CARA Best Practices Guidelines Check...
4
Chicago Area Runners Association 549 W. Randolph St, Suite 704 Chicago, IL 60661 312.666.9836 CARA BEST PRACTICES GUIDELINES CHECK LIST Races must be able to check off all items on this list to be CARA Certified. General Guidelines Permits / Contracts: o Race has secured all necessary permits from local municipalities and contracts for event venue. Insurance: o Race has secured liability insurance for the event with a minimum coverage of $1,000,000. USATF Course Measurement: o The race course/s are USATF Certified. Prohibited Items: o Race agrees to require participants with strollers or baby joggers to start in the rear of the race, regardless of expected pace. o The race will not allow participation with the following: pets, bicycles, in-line skates, roller skates, scooters, and other wheeled vehicles (except wheelchairs and hand cranks used by disabled participants). Community Notification: o The race has notified local residents and businesses along the course of the event at least seven days in advance through either flyering, yard signs, e-mails, phone calls or drop-ins, etc. Safety: o The race has taken steps to insure that safety is the primary priority. Competition Rules: o The race agrees to enforce all USATF and RRCA competition rules. Race Information and Registration Guidelines Web Site Information: o The race web site includes at minimum: Date of race, Start time(s), Distance(s), Street Address of race location, Course Map, USATF Course Certification Number, Parking information, Contact for Participant Questions (phone and email or online submission form), a clear listing of all fees and deadlines, refund policy, inclement weather policy, information about packet pick-up, race day registration options, awards categories offered, awards and results rules and procedures, direct link to online race results, a clear statement that bicycles, in-line skates, other wheeled vehicles (except wheelchairs and hand cranks) and dogs are not allowed and clear statement of race’s position on use of baby joggers and strollers. The date and start time of the race should be easily found on the initial page of the race’s web site. Registration Form: o The race registration form will collect the following from each participant as required fields on the race registration form: first name, last name, sex, age, hometown, state and zip, e-mail address, phone number and an emergency contact person and phone number. o If race is sharing or selling participant contact information with a third party this has been clearly stated in the event waiver. Cut-Off Time: o The finish line cut-off time or course closure time has been published publically prior to the opening of registration. o A system is in place to communicate with participants by e-mail to provide pre-race information, emergency announcements (weather status, etc..) and post-race communications (results and survey). Start Line Guidelines Marking: o The start line has been marked at minimum with a visible line (one of the following paint, chalk, tape or timing mats). Organization: o Event staff or volunteers have been assigned to keep the start area clear of non-participants, participation with prohibited items and potential bandits (E.g. unregistered runners attempting to participate).
Transcript of CARA Best Practices Guidelines Check...
ChicagoAreaRunnersAssociation549W.RandolphSt,Suite704
Chicago,IL60661312.666.9836
CARABESTPRACTICESGUIDELINESCHECKLISTRacesmustbeabletocheckoffallitemsonthislisttobeCARACertified.
GeneralGuidelines
Permits/Contracts:oRacehassecuredallnecessarypermitsfromlocalmunicipalitiesandcontractsforeventvenue.
Insurance:oRacehassecuredliabilityinsurancefortheeventwithaminimumcoverageof$1,000,000.
USATFCourseMeasurement:oTheracecourse/sareUSATFCertified.
ProhibitedItems:oRaceagreestorequireparticipantswithstrollersorbabyjoggerstostartintherearoftherace,regardlessofexpectedpace. oTheracewillnotallowparticipationwiththefollowing:pets,bicycles,in-lineskates,rollerskates,scooters,andotherwheeledvehicles(exceptwheelchairsandhandcranksusedbydisabledparticipants).
CommunityNotification:oTheracehasnotifiedlocalresidentsandbusinessesalongthecourseoftheeventatleastsevendaysinadvancethrougheitherflyering,yardsigns,e-mails,phonecallsordrop-ins,etc.
Safety:oTheracehastakenstepstoinsurethatsafetyistheprimarypriority.
CompetitionRules:oTheraceagreestoenforceallUSATFandRRCAcompetitionrules.
