63rd RRCA National Convention

15/04/2021 - 18/04/2021 • 12205 S Apopka Vineland Road, Orlando, Florida 32836 USA
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Speakers

Terry Diller
Insurance Management Group
Trent Diller
Senior Vice President
Insurance Management Group
Randy Accetta
Director of Coaching Education
RRCA
Cari Setzler
Coaching Course Instructor
RRCA
Alicia Albert
Event Director
Track Shack Events
Natalie Casey
Vice President, Communications
Track Shack Events
Earl Walton
Director of Coaching and Training
Ironman Group
Stephan Wright
President
Oregon Road Runners Club
Winston Taitt
Orlando Road Runners
Hans Wong
President
Houston Striders
Chad Holmes
Houston Striders
Tony Reed
Co-Founder, Executive Director
National Black Marathoners Association
Marko Cheseto
Marathon
World Record Holder
George Rehmet
President
RRCA
Lisa Rippe
Vice President
RRCA
Alison Desir
Co-Chair
Running Industry Diversity Coalition
David Epstein
Regional Traffic and Safety Engineer.
Alaska DOT

Sponsors

Ashworth Awards
Gold
Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series
Gold
Insurance Management Group
Gold
K&K Insurance
Gold
National Construction Rentals
Silver
Leslie Jordan
Silver
Sneakers4Funds
Bronze

Schedule

  • 15 April
  • 16 April
  • 17 April
12:00 PM
RRCA Board Meeting

12:00 PM 02:00 PM Meyer/Clementine

01:00 PM
Registration Table Open

01:00 PM 05:00 PM Palm Foyer

03:00 PM
State Reps Session

03:00 PM 05:00 PM Meyer/Clementine

06:00 PM
Welcome Reception

06:00 PM 08:00 PM Firepit

06:30 AM
Morning Group Run

06:30 AM 07:30 AM Meet in Lobby

07:30 AM
Registration, Temperature Check & Expo

07:30 AM 04:00 PM Royal Palm Ballroom Foyer

08:00 AM
Coaching Level I Certification

08:00 AM 12:00 PM Majestic Palm EFG

08:30 AM
Welcome Remarks - Continental Breakfast

08:30 AM 09:00 AM Royal Palm I-III

09:00 AM
Insurance and Risk Management General Session

09:00 AM 10:00 AM Royal Palm I-III

Terry Diller

Trent Diller

10:00 AM
Break Time - Visit With Expo Vendors

10:00 AM 10:45 AM Royal Palm Foyer

10:45 AM
Preparing for Safe In-Person Event Hosting - General Session

10:45 AM 12:00 PM Royal Palm I-III

Alicia Albert

Natalie Casey

12:00 PM
Lunch - Poolside

12:00 PM 02:00 PM Royal Palm Foyer - Poolside

02:00 PM
Using Virtual and Live Events to Grow Your Club/Coaching Business

02:00 PM 03:15 PM Royal Palm I

Earl Walton

02:00 PM
Understanding and Developing Strategic Plans for Clubs & Events

02:00 PM 03:15 PM Royal Palm III

Stephan Wright

03:30 PM
Celebrate Global Running with an Exchange Program

03:30 PM 04:30 PM Royal Palm I

Winston Taitt

03:30 PM
Fine-Tuning the Race Experience

03:30 PM 04:30 PM Royal Palm III

Chad  Holmes

Hans  Wong

05:00 PM
Expo Reception

05:00 PM 06:30 PM Royal Palm Foyer

06:30 AM
Morning Group Run

06:30 AM 07:30 AM Meet in Lobby

07:00 AM
Temperature Check-ins

07:00 AM 08:00 AM Royal Palm Foyer

08:00 AM
Annual Meeting of the Membership

08:00 AM 08:45 AM Royal Palm Ballroom

09:00 AM
Hall of Fame and Award Winner Breakfast

09:00 AM 10:30 AM Royal Palm Ballroom I-III

11:15 AM
Empowering Everyone to Run: A Conversation about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

