RACE DAY PLANNING TIPS
Tell staff and volunteers to arrive ½ hour before you actually need them.
Place signage from the main highway to the race site directing runners to appropriate locations.
Anticipate your parking plan and make sure you have monitors and/or equipment to direct runners even before the first runner arrives or they will simply follow one another.
STARTING LINE TIPS
Registration process: Lay out the room so that it is clear and efficient, enough room, it flows smoothly.
Don't use audible countdown at the starting line, i.e., 10, 9, 8,…1, go…as runners will jump the gun.
Line up runners before the actual starting line then move forward to the actual starting line or create elite athlete corral and to ensure you can get everyone behind the starting line without having to push them back or make a lot of obnoxious announcements.
Starting mechanism: You don't necessarily need to use a gun or a whistle, be unique but make sure all can hear the start; air horns work well.
PA announcer: Very important, should have numeric list, sponsor list and spotters; announcements should be instructional at the start with some thank yous…however, most acknowledgements should be made at the finish; the announcer should be charismatic, not obnoxious and overbearing.
If you are the RD, never leave the main area of activity, you must be readily accessible to your staff and volunteers…however, if you have done your job early on, you should be the least busy person on race day.
COURSE TIPS
Water stations: Should be placed every mile and be placed on both sides of the street; don't skimp – water comes out of a tap!
Accurately measured course: If your course is not exactly what you have advertised it is, than at least announce at the start what the distance actually is and let your timing company know so they can calculate a proper pace-per-mile time.
Design a course that is easy to manage. Point-to-point races are tough.
Lead vehicles: Don't neglect or wait until race day to discuss what vehicles will be on the course; make sure you put someone in the vehicles who know the exact course; even police escorts have been known to lead runners off course; definitely plan at least one pre-race meeting with all drivers of all vehicles in the race; plan for a where all vehicles go as they approach the finish line.
FINISH LINE TIPS
Break tape: Critical as to how to hold the tape, where to hold the tape and what the tape is made of; should be printed on both sides; always in photo, practice before first runners cross, repeat sponsors name on tape
Banners: Facing photographers, best if double-sided; should include wind holes so banner does not become a sail.
POST RACE TIPS
Post-race activities, food, and entertainment will enhance your event tremendously; generally, the more the better.
Refreshments: Pick easy foods, ones that don't leave much trash; control distribution as you don’t want early finishers to take more than their fair share leaving nothing for the later finishers.
Results: Runners are anxious to know near results (and others) as soon as possible; posting the results properly is a talent, too; also, be sure to post the results on the internet.
Awards: Most runners have enough trophies and plaques, many like merchandise awards; consider unique awards that no other race offer.
Awards ceremony: Should be able to start the ceremony in less than one hour of winner crossing the finish line; some do winners first, some award them last to keep the crowd; the important thing is to move the ceremony along quickly!
Call/email in results: People like to see results in the local paper and in local magazines; it really is your obligation to do this immediately following the race.
Clean up: Don't leave until venue is clean; the Race Director should always be the last one to leave the race; the more trash containers, the better; don’t be afraid to ask people / runners to help and to discard and recycling their own trash properly; you may even want to hire a crew to do this or at least appoint a separate volunteer crew to do the clean up as all your other volunteers and staff are property exhausted by clean up time.
MISCELLANEOUS TIPS
Communications: Arguably the most important item on race day; you must be able to communicate with your committee in order to solve and/or avoid potential problems and to keep things running smoothly and as planned.
Control: Equipment and volunteers are the two factors in maintaining control of your event; if you are short on either, you will lose control.
Port-o-johns: Always have one of your committee members present when the port-o-johns are delivered; it is as important where and exactly how they are placed as it is how many you ordered; if they are placed improperly, then you end up minimizing their use.
Aesthetics: Certainly the “look” of your event is not the most important priority, however, it definitely is a benefit to add a festive and fun look to your event – this can be done with fencing, tents, balloons, banners and the like.
Referee/officials: Make sure you appoint race officials; don't police your own event or it could be a PR nightmare for you if a controversy arises.
Volunteers: You need to make the volunteers aware that once they commit to help, they should feel as committed as someone who is on staff; if volunteers feel they will not be missed if they do not show, you will be in deep trouble; also, remember that it is better to have too many volunteers than not enough.
Don't lose money. This may be obvious but realize that if you do not financially manage your event properly and end up losing money, everyone loses as perhaps your even will cease to exist and that would be unfortunate for everyone involved.
Remember the basics: Accurate course, start on time, offer plenty of water and provide accurate and timely results.
Finally, it is a business but it is also supposed to be FUN!