RaceInformationandRegistrationGuidelines
WebSiteInformation:oTheracewebsiteincludesatminimum:Dateofrace,Starttime(s),Distance(s),StreetAddressofracelocation,CourseMap,USATFCourseCertificationNumber,Parkinginformation,ContactforParticipantQuestions(phoneandemailoronlinesubmissionform),aclearlistingofallfeesanddeadlines,refundpolicy,inclementweatherpolicy,informationaboutpacketpick-up,racedayregistrationoptions,awardscategoriesoffered,awardsandresultsrulesandprocedures,directlinktoonlineraceresults,aclearstatementthatbicycles,in-lineskates,otherwheeledvehicles(exceptwheelchairsandhandcranks)anddogsarenotallowedandclearstatementofrace’spositiononuseofbabyjoggersandstrollers.Thedateandstarttimeoftheraceshouldbeeasilyfoundontheinitialpageoftherace’swebsite.
RegistrationForm:oTheraceregistrationformwillcollectthefollowingfromeachparticipantasrequiredfieldsontheraceregistrationform:firstname,lastname,sex,age,hometown,stateandzip,e-mailaddress,phonenumberandanemergencycontactpersonandphonenumber.oIfraceissharingorsellingparticipantcontactinformationwithathirdpartythishasbeenclearlystatedintheeventwaiver.
Cut-OffTime:oThefinishlinecut-offtimeorcourseclosuretimehasbeenpublishedpublicallypriortotheopeningofregistration. oAsystemisinplacetocommunicatewithparticipantsbye-mailtoprovidepre-raceinformation,emergencyannouncements(weatherstatus,etc..)andpost-racecommunications(resultsandsurvey).
StartLineGuidelines
Marking:oThestartlinehasbeenmarkedatminimumwithavisibleline(oneofthefollowingpaint,chalk,tapeortimingmats).
Organization:oEventstafforvolunteershavebeenassignedtokeepthestartareaclearofnon-participants,participationwithprohibiteditemsandpotentialbandits(E.g.unregisteredrunnersattemptingtoparticipate).
oAsystemisinplacetolineupparticipantsbyexpectedpaceatthestartline(eithersignsandormarshals)andtoensurethat,ifallowed,participantswithstrollersandbabyjoggersarerequiredtolineupintherearofthestartcorraltoensurethatparticipationwithanyprohibiteditems(pets,etc…)isenforced.
Hydration:oAtminimumpre-pouredcupsofwaterareavailablepre-racewithincloseproximityofthestartline.
StartLineAnnouncements:oAsystemofamplifiedsound(PAsystempreferred,bullhornorsimilarforsmallereventsisacceptable)ispresenttoallowforcommunicatingwithparticipantsatthestartline. oBriefandconciseinstructionswereprovidedafterrunnershavegatheredatthestart,butpriortothestarttime,regardingstartingprocedures,EventAlertSystemlevels(ifsystemisinuse)andinstructionsandanyothercriticalinformationparticipantsneedtosafelyandsuccessfullycompletetherace. oTheNationAnthem,dignitaryspeechesandsponsorrecognitionwerecompletedpriortothescheduledstarttimeandstartoffinalinstructions.Theracestartproceduremustbeexplainedpriortothestarttime.oNoannouncementsweremadewithin30secondsofthestart.oThestartwassignaledwitheitherthefiringofastartingpistol,thesoundingofahornorothernon-verbalaudiblesignal.
StartTime:oTheracebeganon-time.
InitialStartStretch:oThecoursewasdesignedsothatthefirst200-metersor220-yardsweretheatleastthesamewidthasthestartline.
CourseGuidelines
CourseMap:oTheraceprovidedparticipantsaccesstoacoursemaponlinepriortotheeventaswellasattheeventdisplayedeitheraslargescalecoursemaporasmultipleprintedcopiesdisplayedaroundtheeventsite.
Markers:oMarkerswerepostedateachmilemarkandeachturnandcouldbeseenfromadistanceofatleast50meterspriortothemarker.
Leader:oTheracewasledbyaleadcyclistorvehiclethatwasvisibletotheoverallraceleaderthroughoutthecourseatleastfromthestartanduntiloncethroughthefinalturnbeforethefinish.oAvehiclepatrolledortrailedthelastparticipantoftheraceandhadcapabilitiestopickupandtransportparticipantswhoareunabletofinish.
Control:oPoliceandtrafficmanagementserviceswereusedasrequiredbypermitsandlocalmunicipalities.oAcoursemarshalwaspresenttodirectparticipantsateveryturnandchangeofdirection.Thesemarshalshadeithervolunteerspecificclothing/uniform,woreaHi-Vizvest,orheldaflagandoravisiblesign.
RoadClosures:oTheraceinformedparticipantsofanyroadwayswheretrafficmaybepresent.oTheraceclosedroadsasrequiredbyCARABestPracticesGuidelines.
