171. Behind-the-Scenes of a Major Marathon: Eli Asch on Directing Big Races

The Strength Running Podcast

Eli Asch is currently the Race Director for the Twin Cities Marathon. Prior to this role, he directed the California International Marathon (CIM), which hosted two USATF marathon national championships. Under his direction, CIM was the fastest-growing major marathon in America.

Eli also served as the Logistics and Operations Manager for the Austin Marathon and Half Marathon events. He holds an MBA in Sports Business from San Diego State University and a BA in English from Whitman College, where he was captain of the cross country team.

I wanted to bring Eli on the podcast to share the details of what it takes to put on a major marathon race.

We talk about:

• Nitty gritty details of getting a race permit
• How races are measured and certified
• Reconciling your GPS watch data with the race distance
• Expanding the running community to be more inclusive
• What you can do now to support your favorite races

Enjoy my podcast with Eli and rejoice in the knowledge that races are, in fact, coming back!

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