Transcript Race Directors Seminar

What we’re going to achieve
• Set & Reach the Goals for your event
• Succession planning – plan for the future
• Get and keep participants coming back
• Other areas you want to learn more about
Matt Wehby, Director of Park &
Recreation, Wheeling Park District
• Race Director for:
– Chicago Triathlon (over 8700 participants)
– Big Wooley Adventure Race (team event)
– Rattle Snake Ramble Adventure races
– Assisted & consulted with numerous races in
the suburbs.
Back to the basics….
• What is the goal of the race?
– Promotion
– Raise money
– Support a group
– Provide a service
• How do you achieve that goal?
• Best way to measure success of goal?
GOAL
• Every decision is based on the goal
• Creative Marketing = more participants
• More exposure to your organization = finding a
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niche in market to attract.
Not every race will attract “runners”
– Walking for a cause – creating awareness in the community
– Giving to a person in need/assistance
– Fundraiser
Race Goal
• Meet a neighbor or someone you don’t
know in this room.
• Take 5 minutes to share with them:
1. What your race goal is
2. How you’re going to accomplish goal
Race Goal
• Please Share with the group!
• The more people that know the goal – the
better it is for the event.
How are you going to reach that
goal? Start with the basics!
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
Permits – USATF, City, Police
Logistics, Staging, Committees
Registration – paper, on-line
Race announcing
Marketing (on-line, face book)
I.
II.
Working with your local running store
Photography and your event
VI. Volunteers, Swag, Survey Monkey
VII. Awards
VIII.Keeping it all organized
Permits
• Course layout
• Municipal permits
• Public Works
• Police involvement
• Other
Working with your Police Department and
other Municipal Services
Chief Scott Heher
The Itasca Police Department
Dealing with Municipal Officials
• Involve the police, fire, community
development, public works or other
planning departments early on in the
process.
• Know the local codes and ordinances for
special events.
Knowing the local codes will help you. Why?
• Determines the number of police officers
or other municipal services you will need
for your event.
– This impacts your overall costs.
– Tight municipal budgets have greatly reduced
the number of “freebies”.
– What road closures are needed?
– Detour routes?
– Notification of area businesses and residents
Development of Contingency Plans and
Alternative Routes
• Examples:
– Itasca Oktoberfast 12K (1992)
– Chicago Marathon (2007)
– Lake in the Hills Tri (2008)
– Itasca “Run from the Cops” 5K (2009)
– Itasca Fest (2009)
– Indiana State Fair (2010)
Sugarland Concert-Indiana State Fair
What Happened Here????
What other events are you competing
against?
• Within the municipality?
• Within the area?
• Remember, you’re competing for scarce
resources…
A police perspective
• #1 Priority is SAFETY!
– Safety
– Safety
– Safety
– Safety
– Safety
– Safety
of
of
of
of
of
of
the
the
the
the
the
the
participants
staff
volunteers
spectators
pedestrians
motorists
More about safety…
• Safety of participants
– Develop an Incident Action Plan
• Should include:
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Identification of one race director.
Establishment of a command post. “The Alamo”
Identifying key personnel.
Developing a communication plan.
Safety of staff and volunteers. Safety vests?
Everyone thoroughly briefed.
Everyone knows their role and responsibilities
More about safety…
• Safety of motorists
– Information signs posted: “Race in Progress”
– Are there detours? Are they posted?
– Does your staff and volunteers know the
detour route?
– Murphy’s Law – Someone will need to get
where you’re not allowing them. How will you
address this???
More about safety…
• Flow of traffic
– Vehicle speeds should be kept to a minimum.
– Try to inconvenience the public as little as
possible.
– Avoid bottlenecks of runners and traffic.
– Avoid busy highways, streets and other busy
areas if possible
– Plan your route to minimize the mixing of cars
and participants.
More about safety…
• Is there easy access for emergency
vehicles?
– Police
– Fire
– Ambulance
– Public Works
More about safety…
• Be mindful of other community events
occurring.
– Churches
– Gas Stations
– Access to stores and retail establishments
– Starbucks
– Whatever
Some final thoughts…
“Noah didn’t build the Arc when it
was raining”
Working with your Police Department and other
Municipal Services
Successful events take planning, planning
and more planning.
