Technical Instructions

Runners competing in the 2023 USATF Masters Half Marathon Championships on Sunday, April 16, 2023, hosted by the Syracuse Half Marathon, should be aware of the following points of emphasis.  Competitors who fail to comply with these and other applicable USATF Rules of Competition risk possible disqualification.
 
There will be no Technical Meeting.

All Masters Championship athletes, coaches and other interested parties should read these instructions carefully. Questions should be directed to the Championship Referee, Perry Jenkins at: pjenkins@buffalo.edu.

1. Registration. Entry instructions, and the online entry form for the 2023 USATF Masters Half Marathon Championships are available at: 2023 USATF Masters Half Marathon Championships | USA Track & Field.
2. Deadline. Online registration closes at 11:59 pm ET on Thursday, April 13, 2023.
3. No Late Entries. No entries will be accepted via phone, fax or email after the close of online registration. No entries will be accepted at packet pick-up. No entries will be accepted on race day. Per USATF Competition Rule 341.12, absolutely no changes will be allowed to runner team affiliation after the close of online registration.
4. Eligibility. You must be at least 40 years of age on the day of the race. You must be a 2023 USATF member to enter the USATF Masters Half Marathon Championships. All Masters athletes must be citizens of the United States and eligible to represent the United States in international competition to be eligible for team scoring and for USATF medals and prize money. Non-citizens who are USATF members are welcome to compete but may not score for a team nor win USATF medals and prize money. If you do not have a 2023 membership, please complete a membership application first here.
5. The Race Course. The Half Marathon race starts and finishes on 800 State Street in downtown Syracuse NY. The course is defined as the roadway between the edges and curbs and will be closed to vehicular traffic. Please follow the directions of course marshals and any road cones. A course map is available at: 2023 Syracuse Half Marathon (13.1 Miles): Course Info.
6. Cutting the Course. Any competitor who has been found by the Referee to have gained an unfair advantage by intentionally shortening the route of the race (“cutting the course”) shall be immediately disqualified. 

7. Illegal Assistance. Anyone found to have received illegal assistance is subject to disqualification.  “Assistance” is the conveying of advice, information, or direct help to an athlete by any means, including a technical device. It also includes pacing in running or walking events by persons not participating in the event, by competitors lapped or about to be lapped, or by any kind of technical device. Verbal or other communication, without the use of any technical device, from an individual not on the course shall not be considered assistance. The course is defined as the roadway and bike path between their edges and curbs. Pacesetting, by a person entered in an event as an officially designated pacesetter, is permissible. There are no designated pacesetters for this event.
   
   All athletes should compete honestly with bona fide effort in all Masters LDR Championship events. To that end, pacing by an athlete of the opposite gender in mixed gender championship race could be considered ‘illegal assistance’ and dealt with accordingly by the Referee. We discourage all instances of a ‘faster’ spouse pacing a ‘slower’ partner in Masters LDR mixed gender championship events. The ‘faster’ spouse is obviously not competing honestly with bona fide effort.

8. Water. Water will be available at the start and the finish in addition to seven Aid Station stops along the course. Each aid station will have water, Gatorade, and GU gels. Porta potties will be placed 100 meters further up the course from each Aid Station. Runners may at any time carry water and other refreshments by hand or attached to their body provided it was carried from the start or received at any official water station.
9. Wireless Devices. The use of wireless devices (I-phones, I-pods, etc.) is not permitted. Competitors may carry or wear articles of personal equipment such as wrist chronometers and heart-rate monitors. The use of I-phones during the race is not permitted.
10. Competition Front Bib Numbers/Timing Tag and Age/Gender “Back” Numbers. Competition bib numbers must be pinned on the front of the outermost layer of clothing that you will be wearing in the race. Per USATF Competition Rules “bibs are to be worn as issued”. They should not be crinkled, folded, or cut.  The timing antennae or “B” tag is a part of the bib number and is disposable after the race. All Masters entered in the USATF Masters Half Marathon Championships must also wear an age/gender “back” number pinned to the back of the outermost layer of clothing that they are wearing in the race. Athletes must use 4 pins to affix the “back” number in such a manner that it is visible to any runner behind them and will not flip up. Any competitor failing to wear a competition bib number on the front and a visible age/gender “back” number will be subject to disqualification. If your packet is lacking a “back” number, extras will be made available at packet pick-up and at the start line.

