Race Director Checklist

The Race Director Checklist:
Preparing for the Best to
Avoid the Worst
JULY 18 – 20, 2016
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© Championship Racing - RunSignup Symposium July 18-20, 2016

Agenda
 Championship Racing – Trish
Portuese
 Create a budget for the race
 Race committee
 Goals of the race
 Know your target audience
 Picking the race date
 Start of the planning
 Race Course
 Entry Fees
 Event Details
 Website & name
 Race Timer
 Volunteers
 Teams?
 Donations
 Sponsors & Vendors
 Marketing Plan
 Other Details
 Hired Help
 Reference Pages
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Championship Racing, LLC
 Trish Portuese - Owner/President of Championship Racing, LLC in Birmingham, AL
 Event Management company that helps Non-profits put on their races, primarily
consulting, registration management, race day logistics & course management.
 RRCA Certified Race Director, USATF LDR Certified Official.
 Project Manager by trade, within the technology area, with PMP certification
 Started out as volunteer for local running club and triathlon organization, learned a lot then
took over a race called the Vulcan Run 10K with the goal to bring it back to be a premier
Southern 10K event. Within 6 years the race went from near death to 2350. Was
highlighted in Runners World, was a RRCA National Championship and won the RRCA
Inaugural Road Race of the Year.
 Started Championship Racing, LLC in 2008 and 3 months later put on 1st event under
company name.
 As first professional race took Red Nose Run from 600 – 1700 in 2 years. (10 Mi, 5k &
Fun Run).
 Work with 10 – 15 race per year primarily Registration management.
3

So, you want to put on a Road Race ….
4
 Why do you want to put on a Road Race ? – This will drive decision as planning takes place
 Are you a 501(c)3? Or other non-profit status? This will help with tax reporting when funds from the
event are reported to IRS.
 First things first – Put a budget together to see if it is even worth putting on an event.
 Top Costs are:
(Examples)
 Police / EMS
 Venue rental
 T-Shirts
 Timing Services
 Yearly storage for
reusable race items.
 Advertising, Website, Yard
Signs, Posters, Post
Cards, Social Media
Boosts,
 Top Costs are:
(Examples)
 Rental expenses: Tables,
chairs, generators, coolers,
cones, etc.
 Other race Day costs: Water
bottles, ice, food items,
balloons
 PA System
 Prize Money
 Hired help
 Top Revenue
(Examples)
 Race entry fees
 Sponsors
 Vendor booth space
 In-Kind value for items
needed to put on the
event

Race Committee
5
 Do you have a dedicated Race Committee – One person
cannot do it all, a good committee with a good leader is a
must for a successful race.
 Race Director
 Volunteer Manager
 Course Manager (including Water stop management)
 Sponsorship and/or Fundraising
 Team’s manager
 Marketing Manager
 Registration Manager

Why do you want to put on a Road Race ?
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 This will drive decision as planning takes place (Goal of your event)
 Determine your promotional hook – Cool theme (Rumpshaker 5K), Awesome
Medal, Sweet looking T-shirt, etc. Create a Unique look/feel to the event,
something different from all the other events
 Build the Brand: Unique Event theme, Charity ties into event and logo.
Communicate the brand. Examples: Rock and Roll series, Hot Chocolate
 When putting on a race – Knowing “who is your client” will help you to keep folks
coming back. Each will need something different from the event.
 Race participants:
 Top 1% - 10% finishers (the fast runners)
 mid-pack runners
 Health conscious participants, Walkers, supports the charity.
 Sponsors
 Volunteers
 Who will you target as race participants?

