Creating buzz for Moorestown Coffee Run

Creating buzz for Moorestown Coffee Run

A 30-year old isn't over the hill, but may need a little jolt of something extra to get it to the next level. That's true for people - and with races too.

The Scott Coffee Moorestown Rotary 8k, a 31-year-old race in South Jersey, is getting that jolt this year by re-branding its race to hopefully attract and embrace new runners for its June 6 event.

"We can't have alcohol in Moorestown but we can have coffee," said Bob Bickel, who is part of the race organization team.

The race started out as the Moorestown Rotary 8k. "Scott Coffee" was added to the name after co-founder Scott Coffee passed away in 2006.

This 8k has long had a fast, competitive race at the front of the pack since it's part of the USATF Mid-Atlantic Grand Prix, in which running club members earn points when they run in one of 11 local races, this one included. Organizers had also previously added a Kids Relay, and Moorestown moved its Moorestown Day to the same day as the race to take advantage of the crowds and an already closed down Main Street.

But the race had stalled in its number registrations, sticking at between 1,100 and 1,200 people. Race organizers decided to make it more attractive and friendly to the newer runner, who may never win a race or doesn't run so much as to compete, but to go out and do a race as part of an overall athletic experience.

"Historically [running] was guys like me that were more competitive, more about the USATF Championship," Bickel said. "What's happened is that the market has expanded and middle aged people are coming out, young people graduating from college are coming out and they're looking for something fun to do on a weekend," he said.

That's why the race has been re-branded - without removing the competitive part of the race - by using the "coffee" part of their name. So this year, organizers will provide free hot and iced coffee before and after the race, and put a free bag of Lacas Coffee with custom Scott Coffee Run logo in each race bag. The free race shirts will be sweat activated - a picture of a coffee mug will appear when you sweat while wearing it.

Organizers also created the Caffeinator Challenge, which gives teams prizes not based on performance, but on the size of their group. The largest group will have its own tent at the start/finish area, with additional food and water there. Organizers have also been sponsoring training runs with coffee for runners after.

So far it's worked: Bickel says that signups are ahead of what they were at the same time last year. No cream or sugar required.