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.