Notations of paint markings

How about when they're marked with pain? For example when a homeowner comes out to complain that you're marking the curb and you use a fender washer concrete nail to attach them to the pavement?

I hope your not referring to these marks as key point description.

Nathan, I would disagree in this respect. When you first mark a course, I think it's good to state how a point is marked and with what designation (for me, usually a letter). It would be up to the race director(s) to keep the marks refreshed, or not, but at least you're giving them good information. For some events, that change annually but not by a whole lot, it's good to have a coding system so that the current course marks can be distinguished from marks from other years.

Also, just to be clear, our descriptions should give enough information that the point could be re-established even if no paint or nail is to be found.

I'm leery of stating things just to an RD. I feel like the runners should be the ultimate "police" who can check, if they are so inclined, to see if the race is being set up correctly.

(Of course that would mean that the official, certified, course map is made freely available to the runners-- something too many races neglect, instead giving out only a "non-technical" map for public consumption.)

Keith, I feel your pain! Sometimes the homeowner is the National Park System, and can they raise cane! (or is that Cain?)

I agree with Bob. Of course they need to have descriptions relative to permanent landmarks. After that my rule of thumb is that they can include other things as long as what they say doesn't cause more confusion than it alleviates. I don't think saying there are paint marks at the start and finish would cause much confusion even if those marks have disappeared. People are smart enough to know that happens.

Nathan raises an interesting point. I too have rarely described my course markings on the map. But I must agree with Bob. Its not a bad idea!

Here's why: in my region we literally have hundreds of current, and perhaps thousands of defunct courses. Some popular roads are just littered with old survey nails and a myriad of faded paint stripes, stencils, and other race markings.

Today, I must devise custom stencils, colors, or unique symbol patterns to help identify the relevant marks for a particular race so as to distinguish from all the others. I have gone to great lengths to communicate this to the RD in hopes that he'll get it right.

But, it happens. A couple years ago I visited one of my courses an hour before gun time, and sure enough, the timing company (which had my map! but not my instructions to the RD) had setup their finish mats 100 meters too soon -- exactly at the prominent finish markings for a different course.

The more interested parties that have the needed setup info... the better.

I will also advocate for descriptions of each split on the map. All information needed to accurately set the course should be on a single piece of paper, unless it is a course that does not allow a good map and all descriptions on one page.

Granted, I have been measuring and mapping for only 10 years (much less than more experienced measurers), but I don't have any problem putting all information about splits on the course map (including GPS coordinates which allow people to get close to the marks before they start looking for the described location). With descriptions using a landmark as a reference point, and paint, it is more likely that the location will be found the first year.

I have courses that I marked 4 years ago that still have visible markings, so they don't necessarily fade in one year. I also let events know that I will go out and re-mark a course, for a fee. Paint marks are the best way we can assist in proper setup, without going out to each course on race day.