The Real Challenge we FaceIn his first video submission of 2016, renown Ironman Boulder Race Director Dave Christen (“DC”) addresses the need to acknowledge and thank the many members of our community who allow our events to take place. He introduces his “3G” concept of Be Grateful, Be Gracious, Be Generous. Watch the video, then read his letter below with all the details… and spread the word!
This is a special message I want to share with you all and something we are going to launch together through IRONMAN Boulder! Join us in the 3G Challenge! We are going to preserve and protect the sports we love with 3 simple steps as a community!
Last year the athletes at IRONMAN Boulder made the event one of the friendliest events in the world. With your efforts and personalities, that event truly was special and one that proved to me what I think is necessary for our sport to continue and for races of all shapes and sizes to remain alive and available.
One prevailing underlying aspect in each meeting I have around the country is the community impact and the growing frustration of the neighbors and city leaders who are not necessarily interested or aware of our events, but are certainly impacted by the route, our training, or other impacts from any type of triathlon, cycling, or running event.
In 2016 I want to start a campaign here in regards to our sports that is centered around gratitude and friendliness…
Here is Dave’s full letter to our Colorado community with all the details – pass it along!
Hey guys!
If we have never met my name is Dave Christen. Most people who know me call me DC….mostly because there are too many Daves in the world. I use this Facebook page to typically drive information to those interested in IRONMAN Boulder. I am the race director of the event so it tends to be my primary means of communicating leading into the race.
Today is about something slightly different though. Today I am launching a campaign hopefully with all of you alongside of me. As many of you know I work around the country for IRONMAN and when I am not race directing here in Boulder I am usually our bike course director or run course director at various other events we operate around the country. To date I have worked over 107 IRONMAN events with IRONMAN Boulder being the 100th for me. I share that not to pound my chest, but to demonstrate to you that I see a lot of racing from all different parts of this country. What follows is what I have observed as a problem we all face.
Last year the athletes at IRONMAN Boulder made the event one of the friendliest events in the world. With your efforts and personalities, that event truly was special and one that proved to me what I think is necessary for our sport to continue and for races of all shapes and sizes to remain alive and available. Last year the conversation we had was wrapped around how generous and how encouraging the community of athletes, community of spectators, and community of Boulder shined bright of friendly and welcoming people. Which leads me to what is the most important issue that faces our sport today.
Each weekend I set in a new community meeting on a Tuesday before whatever race that is to be held on the weekend. The conversations there are typically wrapped around logistics and closing loose ends for the weekend. One prevailing underlying aspect in each meeting I have around the country is the community impact and the growing frustration of the neighbors and city leaders who are not necessarily interested or aware of our events, but are certainly impacted by the route, our training, or other impacts from any type of triathlon, cycling, or running event.
This year in Colorado we had a community close its doors to existing and long standing well run triathlons and cycling events. Not solely because of an event organizer in particular but because of the community outcry about being impacted negatively by the event season at this public area. This is not uncommon. This is not a Colorado, or Boulder, or big city, or small city problem. This is not caused because a bunch of cranky people who own houses on or along the course are privileged or entitled. Its because, just like you and me, we live there and have plans in life. Plans for appointments, shopping, flights, surgeries, weddings, funerals, short runs, long runs, strolls along the beach or whatever it is. We all can relate on some level their frustrations. These events cause disruptions.
Without diving into what I know we all can understand as their overall anger with what we all do and enjoy in our sports on race day or when we are out in large #’s training, I want to focus on what our community of athletes here are going to do to help and what I think you all can join in doing. In Boulder many local leaders in our sport and industry are feeling like we need to do something soon or we will start losing the opportunities we have to race as communities close their doors because of their constituents, or residents, voice their objections.
In 2016 I want to start a campaign here in regards to our sports that is centered around gratitude and friendliness. Im not sure if this title will stick but “3G” is how I have been calling it lately. This year I am challenging all athletes to accomplish 3 goals in respects to preserving our opportunities to race in communities in this area or anywhere you race. # 1 Be Grateful, #2 Be Gracious, #3 Be Generous.
#1 Be Grateful – I meet with City leaders all the time and the one thing they boast about and hang on their walls more than anything else are thank you notes. Not because of what the note says, but because it is so very rare they get thanked for what they do at all. In March, I am challenging all Colorado tri clubs or training groups to email or mail their permitting agencies for events they participate in. Not just one letter from the club. Im talking about each member picking a different community worker, leader, or group and send a note. Any Tri club that needs help finding someone to thank, can reach me directly on this page and I will help them direct it to the right areas. City council leaders, parks and rec directors, Police commanders and chiefs, and many other people are involved with the races we love and enjoy and we need to be louder than those not appreciating the value. In March I will be choosing a Tri Club that demonstrates this and provide them with 20 parking passes to the Boulder Reservoir on race morning for IRONMAN Boulder. A value beyond measure for some.
In March I am challenging clubs to email or directly mail a specific leader or group that we can be grateful for what they do for us so we can race. Again, we must be more vocal about why we enjoy these sports. Don’t write anything but “Thank you” and kind words. Demonstrate the true spirit of what makes our race days so special. More details to follow but that’s #1….be more grateful
#2 – Be Gracious – Following March, in April we are going to again call on all athletes to demonstrate what I think is the greatest part of our race here, IRONMAN Boulder. April, we are challenging the tri clubs and training groups in Colorado to demonstrate grace in unique ways in their communities. Adopt roads, perform yard work for older communities, spring cleaning at local parks we use, or anything else you can create to show grace. The Colorado club or training group that demonstrates that most in April when I create a post about it, will be awarded a set of 20 parking passes to be used at IRONMAN Boulder to get them into the reservoir so they can avoid the shuttles as a group.
#3 – Be Generous – The last “G” is to be more generous. The money we spend on training and the money we spend on racing in many people’s eyes could be considered outrageous. Well in May we are going to put our money not where our mouth is, but where their mouth is. In May, I am calling on each tri club and training group in this Colorado to fund and pay for a catered lunch for the police department of their choice. Pizza, burrito bar, or whatever you see fit. The club that month with the greatest demonstration of this effort and being generous in your community will enjoy a keg of local brew at the next club function they have on us.
Friends, listen. We need to be better. We need to be nicer. We need to be 3G. Stay tuned to this page for more info on this effort but also for more info on IRONMAN Boulder. We have a challenge in our sport guys. Its not a lack of youth, or a lack of a certain type of racing. The real challenge will be maintaining races in an increasingly more difficult environment to gain permits in. We must change the way we are perceived and we must make strides to be the sport that people love to work with. If your club or training group or group of friends has a name, reply to this video with your pledge to join us for 3 months to really affect change in our sport. Colorado clubs especially are up for some great rewards but all clubs alike are welcome to join. A keg or parking pass should not be our only motivator. Those are just ways I want to personally thank the groups I see the most. Reply below with your clubs pledge to join me in 3 months. You watch what this does in our communities and at the friendliest IRONMAN in the world. IRONMAN Boulder!
(Check out most of Dave’s work on our Ironman Boulder Resource Page.)
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