Hough said the first action they take is preparing the website for the marathon registration process so when it goes live on Jan. 1 each year, the site runs smoothly for the runners when they register.
From about January to May, staff members tag-team and attend various marathon expos and races across the country to advertise and recruit runners to participate in the next year’s marathon.
Then into July, Hough said the foundation of the marathon is set and final details are being wrapped up. They are finalizing contracts, medical plans and tying the knot on open ends with vendors and sponsors.
Although this year was Hough’s second marathon in his role as director, for last year’s race he had come on board a couple months prior. This was the first year he was able to make changes that fit into his vision of what he sees for future marathons.
Having that full helm of the event this year, he also incorporated several changes based on runner feedback.
“Based on the feedback from runners, we made several changes,” Hough said. “We made a significant overhaul of the courses, added a kids 1k race and added much more entertainment and displays throughout the course include fireworks at the start of the race. It was a new experience for all the runners this year including the ones who have ran in the past.”
Next year, Hough plans to continue to make more improvements to the marathon and will announce those changes in the months to come. One improvement Hough did share is his commitment to make the Air Force Marathon become more inclusive for athletes with disabilities and is working on ways to incorporate their participation.
The 2020 Air Force Marathon is scheduled for Sept. 19, 2020. The Sports & Fitness expo is scheduled for Sept. 17 and Sept. 18. For more information about the Air Force Marathon, go online to www.usafmarathon.com .
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