What to buy for a student run

A student run needs more than race numbers and medals. You will also need supplies for marking the route, managing participants, supporting volunteers and keeping runners hydrated. This shopping list covers the practical equipment to arrange before race day, from safety pins and stopwatches to reusable cups, tents and communication gear. Use your final participant count to set quantities, then add a small reserve for late registrations, damaged items and volunteers.

Organize this event for free with Lizzt

What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Party tentsqty 3
Tablesqty 10
Chairsqty 30
Clothes racksqty 3
Waste binsqty 12

Sports equipment

Bib numbersqty 250
Safety pinsqty 600
Finisher medalsqty 250
Starting ribbon
Route arrowsqty 80
Marker conesqty 60
Crowd control barriersqty 20
Course tapeqty 8
Stopwatchesqty 4
Clipboardsqty 8
Vestsqty 20
Sports bagsqty 4

Equipment

Laptopsqty 3
Tabletsqty 4
Mobile phonesqty 6
Walkie-talkiesqty 12
Portable speakersqty 2
Microphone
Extension cordsqty 6
Power stripsqty 6
Power banksqty 8

Tableware

Reusable cupsqty 300
Platesqty 250
Cutlery setsqty 250
Coffee cupsqty 80
Water jugsqty 12

Kitchen

Coolersqty 8
Thermos flasksqty 6
Coffee machinesqty 3
Kettlesqty 2
Cutting boardsqty 4
Knivesqty 6
Serving spoonsqty 8
Serving plattersqty 12

Safety

First aid kitsqty 2
Emergency blanketsqty 20
Ice packsqty 20
Flashlightsqty 6

Lighting

LED lampsqty 8
String lightsqty 4

Decorations

Start and finish bannersqty 4
Direction signsqty 20
Prize ribbonsqty 10

Cleaning

Broom setsqty 3
Mopsqty 3
Bucketsqty 4
Litter pickersqty 4

Catering

Groceries
- Still water - 300 bottles
- Sparkling water - 100 bottles
- Sports drink lemon - 80 bottles
- Orange sports drink - 80 bottles
- Cola - 12 bottles
- Cola Zero - 12 bottles
- Orange soda - 8 bottles
- Iced tea - 8 bottles
- Apple juice - 6 packs
- Orange juice - 6 cartons
- Coffee - 8 packs
- Decaffeinated coffee - 2 packs
- Tea - 4 boxes
- Herbal tea - 2 boxes
- Milk - 12 liters
- Oat milk - 6 liters
- Sugar - 2 kilos
- Sweeteners - 2 boxes
- Lemons - 20 pieces
- Ice cubes - 20 kilo
- Bananas - 120 pieces
- Apples - 120 pieces
- Oranges - 80 pieces
- Grapes - 10 kilos
- Muesli bars - 250 pieces
- Protein bars - 100 pieces
- Whole wheat bread - 12 loaves
- Multigrain bread - 8 loaves
- Wholemeal rolls - 150 pieces
- Vegan rolls - 60 pieces
- Young cheese - 4 kilos
- Hummus - 3 kilos
- Peanut butter - 2 jars
- Jam - 3 jars
- Turkey breast - 3 kilos
- Cucumbers - 20 pieces
- Tomatoes - 5 kilos
- Lettuce - 12 heads
- Paprika chips - 12 bags
- Plain chips - 12 bags
- Snack mix - 8 bags
- Popcorn - 8 bags
- Cookies - 10 packs
- Vegan cookies - 6 packs
- Mixed nuts - 4 kilos
- Raisins - 3 kilos
- Cupcakes - 250 pieces
- Chocolate bars - 100 pieces
- Ketchup - 3 bottles
- Mayonnaise - 3 bottles
- Mustard - 2 bottles
- Olive oil - 2 bottles
- Pepper - 1 can
- Salt - 1 tin
- Paper napkins - 1000 pieces
- Paper towels - 12 rolls
- Toilet paper - 48 rolls
- Trash bags - 150 pieces
- Garbage bags for glass - 20 pieces
- Dish soap - 4 bottles
- Hand soap - 6 bottles
- Hand sanitizer - 10 bottles
- Cleaning wipes - 6 packs
- Paper towels - 12 rolls
- Plastic wrap - 4 rolls
- Aluminum foil - 4 rolls
- Bread bags - 300 pieces
- Cardboard boxes - 30 pieces

Tips

Order one race bib and at least two safety pins per participant, then add 5–10% extra for replacements and late registrations.
Plan water-station supplies for every runner and volunteer. Reusable cups are easy to overlook, so count the stations and allow enough for busy periods between waves.
Mark the route before race day with arrows, cones and course tape. Prepare more markers than your map suggests—corners, crossings and unclear sections usually need extra signage.
Prepare a separate volunteer kit with vests, clipboards, mobile phones or walkie-talkies, and power banks. Charge communication devices the evening before and keep at least one backup per key location.
Check power and weather supplies 24 hours before the start. Extension cords, power strips, party tents and waste bins are often arranged too late, especially when timing or registration is outside.

Frequently asked questions

How many race bibs and safety pins do I need for a student run?: Buy one bib per registered runner and two safety pins per bib. Add 5–10% extra to cover late entries, lost numbers and damaged pins.
How many finisher medals should I order?: Order one medal for every expected finisher, plus a 5% reserve. For 200 expected finishers, that means 210 medals.
What equipment is needed for timing a student run?: Prepare stopwatches, clipboards and a charged phone or laptop for recording results. Use at least two timing devices and check them 30 minutes before the start.
When should I buy supplies for a student run?: Order bib numbers, medals and other custom items at least 3–4 weeks before race day. Buy disposable or consumable supplies during the final week, after registrations are processed.

Start this plan in Lizzt

Every task and item on this page, ready in your own event. Invite people, split the work, and see who has done what.