Generations
A i2016 National Runner Survey and Running USAs reference
the 2016 National Runner Survey and Running USA.
Runner Profile Event Differences
Differences
Millennials appear to desire
more out of their running,
seeking fun, nature,
challenge, state of mind, etc.
Millennials and Gen Xare
most likely to run with their
cell phone.
Matures are most likely to run
with a hat and with their keys.
Millennials and Gen X
expressed the most interest
in mud/obstacle, color, and
glow/night runs.
Millennials rated fun a more
important factor than those
older.
Race entry fees are more
critical to Millennials & Gen X.
Facebook and word of
mouth are important
channels for connecting with
these generations.
Tech Differences
Millennials and Gen X use
their phone much more for
running related activities.
Social Channel
Differences
Millennials and Gen Xuse
social channels the most for
Instagram is an important
channel for Millennials.
What are some of the differences between Millennials, Gen X, Baby Boomers and Matures?
5
7

Genders
A product of Running USA. Any publication, distribution, or disclosure of the contents of this report must properly reference the 2016 National Runner Survey and Running USA.
What are some of the key differences between men and women?
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Running Event Differences
Males are more likely to identify
themselves as a competitor, while
females are more likely to classify
themselves as a fun runner.
Females express more interest in a
10K, half marathon, and color run,
while males are more interested in a
marathon.
For females, fun, having time to
train, benefitting a cause, medals,
and cost are more important
factors.
Running Behavior
Differences
Females tend to run for a wider
variety of reasons, including to
improve their state of mind,
socialize, relieve stress, and achieve
a goal.
35% of females and 28% of males
are likely to run with at least one
other person.
Females run with their cell phones
more and use their phone for more
Use of Social Media
Females use social media much
more so than males for running
related activities.
70% of women post photos & videos
post-race, while 53% of men do.
8

Age
3% 10% 2%
18 to 24 25 to 34 35 to 44 45 to 54 55 to 64 65 to 74
A product of Running USA. Any publication, distribution, or disclosure of the contents of this report must properly reference the 2016 National Runner Survey and Running USA.
26%
36%
23%
Demographics
1%
20%
3%
8%
1% 67%
MarriedSeparated
Marital Status
Widowed
Single,
Never Married
Divorced
Domestic
Partner
Gender
12
37% Male
63% Female
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Picking your Race Date:
 First time to put on a race: Start a 9 months - year in advance.
 Year 2 and beyond: start planning 9 months - 6 months in
advance.
 Prime time for road races, spring and fall in the southern states.
 Your race date will largely depend on when race timer is
available and when a venue is available as well as the Police
provide approval.
 Check local race calendars and prior year race results to avoid
other events on your date.
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Start Planning for other components of the race:
 Start Planning for other components of the race:
 Race Name
 Annual Race
 Race Location (Venue)
 Race Date
 Race Distances
 Race Logo
 Estimated registered participants
 Who is the race benefiting (Charity)
 Develop your Race Committee, Race Director, Course Manager, Sponsor Manager, Food
Manager, Volunteer Manager, Fun Run Course Manager, Marketing Manager, Registration
Manager, etc.
 Develop your race course and submit your Parade permits along with any other permits,
(Noise, street blockage, etc.) at least 60 – 90 days prior to race.
 Secure venue 60 -90 days prior to race (year in advance is reoccurring event).
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Race Course – part 1
 Types of Courses:
 Loop Course
 Out and back
 Point to Point
 Keyhole – combination of
Loop and out and back course
 Use Online Mapping tools to start designing
your course.
 MapMyRun: http://mapmyrun.com
 WalkRunJog: http://www.walkjogrun.net/
 Gmap Pedometer: http://www.gmap-
pedometer.com/
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 Consider using an existing USATF Certified course.
http://www.usatf.org/events/courses/search/

