Originally published at: Could Small Running Races be Making a Comeback? - Slowtwitch News
After a difficult period through COVID, will local events come out stronger on the other side?
Thanks @rrheisler for sharing the details and providing an understand of some of the breakdown and in essence the $5K charitable donation that came from the margin on the race was created by a race director group who took zero wages (in this case you and your wife).
Way back in the early 90’s when I put on duathlons I had a military base donate me facilities (no porta potties) for two events and I have a university donating me facilities for two other events, and like you the race director labour (mine) was for free, I had sponsors donating food and drink and still managed to consistently lose $800 to $1500 per event (duathlon was fairly new back then, but I was on the front end of the Kenny Souza boom and pre Zofingen). Never had the guts to put on a local triathlon (swim related logistics headaches) and the local running scene was saturated.
Great article. I’m a race director for two races, a small super sprint/sprint triathlon and a trail run.
Our sprint triathlon requires chip timing, traffic control, porta potties, bibs, water stop supplies, awards and signage (there are always signs taht need to be replaced). It requires over 50 volunteers and at $70/athlete (plus their triathlon canada/triathlon NS membership) we still ended up losing money the two years we held it after covid. We’re lucky our local municipality supplies sound equipment/barricades.
Our trail run is a backyard ultra. We get a porta pottie which is basically our only fixed cost. We have kick ass awards and water-station supplies are self serve. We make a $500 donation to the local trail association
After RDing the trail run, I had a hard look at the triathlon. “am I providing a fair value?”.
My only option to keep the triathlon afloat is to also RD a smaller running race that might turn a profit, and roll that profit to subsidize the triathlon. Do I have it in me to be the RD of three events? Three sets of volunteers, budgets, traffic control authorities?
I would love to see small races of all kinds return.
I only race local Sprints now due to travel times, expenses, and to support local entities and charities.
An orange buoy. Some chalk on the road. Cone the turn around. Shoot the gun. Slice of pizza after…I’m good.
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