What marshals do on Bield
Marshals support the race organiser — not any individual runner. Their job is to staff posts on the course: aid stations, road crossings, kit checks, tail-walking sweeps, medic points, and safety positions. Bield's marshal role matches volunteers to posts and records their gigs; it doesn't carry any arrangement about pay.
Marshalling arrangements, including any expenses, are between you and the organiser. Bield facilitates the match and the communications; it doesn't process payment between users.
Marshal vs. helper — what's the difference?
| Role | Who they support | How they join |
|---|---|---|
| Marshal | The race organiser — staffs a post on the course | Volunteer interest submitted on a race; organiser assigns a post |
| Helper | A specific runner — informal race team member | Invited by the runner via a personal link |
Getting set up as a marshal
- Enable the Marshal role Go to Me → Your roles and toggle Marshal on.
- Set your coverage areas Me → Areas you cover — draw or select regions you're willing to travel to. Organisers searching for marshals near a course use this to find you. It also activates the “Inside my zones” race filter.
- Set your availability Add your available dates so organisers know when you're free before reaching out.
Volunteering for a race
- Browse races Go to Races. Race cards and race pages show marshal-friendly CTAs when you have the Marshal role enabled. Use the Inside my zones filter to find races in your areas.
- Submit your interest On the race page, tap the volunteer interest button. A short form (no wizard) asks basic details — which posts interest you, any relevant experience, your contact details for the organiser.
- Wait for assignment The organiser triages all interest and assigns volunteers to specific posts. When you're assigned, your engagement updates to invited status with the post details.
Prerequisites for volunteering
- The Marshal role must be enabled on your account.
- Organisers may specify minimum requirements (e.g. first-aid certificate, own transport) in the race briefing — check the race page for any stated requirements before submitting.
Race day workflow
Your marshal panel on the race page walks through your day in sequence. Each step unlocks the next.
- Confirm your assignment When you receive your assignment with status invited, tap Confirm to accept the post. Status moves to confirmed. Prerequisite: you must be in invited status — you can't confirm an unassigned interest.
- Check in on post On race day, when you're physically at your post, tap I'm on post. Status moves to on post. The organiser sees live post coverage on their volunteer board.
- Mark completed When your stint is done (last runner passed, post closed), tap Mark completed. Status moves to completed and the gig is recorded to your profile.
Call-for-help pings
Organisers can send geo-targeted “call for help” pings to volunteers near a post that needs coverage. If you're near the course on race day — even if not formally assigned — you may receive a ping. Accept or decline from the notification.
Split timing (checkpoint passes)
If the organiser has split timing enabled for the race, checkpoint gates record runner passings automatically. As a marshal at a checkpoint, the organiser's interface allows manual recording of a runner's bib when they pass. This is the prerequisite for accurate split data in results.
Marshal post statuses
Your marshal engagement moves through these states:
| Status | What it means | What triggers it |
|---|---|---|
| Interested | You've submitted volunteer interest | You tap “Volunteer for this race” |
| Invited | Organiser has assigned you to a specific post | Organiser assigns you in their volunteer board |
| Confirmed | You've confirmed the assignment | You tap “Confirm” on your marshal panel |
| On post | You're physically at your post on race day | You tap “I'm on post” |
| Completed | Your stint is finished | You tap “Mark completed” |
| Departed | You left post before the race window ended (e.g. emergency) | You or the organiser records an early departure |
| Unoccupied | Post has no active marshal — visible to the organiser as a gap | Organiser marks the post unoccupied, or no one has checked in |
| Cancelled | Your assignment was cancelled | Organiser cancels the assignment (e.g. post no longer needed) |
Helpers
A helper is different from a marshal: helpers join a specific runner's race team by personal invitation, not via the volunteer-for-a-race flow.
How to become a helper
- Receive a runner's invite link The runner generates a personal link from their engagement and sends it to you directly (message, email, text — any channel they choose).
- Open the link and sign in If you're already on Bield, sign in. If not, you'll be prompted to create an account — it's free and takes a minute.
- Accept the invitation Tap accept. You'll appear on the runner's engagement as part of their race team, alongside any pacers and committed crewers.
There are no prerequisites for being a helper — you don't need the Marshal role and don't need to set up a profile. You're there at the runner's invitation.
Common questions
Do I get paid for marshalling?
Any arrangement about expenses is between you and the organiser — Bield doesn't process payment between users. Many marshalling gigs are purely voluntary; others involve travel or meal reimbursement. Clarify with the organiser when you submit your interest.
What post types can I be assigned to?
Aid stations, road crossings, kit checks, tail-walking sweeps, medic points, and general safety positions. The organiser sets up posts from their race management dashboard and assigns volunteers to them.
I can no longer make the race. What should I do?
Contact the organiser as soon as possible — use the messaging thread on the race page or their contact details from the race. Let them know early so they can find a replacement. You can also update your status on your marshal engagement panel.
Can I be a marshal and also run a different race on the same weekend?
Yes — Bield tracks all your roles and engagements separately. Clashes in your calendar are your responsibility to manage; Bield doesn't enforce availability.