AidStationGuidelines
Frequency:oOn-courseAidStationswerepresentforallracesof5Kdistanceorlonger.Ifa5Kraceanaidstationwaspresentatapproximatelythe1.5milemark.Ifalongerraceanaidstationwaspresentatleastapproximatelyevery2.5miles.
Hydration/ProductSupply:oOn-courseAidStationsprovidedatminimumwaterpre-pouredinpapercups(noplasticorStyrofoam).
FinishLineGuidelines
Marking:oThefinishlinewasmarkedatminimumwithavisibleline(paint,chalk,tapeortimingmats).oAvisibledisplayclockshowingfinishtimewasatthefinishline.oThefinishlinecorralwasborderedwithfencingorflaggingtosecuretheareatoonlyfinishersandeventstaff/volunteers.
Hydration/Food:oAtminimumwater,andpreferablywaterandsportsdrinkwasprovidedatthefinishline.
Control:oEventstafforvolunteerswereassignedtokeepthefinishareaclearofnon-participants.
Timing,ResultsAwardsGuidelinesSystem:oAccurateandtimelyraceresultswereproducedthroughacomputerizedresultsmanagementsystem.oIftheracewaslargerthan500finishersachip/rfidtimingsystemwasused.
Back-UpSystem:Required:Allracesagreetohaveaback-upsysteminplacesuchasamanualback-uptimingmethodandoravideorecordingofthefinishlinethatallowsforreviewandrecreationoffinishresultsiftheprimarysystemshouldfail.Racesmusthaveageneratororback-upbatterypowerfortimingequipmentandresultsproduction.
RaceSiteResults:oResultsweredisplayedasprintedordigitallydisplayedattheracesite,preferablywithinnomorethan30minutesofthelastfinisher.
OnlineResults:oFullresultsoradirectlinktofullraceresultshasbeenpostedontherace’swebsitewithinatleastwithin24hoursoftherace’scompletion.oPostedresultsincludedatminimumeachfinisher’splace,fullname,genderandfinishingtimeprovidedinoverallplacebysexandbyawardcategories(agegroups,etc…).
Categories:oAtminimumawardswillbeprovidedforatleastthreedeepforoverallmale,overallfemaleandforbothmaleandfemaleagegroupsinthefollowing10-yearagegroupmustbeprovidedandincludedwithinresults:19&Under,20-29,30-39,40-49,50-59,60-69,70&Over.
PlaceDetermination:oTheoverallwinner(foreachsex)wasdeterminedbyactualorderoffinish/gun-time.
Ceremony:oAnawardsceremonywithamplifiedsoundcapabilitieswasheldforoverallawards.
ToiletRequirements
Quantity:oAtleastonetoiletwasavailableper50runnersregistered.Alltoiletslocatedwithingenderrestrictedrestroomswereonlybecountedas0.75eachtowardstherequiredtotal.oAtleast5%oftoiletswereADAaccessible.
MedicalGuidelines
Support:oTheeventprovidedaminimumoftwocertifiedandinsuredmedicalpersonnelthatwerepresentattheracesiteatleast60minutepriortothestarttimeandremainuntileither30minutesafterthecoursecloseor15minutesafterthelastfinisher.
Ambulance:oTheracenotifiedlocalEMSoftheevent,itsstarttime,itsendtime,routeandhowtoquicklyaccesstheeventincaseofemergencyorsecureddedicatedEMSservices.
EmergencyActionPlanGuidelines
Staffing:oTheracetookallstepstomeetsecurityrequirementsrequiredbylocalmunicipalitiesandvenueowner/operatorstoinsurethesafetyoftheparticipants,spectatorsandcommunity.
Communication:oTheracehadacommunicationsystem(example:two-wayradiosorcellphonesandphonecontactlists)inplaceforalleventstaffandvolunteersthatincludedinstructionforwhattodoincaseofamedicalemergency.
EmergencyActionPlan:oAnEmergencyActionPlanwasdevisedthatincludedatminimumplansforhazardousweatherconditions.oTheracedidnotrunwhenlightningwaspresentwithinsixmilesofanypartoftheracesiteorcoursewithin30minutesoritishighlyprobablythatlightningwillstrikewithinthisrangeduringthecourseoftheevent.
OtherGuidelines
GearCheck:oFreegearcheckwasprovidediftheeventswaslocatedwithintheCityofChicagoorreasonableparkingaccommodationwasnotavailableforallparticipantswithin0.5milesofthestart/finish,orwhereitisreasonabletoexpectmanyparticipantswillusepublictransportationormaybiketotheevent.
