If you're not familiar with, or actually involved for that matter, in the area running scene, then you probably don't know about a terrific story emanating from right here in town.

Rhode Races & Events, a company, pretty obviously, that oversees road races locally, ticks many of the notable boxes. It's a female-operated company co-owned by Sue Rancourt and Karen Zyons. It's based in Warren. And it's in the midst of its distinguished decade of conducting competitions.

Rancourt, who resides in town and is also the Mt. Hope High School girls' cross country coach, actually got into the field based off her passion for the sport. The New Hampshire native went to college and ran for the University of Rhode Island. She stayed, getting married and starting a family before settling in Warren.

She met Zyons, a resident of Wakefield, while both worked for another company in the road racing business, which eventually folded. Zyons hired Rancourt to work for that firm in 2011. The duo took it over in late 2015, but cite their race in Providence in 2016 as the first "official" event they hosted.

Rhode Races & Events has also become a family affair with Cam Rancourt, Sue's son who, like mom, is a MHHS coach for hockey, being hired to be the event operations director as the company has grown.

"I started running when I was in high school. I went to URI. I had never been to Rhode Island before. I went for the tour, and just fell in love with it," Rancourt explained. "And then after I graduated college, I still continued to run even through having kids. I used to push Cam in a little baby stroller and feed him snacks along the way. And then as the kids were getting older, I kind of stayed at home more, kind of did like odd jobs to try and be with them more."

Around 2008 or 2009, Sue began working for a company called Fuel Belt, whose signature product was a hydration apparatus for runners and were sponsors of the marathon in Providence. After that company folded, Rancourt reached out to Zyons, whom she had met along the way, to see if there was an opportunity for employment, which there was and became the seed of their fruitful partnership.

They jokingly refer to themselves as the "chief party planner," Zyons, and the "chief running officer," Rancourt.

"So I'm the runner in the group, and we say that I'm front of the house," Rancourt explained, using a restaurant analogy. "And Karen comes from more like a catering background, more like operations and logistics. So she's more like background, back of the house. She doesn't run at all. And obviously, it's worked out pretty well for the 10 years."

It certainly has.

Rhode Races & Events conducts five signature events, half and full marathons, throughout the year, including the Independence Rhode Race half marathon held last Saturday morning, June 28, in Bristol. The other half marathon takes place in Jamestown. Newport, Providence and Narragansett are full marathons.

Rhode Races & Events also oversees "wine runs" over vineyards in nearby Sakonnet and Westport and as well as the annual Hangover Classic on New Year's Day in Bristol.

In addition, Rhode Races & Events is hired to conduct or consult on several other competitions for area non-profits and organizations, including "The Great Mud Race" in Warren scheduled for September and the Barrington 5K & Fun Runs in October.

During their 10 years, just about every event has grown in size and significance. As an example, the Newport race held in April had some 5,000 participants. The reasons for the success are many, but based mainly on being a welcoming and gracious host to the entrants.

"I think the way Karen and I approach all the races is that we're complementary of each other," Rancourt said. "We approach it like every runner is like a guest in our home because we like to entertain. So I would want to put on a race that I want to do myself. Mostly, our biggest thing is we have to keep runners safe. So that's all about the operations of logistics that happen behind a race. It's not always like the marketing. We do have great medals, we have great shirts, we have great designers, but it's really about making the experience something that we would want for ourselves and that we are proud of hosting all the runners that come to town."

A marathoner herself, she's run six, Rancourt brings an understanding about what competitors hope for and expect out of events, especially considering the commitment needed to prepare to run 13.1 or 26.2 miles.

"As someone who's run, I know the time and the dedication it takes, of what it means to leave your families and get out on the road in the worst conditions. And all the time and physical pain that kind of goes into training for a race, never mind, the actual race day" Rancourt said. "So I always approach it like every race that we have as it's not just about race day. It's about the usually 16 weeks leading up to it and everything that that runner went into getting to that starting line.

"So I always feel like it's a huge weight on me because I'll go to these running groups and these running clubs and they're out there in the worst conditions. I can remember training for Boston (Marathon) during the floods of March of 2010 and just being absolutely miserable. But that's what it takes, and so the one race, the one opportunity they have for that 16 weeks of sometimes six-, seven-days-a-week of training, I understand what that means, and that's the kind of event that I want to give the person."

Looking ahead, wondering if there are another 10 years in the offing, Rancourt said plans are to keep moving Rhode Races & Events forward, to turn a running phrase, at a comfortable pace.

"Having (Cam) come on board was the hugest blessing because he knows. He's been seeing me do this since he was, I don't even know, 10, 12 years old," Sue added. "He sees me as a runner, what I had given up to do marathons and stuff like that. And Cam ran. He started running in middle school. So having him come on board has been a huge blessing. I don't know that we could do what we do without him anymore. But I think we're continuing to grow."

For more information about the company or to register for an upcoming Rhode Races & Events competition, visit www.rhoderaces.com.