One of the most common challenges for many race directors is finding the best way to share important race details with participants. Race committees put in months of planning for the event and they want entrants to have a great experience. But every race is different and helping runners navigate the details of yours takes careful planning.

Before email and websites, it was common for the paper race entry form to include most of the details needed to register and participate. It often took hours of painstaking writing and editing to get the details on a paper brochure suitable for bulk mailing. For larger races, sometimes the entry form was a multi-page pamphlet or small book.

These days, of course, almost all race information is provided digitally on the website, entry path, confirmation, final instructions, and—more and more often—on QR codes at the expo and on the mobile race app.

As someone with both a journalism background and 40-plus years of race directing, here are a few ideas about keeping your runners informed.

Step one is to put together a complete race communication plan from recruiting entrants through race weekend to the post-race results and information about the next event. Items in your plan should include the basic journalism checklist of who, what, when, where, how and why. For example,

• Why should someone enter your event?

• What is the history of the race? What makes it worth their time and money? What can they expect to receive?

• Who can enter? Are there restrictions, entry caps, qualifications, or other requirements or rules? Who does it benefit?

• How can they enter? How much is it?

• Where is the race? How will they get there?

There are scores of answers to these and other questions. Brainstorm with your race committee and always consider the perspective of someone entering their very first race. Sure, an experienced runner who has done hundreds of races will skip over most of this, but many first-timers will pour over the details, rereading them over and over.

Establish a tone, theme, or “voice” to your communications. Some use humor or are folksy: I remember a race director in North Carolina, I believe, who years ago started off his race instructions with, “Read These or You Will Surely Die.” It sure caught the attention of his runners! Others hide little “cookies” in the information, like a funny or ironic comment, to see who is reading it carefully. Other presentations may come off as more corporate. Do what feels right for your race and your communications director.

Consider having an outside proofreader or passing important information by a “test audience” of a handful of people who are not connected to the race. Ask them if the information is logical, easy to follow, and enjoyable to read. Sometimes we get too close to our events and assume folks understand common race terms and phrases. Someone who is doing the race for the first time may have no idea what we mean by gear check, start corrals, pace groups, and that, yes, there will be bathrooms at the start and on the course, etc. And, of course, be careful with punctuation and grammar, be consistent with tense, update your use of pronouns, etc.

A skilled graphic artist can increase readability of copy-dense instructions using color, lists, copy blocks, call-outs or boxed sidebars, photos, etc. There might be thousands of words in your race instructions, for example, but they can be presented in readable sections for easier navigation. Consider a “Top 10” list to highlight the most important things you want everyone to know before you get into the details.

Other races have good luck sending out a series of instructional emails with different topics like pre-race day (expo, parking, bib pick-up, merchandise, clinics, carbo dinner, etc.); race-morning (transportation, gear-check, start times); running the race (aid stations, mile markers, pace groups, course details, entertainment); finish line (timing, gear check, food, family reunion); and post-race (awards, entertainment, shuttles, lost-and-found, results, on-site merchandise, registration for next year).

The Houston Marathon prints race-day details on the large envelope used to hand-out race bibs and safety pins. This creative approach assures folks have important details literally in their hand a day or two before the race.

Make sure your race website is accurate and up to date with the same information you are sending out to participants. Post links to instructions on social media. It’s fine to repeat important items in race communications for reinforcement.

Speaking of social media, if you don’t already have one, consider creating a Facebook “Fan Page” for entrants to interact with each other and get insider tips from experienced runners, etc. This can be done officially through the race or outside the race by a “superfan.” If the page is not created and monitored by your race staff and team, it’s a good idea to review posts often to make sure information being shared is accurate.

Review the websites of other races, both in your area and some of the larger, national races. You will likely find many examples of best practices and can even note how the information posted on their sites change as race-day approaches.

Race-weekend and even race-morning notifications via Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, text, or email can help remind runners of important about race details and can also clarify any security or COVID protocols in place at the race.

