Grandma's Marathon is lucky to have a dedicated team of key volunteers and volunteer captains committed to making our race weekend a success. Volunteer captains and key volunteers are responsible for many areas of the event, including overseeing our 15 water stations, runner hospitality, working with course marshals, start & finish line areas, planning of the William A. Irvin 5K, and much more.
If you are an organized individual who enjoys helping others and is also passionate about Grandma's Marathon or special events, please reach out to our Program Director Alivia Nelson via email at alivia@grandmasmarathon.com to inquire about being a volunteer captain.
Course Marshal Captains
Role Summary: Oversee a section of the Grandma’s Marathon racecourse to ensure participant and spectator safety and assist with course set-up/clean up. Provide direction and support to your section course marshals and communicate with Grandma’s Marathon staff & race officials.
- Assist in recruiting a few volunteers to help in your racecourse section
- Attend one racecourse captain meeting in April/May for position orientation
- Pick up and distribute volunteer supplies (T-shirts, safety vests, traffic flags) as needed
- Drive/bike/walk your racecourse section ahead of the event to familiarize yourself
- Reach out to section volunteers ahead of race day to introduce yourself and provide contact information
- Race Day
- Check in with all course marshal volunteers in your section pre-race and throughout the day (a bike is recommended for course marshal captains only). Be point of contact, answer questions, provide coverage for breaks, etc.
- Coordinate with other volunteer groups in your section (such as water stations, course entertainers or medical)
- Serve as a key point of contact on the racecourse, communicating needs or concerns to Grandma’s Marathon staff and helping to troubleshoot if necessary.
- Cheer on runners, and assist with opening the racecourse safely as the end of the race reaches your section.
- Provide feedback about improvements that can be made in future years.
