How To Put On A Race In Your Community
Insurance
This is necessary to protect yourself from the liability possibility created by runners on public streets. It can be purchased from many places. The Road Runners Club of America provides this to it members, which are community-running clubs. If the running club is one your sponsors you can be included in their insurance policy. Talk to them about this.
Timing Equipment & Finish Line
It is usually nice although not necessary to have a large clock to display time for all runners to see on the finish line. Some running clubs will rent their equipment. You will at least want a finish line painted on the road for runners to cross. In bigger races they also have chutes to keep runners single file so that you can keep track of the order runners cross the finish line. If you are having both a five and 10K it is necessary to have a separate chute for each one. If you want you could even have a separate chute for men and women. They would then be separate on the results board. It is easier to keep times and results this way. If you want a chute for your finish line there several ways to make them. The most common way is use large coffee cans filled with cement and pipe with a tee at the top. When several of these are lined up a rope may be passed through them. The problem with these is the weight. Another system is to use PVC and make V’s at the bottom to support them. These are light and much easier to carry around but not as stable as the concrete ones.
Finish Line Clock
Course and Course Measurement
There is a special tool called a Jones Counter which is attached to a bicycle and calibrated to a mile, or fraction of a mile by riding that accurately measured distance. Riding your racecourse and using the Jones counter on your bicycle, you can accurately measure your racecourse. I am sure there are many racecourses that are measured by driving them in a car and using the cars odometer, but this not generally admitted to. Most common distances are 5 kilometers or 3.1 miles, 10 k or 6.2 miles, 5 miles, 10 miles and a half marathon 13.1 miles and of course a marathon 26.2 miles. A popular course tool is the Gmaps Pedometer
Visit the web site of the USA Track & Field for more information on course measurement.
John Jewell - the developer of modern course measurement in England
Volunteers and Course Monitors
During the race there needs to be some way of keeping runners on the course. The most common approach is a combination of arrows painted in the street and people standing by pointing the runners in the right direction. Make sure in advance they know the right direction. The more corners you have the more people you will need. There is a special paint called athletic field marking paint which is not permanent, and sprays out top of the can in a wide stripe instead of the side like a normal spray can. You will find that spraying from a regular spay can onto the road can be difficult and since the paint is permanent, cities don't like it. On a sunny day right before the race you can even use flour. It is also nice to have a person on a bicycle lead the race, this way the lead runners do not take the wrong course. The most difficult job as race director will be finding volunteers and committee chairs that will oversee specific aspects of your race. Most runners like volunteers at one-mile intervals reading split times.
Ambulance
You should have an ambulance at the race just in case something unexpected happens. Hopefully they will just sit there and go home after the race. Often times they will follow the last runner.
Water, Etc
Sponsored Water Stop
Very importantly do not forget to have water on the course and afterward, the presence or absence of water afterward can make or break a race so make sure there is plenty of water afterward. You should have a water stop on the course at least every 2 or 3 miles. There is usually fruit and snacks but this depends on what you can get donated. Some races have door prizes, which are donated by local merchants. It is nice to have your race and awards ceremony at a public park where there are bathrooms if not you may have to arrange to have Porta Potties delivered. If it rains it would be nice to have a picnic shelter. Be sure to check with your city recreation department on this.
