs up around the corner at 26 miles and toward the finish of their very first marathon. And a third client crushed her previous PR in the half. The chance to be part of their success was a serious privilege and these memories are bringing tears to my eyes even now, 3 months later.
It was such a great day in the middle of a wonderful year, and so much better than I ever imagined. At the time I had wanted to write about the experience, so at least I’m getting to it now. I was so overwhelmed with happiness and I felt God smiling on me that day.
Thinking back, it seems clear that the Lord prompted me to see the call for race ambassador applications on instagram. I hadn’t even been following @freepmarathon at the time. I just believe He had planned a long time ago to give me this whole experience, right when I would need it. My role as a race ambassador was a defining part of my first year as a retired athlete. In a time when I was figuring out how to re-define my relationship with running, I could not have been given a better gift than this opportunity. Thank you Freep, and thank you Jesus.
“Give thanks for the LORD, for He is good;
His love endures forever.”