By Rick Lovett, TRL Coach
USATF has released several pages of rules for the meet at Glendoveer on Dec. 6 and 7. Here are a few highlights, plus suggestions from experience with the course and with similar USATF meets. Please read carefully, and check for updates.
1. Team Captains. Logistics will be coordinated by team captains:
• Open Women: Tara Brooks
• Open Men: Alex Matteson
• Masters Women: Alison Crocker
• Masters Men: Steve Short
2. Drug Testing. This is a drug testing race. If you are taking a prescription, please check it on Global DRO to make sure it’s not on the list. If it is, get a Pre-TUE. That should be a simple process for most things, and takes 5 minutes to complete. It is usually reviewed and approved in 24 hours, but it can take up to 5 business days.
3. Packet Pickup. Rules for this are often subject to change, but it appears that there will be pickup at the HQ Hotel, the downtown Portland Hilton. Packets will also be available on the race site, on race day. Please check USATF’s meet website for details on this as they become available. Unlike club nationals, pickup for this race will probably be individual, not
• There are several options for packet pickup. They have not stated whether they will be individual packets, or team packets, but it will probably be the former.
• Know the race schedule. Plan to be on site at least an hour in advance.
• Know your team captain and keep together as a team. Do not scatter around the venue. Team captains should have cell phones with them, in case I need to reach them.
• No phones on the course. You cannot carry the cell phone in the race. That is a DQ. Not that you’re likely to do so, but, just in case.
• Gear check will be at start, via drop bags. These will probably be in your packets, with your number on them. It does not look like other bags will be permitted, though it’s possible you can just hand things to me. Don’t rely on that, however. Drop bags will be awaiting you at the finish.
• There are rules about team declarations. Different divisions have different rules, but each division has a minimum number of scoring runners and a maximum number of declared runners. Only declared runners can score. Undeclared runners can race but not score. We can create B teams. If we don’t do this, USATF will do the declaration process for us…alphabetically. This is quite different from how we do it at Stumptown.
• Parking is at Linfield Univerity, 2900 NE 132nd. That is farther from the course than you think, because you almost certainly have to circle around to the Glisan side to get onto the course. There are shuttle buses.
• Gathering as a Team. Each team will have a gathering point, either at the parking lot or on the course. Team captains will know where these are.
• Course preview is very limited: Currently it is only on Friday from 1:00 to 2:30. I have asked if masters runners can preview on Saturday after the open runs. Even if they can’t, they can get a good look at the course by spectating the open race.
• Warmup on the course will probably not be permitted. NXN will be going on before the first open race. Masters might be able to warmup on the course, but they might also want to protect the turf.
• Bib rules are like in Tacoma. You could have as many as 3 bibs: front, back, and “B” if you are on a B team. I don’t know what they do re non-declared runners. All bibs must be secured with 4 pins with the possible exception of B bibs, which might be stick-on.
• Tie breaker is last scoring runner, not first displacer.
• Mandatory uniform check. They say this will be at the clerk’s tent, but sometimes they move it to a separate tent. Make sure they check uniforms, bib placement, and back bibs if used. They sometimes do these at separate tents, so stay alert. The rules say 30 minutes before the race, but they often allow earlier. This is part of why teams need to stick together. If you miss uniform check, USATF will kick you off the team. It is only tops that have to be substantially identical. You can wear anything else you want underneath or for bottoms. We will use the white “Mt. Hood” singlets. Crop tops might be permissible, but if you want to wear that, bring a singlet as backup, because that will be an on-site judgment call by the clerk.
• Stay Together After the Race. If there is a timing or scoring error, we have a limited time to protest, and you have to be there to protest in person. Don’t rely on the online results: printed ones will be posted, and those are the ones that matter. This is a nuisance, but errors have happened and affected us on multiple occasions, so take this seriously.
• They have not said where awards will be—or when. They also change this at the last minute sometimes, so be prepared.
• We do not know if we can have the team tent. We have asked for them, but not yet received a reply.
• We might have access to the clubhose for indoor warmth. Getting to the course from there in spikes, however, requires walking on pavement.
• I have bought 240 half-inch spikes. Team captains will have them, plus a spare spike wrench. But bring your own spike wrench, please. You may or may not want half-inch spikes, but I wanted to make sure they are an option.
• Be prepared for mud. This course can and has sucked off shoes, so lace them tightly. Wear socks that are a couple inches taller than your shoes, so the mud stays on the outside of the sock. Consider wearing half-tights or tight shorts of some other kind because mud can splatter inside of loose-fitting shorts.