Volunteer

Volunteers make it possible to offer all the events we produce! Volunteering is a vital way for you to help and connect with the trail running community. It’s also fun to get high-fives, mingle and graze at the aid stations, and meet other running enthusiasts! 

Not to mention, each time you volunteer at a MerGeo event you earn a free entry to a Northwest Trail Runs, Northwest Nav Races, or Street Scramble race of your choice (excluding team relay events)!

Please email volunteer@mergeo.com for volunteer opportunities, questions, or to be added to our volunteer email list.

What exactly do volunteers do? Here’s a quick overview of some of the important tasks you help us with on event day:

  • Registration: usually the first person runners meet, registration volunteers check racers in by their last name, hand them their race bib, and answer simple questions like “Where is the race start?”, “Where can I put my drop bag?”, or “Was eight cups of coffee this morning too much?”. 
  • Parking: Parking can be limited at some event venues, so our helpful parking volunteers have the all-important task of helping incoming runners find the correct lot to park in, make sure cars park efficiently, and generally keep parking lot traffic flowing. If you like wearing neon safety vests and pointing, this job is for you!
  • Aid Stations: these are the spots on the course where racers have the opportunity to grab something to eat or drink to power them on. Depending on the event, aid stations can either be located right next to the finish line for lapping runners to utilize, or they could be in a remote location that requires driving to via a dirt road. Aid station volunteers mostly perform tasks like refilling cups with water or electrolyte drink and replenishing packaged snacks but for longer events may also do things like cutting bananas or making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. So, if you like nibbling on Oreos and Fritos and answering the questions “How much farther?”, we’ve got the perfect job for you! 
  • Finish Line: this is the spot to be if you like sweaty high-fives, exuberant (and sometimes exhausted) runners, and being busy. Finish line volunteers perform a variety of important tasks such as being loud (i.e., calling out bib numbers for the timer), writing between the lines (recording the bib numbers of lapping runners), or ripping things up (removing the tear tags off the bottom of race bibs).
  • Sweeping: what do you get when you combine cleaning with running? Sweeping! Course sweepers follow the race course behind the last racer and remove all of the course markings as they go. Being able to run isn’t a prerequisite but you will need to cover multiple miles of trail while carrying all the course markings. This is a great task for people who want to get some miles in and skip arm day at the gym!

Please email volunteer@mergeo.com for volunteer opportunities.