For race organisers

Becoming a race organiser

Race Organiser access is granted after a short vetting. It cannot be self-toggled like other roles.

1. Apply Go to Organiser → Apply. The form asks: your name, the race(s) you organise, an approximate next race date, a website or social link, and a short description of your experience (time directing, team size, relevant qualifications).
2. Await Bield review Bield reviews applications and replies within a couple of working days. You'll receive a notification when your access is granted (or if more information is needed).
3. Access the organiser dashboard Once granted, the Organiser section appears in your navigation. You can also apply via email at hello@bield.run.

The organiser dashboard

Everything is grouped under four headings:

Each race card on the dashboard shows runner count, pending volunteers, and marshal-post coverage. Quick actions: race brief PDF, volunteer roster PDF, view as visitor, edit, copy this race, cancel race.

Creating a race — full workflow

The race wizard (Organiser → New race) has nine steps and auto-saves a draft after every step. You can return to finish it later.

1. Basics Name, date, start location, country, distance (km), elevation (m), terrain type (road / trail / mountain / fell), cutoff hours, participant capacity, and an optional waitlist.
2. Route Upload a GPX file (up to 20 MB). The map and elevation profile render immediately. Named GPX waypoints can auto-drop as checkpoints. For multi-stage or relay races you can merge several GPX legs.
3. Contacts Pre-race contact details (for runners to ask questions) and during-race contacts (race-day emergencies).
4. URLs Public race page link, registration page link (where entries are actually taken and paid — Bield links to your own site here), live-tracking link, and registration open / close dates.
5. Rules Pacers allowed (yes / no), crew allowed (yes / no), and your pacing policy (free text — leg rules, joining points, solo-running zones).
6. Checkpoints For each checkpoint: name, location, cutoff time, and per-checkpoint amenities — water, aid station, sleep area, drop bag, food, pacer join point, crew meet point, first aid, parking.
7. Kit Mandatory kit list. You can use presets, your company defaults, or build a custom list per item (with checkable field for each kit item).
8. Features Per-race feature toggles: finisher certificates, split timing, custom questions, and others. Toggling a feature off later hides the tab but never deletes its data.
9. Review Preview everything. Save as draft (private, not yet listed) or publish (live on the Bield race browse page).

Managing a race after creation

The race editor has tabs for everything. You can edit any tab at any time — draft or published.

Managing volunteers and marshal posts

1. Marshal posts are created automatically from checkpoints Every checkpoint you add generates a default marshal post. You can also add standalone posts — road crossings, kit-check stations, tail-walker position, medic point, safety marker.
2. Volunteers submit interest Marshals on Bield see your race and submit volunteer interest. You see all interest in the Volunteers tab.
3. Triage and assign Review each volunteer's profile, trust score and availability. Assign them to a specific post — their status moves to invited and they receive a notification.
4. Race day tracking The Volunteers tab shows live post coverage — who has checked in, who is on post, and any gaps. Send a “call for help” ping to volunteers near an uncovered post.

Split timing

If you enable split timing in the Features tab, checkpoint gates record runner passings. Marshals at checkpoints can manually record a bib passing through the checkpoint interface. Splits appear in results after publish.

Prerequisite: Split timing must be toggled on in the race Features tab before race day. You cannot retroactively add splits after the race.

Results — upload and publish

1. Go to the Results tab After the race, open your race editor and go to Results.
2. Add results Either add manually (per row) or tap Import CSV. CSV columns are auto-detected by header name. Supported columns: bib, name, time, status, distance, category, position, notes, and optionally email (used for certificate delivery to non-Bield runners).
3. Validate (dry run) Before anything is written, you see a row-by-row pass/fail preview. Fix any errors, then confirm. CSV limits: 5 MB, 5,000 rows.
4. Choose import mode Append/update (matched on bib + distance — safe for adding to existing results) or Replace (wipes existing rows first — use carefully; no undo).
5. Publish Results stay private until you tap Publish. Once published, runners matched to a Bield account see their result in their engagement. This is also the prerequisite for sending certificates.

Result statuses supported

Finished, DNF (did not finish), DNS (did not start), DQ (disqualified), withdrawn.

Finisher certificates — design and send

Designing your certificate

Go to Dashboard → Public presence → Certificate. Certificate design is saved per organisation and applies to all your races unless overridden.

• Accent colour — matches your page theme or set a custom hex
• Certificate heading text
• Congratulations message — supports {race} and {name} tokens
• Race director name (printed on the certificate)
• Optional rosette / badge stamp overlay
• Display toggles: route map watermark, elevation caption, finishing position, total finishers

Tap Preview certificate at any time to see a sample PDF in the current design.

Email template

Below the certificate design panel, the email template editor sets the subject and body for the notification email. Available variable chips:

{runner_name}  ·  {race_name}  ·  {race_date}  ·  {finish_time}  ·  {position}  ·  {total_finishers}  ·  {organiser_name}  ·  {certificate_link}  ·  {join_link}

A live preview refreshes as you type. A “Sent by [you] via Bield” footer is always appended; it cannot be removed.

Sending certificates

1. Open Results → Send certificates Finishers are grouped into three categories: in-app (Bield members), by email (non-members with an email on the CSV), and no contact (no email, not on Bield).
2. Review and tweak (optional) You can adjust the subject and body for this send only, without changing your saved template.
3. Send Certificates render in your browser and are delivered in batches. Keep the tab open until the progress bar completes.
   • In-app: runners receive an in-app notification and a push notification. The certificate is downloadable from their engagement.
   • By email: non-Bield runners receive an email with a time-limited download link (valid 30 days) and a join-Bield invite block.
   • No contact: skipped. To reach these runners, add their email to the results CSV and run Send certificates again.
4. Review the summary After delivery, a summary shows sent / failed / skipped per runner. To resend (e.g. after fixing an email), open Send certificates again — it re-delivers to any runner who was previously failed or skipped.

For the full certificate walkthrough with a real example, see Finisher certificates.

Race lifecycle

Common questions