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Most runners, pay their race fee, get the t-shirt and cross the line without a thought or care of how the race all came together. Not Tara Melville.
As a wife, mother, runner and race director, she’s intrigued with race logistics. Always striving to improve the racing experience for everyone. Tara’s a champion for women’s running and kid’s health and fitness.
She appreciates both her volunteers and participants. Tara’s quick to say “well done” and give a smile, handshake or hug. Tara is making a difference in her community and the Canadian racing scene.
Photos Courtesy of Tara Melville WomenRunningTogether chatted with Tara about her running and life as a race director.
The RunDown
Tara Melville, Age 39.
Married to Brad Melville and together they have four children.
Lives Oakville, Ontario, Canada.
Manages her company, Run Well Events.
Websites: www.runmsc.com and www.runwellevents.com
Distance Runner – 5k to half marathon.
Following a Dream
WRT: Tell us about Run Well Events.
Tara Melville: We put on four running races and five kids triathlons. Our summers are short here in Ontario, so the races are crammed into four months of the year. We start mid June and end in September.
WRT: How long have you been doing this?
Tara: We’ve been organizing events for over 13 years. It became full time for me in September 2009, when I quit my job in investment banking. I’d worked in the industry for 15 years. I liked it, the money and hours were good and it was fast paced. But I haven’t looked back. I’m following my dream.
WRT: How did you get into event management?
Tara Melville: I was runner who started participating as a volunteer at my races. I was fascinated with what happened behind the scenes. I could recognize when a race was run well or when there were issues. I began by learning how to set up water stations. I’d help out at the packet pick up and other events on the Saturday and compete on the Sunday.
WRT: Have you been running most of your life? Tara: I’ve always been active but played mostly team sports when I was young, like competitive soccer. My first race was “Run for the Cure”, a 5k fun run. It wasn’t timed but I was hooked. Gosh, that was 15 years ago, when I was in my early 20’s and I still remember that race.
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Staying in Shape
WRT: Why running?
Tara Melville: For me running is a way to set a personal goal whether it’s a race time, finishing or logging more miles. There’s lots of motivation to run. Plus I used running to get back into shape after I had my children. It was the only way I could lose weight and it gave me some time away from the kids.
WRT: Did you run while you were pregnant?
Tara: I started my family at 30 and had been running in lots of races. I did plenty of research on running and pregnancy. I think it’s a tough call for many women. I ran until I was four months pregnant and then walked.
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WRT: How soon did you get back to running after your pregnancies?
 Tara Melville: I started back 8-9 months after having my babies, when I’d finished nursing.
In the early months I was too exhausted and had no time. Getting back was a struggle and frustrating. You have no momentum. You might run one day then not run for another 10 days.
Tara Melville
WRT: With a family and a business, how do you fit in time for your running and racing?
Tara: I race in our off-season; usually 8 or 10k’s in the spring. My favorite race is a half marathon in May. Then I get all excited for a fall marathon. But after putting on nine events over summer, I’m so spent that I don’t do it. There’s no energy left to put into your race.
I aim for three days a week of running. If I can do that I’m happy. When I’m training for a race I ramp it up. I’m a fair weather runner, so it’s the treadmill in winter. I’m always on the look out for those destination races in warmer climates.
Many Hands
 WRT: Races rely on volunteers, how do you recruit and look after them?
Tara Melville: I solicit volunteers from running clubs. Many are cheering on their running partners or are injured runners keen to help out. It’s a great way to come and be part of the event.
In our kids triathlons we have 500 entrants, so we need 75 adults. When you’ve got 7-year-olds on a bike you need to line the course with volunteers.
As race organizers we do our best to personalize emails to our volunteers. We advise what role they’ll play and ask what they’d like to do, water stations, finish chute, etc.
Winner of a Run Well Event
We let them have some input. You want them to enjoy their experience. I never let anyone go without thanking them. I give lots of hugs. We have a good support base and we make sure we treat them well. It becomes a social network for a lot of people, a way to make friends.
It amazes me that people give their time for free and for a volunteer t-shirt. They really enjoy the event, want to support the charity and give back to the community. Those are the ones you really want. My biggest challenge is finding good volunteers.
Women Rule
WRT: Tell us about your women’s only races.
 Tara: The Island Girl Series (5k, 10k and half marathon) started in 2009. It’s on Toronto Island, an eight minute ferry ride. There are beautiful beaches and you don’t feel like you’re in the city.
We gave it a Caribbean feel, with grass skirting around water stations and a band. All the finishers get a flower lei instead of a medal. It’s a colorful sight with hundreds of women wearing their lei on the ferry.
WRT: Why did you decide to put on women’s only races? Tara Melville: There’s a Canadian running series of 10-12 events in Ontario and out west. One day I was reading their post race report. They gave three pages to the men’s marathon and followed it from start to finish.
There was only one paragraph dedicated to the women’s race. I was sick about it. I thought, we deserve more attention. We are just as fast and dedicated. That annoyed me enough to start thinking about a women’s only race. WRT: I love running these races, with the men on the sidelines cheering on their women. It’s a different experience, don’t you think?
