So I went to Nashville a few weeks ago to be a part of the Country Music Marathon & 1/2 Marathon race. This was event planning on a large scale. The race drew more than 30,000 runners with 100,000 spectators. Unlike our work with the Athletic Auction, this event required many more workers, planning and of course money. To me the event went off very smoothly and if there were problems, we were unaware.
The event kicked off with a Health and Wellness Expo on Thursday and Friday nights. The expo provided participants a chance to pick up their race numbers and grab a goody bag full of coupons and samples from sponsors as well as a t-shirt. There was also a large expo room where companies could come and sell and display their products related to running. The most impressive part of the expo to me was the quickness of it all. When there are thousands of people waiting to get to one place, it usually takes forever and is chaotic. They wound us around so many places that we never stopped walking which made it seem like we were getting somewhere.
On the actual race day, the marathon had set up a free shuttle service that took runners to the starting line from the finish line. Again, the wait here was minimal. I think they had all the coach buses that Nashville had to offer. At the start, there were food stations with breakfast and rows of port-a-potties, which I have learned, is a necessity at any pre-race location. The area around the start was near a park so everything was spread out and never felt cramped.
Runners were placed in corrals at the start according to expected finish time and they were started in waves. The footage I have of the event is here at the starting line.
The planning continued with the multiple water stations every mile or so. There were also 10-15 bands that had to be set up and playing along the entire course. The streets of Nashville were blocked off and traffic redirected. There was also the finish line that was stocked with food and drinks.
After the race, the event was not over. They held a huge, free concert for the runners by country music star Billy Currington.
These are only the obvious things that had to be thought out. I can’t image the all the little things that no one thinks of because they have already been taken care of. Imagining planning an event like this is crazy to me. There is just soo much! This was the first time I have actually thought about the behind the scenes work at an event instead of just enjoying it, and I have to appreciate all their hard work!
