5K Sports Race Management

Background 1994-2024


1994-1996

Race Director

Maine Marathon and Half Marathon

Portland, Maine


1995-1996
Race Director

Women's Distance Festival

Portland, Maine

1995-Current
Involved with over
5000 running events in 29yrs  
                        
1998-Current
TD Beach to Beacon
10K Race Course Coordinator  
& Race Organizing Committee

2006-2009

Finish Line Managment

Susan Komen Race for the Cure

Bangor, Maine  

2008-2010
Race Director 
Federal Jack's 5 Miler

Kennebunkport, Maine

2011- Current
Events we manage and own.


Lobster Roll 4 Miler
Scarborough, Maine


Portland Waterfront 5K
Portland, Maine


Wells Harbor 5K
Wells, Maine


Wells Harbor 10K 

Wells, Maine   


On The Run Half Marathon 
Old Orchard Beach, Maine  


Ashley Ouellette Memorial 5K & 2 Mile Fun Run

Scarborough, ME


Beat Santa 4 Miler

Old Orchard Beach, ME


January 2025

Sammy the Seagull 5K

Old Orchard Beach, ME


Click on the Race Calendar Page for races

we time.  We will time and manage over 170 events

in 2024

General Services

*   Assist with event design, liability, application
     and logistics
*   Assist Race Director with event logistics
*   Provide awards list to event for awards
     ceremony
*   Post results on 5K Sports Race Management

     web site   
*   Pre-entry list race day for registration table
*   We use Constant Contact to e-mail runners

     about your event.  We have over 18,000

     runner e-mails that have used Running4Free

     for online registration

Registration

*   Enter any amount of required event data in
     computer for pre-registration and event  
     day for computerized results
*   Prepare a pre-entry list & labels for packet
     pick-up
*   Identify any problems such as release
     signature, payment, age, address, etc.
*   Design custom race bibs with events race
     name 

*   Prepare race numbers with pins & labels for
     race day  
*   Provide all the equipment to do race day
     registration- pins, pens, stock race bibs

     are free, custom bibs are extra 
*   Oversee race day registration process 

Race Course & Finish Line

*   Start & finish line markers
*   Volunteer placement as required
*   Finish line chute with display clock
*   Computerized finish line race results 

Race Management Fee’s


Base fee is $300.00 to $350.00 depending on travel

and services provided to the race

We charge a $1.00 per runner added to base fee  

Races over 300 runners we use Chip Timing with

race/result / Chip timing fee's start at $500.00  We use

RFID technology disposable bibs

E-Mail us for a quote on chip timing. Fiveksport@aol.com

race/result web site

 
We do not time races that use Road ID bibs. 
  
Depending on event location, travel and accommodation expenses may apply. 
 
No deposit, Payment is due on race day. 


Chip Timing & Manual Timing

Races with 1-300 runners do not need chip timing.  Chip timing costs are between $500.00 and $1500.00. Races can accurately be timed with race bibs and bar codes without chip timing up to 300 runners.  Some runners think chip timing is more accurate.  Chip timing is not more accurate.  The end result with race bibs and chips are the same.

When you have 100% accurate data entry with chip or race bibs the results are the same.  


Manual  timing we use Time Machines and RunScore

All of our race day computers are backed up 


Races with over 300 runners we recommend chip timing.
We offer chip timing with race/result.  Disposable race bibs with RFID tags are $1.60 per runner.

We have timed races for 29 years and in most 5K races we can have the results and awards posted 50 minutes after the start of a 5K race.  If the results are later than 1 hour there are usually issues with spelling, sex, age and order of finish.  The delay here is because of the runners not being accurate and making mistakes with registration forms and not staying in line in the finish chute.  


We have accurately timed over 7000 running events in 29 years and have helped the smaller to mid-size races with timing at a reasonable cos​t.


