Temporary paint

[Charles]

Quick update on the temporary paint. I got some from EZ paint or something like that. Supposed to wash off in 30-60 days if I remember right. I did a test in our parking lot. I used the whole can marking up the lot one day in May. The first things I painted were more saturated and are still visible, but wearing. Later in the can when not as much solid paint came out the markings are already gone.

We are making a stencil unique to our race to paint with. The run is in October, I will post info on results after the race.

[nycruns]

NYCRUNS has been using route arrows. We pick them up after the race but they supposedly dissolve in rain. Check out routearrows.com

[RaceMeasure]

We use flour with great success. It's cheap, and we use a 1-gallon rubber container (Tupperware, Rubbermaid, etc. all make them) with a large removable lid, and a smaller, closeable pour hole (should be at least 1" in diameter). We make arrows by shaking it side-to-side, for about a 6"-wide arrow. Holds up to runners fine, but washes away with the rain. Have used it on 5,000-runner races, and it is still visible for the stragglers.

As previously stated; don't remove your volunteers. They are critical on a course!

[vanhireunitedk]

Temporary paint is not effective. It has to be paint again after few weeks & cleanse with water & also it is not that long lasting.

[JimG]

Temporary paint is not effective. It has to be paint again after few weeks & cleanse with water & also it is not that long lasting.

COMPLETELY disagree here. I direct 2 dozen+ events each year, and all courses are marked using spray chalk. The only problems I have had have come during some winter events where snow/sand obscure the markings. There have been times I've painted the snowbanks on the side of the road - DayGlo pink really jumps out from white snow.

The key is painting when the road is dry. It is traffic rather than rain that causes subsequent wear, so a heavily traveled road should be painted as close to race day as possible (I try for the afternoon/evening before).

A local summer series of races uses different colors each week, as their courses use many of the same roads. Earlier this month I saw traces of marks from a race in August (admittedly we had only 2 snows last winter).

If runners know that arrows on the roads are the only markings available, they will become used to looking for them. It's all a matter of training, just like running.

[JamesM]

When we hold races I always manage the course, that is the bit between the start line and the finish line. All the rest is frue-frue.

Put volunteers down and have them stay put.

Have cones on all corners they should take and cone off the roads or paths they should not.

We use full sized traffic cones to keep cars off road courses, and HUNDREDS of small orange and yellow flying disk type cones to keep runners on course. These low disk like markers are large, bright, stay put and generally make it bloody obvious where the course goes. The front runner(s) are following a lead bicycle or scooter, it is the slower people at the back, where the big gaps open up, who you have to keep on course.

We never use arrows on the road. They my not be our arrows. We have cones everywhere and volunteers at every major turn. We never rely on police to direct runners, they are often looking the other way as they direct or deal with traffic. Cones, Cones, Cones and more cones. They call me cone man, with good reason. I can't remember the last time we had someone off course. I like when people come up and complement us on (a) a well coned and marked course (b) mile marks exactly in the right place (c) a well designed course. We also put on the best food, have unusual prizes and return customers.

[Tom Filippone]

The running club I belong to used to use flour but local authorities didn't like us using it (after using it for many years) so we switched to spray chalk which we used for awhile until the police said not to use spray chalk. They didn't like anything on the roads after the races were over. So we started to use florescent tape to form arrows at the turns. That way they could be picked up right after the race.