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5k Planning Guide

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Step 1: Define Your Purpose and Market

Before planning the event, define its purpose and target market. Ask yourself what your goals are for the event and what you hope to achieve. Here are some factors to consider:

  • Social: Is the event meant to be a fun family chapter activity? Some chapters have done this as part of their New Student Send-off and included a pancake breakfast and recognition of replenishment grant recipients. Some also do a 1k kids fun run with the event.
  • Replenishment: Will you use this event to raise money for replenishment or some other chapter cause?
  • Outreach: Will you combine with another charitable organization? Food or clothing drive? Present Community Service Award? Memorial Run?
  • Promoting BYU and BYU Alumni: How will you promote BYU and BYU Alumni at your event?

Step 2: Put Your Committee Together

Select a group of 3-5 volunteers to help you plan and run the event. Consider creating a committee that includes individuals with different strengths and skills. Possible roles to assign within the committee include:

  • Publicity
  • T-shirts
  • Sponsorships
  • Registration
  • Race logistics
  • Prizes
  • Volunteers

Step 3: Location and Budget

Location and budget are two critical components of planning an event. Here are some things to consider when determining the location and budget:

  • Pick a date that doesn't conflict with other significant events in the area. Check local stake calendars, community/school calendars, and other events to avoid conflicts.
  • Determine the size of your group and select an appropriate location that can accommodate your group. Consider choosing a place that is easy to get to and has been used for successful races in the past.
  • Reserve any necessary equipment, like barriers, timing equipment, sound systems, and porta-potties.
  • Determine projected costs of the event, which may include timing equipment, T-shirts, snacks and water, reservation/rental fees, local traffic control, bibs, barriers, prizes/awards, publicity, and porta-potties.

If the location requires a contract with BYU, contact BYU Risk Management at 801-422-4468 or risk_mgmt@byu.edu, or refer to this website.

Step 4: Sponsors

If the event is a fundraiser, find sponsors and determine the cost and benefit to sponsors. Create contracts that outline the terms and benefits of sponsorship.

Step 5: Advertising

Spread the word about the event by announcing it on social media sites. Utilize personal contacts and word of mouth as well.

Step 6: Registration and T-shirts

  • Create an event page, registration form and waiver (801-422-4468, risk_mgmt@byu.edu or refer to this website) - Begin registration.  
  • Design and order t-shirts and bibs. Reach out to BYU Licensing, Adam Parker for help/approved us of BYU logo.  

Step 7: Volunteers and Pre-Event Checks

  • Get volunteers for event day: Course marking, registration, timing, starter, course control, medical, t-shirt and or goody bags distribution, snacks, water distribution, finish line, and parking (if necessary), medals/prizes 
  • Determine post-race snacks- find sponsors for donations 
  • Make sure course, start and finish are well marked and the course is safe.

Step 8: Additional Persons

Arrange to have medical personnel and first aid supplies on-site. Hire a photographer to help document the event. Arrive early to set up and prepare for the runners who will arrive early.

Step 9: Things to Think About

  • Will you give prizes or medals for winners?  How many places? What age groups? 
  • Will you professionally or non-professionally time the event or is it just a fun run? 
  • Bibs or no bibs?  Consider color-coding bibs by age group (even highlighter marks for different age groups will make winners easier to calculate) 
  • Age group suggestions--Male, Female, under 12, 12-18, 19-24, 25-34, 25-50, 51+

Day of the Event

On the day of the event, it's important to make sure everything is set up properly to ensure a smooth and successful race. Here are some things to keep in mind:
Water Station Set-Up

  • water, pitchers, cups, tables, trash bags, trash cans (moving boxes lined with trash bags can work), recycling containers, first aid kit, tape, turn around signage

Timing Set-up

  • computers(s), printer, connection cords, power strip, table, tent, internet, chairs, printer paper, scratch paper, extra ink cartridge, manual timing folder, stopwatches, manual timing bib numbers, manual timing timesheets, pens, clipboards, stab wires

Parking Set-up

  • flags, vests, signs, sign holders

Course Marking

  • cones, all signage, mile markers, 2-way radios, flour, flags, barricades

Check-In and Regular Set-Up

  • safety pins, banner(s), scissors, cash box (3) (Change), extra pens, clipboards, registration folder (per distance), registration tent signs, blank bib #s, sharpie markers, day-of-registration forms, waiver, waiver sign sheet, scratch paper, easy ups, check-in tent signs, check-in list, highlighter

Goody Bags

  • t-shirts, bars, flyers, table, tents, sponsor flyers

Other Items

  • paper towels, trash bags, toilet paper, awards (medals, ribbons, certificates, prizes), megaphone(s), generator, PA system, whistle (airhorn, or starting gun), microphone, cord, music, Bluetooth speaker

Make sure all of these items are set up properly and in the correct locations. It's also a good idea to do a run-through of the entire event before the participants arrive to ensure everything is working as expected.

Chapters with 5k Experience and Lessons Learned

  • Try to cover your costs+ with sponsors 
  • Make the event fun, some ways chapters do this: theme, music, breakfast before/after, run for kids, prizes for everyone who participates, pull the tape across the finish line for all runners, etc 
  • The event can be used for different goals:  fun chapter activity, fundraising, freshman sendoff, announce future chapter activities, recognize scholarship (grant) recipients, etc 
  • Do what makes sense for YOUR chapter! 
  • Keep the same location and theme so it will grow and people can plan on it
  • Reach out to sponsors at year-end for the next year 
  • Event Brite was challenging to get real-time data and funds, consider using PayPal, and creating a website 

Chapters with Successful 5ks

  • Medford does a Memorial 5k run with a community school
  • Des Moines does a 5k fundraiser, $1500-1700 profit
  • St. George does a fun activity, $2,000 profit
  • Dallas does a fundraising 5k with a breakfast and silent auction, $7,000 profit
  • Boise 5k is a fun activity, about $500 profit