Registration
• Are your registration fees competitive?
• On-line
• Off-line
• Postcards
• Cash, Check, Credit Card, Pay Pal
Trudy Wakeman
• Race Director for:
– Runner’s High Ride n’ Tie
– Lake in the Hills Triathlon
– Girls on the Run 5K
– Stroke and Stride – swim/run
– Former Chicago Triathlon R.D.
– Walter Payton 16, 970 yard race
Logistics - Staging - Committees
• Parking lot
• Registration - layout
• Porta Johns
• Flow of start and finish line
• Theme throughout – color, forms, website
• Music and entertainment – start to finish
Keep the theme throughout…
Planning for Weather
• Weather Plan – heat, cold, unexpected
• Access to Doppler Radar
• Know your area
• Plan for the unexpected
• The weather’s effect on participants
Plan for the heat or cold
Know your race area
• Shelter
• Additional parking – away from the soggy
grass parking lot
• Heated areas
• Protection from the wind and rain
• Emergency procedures planned out
• COMMUNICATE – down the line
Weather on participants
• Less registered people may show up – but
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expect people to register the day of.
If you’re wet and/or wet & cold = problems
Get dry - Get warm
Access to changing tents
Be positive role model
Race Director – bring a change of clothes and
SOCKS!!
Working with Committees
• Job Descriptions
• Organizational chart – who reports to
whom
• How decisions are made
• Who is the beneficiary of this event? What
is the GOAL??
– Remind committee members
Example Job Description
• Name of job
• Pre-race and race day responsibilities
– Time lines and deadlines
• Supplies requested and needed
• Responsible to and responsible for…
• Contact information
Marketing & working with partners
• What’s Free
– Emails/ Constant Contact
– Websites
– Word of Mouth
– On-line Calendars
– Twitter & Facebook
Marketing
• Creative Promo
– Flying Pig Marathon
– Santa Run
Flying Pig Marathon
• PIG-OUT LET STORE
– Looking for the Barn-gains? You found 'em! Check out our
discounted and sale items. Click here to get started.
• FROM THE PIG PEN
• BREAKING NEWS! It's easy and quick to volunteer for
the event online; all volunteers receive a classic Flying
Pig Marathon Grunt T-shirt and are encouraged to attend
the Post-race Party on Sunday.
Marketing
• What you have to budget for:
– Website designer
– Registration form printing
– Postcard printing
– Race bibs
– Race Shirts
– Volunteer Shirts
– Food
– Porta Johns
Volunteers, Swag, Feedback
• Recruit
– Family members, other runners/walkers, Girl Scouts,
NSH, Community Service. Add to your registration
form
• Train
– Beforehand and event day
• Retain
– Give them race day goodies
• Thank you
– Thank you notes, holiday cards, etc…
SWAG
• Stuff We All Get – suckers, cow bells,
hats, sponsor pens, etc..
• Supplies that you can’t cut on: ??
• Get the best shirt at the best price
• Water, drinks, food at the finish line
– Standard is oranges, bagels, bananas
– Bonus food: trail mix, grapes, pizza
Feedback
• Paper survey, Survey Monkey
• Using feedback for future
recommendations
Awards
• Shirts??? – How about hats, bells, gloves???
• Awards – don’t have to go 3 deep, how about
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gift cards from vendors, certificate with name
and race?
Backpack with goodies for winners
Glasses, mugs, cups, piece of wood, small
rocks/boulders, handmade bowls
What’s the theme of the event??
Keeping it all Organized
• Delegate if you can – friends, family, co•
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workers, committee members….
Do things when it’s slower – porta john vendor
quotes, shirt quotes
Onsite photos of staging
Keep notes of what you did right to refer to for
next year
Confirm and re-confirm vendors & staff
Success plan for the future – Chicago Tri
example
What will keep participants coming
back?
• Organized
• Well thought out
• Hassle Free
• Good Value
• Fun & Festive
• Lasting memories
• Event
Back to the Basics
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What is the “goal” of the event?
Course design, permits, police
Logistics, staging, committees
Race Announcing
Marketing, Working with Partners
Volunteers, Swag, Feedback
Staying organized so others can carry on
Keep them coming back