Organizer checklist

What to do before the event

Choose a title - Come up with an appropriate title for your event. The name could be related to some local highlight or historical aspect of the area.

Select a course - Choose one or more courses for your event to offer different distances for participants of all levels. Measure each course accurately. Make sure to avoid the dangerous spots along the course and include warning signs for the unavoidable ones. Marking each mile or kilometer will leave the participants with an impression of a well organized race, and will be appreciated during the event.

Plan a budget - Plan the budget of your event. Your expenses should include: administrative costs, advertising (flyers, posters, race results booklets, online registration sites commission), banners for the start and finish, megaphone, digital clock for the finish line, bib numbers for participants, safety pins, food and beverages for the refreshment area and finish area, paper cups, paint for marking the course, trash cans, awards for the participants, and thank you gifts for volunteers.

Obtain authorizations - You may have to obtain an authorization from local police and other traffic authorities (variable from place to place).

Manage volunteering - You will need volunteers for all aspects of the race: registration process, aid stations, traffic patrolling along the course, and awards distribution. Volunteers should wear the same T-Shirt or uniform to easily identify them. They should also be in contact via walkie-talkies.

Prepare a flyer - Your flyer is key for a successful race. Make sure that all of this information is written on it: name of the event, date of the event, location of start and finish, directions on how to get there, starting time, course distance and a description as accurate as possible (a course map with elevation is the best), entry fee and registration deadline, awards (for each participant and for age group winners), race contact information (address, telephone, fax, e-mail, website of the organizing committee), and sponsors.

Ensure medical coverage - Notify local hospital about the upcoming event. Have ambulances on site for emergencies.

Obtain insurance coverage - Make sure to obtain insurance coverage for your event, and take into consideration the worst case scenarios.

Send press releases - Send a press release to the local newspapers and running related periodicals.

Buy awards - Have awards and prizes ready as soon as possible. In order to please more people you might consider limiting the cost for the premier awards, and allow for participation awards of lesser cost to be available for a certain number of arrivals.

Buy race numbers - Purchase the race numbers early. It is always better to order more than the number of runners expected. Make sure to have plenty of safety pins for participants to pin the number on themselves.

Find sponsors - Local groups and businesses are good to contact for sponsorship. Delegate the task to more than one person.

What to do the day of the event

Be there early - Runners tend to be at the starting point hours before the start, so it is essential that the organization be there even earlier and have the registration table ready to welcome them. The main organizer should wear something that stands out in color or design to be easily recognized.

Check that everything is working and in place - Check that all the electrical appliances, lights, computers, and digital clock are working, and that the banners, signs, refreshment stops, garbage cans and volunteers are in place.

Run the race yourself - Have a volunteer participate in the event to audit the organization and submit feedback for the next edition.

What to do after the event

Send press releases - Send press releases with photographs to the local newspapers and running related periodicals.

Send thank you notes - Send thank you notes to volunteers, sponsors, authorities and anyone who helped set up your running event.

Prepare for next year - Take good note of the problems encountered during the event and document all positive and negative feedback for next year's edition.