INTERVIEW WITH BOB TESCHEK

Bob has been the Race Director since 1982.   Not only has he seen it grow into one of the premier running events in the country, he is probably responsible for much of that excellence.

How did you get started as RD?

I really liked the event, and didn't want to see it fold.   Jock Semple would come up from Boston, set up a table at the start where people could sign up, then say, "Go!"   It was good, but there were potential conflicts.   A few hundred people would do it, and then 400, 500, 600 ... the Auto Road, which is a private enterprise, wasn't liking it.   They gave me a one-year trial.   That was 24 years ago.   Problem is, that was the last year I could run it myself.

Your race is widely known for really taking care of the runners.   How do you manage to do that?

Everyone helps.  

Housing is provided for exceptional out of town runners - mostly homestays by the White Mountain Milers, a local club.   It's great; the race is so popular up here.   People will call me on their own, say they want to host a runner, and some will drive to Boston, pick them up at airport, put them up in their house.   Mega-volunteers like this have lottery bypass - they still have to pay, but by doing this one job, they are guaranteed to be in the race.

Elite runners are given entries.   This can run the gamut depending on if they have a shot at winning, on the podium, or what - lottery bypass, comp entry, transport, homestay.   Top 10 from previous year in free; winners have a lifetime free entry.   When you add up the age groupers, team winners and whatnot, probably 50-60 people are taken care in some way.

One year a sponsor really wanted the race to donate to charity.   It's expensive to put on a race on a mountain like this, so we couldn't afford to do that; I want to put the money into the event, for runners.   They said, "Just raise the entry fee by $10."   We don't work with that sponsor anymore.   If people want to donate to a charity that's great, but it should be their decision, not mine.

This is a really popular race.   Would it be possible to let more people in?

Lottery limit is 1,000 by mutual agreement with the auto road company (about twice that try to enter.)   There just isn't more parking; quality would suffer.   The lottery started around 1991 - I can't remember, but I'm sure it's in Dunham's book.

We used to have the first-come-first-entered method, but that quickly got out of hand.   150-200 entries would come in Overnight Mail, and I stood in the Post Office and signed for all of them.   Then the Cape would come in late, and people from Canada were getting left out.

We don't start the race until 10am, just so people from Boston can make the drive up that morning.

One thing I hate is telling people they can't race.   But there's nothing else I can do.   All our registration is now online only - if people can't take the trouble to figure it out, that's OK - I want the people who love it to have a good chance to get in.   For the same reason we do no advertising.

Some races, trail races in particular, seem to feel that if they fill their entry limit they are successful, and do nothing to support top competition.   This race is recognized as being very exceptional - why do you do all these things?

It makes it a real event.   Boston tried it - they relied on their reputation and didn't pay prize money.   They found if they don't play the game, you don't look like much.  

For me, the hard-core New England runner will always come, but I don't want them to be alone.   And the NE people want to race against the best.   Kenyans come, and they sometimes fold - the locals love it.   The press loves it, so they give it more attention, the sponsors love that so they donate more, which means everyone benefits.   All prize money will always come from sponsors, none from entry fees.

The elite athletes are not the same - they are giving it everything - jobs, family - there's not much support in this country.   Other countries support their top people, while In America these people have to pay their way to events, which is crazy.  

This race is for everyone.   It's all part of the show.   Middle of packers get to be part of a great event.   If you're standing in line, and up front there's more people like you - not that much fun.    On the other hand, you're waiting to go, there's some Africans, some people you've never seen, it's more fun.   On the podium, Wyatt is up there, talking with this interesting accent, everybody is looking, listening - How did he do that?

You're a private business.   You could raise the entry fee and still fill, pay no prize money and still fill.

It's a labor of love.   There's so many people who just love the event, so it's important to me to keep it going.   People move from here to other states, call me in the spring, come out on their vacation, and just volunteer all day.   It's sort of a love fest.  

What's your favorite story?

The talk each year is always: #1, who's going to be there?   And #2, the weather.   Everybody talks about it all day Friday; "Hey what's it looking like up at the top?"   And who's showing up.

One time we had one of those hot years, and we thought the Kenyans would have an advantage.   But some really good Kenyans couldn't handle it.   Dave got them.   Dave's routine is to keep going past the official finish, go to the rock pile, which is probably the highest actual point.   He got those guys, went up there, took off his shirt, and started pounding on his chest and yelling.   I didn't see it, but that's what I hear.   (Edit. Note: not sure if this is in the book).

But my favorite moment?   No doubt about it.   Around 1977 - this would be in the book - I got my PR.   22nd I think, around 1:15.   My strategy was to go out slow and start picking people off, and everything clicked.   One of those medals that are so precious.