Tips & Tricks | Estimated Read time – 10:56
Organizing an event with a fun, exciting, or inspirational theme is a great way to generate interest and boost participant engagement.
A well-planned event theme gives participants even more reason to take part in your endurance event beyond fitness and, when done right, keeps them coming back year-after-year.
However, coming up with ideas for a themed event can be challenging. That’s where we want to help.
We’ve picked out four themed endurance events to show you examples of what’s possible. Our goal is to give you some great event ideas you can use as inspiration, whether you are currently organizing themed events or thinking about putting on a new one!
Let’s dive in and learn more about each of these incredible themed events.
1. Theme: Holiday
The holidays are the most popular time to organize themed events, which makes it hard to stand out.
Run to Feed the Hungry has done an exceptional job standing out from other Holiday themed events by committing to an important cause everyone supports, building a loyal base of participants over 30 years.
About Run to Feed the Hungry
Run to Feed the Hungry encapsulates the true meaning of Thanksgiving. All the money raised from the event since its inception three decades ago has gone directly to Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services.
Run to Feed the Hungry has become a Thanksgiving tradition for families throughout the area—and the event continues to grow. Since the inaugural run was held on Thanksgiving Day 1994, the Run to Feed the Hungry has expanded from 796 participants to more than 29,000 participants in 2022 and this year’s race is expected to see even higher participation.
Race Roster tool spotlight:
Here’s a list of Race Roster features Run to Feed the Hungry uses for their event:
FEATURED EVENT
Run to Feed the Hungry
Event details
Where: Sacramento, California
Distances: 5K & 10K
When: November 23rd, 2023 (Thanksgiving Day)
Charitable partner:
Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services
Ideas You Can Use for Your Next Themed Event
Sell Themed Products in Participant Store
For 2023’s Run to Feed the Hungry, organizers created a registration add-ons page using Race Roster’s participant store feature, allowing participants to purchase event-themed merchandise, like canvas tote bags and turkey beanies, outside of the registration form.
Offer Virtual Participation Option
Run to Feed the Hungry offers a virtual option for participants unable to make the trip to Sacramento. The event is a yearly tradition for many, and the option to participate virtually allows families to carry on that tradition from wherever they are.
Fundraising tools
To encourage support for Run to Feed the Hungry’s charity partner, Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services, the event creatively offers a donation gift to anyone who donates a minimum of $50 during registration. In 2023, the donation gift was a Run to Feed the Hungry blanket.
Leverage Onsite Tool for Speedy Packet Pickup
Run to Feed the Hungry also uses Race Roster’s onsite check-in tool to provide participants with a smooth packet pick-up. With the check-in tool, organizers can dynamically assign bibs, as well as access real-time stats that show how many participants have picked up their bib and how many runners are yet to come.
Pro Tip: Using dynamic bib assignments with barcode scanners, we estimate the check-in process for each participant can be completed in less than five seconds. That’s approximately 720 check-ins per hour for each check-in station!
Learn more about streamlining your check-in process with Race Roster’s Onsite App and barcode scanners.
2. Theme: Celebrating women & girls
Empowerment is a powerful motivator. She.is.beautiful created their race series to inspire and uplift women and girls through the empowerment of running.
About She.is.beautiful
The She.is.beautiful Race Series empowers women and girls to find strength in the power of movement and community, bringing people together for their annual race in Santa Cruz to support Walnut Avenue Family & Women’s Center.
The 2023’s She.is.beautiful race in Santa Cruz raised nearly $23,000 for the Walnut Avenue Family & Women’s Center and the event has collected more than $200,000 in donations since its inception.
Race Roster tool spotlight:
Here’s a list of Race Roster features She.is.beautiful uses for their event:
FEATURED EVENT
She.is.beautiful Santa Cruz 5K and 10K
Event details
Where: Santa Cruz, California
Distances: 5K & 10K
When: March 18th, 2023
Charitable partner:
Walnut Avenue Family & Women’s Shelter
Ideas you can use for your themed event
Organize Pre-event Day Activities
The 2023 She.is.beautiful Santa Cruz event included meetups and activities in the months and weeks leading up to the 5K and 10K, including virtual yoga and wellness center trips.
Set Up Inspirational Course Route
This year’s She.is.beautiful Santa Cruz course was lined with inspirational sayings (a staple of every She.Is.Beautiful event), as well as multiple cheer stations and a finish line festival.
