For anyone who loves being out on the course
Endurance officiating covers everything off the track: cross country, fell and hill running, and road races, from a local 5k up to major championship events. It's open to anyone aged 16 or over, and it's one of the most sociable ways to officiate — you're moving around the course, working alongside marshals, runners and fellow officials, rather than fixed to one spot.
Level 1 Endurance Official
A four-hour course covering everything you need to get started. You'll learn what "endurance" actually covers in officiating terms, the skills and aptitude the role calls for, the equipment you'll need to bring, and how the three areas of an endurance race — the Start, the Course, and the Finish — work together. You'll also get an introduction to the specific roles you might take on: Sector Marshal, Race Referee, Start Director, Finish Director, Course Director, and Judging & Recording, alongside the Health & Safety awareness every endurance official needs.
From here: attend the Risk Awareness course, gain a minimum of four competition experiences (with at least three coming from different roles — pre-race registration, setting out the start/finish area, start-line assembly, course marshalling, marshalling a crossing point or road junction, assisting with judging or recording at the finish, stewarding a finishing funnel, or timekeeping), upload your licence photo to Athletics Hub, complete your Access NI check, complete the self-taught Safeguarding module, and submit the Level 1 Endurance application form to officials@athleticsni.org.
Your route to becoming a Race Referee
Endurance is one of the clearest examples of how far this pathway can take you — from your first race marshalling shift to refereeing regional and national events.
Step 1 — Level 1 Endurance Official. Register and attend the Level 1 Endurance and Risk Awareness course, complete your required competition experiences under supervision, and log every one of them in your Record of Experience. Once your licence is issued, you can assist at endurance events in roles like marshalling and recording.
Step 2 — Progress to Level 2 Endurance Official. Complete the Level 2 self-study modules, including the Race Referee / Race Judge module, add at least six more practical experiences (including shadowing a referee at a club or league-level event), and submit your Record of Experience along with your licence upgrade request. Once qualified, you're eligible to act as Race Referee or Assistant Race Referee at local and club-level road and cross-country races.
Step 3 — Level 3 Endurance Official, Senior/Regional Race Referee. Complete the Start/Finish Director and Course Director modules, and meet broader experience requirements including managerial and refereeing roles across a range of events. A Level 3 licence opens the door to regional-level and larger, more complex endurance events, with greater responsibility.
Further progression — Level 4 / National Panel. For officials seeking national-level or UK-wide appointments, further experience, mentoring and accreditation is required, following UK Athletics and Home Country guidelines.
Our courses run throughout the year. Wherever possible, we aim to deliver them face-to-face with our Northern Ireland-based tutors. However, where demand is lower, some courses may be delivered online through our colleagues in the other Home Countries.
If you're interested in any of our officiating courses or disciplines, please complete an Expression of Interest form here.