A well-staffed information booth at the expo and race day can help answer the many last-minute questions—as well as make it painfully obvious which runners didn’t read any of the information they were sent! Realistically, though, we know that folks process information differently and some just want verbal or written reassurance that they understand what’s expected of them and what is going to happen race day.

Good luck developing and implementing your communications plan and please reach out to your fellow race directors for examples and advice.

 

Doug Thurston has been directing races since the early 1980’s, most recently with the Big Sur Marathon Foundation in California, and continues to consult with events large and small across the country. He can be reached at tallrunnerdoug@gmail.com. 

 

Over the last 10 years, social media has become a crucial ingredient in the marketing and communications mix. Races across the world have hopped on board – creating amazing communities and producing compelling content that drives registrations. While you might have mastered the classic platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, there’s a new social media network on the block that you have likely heard about: TikTok. This video-centric platform might have at first seemed like a flash in the pan, but, with 1 billion monthly active users and 200 million downloads in the U.S., it’s clear that TikTok is here to stay.

It might feel daunting to add another social media network to your ever-growing list of things to do as an event director, so we’ve assembled some tips to help you get started with help from ultrarunning influencer Andrew Glaze, J&A Racing Digital Marketing Manager Jessie Walker, and the London Marathon’s Social Media Manager Jon Sutcliffe.

Tip No. 1: Remember The Three E’s of Content

No matter where you’re producing content online, keep in mind that all top-notch content does one of three things: educate, engage, or entertain. Have an idea of which you’re trying to achieve whenever you create a new TikTok video. Educational content can be how-to’s, history of your event, or training tips and tricks. Engaging content seeks to gain feedback from your online community – it asks questions that viewers can answer in the comments or asks them to hit the like and share buttons. Entertaining content is simply meant to make someone smile with an inspirational story, funny joke, or beautiful visuals that will keep all eyes on you!

Tip No. 2: Keep On Top of Trends

Sutcliffe says that one of the most challenging, but most important elements of success on the platform is understanding what users are currently engaging with and making viral. “To do that successfully, you have to spend a lot of time browsing videos, looking at what is performing well, and thinking of how you can adapt your content to that particular trend,” Sutcliffe told us.

Tip No. 3: Use The App To Edit And Prioritize Quality Video

All three of our experts agree that it’s wise to edit your video right in the app. Sutcliffe said, “Content which looks native to the platform works better than heavily edited/produced videos which you would see elsewhere.”

Before editing, Walker recommends you film videos with your regular phone camera or with another digital camera outside the app. She said, “This preserves the video if there were to be a bug in the app or if it were to update and delete the drafts we have saved.”

“The latest TikTok update clearly says that the app prioritizes high-quality videos. You’ve got to have good lighting, a phone or camera that shoots great video,” Glaze shared. He also uses drones and the ‘disappearing selfie stick’ Insta 360 camera to capture his content.

Tip No. 4: Reap the Benefits of Organic Growth

You may have found that organic growth is very hard to achieve these days on Instagram or Facebook, where ads have become increasingly vital to gaining followers and engagements. Glaze confirmed that TikTok is a platform where organic growth is still possible.

“I have almost 100,000 followers and I’ve only been on TikTok for three months,” Glaze shares. “If you provide good content, you have the ability to reach so many more people.”

Tip No. 5: Not Quite Ready for TikTok? Try Instagram Reels

While J&A Racing has a TikTok account that they’ll be launching soon, they first decided to try out Instagram Reels – which offers a very similar experience to TikTok. “It was a platform we were already using and felt comfortable with,” Walker said. The team was apprehensive at first, she told us.

“Our initial concern with Reels was if the time and energy put into reels would return the desired results (i.e. registrations, merchandise sales, etc.). The more we have worked with them, we have realized the value is much higher than that. Reels bring a personality to our company that others don’t necessarily see within our posts.”

