The Race Day plan from Race Day Ninja Crisp McDonald. In addition to supporting timers, Crisp has been a pioneer in hybrid events, and will break down everything from start line management to virtual results - and how timers and race directors can work together for a successful event.

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2. Race Day Essentials
for Hybrid Events
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▷ The Hybrid Approach
▷ Pre-Race Planning
▷ During Race
▷ Post-Race
▷ Timers as a Resource

3. Why Hybrid Race
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▷ Rising Covid rates = regional changing rules, hesitant athletes.
▷ Offering options appeals to local officials and participants.
▷ Use virtual as backup plan instead of potential refunds.
▷ Virtual options broadens reach to national audience.
▷ Challenge option offers broader reach beyond typical athlete.
▷ Greater revenue for you and your events.
Flexible options
essential for success in
2021

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5. Pre-Race: Planning
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▷ Hybrid Race Options
▷ Timing Results
▷ Bibs
▷ Socially Safe Environment

6. Planning Stage: Hybrid Race Options
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Decide which options are best for your race.
Flexible options are essential for 2021.
Keep simple for easier registration and results management.

7. Timing
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8. Planning Stage: Results
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On-Site
Scored
Results
Virtual User
Submitted
Results
RaceJoy
Auto
Submission
You Timer is resource for setup and management of Results.

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Digital Bibs
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10. Bibs (Digital Bibs)
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▷ Consider adding Digital Bibs for ALL your events
▷ Take some time and create a branded bib or mimic the real bib (include sponsors)
○ Participants will then print and wear in public.

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Staff Management and Safety
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12. Staff Management and Safety Plan
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▷ Many athletes will not be wearing masks at the race site while racing.
○ Take necessary precautions to limit you and your staff’s exposure.
■ Set up early and tear down later.
■ Wipe down all touch points with approved disinfectant.
○ Provide PPE for your staff
▷ Consider Providing No Touch Services and Limit Exposure
○ Remove any touch points that are unnecessary.
■ No result kiosks or printed pages: point athletes to the results website or RaceJoy.
■ Offer self managed water, foot pedals, etc.
○ Offer RaceJoy’s GPS timing and support and communicate remotely.
○ Timers able to do remote timing.

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14. Race Day
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▷ Packet Pickup
▷ New Start Line
▷ Defined Course
▷ RaceJoy

15. Packet Pick Up
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16. Packet Pick Up
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▷ Packet Pick Up: Plan for social distancing.
○ Spread stations out, if possible.
○ Have plan to manage/limit crowds and enforce social distancing.
○ Use cones/flags/dots on ground to show safe distances.
▷ Consider mailing out packets.
○ Keep in mind the extra costs, decreased lead time for orders, and lost bibs in mail.
▷ Use RunSignup’s Check-In App for efficiency.
○ QR Code scanning of digital bibs and QR/barcode applied to bibs.
○ Ensure settings are uploaded to the cloud for use on multiple devices.
▷ Consider providing shirts/giveaway items at the end of the race.
○ Avoids participant going back to car.

17. Packet Pick Up
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18. Packet Pick Up
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19. The Start Lines : Defined Course
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20. Different Start Line Options:
Planning for On-site Events
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▷ Supporting Social Distancing at Start Line Tactics
○ Add multiple course options (same distances, different
locations).
○ Increase the dates for the event to spread out
participants.
○ Set up staggered starts, corral times, etc.
▷ Determine Event Start Logistics:
○ Single day or multi-day event?
○ Is the event on closed roads that MUST be open by a
certain time?
○ Plan for enough equipment/power/staff to man multiple
splits.

21. Different Start Line Options
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▷ Mass Start
○ Everyone starts at once.
■ Pro: It feels like Pre-COVID, everyone is through the start line quickly.
■ Con: COVID-19!!!! NOT A GOOD IDEA RIGHT NOW!!!
▷ Limited Wave Start (Corrals)
○ Ex: 10 athletes every 2 minutes.
■ Pro: Athletes feel like they’re racing each other, even if it’s in groups of 10.
■ Con: Still groups of 10 and may be confusing who is in what wave/corral.
▷ Time Trial Start
○ Ex: 1 athlete every 10 seconds
■ Pro: Athletes spread out and less contact
■ Con: Start can take longer, some athletes don’t like TT starts because it’s less of a race
against others and more of a race against the clock.

