There are race organizers and race organizers. Runners can tell the difference.
I ran the scenic Batanes 360 Marathon for the third time last Sunday. It was a very well-organized and beautiful race. At the dinner post-race among runners, talk drifted to badly organized races. One race organizer stood out as being the most notorious.
Complaints ranged from frequent last-minute cancellations to poorly designed race routes which are much shorter or longer than the designated distance. There are hardly any marshals and very lax controls, which make it conducive for runners to cheat.
Sometimes, the race routes pass through dangerous areas where, at one time, a runner was even supposedly hit by a car.
I’ve been fortunate not to have run in any of this race organizer’s events. But what was mind-boggling was how this race organizer has so far been able to get away with a runner’s version of murder. This organizer is still busy organizing races all over the country to this very day.
I hear similar horror stories in trail races. There is this organizer who does ultra mountain races with sloppy prep work like missing aid stations and course markings being completed while the race is ongoing.
Again, to be completely transparent, these were just information relayed to this writer but I too have experienced slipshod work by some organizers. There was this race billed as an “international marathon” years back. A lot of people ended up walking that race because of the extreme heat and the aid stations only had lukewarm water and no electrolyte drinks. Worse, some aid stations actually ran out of water.
People could have suffered from heat stroke or hyponatremia, both of which are potentially fatal conditions.
When it comes to trails, I never dare join a race alone for fear of getting lost.
Trail races are notorious for not having marshals or sufficient course markings that getting lost during the run is not far-fetched. It is very rare too to see any medic along the course. Yet, trail runners pass through perilous terrain. A runner can easily fall off a ravine or into a gorge and no one would know until after the end of the race.
I know for a fact that the Philippine Trail Running Association is trying to set certain standards for trail races but what about road races. I am not aware of any initiative from organizers to police their own ranks or to set certain standards for race organizing.
As runners, we hope race organizers would at least choose and map out race routes carefully.
As much as possible, organizers should avoid heavy traffic or major roads especially if these cannot be closed off completely. Sometimes, we, runners, find ourselves running along the same road as buses and ten wheelers belching dark smoke. It becomes particularly dangerous when runners have to cross a street that remains open to traffic. Some vehicles insist on passing through even while runners are crossing.
Since races also start very early in the morning while it’s still dark, race organizers should avoid bringing runners to portions where the road is not that even or there are potholes that cannot easily be seen. These can cause serious injury to runners.
Organizers should also provide adequate aid stations. It is only reasonable to have aid stations every three kilometers in the Philippines where it is hot and humid.
Providing adequate and well-informed marshals is also a must. I’ve run a number of races where some marshals are even more lost than the runners. They should, at minimum, be able to direct the runners to the right direction and alert enough to know what to do in case an emergency unfolds in their presence. Marshals should also be on the lookout for cheaters who take shortcuts or those who run without a bib.
These are just my top-of-mind questions. In sum, organizing races is not as simple as one may think. It should be undertaken with thoughtful preparation and meticulous attention to details.