Brian Porter with running legend, Ron Hill, at the Freckleton Half

Brian Porter, Race Director of The Freckleton Half Marathon for the past 7 years, course measurer and UKA endurance official attended the day and expressed his thoughts that mirrored others on the course, "WOW, I never knew you could pack so much into such a short time. All the major aspects of organising a race were covered and it was a good opportunity to meet other race directors who are experiencing exactly the same as me. Everyone there was looking to improve their events but we all acknowledged perfection is an aspiration not a reality."

The day started with introductions followed by a short discussion on the role of the race director, the importance of seeing the event through the eyes of all involved and a quick reality check as Nigel Rowe advised "If you ever put on the perfect event - that would be the time to quit because it would never happen again!"

The course was then broken down into eight modules:

Working with partners

The tutors explained the importance of working with the Local Authority (LA) and the Safety Advisory Group (SAG) and strongly advised the race director's to meet with this group with as long a lead time to the race and with as much information as possible. The group is made up of Local Authority, Traffic Authority and Emergency Services. The tutors stressed the importance of giving a good, professional impression, presenting what you have done and asking advice on what you should do. They are there to be consulted and, as their name suggests, to give advice. It may also be worth asking for a check-list before going to see them and ticking as much as possible.

Some of the areas that will need to have been considered are:

• Course design - Take a proposal with you but be willing to listen to others ideas
• Access implications - consideration should be given to numbers arriving, ease of access for disabled participants, getting emergency vehicles in and out and how you would clear the way in order to let this happen
• Infrastructure - Baggage, Changing, Toilets, Can the medical team access all parts of the course? What type of vehicle is required? Use of the area by others.
• Crowd dynamics - what are the numbers? Movement of entrants and spectators in getting to the event.
• Temporary traffic order - if it is on the highway you will have to raise a temporary traffic order and SAG should be able to help you with this.

Race Director's need a good relationship and dialogue with the race medical providers. They will be able to provide a medical risk assessment but only with the Race Director's input. Consideration needs to be given to the race distance, terrain, time of year and water stations.

The runners, themselves should be signposted to runnersmedicalresource.com

Contractors could be brought in for putting up signs and barriers and also for marshalling. If there are road closures the barrier needs to be erected by a qualified person who will also remove it after the event on the instruction of the race director. Signs should comply with regulations and the race should have permission to put them up. If the marshals are from outside of the sport they may need careful briefing on being happy, smiling and courteous!

Risk Assessment

The Race Director has a duty of care towards EVERYONE!

• Runners
• Volunteers
• Marshals
• Spectators
• Residents
• Pedestrians
• Shoppers
• Motorists
• And anyone else in the vicinity!

At least three months and not more than six months before the race a risk assessment has to be sent to the LA. All areas should be assessed: race headquarters, start, course, finish. It is good practice to carry out the risk assessment with another person, at the site, in daylight as well as at the same time of the week and the day (or night) that the event will take place and by walking or driving around the course in the direction of the event and then in the opposite direction, if possible. The assessors should have a good quality detailed map of the course, a breakdown of maximum numbers, start times and appropriate wave numbers available, with the previous years referee's and/or scrutineer's report if available.

The questions to ask are:

1. What is likely to happen?
2. What are the hazards?
3. Who is at risk?

Assessment should then be made on:

1. The degree of injury those people may suffer from the hazard
2. Measures that can be put in place to reduce the severity of the risk
3. The severity of the risk once those measures have been put in place and if anything more can be done to reduce the risk further.

Focus could be given to:

1. Difficult features such as a junction with limited visibility
2. Traffic flows
3. Shopping patterns
4. Public transport
5. Implications of other events happening on the day

The assessors could also use this opportunity to identify signing requirements, marshals and their duties.

The findings should then be recorded and reviewed regularly. The degree of risk should be balanced against the outcome and the cost of reducing the risk.

Health and Safety

 After discussion on the two horses that were recently killed at Newbury the group were advised that the land-owner should give the race site clearance and tell you what's underneath. There was a discussion around risk assessments on temporary structures and the tutors advised the group that any contractors that are required to erect temporary structures should sign off that they've erected it safely. They should have their own insurance and supply the race with a copy of this.

Food Hygiene standards need to be adhered to. The Race Director should check procedures, people and appliances. If contractors are used a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), which is the process from buying to storage to serving needs to be checked along with a Food Hygiene Certificate and Gas Fired Catering Appliances certificate. Volunteers should be briefed on best practice with consideration given to the handling of cash and food. Best practice would be to have separate people handling money than those handling food. If gloves are to be supplied they should be non-latex.

