Map your walkathon route and site, including water stations, concessions, and even waystations that add to the fun.
Consider the following factors when you choose your walkathon site and route:
- If you want to support people with varied levels of endurance, choose a route that is a loop. That way people can duck out at any time.
- For children, an ideal length for your route is ¼ to ½ mile. For adults it can be longer.
- Is the area safe?
- Is there adequate parking?
- Are there adequate facilities or can you augment appropriately, including restrooms, shade, seating, concessions, and electrical power?
- Is the neighborhood amenable to having a large event?
- Do you need one or two professional custodians to assist with cleanup, and if so are these services available?
Reach agreement between your leaders and any outsider who controls the site on the date and exact location, and if necessary, obtain written permission from those responsible. Be sure you inform other groups who would normally use that site, such as sports leagues, that it would be unavailable or shared that day. If you are a community organization in a small town, consider presenting to your town council to obtain moral support and keep them informed.
Filed under: advanced preparation, counting laps, setup, walkathon planning in general | Tagged: advanced preparation, lap cards, planning a walkathon, tracking distance, walkathon setup | Leave a comment »
Here are some posts to read when you are just starting out. Each of these five articles link to the next in the sequence. Like a treasure hunt for walkathon planning.
Roger Carr, author of 
Walkathon Guide 