Race Course – part 2
 What to consider in choosing your
race Course
 Road Races run with car traffic, unless
Police allow runners to run against traffic.
 Safety – ability of the course to handle the
number of runners expected
 Safety for the Volunteers out on course –
Water Stop locations
 Effect on the community
 Start/Finish accessibility
 Start & Finish same location
 Start & Finish is close to Venue area?
 Medical access
 Other obstacles:
 Railroad tracks
 Drawbridges, etc.
 Run the course yourself, if you don’t like it, neither
will the participants.
 Get your course approved by Police before you have the
course USATF Certified
 USATF-certified course is a road race course whose distance
has been certified for accuracy.
 Get a PDF copy of the race Course for website, registration,
etc. Runners want to see the course!
 What is course Certification, who can certify:
 http://www.usatf.org/Products-/-Services/Course-
Certifications/USATF-Certified-Courses/Certify-Your-
Course.aspx
 Make sure you submit your Road Race, Street Blockage,
Noise permits early, 60 or more days before race day. Follow
up with police about approval and costs. They can be slow to
respond.
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Race Entry Fees
 Use Online Registration to register participants. Offer No-extra fee option.
 Set Price Breaks.
 As a general rule, four price breaks (early bird registration, regular registration, late
registration, and race day registration) are the most common and simplest strategy.
 Incentivize Referrals – Use the RunSignUp – Referral feature.
 Create promotional plan & strategy for opening registration
 Use Push Promotions, create a few promotions to stir up interest in your
event. Use social media and email to get things moving.
 RUSA Slide – Race Entry Fees
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Race Entry Fees
A product of Running USA. Any publication, distribution, or disclosure of the contents of this report must properly reference the 2016 National Runner Survey and Running USA. 29
Fees Half Marathon (%) Marathon (%)
$50 or Less 15 7
Fees 5K (%) 10K (%)
$60 15 3
$10 or Less 4 3
$70 17 6
$15 3 1
$80 17 10
$20 11 4
$90 12 12
$25 26 10 $100 11 22
$30 23 17
$110 5 10
$35 18 20 $120 3 8
$40 8 21
$130 1 4
$50 or more 3 12
$140 1 2
$150 or more 3 16
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Getting to the details about the event:
 Date / time(s) of race
 Date / time /location for early packet pickup, and race day packet pickup
 Contact name, phone number and e-mail address
 Location of start and finish
 Age division and awards (Age groups should be 0-14 or 0-19 and then 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, etc. up
to 60-up or 70-up or 0-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, etc. depending on your budget. The 1st example is referred
to as “5 yr. age groups” and the 2nd example is referred to as “10 yr. age groups”)
 Entry fee/s Pre-register, and race day
 Mail in Entry where to send check & application: name, address, email, deadline.
 T-shirts Sizes to choose from. (Can use RSU T-shirt Inventory tool to manage shirts).
 Sponsors logos
 Who is benefiting from the race, i.e. charity or charities.
 Website for more information and can register Online.
 Additional Donation to beneficiary.
 Race application/Online Registration MUST have a Waiver Release
 Location for participant Signature and Date (or guardian if under 18)
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Website & Website name
 Purchase a Website domain name similar to the race name. Example:
SaveTheOs5K.com using GoDaddy.com or any domain registration site.
 Create a Website with some simple website builders, WordPress,
weebly.com, etc.
 Or use the Domain Name to point to RunSignUp registration site.
 Domain name is good for marketing material, yards signs, posters, etc.
 Website and Online registration need to reflect same information.
 Make sure information is easy to find and easy to understand.
 Bring the event branding together on the website and RunSignUp
Registration site.
 Add social media to the website to be able to provide up to date information
and promotion details.
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Choosing and Securing a Timer
 Choosing Pull Tag timing or Chip timer.
 Depends upon cost and race requirements.
 In general 500 or less cost effective for pull tag
(Charity type event)
 500 or more can think about Chip timing. As well as
a “Competitive” event.
 Make sure you get a price quote in writing that
includes your date.
 Confirm date with the timer in writing.
 Event may need to provide down payment to
secure services.
 Determine who and when Bib #’s will be prepared
with Labels and Timing chips and provided to the
Race along with an Alpha sheet. (or RSU CheckIn
and Kiosk apps).
 Reach out to timer to know when Bib # will arrive
and when they will ship to event.
 Questions to ask / information to provide to timer:
 Start & Finish same location or separate location –
Cost extra to have Start mats
 Do you need an Arch – can timer provide
 Do you need PA – can timer provide for start or finish
area.
 Do you need fencing around start/finish area – can
timer provide
 Does the timer have Back up systems at Start/Finish
 Do you need Split Timing mats for longer races.
 Does that timer have handheld backup timers – these
may be race volunteers.
 Results – how are they provided
 Video – finish line and/or aerial
 Does the Timer carry insurance, i.e. if their truss/arch
falls and hurts a runner, who is liable? Event
insurance typically does not cover the Timer nor drone
if injuries if they occur.
 Can they time Team Competition?
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Volunteers – heart and sole of the event
 Have a Volunteer coordinator? Helpful to have one, especially for race day.
 Use RunSignUp volunteer system to create Job Tasks with descriptions and
date/timeslots. Creates a Volunteer tab on RSU site.
 Age limitations if necessary.
 Have Volunteer job descriptions so the volunteers have an idea of what they are
to do.
 Have a Communication plan for race day Volunteer coordinator and volunteers.
Communicate via Radio, Cell, or text.
 If there is a medical issue out on site have Volunteers assess situation, call 911
where appropriate, than call Volunteer coordinator. Volunteer coordinator then
reaches out to Race Director and key staff for next set of decisions.
 Have a Pre-Race Volunteer meeting (with food). Meet with the volunteers to
review their Volunteer duties, and answer any questions they have.
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Teams?
 Determine if Teams is a good fit or the event, depending upon size of event,
Teams can require additional staff to support.
 Types of Teams
 Participation (Group of friends, family, corporate) can be competitive as well.
 Competitive (Timed for results)
 Relay
 Fundraising (can be any of the above)
 Can use price strategy to incent Team membership
 $5 less per Team Member that registers.
 Team awards
 Team Captain responsibilities
 Team Captain picks up all members race packets.
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Donations
 Easy to setup with Online Registration for one or more
designated charities
 Add donation option on paper registration.
 Be sure to re-inforce the branding and event goals by
setting up Donations for Charities.
 Setup 3-4 Donation prices. $200, $100, $50, $25
 Post race, send “Thank You” note to donors.
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Sponsors & Vendors
 Develop Sponsorship proposals for various
Sponsor levels
 Most sponsors expect a “return of value” for
Sponsorship, vs making a donation.
 Return of value will vary upon sponsor levels.
 But be sure to provide the Sponsor Free Entries
so that their employees are engaged in the
event/charity.
 Work with local TV and/or Radio stations to get
on their morning shows or do some PSA’s.
 Get sponsors involved in the event.
 Work with established and new relationships to
leverage sponsorships.
 Make sure your Sponsor logos, are placed on
marketing material.
 In-Kind Sponsor – there are 2 kinds
 Sponsor that provides a budget line items
at no/low/reduced cost to the event. –
Sponsor donation is taken at 100% value
as it reduces a budget line item – Example
pays for Posters.
 Sponsor that provides an item in the swag
bag, but is not reducing a cost from
budget, these are typically taken half the
value the Sponsor indicates.
 Vendors:
 Develop Vendor application, what the fees
will be, what the event will provide, what
the vendor provides, etc.
22

