Sadie Lowell

I can see it now, smiling faces of happy runners all across your social media page. They look just as happy as every other race photo I’ve seen used by races. They could be from your race, or any other race that has ever happened in the last five years (I’d go further back, but at that point the fashion trends would differentiate). And that’s a problem faced by races around the world. On socials you look like every other race that’s happened. Luckily, you can tell a better story without losing your budget.

And maybe you’re sitting there thinking that you really are just a local race where people show up, run 5k, a half, or a full, and go home. You don’t have fireworks or bonfires or anything that can make you stand out in photos. And to that I’d like to tell you about a race in Switzerland. 

Now, a Swiss race does have an automatic benefit of the Alps as a backdrop, but that isn’t where this race laid their laurels. Instead, they dug deeper into Swiss culture and created an iconic and highly photographable final moment of the race. Rather than ending the race with a lackluster cut off time, or someone just starting to break down the setup, the Swiss City half Marathon ends with a procession of cowbells slowly being rung and marched across the finish line. 

They turned what has historically drawn lots of negative press for races (we’ve all seen post-race videos of someone finishing a race only to find out they missed the cut off) into a moment that is both impossible to miss and visually stunning for photos and videos. 

Maybe your race doesn’t need cowbells, but you still can learn from this ending. 

Look at your race, and ask yourself what simple changes can you make to shine on social media? Could you step up your aid stations to make them really buzzworthy? I’ve certainly seen a few Ultra’s going viral for doing just that. Or maybe you could put motivational signs on the back of your distance markers (I definitely loved when an out-and-back I ran did that). Or you can look at races like the Reading Half Marathon, where Judith Manson and team created a mile 8 cheer zone and then strategically positioned their content teams around that.

The other thing that the Swiss City Marathon did was incorporate local music, Swiss Horns and accordions into the course. They moved away from the traditional music groups that did the same thing as every other race, and instead selected music that only they could have. Adding another point to celebrate the local culture and another moment for runners to post about unique memories on socials.

Even the smallest moments can be an opportunity to create something unique for your runners. You don’t need a giant budget or a corporate sponsor, you just need the ability to look past the “norm” and organize a massive cheer zone, dig into local culture, or find something that only you can create. Because, at the end of the day, being a race organizer is about doing your best for your runners.

About Me

After spending the last few years promoting small and unique races on socials while also working as a freelance marketer, I’ve decide to take some of what I’ve learned and seen races doing and share these insights for anyone struggling to make their race stand out.