Use Registration Form to Promote Other Events
She.is.Beautiful prompts participants to indicate if they’re interested in taking on the She.Rises Challenge, where they would participate in both the She.is.beautiful event and the Pajaro Valley Shelter Services’ Mother’s Day Run. Participants disclose their interest on the registration form when signing up for the She.is.Beautiful event.
3. Theme: Fun Run
The SuperPower 5K is an example of event organizers using their surroundings to put on a memorable event, combining a popular convention and beautiful location to support a great cause.
About SuperPower 5K
The SuperPower 5K encourages participants to run or walk (or fly!) the event in their favorite superhero costume. By unleashing their superpowers, participants in the SuperPower 5K are helping support kids and youth at the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital.
SuperPower 5K participants suit up in their favorite superhero costumes and make the race-day journey from Toronto Harbour, over the waters of Lake Ontario, to the Toronto Islands. The superheroes running in 5K or 10K races are treated to unique, picturesque courses on Toronto’s scenic Centre Island.
Race Roster tool spotlight:
Here’s a list of Race Roster features the SuperPower 5K uses for their event:
FEATURED EVENT
SuperPower 5K
Event details
Where: Toronto Island, Toronto, ON, Canada
Distances: 5K & 10K
When: August 27th, 2023
Charitable partner:
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
Ideas you can use for your themed event
Provide Monetary Reward for Referrals
Organizers of the SuperPower 5K utilize Race Roster’s social referral tool, encouraging participants to spread the word about the event and receive a monetary award for successful referrals. How do you set up the social referral tool on Race Roster? Find out here.
Include Added Perks with Registration
The SuperPower 5K is organized to coincide with the conclusion of FAN EXPO Canada, who is an official partner of the event. As a sign-up perk, participants get free admission to opening day at FAN EXPO Canada as part of their registration.
Offer a Virtual Participation Option
The SuperPower 5K isn’t only for Toronto-based superheroes. Event organizers have opened the event up to caped crusaders everywhere, utilizing Race Roster to offer virtual 5K and 10K options to superheroes who want to support Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital from afar.
4. Theme: Music
Music and movement are made for each other. The Music Run™ is an excellent example of an event that combines the two with incredible results.
About The Music Run™
Imagine you’re jamming at your favorite music festival. Then, in between acts, you hit the pavement for a 5km Fun Run on a course lined with music-pumping speakers so you can run to the rhythm.
Welcome to The Music Run™; also known as Asia’s Fittest Party!
Launched in 2014, The Music Run™ is an immersive music and endurance event on a mission to “inspire people to live the beat and lead more active lifestyles.”
The 2024 edition of The Music Run™ is set to be held at the iconic Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The high-energy event features a trio of musical performances along with its signature 5km Fun Run. It also features live international DJs and a Music Village with F&B and games.
Race Roster tool spotlight:
Here’s a list of Race Roster features The Music Run™ uses for their event:
FEATURED EVENT
The Music Run™
Event details
Where: Bukit Jalil National Stadium, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur
Distances: 5K Fun Run
When: January 13th, 2024
Ideas You Can Use for Your Next Themed Event
Create Engaging Event Details Page Content
The Music Run™ has created a registration page as unique as the event itself, utilizing Race Roster’s event page customizations to include video, custom buttons, and sections to showcase their run pack items and event schedule.
Use Abandoned Registration Email
To ensure participants don’t miss out, The Music Run™ has enabled an “abandoned registration” email on Race Roster’s email campaign tool.
Bonus ideas for your next themed event
Host a themed photo contest
Race Roster’s photo gallery feature allows your participants to upload photos. Use it to host a photo contest and encourage your participants to wear themed costumes or merchandise.
Create a themed music playlist
Build a playlist that aligns with your theme using Spotify or Apple Music and share it with your participants for training or during your event. You can embed your playlist in your Race Roster event details page or Digital Engagement Kit.
Award themed fundraising badges
If you’re collaborating with a fundraising partner, make fundraising badges that match your theme. Race Roster’s fundraising badges can be awarded to individuals and teams at various fundraising milestones.
Offer creative themed awards
Create unique, meaningful awards based on your theme that will help make the participant experience memorable. Hand out awards for “Fastest Santa Claus” or “Fastest Mother” on Race Roster by leveraging answers to registration questions or participant list data.
Conclusion
Whether you’re an experienced event organizer or just starting out, putting on a themed endurance event is an important consideration. The benefits can be rewarding for everyone involved, as the four events we’ve explored show, but meticulous planning is required to pull it off successfully.
If you’ve found inspiration here to begin organizing a themed event of your own, Race Roster has tools and features that can help make it a reality.
