Practicum Overview by Justin Sims

Who is Start 2 Finish?

Start 2 Finish is an an event management firm the provides services for clients wanting to put together the following events:

5K

10K

Half Marathons

Cycling Events

Multisport Events

Swimming Meets

Adventure Events

Triathlons

Who is Start 2 Finish? (CONT.)

Start 2 Finish has locations in:

Charlotte, North Carolina

Nashville, Tennessee

Memphis, Tennessee

Other services that Start 2 Finish offers:

Time Management

T-Shirts

Awards

Goals Going Into Start 2 Finish

Learn the basics of event management

Analyze what all goes into putting together, running, and evaluating

a race.

From the communication between the event managers to the event

holders.

From communication between event management employees to have

things run smoothly when setting their equipment up.

How do these events become reality?

*Meeting between Start 2 Finish Manager Daniel (Red Hat) and officials for the Hope To Dream 5K

How do these events become a reality?

Start 2 Finish holds meetings between the event coordinators, police

officials that will help said event, facility site of the event owners,

etc. to discuss how said event will flow (or how they would like for

things to flow.)

These meeting will go on until all of the important representatives

are on the same page. It may take more than one meeting/phone

conference for that to happen.

Dogwood Dash 5K

Holy Rosary School : Memphis, Tennessee : August 22rd, 2015 : 5K Race : Kids 400 Meter Dash

Dogwood 5K (Cont.)

The race was for the benefit of the ANGEL

Program, a school for children living with

Autism.

To spread the awareness of the fastest

growing development disability in the

United States.

This race, I helped set up and construct the

finish line and the results booths

I also helped cone the course and lay out the

water stations that were placed nearby each

mile marker.

Course Map

The course map is constructed based on the major roads close to the event site.

This race layout only had the very start of the race go down the side of a major road for brief periods before going into neighborhoods.

Cones and local police were there to help the flow of traffic with a lane being used for the race.

Million Calorie Burn 5K

First Congregational Church : Memphis, TN : October 10th, 2015 : 5K Race : One Mile Fun Run

Million Calorie Burn 5K (Cont.)

Founded by former Mayor AC Wharton to implement his “Commitment to Fitness”

campaign.

Assisted in setting up finish line, the timing equipment, starting line, water stops, and coning the course.

Observed the manager Daniel talk to a senior citizen who’s drive way was blocked off by the finish line.

It was there I realized some of the headaches firms such as Start 2 Finish bear so the event holders don’t have to.

Course Map

This was probably the most simplistic race

layouts I’ve seen in the races I’ve worked.

At the same time, there were a few traffic

issues that sprung up that morning.

The course goes through two minor

intersection as well makes a big left turn

towards the finish at an intersection where

police had to stop traffic.

This was definitely a course where everyone

needed to be on the same page for it could

very easily fall apart.

Le Bonheur Pumpkin Run 5K

Ridgeway Circle : Memphis, TN : October 17th, 2015 : 5K family-friendly run: post race Boo Bash

Pumpkin Run 5K (Cont.)

A race where the event officials handled the

packet picks ups and the bibs.

Start 2 Finish provided the equipment to

build the finish line, results booth, coning

the course, and timing equipment.

Due to it being October, this event was

meant to be Halloween themed. So there

were several participants who ran in their

Halloween costume.

A type of appeal that brings participants out is

the festivity.

Course Map

This course took place off of major roads and instead in a section of the city of closed office buildings.

The race did at one point go down a single lane road, causing traffic to be backed up briefly.

This was a race where I felt that the last racers really clogged up traffic but that is bound to happen.

They lucked out because part of the track goes by the starting marker so they were able to stop their walk near the 2 mile mark.

Susan G. Komen Memphis-MidSouth Race

For The Cure

Downtown Memphis : October 31st, 2015: 5K Family Walk/Run

Race For the Cure (Cont.)

Race For The Cure (Cont.)

This was the first race I worked with bad weather conditions.

Race For The Cure is an annual race to spread the awareness of breast cancer and to raise funds for ongoing breast cancer research.

Aside from the same tasks I’ve had from previous races, I was asked to stay at the results booth to show new racers how to look up their finish times.

Despite the areas being blocked off to set up, there were few cars that got through at 3 AM to get to their work that was behind the barrier.

Course Map

This race was a 9 AM start on a wet

Saturday Morning in downtown Memphis.

With downtown having a large amount of

one way streets, driving through during this

race is nearly impossible.

Local news stations gave a traffic disclaimer

to its viewers the night before warning what

roads would be closed during the Race For

The Cure.

This race had such a high amount of

participants that traffic was blocked off for

nearly two hours with all the festivities

going on.

Happy In Memphis 5K

Memphis, TN : November 21st, 2015 : 5K Walk/Run : Kids

Dash

Happy In Memphis 5K (Cont.)

This race was to celebrate the city of

Memphis sponsored by Harding

Academy.

Participants are encouraged to come

out and dress in the matter of showing

why the Memphis is special to them.

The course was designed to take

runners by notable Memphis landmarks

such as the Dixon Gallery and Gardens,

Audubon Park, and the Memphis

Botanic Gardens.

Course Map

As explained before on the previous slide,

Start 2 Finish designed this course to allow

the races to walk/run by a few Memphis

landmark.

There was one blockage of traffic that I

myself was concerned about near the

starting line. Part of the track loops around

and goes by the starting line which could

become confusing for late racers.

The 3 mile marker is on the varsity track of

Harding Academy with the finish on the

straight away.

Side Note…

This gravel hill is used as part of

the course to get up onto the track

and the finish line. Personally, I

don’t feel we coned this well since

the racers ran up the hill on the

side. They can very easily trip and

injure themselves going up this

kind of hill like that in my opinion.