Action plans should be put in place for:

1. Medical issues - first aid points, ability to summon external medical support quickly, personal and medical details on the back of race numbers. (Marshals should be instructed to refrain from completely removing the number from the runner as their details should go with them)
2. Emergency action plan - likely emergency scenarios, such as a suspect package, must be thought through. Establish levels of alert and consider code words that can be used to inform members of the organisation without creating panic amongst the crowds
3. Fire Assessment

Rules

 The Race Referee (who holds a current Endurance Official's License with UKA) should apply the rules. They should be made clear to the Race Director and team, the Race Referee and officials, Runners, Coaches, Team Managers. These rules can be found in the IAAF handbook, the UKA rulebook, the Road Race Handbook (2011) and the Licence Standards Document.

As well as enforcing the standard rules the Race Director should make clear further requirements for the effective running of the event. The group discussed issues such as runners using a number that hasn't been issued to them, runners using MP3 players and I-pods during the race and race refund policies.

Legal and Administration

 All races that are licensed with UKA can benefit from £50 million public liability insurance. All incidents, however minor they may seem, must be reported to UKA. The tutor's advised the group to do this as early as possible. A claim can be brought several years later by which time a Race Director may have forgotten the details if they haven't been written down.

The group discussed financing and budgeting for races. Race organisers should keep in mind the purpose of the race, the income expected from entries, sponsorship and advertising and then the expenditure that can be afforded for prizes, items and contributions to charity.

Use of IT

The benefits of using the internet for advertising and marketing the event, communicating with the runners, obtaining a license and collecting entries were discussed.

The runbritain online entry is the best value online system available. It doesn't cost the runner anything to enter the race and the only cost to the race is the credit card charge. Race Director's were advised to set the entry fee at a price that absorbs this cost.

Collecting the entries in this way is a fast, effective process and gives the race a data base of runners with whom they can then quickly communicate to inform of any pre-race advice, race pack mail-outs, last minute information and post race results and news.

By using this system the race is automatically entered onto the runbritain calendar and the Race Director can submit their race preview and report onto this section of the runbritain website. 

Chip timing was discussed with explanations of how it works and the options available. The group discussed the advantages and disadvantages. The tutor's recommended the system as efficient and hassle-free but advised the group to use manual timing and recording for the first 100 - 200 or until it was clear that the chip timing was working well and to also use a video camera at the finish as a back up.

Briefing Marshals

 Races are required to supply an adult marshal at each major junction and changes of course direction. Each marshal should be fully briefed before the event. Examples were shown of booklets that could be given to each marshal outlining their responsibilities, positioning and timing. In addition to this meetings should take place where this information should be repeated, the marshals are shown what to do in an emergency and taught how to operate any equipment, such as radios. RAYNET provide radio services and could be considered. Marshals should understand that, although they have no power to stop traffic they can alert drivers to any dangers! However, they have a duty of care to the runners and so if, for example, a runner has collapsed they can stop the traffic in order to prevent the situation from escalating.

Medical

Race Director's were advised to be aware of statutory Duty of Care and refer to the 'Good Practice Safety Guide for Small and Sporting Events on the Highway' from the Home Office. The race will need to assess the level of provision needed for the race. Possible providers are:

1.      Voluntary

a.      St.Johns

b.      Red Cross

c.      St. Andrews

2.      Bought in

a.      NHS Ambulance Service Trust

b.      NHS hospital - local doctors may help

c.      Private medical providers

To obtain a license Race Director's are required to provide details of the first aid, medical cover and medical facilities that will be provided for the race.

The Race Director should ensure that the provider makes provision for clinical waste (and the race should ensure other waste is taken for recycling if at all possible).

After the event post race reports must be completed:

• Medical Return Form - within one month
• Race Referee Report - stating the medical cover that was provided
• UKA - Incident and Accident Report
• The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) actioned if necessary.

runbritain aims to develop a three tier course of road race organiser courses at accredited, intermediate and advanced levels over the next two years. Further dates are now set for:

Durham - 27 March

Peterborough -  8 May

Birmingham - 19 June

The course lasts one day and costs £40 including lunch. All of the above and more is covered on the course and there are opportunities for questions and discussions on other topics.

Details of 2011 courses are available from glightwood@uka.org.uk