Book excerpt: A quick-read guide to Organizing a 5K. ASK ANYONE WHO HAS ORGANIZED A 5K or other race, and they'll likely agree: Race direction isn't for the faint of heart, people who want to maintain a schedule full of free time, or for those who want to take credit for all the things that go right. It's not for people whose feelings get hurt easily, who don't like working with others, or who are unwilling to listen and improve. On the other hand, a race is a great way to raise awareness and funds for a cause, bring together a community, and encourage healthy activity for participants of all ages-and can be an amazing experience for runners, volunteers, sponsors, and even the race directors if everything goes right. This quick-read guide will give you the basics of organizing a 5K and give you a leg up on putting together a plan for a safe and memorable event. No matter what the scale, a common thread among race directors and timers is that those who succeed at running a race don't do it simply by accident or by buying the most expensive equipment. They take the time to plan out the event, to understand and work with their audiences, are eager to share what they know, and are willing to remain teachable. We don't want to make mistakes, but if we do make them, we want to make every effort to learn from them.