Letter from Competitor Group's Tracy Sundlun:

Return of Elite Racing at the Competitor Group

From: Tracy Sundlun
Date: February 1, 2014 11:34:25 PM PST
Cc: Jennifer Nanista , Matthew
Subject: The Return of Elite Racing at the Competitor Group


Dear Friends,

As most of you have already heard, 10 days ago I was delighted to announce on behalf of everyone involved with the Competitor Group and the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series, that elite racing is back at Competitor Group events! Effective immediately, we have reestablished a comprehensive elite athlete program, designed to support the world's best runners, with a special emphasis on creating opportunities for America's best men and women to qualify for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials.

That said, I wanted to tell each of you the news personally to make sure that the message wasn't muddled and to give each of you additional programmatic details, which may be both interesting and helpful to you.

It was a long 4-1/2 months for all of us who live and breathe the performance end of our sport, and I want to thank all of you for your patience, and your personal support, and for not giving up on us (or at least not killing me J). Our entire Executive Team heard you, as well as our participants of all levels and abilities, and the entire running community - our reason for being - loud and clear. You all really are our reason for being. Running and runners -- of all levels and abilities -- are what we live for every day; and when the Team took another look at who we are, what we represent, who we want to be, and more importantly where we came from, they realized that the changes that were made last fall missed the mark big time. Many of you may question our sincerity or wonder why this took so long, or ask when we will change our minds again. Those are all fair queries, but this reversal of direction is real and it is permanent... or I wouldn't be here telling you about it! Most of you know that the SPORTS of road racing and track & field are what light me up and drive me; and while the ACTIVITY of running is wonderful, competing and excellence and running fast are in my DNA, and I couldn't live with myself if my colleagues and my company didn't truly feel the same way.

We are committed to making sure that our events deliver the absolute best experience to every one of our participants no matter what their age or ability or reason for being there, and to eliminate or discourage the best athletes from competing diminishes the event for everyone, and we will never do that again. Our best athletes need to be embraced, supported and praised, just like our charity runners who are trying to change the world one dollar at a time or our born-again runners who have changed their lives by shedding hundreds of pounds. And henceforth for now and forever, we will do just that!

Fast running and the world's best runners have always been a part of the Competitor Group and the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series. A total of 23 World Records and Bests, 13 American Records, 12 US All-Comers Records, and 11 World Wheelchair Bests have been set in our Carlsbad, Philadelphia, Virginia Beach, Arizona, San Jose, San Diego and New Orleans events over the 5K, 10M, 20K, 50K, and Half Marathon distances. In 2012, 89 of the 348 men and women (25.6%) who qualified for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials ran qualifying marks at Rock 'n' Roll events, and 69 of them (19.8%) for the first time! Everyone who made the U.S. Marathon Team was an "RnR alumni", and at least 39 CGI alumni represented their country in the 2012 Olympic track & field and marathon competitions, as well as a number of triathletes and paralympians. And 7 alumni won 10 Olympic medals (5 gold, 2 silver, and 3 bronze) in London taking our historical totals to over 40 medals!

NOTHING has ever made all of us at CGI happier than those results. There is NOTHING more aspirational and inspirational for everyone than the Olympic Dream. I know you all know that better than anyone, and in 2014, our goal is to build on that legacy with the following program:

• The Elite Athlete program in North America will feature the same level of world class fields in our Rock 'n' Roll San Diego and Philadelphia events and Carlsbad 5000 that we have always had.
• U.S.-only prize money will be added to Carlsbad for the first time ever, and the event will be broadcasted.
• There will be an increased international presence in Montreal.
• There will be guaranteed place-based prize money and additional performance-based prize money at all of our events.
• Qualified athletes will be eligible for travel funds at all of our events.
• There will be complimentary entries available to men who have run Sub 2:27:00 for the Marathon and 1:11:00 for the Half, and women who have run sub 2:59:00 for the Marathon and 1:25:00 for the Half. (Half marathon times must have been run in 2013 or later to qualify, and marathon times must have been run in 2012 or later to qualify.)
• In addition to our Age Group Half Marathon Grand Prix involving all 29 of our Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathons plus our EDP Lisbon Half Marathon, there will be a Half Marathon Grand Prix for elite U.S. athletes (only) involving all the same events and also culminating in San Antonio where $50,000 will be awarded.
• There will be an expanded 'Chasing The Dream' program, which will focus on supporting, promoting and rewarding athletes trying to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials with events in at least Las Vegas and San Jose.
• While Jennifer Nanista ([email protected] or [email protected]) will manage the overall program, Matt Turnbull ([email protected]) will return as our Elite Athlete consultant, focusing his attention on managing our featured events in San Diego, Philadelphia, Carlsbad and Chasing The Dream, which he created.
• There will be increased coordination between our Elite Athlete and Media Departments to better promote the participating elite athletes and our programs in our magazines and on our websites.
• When added to our televised IAAF Silver and Gold Level events in Europe (Rock 'n' Roll Madrid, EDP Lisbon Half, and Rock 'n' Roll Lisbon) and Rock 'n' Roll Dublin, which is the Irish National Half Marathon Championships, CGI's cash support of Elite Athletes will be well into seven figures in 2014!

I truly hope and believe that these events and programs will help hundreds of America's and the world's best athletes showcase their talents and achieve their dreams while inspiring millions with their performances and personalities. You have been a part of CGI's, Rock 'n' Roll's and my personal family, and I know we let you down these last few months. I just hope that when weighing the bad of the last 4-1/2 months you also give us credit for the good of the previous 28 years! All of us at the Competitor Group want to - and WILL make it up to you and earn your trust again; but I hope you are as excited about receiving this email as I am about being able to write it. If so, please, spread the word any way you know how.


If you have any questions or suggestions, please, give me a call on my mobile (619-726-1952) or email me. In the meantime, again, thank you for listening; thank you for your support; and thank you for your friendship. And know that we will never let you or the sport down again.



All the best,

Tracy Tracy Sundlun, SVP Events
Competitor Group
9477 Waples Street, Suite 150, San Diego, CA 92121
(Work) 858-450-6510 x6464, Mobile) 619-726-1952, Fax) 858-450-6905
Competitor.com, RunRocknRoll.com