Marketing Plan
 Set your timeline
 Make a plan
 Decide what is newsworthy
 Identify your target media (local newspaper)
 Foster relationships with the media
 Be sure to give ample time for media to cover the event
 Get the race on local and some national calendars.
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Other Details – Part 1
 Ordering Bib Numbers – plan for this to start 8 – 6 weeks before race date, and don’t forget
safety Pins. (reference page for Vendors)
 Prep Postcards, Posters, race application, yard Signs, and get distributed out.
 Determine awards (what are they) and what are the Overall and Age Groups, will they be
duplicated. – Don’t forget to tell the timer.
 Is there Cash awards? If over $600 you will need to have the athlete provide you W9 or other
non-resident document for SSN.
 T-Shirts – Get the Sponsors Logos, Sizes to vendor. Have the Shirts arrive a few days earlier
than you need them, vendors area usually late. Fold shirts, label shirt boxes.
 Develop you race site layout: registration, food, beverages, Kid’s area, volunteer check-in,
Survivor area, VIP area, Port-a-Potty location,
 Order Port-a-potty – 1 – 100 is the ratio you want to try achieve. At least one should be
handicap. Nice to haves: washing station, trash can for paper towels. Best if they are with in
viewing distance to registration and/or starting line.
 Calculate coolers and cups, tables for all your water stops and finish line. 10 Gallon Cooler =
200 half filled 8oz cups – as a general rule. Secure coolers the day before and pre-fill if
possible.
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Other Details – Part 2
 Signage on course – secure what you will need to ensure runners know where to turn on the
course.
 Secure Event day insurance from RRCA, USATF or local insurer. Let me repeat – Get Event
Insurance!
 Secure EMS or Race Doctor or on site.
 Secure basic medical supplies for onsite race day.
 Develop a communications plan for key staff/volunteers – use Radios is better than cell.
 Develop a medical plan / Incident plan – what to do if something goes wrong, how to handle, what
is said and by whom. Manage the message, manage the situation.
 Get your check lists and keep adding to them
 Prep a Race Day Phone List – provide to key volunteers
 Prep a race day time line – provide to key volunteers
 Mini vision of Phone/timeline – laminated and on lanyard.
 Prep a race day script – what the PA announcer needs to say all morning.
 Volunteers – check to see what areas still need volunteers
 Secure Bags for the swag and all the good stuff to go into it.
25

