Weather risk is real
Any outdoor event eventually faces adverse weather. Heat waves, torrential rain, thunderstorms, snow — each requires a different response. The races that handle weather well have pre-documented protocols. The ones that handle it badly make decisions under pressure, in chaos.
Heat protocols
When forecast temp exceeds 25°C at start time, activate:
- Double hydration (water stations every 1.5km instead of every 3)
- Cooling stations (sponges, ice bags) at km 3, km 7, km 10 for half-marathons+
- Medical team on high alert (dehydration, heat stroke protocol)
- Pre-race briefing: remind participants to slow pace, warn on symptoms
- Consider moving start time 1-2 hours earlier
When forecast exceeds 32°C: consider cancellation. Races at this temperature are genuinely dangerous.
Rain protocols
Light rain: race proceeds. Add:
- Non-slip signage at turns
- Extra towels at finish
- Shelter at finish (medical tent, hospitality)
Heavy rain: decision point. Safety considerations:
- Visibility on roads
- Flooded sections
- Risk of hypothermia (especially for 4+ hour finishers)
Some events proceed in any rain ("race rain or shine"). Others postpone. Publish your policy in advance.
Thunderstorm protocols
Lightning is the clearest weather cancellation trigger. If forecast shows lightning within 20km of course during race window:
- Delay start by 30-60 minutes if storm is passing
- Postpone to next day if sustained
- Cancel and credit to future race if neither works
Running in lightning is not heroic — it's negligent. Don't be the organiser on the news.
Communication protocol
When weather triggers a protocol change:
- Race director and medical lead decide (not by committee)
- Email all participants with clear subject: "RACE UPDATE — [Race Name]"
- Post on social media with same message
- Update event page with current status
- Notify volunteers + sponsors + timing team
- If postponing: new date + instructions clearly
Critical: be decisive and consistent. Half-messages create confusion.
Refund policy for weather cancellations
Typical options:
Option A: No refund. Participant fees are spent (T-shirts printed, medals bought, permits paid). Some races enforce strictly. Runners who care about this should buy race insurance (not the organiser's responsibility).
Option B: 50% credit toward next year's race. Softer, preserves relationship, avoids full refund outlay. Most common approach.
Option C: Full refund. Expensive to organiser but maximises trust. Some organisers use this for major cancellations (not minor delays).
Option D: Transfer to another event. If you organise multiple events per year, offer free transfer to another upcoming race.
Publish your policy on the event page. Don't negotiate case-by-case.
Insurance (for organisers)
Event cancellation insurance covers:
- Refunds to participants (up to policy limit)
- Non-refundable costs (permits, venue deposits)
- Rescheduling costs
Cost: 2-5% of event budget. Worth it for events with >500 participants or >50k EUR revenue.
Insurance (for participants)
Race registration insurance is a product some services offer. Costs 3-5 EUR added to registration. Refunds full registration if runner can't attend for insured reasons (medical, weather, etc.).
Offer it as optional add-on. Runners who want protection buy it; others don't.
Postponement logistics
If you postpone to a later date:
- Communicate new date within 24 hours
- Offer refund for those who can't make new date (show flexibility)
- Confirm venue, permits, volunteers for new date
- Re-notify timing company
- Update registration data (keep same BIBs if possible)
Learning from weather incidents
After any weather-impacted event, conduct a post-mortem:
- Did we decide fast enough?
- Did we communicate clearly?
- Did the refund policy work as expected?
- What will we do differently next time?
Document and share with your team. Institutional knowledge compounds.
Time-Monkey support for weather scenarios
Time-Monkey allows bulk communication to all registered participants with one click (email + SMS if configured). For refund/credit operations, the Storno document system handles fiscal compliance automatically — issue partial refunds or future-event credits as single-click admin actions.