You’ve spent months planning your race. You’ve set up registration, built out your website, and lined up volunteers. And then the emails start rolling in.
What time does the race start? Where do I park? Can I transfer my bib to a friend? What if it rains?
Every one of those questions is a small drain on your time — and a small signal that your race website isn’t doing enough of the heavy lifting. A well-built FAQ page fixes that. It keeps your inbox manageable, builds confidence in your participants, and makes your event feel polished and professional before anyone ever crosses a start line.
Here’s everything you should consider including.
Race Day Logistics
This is the category that generates the most questions, so answer it thoroughly.
- Start time and wave schedule. If you have multiple distances or staggered starts, spell out each one clearly. Don’t make runners hunt for this.
- Course address and start line location. Link to Google Maps. Add a note if GPS tends to drop runners at the wrong entrance.
- Parking. Where is it? Is it free? Is there overflow parking? Are there road closures that affect the approach?
- Packet pickup. When, where, what time, and what ID or confirmation do participants need to bring? Is race-day pickup available?
- What to bring on race day. Confirmation email, photo ID, bib number — make it a simple checklist.
- Race day schedule. When does registration close, when do corrals open, when does the finish line close?
Registration and Pricing
Questions about money and deadlines come second only to logistics.
- How do I register? Include a direct link. This sounds obvious, but participants who find your FAQ through Google may not be on your registration page.
- What’s included in registration? T-shirt, medal, post-race food, timing chip — list it out. Surprises at check-in (good or bad) stick with people.
- Are there price increases? If you have tiered pricing, tell people when prices go up and by how much. This also functions as a soft urgency nudge.
- Is there a registration deadline? Be specific — date and time.
- Can I register on race day? If yes, is it the same price? If no, say so clearly.
Transfers, Deferrals, and Refunds
This is one of the most-searched FAQ categories and one of the most commonly omitted. Don’t leave participants guessing about your policies.
- Can I transfer my registration to another person? If yes, is there a fee? What’s the deadline? RunSignup supports participant-to-participant transfers — if you’ve enabled this, say so and link to the instructions.
- Can I defer to next year? Many participants will choose a deferral over a refund if it’s clearly offered.
- What is your refund policy? Be direct. “No refunds” is fine to say — just say it. Ambiguity causes more frustration than a clear no.
- What happens if the race is canceled? Weather, permits, emergency — what’s your contingency? Will participants get a refund, a credit, or a virtual option?
The Course
- How is the course measured and certified? Runners care about this, especially for half marathons and marathons.
- What is the elevation profile? A simple chart or a “mostly flat” / “hilly in miles 4–6” description goes a long way.
- Are there water stations? Where?
- What are the aid station cutoff times?
- What is offered at the aid station? Most times runners for longer distances will have their own race nutrition, but it’s nice to know what will also be available.
- Is the course marked? How?
- Are headphones allowed?
- Can I run with a stroller or dog?
Awards and Results
- What are the award categories? Overall, age group, masters — list them.
- How deep does the podium go? Top 3? Top 5?
- When and where are awards presented?
- When will official results be posted? Give a realistic window and link to where they’ll live.
- Will there be a finisher certificate? RunSignup supports digital finisher certificates — if you’re using them, mention it here.
Gear Check, Spectators, and Extras
- Is there gear check? Where, when, and what’s the process?
- Where should spectators stand? Highlight the best viewing spots on or near the course.
- Is there post-race food or a festival?
- Is there a charity or fundraising component? If so, link to the fundraising page.
- Will there be photos? Who is the photographer, and how will participants access their photos?
Health, Safety, and Weather
- What is your weather policy? Be specific about what triggers a cancellation, delay, or course modification.
- What medical support will be on the course?
- Is the course accessible for participants with disabilities? If your event is accessible or has an adaptive division, say so here. If not, be honest about the course terrain.
- Do you have offer participant insurance? Some participants want that piece of mind when registering for an event.
A Few Tips for Building Your FAQ Page
- Keep it scannable. Use headers and short answers. Nobody reads a FAQ in paragraph form.
- Update it every year. Last year’s parking situation may have changed. A stale FAQ is almost worse than none — it erodes trust.
- Link to it everywhere. Put it in your confirmation email, on your race website homepage, and in your pre-race communications. Every time you answer the same question in your inbox, it’s a sign the FAQ isn’t visible enough.
- Enable the RunSignup AI Chatbot. Even the best FAQ page has gaps. The RunSignup AI Chatbot sits on your race website and answers participant questions in real time — pulling from your event details and common support topics automatically. It’s a great complement to a written FAQ: the FAQ handles the predictable questions, and the chatbot handles everything else.
- Use your inbox as your source of truth. Track what people actually ask you. If three people email you about the same thing, it belongs on the FAQ page.
RunSignup’s FAQ Component for Website V2 makes it easy to add a formatted, participant-friendly FAQ directly to your race website — no extra tools required. Build it once, update it each year, and let it handle the questions that used to land in your inbox.
Ready to build your race website? Create your free event on RunSignup and add your FAQ page in minutes.