We wanted to release some guidance on virtual races as we have the ability to accommodate for this on our platform.
At times such as these, this may be a great alternative to cancelling the race and still allows the distance to be safely completed by the entrants. Below are guidance notes for you to setup your own virtual event, including how your entrants can transfer to these new events, all seamlessly from within our platform.
Event:
Setting up a virtual event has never been easier! Simply create a new event on our platform called ‘Virtual Race’ and turn on transfers from the current event to this new one, in the transfer centre within your organisation. Please click here for further instructions on how to do this. This will allow all entrants within MyRaceNation to transfer to the virtual race, free of charge. Our VIP support team will be on hand to assist you with the creation of this, if you need.
Communication:
It is important to effectively communicate to your entrants that you will be moving the original race to a virtual race. Selecting ‘Communications’ from your organiser dashboard will allow you to send mass email, or SMS messages to all entrants. Please see here for instructions on how entrants can transfer to the new virtual race. It may also be important to state your refund policy within these communications.
Evidence:
It’s now up to your entrants to complete their distance! Entrants can use a third-party app, such as Strava, to record their run. We suggest adding a custom field to your new event, which should be a simple text box, which entrants can later update with a link to their evidence within their MyRaceNation account for you to confirm their time.
Results (optional):
You may or may not want to produce a set of results for your new event. If you do, we have arranged with DB Max, the ability for them to produce a set of results for virtual races. Entrants will complete the race distance and upload their time into the DB Max site, which will seamlessly allow for provisional results to be produced. Please note, before publishing these results, you may wish to verify their finishing times using entrants race confirmation links uploaded to MyRaceNation, which can also be uploaded to the DB Max site.
Please email enquiries@dbmax.co.uk to find out about their virtual results service.
Event day App
Our event day app will provide a few tools to make your virtual race stand out from the rest.
Live entrant tracking
Entrants can be tracked via the RaceNation app, meaning that self-isolating friends, family and colleagues can still track the entrants virtual race progress! Please note you will need to enable the settings for this within the RaceNation platform. Tracking is available from an hour before and an hour after the event so please keep this in mind when creating event times. Entrants will have the ability to turn tracking off if they wish, as well as securing their tracking via friend codes.
Event branded photos
There is an option within the app for entrants to take photos of their activity. You can upload your logo and/or branding so this is also displaying on top of these photos. Entrants can share these via social media and may also wish to send these to you for the creation of an event gallery.
We hope the above provides some useful guidance as an alternative to cancelling your event. Please keep checking government guidelines within your country to monitor any further changes/restrictions which may affect this. If you require any help whatsoever in regards to setting up your virtual race, or have any ideas or concerns you wish to speak about, please contact us at vipsupport@race-nation.com. We’d be very happy to offer any guidance we can during these tough times.
