Refusal to Certify a Course

It is my opinion that many times state certifiers are naturally faced with a conflict of interest. Especially state certifiers who also measure courses for hire are placed in an awkward situation when asked to measure a course that they have just turned down. What to do?

There are nine other active measurers in the state of Ohio who could be contacted about measuring the course. Doing so would certainly remove any conflict.

Secondly, Ohio might be a good state to host a measurement clinic. The organizers of this particular event you talk about along with others would make a good group to develop into measurers.

Kevin - good idea. I just sent the following to the race director.

Dear (RD)

We are all set to go.

I will give you another option. If you wish, you can hire a different measurer who may be better set to please you. I attach a list of people who have measured courses for certification in Ohio in the last two years. You may wish to check with one or more of them.

If you wish to contact one of them, feel free. My feelings will not be hurt at all.

If you wish to proceed with me, I will be at the start line on Monday, May 1, at 9:30 AM. If Wednesday suits you better, we can do it then. I will measure both courses for overall length. Then it will be necessary to adjust the starts to get the courses to the correct length.

I estimate that my first measurement of the courses will take 1.5 to 2 hours. Thus you should be available at 11:30 to confer about the adjustments.

Once we have the courses as you like them, I will make a second measurement to establish the mile marks. You need not be present for this.

Let me know whether Monday or Wednesday is OK or whether you wish to check with another measurer. Take your time - I am not in a hurry.

Best regards, Pete

April 28, PM - they called and said they wanted me to do it.

I think you'll be surprised how much tighter you can cut the corners on a bicycle than in an automobile. Assuming the odometer is reading off one of the car's road wheels, it's going to be at least five feet from the curb on half the turns.

Was the course measured in both directions?

Has anybody done calibration-constant data for automobile tires? I'll bet it's a lot different from a bicycle measurement.

The measurement info I got was more or less "take it or leave it."

I had the impression they thought their method was just fine, so it ought to fit our pistol. I asked about which wheel drove the odometer, or whether it ran off the transmission, but that, along with a host of other questions, remains unanswered.

Here is the unanswered reply I sent to the submittor:

Dear (Measurer)

Today I received the application for USATF certification of the XXXXX Run. It was not measured using the calibrated bicycle method, but I will try to see whether I can make it fly. I’ll make some statements and ask some questions. Please correct the erroneous assumptions and answer the questions.

1) I understand the calibration and measurement process using the RAC distance measuring instrument. If this instrument has a least count of 0.001 mile this amounts to 5 feet. The least count using the calibrated bicycle method is about 4 inches.

2) Was the instrument calibrated both before and after the measurement was done, and on the same day? This helps correct for changes in the tire size as the day progresses. I see two dates of measurement. Calibration and measurement must be done all on the same day.

3) Which wheel on the vehicle drives the RAC instrument? Or is it driven from a transmission takeoff? The course is NOT supposed to be measured as a runner would run it. It is supposed to follow the SHORTEST POSSIBLE ROUTE without leaving the legal boundary of the course. This means staying 30 cm from the curb on all turns, and running tangents rather than following the curbline. This is clearly spelled out in the book "Course Measurement Procedures." I don’t see how an automobile can do this. Please explain.

4) A SHORT COURSE PREVENTION FACTOR (scpf) is mandated by USATF and this is clearly spelled out in the instructions. It does not appear to have been used here.

5) I see two measured length for the 5k of 16410 and 16414. Then I see that 20 feet was added to the west of the fire lane sign, for an addition to the course of 40 feet. 5 km is 16404.2 feet, and with the SCPF of 16.4 feet comes to 16420 feet. What sort of thinking was going on? I do not understand.

6) I see only one figure for the measured length of the 10k course, in the covering letter. It is stated as 32813 feet. 10 km is 32808.4 feet, and with the SCPF comes to 32841.2 feet. The course as measured is a bit short.

7) I see a location for the start of the 5k, but I don’t see a location for the start of the 10k. The start and finish are supposed to be clearly marked and described on the course map, which is supposed to be 8 ½ x 11, black and white so it can be copied clearly. If certification is granted, the maps must be fixed. Don’t do it yet.

This is all I can think of for now. Please send me something which addresses the above concerns. There may be more questions as the dialogue progresses.

I just called 555-5555 and got an answering machine. XXX’s note said the email address was XXXXXXXD. I am using it in the hope that it gets to YY, and that he can answer these questions and concerns.

Overall I don’t think the work as submitted indicates that the book “Course Measurement Procedures” was read.

How It Came Out

I measured the courses yesterday. The 5 km course measured 4948 meters and the 10k measured 9952 meters.

Thought so.