Tara: Yes. We’re gonna cross the finish line first. It’s also the atmosphere. Don’t get me wrong, men are interesting but women are keen to share their stories. There’s lots of chatting and support. So many women want to run on their own and there’s a real need for it.
I’m always at the finish line of our races. I try to shake hands with everyone and congratulate all the finishers. No distance is easy; 10k is a huge to commitment to train for. I’m proud to present the opportunity for women to run. Women look for and need the support. We are giving them a medium, a social network, a chance to set a goal and a race to enjoy.
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WRT: Your women’s races support a charity, how does that work?
 Tara Melville: Many of the women run to support our cancer charity partner, Look Good Feel Better. Some have been affected by cancer and there are tears in their eyes when they cross the finish line. You know there’s a deeper story.
Look Good Feel Better helps women undergoing chemotherapy, with two-hour workshops on makeup, personal care and wigs, etc. They believe that an improved self-image can help lift women's spirits and nurture hope, helping them face their illness with greater confidence.
On race day they give us great things for our goody bags. They have a booth at the finish line where they wipe down your face with an astringent. The women line up to have their faces refreshed. They also do lip and brow touch ups, the same as they do for the cancer patients.
The runners donate to the charity. It hasn’t been a huge amount as some only want to pay the entry fee. Mainly the races are successful in raising awareness for Look Good Feel Better.
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The Logistics of Racing
WRT: What do runners want in a race? What’s your focus as race director?
Tara Melville: Good organization and not to wait in line. They want efficient, helpful and happy volunteers. It starts with the race packet pick up. We try to personalize each one. We recognize people, remember names, and acknowledge if they are doing more than one race in our series. It all goes a long way.
T-shirts are big. Runners appreciate a good quality tee with wicking fabric. They want a nice design, not too girly but one that shows it’s a female event.
On race day it’s all about logistics. A race that starts on time, good water stations, ferries leave when we said, good directions, entertainment, and accurate and timely results. Our results go up that day and errors are addressed right away. We acknowledge every email and respond within an hour.
 Prizes are not that important, as only the first three in the open and masters are awarded. We make sure photos are posted within a day.
How’s sponsorship been lately?
Tara: They’re all singing the same song. But I tell them in an economic downturn they send a message, that they are doing alright. Support is definitely a challenge.
Winter is when I solicit sponsors. With the Island Girl theme I plan to expand with beverages, sun tan lotion, etc. I want to make it a destination race.
Island Girl Runners
Kids Fun and Fitness
WRT: You also put on children’s events, what’s that like?
Tara Melville: Our kids series is called TRi KiDS Triathlon Series. It's for 3 to 15-year-olds and is entering its third season. It’s really successful and there’s such a demand for it. Our motto is "Complete not Compete". There are no awards, we do time them, but list the results alphabetically. Everyone gets a medal.
We encourage the kids that anyone can do it, that it doesn’t matter what sort of bike you have. We want them to try out the sport.
Three of the four races sold out this year, and we have a capacity of 500 a race. One race sold out two weeks before registration closed. We had a waiting list and parents were asking if we could squeeze more in. We'll increase our race numbers in 2010. Eventually I’d like to make it a franchise and expand across Canada.
We are encouraging three lifestyle sports. From the beginning kids learn to run, swim and ride a bike. The distances are age appropriate and it’s all about fun. We give out balloons when they pick up their race packs.
We mark their bodies with their race number. It’s fun to write on these chubby 3-year-olds who don’t really know why we are doing it, but like it. We have neat goody bags, freeze stations (Popsicles) as well as water stations.
WRT: Do you still get pushy parents who want their kids to win?
Tara Melville: Yes. In our pre-event orientation session, the first thing we say is leave the hockey mom or dad attitude at home. Your kids won’t know where they finish. If the kids miss a loop in the bike leg, it doesn’t matter. We want them to smile and have fun.
I get emails from parents, who want their kids in competitive events. They ask if it’s true that we don’t award prizes, etc. We tell them this event is probably too non-competitive for them.
We get lots of feedback that parents are happy with our approach. They like that everyone feels like a winner. Local communities are proud to support it. The general consensus is to get kids moving a little bit more, away from the computer and video games.
My 6-year-old daughter did one of our triathlons for the first time this summer. Of course she’s been exposed to the race with us organizing it. She said, “Mommy I can’t believe I just did it.” That floored me. I was so emotional with her sense of achievement. What a way to spend a Sunday, celebrating fitness, it’s kinda neat.
Perks of the Job
WRT: What’s it like being your own boss?
Tara Melville: It’s liberating and I love it. Having my own time, setting my own schedule, picking up the kids, is a serious bonus. It took awhile to get into a groove, how to work more efficiently and stay focused. I look forward to turning on my computer and I’m always searching for ways to make the events better for our participants.
When I get overwhelmed, I go for a run. I do my best thinking while I run. Or I turn off the computer and watch Oprah. You can do that, being your own boss.
A Racing High
WRT: How is race day for a race director?
Tara: After every starting gun, my heart starts racing. I think this is what it’s all about. My husband Brad is riding the bike, calling in the leaders name. Then you see the first runner. The cheering crowds, the women crossing the line, everyone is smiling and hugging. You feel it not just watch it.
Check out Tara's website www.runmsc.com for a full calendar of her events.
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