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RRCA Club Challenge

RRCA Club Challenge

Howard Community College
Columbia, MD 21044 US

Find Your Category

Pre-Race Day

Refreshment Purchasing High Priority

At least 1 more volunteer needed.

Details

Purchase the necessary food and drink per the Race Director's instruction ahead of race day. Deliver everything to the event on race morning before the race's start.

Location

Warehouse Club Grocery (Costco, BJ's, Sam's Club, etc.)
Delivery race morning to Howard Community College Athletics Building

Course Marking High Priority

At least 1 more volunteer needed.

Details

Walk/Run the course the day or two prior with multiple cans of marking chalk. Mark all turns and lanes across the course to help guide the runners.
Please keep in mind that the roads are not closed during this activity.

Police Mandated

Course Marshal High Priority

You must be 18 or older to volunteer for this task.

At least 24 more volunteers needed.

Details

Attend Marshal meeting race morning to receive instructions, your safety vest, and your flag. Receive your post/assignment and be in position no later than 20 minutes prior to race start time. Signal runners (and cheer) to stay on course. Help police as requested with minor side-road traffic control. Remain at your post until the sweep vehicle collects your vest & flag and dismisses you.

Location

Various along the course. Transportation cannot be provided, so you must be able to walk/run/bike/drive yourself to your assigned position.

Coning the Course High Priority

At least 4 more volunteers needed.

Details

Deploy 28" tall traffic cones to create the police required running lanes per the operations plan. Retrieve cones after final runner has passed.
Time commitment: Day prior, early afternoon = meet at equipment shed & load cones
Race day: Have all coning requirements in place by 30 minutes prior to the race, assist with any course marshal positions as directed. College all cones after race & return them to the equipment shed.
NOTE: Must be able to safely lift and move 28" tall traffic cones (each weighs 10lbs.)

Location

Various as dictated by the police operations plan.
IDEAL if you have a truck or van capable of carrying cones.
If not, we need to know in advance to schedule and coordinate rental truck(s).

Race Day: Before the Race

Event Setup High Priority

May 17, 2026

Details

Help with registration setup, start/finish line setup, refreshment setup, audio system setup, award setup, and all similar tasks for getting things up and running on race morning.

Packet Pickup & Race Day Registration High Priority

May 17, 2026

Details

Provide runners their race bibs and premium as they check in. Help with any race morning walk-up registration.

Race Day: During & After the Race

Assistance Race Director Low Priority

Details

Get a full rundown of activities and expectations from the Race Director and help make sure it all unfolds as needed. Persons filling this role ideally have an interest in performing this duty across multiple races, or multiple years for this event.

Timing & Scoring Support High Priority

May 17, 2026

Details

Apply your skills and knowledge to assisting timing & scoring operations

Water Station Attendee Medium Priority

May 17, 2026

Details

Monitor one of the water stations on the course to hand runners water as needed, collect all used and unused cups, and return all supplies to the main event area once the race is complete.

All vehicles must be parked off Jerry's drive and not impede the runners on Owen Brown's shoulder. Runners will comes from Martin Rd and go toward Sunny Spring.

Location

Jerry's Drive & Owen Brown Road

Approximate GPS Address: 10477 Owen Brown Rd, Columbia, MD 21044

Refreshments Management High Priority

May 17, 2026

Details

Help arrange and monitor food and drink so that all participants are able to partake. Take a before, during, and after inventory count and provide to the Race Director for input into next year's event.

Event Breakdown Medium Priority

May 17, 2026

Details

Help with registration breakdown, start/finish line breakdown, refreshment cleanup, audio system breakdown, and all similar tasks for getting things cleaned up and packed up after the conclusion of the race and awards.

Bike Marshal - Lead Medium Priority

You must be 18 or older to volunteer for this task.

May 17, 2026

Details

Bike ahead of the lead runners, staying at least 100 feet in front of them. Provide notice that runners are approaching as you encounter course marshals, police, and the finish line.

KNOW THE COURSE as runners will be following you without second guessing!

Expect your pace to be at most 15 mph.

Location

Attend course marshal meeting to receive reflective vest if you do not have one.
Be at the start line at least 10 minutes prior to race start.

Bike Marshal - Sweep Medium Priority

You must be 18 or older to volunteer for this task.

May 17, 2026

Details

Bike behind the final runner, staying at least 100 feet away from them. Provide notice that this was the final runner as you encounter course marshals, police, and the finish line.

KNOW THE COURSE!

Expect your pace to be between 3 & 5 mph.

Location

Attend course marshal meeting to receive reflective vest if you do not have one.
Be at the start line at least 10 minutes prior to race start.

Sweep Vehicle Low Priority

You must be 25 or older to volunteer for this task.

May 17, 2026

Details

Have a midsize/larger vehicle (van, suv, two row truck) and perform "sweep" duties for the course.
You will follow at least 100 feet behind the final runners as long as the minimally required pace is being maintained (19mpm / 5 kph / 3.1 mph). As you pass course marshal, collect their vest & flag and dismiss them from their post/responsibilities.
Should runners fall below the required minimum pace of 5 kph / 3.1 mph, gently inform them that they either need to speed up, or they need to move to the sidewalk and follow pedestrian rules of the road. Should any runner self-quit, allow them to get inside the vehicle for a ride back to the finish line. RECORD any bib number that you provide a ride to. RECORD the count of runners that switch to being pedestrians (get their bib numbers if possible). Report back all walkers & did-not-finish bib numbers and counts to the Race Director or Head Timing Official

The Premier Running Club in Howard County!


The Howard County Striders are an incorporated non-profit organization dedicated to promoting lifetime fitness through running, based in central Maryland.

We sponsor or support many types of activities, including high quality race events, group runs, low-key weekly races, and a robust complement of training programs for both adults and youth, from beginners on up, to support continued active lifestyles in the community.

The Howard County Striders are a part of the RRCA Runner-Friendly Community of Columbia and Howard County!

PO Box 563, Columbia MD 21045

501(c)3 non-profit ID 52-1173677

www.striders.net

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