Considerations for night events
Earlier this winter, I had my first experience of event adjudicating at a night event (or come to that matter just attending such an event) and what a learning curve it was, writes Nigel Rowe, England Athletics board member and technical advisor to runbritain.
It was a 10k road race in the wilds of Dartmoor (so no street lights and on this occasion no clear sky).
I arrived just before dark to drive the course and soon realised that the little signage I saw was going to be useless in the dark.
The race organisers stipulated the following as conditions of entry;
Mandatory wearing of head torches.
My thoughts are that you need to give the following areas due consideration and possibly make them mandatory, in addition to the above;
Marshals supplied with high visibility bibs or jackets and glow sticks
Signage that can be seen in the dark (neon print or similar)
Athletes to wear high visibility jackets or bibs
Get every athlete to register prior to the start so you know exactly how many are participating
Athletes to carry a whistle
Provide Temporary light at the start/finish - time and number recording purposes
Note: you may get away with some of this if the event was being held in an urban environment but you wouldn't in a rural setting.
It also reminded me of another point often overlooked and that is the method of communications.
At this particular venue the mobile reception was virtually non existent and the organisers did not have two way radios.
Finally also always have a means of a back marker or sweeper whether that's another runner, cyclist or vehicle.