Note from presenter Chris Quetant: In order to gain access as an event organizer on the USATF Connect platform and submit a sanction request you only need to create an account and complete SafeSport training (both come at no cost). However, we do always encourage all event organizers and volunteers to become 3-step SafeSport compliant (USATF member, SafeSport training, & background screening). This is especially encouraged if you have direct engagement with athletes.

Additional resources mentioned in the video:

USATF Sanction Video Tutorials

Certified Course Measurers: USATF • Measurers

Certified Courses: USATF • Database Search 

List of Approved World Athletics Competition Shoes

World Athletics Global Calendar link

When William Fermo started putting on two small races in Texas with his brother and a friend, they did absolutely everything themselves—except DJ the post-finish line celebration. “It’s very busy,” said Fermo.

Now, as the 3 Bros Running Company is starting to grow their 5K and 10K events, they’ve learned what jobs they absolutely need to do themselves and what they can delegate. “If you can hand things off [to volunteer leaders], it makes it a lot easier,” he said.

When you’re putting on small race with just a few hundred runners, it can be tempting to do everything yourself. It saves money and saves complications. But it can also get out of hand quickly, as your car fills up with cones and you’re running around from aid station to check-in. While smaller races might not have the same logistics and employment challenges as big events, you still want to think of staffing your race as a pyramid, with the most important roles at the top filled by you (as race director) or by your key people. Hire contractors or part-time staff and delegate for the next level of work, and then flesh out the bulk of the event with volunteers.

Where to use staff

“The key things need to have experienced people,” said Meredith Shelton, the staffing manager at Race Day Events, which both puts on their own races in Wisconsin and is also hired by other race organizers to run various parts of race event operations.

What she means is you need people who know what they’re doing and are empowered—whether that’s you, your co-race-director, or a very trusted helper—at the top-level of things. This typically can be divided into three general categories, with a staff person heading up each section: registration, the course, and the finish/post-finish.

While you can use volunteers to help with packet pick-up, you (as RD) or someone you hire needs to set up registration. “Have someone in charge of it from start to finish,” said Shelton, and have someone who knows what they’re doing managing check-in.

Next, it’s key to have someone experienced plotting out and marking the course, especially any turns or splits or if there are multiple distance. Making sure that runners know where they’re going without having to think about it is probably the most important part of putting on a running race. (And if you use a lead volunteer or part-time staff to put out cones or signs, said Shelton, make sure it’s someone who’s a runner, because they’ll know what to look for.)

And, then, while you can use volunteers heavily at the finish line and post-race festival, you again want someone to manage that area.

Where to use contractors

Contractors or part-time help are best for jobs that are distinct and self-defined, or can be paid hourly, and that are important enough you don’t necessarily want to hand them off to volunteers. This includes things like: timing, equipment rental and set-up, transportation (for example, if you need buses), or potentially medical services and EMS.

This is also where you may be able to save money. Timing, for example, said Shelton, can be more or less complicated depending on how big your event is.

Additionally, the less you impact traffic or have to shut down roads, then the less you’re going to be required to have police or traffic control and the less equipment you’ll need to rent. You’ll likely want to rent (instead of buy) equipment, if you’re putting on a small race or it’s your first one. Ellen Larson of In Motion Events, for example, hires a company that manages the buses and transportation for their point-to-point race—but you can avoid that by keeping your race course simple.

There will also likely be requirements from the city or government agency for you to provide medical or EMS services, depending on how big your event is. “You may be able to work with local EMS and local first-responders,” said Shelton. Reach out to them, even if you don’t need to, because they usually want to know what’s going on in the community, but also because they might then come out. While they’ll charge for dedicated EMS services—if, for example, you needed paramedics or an ambulance stationed for the whole event—but if it’s more of a casual, then they might just come out for a little bit to build relationships in the community. (Just know, if that’s the case, then they’ll have to leave if they get a call.)

And, of course, if you’re going to have a DJ or entertainment, then that’s probably someone you’re going to hire. Unless you want to play music yourself.

Where to use volunteers

Volunteers are great for filling out roles where you simply need extra people, but there’s someone to oversee them (either a contractor, staff person, or even a key volunteer leader who’s been more involved). These are jobs like: course marshal (standing at intersections to point the right way), aid stations, helping with packet pickup, and handing out medals or food at the finish line and post-race area.

“If it’s a role where you’re cheering people on and it’s touchy-feeling, that’s where we use volunteers,” Shelton said. Grunt work? That’s a staff job. “You got to pay people to lift heavy things and be there early.”