11:15 AM 12:30 PM Royal Palm Ballroom

Marko Cheseto

Alison Desir

Tony Reed

George Rehmet

Lisa Rippe

12:30 PM
Lunch

12:30 PM 02:00 PM Royal Palm Foyer - Pool Side Area

02:00 PM
Understanding the Permitting Process from the Agency Perspective

02:00 PM 03:30 PM Royal Palm I

David  Epstein

02:00 PM
Passing the Leadership Torch to Younger Club Members

02:00 PM 03:30 PM Royal Palm III

Chad  Holmes

Hans  Wong

05:30 PM
Closing Reception and Raffle Drawings

05:30 PM 07:30 PM Royal Palm Ballroom

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Terry Diller

Insurance Management Group
Diller has worked in the insurance industry for nearly 30 years. His agency has handled the insurance program for the RRCA for 20 years, and he as been instrumental in updating the policies as needs change and evolve for the running community.

16 April

Insurance and Risk Management General Session

09:00 AM 10:00 AM Royal Palm I-III

Trent Diller

Senior Vice President
Insurance Management Group
Trent Diller is a partner and Senior Vice President with Insurance Management Group based in Indiana. Previously, Trent was the Insurance Account Executive at STAR Financial Group. Trent received a Bachelors in Business from Purdue University.

16 April

Insurance and Risk Management General Session

09:00 AM 10:00 AM Royal Palm I-III

Randy Accetta

Director of Coaching Education
RRCA
Randy Accetta is an accomplished educator and runner that brings a wealth of experience to the RRCA coaching program. He is the Communications Mentor for the top-ranked McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Arizona, where he has twice received Teacher of the Year honors. Additionally, he has co-authored two continuing education courses on how to coach runners, and he has written running-based articles that have been published in Running Times, Runners World and the New York Times. A former 2:19 marathoner who competed in the 1996 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, Randy has a long history of coaching runners, including as the Program Director for Craftsbury Running Camps, the Arizona Coach for Team in Training, and The Workout Group in Tucson, Arizona.

Cari Setzler

Coaching Course Instructor
RRCA
Cari Setzler, DVM is a Coaching Certification Instructor for the RRCA’s Coaching Certification program. She earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology at Aquinas College while earning All-American Honors 8 times and was national runner up in the indoor 1000 meters. In 2014 she was inducted into the Aquinas College Athletic Hall of Fame. Cari then continued on to Michigan State University where she earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Degree. She is RRCA level II certified, level II USATF endurance coach, level II USTAFFCA in sprints and hurdles as well as she is certified in running mechanics through Newton Running. In 2010, she co-founded Fast Finish coaching where she has helped athletes ranging from the first time 5k runner to the Olympic trials hopeful reach their goals. Cari also directed the Health Bridge Road Runners from 2009-2013 and was the assistant girls track and field coach at Johnsburg High School from 2009-2012. She practiced small animal medicine at The Animal Hospital of McHenry for 10 years while managing and directing marketing, sales, and inventory at The Running Depot in Crystal Lake, IL. She has recently joined the corporate sector as a Key Account Manager for Vetsource. Cari has written running based articles that have been published in Runners World, Running Times, Women’s Running, Chicago Athlete and New York Times. Cari and her husband Chris, dogs Watson and Crick, cat Domino, and horse Cascade now live in Harvard IL. In her spare time Cari enjoys using her ham radio license (N8LIG) and is a weather spotter, and working on her hobby farm. Her coaching philosophy: “Helping individuals become the best versions of themselves, using running as the vehicle, allowing for personal accountability.”

Alicia Albert

Event Director
Track Shack Events
Alicia has 12 years of experience planning and producing a wide variety of sporting events in Central Florida. She began her career with Disney Sports Enterprises managing events at ESPN Wide World of Sports and soon found her passion for road racing after joining therunDisney Event Management Team. During this time, she was responsible for the course & roadway operations which included bothWalt Disney Worldand Disneyland events.

Alicia joined Track Shack Events in 2015, where she began her role as Finish Director for therunDisney portfolio of events as well as producing the 16+ greater Orlando area Track Shack races. She is currently Co-Race Director forrunDisney and continues to oversee the Track Shack races.

She was born and raised in New Jersey where she attended William Paterson University, acquired a degree in psychology and served as captain of the softball team for three years. She enjoys staying active alongside her wife Whitney and they’re 2-year-old daughter Graelyn.

