Shake Up at the NYRR

This morning the New York Road Runners announced that Michael Capiraso, President and Chief Executive Officer, will depart on December 31.

This follows a few months of a quite loud grassroots movement of current and former employees of the org, primarily on social media, that called for his ousting.

I can’t comment on the allegations against Michael or the lack of advancement, opportunity and treatment of people of color or the LGBTQIA communities. Or women who work there. (All of which are communities or groups of people who have lodged complaints.) Simply because I have no first hand knowledge of it, nor second hand for that matter.

But I can tell you that ever since Mary Wittenberg left, things have gotten . . . different.

Mary was the consummate public leader of the org. I know there are people from the old school running world who had problems with her, but I always found her warm and inviting. Always with a word of encouragement. A smile. A wave. I got to know her a bit and she was always asking how my times were at races, how I felt, what I thought, if I had any comments about how an event was staged. She wanted to hear from us.

Mary made running and the running community more accessible to people.

Peter was fine, he was a constant at all the races with his Queens accent. But I never got a warm feeling from Michael. So it came as no surprise to me when I heard allegations of favoritism.

I have nothing to base this on, but a feeling. He seemed cold to people he didn’t know and warm, always with a smile and a high five if he knew you.

At least, that’s how it seemed.

But the worst part of this whole thing is the lack of communication from the organization that we pay through the nose to run in the park and around the five boroughs.

Part of my day job is crisis communications for a not for profit. And if firing a CEO isn’t considered a crisis, I don’t know what is.

Important constituencies to be considered in your communications should be members, donors, stakeholders and the media.

So far, the NYRR has only communicated with the media. I don’t want to hear the excuse that it’s early Monday morning after a holiday weekend. They had time to put together the statement that went to the media, so they should have thought to communicate with the people who pay their actual salaries.

And they haven’t.

Which means I need to consider how I spend my hard earned money.

Maybe they aren’t worth it.

I’ll keep you posted.

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

My Current Running Gear

• Fenix 6X Pro Solar
• AfterShokz Aeropex
• Daily Run: ASICS Gel Nimbus 22
• Long Run: Brooks Ghost 12
• Speedwork: ASICS Novablast
• Trex Air
• Oakley Half Jacket 2.0
• GoPro Max 360
• Merch
• Follow me on Strava

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_