As race directors look for alternatives to cancelling their events, a number of races are "going virtual". Virtual races have existed for years, but the process of changing a physical race to a virtual one (quickly) is new. We'll walk through the basics you'll need to consider as you go virtual, and make some recommendations for completing the transition quickly and communicating effectively with your runners.

2. What’s a
virtual event?
Virtual races are events (runs/walks) that can be
completed by participants anywhere over a
range of time.
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3. Why offer a virtual race
option?
▷ Allows runners to participate in your race when they
cannot physically run together
▷ Offers a sense of accomplishment similar to the
experience of participating in a real event
▷ Makes treadmill participation an option
▷ Limits waste of previously ordered medals, bibs and other
swag
▷ Reduce refunds and chargebacks
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4. Race >> Cancel or Postpone
Race
Postpone, change to a virtual race,
or cancel the event. Regardless of
which choice you make, you can
always offer a virtual option.
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5. Race >> Cancel or Postpone
Race
Enable Virtual Race option so that
runners can select this. Customize
your text (or you can use the
default).
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6. Race >> Cancel or Postpone
Race
Or add a
virtual/postponement/cancellation
pop-up message without options.
Include information about the virtual
option - be specific.
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7. Results - Yes or No?
Google Form
Create a Google Form
that runners can use to
submit results.
Distribute via email to
participants who chose
Virtual Option and post
results
Email Results
Participants email the
results and the director
posts the results.
Photo Proof
Participants send a
picture of their
Garmin/Strava/Fitbit/M
apMyRun finishing time
and the race director
posts results
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No Results
No results posted.

8. Use Virtual Communities to
Enhance Your Virtual Race
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Email
Use RunSignup’s free email
marketing tool to email your
virtual participants (create a
custom email list from the
report).
Facebook Group
Create a Facebook Group and
promote it to virtual participants
as a place to share race
completion selfies and
encouragement..
Hashtag Your Event
Create a hashtag for runners to
use on social media. Create
posts from your social media
accounts to share as well.

9. Swag Communication Plan
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Pick Up
Offer pick up at a local running
store now (depending on the
conditions) or in the future.
Ship Swag
This is convenient for runners,
but can be challenging and
expensive for a race. Since you
likely didn’t collect shipping
address during registration, you
need to confirm shipping
address for each runner and you
will incur additional shipping
charges.
No Swag
Either it hasn’t shown up yet, or
you can donate it/use it at
another event.

10. Advanced
Options

11. Not For Everyone
▷ Think about your timeline for communication
▷ Evaluate the benefits and costs
▷ Don’t add so many layers that you confuse people
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12. Setting up Virtual Events
Add a new Virtual Event
Create an event in Step 1 of the Wizard.
This option makes sense if you anticipate
continuing with your regular event, but
allowing virtual as an option.
If all runners will be moved to virtual, you
can change an existing event.
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13. Setting up Virtual Events
Either:
1. remind runners to self Transfer
Or
1. Use the Postponement tool, with “switch to
virtual” as an option, and use regular participant
management tools to move runners to the new
event.
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14. Runner Self-Transfer
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▷ Make sure transfers are enabled at participants >> participant
management >> event transfer
▷ Make clear how/where participants transfer
○ Add or edit a cover page element (race >> race page >> cover page)
with an explanation of the transfer process
○ Send an email to participants with the transfer instructions and
include an edit registration replacement tag
○ Share on social media

15. Postponement Tool and
Transfer
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If you use the Postponement tool to collect virtual requests, you will need
to:
▷ Use the report at race >> cancel or postpone for a list of participants
who wish to move to virtual
▷ Move participants via regular participant management (click “manage”
and then “event transfer” by their participant information.
This takes time if you have a large number of people!

16. Shipping
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If you are going to ship any swag, you will
want to turn on shipping address
validation for the event. You can turn this
on at race>>registration>>shipping
▷ If runners transfer themselves, they will go
through this step
▷ If you transfer runners, turn on shipping address
management at Participants>>Participant
Management>>Shipping Address Management
Shipping can be expensive and time-consuming.

17. Text or Email Results
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RaceDay Tools>>Enhanced Virtual Race>>Setup Enhanced Virtual Race
Easiest, most inclusive method for results, but adds complications!

18. Bib Assignment
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▷ You must turn on bib assignment at
RaceDay Tools>>Bibs>>Assign Bibs
& Chips

19. Define Time Range
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▷ This is the time range that results will be valid

20. Setup Valid Times
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▷ This helps catch people who simply mistype their results.
▷ Allowing participants to report finishing without a time is more inclusive.

21. Setup Communications
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▷ We automatically create a page that has instructions for your runners to reference for reporting
results.
▷ Use our replacement tags and your own language to setup emails and texts for reminders about the
events, instructions, for posting results, and up to three additional messages.

22. Opt-In
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▷ Runners will opt-in during registration or event transfer
▷ Otherwise, they will need to go to their profile->manage registration ->virtual race
to opt in, or report results directly.

23. What Runners See: Signing Up
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24. What Runners See: Text
Messages
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25. What Runners See: Results
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