I have been asked numerous times to consult with different organizations to help them put on a road race to raise some funds for their charities. In almost every situation the group is talking about putting on a 5K race. For most groups that are not familiar with the different distances that are available to them, a 5K distance is the way to go.
Depending on the route a 5K usually needs about 15 volunteers to help. The race is generally over in an hour’s time frame. Volunteers need to be around between three and four hours to help set up and clean up with the possibility to raise several thousand dollars for their organization. And to find a 3.1 mile distance is not that difficult, especially if the course will be an out-and-back course and you only need 1 ½ miles of road.
While the 5K is the most popular and well known distance for a road race there are other distances that can be tried. Distances such as a 10K, a 15K, a half-marathon, all the way up to a full marathon are popular. With each increase in distance there are added problems. Each extra distance needs more volunteers to help with set up, direction people, traffic control, and extra aid stations as examples. Finding the extra miles for the distance is also a lot harder. A distance of 3.1 miles is not as difficult as finding one for 6.2 miles, or 9.3 miles, or 13.1 miles, or the 26.2 miles for a marathon. Longer distances in a city need more traffic control, more direction people, more permits, and clearing the streets for stopping traffic can be a real problem. San Marcos held a 10K race through the streets one year. The route went through almost the entire downtown area. The police were bombarded with complaints from frustrated motorists trying to get through town. Business people were angry since they couldn’t get to their place of business to open up for customers. Even the popular Sights and Sounds 5K held here in San Marcos needs approximately 15 traffic control officers. Imagine that each officer costs about $130 and the cost to put the race on in a city can lead to some big expenses.
While the 5K distance is considered the most popular because most beginning joggers, and walkers, can cover a 3.1 mile distance. When you add miles to the distance the walkers and beginning runners hesitate to enter because it might be farther than they are capable of running. And volunteers are now needed for longer hours. A 5K distance for a slow walker is just over one hour. For a 10K a slow jogger needs over one hour and half, and walkers cross the finish line after two hours. Plus the time it takes to set the course up, and take it down, moves up considerably.
For my half marathon here in San Marcos we had a notice on the entry form that awards will be given at 2.5 hours after the start of the race, and the course would close after three hours. The race started at 7 a.m. and volunteers needed to be at the race site to help at 5 a.m. Essential volunteers such as setting up the finish line and sound system were there at 4 a.m. Volunteer numbers went up to about 40 volunteers. For most groups wanting to put on a race the extra time, finding a route, extra volunteers, and more traffic control are problems that make the 5K distance more attractive. When the race distance moves up to a 26.2 marathon distance, the added necessary extras become even more of a problem. Finding a route that is 26.2 miles long is not that easy.
While most people think that a shorter race will have more entries is not necessarily true. The Runner’s Club held a 15K race with the hope that a few runners would show up. We arrived at 6 a.m. to start the set up procedures. The parking lot was already full of runners waiting for us to get organized. We had about 150 runners willing to run 9.3 miles.
One other consideration for the extra time, volunteer numbers, distance, etc. is the cost of the race. A race shirt for a 5K race and a marathon costs the same. The number of awards is also the same cost. The entry fee for a 5K for most races is between $25 and $35. The cost of a half marathon ranges from $50 to $85. For marathons the cost can range from $90 to $125. Keep in mind that the cost of race shirts and awards remains the same. There will an extra cost for traffic control and medals for finishers in longer races, but the difference between the cost of shirts and entry fee is substantial.
