Race Director Checklist
Three- Four Months Ahead
1. Decide date/time/location/course
a. Consider other local races, events, etc
b. Consider having course certified so any records would be official
c. Get runners’ input on course options
d. Whether to use a timing company or other means of gathering results (finisher cards,
clock, etc)
2. Notification
a. Make sure you have insurance coverage
b. File event with city (if required)
c. File additional insured form
3. Contact Sponsors
4. Entry Form –create forms. Decide on age groups and awards, cost of entry, deadlines, etc
5. Invite local running/biking groups to participate
6. Publicity/Marketing
a. Website
b. Weekly emails
c. Go to area races and hand out forms
d. Radio/TV/Newspaper
e. Calendar of Events in local paper
f. Visit business clubs
g. Press Release to local papers
h. Make sure sponsors are invited
7. Decide on awards and order them
8. Decide on t-shirts, awards, etc
a. Contact area t-shirt companies for best price
b. Decide on design
c. All sponsors on back of shirt
d. Race logo on front
e. Decide number of shirts to print
f. Order extra shirts for sponsors
g. Consider alternate items besides shirts (i.e. towels, bags, blankets, etc)
Two – Three Months Ahead
1. Contact where to arrange for cones, timing, coolers, clock, finish line, etc
2. Confirm someone to mark course with paint, flour, tape, or non-permanent paint (Confirm
someone to remove tape after race.)
3. Arrange to have EMS/Ambulance as sweeper for course. Safety is of the utmost importance
4. Touch base with prospective door prize contributors
5. Confirm who will clean up the course after the event is over
6. Decide who will fill coolers with water and tables and put on course. (You will need to purchase lots of cups. More than you really think you will need.) Make sure they know where to put water and that we need to have twice as much as you think we’ll need. Also, have someone check the water throughout the event to make sure you don’t run out. Get volunteers to man the water stations so they can hand out water. DO NOT leave cups out on table without water in them. No racer will stop to fill up a cup. Train volunteers on how to hand out water.
7. Decide what to have at finish line (Gatorade-type drink, cookies, fruit, pizza, etc.)
8. Contact local EMS and police. Have sweeper EMS.
One Month – Weeks Ahead
1. Confirm who will be at Race Headquarters for registration that morning and who will stay there during the race. You will need outside tables, cash box, pens, upcoming race info, course maps, etc
2. Create race packets and organize stuffing
3. Decide who will help hand out numbers for racers and order numbers
4. Create numbered finisher cards with name, age, gender, and time on them
5. Order shirts
6. Confirm who will put cones, signs, etc. on the course
7. Confirm who will bring the clock and operate the clock during the race. (Backup timing?)
8. Confirm volunteer base
9. Create signs as needed
10. Decide who will start the race – prayer, song, gun/horn
11. Decide who will be at finish line
12. Finalize finish line organization – who will hand out cards, time keeper, clock, etc
13. Food/Drinks at finish line – decide what you will have
14. Decide time-frame of event (starts at 8:00 – when is course closed?)
15. Touch base with primary people
16. Make sure there are plenty of bathrooms
17. Week of event – mark the course and alert neighbors of race
18. Pickup door prizes, awards, t-shirts, coolers, etc.
19. Have a weather plan
Day of Race
1. Go early
2. Make sure most important items are done – course markings, water, clock, bathrooms
Post-Race
1. Ask for feedback
2. Send thank-you notes
These are some of the things that irritate runners:
- Delays with starting the race.
- Too long of race start – keep info brief
- Delays with the results
- Not enough bathrooms
- Getting lost on the course
- Messed up results.