Race Date Change
The St. Louis Track Club has changed the date of its half-marathon from early spring to mid-fall, to avoid conflict with an influx of spring events in Missouri and southern Illinois and to benefit from better weather conditions.
Changing the date of a race is usually risky, but club officials made their decision carefully and strategically. Long distance events - marathons, half-marathons, 10-milers - take place less frequently and are more likely to retain runner loyalty, even if moving to a different season.
5k and 10k races don't always enjoy that kind of support. Runners can choose from a plethora of short-distance events on any weekend. Moving your race to another date does not guarantee your customers will follow.
So, don't make temporary, annual changes in your race date. If you believe a permanent date change will benefit your event, check local race calendars to ensure you don't conflict with an existing event, continually publicize the date change, and add something to your race to make it more attractive and memorable.