I have been asked numerous times to consult with different organizations to help them put on a road race to raise some funds for their charities. In almost every situation the group is talking about putting on a 5K race. For most groups that are not familiar with the different distances that are available to them, a 5K distance is the way to go.
Depending on the route a 5K usually needs about 15 volunteers to help. The race is generally over in an hour’s time frame. Volunteers need to be around between three and four hours to help set up and clean up with the possibility to raise several thousand dollars for their organization. And to find a 3.1 mile distance is not that difficult, especially if the course will be an out-and-back course and you only need 1 ½ miles of road.
While the 5K is the most popular and well known distance for a road race there are other distances that can be tried. Distances such as a 10K, a 15K, a half-marathon, all the way up to a full marathon are popular. With each increase in distance there are added problems. Each extra distance needs more volunteers to help with set up, direction people, traffic control, and extra aid stations as examples. Finding the extra miles for the distance is also a lot harder. A distance of 3.1 miles is not as difficult as finding one for 6.2 miles, or 9.3 miles, or 13.1 miles, or the 26.2 miles for a marathon. Longer distances in a city need more traffic control, more direction people, more permits, and clearing the streets for stopping traffic can be a real problem. San Marcos held a 10K race through the streets one year. The route went through almost the entire downtown area. The police were bombarded with complaints from frustrated motorists trying to get through town. Business people were angry since they couldn’t get to their place of business to open up for customers. Even the popular Sights and Sounds 5K held here in San Marcos needs approximately 15 traffic control officers. Imagine that each officer costs about $130 and the cost to put the race on in a city can lead to some big expenses.
