Officials for nation's only 15-miler at crossroads in effort to update event
The Charleston Distance Run will kick off this weekend mostly unchanged from last year's event, despite ongoing talks of updating the race to conform with others throughout the nation.
Billed as "America's 15-Mile Race," the Charleston Distance Run is thought to be the only competitive race of its kind in the nation.
Faced with lagging turnout, some event planners have been talking over the past year about changing the distance to a half marathon - a 13.1-mile race - to attract more visitors. They also want a flatter route that is more comparable to other races.
But other members of the committee don't want to change the distance or the route without exploring other options first.
Distance Run Director Aaron Allred compared the event to a business that is losing customers. He said members of the committee must embrace change if they hope to attract more runners.
"You have to adapt if you want to keep people," Allred said.
Runners compete with themselves, he said. They want to compare their times with previous races to see if they are getting better.
But because there aren't any other 15-mile races, runners can't compare their performance in the Charleston Distance Run to other events. Other races also typically cover flatter ground, while Charleston's includes a lot of steep terrain.
Allred said some runners compete in Charleston to prepare for the Boston Marathon. In the past, experienced runners have told him they were so sore from the terrain they couldn't compete for weeks.
At its height in the late 1980s, the distance run saw nearly 1,800 participants. That number had fallen by almost 70 percent by 2008. This year's participation is expected to be somewhere around 600.
Robert Morgenstern, an avid runner who has participated in the distance run since 2003, said he will not be taking part this year.
He said the committee needs to change the race to a half marathon as had been discussed last year.
"The 15-mile race is a dinosaur," Morgenstern said. "While the rest of the running communities across the country are moving to half marathons, Charleston is clinging to the past."
"We have a significant drop in the number of runners, yet we continue to do the same thing and expect different results," he added.
He also agrees with Allred that a flatter route should be adopted.
"The worst thing for a runner's knees is going down a hill," he said. "I don't understand. I'm perplexed why the committee refuses to change."
Last year, Morgenstern said crowd participation was also poor. He said it was bad for the morale of runners to see so few people cheering them on.
The Charleston Distance Run will kick off this weekend mostly unchanged from last year's event, despite ongoing talks of updating the race to conform with others throughout the nation.
Billed as "America's 15-Mile Race," the Charleston Distance Run is thought to be the only competitive race of its kind in the nation.
Faced with lagging turnout, some event planners have been talking over the past year about changing the distance to a half marathon - a 13.1-mile race - to attract more visitors. They also want a flatter route that is more comparable to other races.
But other members of the committee don't want to change the distance or the route without exploring other options first.
Distance Run Director Aaron Allred compared the event to a business that is losing customers. He said members of the committee must embrace change if they hope to attract more runners.
"You have to adapt if you want to keep people," Allred said.
Runners compete with themselves, he said. They want to compare their times with previous races to see if they are getting better.
But because there aren't any other 15-mile races, runners can't compare their performance in the Charleston Distance Run to other events. Other races also typically cover flatter ground, while Charleston's includes a lot of steep terrain.
Allred said some runners compete in Charleston to prepare for the Boston Marathon. In the past, experienced runners have told him they were so sore from the terrain they couldn't compete for weeks.
At its height in the late 1980s, the distance run saw nearly 1,800 participants. That number had fallen by almost 70 percent by 2008. This year's participation is expected to be somewhere around 600.
Robert Morgenstern, an avid runner who has participated in the distance run since 2003, said he will not be taking part this year.
He said the committee needs to change the race to a half marathon as had been discussed last year.
"The 15-mile race is a dinosaur," Morgenstern said. "While the rest of the running communities across the country are moving to half marathons, Charleston is clinging to the past."
"We have a significant drop in the number of runners, yet we continue to do the same thing and expect different results," he added.
He also agrees with Allred that a flatter route should be adopted.
"The worst thing for a runner's knees is going down a hill," he said. "I don't understand. I'm perplexed why the committee refuses to change."
Last year, Morgenstern said crowd participation was also poor. He said it was bad for the morale of runners to see so few people cheering them on.
Some changes have been put in place, and not everyone on the committee is happy with them.
For example, no cash prizes will be awarded to winners of the race this year. The cash prizes have been replaced with long-sleeved T-shirts commemorating the event.
Committee Member Johnny Barker said eliminating the cash prizes was the wrong decision.
He said the money helped attract more participants to the race. And he said many of the cash prizes often went to local people.
Barker said he is open to changing the distance and route. But he wants to look at other options as well.
He doesn't think the distance itself is to blame for lower turnout.
"When the race started in Charleston, there weren't many of them around," he said. "Now, races are a dime a dozen. People have to choose between races in Pittsburgh, Charlotte, Charleston, and everywhere."
"And it's not about numbers," he continued. "It's about runners."
Barker said many runners have told him they enjoy the challenge of the hills.
Joni Adams, another member of the committee, said she is open to discussing changes to the distance run. But she doesn't think the 15-mile race should be eliminated.
Instead, Adams suggested that a standardized race be added to the lineup. But she wants the 15-mile race to be kept as well.
"I'd just hate to see a race with a 38-year history dissolved before we explore other options," Adams said.
It's not too late to register as a runner. Visit www.charlestondistancerun.com to sign up. There also will be a spaghetti dinner at the State Capitol from 5-8 p.m. tonight, and Allred said runners may sign up at the dinner.
The race begins at 7:30 a.m. Saturday at the Capitol.
Contact writer Billy Wolfe at billy.wo...@dailymail.com or 304-348-4843.
