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. (Updated Dec 2.)
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 they 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.
4, Race morning. Know the schedule. Plan to be on site at least an hour in advance.
5. 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.
6. Uniform check. This is why you should not scatter before the race. It will occur sometime in the 30 or so minutes before the start, somewhere near the start. Teams must do this in unison, or they will be DQed. The rule applies only to tops (singlets). You can wear anything you want for shorts, half-tights, full tights, etc., or for arm warmers or whatever you want, under your singlet. … Masters teams will also be checked for age-division back bibs … B teams will be checked for “B” team back bibs. … We will use the white “Mt. Hood” singlets. Crop tops may be permissible, but if you want to wear one, bring a singlet as backup, because that will be an on-site judgment call by the clerk.
7. 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.
8. Parking is at Linfield University, 2900 NE 132nd. There are shuttle buses. Last year, NXN (which will proceed our race) drew 4000 spectators, so parking will very much be at a premium on Saturday. I am trying to find out more about the Sunday, but I suspect that the official rule will be the same: go to Linfield.
9. 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.
10. Course preview is very limited: only on Friday from 1:00 to 2:30.
11. 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.
12. 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.
13. 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 them, but they are an option.