Run — or Walk! — Your Own Race with DeadRunning

Posted

Clint Burleson, who co-owns DeadRunning with his wife, Hanne, says that one of the biggest draws for participants in DeadRunning’s Day of the Dead and Chili Pepper running events is outstanding customer service for all.

The couple met in 1999 when Clint was a computer science professor at New Mexico State University and Hanne was a student. They married in 2005, and, after Clint retired from NMSU, Clint and Hanne founded Mainly Marathons running event company in 2012.

The career switch was calculated. The Rio Grande Marathon was no longer, and Clint (who has completed more than 500 marathons since 1982) had served as race director for the White Sands-Alamogordo Marathon from 1991 to 1996 — so this was familiar territory for him.

Hanne (who has walked 5ks in 48 states) was born and raised in Germany and had been working for the German Air Force in Alamogordo. After going part-time in 2012 to help Clint with Mainly Marathons, in 2014 she left her job to devote full-time hours to their business.

The Burlesons spent a lot of time on the road with Mainly Marathons, as the clientele is primarily those who want to participate in marathons in all 50 states, and Mainly Marathons’ multi-day, multi-state events help people reach that goal. They note that some of their “quantity” customers would do 100 marathons in a year.

Tired of the travel that goes along with organizing races across the country, they sold Mainly Marathons in 2017 and immediately founded DeadRunning to ensure that marathon culture and community continued in New Mexico.

With DeadRunning they wanted to continue the customer service ethos they had established with Mainly Marathons, for which Clint credits Hanne. For example, they check email daily and reply promptly to questions about their events. Clint notes that the customer service decisions they’ve made have attracted a new customer base of participants who are older and/or slower, but still enthusiastic about taking part in an athletic event.

“We treat all our runners and walkers well,” Clint said. “Our participants are not just runners looking for a personal best or to qualify for Boston, although plenty do just that. We also serve regular folks who will be happy to finish.”

At DeadRunning events, you’ll find “real food, not gels,” says Clint. There are no time cutoffs for any of the distances, and you can sign up on the day of the event. The loop-style course design is based on a survey of participants.

Hanne notes that “It is a good way for the slower runners to be around other participants and everyone can cheer each other on. It becomes a bit of a social event!”

Adding to the festivity, the Day of the Dead series even includes a costume contest. And you can’t beat the swag! Event t-shirts and medals are colorful and unique, designed by local artists (this year’s are by Coy Lowther) and inspired by sugar skulls, skeletons, and chile.

Clint and Hanne’s customer service is also personal. Clint says, “I’ve always felt bad that by the time the slower participants cross the finish line, most everyone is gone, and no one is there to congratulate them. That’s why we have a ‘no one left behind’ policy. We’ll be there until the last runner or walker is done to say ‘congratulations’ and ‘well done!’”

DeadRunning does not advertise, and participants hear about events through word of mouth or by being at La Llorona Park when the events take place. Although participant numbers continue to grow, and as much as Clint and Hanne are devoted to the running community, they note that they are ready to (finally, really) retire and are seeking a buyer for DeadRunning.

Meanwhile, this year’s Day of the Dead Series takes place Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 26 and 27 and the Chili Pepper Series (yes, that’s how DeadRunning spells it) will be Saturday and Sunday, March 8 and 9, 2025. 

Both series are at La Llorona Park at Picacho and the river, and distance options for each include 5k, 10k, half-marathon, marathon, and 50k. This flat and fast USA Track & Field Boston-qualifier course consists of a 2.2 mile out-and-back loop — your distance option determines your number of loops. Each series generally draws 250 – 300 runners, roughly 50 of whom are marathoners. Start time is 7 a.m., but if you are an early bird, you can start at 6 a.m. (bring a flashlight)!

For more information and to register, visit deadrunning.net.

DeadRunning

X