Tip No. 6: Know What it Takes to Go Va-Va-Viral

We asked our experts: what were some of your first viral videos or most watched posts on TikTok and Reels. Here’s what they told us.

“[Our first viral video was] of a man dressed as Big Ben struggling to get under the Finish Gantry. Since our launch last year we’ve grown to over 25,000 followers amassing over 20 million views, so we’re really happy with how our first year went. [Our most watched video was] Mo Farah falling off a tumbleator at the 2019 running show!” said Sutcliffe.

“Our most-watched video to date is one of our office dog’s birthday celebrations. It seems people love to see what our office life is really like and all of the fun we have with our pups,” Walker said.

“The video [which got 1.2 million views] was about my running streak and the same video had gone viral on Instagram…eventually I started posting videos of my (own) races, narrated by me. That style of video went super viral. I have two videos both almost at 10 million views – both races,” Glaze shared.

Tip No. 7: When in Doubt, Try it Out!

All of our experts echoed a similar sentiment: don’t take TikTok and Reels too seriously – experiment, see what works, and enjoy the experience.

“It has been a great experience and learning opportunity for our team. We spend all day together so why not create a few videos together too!” Walker said of J&A Racing’s use of Reels so far. Sutcliffe shared, “Have fun with it, not every video is going to go viral – just keep trying to bring value!”

 

About The Author

Meg Treat, APR is the owner and principal of Treat Public Relations, a PR agency specializing in media relations and publicity for endurance sports events. She is also a limited-term lecturer at Purdue University’s Brian Lamb School of Communication. Treat is a five-time marathoner and an ultramarathoner.

 

Treat Public Relations is a PR agency providing media relations services to races of all sizes, all distances, and all sports throughout the U.S. Founder and principal Meg Treat shares: “Treat PR is where I combine my professional expertise with my personal passion for endurance sports to elevate your event and gain the attention it deserves.”

The power of positive publicity for any size event can’t be underestimated, shares Treat. Not only can it gain you participants, it increases visibility for sponsors and partners and community awareness about your race or races. But with staffing challenges, pandemic recovery and rising event costs on everyone’s minds these days,  it’s not likely the No. 1 item on race directors’ to-do lists.

“It’s not uncommon to realize that your PR efforts are lacking at the last minute. It is my steadfast belief that PR cannot and should not be left unutilized by event organizers. My services help drive more awareness, which helps generate more registrations and more impact on your community.”

Read on to learn more about how Meg has grown Treat Public Relations and successfully promoted events across the USA:

 

Running USA: How did you come to specialize in endurance events and brands?

Meg Treat: It all started as a daydream. I’m an endurance athlete myself with five marathons, an ultra and a triathlon under my belt. When I wasn’t working, I was immersed in the sport – training, racing, and following my favorite athletes. After spending all day at my agency and in-house jobs researching media and pitching stories in a variety of news sources, I’d come home and open the publications that I loved: Runner’s World, Competitor Magazine, and the like.

I would find myself wondering, “What it would be like to have clients who I could help earn coverage in these pages? What if I could combine my love for running with my love for strategic communications?”

A couple of years later, the opportunity to do just that finally arrived. I launched Treat PR in January of 2016. Just one week after I took the leap, I landed my first client: the Tallahassee Marathon. My unique zone of genius is in the events space, although I have represented and continue to represent a handful of products and services aimed at athletes. Running events changed my life, and the opportunity to serve race directors means everything to me.

 

RU: What services do you offer specifically for events and event producers?

MT: Race directors can work with me in three ways: DIY, done-with-you, and done-for-you.

I have an online course, Headlines and Finish Lines, that I’ll be relaunching in April. It provides in-depth video instruction on key PR tools, plus a variety of helpful templates and guides.  Event organizers and their teams can use the lessons learned to give their media efforts a boost!

For race directors who already have a great relationship with media, but need an expert to write up key documents like press releases and media alerts, my PR Static Plan is a great option. If there’s a specific communications issue you need advice on, my two-day PR Speed Workout consultation experience is a chance to dive deep and walk away with concrete, effective strategies to solve them.

The most popular option by far is the PR Podium package, which allows event organizers to take publicity off their to-do list and let me do what I do best! This package is full service and offers tried and true deliverables that I’ve curated for media relations success. It even includes my attendance on race day to handle media in person!

 

RU: What observations can you share about how the pandemic has impacted our industry and more specifically, are there PR solutions you recommend as events return in 2022?

MT: I think it is safe to say that our industry has never faced a challenge quite like the COVID-19 pandemic. I hope event organizers feel proud of how they reacted. I saw so many races adapting to this volatile situation in a way that aligned with their values, making health and safety the ultimate priority.

As race day makes its return, I think there are a few key PR lessons learned from the experience.

First and foremost, plan ahead. Have a crisis communications strategy that includes public health events. Be completely clear and transparent about your refund, deferral or transfer policy! If you don’t already have one, add one. Create a continuing plan for transitioning to virtual racing in the event of any unexpected obstacle, and consider adding a virtual racing category in perpetuity!

Second, communicate quickly. Are you going to always get it right? Maybe not. Should you be as truthful and transparent as you can be? Absolutely. When our audiences need answers, it’s important to address them directly rather than wait to have a perfectly polished statement. It’s just not feasible in our ever-changing world.

Finally, I would like to remind race directors that a return to racing as the world reopens is a newsworthy event. Kick COVID-19 right where it hurts after all it has done to our work, and make this unexpected obstacle into a strategic opportunity for publicity!

 

RU: Who are some of the races and brands that you’ve worked with?

MT: I’ve been so proud to represent events from coast to coast! They include:

• Tallahassee Marathon
• Tallahassee Turkey Trot
• Sustainable Tallahassee’s Trash Dash 5k
• Girls on The Run end-of-season 5ks and fundraiser events
• Ultraman Florida triathlon
• Santa Fe Thunder Half Marathon
• The Mad Mud Run
• The Champions Ride
• O’side Turkey Trot

While events are the focus of my business, I also work with products and services aimed at athletes and fitness-focused audiences.

 

RU: Can you share a client success story with us?

MT: I was feeling extra grateful on Thanksgiving this past year – it marked my first event partnership since the pandemic! I was hired by legendary race director and Running USA’s 2014 Women’s Leadership award winner Kathy Kinane to assist her with the 16th Annual O’side Turkey Trot.

Kathy’s holiday running event attracts nearly 10,000 participants to scenic North San Diego County, and takes them along Pacific Coast Highway, through Oceanside’s historic downtown and along the beach for unmatched ocean views. It was the first in-person running of the event since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

I’m really proud of the results. I secured a story above the fold on the front page of the San Diego Union-Tribune, the largest print publication in the area, multiple segments on the majority of SD’s local TV stations including KUSI, ABC 10, Fox 5, NBC 7, and KPBS. We also had a live throw from the national Fox Weather Channel, who conducted a remote 5-minute interview on race day. Mayor Esther Sanchez even made a special proclamation, naming it Turkey Trot Day in the City of Oceanside.

In all, over 70 pieces of press coverage were secured and those stories reached an estimated one million people. Press coverage was shared over 1400 times on social media, and 30 of the stories linked directly back to the race website. We really came back with a bang!

 

RU: What else can you share with us about your professional background?

MT: I’ve worked in public relations and strategic communications for more than a decade. Before launching Treat PR, I worked in boutique agencies in multiple major markets, as well as in-house with businesses large and small. I’ve had the chance to build expertise in a wide range of services like event planning, public affairs, community engagement, social media management, content creation, and email marketing, but my true passion has always been media relations.

I’ve certainly gained some street smarts from my work experience, but I’ve also got the book smarts! I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and Rhetorical Advocacy, a Master’s degree in Communication, and a certificate in Strategic Communication Management all from my one and only alma mater Purdue University. It’s also worth mentioning that I teach PR at the collegiate level. I am a limited-term lecturer at Purdue’s Brian Lamb School of Communication, where I instruct a public relations writing course for about 40 undergraduate students each semester.

