Hi All,
Wanted to pass along some of the reasons why the Rochester, New York area has exploded with new Certifications over this past year. Keep in mind that normally there are between 4 and 13 courses USATF Certified in the Rochester area each year. In 2004 there have been 47 (40 by me, 8 of my total were calibration courses).
More and more races are adding to there entry forms that their courses are USATF/RRTC Certified and using their Certification number. Our Greater Rochester Track Club (GRTC) Race Calendar goes one step further by adding Certification numbers to calendar listings, http://www.grtconline.org/Racecal.html. The calendar is the most exclusive and complete source for road race listings and published in the Democrat and Chronicle newspaper. When calendar listings are gathered this January, a letter will go out with a reminder of the importance of course Certification.
Some races have posted the map and Certificate online. For example, the Airport 5 km, http://www.lifetimeassistance.org/walk/5kwalk.pdf. More recently for the Run for Hospice 5 km and 10 Mile we did the same, http://www.runforhospice.com/coursemap.php and http://www.runforhospice.com/coursemap10miler.php.
A recent addition to our GRTC web page. GRTC sponsors a six race series of winter races called appropriately the Freezeroo Race Series. I measured and Certified all six courses. We have posted all six maps and Certificates for information about the race, http://www.grtconline.org/FreezerooMaps/index.htm.
Naturally posting course maps and Certificates gives runners good information about the race course and the assurance of accuracy. At the same time race directors and runners continue to talk about the need and importance of course Certification.
Our local USATF Niagara Association is equally promoting course Certification, http://www.usatf-niagara.org/coursecertification04.htm. We added this page to promote course Certification and to dispel some of the confusion between course Certification and race Sanctioning. When Sanction information packets are mailed out from the Association, they include information about the importance of course Certification.
The next thing to tackle is getting few more active measurers. This idea is being tossed around to include a "how to" measure a course for Certification as apart of an annual race directors meeting.
What other things are being done throughout the country to promote course Certification?
Kevin P. Lucas
Fairport, New York
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