Larson will use volunteers for almost all the race weekend roles across registration, aid stations, and the finish line—as long as there’s someone to oversee them. They’ll also rely on local running or volunteers groups or on high school clubs (National Honor Society, for example) or teams to volunteer for a whole section. That way it’s easier to manage the group, than to manage 30 different individuals.

The biggest problem with volunteers, everyone said, is that you don’t know who’s not going to show up—and some people will definitely not show up at the last minute. Plan extra volunteers into your schedule. “You’d rather have too many and have to figure out where to put them,” said Fermo.

Where do you find people to staff your race?

“Start by calling us,” joked Shelton. She’s kidding, but there are event services companies all over. You can search in your region for timing companies and race day services. You can also talk to other race organizers. And go to your local running store, and ask them.

“Every time I do a race, it’s market research,” said Fermo.

Relationships with civic organizations (Lions Club, Rotary) can be helpful, said Shelton. First off, they’ll likely let you come and present about your event at their meeting and then they may want to help out. This is where you can ask them to volunteer or, she said, if they, for example, run a brat stand at the local high school games, then ask them to run one at your race. You can also get donations from local grocery stores, even large chains will likely have a donations manager

While there are employment rules about contractors and volunteers, the easiest way to deal with that is if  you’re running a nonprofit organization.

For all new races, though, you want to start with your local government agency. Ask what you need to do and when do you need to do it by? Even if you think you’re just using a park and the bathroom facilities there, you probably need a permit. And the city or county can also, likely, point you in the direction of what emergency services and traffic control you’ll need.

“Don’t make assumptions about where you can have a bunch of people running around,” said Shelton.

 

Race-day transportation is an important part of the weekend plan for many races and also can be a significant race expense, often running into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Providing race-morning transportation is standard with point-to-point courses and may also be used where parking is an issue at the start or finish venues. Since transportation is often the first and last touchpoint for runners on race day, an effective program can avoid adding extra stress to what is already an anxious morning for entrants.

There are as many transportation plans as there are races that use them. An example of one of the most complex but successful programs is that used by the Big Sur Marathon. The iconic event features six different races on scenic and hilly Highway 1 on the Central California coast. The road that is the course is the only option to get to the start(s) and is closed to the general public race morning. There is no runner parking or drop off at any of the start areas.

Elements of the program include:

• Securing 170-plus buses from multiple vendors including school districts and charter companies.

• Transporting close to 7,000 runners from 10 different pick-up locations to six different starting lines or relay transition areas all between 3:30 and 6 a.m.

• Since all buses travel the same route as the races, final course set-up can’t really take place until most buses have dropped off their runners and returned north past the finish line, necessitating the early start.

• Many of the same buses are used to transport runners from the finish village back to their morning pick-up location after the race (there is limited parking in the finish area and no buses depart from there).

The Big Sur transportation team has refined their plan over three decades. Here are some of the things they have learned that might help with other races:

• Accurate record keeping is crucial: The Big Sur team is fortunate that all race distances sell out months early with typically the same entry caps, generating years of data. This helps with ordering and staging the right number of buses at each location.

• All shuttled runners visit the transportation desk at the expo after collecting their bib to chat with experienced volunteers who distribute pre-numbered bus tickets for each location.

• Where a runner boards their bus is determined by several factors including where they are staying the night before the race, if they plan to park a car at the shuttle location, and when they come to the expo.

• Runners are issued numbered paper tickets at the desk for their pick-up location. This “count-down” approach helps the transportation team know real-time bus capacity and move buses around Saturday afternoon, if needed, to meet demand.

• The race doesn’t ask runners to reserve a pick-up location before race weekend: many runners don’t know where they are staying when they register so the data collected would be of limited use. The historical data has proven far more useful. And there is nothing like face-to-face interaction to clarify the right place and time to show up race morning to catch the shuttle.

Here are some other tips and ideas for race day that can help your program:

• It’s natural that runners want to try to take the latest bus possible in hopes of catching a few more minutes of sleep. Build your schedule based on what your race needs to get everyone to the start(s) in plenty of time and clear the roads, if needed, for proper race set-up.

• When in doubt, start the buses earlier if your start venue can be ready to receive runners.

• Have a heavy-duty tow truck on standby if needed as well as an extra bus or two in case of an early-morning breakdown or other incident.

• Make sure your race-morning pick-up locations are clearly signed (with lighted signs, if possible) and provide accurate maps online and/or at the expo (with cross streets or addresses for early-morning phone navigation).

• Use plenty of reflective cones and outfit your volunteers with reflective vests, flashlights or glow sticks.

