Most race-day problems are not race-day problems. The queue at bib collection, the water station that ran dry, the runner who never got the start time: almost all of them trace back to something that slipped weeks earlier. The fix is a simple timeline, worked backwards from the start gun.
This is a practical checklist for race directors, running clubs and cycling groups across India. Use it for a 5K fun run or a full marathon. Scale each step up or down, but don't skip any.
8 weeks out: open the doors
Lock the basics and go live
Fix the date, venue, categories, start times and cut-offs. Then publish your event page and open registration. Athletes plan their season months ahead, so every week you are not live is a week they are booking someone else's race.
Do now: start the paperwork for local permissions (police, municipal body, venue owner). Requirements differ by city, so ask early and keep copies of every letter.
- Write down exactly what the ticket includes: bib, timing, T-shirt, medal, hydration, breakfast
- Publish your refund and transfer rules before the first booking, not after the first request
- Set an early price with a fixed end date, and create coupons for clubs and partners
6 weeks out: the course and the people
Measure, time and staff it
Walk or ride the full route at race time of day. Note traffic points, turns, poor lighting and places where the road narrows. If you describe your course as "certified", be sure it is certified by a recognised body. World Athletics, for example, publishes its own criteria for road courses used for rankings and records.
Do now: confirm your timing partner, medical team and ambulance, and start recruiting volunteers.
- Plan water and aid stations along the route, and plan for heat, not the average day
- Book medical cover for the start, the finish and along the course
- Recruit more volunteers than you think you need. Some always drop out in the last week
4 to 2 weeks out: talk to your athletes
Fill the gaps, then fix the numbers
This is when most late registrations come in. Post the route map, the aid station plan and photos from past editions. Each update gives an undecided athlete one more reason to book.
Do now: set a clear registration closing date, then place your T-shirt, medal and bib orders against real numbers.
- Brief your volunteers by role: bib desk, course marshals, aid stations, finish line
- Share a simple race-day information note: reporting time, parking, bag drop, toilets, start pens
- Re-check every permission letter and keep copies at the venue
A great race day is decided eight weeks before the start gun. When the page, the tickets and the check-in are sorted early, the organiser's energy goes where it belongs: the route, the safety and the athletes on the course.Amit Daga, Founder and CEO, Feet and Pedals®
Race week and race day
Short queues, clear signs, calm starts
Run a full walk-through with your core team two days before. Check signage, start and finish layout, the medical tent and the sound system. On the day, open bib collection early and keep one person free just to solve problems.
Good to know: on Feet and Pedals®, every athlete gets an e-ticket with a QR code, and your volunteers can check them in by scanning it. That keeps the bib desk moving.
The week after: close it properly
The race is over, but the next edition starts now. Athletes remember how an event ends as much as how it starts.
- Publish results and photos quickly, while the excitement is still fresh
- Thank volunteers, sponsors and local authorities by name
- Settle refunds and check your payouts. On Feet and Pedals®, both are handled from the organiser panel, along with GST invoicing
- Write down what went wrong while you still remember it, and fix it in next year's plan
- Announce next year's date early, so athletes can put it in their calendar
Start your 8 weeks with the Early Bird offer
Feet and Pedals® is building an early organiser network, as the first step in a larger platform for India's endurance athletes. Our Early Bird offer is open to the first 25 organisers or until 31 October 2026, whichever comes first:
- A 90-day trial, starting the day you activate the Trial Plan
- Up to 10 event listings
- ₹0 subscription charges during the trial
- ₹0 payment gateway charges
- Just 1% management fee on paid tickets, and 0% on free events
The offer is the same for everyone and is subject to offer terms. See the full pricing, and the organiser manual for a step-by-step guide to listing your first event. Questions? Write to amit@feetandpedals.com or WhatsApp +91 92207 22803.
Running, cycling, triathlon, swimming, trekking and more. Put your event in front of athletes looking for their next start line.
