#382 - Ironman Race Director - Ken Hammond

There are many racing questions out there, so we brought on Race Director, Ken Hammond (Race Director of Ohio 70.3 and Musselman) for an in-depth conversation on how he, his staff, and Ironman have been approaching a race season hampered by a pandemic. He talks about the current state of racing, registration trends for upcoming races, and what changes might stick in the sport. He also gives us insight into a lot of challenges they've faced that most of us don't think about, like why Muncie 70.3 is on, but Ohio 70.3 isn't. 

Topics: 

• What’s a race director do without racing?
• how did he deal with the final cancellation of his races?
• Race directors relationship to Ironman
• Protocols with cities
• Ironman’s mindset from the beginning of Pandemic
• How open are cities to changing dates?
• How does he mentally handle losing TWO races?
• How they’re figuring out what actually works and makes
• Why some cities are racing, some are not
• Muncie is going, why can’t Ohio?
• Discussion points for possibly localizing races
• Medical support and volunteer hesitation
• Return to racing initiative
• Self-support racing
• What possible changes he thinks will stick?
• His thoughts about racing progression right now
• Proposed changes to limit contact in expo, transitions, etc
• Looking at the new finish line
• His biggest worry through all of this
• Will this pandemic actually grow the sport?
• Will people be more active or just work more?
• Race registration trends for 2021
• Will late season racing be open if you want them?
• Race Director’s perspective to negative Facebook groups
• What it was like losing an athlete at Ohio 70.3
• Where to find the grumpiest people on race day
• The communication channel between athletes and Ironman

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