We have a series Customer Case Studies, in which we take your stories and share your challenges and successes as a learning tool for other RunSignup users. This Solano Turkey Trot Case Study focuses on the benefits of easy access sharing, and changing race day registration.
Solano Turkey Trot and RunSignup
Synergy Race Timing worked with RunSignup to smooth Race Day Registration and improve coordination between Race and Timer for the Solano Turkey Trot.
About the Solano Turket Trot and Synergy Race Timing
Since its inception in 2009, the Solano Turkey Trot has expanded from 700 runners to 2500+, and become a staple in the community. The race operates as a collaboration between several local charities, including Solano Hearts Unite, Meals on Wheels, Mission Solano, and Children’s Nurturing Project. Synergy Race Timing has timed the race for years, but in 2015 they became more involved with the registration process when the race moved to RunSignup.
Moving to RunSignup
When Synergy and the Solano Turket Trot evaluated new registration options, there were two main selling points that convinced them to go with RunSignup:
- They could keep online registration open longer compared to their previous provider
- The processing fees, with a per-transaction cost instead of a per-runner cost, worked out to a savings for their runners, and incentivized families to register together
The Benefits of Sharing Access
RunSignup’s access sharing capabilities allowed Synergy to view the registration numbers and information in real time and better prepare for Race Day. Synergy’s Eric Bauer explained:
“For me, it’s easier to have access to the data – in the past, it was always provided to me, but I didn’t have daily access. This way, I could go in and make distance changes, people subbing out, etc., as they came in instead of waiting until the last minute. I could do bib labels in advance; seeing the numbers as they came in let me stay on top of numbers and bibs/chips needed.”
Changing Race Day Registration
Prior to 2015, the Solano Turkey Trot would close registration the Sunday before the race, and everything after that point was done via paper registration and manual importing. The race generally offered around 2 packet pickups, and would see a number of paper registrations at each, as well as many on race day morning.
In 2015, Synergy was able to keep registration on RunSignup open until right before the race: they provided laptops at packet pickup, which allowed runners registering late to enter their own information directly into RunSignup.
The extended online registration had an impact: 390 people registered online between Monday and Thursday the week of the race, when online registration would previously have been closed. That’s a lot of manual entry (and room for human error) saved!
Additionally, Eric noted that keeping online registration open longer also limited the number of Race Day registrations:
“I think what it also did was shift away from race day registration. Packet pickup can be difficult to get to with traffic in the area, so previously a lot of people who wanted to register on Monday/Tuesday (when online registration used to be closed) would just wait until Race Day. With online registration left open, late deciders could register from home earlier in the week and avoid a race morning surge. Only 60-70 still needed to register on race morning.”
More Progress for Next Year
The Solano Turkey trot did still deal with some paper registrations. The race holds packet pickup at a running store, and allowed the store to take registrations and hold checks there, which created some manual work and confusion (i.e., runners who registered at the store did not immediately appear on the online participant list). For 2015, Synergy is looking at leaving a laptop at the store to operate as an on-site registration kiosk to take the place of paper registrations.
If you have a success story about your race, store or club, big or small, email us
…we’d love to explore a Case Study on your topic!