16 April

Preparing for Safe In-Person Event Hosting - General Session

10:45 AM 12:00 PM Royal Palm I-III

Natalie Casey

Vice President, Communications
Track Shack Events
Natalie is a thirty-year sports marketing veteran who is dedicated to promoting, building and serving healthy lifestyles and communities.  As Vice President of Communications at Track Shack Events, she oversees marketing, advertising, media, social media and community relations for fourteen annual races.

Her passions extend to her volunteer work with Southeastern Guide Dogs, an organization that provides guide dogs to visually impaired citizens so that they may enjoy more physically mobile lifestyles. She is proud to have successfully raised a working guide dog.
As an outdoor enthusiast she has completed four marathons, one Ragnar Relay, one half ironman triathlon and numerous races at various distances.

Natalie lives in Winter Park with her husband Mark and has two grown children, who also share her commitment to a healthy lifestyle.

16 April

Preparing for Safe In-Person Event Hosting - General Session

10:45 AM 12:00 PM Royal Palm I-III

Earl Walton

Director of Coaching and Training
Ironman Group
With over 20 years of experience as an endurance entrepreneur, Earl is currently leading the charge to revolutionize the role of IRONMAN in the coaching industry. Focused on education, professional opportunities and engagement with the sport’s most ardent ambassadors.

16 April

Using Virtual and Live Events to Grow Your Club/Coaching Business

02:00 PM 03:15 PM Royal Palm I

Stephan Wright

President
Oregon Road Runners Club
Stephen Wright, a former CEO and Fortune 500 marketing director, is president of the Oregon Road Runners Club (Portland), a nonprofit club that hosts a full spectrum of 15 annual events as well as training programs from the 5k to ultramarathons.

16 April

Understanding and Developing Strategic Plans for Clubs & Events

02:00 PM 03:15 PM Royal Palm III

Winston Taitt

Orlando Road Runners
Winston Taitt grew up in Staten Island, New York. He ran the 800 leg of the DMR at the High School National Championships (1995,1996). He runs casually and is a board member for the Orlando Runners Club. He enjoys travelling with his wife Sarah and friends.

16 April

Celebrate Global Running with an Exchange Program

03:30 PM 04:30 PM Royal Palm I

Hans Wong

President
Houston Striders
Hans is a senior technical advisor who lives in Houston, Texas.  He joined the Houston Striders in 2013 and is the current president of the club and the co-executive director of the club's main annual event, the Houston Half Marathon & 10K.

16 April

Fine-Tuning the Race Experience

03:30 PM 04:30 PM Royal Palm III

17 April

Passing the Leadership Torch to Younger Club Members

02:00 PM 03:30 PM Royal Palm III

Chad Holmes

Houston Striders
Chad Holmes is a career scientist residing and running in Houston, TX. For the past decade, he has been a regular participant in local Texas races and marathons across the U.S., fueling a passion for the sport both as an athlete and a volunteer with the Houston Striders running club. Chad recently stepped down (term-limited) as President of the Houston Striders in 2020 after two years in the role and five years on the board of directors. Chad is also a co-coordinator for the Houston Striders' annual Houston Half & 10K event. This combined experience with racing, club leadership, and event management has led Chad to be a strong advocate for the community engagement and charitable impact that non-profit running clubs can offer.

16 April

Fine-Tuning the Race Experience

03:30 PM 04:30 PM Royal Palm III

17 April

Passing the Leadership Torch to Younger Club Members

02:00 PM 03:30 PM Royal Palm III

Tony Reed

Co-Founder, Executive Director
National Black Marathoners Association
In 2007, Reed became the first Black person to complete a marathon on all seven continents of the world. As a teenager, Reed became involved in track and field and cross-country running to address health issues. In 1975, he took up long-distance running to remain healthy and to combat his diagnosis. Reed ran his first marathon in 1982. From there, he set a goal to run 50 marathons by the time he hit the age of 50. Reed broke that mark in 2002. Now 61, Reed has completed 129 marathons, including one in every U.S. state. Reed has finished 54 of the 26.2-mile races in Texas alone, as he’s lived in the Dallas-Fort Worth area since 1978. While attending Webster, Reed said he set a lifetime goal of averaging three miles per day of “running, walking or crawling.” Since he began tracking his runs in 1979, Reed has logged more than 45,000 miles to meet that three-mile-per-day quota and completed the marathon hat trick by completing over 100 marathons and a marathon in each of the fifty states and all seven continents. Reed is the co-founder of the National Black Marathoners Association. He’s the first Black in the world to complete marathons on seven continents.Reed published the autobiography, From the Road Race to the Rat Race: Essays from a Black Executive Marathonerand has also contributed to Runner’s World magazine.

