PUBLISHED 06/04/2008
Prior to the race, you should walk the grounds and observe where guests will park, where registration will begin, where water tables and toilets will be, and where the awards ceremony will be held. You should also walk the course and determine exactly where signage should be and where volunteers will need to be placed.
What signage do you need?
Course Signage
Besides start and finish lines, you'll need arrows at every turn on the course. It also helps to have a volunteer at every turn and at potentially confusing intersections to direct runners. You want your runners to focus on their running - so make it as easy as possible for them to follow the course. Arrows can be chalked on the pavement, driven into the ground with lawn stakes, tacked to trees or signposts along the course, or held by volunteers. You will also need to post mile markers at every mile.
At the finish line, if you are having several distances, post signage directing finishers to the proper finish line chute.
Parking Signage
Include a map and parking information in your brochure and on your website. Post signs along the roads leading up to your race and to identify parking lots/areas. Use a race volunteer to help direct parking and to drive participants and spectators to open parking spots.
Post signs in parking areas pointing to the registration area, the packet pick-up area, toilets, pre-race water areas, the start line, and the race information table.
Registration
At registration, clearly mark which table is for race-day registrants, for packet-pick-up, for chip timer pick-up, and for race information. Post signage to the toilets, concessions, the start line, and the pre-race water tables.
Finish Line
At the finish line, post signage directing runners to the location of posted results, and to the location for the award ceremony/award pick-up.