• Make sure there are trashcans, recycle bins, and toilets at all pick-up locations; if the same locations are used after the race, make sure there is a plan to empty the trashcans and recycle bins between the race start and finish.

• Online reservations can work well, particularly if you are charging for race-day transportation. Work with your registration company to design an effective system and make sure your refund policy is clear if a runner does not attend the race.

• Are spectators, friends, family or volunteers allowed on the buses? Make sure this policy is very clear.

• How will runners board the buses? Show bib numbers? A ticket? A QR code on their phone? Develop a system that is most efficient race morning in the dark.

• If your race requires a long ride to the start, a point-to-point marathon, for example, suggest that runners avoid drinking excess coffee or water before they board the bus unless you are using coaches with bathrooms on board.

• Clearly explain your policy about bringing bags on board and have extra signage race morning at the bus loading area.

• Some races put signs on each bus clearly indicating who is to board or what start line the bus is going. Work closely with the bus company to determine what size works best and the right way to attach signs race morning.

• Will you have volunteers riding on each bus to make announcements? Will the bus company play pre-recorded announcements during the drive? Both practices are rare but they are a nice way to share some tips about what runners can expect when they get off the bus at the start village and during the race.

• Consider if you need special transportation for Athletes with Disabilities. Many races have special buses for their AWD athletes to use their travel chairs and a separate vehicle to carefully strap in their high-end racing chairs.

• If your race is a longer point-to-point event, do you need buses and/or box trucks to transport bike marshals and their bikes, medical teams and carts, entertainment groups, or other volunteers?

• Provide hand-clicker counters to volunteers who help load runners to make sure there are no empty seats.

• Provide radios to key transportation volunteers and ask them to check in with forward command on the status of first and last buses.

• Have a complete debrief with the transportation team and note any constructive comments in post-race runner surveys that can help planning for your next race.

• Ask your key transportation volunteers to consider helping at other races or community events that feature transportation programs (fairs, concerts, conventions, sporting events, etc.). There is always something to learn seeing how other events move people safely and efficiently.

 

The best race-day transportation programs are easy for runners to understand, follow, and use. I hope some of these ideas can be useful. There are likely numerous additional resources in your community with municipal transportation agencies, school districts, and even full-time transportation consultants. And, of course, reach out to your fellow race directors. We are here to help!

 

Doug Thurston is a World Athletics/AIMS Level A measurer and has certified more than 100 courses throughout the country. He has also been a race director for 40 years managing races large and small including the Tulsa Run, Columbus Marathon, and the Big Sur International Marathon. He continues to measure courses and consult and assist with course and race operations from his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He can be reached at tallrunnerdoug@gmail.com.

The 2022 Running USA Global Survey found that 16% of respondents consider the medal or finisher award when choosing a race. Sure, the main concern is the distance and course, race location, and if their friends are doing it, but runners are also all about the bling.

And after you spend all that time designing, ordering, and buying merch, you want the runners to actually like and wear it—not just throw it in a box or on a shelf never to be seen again.

“Every athlete is going to be different in their preferences,” said Kate Boughner, an account manager with Running Awards & Apparel. Some people hate cotton t-shirts, some can’t stand long-sleeves, but there are still some overall trends she’s been seeing in the swag industry.

T-shirts & medals

Before the pandemic, Running Awards & Apparel focused on providing lots of different items—keychains, beer koozies, rally towels, you could put your logo on anything. But since in-person events have been returning, Boughner said they’ve re-prioritized their focus on the most popular items: really nice shirts and custom medals.

Lots of runners—especially if your event attracts first-timers or is a culminating achievement of a major training plan—consider the medal or finisher award when signing up for races. So designing medals “that are enticing, exciting, or different,” is important, said Boughner. That can include things that incorporate the theme of the race — color runs with lots of colors or wood medals for trail runs — or medals that fit together for a whole series of races — such as a design that runs across three or four events or pieces that fit together to make up a bigger medal. It can include engraved or printed medals, even a style of printing that allows photo-quality images, 3D medals, spinners or danglers, bottle openers for post-race beers. You can even have the medal simply be a metal cup that gets filled up with a post-race beer upon finish (depending, of course, on the event).

Custom medals can cost anywhere from $2/medal for basic mass orders to $7/medal for custom large designs.

There are also sustainable options made out of wood (perfect for trail races), recycled bike parts (popular for cycling events), edible awards that can be eaten, prizes like customized water bottles or jewelry instead, or sustainable medals that can be planted and turned into flowers or trees. More and more race directors are getting creative.

