Course Director
Point Person: Event Director
Primary Responsibilities
 Assist with Friday set-up
 All course markings (chalk)
 All course placements (cones, signs, banners, flags, hydration stations)
 Lead course volunteer meeting
 Clean up course
Pre-Event Responsibilities
 Review all event specific info (beneficiary, sponsor partner, etc – sent from Event
Director)
 Review specific city/police policies and protocols (info sent from Event Director)
 Review and become familiar with all course maps
 Know the number of volunteers, police, and their placements (info sent from Event
Director)
Friday Timeline
4:30PM – Arrive at race site for set-up and course marking
6:45PM – Complete set up
7:00PM – Fill all coolers with water and ice
Saturday Timeline (for typical 8am start)
4:30AM – Arrive at race site for set-up
5:30AM – Leave for course set up (coordinate with pick-up truck volunteer)
7:00AM – Return to race site and check in with Event Director
7:15AM – Meet with police, provide them with maps and course info, and pay if necessary
7:20AM – Lead final course volunteer meeting at start/finish line and send them off to
placements (ask police to be involved in this)
7:45AM – Ensure full course is set and ready (confirm with Event Director before start)
*Clean up course following police vehicle (everything but 1 Mile route)
9:30AM – clean truck/prepare it for packing
Friday Set-up
Need:
-Chalk (ex: white-5K/Red-10K)
-Course Maps
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First, drive the course and obtain a solid feel for what the needs are [cones,
directional signs, etc.]
o Keep in mind: where water stations & directional signs will be placed
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Become familiar enough with the route and it’s landmarks to adequately
communicate with any officials, volunteers, or runners
Locate each mile marker
Mark each turn with small directional, chalk arrows [10K=red/5K=white]
Assemble all mile marker flags/banners
Ensure there are enough cups for hydration station/s and trash bags [both located
in course boxes]
Fill all coolers with water and ice
Saturday Set-up
Volunteers
Needed: 1-2
Role: Drive pick-up/ assist course set-up
Need:
-Directional arrows
-H-stakes for corrugated signs
-Mile markers, turnaround marker
-Turnaround corrugated signs
-Water station tables
-Water coolers
-Water station box [including trash can, trash bags, and cups]
-Course box [including sidewalk chalk]
-Cones
-Any necessary barricades/DOT signs
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Load pick-up truck with all necessary items -listed above [have all banners and signs
assembled before leaving]
Typically, a turn needs a volunteer, at least four cones and an arrow
Side road intersections generally require a volunteer, a directional sign, or two
cones
The one mile course sometimes involves an out and back section in the same lane. If
this is the case, use cones to divide that lane in half near the turnaround point
o Place a stack of cones at the turnaround point, and have a volunteer set them
out after the 5k and before the fun run
o Volunteer will also instruct runners to turn around at this point
Police Communication
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*Remember, the officers working the race may not be fully aware of the course, they
may misdirect runners, or they may not know what each of their responsibilities should
be in relation to the race.
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Must ensure police are educated about the event, feel appreciated, and receive their
pay as the case may be
o Meet with them immediately after completion of setting up the course
o Ask them to attend the final course volunteer meeting if possible
Provide them with maps and specific instruction on the course
Volunteer Communication
What are the course volunteer expectations and what needs to be communicated at the
meeting?
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Safety & Functionality
o Volunteers need to be confident and bold in stopping traffic that will hinder or
jeopardize a runner.
o Can let traffic cross when space and time allows.
o Know the status of the police/roads [is it a moving road block, closed road,
partially closed, open side roads, etc.?]
o Need to ensure that everyone goes the right direction [including the police]
o Ensure that absolutely no one gets lost on the course through properly directing
runners
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Celebration
o Who we are and why the race is happening
o Celebrate runners as they pass through cheering and encouraging
o Report to finish line to cheer on finishing runners [after last runner passes]
o Talk to runners after the race
Hydration Stations
Need:
-2 small tables (1 for small race)
-Water jugs (# dependent on race size and weather)
-Paper cups
-2 tablecloths (if available)
-Trash bags
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Place tables roadside where hydration station will be located
Place coolers, cups, trash bags, etc. under table
Hydration station volunteers can then place the coolers on table (right next to the
path runner will pass by), and pre-fill cups for the runners.
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Volunteer group (at least three) will gather used cups into trash bags and place
everything back on the side of the road once the final finisher passes the station.
Clean-up/Pack-up
 Clear everything off roads as soon as possible without making a runner feel
uncomfortable for being last
 Complete clean-up behind follow police vehicle to ensure there is no interference
with runners
 Ensure all items are collected from the course including cones, signs, flags, banners,
water coolers, etc. (coordinate with pick-up truck volunteer)
 Ensure the truck is clean and organized/ready to be packed into the trailer after
returning from course clean-up
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