17 April

Empowering Everyone to Run: A Conversation about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

11:15 AM 12:30 PM Royal Palm Ballroom

Marko Cheseto

Marathon
World Record Holder
Marko Cheseto was born in Kapeguria, Kenya. He is a father and a husband who currently works at Prosthetic and Orthotic Associates in Orlando when he is not training for marathons. When Cheseto’s time at Ptop Primary School and Chewoyet High School came to an end, he went on to a two-year teacher training college and graduated in 2006. He was awarded a full-rider scholarship to University of Alaska-Anchorage where he ran Track. Cheseto excelled in both athletics and academics. He was a two-time all-American in Cross Country and Track & Field in 2009 and 2010, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition in 2012, and a Master of Science in Science Management in 2018. Tragedy struck in 2011 when Cheseto lost his cousin to suicide. Depressed and distraught, he wandered into the woody Alaskan trails and suffered severe frostbite. As a result from being lost in the frigid single-digit temperatures for more than 56 hours, Cheseto lost both of his feet below the knee.

Cheseto has shown a greater degree of resilience, and he has also broken numerous running records. In 2018, he ran for 2:42.24 at the Boston Marathon, the fastest time to have ever been run by an individual with two prosthetics.

17 April

Empowering Everyone to Run: A Conversation about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

11:15 AM 12:30 PM Royal Palm Ballroom

George Rehmet

President
RRCA
Rehmet is a San Francisco native who currently lives in Daly City, California. He began running in 1981 with his high school cross country team. To date, he has run over 1,500 races, which includes over 150 marathons or ultras. Rehmet’s long-term goal is to run in all 50 states, and he is currently at 42 states. He was the RRCA State Rep from 1999 to 2004 and from 2008 to 2015, being the only person awarded Outstanding RRCA State Representative of the Year twice (2001 and 2009). He was elected Western Region Director in 2015 and was appointed RRCA Vice President in 2018, and elected RRCA President in 2020.

17 April

Empowering Everyone to Run: A Conversation about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

11:15 AM 12:30 PM Royal Palm Ballroom

Lisa Rippe

Vice President
RRCA
Lisa has actively participated in the local running communities where she has lived. She served as the RRCA State Representative for Kentucky from 2005-2007 and Minnesota from 2011-2018, where she remains an active member of the Northstar Running Club. After becoming an RRCA certified coach in 2011, Lisa led marathon training at Lifetime Fitness. Over the last decade, she has had the pleasure of coaching adults to reach their running goals. She also paces at numerous events around the U.S. every year. She has completed over 100 marathons, including one in every US state and each of the seven continents. Lisa has over twenty years of experience in sales and marketing.

17 April

Empowering Everyone to Run: A Conversation about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

11:15 AM 12:30 PM Royal Palm Ballroom

Alison Desir

Co-Chair
Running Industry Diversity Coalition
Named by Women's Running as one of the "Power Women of 2021" and by The Root 100 as one of the most influential African Americans, ages 25 to 45, Alison is an endurance athlete, activist, and mental health advocate. Alison is the founder of Harlem Run (an NYC-based running movement), Run 4 All Women (an initiative that has raised over $150,000 for Planned Parenthood and $270,000 for Black Voters Matter), and co-chair of the newly formed Running Industry Diversity Coalition, which seeks to make the running industry more equitable and inclusive (and has helped raise $230,000 to date for the 2:23 Foundation). In 2020, Alison launched the highly successful Meaning Thru Movement Tour, a series of 9 virtual fitness and mental health events that featured widely sought after experts and fitness professionals, such as Robin DiAngelo, Kenya Crawford and Stephanie Bruce. Alison is currently working on a book, The Unbearable Whiteness of Running, out October 2022.