While medals will typically get hung up on a wall or put on a shelf after the event is over, race shirts are often viewed as an additional branding or advertising item that athletes can wear around to promote the event. To that end, it’s key to make something that athletes will actually wear.

Boughner said that’s partially why they’re seeing a trend moving away from the technical running materials, which were popular with race shirts the last 10 years, and more towards softer blend materials that can be worn in more situations. “Something you might throw on with jeans and wear all day,” she said.

There are now cotton/polyester blends that offer a mix of technical advantages and are softer and more trendy. Think athleisure lifestyle clothing.

Gone are the days of thick 100% cotton unisex t-shirts. In the age of custom clothing, most runners are not happy if they get an overly large, ugly cotton t-shirt. It’s also important to consider your gender mix. Most female runners have come to expect women’s-specific shirts—though that does not necessarily have to mean pink it and shrink it. Women’s styles have moved away from overly fitted tight t’s. Consider your audience and runner base as you design a shirt option.

T-shirt prices can run from $6-7 up to $20, depending on the type of printing you use, how many colors, material, and long-sleeve or short-sleeve. With supply chain issues, it’s important to reach out and start your order at least three months in advance of your race—especially if you don’t have a design ready. Predicting sizes and order numbers is, of course, one of the most challenging aspects of ordering swag, especially for first year races. A good rule-of-thumb is to set a cut-off date where athletes are only guaranteed a shirt if they sign up by a certain time (you can still add 10-15% to your t-shirt order to cover any late registrations).

Other things to consider

That same 2022 Running USA Global Survey, however, found that 57% of runners said they wished races offered something other than just a finisher t-shirt, and a growing number of athletes (especially younger runners) have said in various market trend studies and post-race surveys that sustainability is important to them.

To that end, the more creative you can get the better.

More events are now offering the choice for runners to opt out of the t-shirt for a slight discount or to donate that money (which can still save you money as an RD if it’s less than the shirt would have cost) or to plant a tree instead of get a t-shirt. There’s also a boom in what would be considered VIP or higher quality experiences and merchandise, which can mean offering the option instead to upgrade to a nice jacket or well-made half-zip. Giving runners the option to purchase a higher quality sweatshirt they might actually wear or a beanie or a bag can be a good alternative to a included cheap t-shirt.

The other most popular items Boughner says they see are hats, especially running technical hats and popular among triathletes, or bags, whether simple canvas or duffle gym bags.

But keep in mind: You’re the race director, so in theory you know who your runners are and what you would want. What are you seeing? Everyone was wearing bucket hats at the hot trail races this past summer, so a branded bucket hat could be perfect instead of a t-shirt for a hot summer event.

Boughner recommends considering your race and your runners, specifically. “Think about what type of runner you might be appealing to,” she said. For example, a school 5K probably shouldn’t use pint glasses as a swag item. You want the design and specific item to fit with your theme. Another example: the Nike women’s half-marathon used to give out Tiffany’s necklaces instead of medals, which were so popular it attracted runners just for the necklace (which were also handed out by the city’s volunteer firemen at the finish line…)

What don’t runners like? They don’t like things that are repetitive year-to-year, said Boughner. They don’t like things they won’t actually use or enjoy. Be unique, enticing, fun, and tied to the values of your race and your community.

  About the Author

Kelly O’Mara is the former editor-in-chief of Triathlete Magazine and the founder of the Triathlonish

 

Veteran race directors of larger races, particularly marathons and half marathons, are likely familiar with the importance of course certification and may even know a bit about the process. They understand the importance their entrants place on an accurate course distance in order to compare their performance to other races and maybe qualify for another race like the Boston Marathon or the Olympic Marathon Trials. Course certification is a box most larger races check then move on to other, perhaps more pressing, items.

A “set and forget” attitude about course certification is understandable. But even the largest and most important races can make mistakes in this important area. Several recent stories about courses coming up short or long and potential record performances being negated amplify the need to perhaps add a few more course measurement boxes to check to help stay out of the headlines.  

Getting a course measured for certification is not difficult but it does take a little planning and research. Here is a quick review of the process:

• ·         The measuring is done on a standard bicycle fitted with a calibrated, mechanical counter on the front wheel.

• The measurer calibrates the bicycle before and after each measurement session on a set course that has been carefully measured with a steel tape or laser (usually 1,000-feet or 300-meters long), does some basic math to determine how many counts on the counter equals a mile, a kilometer, and the total desired course distance. The measurer also adds a 1/10^th of 1 percent “short course prevention factor,” or a little more than five feet each mile. This is done for all certified courses.

• ·         The measurer then rides the course as it will be set-up and available to the runners on race day. This often means riding very early in the morning when traffic is lighter and/or having a police escort.

