The 4.01k Race for Retirement

In recent years, outdoor running events have become quite more popular. These events usually come with an interesting theme - For instance, The Color Run is a run for 5km with staff spraying different colors on everyone in each kilometer; or simply for charity purposes - such as the Arlington VA Turkey Trot, the purpose of which is to benefit the local charities in Arlington. 

I like the idea of running with family and friends, but what kept me from going to these event was that the ticket to go to one is usually over $30. So when I see the campaign on the metro about the FREE 4.01k Race, I did not hesitate to sign up!

The 4.01k Race for Retirement is fully sponsored by the Prudential Insurance Company. As the name indicates, the company wants to raise people's awareness to save for their retirement with this race. A post-race festival with food trucks, games, and a free concert are provided right after racing as well.  

Prudential donate $25 for every competitors who signs up for the event to 1:1 Fund, a charity that helps low-income families to pay for college by matching their savings dollar to dollar. 

Venue Overview(With Socialtables Floor Plan!)

Venue Layout

The 4.01k Race was held at an open area named "Festival Ground" beside RFK Stadium, which is metro-accessible by Orange, Silver and Blue line. Free parking is also provide in some part of the stadium's parking lot. 

The racing tracks were irregularly shaped, surrounding the areas for in-race support and after-race activities includes:

• Concert Stage 
• Staff Resting Area Tents
• Emergency Medical Services Area(Ambulances and tents)
• Water & Nutrition Bar Give-out Tents
• Food Trucks
• Dining & Resting Tents
• Activities Area(Game tents and a photo scene)

I used socialtables to add some details to the official map. The floor plan can be accessed by this link:
https://app.socialtables.com/?event=818221

Risk Management

The event encountered a less favorable weather for outdoor events - raining. The event planners, however, are well-prepared! Everywhere except racing track and the audience area in front of the concert stage has tents over head. While we were waiting in the line, some event staff came to distribute raincoats to us(with Prudential's Logo so it must be prepared before hand). 

Abundant tents were prepared for this rainy day.

Another challenge for the event is the checking in. From the final donation number to 1:1 Fund of $400,000, we can roughly estimate that the number of people signing up for the event is over 15,000 - That is a huge attendee number even for a metropolis like Washington DC. Even if we estimate half of the people took their "rain check", it is still over 7500 attendees! No wonder the line is still reaching the other side of RFK stadium by the time I arrive at there - It was already about 10am, which should be the scheduled time to stop checking in. 

A long line before entering the venue.

I waited in line for about 30 minutes, and getting a sweatshirt, a number tag, a backpack and a wrist band from different tents took about 10 minutes, then trying to figure out where to start as well as walking to the start point took another 10 min. In the end, I actually started running at about 10:50. I think one of the reasons that contributed to this problem is that people prefer to stay in the tents to finish putting on the sweatshirts, number tags and raincoats as it was raining, so the crowd was moving very slow. 

         

Undoubtedly, emergency medical service is a must for such a big event. There are 4 Lifestar ambulances and a big medical service tent near the entrances ready for any medical situation. 

Ambulances and a medical service tent were set not far from the entrance.

Technology

The 4.01k Race gives each racer a smart wristband which can be activated by using your smartphone to scan it, so your name will be assigned to the number. After activating it with your google account, every runners' location can be tracked during the running process, and their system will automatically record your start and finishing time. 

The wristband is useful while participating in the after-race activities too! The staff members who took pictures for you just need to put their phone near your wristband, and then you will receive an email with the your pictures. 

I was very amazed by the wristband feature. Meanwhile, it does not seem to be very expensive, because it is only a simple fabric band with a small plastic chip attached that can be sensed by smart phones' NFC function. For the first time, I truly feel that the new technology in events is happening under my nose!

The wristband does not really look very high-tech, but it works!

Event Design & Marketing

There are also many clever design and details that make this event stand out. At first glance, running and retirement planning don't seem to be very relevant right? But the event planners connect this event perfectly with the theme of retirement planning as well as the marketing of the Prudential brand. 

Firstly, the racing track are segmented by many checkpoints, which are called "Course Questions" in the event map. They are basically Yes or No questions like "Are you ready for "Could you save a little more?" and the left side is Yes, right side is No. These "doors" runners have to pass are just a symbol of the choices the runners have to make sooner or later - And we all start to realize, for retirement plans, that the sooner we think about it, the better.

Runners ran through course questions on the race track. 

Also, the after-party is definitely more attractive to people of all age groups than just running and learn about retirement planning! Powered by pandora, the concert features "DJ Sam" playing dance and pop music in the beginning, then the announcement of donation of the company in the middle, and at last 2015 Grammy nominee Aloe Blacc. I saw people of all ages and families with baby strollers, and the event planners made it ADA accessible too, including special parking space, accessible restrooms and wheelchair viewing concert section. 

R&B singer Aloe Blacc was performing "The Answer is Love" at the concert.

What's more, the 4.01k Race features the theme of the event into many small thoughtful details. The raincoats come in a bag printed with the word "Be protected for whatever the future might bring". Many food trucks have their "race-day special menu", such as the tasty "investment club" crepe i ate at Holy Crepes. Even the water everyone got at the finish line is named "Liquid Assets". And of course, the prudential logo and font is used everywhere through out the event. The details are what make an event flawless!

Summary

Finally, even though I went home with my shoes soaking wet, I do not regret spending the day at the 4.01k Race at all! This special event raised people's the awareness of retirement planning simply by bringing around the joy of running and asking people to pledge for saving more. For the Prudential Insurance Company, i think this event could be a better promotion for its public image than a million-dollar tv advertisement! Just as the wristband said, "You run. We all win."