Skip to content

Walk or Run Event

Your go-to guide for everything you need.

Get Organized

  1. What do you want people to KNOW, to FEEL and to DO before, during and after event. This will help you set goals.
  2. Check out the basics of organizing any event in our Week-By-Week Event Planner.  You can also use this resource to make a list of everything that needs to get done.
  3. If you’re a Team Captain, check out our toolkit that’s designed just for you and provides answers about your role as a leader.
  4. Ask for help! Here are potential roles for an event committee.
  5. Learn about your cause so that you and others can better understand the issue and action steps they can take. Explore nonprofit organizations who may already be addressing the cause you want to support and help them out.

Run/Walk Questions To Answer

  1. What date do you want to have the event? Check out other relevant calendars before you decide.
  2. Do you want to host a walk, run or a walk/run combo?
  3. Who do you want to have join you? Make a list!
  4. Is this a competitive event or just for fun?
  5. Will you be running on trails or streets? Remember: If you use public streets/sidewalks you’ll need to get permission from the town/city. This may also involve having police for street crossings to keep people safe. 
  6. Do you want this to be an official timed race? This will be an additional cost and usually involves getting a business involved who handles race timing. 
  7. If you’re fundraising, do you want to charge for a fee for each person who participates or do you just want to ask for donations when people come to the event?
  8. Will you have multiple distances or just one?
  9. Do you need insurance? We can help with this!
  10. Will you need to supply participants with food and water?
  11. Will you give out/sell t-shirts?
  12. Are there bathrooms available?
  13. Do you have volunteers available? (Checkout committee roles below).
  14. Are there costs for anything you want to do? (permits, portable toilets, marketing materials, sound system, tables and chairs, food, first aid, t-shirts, water and cups, etc)

Promote & Rally Community

  • Getting people to show up and register can be one of the hardest parts or organizing any effort. Learn more about how to get participants here.
  • Use our step-by-step guide to promote your Challenge.
  • Share your run/walk with local running clubs and have it added to regional and local race calendars.

You'll Need

  • Now that you’ve answered the questions above, create a to-do list and decide who will do them and by when.
  • Create Committees: It’s great to have help and this link will help you think of how to divvy things up.
  • Create a walking/running course with the correct event distance. Map My Run and Strava are a good resources for creating a course map and figuring out distances.
  • A Start and Finish Line
  • A place for people to park
  • Bathrooms
  • Waivers for participants (we can help with this!)
  • Course Markers (can be flags, cones or signs)
  • Water, water, water- throughout the course and at the finish line
  • First Aid kit for any emergencies
  • Directional signs or people who guide runners/walkers
  • Course maps
  • Registration and/or Volunteer Check In
  • Timers
  • A way to register people online or fundraise. We can help you set both of these up!

How It Plays Out

  • Promote your event
  • Check out our Day-Of Event Checklist so that your event is stress free and FUN.
  • If you’re fundraising, collect an entry fee from participant or ask for donations
  • Set up the course
  • Explain the course to all walk/runners (can be verbally or with a map)
  • Say GO and cheer everyone on!

Want Help?

If you’re finding this resource through a google search and don’t know how Positive Tracks works, you can learn more about us here and then sign up so you can access to our FREE resources and coaching.

Take Action

Sign Up With Us