I’m also Accredited in Public Relations, which is what the ‘APR’ after my name stands for. This designation is held by only about 3,000 PR professionals out of the 250,000 people who report working in my field. Through a panel presentation and a rigorous exam, I proved my ability to uphold the highest standards of practice in my profession to earn the accreditation.

 

RU: What’s a future race on your bucket list?

MT: There are so many spectacular events I’d love to both run and/or represent. I’m seriously such a fan girl about events, and I still have to pinch myself that I get to work with the people who bring them to life!

In the next few years, I’ll be working hard to earn the opportunity to represent one of the U.S. Majors. I’d also love the chance to explore collaborations with specialty events like Ragnar and Spartan.

This year, I’m eyeing the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon for my return to running 26.2 after a four-year hiatus from the distance (and to check off my seventh state in my quest for all 50!)

 

RU: Anything else you would like to add?

MT: I’m just really thankful for Running USA. This organization has been so incredibly beneficial for me and for my business. I would encourage anyone on the fence about joining to take the leap! Come join us.

There’s no marketing quite like word of mouth. Hearing about your event from a successful and satisfied past participant can be an exceptional way to find new participants, and all you’ll need to do is get your Ambassadors organized, motivated, and set up for success.

Here are some tips for creating a successful Race Ambassador Program from Kayla Henderson, Race Director of the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon. In its third year, the Charlotte program demonstrates that just a handful of ambassadors (18, to be exact) can have a mighty impact on race participation. In the program’s three years, they’ve recruited hundreds of participants to the marathon, half marathon, relay and 5K events.

• In your first year, you will likely need to directly recruit your race ambassador candidates. Look for area running, fitness and endurance enthusiasts with strong social media accounts and known personalities in your local community. And don’t just go to the local running club –popular yoga or crossfit studios are great places to find people who can be advocates for you.

• Clearly identify your ambassador benefits. You don’t need to pay them cash or promise them the moon. Race entries, race swag, gratitude and recognition are the most important rewards. You want your ambassadors to feel connected to your event and part of its positive mission. For some, the notoriety that comes with having their face on your event’s social media accounts will be recognition enough. Others will be thrilled with free race entries and swag like t-shirts and socks.

• Select a diverse pool of candidates. An equal gender mix between men and women is important, as is having participants from all walks of life. One ambassador might be participating in their 20th marathon, while another is slogging through a Couch to 5K program for the very first time. Make sure moms, dads, singles, grandmas, millennials, military veterans and more are represented.

• Give them the tools to talk you up. A great way to do this is through a private Facebook group. Connect your ambassadors online and let the magic happen as they talk amongst themselves. When you have race news to share, like a price increase coming, your t-shirt or medal design, or training runs, share them in the group and let the ambassadors help spread the word.

• For extra motivation, issue a fundraising challenge. The ambassador who brings in the most runners to the Charlotte event is rewarded with $1,000 to be donated directly to a charity of their choice. The charitable donation creates a friendly competition among the ambassadors to see who can bring in the most runners.

• To encourage education from within, keep a few veteran ambassadors in the program each year. Charlotte originally thought they would bring in all new faces each year, then realized that a better approach was to have 1/3 of the group be past participants who could help educate the new members.

• Encourage teamwork. Dividing your ambassadors into small groups within the program can yield great results. Charlotte’s program includes sub-teams of three ambassadors each (one of the three is a veteran ambassador). They work together to host in-person community events, like a training run or yoga session, where attendees are encouraged to sign up for the marathon.

• Talk them up! Promote your ambassadors and their stories on your social media channels, website, and newsletters. You can share their content like photos and posts, use quotes, make fun videos, and more. Remember, the most important message for the prospective runner is simply: “Hey, that person is just like me. I could do that too!”