Those cones don’t get out on the course by themselves, do they? Being a race director can be incredibly rewarding, but it’s also hard work. We’ve pulled together advice from race directors who have been in the business for years so you can shorten your learning curve and avoid major mistakes. Here are the top 9 people and planning mistakes you should avoid as a race director:
People
1. Taking for granted that participants will read everything you send out. Send multiple communications–people are busy and reading less and less these days!
2. Bending the rules and making exceptions. This is a slippery slope that can end up creating more work for you and negatively affecting your brand.
3. Making each committee member a specialist in one area. Your volunteers and committee members should have a broad knowledge of the event so they can easily answer participant questions.
4. Not getting sponsors. Sponsors can help you reach new audiences of people as well as alleviate some of your budget concerns.
5. Giving your sponsors/charity control of race logistics. Your partners are important to your race, but you are the expert. Avoid confusion and unnecessary delays by maintaining control of all race management decisions.
Planning
6. Not budgeting. Create a budget from Day One and stick to it to ensure your race will be profitable year after year.
7. Not picking the right date. Make sure your event does not compete with other events in the area, or with Mother Nature. Good weather and an open calendar will help increase participation.
8. Not giving enough time to plan. Whether a 5K, sprint triathlon or marathon, most events take 6 months to 1 year to plan. Give yourself plenty of time!
9. Believing your plans are airtight. Always have a back-up plan…there is no such thing as a perfect event.
To read more about these 9 mistakes, as well as 11 other common mistakes to avoid with your race promotion, technology and course, download this free article:
Shannon Fiack
Shannon Fiack is Senior Content Manager for ACTIVENetwork and has been part of the marketing team for three years. Shannon previously worked as both an endurance event manager and a corporate event organizer. She also loves sports and is dedicated to providing race directors with useful information that helps get more participants involved in their events.
Follow Me: