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Triathlon Run Course Certification - ?

pastmemberpastmemberMember
Has anyone here measured run or bike courses for a triathlon? Sorry if this ground has been covered before, but this topic just came up for me.

A friend who directs a large race in Washington, D.C. recently brought to my attention a planned half marathon course that is scheduled to start and finish in National Harbor, in the nearby Maryland suburbs. He had some concerns about the course. When I investigated the event Web site, there was no mention anywhere of any course measurement standard. Since the site proudly displayed the USA Triathlon logo, I contacted an administrator at USAT HQ to inquire about course standards. I learned that there are none. "Course measurements are left up to individual race directors". A search of certified courses revealed that the run courses for this tri and another big one in D.C. coming up in a few months do not use certified courses.

It appears to me that with the profusion of triathlons in recent years coupled with the lack of any course measurement criteria for triathlon sanctioning that there is a small world out there of uncertified run courses employed by triathlons.

Does anyone have an opinion on whether it worth looking into this further with USAT?
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pastmemberpastmemberMember
Thank you, Mark. I had not seen that string. I'll check the "search" function in the future.

For me, the question remains whether there is any current effort to broach this subject with USAT. I have corresponded with Lauren Culp, Event Services Coordinator at USAT in Colorado Springs. My last emailed question to Lauren was "how are the run courses in USAT-sanctioned events measured". I am waiting on a reply. I expect the reply will again be "measurements are left to individual race directors". To me, this means "GPS watches and MapMyRun".

Why don't we make some kind of semi-formal inquiry? kcb203's analysis of the World Championship Ironman is good evidence in support of some kind of standard.

I am willing to start gathering some data from triathletes I know. If there are some ways in which we can gather opinions from a large number of triathletes, we could at least determine whether the majority care about the distances. Anyone have any ideas?

I am not putting myself out as anyone but an interested course measurer in my inquiries to USAT. So, maybe I will politely pester USAT a little more, to see if higher-ups have ever considered course certification. It surely seems odd to most of us that there is this governing body here in the U.S. that has many criteria for sanctioning tri events, with the exception of any standards for its advertised course distances.
jimgerweckjimgerweckMember
Jordan, since most of the swim courses in triathlons are measured by eye, w/ a distance scope, or GPS, and the bike courses aren't certified either, I think most race directors and the participants don't feel it's necessary to certify the run course, either.
The exception might be the big pro or Ironman events.
Still, it might be worth looking into.

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