Event Recap: Army 10 Miler
This Veteran’s Day, we wanted to recap an event that is always close to our hearts…
Each fall we kick off our busy season with a whirlwind 4 days onsite at the Pentagon in Arlington, VA – and this year was no different. We are honored to have partnered, for a second year, with The United States Army in producing its annual Army Ten-Miler Road Race.
The annual event, celebrating its 34th anniversary in 2018, attracts over 60,000 total attendees and 900 race teams including military, civilians, and wounded warrior athletes - the fastest growing race of it’s kind – continuously selling out year over year.
RGI events is the logistical brain trust behind the event, coordinating (for 12-months) site planning, production, management, personnel and execution of the event – not to mention the elbow grease to place over600 tables, 160 tents, two-miles of bike-racks, five-miles of cabling, 50 generators, 300 porta potties, 100s of banners and signage, 6 stages, three tractor trailers of water, 2 gunnery cannons and much more…
From the load-in and set up itself, which spans a continuous 48 hours until the first runners begin to arrive at the Pentagon imprint at 5am on race day … through strike – taking nearly 18 hours from the time the North lot reopens at 1pm after the race -RGI’s full staff is engaged to ensure the infrastructure necessary for an event this size and scale is seamlessly constructed and artfully executed.
The race is a logistical monster for sure… starting with the route itself – beginning on Route 110 running through jurisdictional districts of half a dozen different law enforcement agencies including Pentagon Police, Secret Service, Metropolitan Police, Arlington County Police and the National Park Service - all requiring different permits and protocol for race day –
The scale and scope of the supplier team necessary to create the event is mind boggling – the list above doesn’t even scratch the surface of the logistical ballet we must orchestrate to pull off this project – then add into the mix coordinating with the services such as medical, power, sanitation, safety – before we even get to the race itself! – We’re exhausted all over again just thinking about it!
We truly do love this project – not only does it give us the ability to show off in a real way what RGI does best – which is manage logistically challenging projects with style and ease – but the team at the Army Ten-Miler are some of our favorite clients – the passion and organization they bring to the table make working with them an absolute dream.
Many of us at RGI come from a long family history of service. This event - and all our events where we work alongside military service branches or organizations that support our military service men and women are particularly rewarding for us – we salute all our vets – and thank you for your service!
Our Principal, Rachael Glaws’, Grandfather, John Peter Glaws II – a fighter pilot in WW II – and recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross, alongside one of his planes on mission in Europe.
