The 11 most common that mistakes I see with 5k races

November 06, 2025

  1. Starting to Plan Too Late 

    A 5K might look simple, but in reality it’s like running a small business and planning a wedding at the same time.

    👉 Start planning at least 90 days out — earlier if possible.

  2. Weak Promotion 

    “If you build it, they will come” only works in the movies.

    👉 Start marketing the event with content, testimonials, and updates early to build hype.

  3. Venue & Permit Delays Many times, cities moves slowly. Permits can often take months.

    👉 Apply early and confirm everything in writing. For private venues, still book early to lock in your date.

  4. Doing It All Yourself 

    You can’t.

    👉 Recruit a small team. Assign clear roles: registration, course, timing, sponsors, marketing.

  5. Underestimating Costs 

    Shirts, medals, drinks, signs, logistics — it adds up.

    👉 Track everything in a simple budget with a built in cushion.

  6. Saying “Yes” to Everything 

    Someone always wants to change things, especially at the last-minute.

    👉 Protect your plan. If you don’t want to say “no”, recruit a “bad cop” on your team who can politely tell folks “no”.

  7. A Poorly Organized Race-Day

    Chaos can happen.

    👉 Build a race-day timeline and over-communicate.

  8. Weak Communication

    Runners hate uncertainty.

    👉 Send pre-race emails, post updates on social media and respond to questions quickly. Clarity builds trust.

  9. Bad Data from Messy Spreadsheets 

    Spreadsheets with missing data and hundreds of columns = unnecessary headaches.

    👉 Use Run The Day to handle registration and timing — no spreadsheets, no stress.

  10. Ignoring Sponsors 

    Sponsorships can cover major costs.

    👉 Reach out to 100 local businesses. Even one “yes” can cover a good chunk of race expenses.

  11. Forgetting the Fun

    Maya Angelou once said that “… people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

    👉 Create energetic vibes, like it’s a big celebration. Thank your volunteers and cheer the runners to spread positivity and gratitude.

— Ian

Free email sending

Graphic comparing traditional email tools to Run The Day’s built-in email system. On the left, Mailchimp, Constant Contact, and ActiveCampaign logos are shown crossed out in red. On the right, the Run The Day logo appears clean and bold. Headline at the top reads: “Email Built Into Your Dashboard” Sub-headline: “All your race communication in one place.”

With Run The Day, your race emails, updates, and results all live in one dashboard — no Mailchimp, no Constant Contact, no chaos.

Ian Campbell

Ian Campbell

CEO @ Run The Day
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