If you have ran a race in Southern California or a runDisney event you have heard him! Rudy is the race announcer at many of our local races, including the Long Beach Marathon, Surf City Marathon, the LA Marathon, and dozens more. He is the entertainment at the start line that gets you fired up for your big day. He is the voice you hear: "runners....seeeetttt....GOOOOO!!
Rudy is also the one responsible for celebrating your finish. Rudy can be heard calling you in to the line with such enthusiasm it has brought me to tears on more than one occasion.
What makes Rudy special? Rudy has a heart of gold. He is a runner and therefore understands the stories we all carry on race day. Rudy celebrates us all in a way that makes you feel that you are the one breaking the tape. Rudy cares about the runners.
Rudy started his announcing career by accident:
It was just over 15 years ago, at a local 5K race in California, that Rudy Novotny was approached by the race director and asked if he could fill in for the announcer who had canceled at the last minute. If he agreed, Novotny would receive a refund on his race fee and free entry into next year's race. Since he had run the race several times and knew what was required, Rudy was amenable to helping out and having some fun. Everything went pretty smoothly and a few days later a check came in the mail. Novotny thought, "I am a professional" (Scopa, 2012).
Rudy is an accomplished runner (sub 3-hour marathoner!) who runs 50 miles a week in-between his now crazy race schedule. He is scheduled for over 40 events in 2012, which goes to show how much runners and race directors appreciate his work.
Team Wentlandt has been fortunate enough to get to know Rudy on a personal level. He has adopted our kids as his own and made more than a few races very special for us. Being a FOR (Friend of Rudy) is an honor and one that we treasure.
Scopa, M. (2012). Rudy Novotny: The Voice of America's Marathons. AllEars Newsletter. Retrieved April 27, 2012 from http://allears.net/ae/issue646.htm
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