The Race Ambassador Syndrome

Flashback to three years to the first ever promo run you’ve been to. You look upon a bunch of runners gracing that stage, many of whom are serial podium finishers, Ultra Marathon Runners, each inspirational in their own right, people who you look upto, both literally and figuratively. Many of whom you would soon call your friends, mentors, people who inspire you. You aspired to be them, to exchange position with them (little did you know you would actually do that a couple years down the line). They made you want to register for the race (and yes the lalach of a personalised race tee was also there).

Flash forward a few years down the line and there’s a race or two, every week of the year, even in the torture month of May, which is normally considered as offseason. And every race has to have a Race Ambassador, a popular runner, who would help draw runners to the race, as the face of the race. You have every Tom, Dick and Harry and Sally being Race Ambassadors. You find yourself scratching your head when you see the face of those who are now race Ambassadors (or maybe it’s just the dry scalp itching you). Sometimes it leaves you perplexed wondering what did they do to qualify to be a race ambassador (that includes yours truly too, still trying to figure out).

What you got to understand that races use these ambassadors to attract runners, attract their fan following (which these have in spades) expecting them to promote their run. And many who end up signing up for race because their friend is the face of the race, or are pacing the race. So if the organisers can use the runners popularity to attract registrations, then shouldn’t they also be held accountable if the race doesn’t meet the expected standard, and they in turn should hold the organisers responsible to  ensure that the runners get the experience that they deserve, they paid for. You should be able to call a spade a spade and take ownership or pull-up the organisers when you need to.

It is easy shirk off the responsibility and blame the organisers when things go wrong, but remember that your name too is attached with the event making you too in a way responsible for it. So rather than being all swept off at seeing your name plastered over Facebook and other social media, understand what the event is about, what is it trying to promote and who’s promoting the race and what are their track record. It’s easy to get your ego all swollen up but difficult and painful when the ego gets bruised.

So don’t get caught up in all the flattery all the euphoria, cause let’s face it, you’ve been used as much as you think you’ve been promoted. So be aware of the whole Race Ambassador Syndrome.

P.S. It’s funny to see runners be so myopic, choosing to support someone while ignoring, or choosing to ignore the person past indiscretions and unsportsmanlike behaviour and try and support the person and not question an already tarnished image.