How to start your first race

The plan

Eleven steps, in order

1. 1

   Decide what kind of race it is

   A fun run with friends, a charity 5K, a birthday run, a school or church race, or a race you plan to hold every year. Write down who it is for, about how many people you expect, and whether it is free or paid. Those three answers shape every decision after this one.

2. 2

   Pick a date and a course

   Choose a date that does not clash with a bigger local race or a holiday weekend. For the course, a loop or out-and-back in a park, on a greenway or around a school track is the simplest place to start. Measure it before you promise a distance.

   With Run This: Draw your route in Course Studio. It snaps to real roads and trails, shows the distance and elevation, and puts the map on your race page.

3. 3

   Get permission to use the course

   Races on public streets or in public parks usually need a permit. Start with your city's special events office or parks department, and ask early, because some need weeks or months of notice. On private land (a school, a church, a business park), get written permission from the owner. Ask each one what they require from you, such as insurance, a course map or police for road crossings.

4. 4

   Sort out insurance

   Many cities and venues ask for event liability insurance and want to be named on the policy. Ask them what they need in writing, then get quotes from an insurer that covers running events. Some running clubs and race associations offer event coverage to their members.

   With Run This: Every registration includes the Run This liability waiver, and you can add up to two waivers of your own if your insurer, venue or city asks for one.

5. 5

   Set up registration

   Decide your distances, your price (or free), how many people you can take, and when sign-ups open and close. Runners expect to register online, get a confirmation, and see where to be on race morning.

   With Run This: Free races are free on Run This. On a paid race, runners pay about 5% + $1 per registration at checkout and you keep 100% of your price (see pricing). Your race saves as a draft until you publish it, and you can make it public or share it only with the people you send the link to. Step by step: Creating an event.

6. 6

   If you are raising money, set up giving

   For a charity run, decide where the money goes and whether you want a fundraising goal. Tell runners up front how much reaches the cause. More in how to organize a charity 5K.

   With Run This: Add a fundraiser with a Donate button and an optional progress bar toward your goal. Donations go to your race's payout account, or straight to the charity's own account when you add it as a charity partner. Run This never holds the money.

7. 7

   Make a simple budget

   List what you will spend (permit, insurance, shirts, medals, bibs, water, timing, signs, portable toilets) and what comes in (registrations, sponsors, donations). Work out how many runners you need to break even before you order anything.

   With Run This: Sheets in your race dashboard has a budget template that fills in your live registration numbers.

8. 8

   Spread the word

   Share your race link with friends, your club, your school or church newsletter, and local running groups. Ask local businesses to sponsor or share it.

   With Run This: A public race shows up in Run This race search, and runners see when their friends register.

9. 9

   Recruit volunteers

   A small 5K usually needs people for check-in, the start and finish, course corners and turnarounds, and a water stop. Give each person one clear job.

   With Run This: Set up volunteer roles and let people sign up on a public form.

10. 10

    Plan race day: check-in, timing, results

    Decide how runners pick up bibs, how you will time the race, and how you will share results. Walk the course the day before and mark every turn.

    With Run This: Check runners in from a phone with Run This Check In. Time the race yourself with the Run This Stopwatch (free, and any volunteer can run it from a phone), or bring a timing company. Post results on your race page.

11. 11

    After the race

    Thank your runners, volunteers and sponsors, share results and photos, and write down what you would change next time while it is fresh.

    With Run This: When you are ready for next year, renew your race and start from this year's setup instead of from scratch.

Full guides

Planning a particular kind of race?

• How to organize a 5K fun runA three-month plan, from course and permits to a race-day checklist.
• How to organize a charity 5KPick a cause, set a goal, and be clear about where the money goes.
• How to plan a birthday runA route, a private link, simple timing and a party at the finish.