Race Directors

​​​​

Free & Online Registration 

www.Running4Free.com

Listing Your Event & Online Registration 

Your event will be listed on Running in the USA
            
Custom Race Bibs

Custom race bibs at your race give the runners the impression that your race is well organized.  Runners like to keep their race bibs and hang them up at their homes or simply keep them as "race memorabilia".  Sometimes it is the runner's first race or it could be one of many and it simply becomes a "memory" that is one they cherish. The race bib becomes more a part of the event than a t-shirt as t-shirts often end up in a drawer or a pile and eventually end up being donated or just not used.  If you are doing a cost comparison for a race memory compare the cost of a bib to a t-shirt.  We often tell races one of the most expensive items that they have other than timing is the t-shirt costs.  So if you have a custom bib that the runner can keep- you can keep your t-shirt costs down.  On your race entry form, have an option for "no t-shirt".  See the savings that your charity will benefit from this one thing.  The bibs are three color bibs so we can match your events colors.  We do not mark up the bibs, we simply add the cost of the bibs to your invoice on race day.  The bibs need to be ordered 3 weeks in advance to your race to avoid late set up and delivery fees.  Prices are from Marathon Printing and are three colors include bar code, type H pull tag and shipping.


Custom bibs from races saved in a runner's garage for over 30yrs

of running races


​​Marathon Printing, Inc. Online Store
Click here to shop


1-100 bibs  $139.00 
1-200 bibs  $185.00
1-300 bibs  $231.00
1-400 bibs  $277.00
1-500 bibs  $323.00
1-600 bibs  $369.00
1-700 bibs  $415.00

1-800 bibs  $461.00

Race Day Registration Form 

This is what we like to have for a race day registration form. It wants to be 8 1/2 x 5 1/2.  If you have special catergories  such as team, hospital employee, teacher, fire fighter you have a line with a check box for this.    

Race Day Registration Form

Race # Issued:    _____________

 
Last Name_________________________


First Name_________________________


Age________    Sex    o M       o  F


Team____________________________o
 

Address___________________________

 
City______________________________


State__________           Zip___________


Liability Waiver Form

I understand that running a road race is potentially a hazardous activity.  I further understand that I should not enter a road race unless I am medically able and properly trained.  I agree by any decision of a race official relative to my ability to safetly complete the run.  I assume all risks associated with running this event including, but not limited to, falls, contact with other participants, the effects of the weather, including high/heat or humidity, traffic conditions of the road, all such risks being understood and appreciated by me.  I having read the waiver and understand these facts, and in consideration of your accepting my entry, I for myself and anyone entilited to act on my behalf, wave and release Jim McCorkle, 5K Sports, Running4Free.com, Victoria Kelley and all sponsors, their representatives and successors from any claims or liabilities or causes of action of any kind arising out of my participation in this event.

Signature_________________________

Date_______________

Parent if under 18 _______________________________

Race Day Registration Process

You want to have three areas for race day registration.  One table for pre-registered runners, one table for race day registration and one table with the race day registration forms. 


All three tables want to be separate.  As the race day runners arrive they go to the table that has the race day registration form.  They fill out the from and then go to the race day registration table.  Pre-registered runners go to the pre-registered table.

Have a alpha numeric list of the pre-registered runners posted so the runners can check for their name before they get to the pre-registered table.  When the pre-registered runners get to the table they tell the registration volunteers their bib number.  The race bib will have a label with the runners name, age, sex, and t-shirt size. 


By having the t-shirt size on the bib this saves time for the volunteers trying to sort out t-shirt size and makes for a organized bib and t-shirt pickup.  Tell the runner to check the label to make sure runner information is correct.
                 
Race Day Registration Form

The volunteers doing race day registration need to make sure that the race day registration form is filled out legible and all race information is filled out

Race Day Registration Problems

Here are some issues we have had with race day registration forms over the years.

*  Not checking the right sex  (Mother fills out registration form for a minor male son and checks off female on registration because the mother is a female) 

*  Not putting in the age at all  (Results and awards lists are posted and a runner is not in his or her age group as a winner. Computer needs age to calculate proper awards list)

*  Not putting in the right age  (Had a runner put his age in as 100 when he was 53.)
 
*  Not wearing the right race bib  (Husband and wife run in a race and the husband runs with the wife's bib and runs 17:10. The wife won the race as the 1st overall female)

Race bibs need to worn on the front and visible at the finish for the race timer.
                        
Finish Line

There is a chute set up at the finish for the runners.  As the runners enter the finish line, they are given a time with a computer.  Once in the chute runners need to stay in line and not exit the chute system.  The runners give the pull tag from the bottom of the bib to a race official in the chute.  If a runner passes another runner they don't recieve the right finishing time.