Planning a Race

Hosting a 5k is an excellent idea to encourage physical activity, fundraise for a cause, or bring awareness to an issue. It can be intimidating to plan one, so here are a few basic tips to get started.

  1. Know your purpose. Is your race just for fun or perhaps a fundraiser for a charity? Everything will flow from your purpose.
  2. Select a date. Check our race calendar for conflicts, and consider when the event would attract the most participants.
  3. Plan your route. Walk the route to figure it out and look for potential problems. Will runners have to cross busy streets? Will you configure an “out and back” route or design a route that covers a variety of streets? The course will need to be well marked the day of the race; don’t make runners wonder which way to go or possibly take a wrong turn. Use more traffic cones than you think necessary, and have volunteers direct runners along the route. Also, make sure the course is accurate; a 5K is 3.1 miles.
  4. Do you need a permit for your event? Contact local authorities (your municipality and the local police) for guidance. Will police be needed to control traffic during the race?
  5. What is the race capacity? Determine a maximum number of entrants so you are prepared with materials and can manage the crowd. Is your race open to walkers and runners? What is the time limit for finishing, at which point roads are reopened?
  6. Medical concerns. First aid on site is always a good idea, if it can be arranged. Have a plan for what to do in case of emergency. A crisis can happen quickly so make sure this aspect is not overlooked. From a twisted ankle to heat concerns, be ready to deal with the unexpected.
  7. Will your event be timed? Runners enjoy seeing that finish line clock even if your event is not professionally timed. Contact your local running club to see if they do timing and race results. Determine if you will announce overall male and female winners, and age group winners for male and female divisions. Will you present awards? Finishing medals for all and separate awards for division winners?
  8. How will people sign up for your event? There are many websites to use, such as RunSignup, that will do the work for you. Set a deadline for participants to sign up, and decide if you will offer day-of-event registration.
  9. Will you offer swag? Many races include an event shirt with registration. Some races offer additional or different items. Also, you’ll need racing bib numbers for each person. They can be obtained online or from local printing companies. Don’t forget safety pins for attaching bibs to the front of shirts!
  10. What is the cost of registration? The cost should be comparable to other races. Keep in mind that most 5Ks do not make money from the race registrations; it might cover fees and a some extra. Smaller, local races depend on sponsors to underwrite the cost of the event and to contribute to your cause. So get busy reaching out to enlist sponsors; it helps advertise their businesses as well!
  11. Plan to have water immediately available at the finish line, and a water stop along the way. In hot weather, plan on extra water, and ice, too, to keep it cold. Decide if you will offer snacks at the finish.
  12. Enlist volunteers! Volunteers can help plan, sign up sponsors, help with packet pickup to distribute the bib numbers and swag, and direct runners on the course.
  13. Advertise, advertise, advertise! Start early and advertise often. Take advantage of social media, local news, yard signs, anything to get the word out. You’re working hard to plan an event, so do all you can to get the word out.

    This is only a basic list of considerations as your plan your race. Reach out to the local running community for guidance; hopefully many will run your event and it will be a smashing success!