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Health & Exercise
twoasone1
member
I'm organizing a 5k and need advice!
twoasone1
member
I have run multiple 5k's, but now I am organizing one to raise money for research for a disorder that my son has. I would love if I run down what I have going so far with you ladies to make sure that I am not forgetting something obvious. If you have any suggestions or advice, please feel free to send it my way!
Things I have so far:
website for online registration and info about donating, volunteering and info on the disorder the race is for.
Facebook page to further get the word out
T-shirts with race name on it, sponsors on the back
I will have volunteers along the trail with water and first aid equipment to make sure no one gets hurt, and if they are they are promptly helped.
local radio station MCing the event
t.v. news station coming
the number bib thingys for racers to wear to identify them for the time keepers
water, water and more water
waiver to sign
registration table
An educational table that shows people about the disorder and other ways they can help.
Two gift baskets up for a silent auction. They include things donated by local businesses.
Things I am working on getting:
healthy snacks for after the race
a photographer to capture the moments. Maybe even have her at the finish line to capture people coming in and then give them the option of buying prints?
Awards for top finishers. How should I split the age categories up? I was going to have an award and recognition for the top male and female of every age category and then the top overall male and female runners.
Okay, what else am I missing? What else could I do to make this more profitable (since it is for a charity) and more memorable for the racers? Thank you ladies!
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Re: I'm organizing a 5k and need advice!
After 2 losses, we've been blessed with our perfect little man!
Wow! Great job! A few things I can think of are:
1. Signage to direct to parking
2. Police to block any public roads (if this is a road race)
3. Time clocks set up at 1 mile and the end (I've also seen a volunteer there with a watch who keeps yelling out the time - that works too)
4. Obvious markers to show each mile point (1, 2, 3)
5. Porta pottys or access to toilets
6. Safety pins for the number bibs
7. Microphone/bullhorn to start the race as well as announce the winners (this may be part of the emcee's job?)
Thank you ladies!
The race is on trails through the woods, so the traffic part is covered. I forgot about having someone with a stopwatch out along the race letting people know times.
I was going to get some spray chalk to direct the racers, along with arrows, I will include mile markers. Good idea.
Lucky for me, there are already toilets at the venue. I was going to have the emcee do all of the announcing and stuff. That is so not my forte lol.
Are ribbons alright for the age category winners? They will get announced as well. Should I do age categories every five years? I can't remember what is typical from previous races I have done.
Thanks ladies!
For the race I did last weekend, the age groups were as follows: 14 and under, 15-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60+
There were awards for overall male and female and then for the top 3 male and female in each age group and all "student" racers received a participation medal.
Good luck! That is quite an undertaking and I hope that you are very successful!
Kelly Monaghan's 5K - 5/15/11 - 3rd Place in AG
Walk the Talk 5K - 5/18/11 - 31:12 PR
Ridley Run 3.1 - 4/14/12 - 1st race of the year, 32:45
Along with a chalk line marking the miles, you might consider adding something a little higher up - like an orange cone with a tall flag, or a flag in a tree or something. I know I usually run right over the chalk line and not see it.
Just curious, how do you plan to record the runners names & times in order to get them organized for an award ceremony? (I've always wondered - it looks like a big scramble!)
Great job! It sounds like you have it all covered.
Well every racer will have a bib with thier number on it and then a little tear off piece on the bottom that will have their name on it. At the finish line I will have two groups of two, one with a clip board with a spreadsheet on it with each racers name and number, the other will have a stop watch as a racer crosses the line, the person with a stopwatch will say their number and the time. The person with the clipboard will record the time next to the number. There will be another person at the end of the finish line collecting the tear off pieces. I am having two timing groups so that when racers start crossing in bulk, we won't miss anyone.
Once everyone crosses, I will gather all of the tear off pieces and transfer the info from the spreadsheets to them. Then sort them into the age groups and voila! While this is being done, we will have snacks and a silent auction going on.
This is kind of an antiquated way of doing it, they have computer chip systems now too, but this is the first race and I don't have the money for that this year. I am trying to raise as much money as possible so...
I checked on one of those timers and they were pricey. I am hesitant about putting too much money out there this year since it is the first year. I want to see how it goes. That would be cool to have though!
I am looking into sponsors for food. That is a good idea. I don't need people passing out while waiting for the awards ceremony!
I am not sure if it costs money to post it on the larger sites, I have been putting flyers up in all the local running shops though.
Good idea on posting at the college, I will have to do that.
Thanks so much everyone! I am just praying for good weather that day now!