Being a Love Run Race Ambassador + HUGE Giveaway!

I am a race ambassador for the Love Run Half Marathon coming up on Sunday, April 10 and I have to tell you…it has been an amazing experience!

It’s Tuesdays on the Run with Marcia, Erika, and Patty.  This week we’re talking about dream brand sponsorships and ambassadorships.  I’ve been blessed to be selected for a few race ambassadorships this year like the ZOOMA and Rock ‘N Roll Race Series and I thought it would be a great opportunity to tell you what it’s really like!

Today I’m going to focus on my very first gig that happened this year – Race Ambassador for the Love Run Half Marathon!

[bctt tweet=”How’s life as a Race Ambassador? Let me tell you! #runchat #bibchat #totr”]

The Life of a Race Ambassador

This year, I have been fortunate to be selected as a race ambassador, which honestly is a dream come true for me.  It is one of the best ways to really show your passion for running and to encourage others to get out there!

If you’re not a race ambassador, you may wonder what all the fuss about.  How much work is involved?  Is there a lot of pressure to hit your milestones?  What do you get out of it?  Let me share what I’ve learned as part of my experience, most particularly with the Love Run Half Marathon!

Responsibilities

Save some money before the price increases on 2/1 for the @loverunphilly Philly Love Run Half Marathon and Relay by using discount code JANELLELOVE. Please share with your running friends who are looking for an awesome Spring race in Philly on 4/10/16! Will you be there? #loverunphilly #run215 #RWNR

A photo posted by Janelle (@runwithnoregrets) on Jan 29, 2016 at 1:03pm PST

Being a race ambassador is awesome, but you actually do have do put forth some effort to be successful!  Here are the general expectations for being a race ambassadors:

• Promote the race on your blog and social media accounts.  You can talk about your training for the race, hype up why people should sign up, and generally share your excitement about the big event.  I used my blog, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest to help spread the word!
• Share your race discount code with as many people as possible.  Send emails to your running friends, post it in running and fitness-related groups, and as always, use social media.  It takes some balance to not seem like you’re spamming everyone, but you’ll figure out a good rhythm over time.  Depending on the race, there may be competitions involved amongst ambassadors to encourage as many race signups as possible.
• Share major race announcements.  Sometimes there are limited-time promotions available, reveals of the race medal, and other pertinent details that you’re expected to promote as an ambassador.
• Organize/participate in group runs.  We had a few ambassadors organize Sunday morning runs leading up to the race, but unfortunately, I was never able to attend.  Regardless, what a great way to get to know other runners while training for the race!
• Share your enthusiasm for running.  How hard could this be, right?

Of course, this isn’t always easy when you have several other ambassadors doing the exact same thing.  With the Love Run Half Marathon in Philly, there was definitely some competition involved with sharing your unique code fast enough.  This is why I tried my best to use blogging Facebook groups to help to share my posts, images, and discount code.  

Perks

So what do you get out of all of this hard work?  It varies depending on the program, but you really get a LOT.  I’m so grateful to have received so many perks!  

• Free/reduced entry to the race.  This is a guarantee.  If the race is not local to you, you are normally responsible for handling your own travel expenses.
• Discount code to share with friends and runners everywhere.  With my code JANELLELOVE, you can get $5 off your race registration while it still lasts.  Or, you can check out my giveaway below…
• Free prizes with the redemption of your discount code.  The Ambassador Program for the Love Run had several milestones where you could rack up lots of free prizes from the race organizers.  Somehow, I have been able to have my coupon used over 150 times, so I was able to earn a ton of great stuff (pictured above), plus provide giveaways to the Love Run Half! (again, see below!)
• Private Facebook group.  It’s a great way to get to know the other ambassadors and learn about the latest updates on the race.
• Ambassador-only swag.  I love my Love Run Half Marathon mug and hat!
• VIP status at races.  I haven’t experienced this yet since the race is a couple of weeks away, but I’m sure we’ll have a special meet-up on race weekend with all the ambassadors and organizers.  Good living!
• Meeting new people in the running community.  Philly is really building up its reputation as a runner’s town.  Being in a program like this is a great way to get connect and stay aware of the latest running news in the city.
• Encouraging people to run!  This really is my favorite perk.  When you’re a race ambassador, people start to take your running hobby a little bit more seriously.  I love sharing my passion.

How to Become An Ambassador

So with all that said, you may be wondering how the HECK do you get selected to be a race ambassador?  I was in the same boat a year ago, and now I’m proud to be able to represent not only the Love Run but a couple other races this year!  If I can do it, you can too!

• Follow your favorite races on social media.  Find out if they have an ambassador program and keep up-to-date on major announcements.  I found out about one of my ambassadorships from an update on Facebook!  It’s never a bad idea to interact with these race accounts on social media to get your name out there.  Share your excitement for their race and tag them!
• Reach out to current Running Ambassadors for your favorite races.  If a race has an ambassador program, they usually have a page on their website introducing you to each one.  Contact one of them and ask them about the process and their experience.
• When the time comes, apply!  Don’t sell yourself short.  It’s not always about who has the most followers, but who has the most passion and enthusiasm!  You also don’t have to be a past participant of the race to be an ambassador, though sometimes it helps.  This will be my first Love Run.  Believe me, if I waited until I was the perfect blogger, this post wouldn’t exist!  Just go for it!

Love Run Half Marathon Giveaway!

If you have yet to sign up for the Love Run Half Marathon, you’re in luck!  Thanks to being a race ambassador, I have the wonderful opportunity to give away 7 FREE ENTRIES to the Love Run Half Marathon coming up on Sunday, April 10! That means you have a very high chance of winning!

Race day is coming and it’s almost sold out with less than 50 registrations left!  Why not snag one of those spots for free??  That’s where my giveaway comes in for 7 lucky runners!  Because so many people used my discount code JANELLELOVE, I was able to earn these free race entries to give back to you!

I will be running the Love Run Half Marathon Relay and I hope to see you there!  The Love Run has become one of the most fun spring races in Philly – you don’t want to miss out!

Oh, and there will be free Yards beer, a local gem…one at the pre-race party at Xfinity Live, and one at the post-race party near the finish line!  After not drinking for most of the year, I’m really looking forward to this!

This giveaway will be open until Monday, April 4, so get in as many entries as you can!  All 7 winners will be announced here on the blog on Tuesday, April 5!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

[bctt tweet=”Win one of SEVEN free entries to the Love Run Half Marathon in Philly on 4/10! #giveaway #run215 #loverunphilly”]

Good luck, and may the odds be in your favor!  If you don’t win, you can still use JANELLELOVE to get $5 off until the race sells out!

Will you be at the Love Run?  Are you an ambassador for any races?   Share your discount codes below!