Irish Mountain
Running Association

Volunteer

League Director Responsibilities

The Committee will appoint one League Director for each league or championship. The League Director may also, if they wish, take on the role of Race Director for some or all of the races in their league.

The responsibilities of the League Director are to:

Race Director Responsibilities

The Committee will appoint one League Director for each league or championship. The League Director may also, if they wish, take on the role of Race Director for some or all of the races in their league.

The primary function of the Race Director is to MANAGE. They should manage both the organisation and the safety of the race, avoiding becoming engrossed in any particular task such that other tasks are not executed correctly. The Race Director is ultimately responsible for ALL aspects of their race.

The tasks & responsibilities of the Race Director can be broken into 3 groups: in advance of race-day, on race-day and after race-day.

In advance of race-day

On race-day


On the day of the race, the Race Director must ensure that everything runs smoothly. Only in small races should they take on tasks such as manning the registration desk. In medium-sized or large races, they should oversee and manage rather than do. As a general rule, except for very small races, the Race Director must not run in the race.

After race-day


Race Directors To-Date

Deputy Race Director Responsibilities

The Deputy Race Director has no responsibilities in a race and has no formal tasks other than to shadow an experienced Race Director to learn from them.

There may be more than one Deputy Race Director for a race. They may take on some tasks and should certainly help out, but should not become so engrossed in one task that they fail to learn all that is required of a Race Director.

First Aid Officer Responsibilities

A First Aid Officer should be appointed for every race. This person should normally have a first aid qualification, though this will not always be possible. The main responsibility of the First Aid Officer is to treat injured runners. Any search and rescue operation will be managed by the Race Director, not the First Aid Officer, so it is the Race Director, not the First Aid Officer who needs to know the IMRA Safety Guidelines. For small races, the Race Director may also act as First Aid Officer.

The First Aid Officer is not permitted to run in the race.

The First Aid Officer's responsibilities are to:

Race Marker Responsibilities

Race Marking Guidelines

Race Marking Guidelines Poster

Some routes are marked, others not. A Race Marker is obviously only required if the race is publicised as a marked route.

The race route should be finalised well in advance of race-day and there should be no need for last-minute changes to the route or start / finish areas, baring unforeseen circumstances such as tree-felling.

Marking of the route should be completed well before the start of the race, so that there is time to update the Race Director on any issues encountered before the race starts. Typically it takes 4 times the winner's time to mark a route, though this estimate should be further confirmed when the route is recced. A circular route takes longer to mark than an out and back route, so in this case it is often better to have 2 markers who mark in different directions.

Normally, the Race Marker can run in the race if they wish.

Their responsibilities are to:

Laptop Operator Responsibilities

The Laptop Operator should be trained to use the Registration & Results system prior to race-day. The system is too complex to be able to operate it with a few minutes training on race-day. The Laptop Operator cannot run in the race. Their responsibilities on the day are to:

Shadow laptop operator Responsibilities

Shadow laptop operator can be an experienced operator shadowing a trainee laptop operator or a trainee operator learning from an experienced operator.

Helper Responsibilities

The Race Director must decide how many Helpers they needs on the day. A useful rule-of-thumb is that the overall organising team should have one member for every 25 runners. The Helpers need no specific skill.

As a general rule, Helpers will not run in the race. For example, there is no point in a Helper accepting the task of manning a registration desk for a large race if they abandon their post to change clothes and warm up. Obviously Helpers manning the finish-line cannot run in the race.

Helpers need no prior training or experience. The roles and tasks they will perform are simple enough so that the Race Director can brief them sufficiently in a few minutes.

In large races, there are 5 roles that Helpers can perform that will require them to assume a post and accept responsibility to stay at that post for a period of time. These roles are: In addition to these roles performed by Helpers, there are several tasks which they may perform, such as: And occasionally: