MEET & TRAIN RACES: POINTS FOR ORGANISERS

We are really grateful to the clubs who host Meet & Train races.  Without their help and commitment the Meet & Train leagues would not happen.  A few pointers for organisers were requested at our last meeting, so here goes:

Make sure you have permission to use the park/paths/roads/fields where the race is taking place.  You may need to get a permit from the local council and, if so, they will ask to see a copy of the M&T insurance cert which Sue Lynch can send on (slynch@easons.com).

Type up directions to your clubhouse/wherever registration is taking place for people travelling by car or public transport; say how far it is from registration to the race venue and roughly how long it takes to walkjog there.  Then email these directions at least ten days before the race to barbtobin@hotmail.com butlermary55@gmail.com and slynch@easons.com.

Confirm what distance your race is and measure the course.

ON THE DAY                  

If possible, put up a few notices in the locality, directing people to your clubhouse.  This can be very reassuring for people trying to find it for the first time.

Put up flags along the course an hour/hour and a half before the race.  Decide whether runners are to keep the flags to their left or right and keep this consistent.  Normally the flags are to the left of the runners.  Position flags so that it is very difficult for anyone to take a shortcut. Clearly mark the START as that’s the first thing runners want to see when they jog the course.

Put up a finishing chute of a reasonable length. Make it fairly narrow so that it’s difficult for any runner to pass another after they have finished.  A few stakes in the ground, linked by plastic tape can form the chute.

Have a table and chairs available for registration indoors.  Registration is usually in the hour before the race, slightly earlier for the first race in the series.

Make sure you have enough stewards on the course to prevent anyone going the wrong way – in other words at turns/twists in the course. 

At the finish:  you need at least six people.  Usually participating clubs will provide a few of these.  Make sure at least one of the people taking down times and one of the people taking down race numbers is experienced and has done it before as this is absolutely crucial to getting accurate results to the race. The roles at the finish are:

One person keeping order at the finish and preventing athletes from changing their finishing order.

One person calling out finishing times, one person writing them down

One person calling out athletes race numbers, one person writing them down.

One person handing out finishing place cards – and this person should be standing beyond the people writing down the race numbers because once athletes get their place card they think they’ve been noted down.

The two people writing down times and numbers need to have a pencil as well as a pen because biros stop working when it is raining.  A video camera at the finish would also be great but that’s not generally possible!

Runners love a cup of tea and biscuits after the race and that has become customary at Meet & Train events as people can chat to each other and it is very sociable.  Email Sue if you want any more details.

Race results are emailed to leaders and also posted on:  www.womensmeetandtrain.blogspot.ie/