17 April

Empowering Everyone to Run: A Conversation about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

11:15 AM 12:30 PM Royal Palm Ballroom

David Epstein

Regional Traffic and Safety Engineer.
Alaska DOT
David Epstein has served as RRCA's Alaska State Representative and Western Region Director, and past vice president, and current membership coordinator of the Juneau Trail and Road Runners. He is the race director for this year's Juneau Marathon and Half-Marathon. Following a 33-year career with the Federal Aviation Administration, he has spent the last ten years with the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities as Regional Traffic and Safety Engineer. David has a Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree from Duke University and a Master of Science in Engineering degree from the University of California at Berkeley. He is a registered professional engineer in Alaska and Colorado. David is a retired runner who now enjoys walking with his wife Sara Plotnick-Epstein and two terriers, Paisley and Fiona.

17 April

Understanding the Permitting Process from the Agency Perspective

02:00 PM 03:30 PM Royal Palm I

Ashworth Awards

Gold

Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series

Gold

Insurance Management Group

Gold

K&K Insurance

Gold

National Construction Rentals

Silver

Leslie Jordan

Silver

Sneakers4Funds

Bronze
Sneakers4Fundswas founded to help runners raise money just by recycling their running shoes. Our free program helps keep sneakers out of landfills by providing partners prepaid shipping bags to collect running shoes from their community. We’ll issue a check for each bag to your running club or an organization of your choice. Use your #Sneakers4Good today!

RRCA Board Meeting

12:00 PM 02:00 PM Meyer/Clementine

Registration Table Open

01:00 PM 05:00 PM Palm Foyer

State Reps Session

03:00 PM 05:00 PM Meyer/Clementine

Welcome Reception

06:00 PM 08:00 PM Firepit

Join us for opening reception with pre-plated appetizers and open bar.  Everyone will be encouraged to spread out around the outdoor area and stay masked up unless eating or sipping on your beverage.

Morning Group Run

06:30 AM 07:30 AM Meet in Lobby

>> View morning run route on Mapmyrun.com

Registration, Temperature Check & Expo

07:30 AM 04:00 PM Royal Palm Ballroom Foyer

Coaching Level I Certification

08:00 AM 12:00 PM Majestic Palm EFG

Welcome Remarks - Continental Breakfast

08:30 AM 09:00 AM Royal Palm I-III

Join us for the opening session.  The space is a very large ballroom where everyone will have ample room to spread out and be socially distant.

Insurance and Risk Management General Session

09:00 AM 10:00 AM Royal Palm I-III

Join us for the opening session. The space is a very large ballroom where everyone will have ample room to spread out and be socially distant.

Speakers

Terry Diller
Insurance Management Group
Trent Diller
Senior Vice President
Insurance Management Group

Break Time - Visit With Expo Vendors

10:00 AM 10:45 AM Royal Palm Foyer

Expo will be open from 10 AM to 6PM.

Preparing for Safe In-Person Event Hosting - General Session

10:45 AM 12:00 PM Royal Palm I-III

This general session will provide an in depth overview and discussion opportunities focusing on safe and successful events that have been produced LIVE in the Orlando area by Track Shack/EMMI.  These events have had upwards of 1,000 participants from the lcoal area.

Speakers

Alicia Albert
Event Director
Track Shack Events
Natalie Casey
Vice President, Communications
Track Shack Events

Lunch - Poolside

12:00 PM 02:00 PM Royal Palm Foyer - Poolside

RRCA will provide for safe boxed lunch service.  Attendees are encourage to dine with friends outside in the pool area.

Using Virtual and Live Events to Grow Your Club/Coaching Business

02:00 PM 03:15 PM Royal Palm I

Join this session led by experts from Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series.  Learn from their success in the virtual event space and how you can utilize virtual events to engage members, grow your coaching programs and your events.

Speakers

Earl Walton
Director of Coaching and Training
Ironman Group

Understanding and Developing Strategic Plans for Clubs & Events

02:00 PM 03:15 PM Royal Palm III

Join this session for an in-depth discussion on developing strategic plans to help grow your club or event.  This session will highlight the difference between strategic planning and operational planning but how both support an organization's planning needs, as well as case studies showing how strategic planning investments inspire and promote changes when in-person running and group training events return.

