I love reading race reports, and recently I've noticed that several runners don't know that per USATF rules, competitors aren't allowed to accept nutrition that doesn't come from official aid stations during races. The pertinent competition rule is: "A competitor who collects refreshment from a place other than a refreshment station is liable to disqualification by the Referee." See item (g) on page 132 in this document (which is actually page 140 of the PDF viewer pages).
It certainly doesn't hurt to be familiar with all of the USATF rules on road racing, and they make up a very small portion of the cited rule document, plus many rules are more related to race organizers' duties, making the whole thing much quicker reading than you'd think at first glance!
I've read a number of race reports in which runners have described taking nutrition from their families on the course, from friends who "jumped in" to run a few miles with them, from their significant others on bikes (having someone run or bike with you during a race is an additional issue for several reasons), etc. -- and I genuinely think that most people just don't know that this isn't okay. I did not always know either. If you are competing for overall or age group awards in any USATF certified and sanctioned event, you should be vigilant about taking only the nutrition offered on the course and what you carry yourself. Of course, everyone participating should follow all of the race rules, but those competing for top placings have more to lose.
Wouldn't it suck to win prize money in a race only to be disqualified because you took a gel from a spectating friend? Wouldn't your win feel like cheating if you had extra fluids provided by a family member on a hot day, and went on to win by a tiny margin over someone who didn't get those extra fluids? Don't we all dislike dopers and course cutters? Just don't break the rules!
And honestly, I wouldn't be too happy if someone beat me after being paced by her husband on a bike with him carrying fluids for some or all of the race when I didn't have a bike escort. Luckily I've never been in this situation, as it would be tricky to navigate. But, I do have plenty of tips for preparing to use the available course nutrition and for carrying your own during marathons -- I do a combination of the two.
Follow up questions:
Do you personally disregard this rule?
Have you seen people break this rule?
Would you report someone violating this rule?
I have taken gels from my family in the past but hate having to rely on them being able to make it to a designated mile marker and I like the flexibility to be able to eat when I feel like I need it so I've been carrying my own for the past 5 or so years, although when I was 8 months pregnant I was worried about extra chafing on top of what I was sure to experience so I had Ty hold it and give it to me when I saw him. I wouldn't be too concerned about it myself bc I'm not one of the top finishers, but I would be more diligent if I were. I think someone coming onto the course to pace you is somewhat unfair but I guess it's also like having a running buddy. I would never do the bike thing though bc I wouldn't want to impede the runners and that is a very obviously stated in pretty much every longer race I've ever run that bikes aren't allowed on the course.
ReplyDeleteYou bring up some good point I've never thought about! I guess the difference between having someone jump in and run with you to pace you vs. going into the race with a running buddy is the person paying the entry fee and running the whole race distance, which also brings up race banditing (another blog idea!). I personally have paced a friend once and Jon once (both in half marathons) without entering the race, but both times I got permission from the race director to do it in advance; they were both local events and not USATF certified/sanctioned. A couple of years ago when I was running a half with prize money, a guy jumped in around mile 8 to pace a girl I was trying to catch. It made me mad because it was a thin field and it was a hard point in the race to be out there alone, so at that point I was determined to "report it" if she beat me; she did not beat me and I finished in the last prize money spot, so that made it less of an issue.
DeleteOn that note, I guess prize money is when all of these things become more major issues. I am strict on rule-following across the board, but I didn't know this rule until Bass Pro 2010 when I won prize money and had taken a gel from a "community member" aid station. I knew the people at the station, but it wasn't set up for me and they were giving gels to anyone in the race. I mentioned it in a race report, and someone told me I shouldn't mention it because I could be disqualified for it. I was paranoid for months I was going to get disqualified!
Not having to rely on people being able to get to the proper locations and being able to take your nutrition when you feel like you need it are also really good reasons to carry your own!
DeleteOh, yes, that would really irritate me too! At first when I read your post I was thinking, no way is it okay for someone to jump into the race to pace someone else. But then I thought about how I go back and run the last portion of the race with my mom sometimes and thought, well I guess I can't be strictly against it. Really when I run with her though, I'm just keeping her company and telling her about my race, not pacing her. Plus she's not winning money. I agree that when it comes to winning money it should be as fair as possible. Someone else shouldn't get a pacer if others don't. But then with the gel situation you encountered, everyone in the race had access so I wouldn't feel like that was unfair at all!
DeleteI never even thought about going back to run people in being related to this, but you're right! I have done that too. This is more complex than I initially thought! I also remembered one time in the Omaha marathon when I accidentally took a beer from a "community aid station" set up in front of a frat house around mile 23 (I thought it was water, then promptly dropped it). That was also outside aid!
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