Non-Competitive Walks
We talk a lot about event planning for timed 5Ks and 10Ks and we’ve even discussed one-mile fun runs, but often the benefits and potential of a non-competitive walk get overlooked. There are many reasons why this could be the best choice for you, especially if this happens to be your first year planning a charity fitness event.
There is something relaxed and fun about non-competitive walks that appeal to both participants and planners. While it’s not to say they are less work, the planning itself can be less stressful as well as utilizing fewer players in the actual process. Also, with so many run/walk events out there today as a non-competitive walk, yours may end up being just the thing some participants are looking for.
One of the main reasons this event can be easier to plan is that there is no need for fancy finish-lines. Non-competitive also means non-timed because you won’t not need to classify your participants based on their finishing times in order to award prizes. During planning this means you won’t need to hire a company to run the finish line or rent equipment if your organization does not already have it.
You still want to have a finish line set up to welcome your participants at the end, but you have much more flexibility in how you design this. Not having to hire a company or rent equipment means cost savings for your organization. In addition, you’ll have the option of putting together an event more quickly because you won’t have to work around the availability of such assistance.
This leads to the need for less people around your planning table. While it is good to have lots of minds at work to generate ideas, less people to organize or contact can work in your favor. In addition to not needing an outside company, you also may need fewer volunteers to pull off the event especially if a significant portion of them were assigned to the start and finish. Less of your energy can be placed on medical assistance as well. You still need access when hosting a walk, but the nature of the event is less intense so you can usually get by with only minor assistance.
Along with a simplified planning process, the event itself will appeal to a different population in your community. You can pull in new exercisers by advertising it as a beginner event, attract families or promote the event to corporate teams. What participant numbers you miss out on with competitive athletes you will likely gain and even exceed with casual exercisers.
The idea of a non-competitive walk is all about fun while supporting a cause so be sure not to strip the fun away as you cut costs and reduce your planning committee. Still plan on having refreshments, games, t-shirts and consider giving away your prizes through a raffle in which all participants have a chance to win.
Photo by Trailnet
What do you think? Leave a comment
about this post below. You can also subscribe to our RSS
Feed to stay up to date. Joining
Charity Mile will give you your own profile, blog and chance to interact
on our forum
too.
No comments yet.