Speakers

Stephan Wright
President
Oregon Road Runners Club

Celebrate Global Running with an Exchange Program

03:30 PM 04:30 PM Royal Palm I

Join this session to learn about the Orlando Road Runners Cultural Exchange Program and get tips for how you could implement a similar program for your club/event.  

Since 1989, the City of Orlando has a Sister City exchange program with the City of Urayasu, Japan to promote cultural understanding. The Orlando Runners Club entered into a Sister Club Affiliation Agreement with the Urayasu Runner's Club on November 17, 1996, and renewed the Agreement in February 2015, to strengthen the ties of friendship and to contribute to deeper understanding between the American and Japanese people. As part of the cultural exchange program, the club selects two runners each year to participate in the Tokyo Bay Half Marathon. These runners spend several days touring historical and educational sites, having tea with the mayor and are honored guests at the race itself and at the annual Urayasu Runners Club banquet. Two of the nights are spent at the home of a Japanese family to promote cultural exchange and friendship with our sister club. In return, runners from Japan are similarly hosted here by the ORC in December for the OUC Half Marathon, and they are the honored guests at the club's annual Christmas Party.

Speakers

Winston Taitt
Orlando Road Runners

Fine-Tuning the Race Experience

03:30 PM 04:30 PM Royal Palm III

Join this session to discuss the many opportunities to enhance the race experience for participants from fundraising for charity partners, to implementing an ambassador program, to hosting race specific training runs, and more.

Speakers

Chad Holmes
Houston Striders
Hans Wong
President
Houston Striders

Expo Reception

05:00 PM 06:30 PM Royal Palm Foyer

Morning Group Run

06:30 AM 07:30 AM Meet in Lobby

>> View morning run route on Mapmyrun.com


Temperature Check-ins

07:00 AM 08:00 AM Royal Palm Foyer

Annual Meeting of the Membership

08:00 AM 08:45 AM Royal Palm Ballroom

Join us for the Annual RRCA Membership Meeting.  This room has the capacity for everyone to really spread out while being in the ballroom to participate in the important process of Board Elections and Bylaw update approval process.

Hall of Fame and Award Winner Breakfast

09:00 AM 10:30 AM Royal Palm Ballroom I-III

We will provide for a safe, plated breakfast in the ballroom, which will allow for ample physical separation of attendees and awardees during dining and the presentation ceremony. 

Help us celebrate our Hall of Fame inductees attending: Marylin Bevins, Janet Bawcome, and Jen Rhines.  

Empowering Everyone to Run: A Conversation about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

11:15 AM 12:30 PM Royal Palm Ballroom

This general session will provide a panel discussion about diversity, equity, and inclusion in the running community and highlight the RRCA's new tagline, Empowering Everyone to Run.  Panelists will share their experiences and discuss ways to move away from tokenism towards more purposeful inclusion, equity, and diversity for clubs and events.

Speakers

Marko Cheseto
Marathon
World Record Holder
Alison Desir
Co-Chair
Running Industry Diversity Coalition
Tony Reed
Co-Founder, Executive Director
National Black Marathoners Association
George Rehmet
President
RRCA
Lisa Rippe
Vice President
RRCA

Lunch

12:30 PM 02:00 PM Royal Palm Foyer - Pool Side Area

Understanding the Permitting Process from the Agency Perspective

02:00 PM 03:30 PM Royal Palm I

Join this session to learn more about the permitting process.  David Epstein is both a race director and an agency expert that issues permits in his home state of Alaska.

Speakers

David Epstein
Regional Traffic and Safety Engineer.
Alaska DOT

Passing the Leadership Torch to Younger Club Members

02:00 PM 03:30 PM Royal Palm III

Join this session for an overview and healthy conversation on the importance of engaging new and younger leaders to serve on club boards.  

Speakers

Chad Holmes
Houston Striders
Hans Wong
President
Houston Striders

Closing Reception and Raffle Drawings

05:30 PM 07:30 PM Royal Palm Ballroom