Meet the RRCA Alabama State Representative
reprinted with permission of Running Journal-May 2010
This month I would like you to meet the Alabama State Rep, Ron Macksoud. Ron is one of our “oldest” State Reps when it comes to years in the position, having served since 2004. Prior to his appointment, Ron had talked to his two predecessors about their duties and that peaked his interest. When he got an offer to become the next Alabama State Rep, he jumped at the chance.
Ron is probably also our most decorated State Rep. The pinnacle was when he won the RRCA Outstanding State Rep of the Year award in 2006. When the award was presented at the Chicago Convention in 2007, everyone in attendance remembers his very creative and unusual acceptance speech, that brought the house down! Ron was also the winner of the Southern Region State Rep of the Year Award in 2004, 2005, and 2006, co-winner of the RRCA Jerry Little Memorial Journalism Award and Southern Region Newsletter Award in 1996, and Southern Region Club Writer of the Year Award in 2006. 
Ron loves to travel to races across Alabama, so the State Rep position fits him like a glove. He has established the rapport needed among races in the state to build a vibrant RRCA Championship program that may be the best in the nation. In addition to State Championships on a variety of distances, several RRCA Regional and National Championships have been held in Alabama in recent years. Ron considers building this prolific Championship program as his proudest accomplishment.
Participating in, or at least attending most of these championships is one of the things Ron enjoys the most in his State Rep role. With a career in public relations, Ron has developed excellent communication skills, and he savors the opportunity to use these skills in his favorite hobby while communicating with RRCA member clubs. If you wonder how he manages to recruit a record number of championship races, communications is the key here too. Ron emphasizes all the upsides of getting the RRCA Championship designation, including enhanced prestige, and attracting more participants and sponsors. And he does so the old fashioned way, by calling the clubs up and convincing them on the phone!
However, communicating with the clubs still presents a challenge sometimes. Ron finds that it isn’t always easy to encourage clubs to take advantage of all the programs that RRCA has to offer, or to make them understand the role that RRCA plays in promoting grassroots running.
Ron resides in Montgomery, where he is a member of the River Region Runners. He has served two terms as vice president and also two terms as newsletter editor for this club, and he is currently their promotions and communications chairman. He is also a frequent race volunteer.
Ron started running in 1988, to bring down high blood pressure and get in shape. Once he discovered racing he got hooked, and he has now run races in 23 states. He hopes to cover the entire US some day. During all his racing days, Ron has never competed in anything longer than a 15K though. He has never even aspired to run a marathon, and swears he will never become a “marathon man” in the future either. But he is ready to run a 5K anytime!
Ron is an Alabama native, and grew up in Birmingham. For the past 12 years he has been a Public Information Specialist for the State of Alabama. His other passion alongside running is Alabama Crimson Tide sports. He attended Alabama’s last two national football championship victories in 1993 and 2010 and ranks them right up with all his running achievements!
