Marathon run to benefit tornado victims

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August 10, 2011

By Debby Woodin news@joplinglobe.com The Joplin Globe Wed Aug 10, 2011, 08:56 PM CDT

JOPLIN, Mo. — Organizers of the Mother Road Marathon say they will announce a new spin on the run today.

Patrick Tuttle, director of the Joplin Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the five-kilometer run associated with the marathon will become a “Run for Joplin.”

“We are trying to get people back into the run,” Tuttle said.

There are only about 100 registrants so far. Last year, more than 1,000 participated.

Tuttle said the organizers want to get interest keyed up after the May 22 tornado.

The marathon will use the same course — Route 66 through three states — with the same cities as last year involved.

The founder of the marathon and its other events, Vince Lindstrom, former director of the tourism bureau, said this week that he has rejoined the effort to put on the event in an effort to bolster participation.

The marathon has been plagued with difficulties, though organizers last year said they were pleased with the number of participants it drew — 1,600 in the 26.2-mile marathon from Commerce, Okla., to Joplin, and a half-marathon, the 5K and a Fun Run for children.

Promoters had big plans for the future of the run last year, predicting it could grow to draw 5,000 to 10,000 runners by its fifth year.

Then the race hit rocky footing. The city had issues with the hired promoter, Dean Reinke of Winter Haven, Fla., who city officials said failed to provide everything that was promised to participants, even running short of awards and certificates of completion.

He was paid $20,000 plus all the entry fees. The tourism bureau spent $30,000, including his fee, to put the event together.

During the dispute, Reinke tried to promote this year’s race, and solicit runners and their entry fees for 2011. He and the city finally settled out of court with the city retaining all legal rights to the event, the city said.

Lindstrom retired from the bureau after last year’s event. His successor, Tim Cox, resigned after starting initial planning meetings for the event after the City Council agreed that leadership for the event should be retained by the tourism bureau.

The Joplin Sports Authority, then under the direction of Tuttle, was a partner in organizing the marathon. Tuttle resigned from the JSA and then was hired by City Manager Mark Rohr as the acting director of the tourism bureau.

The city manager said then that Tuttle’s familiarity with the marathon and a need for planning to get off the ground quickly were key considerations in Tuttle’s hiring.

Race date

THIS YEAR’S MARATHON is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 9.

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