• ·         The measurer aims to ride the shortest possible route that will be available to runners, cutting the tangents by straightening out corners, etc. Wherever the runners can go on race day, the measurer will try to go with his bike. This is why a police escort, especially for an urban course, is very valuable.

• ·         The measurer usually needs to know where they can adjust the course to get the distance spot on: can the start or finish be moved? What about a turn-around? Can a short out-and-back be added? What other options are available?

• ·         Computer mapping programs are helpful when looking at options but they are usually short by one percent or so when the course is actually measured. If I am measuring a half marathon, for example and the race director has sent me a link to the course on an online program like Mapmyrun.com, I ask for the 13.10938 half marathon distance to be more like 13.25 miles on the mapping program.

• ·         Certified courses, measurers, and other course measurement information are available on the resources section of the USA Track and Field website, https://www.usatf.org/resources/course-certification.

A few other notes, some particularly important for half marathons and marathons:

• ·         All courses expire after 10 years and need to be remeasured and recertified even if there have been no changes to the roads.

• ·         Half or full marathons that want to be affiliated with World Athletics, AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Road Races), or the Abbott World Marathon Majors Age Group standings are remeasured every five years and, currently, must be measured by an A or B measurer. Find out more details about World Athletics course requirements, including record eligibility, at https://www.worldathletics.org/records/certified-roadevents.

• ·         “In route” splits at longer races can be certified and eligible for records. For example, a measurer can certify the 30 km mark in a marathon course or the 15 km split in a half marathon. If there are USATF officials and timing devices at those locations, and the race meets other record criteria, marks set at those splits can be eligible for age group, national, or even world records or bests.

• ·         Measurers set their own fees and expenses. There are no industry standards, minimums, or maximums. If you want to hire someone to do the work, be sure and understand their complete rate structure in advance including any travel and expenses as well as payment policies (some may want advance payment; others will invoice when they finish and submit the map and paperwork).

• ·         It’s a good idea, if possible, to contract with the measurer to refresh the mile marks before the race and to work with the course operations team, traffic control company, etc., to make sure the course is set up correctly. Often a measurer will ride in a lead vehicle to attest that the course was run as measured. It’s customary to compensate a measurer for this extra work.

• ·         For U.S. runners to qualify for the Olympic Marathon Trials, marathon and half marathon courses need to be both certified and have a USATF sanction. Some runners have run trials-qualifying performances at races that were not USATF sanctioned so their mark didn’t count. Even if a marathon or half marathon race uses the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) or other source for participant and event liability insurance, they should secure a non-insurance USATF sanction to make sure athletes can qualify for the Olympic Trials or set national or age group records.

• ·         If the course has to be changed at the last minute due to construction or an incident like a water main break, be sure to notify the original course measurer. They may be able to make the change quickly so participants are still able to run a certified course and set a record.

I hope this article has provided some useful information about the importance of course measurement some insight into the process. Additional web searches will bring a ton more data. I think you will find the measurement community very welcoming and helpful: after all, we believe what we do is a valuable part of the race experience and we want to help your race succeed.

Good luck and safe running and race directing.

Doug Thurston is a World Athletics/AIMS Level A measurer and has certified more than 100 courses throughout the country. He has also been a race director for 40 years managing races large and small including the Tulsa Run, Columbus Marathon, and the Big Sur International Marathon. He continues to measure courses and consult and assist with course and race operations from his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He can be reached at tallrunnerdoug@gmail.com.

 

A Note About What Your Runners Will See on Their GPS devices: GPS devices are NOT used to measure and certify courses. They are worn by many of your runners, though, and, in my experience, GPS devices almost always over-estimate the race distance by at least one percent, or about 50 feet per mile. For example, readings of 13.25 miles or more for a half marathon, or 26.5 miles for a full marathon are typical. Besides their wearable measurement technology being off a bit, most runners also don’t run the shortest line around the course and often add a little here and there when they get a cup of water, use the restroom, or because of course crowding. I always have a Garmin GPS unit on my handlebars when I measure a course. It’s handy to let me know when I’m coming up to a mile marker and provides good waypoints for mile markers. But 99 times out of 100, it will show me coming to a mile before the actual distance on the mechanical counter. You can find examples of language you might want to use to explain this to curious runners at http://legacy.usatf.org/Products-/-Services/Course-Certifications/USATF-Certified-Courses/Certify-Your-Course/Statement-on-GPS-Use-by-Runners.aspx. And here is a second article with additional great information: https://runningonhappy.com/2017/06/gps-accuracy-race-course-distances/.