Global Running Day is a fantastic opportunity to bring together enthusiasts, competitors and amateur runners, whether they take part alone, with family, or in teams. The event can take many forms: road races, nature trails, charity runs, or obstacle courses. Organising such a sporting day requires planning, discipline, and plenty of teamwork. Here’s a detailed guide to support you through every step.
Summary
1. Clearly define your type of run
Before jumping into the planning, take time to think through the precise nature of your event. Global Running Day, celebrated this year on Wednesday 4 June 2025, is a worldwide occasion, originally launched in the US and now embraced across the globe. It highlights all forms of running and can be much more than a simple timed race.
If you opt to organise a classic running event, define the key elements:
- What distance? A 5k for families? A 10k through the city? A 20k trail in the countryside?
- What kind of course? Urban, forest, seaside, with obstacles, or fully accessible?
- What is the goal? A sporting challenge, a festive occasion, a fundraiser, a community awareness campaign, or simply to join the Global Running Day movement?
But this day can also take more creative forms. A timed run isn’t mandatory. Here are a few alternative ideas :
- A solidarity walk open to all ages
- An introduction to running with warm-up, posture or nutrition workshops
- A film screening or live article on the benefits of running, followed by discussions with athletes or enthusiasts
- A charity event in partnership with a local association or committed brand
Depending on the format, your needs will vary: safety, permissions, supervision, insurance, communications, etc. However, all these formats share a common purpose: promoting a healthy, accessible, affordable and stress-relieving activity that builds community. Organising such an event helps turn sport into a tool for social connection, engagement and even personal development.
Your event can be local or virtual, athletic or symbolic, lively or minimalist. What matters is that it has meaning, a name, a date, and a real desire behind it, to move, share and commit. Just like Global Running Day itself, your event can be part of a wider movement backed by citizens, brands, councils or sports communities.
2. Essential steps in event planning
Once your event format is decided, it’s vital to comply with local legal requirements to ensure everyone’s safety. These steps, while essential, can take time, so plan ahead.
You’ll need to:
Inform the relevant athletics body (e.g. Athletics Canada or UK Athletics) if your event includes an official race or marathon
Obtain permissions from local authorities if the event takes place on public roads or parks
Secure public liability insurance to cover risks such as accidents, injuries, or property damage
Put in place an appropriate safety system: qualified first-aiders, clear signage, emergency access, and a medical presence for large events
Whatever the format: race, walk, activity, virtual challenge, event organisation also depends on effective field team coordination. Volunteer management is key. Tools like WeezCrew can be invaluable, letting you assign roles, adjust schedules, track teams in real time, and streamline coordination whatever the crowd size. A real asset for ensuring smooth operations.
As organiser, your role is crucial: to ensure safety, but also to create a smooth, inclusive and enjoyable experience. Behind every event are people of all backgrounds: beginners and experts, training enthusiasts and curious newcomers, all looking for connection, health benefits, or simply a break – maybe even a celebration.
3. Make participant registration easy
Once your event has been structured, it’s time to open the registration process. To manage this stage without friction, a platform like Weezevent allows you to centralise and manage registrations: create the form (name, category, medical certificate…), configure prices according to date, start waves or profiles, and add options like t-shirts, medals or services on the big day.
In just a few clicks, you can monitor the progress of registrations from your account, download the list of participants, manage the flow of information and anticipate on-site requirements. Not only does this save you time, it also helps you to understand your audience better: where are the runners coming from? What other events are they taking part in? What applications or devices do they use to train? This data is invaluable for fuelling your research or refining your communications.
4. Communicate effectively about your event
Your event deserves to be seen. To mobilise as many people as possible, a clear, anticipated, multi-channel communication strategy is essential.
Start by creating a dedicated page on social networks such as Facebook or Instagram. Post engaging content on a regular basis: photos of the route, reminders of the date, portraits of volunteers, training advice, etc. It’s your showcase, a living publication, and a direct point of contact with your future participants, whatever their level or pace.
Don’t forget to register your race or any other format such as a walk, an introductory tour or a village of facilitators, in online sports calendars. These platforms are consulted by thousands of people looking for their next challenge or event. A simple, well-completed form can make all the difference and give you new sources of visibility.
If you have a base of contacts, former participants, clubs, sports associations, an e-mail campaign is an excellent lever. Use it to announce the opening of registrations, relay the latest news and create links around your event. This channel remains an effective way of transmitting targeted and customised information.
Finally, activate local partnerships. Get businesses, local media, sports brands or local authorities involved. They can share your event, offer prizes or help you reach new communities. They play a key role in raising the profile of your initiative.
Properly managed, this communication will give your event a real dynamic, transforming a simple race or local action into a much-awaited event in the area. Because even without a big budget or a flagship product, your commitment has an effect: it brings people together around a positive project, embodying the values of sport, the planet and living together.
5. Create an exceptional participant experience on D-Day
Don’t forget to celebrate the end of the race by handing out medals and awards, and quickly communicating the results to the participants.
Clear signposting and regular water points along the route or at the event venue.
Provision of refreshment stands adapted to runners’ nutritional needs.
Animating the site with professionally supervised warm-ups, motivating music and relaxation areas.
Efficient flow management: rapid withdrawal of race numbers, a locker area for personal belongings, and digital attendance management via mobile scanners.
Don’t forget to celebrate the end of the race by handing out medals and awards, and quickly communicating the results to the participants.
6. Reviewing for continuous improvement
After the event, a full post-event review is essential in order to learn valuable lessons and prepare for future editions :
Gather feedback from runners, partners and volunteers to identify strengths and areas for improvement.
Measure the impact of your event through actual participation, media coverage and feedback on social networks.
Use the data collected from registrations to better understand your audience and refine your offer for future events.
Keep in touch with your participants through regular communication: sending souvenir photos, announcing future events, new offers or additional services.
By carefully following these recommendations, you’ll be able to organise a successful World Running Day, attracting both beginners and experienced runners, and strengthening the commitment of your entire sporting community.
Organising an event for World Running Day isn’t just about lining up a few kilometres on a course: it’s about asserting a desire. It’s about bringing people together, promoting a sport that’s accessible to all levels, and creating a space for sharing, energy and respect. Thanks to Weezevent’s solutions from online registration to access management to volunteer management you have everything you need to design an event that suits you, that’s fluid, inclusive and lives up to your ambitions.
