One event, many races
Most weekend races are actually multi-contest events: a main race plus a shorter option plus a kids race. This structure serves more runners, fills the venue more efficiently, and increases revenue per event day.
Example: a road running event can include:
- Half-marathon (21.1 km) — main event, 8am start
- 10K — secondary, 8:30am start
- 5K fun run — 9am start
- Kids 1K — 11am start
The event / contest hierarchy
Think of it in two layers:
Event = the day and venue. Shared logistics: venue permit, medical team, parking, sound system, hospitality.
Contest = a specific race on that day. Unique: start time, distance, BIB range, pricing, registration form, ranking categories.
In Time-Monkey, you create one Event, then add multiple Contests inside it. Each contest operates independently for registration, BIBs, and results — while sharing the parent event's logistics.
Contest configuration specifics
For each contest, configure:
- Name and short name — short name appears on BIB labels (e.g., "HM" for half-marathon)
- Distance — displayed in event units (km or miles)
- Start time — the actual gun time, not the same as event day
- BIB range — distinct range per contest (e.g., HM: 1-500, 10K: 501-1500, 5K: 1501-3000)
- Entry fee tiers — each contest can have its own pricing
- Age limits — kids 1K might have max age of 12
- Registration form — kids contests might need parental consent fields
Why separate BIB ranges matter
Even though the contests are in the same event, give each contest a distinct BIB range. This:
- Makes results sorting instant (you see at a glance which race someone ran)
- Prevents accidentally pairing participants in the wrong race
- Allows the timing system to use different timing mats/frequencies per contest
- Lets volunteers visually identify which participants go where
Shared participants: can someone run multiple?
Yes. Common scenarios:
- Runner registers for the 5K and the kids 1K (for their child)
- Parent registers for the half-marathon, both kids for the 1K
- "Double-header" runners who do the 5K then the 10K for training
Each contest registration is separate. Each generates its own BIB and fiscal document. Participants can register for multiple contests in sequence from the main event page.
Pricing strategy across contests
Typical pricing progression:
- Kids: 5-8 EUR (loss-leader, drives families)
- 5K fun: 10-15 EUR
- 10K: 15-20 EUR
- Half-marathon: 25-35 EUR
- Marathon: 45-65 EUR
Some organisers offer "bundle" discounts: "Register for the 5K + kids 1K and get 3 EUR off." Time-Monkey supports this via voucher codes.
Ranking categories per contest
Each contest has its own rankings. Typical breakdown per contest:
- Overall
- Male / Female
- Age groups (M20-29, M30-39, etc.)
- Teams (for relay contests)
- Local / guest
- First-timer
Time-Monkey calculates all ranking categories in parallel from a single finish time. You don't have to run the race multiple times through spreadsheets.
Results display
When visitors come to your results page, they should see a contest selector at the top:
- Half-marathon results
- 10K results
- 5K results
- Kids 1K results
Each gets its own table, own rankings, own filters.
Practical example: typical weekend event
Event: "Zagreb Spring Festival 2026" on Saturday, April 12.
Contests:
- Half-Marathon — 600 registered, BIB 1-800 range, 8am start, 35 EUR
- 10K — 1200 registered, BIB 801-2200 range, 8:30am start, 25 EUR
- 5K Run/Walk — 800 registered, BIB 2201-3200 range, 9am start, 15 EUR
- Kids 1K — 150 registered, BIB 9001-9200 range, 11am start, 7 EUR
Total: ~2750 participants, one venue, one medical team, one sound system.
Revenue: ~63,000 EUR from registration alone (plus sponsors, merchandise, hospitality).
Duplicate contests for future years
Time-Monkey's duplicate function clones entire events (all contests and settings) for the next year. You update the date and relaunch — five minutes instead of five hours.