Multiple Courses in One Location

rickbrooksMember

I have received a couple of measurement inquiries from races that are run in the same park, on the same paved pathway. This particular park is the location for a triathlon, a 5 mile race, several 5K races, and is used for a portion of a half marathon. Other than the tri and the half marathon, most races start and finish in the same general area of the park – give or take maybe 40 meters. For the 5K races, they either run 2 loops or run a single loop with a spur. Some run clockwise and some run counter clockwise.

With these things in mind, I’d like to ask the interested race directors to get together and decide if they can lay out 2 (or maybe 3) courses that can be certified and used for the many events. If there are more than a few courses, I’d have paint and nails all over the place – which wouldn’t make the race directors or the park staff very happy. Actually, the loop is about 1.5 miles, so even marking two courses (in addition to mile markers for the existing half marathon course) would put at least a dozen nails into this short bit of pathway…

Has anyone had to deal with a situation like this? How did/would you best manage your way through it?

1/30/0811:49 AM

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Original Post

duanerussellMeasurer

Rick,

I would imagine yours is a common dilemna.

The first question I would ask is, do they all use a common race-timing company? If so, that could make it easier to designate a single course as the "standard". If not, good luck.

Since many race directors justifiably want their race to be unique, there is little desire to share courses. However, here in Denver, we have a couple standard 5K courses in one park, and used to have a few in another park. The second park just completed some major road construction, so all courses must be re-done. We are going to try to get one or two courses to be used by everyone.

The greatest factor for us will be designating Start and Finish areas that make it easy for the race director to set up their event. Once we convince them that their pre- and post-race activities will be easier in one of two locations, the rest should be easy. But the key is to make sure there is sufficient access to parking, wherever the Start and Finish are located.

Good luck. I don't know if you will be able to contact all the directors to try to sell them on one (or two) courses. But, you may lobby the park director to "strongly suggest" everyone use one of the "endorsed" courses. The park would probably like it if they didn't keep having new marks put on their roads. And, they have the power to tell newbie directors that they must use one of the existing courses.

2/1/082:06 PM

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