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August 2014 22 www.sportseventsmagazine.com ▼ NATURAL Venues When describing the lure of the natural venue used for the annual Deadwood Mickelson Trail Marathon, one partici- pant put it this way: "You get bussed out to the start in Rochford, population about 25, a tiny old Western town. The course goes through meadows, forest, an old tunnel cut through the mountains, and across 30 bridges." Emily Wheeler of Wheeler Event Management who just completed her 13 th year organizing the run that takes athletes from all over the world through more than 26 miles of South Dakota's Black Hills, said it is the largest trail marathon in North America and one of the most popular. "We have to cap participation at 3,000, and we usually have that many people signed up within six weeks of opening registration," she said. "This year, we had runners from 47 states and three countries." Wheeler credits the area's natural beauty, combined with a great running sur- face, as the enticement for people to travel to the Rapid City area for the event. "The trail fol- lows an old rail line, and runs next to a creek, over slate rocks, through tunnels and across bridges, in the middle of some of the most gorgeous scenery you can imag- ine," she said. Domico Rodriguez, direc- tor of sports and events at the Rapid City CVB, describes the venue as "one of the jewels of the Black Hills," which is used for numerous races and events. "Because of the amazing scenery and terrain, it has become the most used natural venue in the region," he said. Volunteers Help Address Safety To ensure the safety of the runners, Wheeler works with area search and rescue teams and emergency medical serv- ices personnel who carry radios to communicate with each other. Additionally, there are roamers who make sure the water stations are fully equipped. "After so many years, it pretty much gets down to a science," she said. "We know what each station needs, and we know that the industry standard is that 6 percent of runners will need medical attention, so we plan for that." Most important to the success of the marathon, she added, is the involvement of more than 400 volunteers, who are essen- tial to pulling off a successful race day. "Most of the volunteers come from area non-profit groups and donate their time. In turn, their organization will be among the recipients of donations made each year. In 2013, we were able to donate $26,000 to local charities." ■ 3,000 Marathoners Tackle The Black Hills Trails Natural Venue KNOW HOW: Typically, 6 percent of trail run participants need medical attention. Be sure to have search and rescue teams and EMT personnel along the trail, equipped with radios. —Emily Wheeler, Wheeler Event Management DMTM