Re: Pre-entering rides

[BMcCrary27@aol.com]

In a message dated 9/18/98 7:20:21 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
carlmey@citrus.infi.net writes:

<< Well, I finally supported his idea fully last year and we stuck to our
 guns to initiate a firm and rider-friendly policy of pre-entry and
 a closing date for such, with no post entries...IT WAS THE SANEST THING
 I'VE DONE REGARDING MANAGING A RIDE!!! 
 
 As a competitor myself, I've done all of the things that drive ride
 mgrs. nuts and to exhaustion (and past!) because there was no "rule"
 to say that I couldn't (pre-enter,etc.)and well, it's just human nature
 to linger and "wait and see" instead of making a binding commitment 
 with a sizeable entry fee. (We had generous refund policy printed on
 our entry form).
 
 What I'VE finally realized as a RM (and try to be much more considerate
 of other RMs now), is that managing an event/ride must be done with 
 the planning in a business-like manner, with attention to a budget,etc.
 ahead of time, a plan that takes in scope all of the details and ex-
 penses, and a way to make work what you promise to the riders in your
 promo/entry form. THIS CANNOT BE DONE ON  GUESS-WORK, HOPING that 
 X mumber of entries will be forthcoming as you fork out those $$$ for
 this and that or make commitments for such.
 
 We do our rides right out of our own pocket...probably the way most
 ride-managers do theirs, and have not been smart or business like 
 ENOUGH to ever come out ahead financially.SOOO, we've agreed that we
 can no longer afford to lose a substantial sum doing this, and will
 continue to have a pre-entry/closing date for our Florida Endurance
 Classic rides....hoping the riders will take a look at a schedule, and
 plan ahead and MAKE A COMMITMENT and work toward that commitment.In the
 future, maybe more rides will follow suit...I know of only one other in
 the SE ..Liberty Run..relatively new ride, that requires full payment
 with entry and has their refund policy spelled out (includes Dr's.or
 D.V.M statement as prerequisite for refund...the ride is successful).
 
 THERE ARE SOME EXCEPTIONS: There are some "magic" rides out there...
 they draw voluminous amounts of entries year after year and a RM can
 go to the bank on that! I think (here in the East) of the Biltmore
 rides,Million Pines ride to name a couple....but the FEC doesn't fall
 into that category...it's a class ride, but the ride calendar is fuller
 and fuller and we're a distance away for many....all the more reason to
 request a commitment ahead of
 time...AND IF WE DON'T MEET OUR BASIC BUDGET BY THE CUT-OFF DATE, we
 have  agreed to cancel the ride....by having every entry's phone #,etc. 
  at least 10 days before the ride, they can be contacted before they
 ever start packing!..And, they will get their entry refunded. 
 
 This creates SANITY for the RMs, believe me! You KNOW what's 
 happenig and HOW TO FINALZE THE PLANNING! The 10 days to a week before
 a ride are a roller-coaster ride with not enough hours in the day (are
 there EVER?) or ENERGY to carry one through in good shape (fit to con-
 tinue?)..FORGET the week before the ride...there isn't  either of
 the above, time OR energy, to talk to all the last minute inquirers
 wanting to enter, get directions, etc.,etc., etc....there was just a
 post from our own Dr. Heidi who stated that if you call her at the last
 minute (and the last week before a ride IS the last minute!) you'll get
 your call returned at midnight...that's cool, but when does SHE sleep?
 (I could tell from one of her recent posts acknowledging that she had
 just come home from running her most recent ride, that she was in the
 post-ride, ride mgr's. syndrome of auto-pilot. exhaustion...sleep de-
 prived and short tempered..she wasn't herself, even if she was in dis-
 agreement with AERC on some stuff..(bless you Heidi for all you do!).
 
