missoulamarathon.org >>For the past few years, Run Wild Missoula has undergone significant change. COVID-19
disrupted our events, including the Missoula Marathon. We lost our beloved Executive Director,
Tony Banovich, and faced an extended period of turnover in key staff & leadership positions.
The Board of Directors has committed our running community to growing ever-more diverse,
equitable, and inclusive.
In the course of these changes, a question has repeatedly emerged: what about the BOP (Back
of the Pack)? If you are new to the club, maybe your response is “Huh?” Read on! In 2011, a
small group of Run Wild Missoula members met on a snowy winter night. Its mission was to
generate ideas for making walkers and slower runners feel more welcome.
First, meeting attendees identified the most frustrating issues they faced. Snacks ran out before
finishers did. Arches, music, and timers were dismantled while “turtles” were still coming in.
Events without mapped or marked routes led some participants to fall behind the pack, getting
lost and missing the party at the end. Five-mile socials, such as the original Beer Runs, also
meant that slower members often missed the social part.
Run Wild Missoula and the Missoula Marathon have taken many steps since 2011 to ensure
that finishers have a quality experience at any pace. Virtual opportunities, shorter options for
social runs, sweepers for all races, and a wide variety of both timed and noncompetitive
offerings have expanded our horizons with every year. The Missoula Marathon has been
recognized by the running industry for the quality of its attention to walkers and slower
runners.
In addition to designing races for all paces, Run Wild has provided several specific opportunities
people to bond. For 12 years, monthly BOP run-walk-socials provided a safe, low-key
environment for potential members intimidated by faster runners. We also circulated a
monthly BOP Bulletin, with articles and announcements of special relevance to our pace-mates.
Since the pandemic, attendance at BOP socials has fallen off, as have requests to join the BOP
(Bulletin) Mailing list. After many soul-searching conversations, we are shifting our focus going
forward. Rather than describing the Back of the Pack as a separate Run Wild Missoula program,
we will commit to integrating the values and best practices of “pace inclusivity” with every
aspect of our programming, outreach, and member services. We will rely on those members
who identify as “back-of-packers” to monitor progress and alert club leadership when they see
a need for change.
I have been privileged to work closely with Run Wild Missoula as an advocate for the BOP. I am
excited to see so much progress over the years. I embrace a future of unlimited opportunity.
–Pam Gardiner (known to some by the nickname, “Top Turtle.”)