The Art of Organizing

I get the idea of blogging this after so many dramatic story happen in Energizer Night Run 2011. I was there personally to experience this event and I come back with a heavy heart. It was such a visionary and wonderful event but it end up in chaos and bring so much unhappiness to every party.

I would not say the whole problem come from one side but many parties have to be responsible in this event and take corrective action to make sure things is in order.

I do have experience in organizing event in university and we take things seriously. No doubt not all event turn up superbly well but we just make sure it never turn out sour like what had happen in last saturday night run.

Like most people say, never wear a big hat if you don't have a big head......It take experience and learning before you can take things right....Thus, runner make a good running event, marketer make a good marketing event...As simple as that...

Lets see what happen that night and you judge whether is it main title sponsor, event management or runner fault.

1. Date of collection of running pack changed and was only notified via their website. Some runner do not received confirmation nor collection postcard.
2. Headlight not given on the running pack collection but was given during running day.
3. Parking fees is RM 10 and collected by unknown RELA staff.
4. One way in and one way out via a narrow tunnel without proper air vendilation. 10,000 runner storm into the tunnel....
5. Headlight collection turn chaos after not enough headlight to be distributed to runners.
6. Queue for baggage area is about 30 metre long and not moving. Runner have to storm in because race is starting soon and get scolded by baggage area marshal.
7. No proper signage. Basically people don't know where to start and when to start. 11km and 21km runner mixed up together and some runner run to wrong course.
8. Water station turn out dry and some water station end up with ice only. But whats the point of giving out 1.5 litre water and canned drinks 1km before the ending of the race.
9. Not enough wrist band as marker for runner who need to run few loops. How to ensure runner have run the exact distance?
10. Shortcut in the course is everywhere and no marshal around to prohibits runner from taking short cut.
11. Worst nightmare is goodies bag collection. Queue as long as 300 metre can be seen even before the ending point. Goodies bag been thrown around and police have to take control to disburse the runner. How can they put 10,000 runner in 4 different narrow collection area....
12. Rude MC scolding runners
13. Medal, certificate and finishing T-shirt not properly pack inside goodies bag leading to delay in passing the goodies bag.
14. Banana is place on the floor. After the chaostic goodies bag area I accidentally step on hundred of banana....Anyway, those banana are green!!!


There are many more complaint which I cant verified whether it was true or not like the T-shirt we get is fake and some car broke into during the race...

What ever it is, now the main sponsor and event management company had both issue notification and apology to runners and will take corrective action. I am not sure how much will that help in building back the reputation and how much step they need to rectify the damages. But just hope everything gone well.

The funnies thing ever, they never register the event with regulatories bodies....what a biggest mistake...

If my memorise never fail me, everytime I do an event in my university that involve more than 20 person or more, I have to make a police report to notified the event so it will never been label as 'illegal gathering' and I will have to issue notification to all parties involve so I wont get into trouble.....But how come an event management company can even overlook on this matter...

I am so thankful that so many event I have organise, none turn out like a nightmare like this.....For me I will have nightmare a day before the event and cant sleep properly but after the event I can sleep for more than 15 hours....Happen to me during my University event....hahaha...