I have always contended that more is better in road racing. The inclusion of the type of runners and walkers Dedarian despises have turned races into major events. The Seacoast area will have four races in 1999 with more than 1,000 participants. Races that used to draw less than 100 now top the 300 mark and are growing. The increases have drawn more attention to the events.
More attention means more focus on top runners.
Runners like Dedarian should be pleased the sport is attracting more publicity. Road racing has become a big time sport in these parts. As one top runner in this area told me, she loves the attention she gets. That could not have happened without the increased number of participants. The changes in the road racing scene have created a delicate balance and there are times the Dedarians of the running world have a right to complain about which way the scales tip.