Hired Help
 If you are hiring a race director, or consultant, Timer, sign a contract.
Whether the contract is drafted by the event owner or the person/
group being hired.
 Contract should have (at a high level) race name, date, location,
distances, who the contracting entity, and who has the signing
authority.
 Should also have scope of work/ services being provided by the
person/group, and should also include what tasks/costs/functional
areas are of the hiring organization, as well as the Prices and
payment terms.
26

Reference Websites – part 1
 Race Director Guide:
Road Race Management (RRM): http://rrm.com
Race and Race Director Insurance: Road Runners Club of America (RRCA)
Club/Race/Race Director Insurance: http://www.rrca.org/services/insurance/
Race Director Certification: http://www.rrca.org/programs/race-director-certification/
Runners World Race Director Tips: http://www.racedirectorresource.com/advice
How to Budget for a Race: http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/5/5_1/264.shtml
Cost Calculator: https://www.chronotrack.com/race-management-cost-calculator/
 Race Director Member Websites:
Running USA: http://www.runningusa.org/
Road Race Management: http://www.rrm.com/
Road Runners Club of America (RRCA): http://www.rrca.org/
USATF: http://USATF.org
 Race Director 101: http://championship-racing.com/race-director-101/
More Race Director 101: http://championship-racing.com/race-director-101/more-race-director-
101/
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 Race Course Mapping Tools: (Just a few examples)
MapMyRun: http://mapmyrun.com
WalkRunJog: http://www.walkjogrun.net/
Gmap Pedometer: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/
USATF: http://www.usatf.org/routes/map/
US Mapometer: http://us.mapometer.com/
On the Go Map: http://onthegomap.com/
Running Soundkeepers: http://running.soundkeepers.com/
 USATF Course Certification: http://www.usatf.org/Products-/-
Services/Course-Certifications/USATF-Certified-Courses/Certify-Your-
Course.aspx
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 Where to Order Race Bibs and Safety Pins:
 Marathon Printing: http://shop.marathononline.com/
 Rainbow Racing Systems – http://www.rainbowracing.com/onlinestore/
 EMediaGroup – http://www.emediagrp.com/
 Electric City Print – http://www.ecprint.com/
 Road ID (Mostly Free) – http://www.roadid.com/sponsorship/Default.aspx
 Your Bibs (Personalized, In Memory for, Back Bibs) -
https://www.yourbibs.com/Index.asp?
 Safety Pins – Cleaner Supply -
http://www.cleanersupply.com/products/product.cfm?pID=2368
29

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