Race-day briefing checklist for marshals
A marshal brief succeeds if a volunteer who has never been to your race can find their spot, know what to do, and know when to leave — without phoning you. Use this checklist against your current brief; anything missing is a phone call you will take at 6:40am.
5 min read
Their position — unambiguously
A name, a map with a pin showing exactly where to stand, and a coordinate the phone can navigate to. Include a what3words address or a maps link; "the junction after the bridge" has sent more marshals to the wrong bridge than anything else in the sport.
How to get there and where to park
The car park, what permit or sign to display, when it closes, and the walk from car park to position — direction and rough time. If the position needs a 15-minute uphill walk, saying so changes what time they leave home.
Timings that mean something
Arrival time, when the first athlete is expected, when the last one is, and the release condition. Where you can't give a hard finish time, give the condition — "stay until the cycle back marker passes you" — with an estimate beside it.
- Be in position by: [time]
- First athlete expected: [time]
- Last athlete expected: [time]
- Released when: [condition or time]
The one instruction that matters at that spot
Not general marshalling guidance — the specific job. Point left. Hold athletes for traffic. Count laps and shout the lap number. Direct the 10k right and the half left at the same fork. Put it at the top, in bold, in one sentence.
Who to call, and how
Event control number, the emergency number, their section leader's name and number, and the radio channel if they have a radio. Add the group chat link for their point so they can talk to the people either side of them without going through you.
Safety and escalation
What to do if an athlete is injured, if a vehicle enters the course, if someone goes off route, and — importantly — what not to do: marshals direct athletes, they do not direct traffic. State it explicitly.
Kit and conditions
What you're providing (hi-vis, radio, water, food) and what they must bring (weather layers, phone charged, sturdy footwear). One line each.
The practical bit: two formats
Send the full page brief the night before for reading, and hand out a lanyard card on the morning for the position itself. An A4 sheet does not survive a wet, windy junction; a card in a lanyard wallet with position, times, release condition and emergency numbers does. mrshl generates both from the same assignment, so the card can never contradict the brief.
The short version
- Pin the position on a map and give a navigable coordinate.
- Parking plus the walk from it, every time.
- Arrival, first athlete, last athlete, release condition.
- One bold instruction specific to that spot.
- Full brief the night before, lanyard card on the day.