What goes into putting on races: It’s more than you think
The Kiwanis Pumpkin Dash 5K is getting organized for the race on Oct. 22 at Country Estates in San Marcos starting at 9 a.m. Athletes Guild is handling pre-registration. For runners that enter weekend races, many do not realize how much planning goes on several weeks before the race. I get involved with many races here in San Marcos as a consultant. This is especially true if the organization is trying to put on a run for the first time. Fortunately, the Kiwanis Club Pumpkin Dash 5K is hosting its ninth annual race. The best part is that members of the organizing committee have been involved in most of the races Kiwanis puts on. Where this is important is that the “little things” that make a race successful are covered. Having been part of organizing races for 35-plus years it is the “little things” that can cause a race to be a disaster. Whether it’s a direction person pointing runners in the wrong direction — I remember one race had a direction person in a chair fall asleep during the race and some runners thought he was unconscious, while another had the direction person arrive late and missed the lead runners, and runners crossed the finish line from both directions — a person not knowing how to mix a Gatorade cooler for after-race refreshments, confusion for determining the awards for fast runners and not ordering the correct sizes of t-shirts for runners can make a race one runners will not come back to.
The organizing committee has met and has listed all the equipment needed and volunteer duties assigned so the race will be well-run. The race starts at 9 a.m. and volunteers need to show up before 7 a.m. to get ready for the runners that start to show up at 8 a.m. Determining who will bring the traffic cones for direction signs, mile markers, turnaround points and critical turns are important. The cones with direction arrows are necessary for a race but it is always better to have an actual person there to direct runners at turns and intersections. Setting up a course for a short 5K race takes about 45 to 60 minutes. If it is an early start the sun might not be up for the volunteers putting out the mile markers who find the paint mark on the side of the road unless they are familiar with the course. I remember being the lead bike for a race and the turnaround point was not marked. The runners just kept running until someone shouted that they were going too far. That was one of those ‘little things’ that can mess up a race.
Who will bring the coolers for water and refreshment drinks out on the course and at the finish line? Another ‘little thing’ is who will bring the cups for the runners to drink from? What will you have for post-race refreshments? Bananas and oranges need a knife to cut them and a tray to put them on. Somebody needs to bring those ‘little things’ items. Do you want donuts, cookies or muffins for refreshments after the race for hungry runners? Tacos? And how many of each? Who buys them?
Who will handle the entry fee for race runners and do you have enough money to make change if the runner is paying in cash? Will you be able to handle credit cards? Will there be a separate table for runners to pick up their race shirt and bib number? Did the organizers have a pre-race gathering to fill a bag with the correct shirt size, bib number, and any goodies that were contributed and labeled names on the bag for easy finding?
Who will lay out the medals or awards for the winners? The separations of male and female, overall winners, masters winners, and age group awards in order from first to third need to be put out on a table so during the awards ceremony things go smoothly and in the correct order. Another ‘little thing’ that runners dislike is when they have to wait for awards to be found and presented.
And after the race, who picks up the cones, tables, coolers, direction signs, leftover food and any awards not presented and loads it up and takes it home? Did anybody go back out on the course to look for trash and tossed water cups on the road?
Putting on a race is a real eye-opener for someone trying to put on a race for the first time and they find out it involves much more than most runners realize. It is good to be involved with the Kiwanis Club and know that these ‘little things’ will be covered. The organizers hope for a good turnout of runners in San Marcos since it looks like a great day for running and is one of the few races in San Marcos this year. See you at Country Estates on Oct. 22 for a good 5K race. Walkers are welcome too.