22. Different Start Line Options
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▷ Grid Start (can be done in conjunction with wave starts)
○ Everyone starts at once or most start at once.
■ Pro: Everyone starts 6’ apart, everyone is through the start line fairly quickly
■ Con: You must time off of chip time and a bit more setup with cones/chalk/tape
▷ Open Start/Finish
○ Ex: 2 hour window for people to start and finish
■ Pro: Athletes can start when they feel comfortable
■ Con: There still could be running groups/friends who choose to run together
▷ Multi-Day Event - Open Start Finish
○ Ex: 9AM - 5PM
■ Pro: PLENTY of time for athletes to spread themselves out
■ Con: It’s multi-day event, you’re going to be out there for a LONG time

23. Different Start Line Options
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24. Different Start Line Options
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25. Different Start Line Options
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26. New Defined Course
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27. New Defined Course
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28. New Defined Course
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29. RaceJoy
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30. Deliver Real Race
Experience with RaceJoy
• Create a tangible race experience for on-site and virtual courses.
• Safe real-time engagement with participants.
• Offer a unique and official branded race experience.
• Integrate automated results and performance data.
• On-site course map customization options.
• Valuable Remote Timing tool.
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Real-Time
Remote Social Engagement
Previously, mobile apps only used with more established races.
Now it is an essential part of the race.

31. Key Features
• Custom Content/Branding
• GPS Live Phone Tracking
• Progress Updates Every Mile
• Cheer Sending by Remote Spectators
• Geo-based, Distance-based Audio
Placements
• Virtual, Traditional Results Integration
• Race Day Monitoring Dashboard
• Communications System
• Off Course Alerts
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provides races
with a mobile race
day experience

32. Send-a-Cheer
Great way to support runners when you
are unable to attend the race. The cheer
feature is the best!!! The voices and
cheers are priceless. Great mile tracking.
Tamara R.
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Includes Personalized Text-to-Cheer Messages

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Geo-Based &
Distance-Based
Cheer Points
Add key directional cues for on-site
events to reinforce ground markings.
*Not to be used for turn-by -turn guidance.

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35. Verify Participant
Results & Data
Your Virtual
Megaphone
Monitor Who is
Active on the
Course
RaceJoy for Remote Engagement

36. RaceJoy Creatively
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▷ With open source broadcasting software, you can stream a page like the RaceJoy monitoring page
live so others can track the event.

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38. Post Race
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▷ The Finish Line
▷ Results Delivery
▷ Finish Certificates & Awards

39. The Finish Line
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40. Different Finish Line Options
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▷ What should EVERY SINGLE finish
line during the pandemic look like?
○ There is no crowd. Period.

41. In-Person Finish Line Options
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▷ Two main options:
○ Separate Start/Finish
○ Shared Start/ Finish
▷ Which type depends upon:
○ Event Distance
○ Event Size
○ Staff/Volunteers Available
○ Equipment Available

42. Different Finish Line Options
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43. Different Finish Line Options
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In-Person Timed Results

45. Virtual: User Submitted Results
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46. Common Challenges
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May require data cleanup.

47. Common Challenges
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▷ Participants not understanding results options or process.
○ Communicate in multiple ways how athletes can post results.
■ Point athletes towards the manual submission page.
▷ Participants not knowing bib number and using arbitrary numbers.
○ Send out bib number notifications automatically.
○ Communicate multiple times.

48. Finisher Certificates & Awards
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49. Other Finish Line Factors to Consider
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▷ Limiting the Awards Ceremony
○ Pre-place all awards on a table and allow the athlete to come up and take
their award
○ Zoom Awards (or something similar is completely acceptable)
○ Mail out awards

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RunSignup RaceDay Products

51. Timers as Your Resource
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52. Timers as Race Resource
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▷ Registration Setup
○ Hybrid options can get complex.
▷ Results Setup and Management
○ Verifying data and resolving issues
▷ On-Site, Remote Timing
○ Scored timing is one step towards real racing.
○ Consider doing Start/Finish w/timing equipment and
supplement with RaceJoy
▷ RaceJoy
○ Exclusively available through Certified Timers

53. Elevating the Experience
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▷ The biggest things to remember to create a successful hybrid race course
○ Make it safe and responsible
○ Emulate a real race scenario as much as possible
○ Use all the tools at your disposal to make the athlete feel the value in their participation

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