May 8, 2010 – Bigger and Fatter than Ever
Beer stops, ice cream stops and bagpipes…you can’t afford to miss the third annual FatAss 5K, held right here in downtown Springfield!
Date: Saturday, May 8, 2010
Registration is now closed!
[Race Website]
Race it or walk it, come in costume if you like. Make it your A race, your B race, your C race. Don’t race at all, take the shortcut through the alley to the finish line!! There’s something for everyone at the FatAss 5K.
The race is followed by a great street party with outstanding food. SRRC’s own Brent Leach spearheads this unique and fun event.
Proceeds benefit Multiple Sclerosis.
This is an awesome race, and a great time for those that have become accustomed to racing: I wonderful change of pace.
I’m trying to find your route for this year. Last year you completely closed us off from our customers. It’s difficult to maintain a viable downtown business culture when an event closes us off from our regular clientele, and the event does not contribute in any way to our business. I don’t see any reason why your participants would patronize our businesses since you are giving away food an drink. Yet, you make it impossible for those who wish to come to us to actually get here. Move your fat ass run out of the immediate downtown!
As a parent of a child with disabilities I am grateful for the funds that this event raises. I attended the Fat Ass last year and plan to volunteer this year and I can assure the the food is not given away. People pay for it. You should consider being a part of this event and sponsoring the food.
1,600 people on the sidewalk in front of her store and she doesn’t get any business ?????
Fascinating !!!!
Marie, Al Eck : last year we grossed less during your even than we took in on the most frigid Saturday this winter. We do not serve beer or donuts. A few cups of coffee do not make up for our regular clientele being prevented from reaching us on Saturday.
I think it’s wonderful that the money raised is going to charity; I have a disability myself and appreciate what research, etc is going on because of donations. However, the event could be scheduled in such a way that it does not interfere with normal Saturday commerce downtown. Other events take us into consideration when they plan a happening. Some even include us. Times are tough, retail is struggling, and the State is pulling more and more of our regular customers out of our neighborhood. So, thanks for not listening again this year. By the way, I am not the only downtown business person who feels this way.
I have to agree that it’s been my experience over 22 years that special events downtown tend to harm more than help my business, since the people here for the event aren’t here to shop. And those that would come to shop can’t get near us. The worst single day of sales in my years of history was the first Lincolnfest I was here and I thought I should be open. Crowds don’t automatically translate into sales and with all the vacant streets around downtown on a Saturday I do wonder why the only one with a concentration of day-to-day businesses is the one that has to be blocked from normal daily traffic for the event. It isn’t that anyone doubts the ‘good’ being done, it’s about considering a route that considers the needs of all downtown denizens. There IS room for all of us here, but the various factions often seem at cross purposes. Many events happen downtown that don’t actually utilize downtown.
Perhaps this year business will be better. I’ve heard that this year’s event has many more runners/walkers than last year–maybe an additional 1,000 participants. Undoubtedly, a number will not pay the extra amount for the Street Party and may instead patronize the local businesses.
Since many of the participants live and work in Springfield or within a 60-mile radius, I would expect many downtown businesses to encourage participants to stop by during the next 30 days with some sort of coupon in the race packet, which will be stuffed during the next few days. I imagine that the race website also offers a great opportunity for merchants to reach out to participants 24×7.
This race generates a lot of good will toward the Springfield downtown area and merchants. Please think of ways to encourage that to last – for at least the next 60 days, and for the preceding 4 months next year.
Looking forward to the fat ass 5k and street party for CHARITY! What a great AWARD WINNING event!
I am looking Forward to the Fat Ass 5k! It’s a great time and I love that the money raised benefits various organizations in need. I am a Springfield resident but rarely get downtown. This event gives me a chance to get some exercise, enjoy the festivities AND patronize the downtown businesses. And Alan is right, I love the coupons that come in race packets and that would entice me to come downtown more often…and spend money I wasn’t planning on spending!
Also, will the SRRC be selling Frostbite Festival jackets again this year?? It’s going to be windy!
This years Fat Ass was just as good, if not better than the last two years. Businesses downtown should appreciate the extra business. Some people just have
nothing better to do than to complain about anything and everything. It’s for
Charity….dumb ass !!!!!
Let me say first that I love this event and have done it for the past three years. I’m glad to see that it has grown so large, but I do hope that next year steps are taken to separate walkers from runners a little bit. I ran into a walker twice while running. I know it is for charity and it is supposed to be all for fun, but it would be more fun and safe for walkers if steps were taken to give them their own lane. Use a mega phone at the beginning to make all walkers move to the back and to the left to avoid collisions? I’m sorry if I come off rude. I don’t mean to be, it just seems necessary.
The race and street party were great. The organizers, volunteers, and food vendors did a spectacular job.
In SRRC races I have a much better time (tick tock). In the Fat Ass 5K, I had a much better time (woo hoo).
You people that whine about events downtown are out of control: You are really rallying against downtown events? Improve your marketing. YOU are the problem, not the event. Your lack of creativity and ideas are the problem. Your antiquated mindset is the problem. Too bad, but not all businesses are built the same, and this is why so many fail No creativity and adaptation. Grow, adapt, learn, and welcome!