Spring Marathon Season: The Organiser's Bib Checklist
Spring is marathon season, and the weeks before your event are a blur of logistics. Amid the road closures and the water stations, the humble race bib is easy to leave until last — and easy to get wrong under pressure. Here is a checklist to get it right the first time.
Four weeks out: lock the design
Decide the look while you still have time to test it.
- Big, central number in a bold sans-serif
- Event name and date across the top
- Sponsor logos sized to be seen but not to shout
- A clear space for the timing chip
Print a single test bib and check it reads from across the car park.
Two weeks out: personalise and proof
This is where a good bib becomes a great one.
- Add participant names if you can — it lifts the whole experience
- Double-check the number sequence against your entry list
- Proof the spelling of sponsor and charity names
- Confirm your paper choice for the forecast
Race week: print and organise
- Print one bib per page on weather-appropriate stock
- Sort into numerical order, boxed by wave or category
- Count safety pins (four per runner) and add 10% spare bibs
- Brief your bib-collection volunteers with clear signage
Race day: hand them out fast
Queues at bib collection set the mood for the whole morning. Multiple stations, clear number ranges, and a quick pinning demo keep everyone moving and happy.
Do it in minutes, not evenings
The old way — wrestling a design tool the week of the race — is how mistakes happen. With Bib-Gen you upload your final entry list, set your event branding once, and download a print-ready PDF with every runner's bib on its own page. One less thing to worry about in the busiest week of your year.