Marathoners on a bridge.
Managing marathon and half marathon consists of more than handing out numbers and starting the race. It takes planning, logistics, permissions, budgets, staff and after event analysis to ensure the events operate smoothly and safely. Both these races may attract hundreds of people so logistics are essential. Some races, like the Boston Marathon, attract participants in the thousands and from all over the world. Managing the 26 mile and 385 yard (42.195 kilometers) marathon and 13.1 mile (21.1 kilometers) half-marathon takes coordination, people skills and attention to detail.
Instructions
Prior to the Events
1. Plan the marathon and half-marathon at least six months ahead of time. This period will give you time to recruit volunteers, find venues, and train personnel in whatever computer systems are needed to track registrations and participants. Create checklists and make certain you keep them all up to date. Have checklists for location and logistics, budget and sponsorships, race-day needs and personnel including volunteers, employees, assignments and responsibilities.
2. Survey the route of the race before runners take to the road.
Find the location and set the date of the marathon and half-marathon. Outline the routes your runners will take. Get the local government permissions, arrange for the streets, bridges and other roads to be closed to all traffic except the runners, workers, security and spectators. Walk (or drive) the routes selected, determining the halfway points (turn around) for the marathon and the half marathon and make certain there are no obstacles or planned construction for the date of the races.
3. Budget your funds. Set the registration fees so that you will break even at the end of the race. Find sponsors if you don't have any. Solicit fitness clubs, running clubs and gyms, along with retail sporting goods, running stores and even pharmacies to sponsor the event for the free publicity and exposure. This is a good way to ensure that you can hold more events in the future.
4. Market your event with all the sponsors' information. Use hard-copy flyers, billboards, television ads and radio spots to disseminate the information about the race. Online advertising, forms and registrations will help eliminate a huge crush at the registration table. Pre-registered applicants can go to a dedicated table for bibs and favor or swag bags.
Events Day Management
5. Set up the route with water and first aid stations, route monitors, signage and security. Follow your checklists and make certain that before anyone stands at the start-line all is in order. Make certain that each station has all the necessary equipment available.
6. Meet with workers and volunteers the day before the race if possible, or at least a couple of hours before if not. Assign them their stations, show them where the portable toilets, first aid stations and signage are located and send them to their assigned areas. Assign the course monitors and make sure their signage is accurately displayed.
7. Set up the registration and timing tables so that each person understands the computerized registration software and the timers understand timing system, and knows assign participants bibs and numbers, and distribute swag and favors.
8. Survey the marathon and half marathon routes. An hour before the race begins, and as the participants are registering and being assigned bibs, you should send several assistants along the race routes with checklists to ensure that everything is in place. Using walkie-talkies or cell phones equipped with instant communications can let you know at once if there are issues or needs that must be addressed at each station.
Ready. Set. Go and party
9. Marathon medal.
Stagger the start times. Begin the marathon 30 minutes before the half-marathon if you are holding both races on the same day. Allow enough time for the marathon runners to get far enough ahead of the half-marathoners, as they have a longer race to run. The half marathoners will turn back at a halfway point several miles sooner than the marathoners and will complete the race at the finish line before the marathoners return. Once the race starts all you have to do is to monitor that stations are working properly, ensure that security is handling all issues and that the after-event party is set to go.
Once the winners have arrived, hand out prizes and medals
10. Make sure that there are refreshments, places to sit and relax, and tables and entertainment all set for the runners to enjoy once the race is done. Give runners a well-deserved place to relax and bask in their accomplishments.
11. Supervise the clean-up crews and make sure that the route, party site and staging areas are cleaned and cleared once the event is over so that you are welcomed next year to hold your marathon and half-marathon events.
Tags: ensure that, half marathon, make certain, marathon half, marathon half marathon, marathon half-marathon