Abstract
The repercussion of urban running competitions such as marathons is tremendous, and the planning of these races involves a large number of strategic decisions. For this reason, this study analyzes the processes of organizing large marathons in Spain. The aim is to propose a systematic and sustainable model of excellence for the organization of sports events based on process management. To design the model, we followed a qualitative methodology using information obtained in 18 semi-structured interviews. The interviewees were experts in charge of the five most significant marathons in Spain (Barcelona, Madrid, Malaga, Seville and Valencia). The final contribution of the study is the proposal of a process map developed by identifying the main areas of competence and tasks, the relationships among the areas, and the timeline of these relationships. The process map unifies the processes established based on the preceding information and classifies them as management, core and support processes. The specific tool proposed is therefore based on the process management approach, which enables the improvement of the organization of sports running events. The tool will help the managers of the events to take decisions from a strategic perspective, and will be useful in making these events sustainable in the long term.
Highlights
Running has gained great popularity in recent years, as demonstrated by the fact that 50 million people in Europe run regularly [1]
We propose a process map that visualizes the organizational process of the marathon clearly, in order to provide a rational analysis and protocol for the organization of running events
The purpose of this study is to propose a model for organizing athletic running events based on process management
Summary
Running has gained great popularity in recent years, as demonstrated by the fact that 50 million people in Europe run regularly [1]. At the European level, participation in this demanding competition grew by 10.3 % from 2009 to 2014 [2], stabilizing worldwide after this period [3]. For the marathons that form this case study, the number of runners who completed the race in the most recent year it was held (2019) were 13,445 (Barcelona), 7886 (Madrid), 3263 (Malaga), 9140 (Seville) and 21,226 (Valencia). These are impressive figures compared to past years’ averages, and they suggest the boom in these races. According to the official calendar of the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation (Real Federación Española de Atletismo [RFEA]), the number of marathons in Spain increased by over 50% between 2011 and 2019, reaching 23 in 2019
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