 Some other enlightening posts remind us that other disciplines and 
 "hobby" sports are not only more expensive, but are run thoroughly as
 a business..because they HAVE to in order to produce the product they
 promote (ride, rodeo, dog show, prizes..cash & otherwise, etc.)..speak-
 ing of dog shows..a game I've played & suspect many others are/have:
 you pay full price up front and in a timely fashion...way ahead so that
 the Managers (all professional) can set up the schedule & produce! AND
 there are NO refunds...(I'd love to have the $$ I've spent on overnight
 ing entries to make a postal or "by midnight of _____ deadline!)
 
 Our wonderful, exciting, addicting sport is young but growing in dim-
 ension and scope very, very rapidly. It's expanding and giving more
 choices, and I think that's good. But it's a full plate out there, and
 thorough planning way in advance is going to become more of the norm, I
 believe. 
 
 I'm all for  a Ride Manager's Support Group...anyone interested???
  
 FYI..I didn't have a CLUE as to what Ride Mgmt. was all about until
 recently...it's pretty scopy..it had me baffled ...all I wanted to do
 was RIDE, and still do, but here I  am...thinking I/we can contribute
 to the endurance scene.( And we're happy to do so).It's been said be-
 for..if you haven't done it (manage a ride/event) it's very hard to
 identify with the reason to have a RM's Support Group...so don't worry
 if you don't understand..but, if the situation is right, jump into the
 barrel and have a go at it....and, make a commitment to yourself to
 offer your services, energy & expertise  to the RM of your choice as
 often as you are able...(a RM's Support Group would/could share ideas
 with others)...just another thought.
 
 This message is sent with love and respect for all who do what we do.
 
 Deena Meyer AERC # 5158 >>

We manage several rides here in the west - Castle Rock 50, Barley Patch 30, 
Swanton Pacific 100, and the Applegate-Lassen Trail 5-day 250 miler.  It's not
difficult to take on site entries for the 5-day ride, as our management
technique is far simpler than the others.  No outhouses to rent, only one vet,
no BBQ to host.  But when the 50 mile ride may have 100 entries and the 30 may
have 50-60 more, it becomes a nightmare to manage without knowledge of the
number of riders expected.  How many outhouses will be needed?  How many vets?
HOW MANY AWARDS? (Ours are dated; expensive waste if we order too many,
disappointing for the riders if we don't have enough).  Particularly, how many
dinners to order from the caterer?  We do not prepare our own BBQ, we do not
have a potluck dinner.  We hire a local woman to cater delicious meals.  Our
family is very busy checking details all through the event, to make sure
everything is running as smoothly as possible.  Did we open those strategic
gates?  Are the unexpected junctions so well marked that no one questions
which direction to go?  This leaves no spare time to prepare meals.  We try to
make a great social event out of our rides as well as present the best
possible trail and personnel.  Therefore, we must know about how many riders
to expect, since the caterer needs to order the meat and poultry a minimum of
one week in advance, and also needs to do her baking in advance.

I like to present a very professional look to the ride: printed rider lists,
printed instructions to checkpoints, ETA charts, (so vets, personnel, and
crews have an idea what time to expect the front runners, the middle of the
pack riders, and the cutoff times).  I print a form for the finish line
timers, so that when a rider crosses the finish line, the timer can note the
finish time and simply affix a label with rider/horse/award choice information
to the form.  (Big help to me at the awards BBQ).  All this cannot be done in
an efficient manner if we haven't an idea how many riders are coming.

I'm sure it would be fairly simple if there were perhaps 20-30 riders, but
when there are over 100, it becomes much more difficult.  I am a "ahead of
time" organizer, and do not handle last minute surprises with composure.
That's why we have a cutoff time for entries.  We give every degree of
latitude possible -- complete refunds for cancellations (except value of
meals, if the cancellation takes place after food has been ordered), last
minute fax entries accepted (one week before the ride).  It's far easier to
cancel an entry than add it on within the last week of the ride.  I don't
think it is asking too much of a rider to commit to doing a ride one week
before the event.  In most circumstances, it reflects lack of planning on the
part of the rider, to just drift in at the last minute and expect all the
conveniences and rewards.

Barbara McCrary