There are several great rewards individuals, groups, or companies can gain by hosting a 5K charity or community race.

A 5K fun run can help you give people an opportunity to do something that will make them feel good about themselves. Not to mention the money that you can raise for a worthy cause. But there is more involved with running one of these events than you might expect.

Guide for Hosting a 5K Charity or Community Race

Planning Your Event

Planning your charity run/walk/race should be given a minimum of at least three months to plan, but others have been able to tackle it in less time. Giving yourself and your crew several weeks will make this project much more manageable. So, let’s start and jump right in with that basic time frame in mind and move on to our list of planning tips:

Firstly, as director, you should create three committees that you can delegate tasks to. These committees can each work independently on their respective tasks towards the shared goal of holding a successful 5K run/walk/race:

Administrative Committee – Charged with overseeing all logistics, legal requirements, and safety and security measures. Sub-tasks include:

• Locating and reserving a location for the race.
• Getting city/town and law enforcement approval for the event.
• Create an event application/sign-up form and waiver.
• Configure a race course by driving and measuring the distance, and then map it out.
• Buy event insurance.
• Hire a local security company or several off-duty law enforcement offices to provide security for safety.
• Rent and reserve course equipment (winner’s podium, traffic barriers, large digital clock, sound equipment).
• Work with local leaders to see if you can have an ambulance be put on standby. The ambulance service might have to be rented.
• Contact local portable restroom service to rent and reserve units.
• Finalize event schedule, including race categories, events, and awards.
• Create and print race day forms and list of pre-registered participants.

Sponsorship & Race Supplies Committee – Charged with bringing on board local sponsors, who can donate materials as well as funding for T-shirts, banners, barriers, tables, chairs, etc. Sub-tasks include:

• Visiting potential sponsors to acquire funding or donated materials.
• Solicit other potential sponsors for donations.
• Create sponsorship agreements and close deals, making sure sponsors sign contracts.
• Search out sponsors for drink and snacks for runners and event organizers.
• Put in orders for race bibs, event T-shirts, banners, and signs.
  See if a sponsor can donate first aid kit or medical supplies.

Marketing & Registration Committee – Charged with promoting the race, recruiting volunteers, and signing up participants.

• Promote the event by unveiling a small website and a blog post explaining the event.
• Hold a possible fundraiser to announce the race and race money for it.
• Continue blog posts and social media postings about the event.
• Put out the call for volunteers for parking, race-traffic-direction guides, etc. Sign up volunteers.
• Notify churches, schools, and libraries of call for volunteers, and ask permission to hang flyers or posters at their locations.
• Notify local newspapers, radio, and television stations about event name, day, time, place, and contact information for registrants.
• Cross advertise your 5K run at other sporting events, such as high school athletic events, recreational center, etc.

Race Day Tasks & Schedule
One the day of the event, as the race director you should be the first one at the event to delegate tasks. Here’s a list of final items the race director should see to themselves.

• Make sure race workers/volunteers have parking lots designated, are setting up water stations in the right areas, and that the event starts on time.
• When checking over the race course itself, be mindful of any areas where there’s a lack of barriers to prevent traffic from hitting runners, lack of security or security protocols to ensure a safe event, as well as other course features that could present risks to runners in the form of premise liability. If someone is injured, make sure first responders and medics are notified.
• Build in a time buffer, like telling your team to act like the race starts an hour earlier, just so everyone is in a state of readiness. Once the gun goes off, it’s all up to your volunteers to make sure they do their jobs correctly.
• Be sure to check and make sure someone is at the end of the course handing out times.
• Be sure to check that other stations are staffed as well, because sometimes folks show up late or get sick the day of the event. So, always have a backup plan.
• One factor you cannot control is the weather, so plan for the worst and hope for the best.
• At the end of the race, participants like to celebrate and party. So, make sure the party is confined to one area and have fun!

The reward you’ll get from directing and organizing your own 5K run/walk/race won’t be so tangible, but the awareness you’ll bring to the charity you help raise funds for, such as AIDS, breast cancer, Children’s Hospital, etc., will forever be embedded in the minds and hearts of those who it benefits. Those who successfully hold a 5K charity event, really do have hearts of gold!

-by Dawn Balite