From first 100 miles to 277: Lessons from Project 42 Running race director Vikena Yutz

By Henry Howard

Vikena Yutz turned her passion into multi-day races to create and serve as race director for Project 42 Running.

Along the way, she has learned that she cannot please everyone, why it’s so important to buy waterproof stickers and that she has an uncanny ability to plan for the nutritional needs of runners at her races, which take place predominantly in Georgia.

Through trail races, road adventures and training experiences that bring people together, Project 42 Running celebrates running as a way of life. Their mission is simple, “Inspire movement, foster connection, and help runners discover what they’re capable of — whether it’s their first 5K or their 100th mile.”

The Project 42 Running race director hosts a half-dozen events ranging from a 5K to a 277.2-mile race across Georgia.

For her contributions to trail and ultra races in Georgia, Yutz is my featured race director for September, the 33rd in this series. In January 2024, I kicked off this monthly feature to pay tribute to the trail and ultra race directors who make the sport great.

To see previous RDs featured, they are all available here. If you have any nominations, feel free to email me here or fill out this form.

Vikena Yutz, Project 42 Running race director

Question: Why did you get into race directing?

Answer: I love ultra running and I especially loved watching people do things that they did not know they were capable of doing. My running history is exactly that. I did something I did not know I could do. It was life changing for me.

Question: How did you get your start as an RD?

Answer: I started by directing a race for GUTS called Operation Endurance. It was a 24-hour race at Fort Benning, Ga. My passion is multi-day racing and I had the luxury of being able to do a lot of long (18-hour plus runs) on the 1-mile loop there. So, it was a natural progression for me to host a race there.

Question: What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned about yourself since you became an RD?

Answer: Oh gosh! The most interesting thing I’ve learned is that I can somehow plan food and drinks for a group of people without knowing what they’re going to eat, what they’re going to drink, how much they’re going to eat or drink — or, in some cases, whether they’re going to eat or drink at all. Apparently, this is a special skill set. Somewhere between event planning, mind reading and throwing darts at a grocery list. LOL.

I’ve also learned how to communicate with just about anyone, no matter the circumstances. And perhaps the biggest lesson of all: I actually cannot make everyone happy. This was disappointing news, as I was pretty sure that with enough planning, explaining, accommodating and mild overthinking, I could pull it off. 😂 Turns out, I cannot. Growth!

Question: What’s your best piece of advice for someone who wants to be a race director?

Answer: It is so much work, so you better love what you are doing! I think it needs to be more about the passion for it and less about the business of it.

Question: What’s your favorite race to direct?

Answer: All of them! But I have a special place in my heart for Run Across Georgia. It is 277 miles across the state of Georgia and a fundraiser for two amazing charities in Columbus, Ga. I have run it myself three times. I have personally seen how the funds we raise impact our community. It is a big deal. We are currently trying to revive it and I hope that we can.

Question: What’s your favorite race to run?

Answer: It's a tie between Run Across Georgia, Across the Years and Hinson Lake 24 Hour. If I absolutely had to choose, I would probably go with Hinson Lake. That is the first place I ever ran 100 miles.

Question: Tell me about a funny experience as a race director and what you learned from it.

Answer: Recently, at Last at the Lake, we had what I can only describe as a small monsoon. We could actually see the storm barreling toward us from the other side of the lake, which gave us just enough time to think, “Well, this is probably going to be bad,” and start grabbing anything we didn’t want relocated to another county.

We held onto what we could. The wind had other plans. Things went flying everywhere, rain came in sideways, and for a few minutes race directing became less about runners and more about trying to keep the entire aid station from achieving flight.

Three weeks later, I was going through equipment and found a plastic box full of stickers from that day. When I opened it, I literally poured water out of the box. Those stickers had apparently been marinating in lake-storm water for three weeks.

And they were perfectly fine.

So, what did I learn from this experience? Race directing will teach you preparedness, adaptability, crisis management and how to remain calm under pressure.

But more importantly: If you’re buying race stickers, buy the good ones. Apparently, they should be waterproof enough to survive a three-week soak.

Question: If a runner can only do one of your races ever, it would be ....

Answer: What is the alternative? ;-) I would say the Forest Service Road Loop 100 miler because if you are new to the sport, this race is very challenging and still achievable. It is a 100-mile loop in the stunning mountains of Tennessee and North Georgia. This is a fast course for anyone who craves the thrill of a mountain run but still wants to tear up some serious road. With close to 15,000 feet of gain over the course, it’s a rollercoaster of elevation that will test you, but it is all runnable.

Question: What exciting project do you have in the works?

Answer: This year in October will be the third Forest Service Road (FSR) race. It is a perfect 100-mile loop in Tennessee and north Georgia. It is gorgeous! This is a race I would have loved to have run myself.

Question: Where can runners find out more about your races?

Answer: https://project42running.com