11. Packet Pick-up. Packet pick-up will be on Saturday, April 15^th at the Host Hotel, Embassy Suites Destiny USA, from 10 AM to 5 PM ET, 311 Hiawatha Blvd W, Syracuse, NY 13204.
    
    Packets may also be picked up on race day, Sunday, April 16, 2023 from 6:00 a.m. until 7:30 a.m. ET in the Masters area in the basement of the On Convention Center one block from the Start/Finish. We strongly discourage runners from waiting until Sunday morning to pick up their bib numbers. It can be very hectic right before the race.

12. Host Hotel. Embassy Suites Destiny USA, 311 Hiawatha Blvd W, Syracuse, NY 13204
    
    tel: +1 315-303-1650

13. Bag Drop. Masters championship runners may gather, adjust gear, and leave their bags in the secure Masters area in the basement of the On Convention Center. While the race will marshal the area as best they can, the race is not responsible for lost or stolen items from clothing bags. You must use your own athletic bag.
14. Start Time. Each competitor is responsible for knowing the starting time of the USATF Masters Half Marathon Championship race – 7:45 a.m.  ET. Masters Championship competitors are welcome in corral #1 at the front of the lineup closest to the Start Line.
15. Start Line. All competitors are responsible for being at the starting line at 800 State Street in downtown Syracuse, NY, no later than 7:40 am with their competition bib number and age/gender “back” number properly affixed. All USATF Masters Championship runners will start together exactly at 7:45 am.
16. Start Details. Team Uniform Checks. All complete teams must report together to the USATF Clerks in the Masters room in the basement of the On Convention Center, from 6:00 to 7:30 AM ET, to verify their team uniforms (see below for uniform apparel requirements for complete teams). All Masters Championship runners on a Team will be checked for proper front bib and back numbers prior to the start. The entire team must be present for the uniform check. Do not wait until the last minute to verify team uniforms.  
17. Start There will be a two-command start: “On your marks” followed by the gun signaling the start of the race. Overall, Age Division and Team Awards are based on “gun time”. Net times will only be used for Age Graded Awards and Age Graded Results, and Record purposes.  Runners are encouraged to seed themselves roughly by age and/or speed, relative to a nationally competitive field in every age division, in the starting area before the race.
18. No false start. False starts will not be recalled. Runners who false start are subject to disqualification.
19. Team Uniforms. All members of each team must be clearly distinguishable as team members. Team identification shall be clearly visible and shall distinguish one team from another. The jersey or singlet worn by the members of a team (e.g., Clifton Road Runners, M80+ “A” team) in all Masters LDR Championships shall be basically identical for each member in color and style, and must be clearly visible throughout the race, i.e., worn as the outer garment if other apparel items are worn underneath by one or more team members. Individuals not complying with this uniform rule may be disqualified from scoring for a team. Front and back bibs must be securely fastened (4 pins) to this outermost jersey or singlet.
20. “B” Teams. If a club enters two (or more) teams in the same team age/gender division, then members of these teams shall wear different singlets. If this is not possible, then the games committee shall issue identifying letters to all members of the “B” teams to be worn on the back of the singlet. Stick-on letters (“B”, “C”, etc.) will be available at packet pick-up and at the start line.
21. Withdrawal for medical reasons. A competitor must retire from the race immediately if directed to do so by a duly authorized official of the race or by an appropriately identified member of the race medical staff.

22. Awards Ceremony. There is a one-hour protest period once results have been posted on site.
    
    The USATF Master Half Marathon Championship Awards’ Ceremony will be held in the Masters Room in the basement of the On Convention Center as soon as the one-hour protest period has expired. There will be post-race refreshments and breakfast in the masters room.

23. Results. Overall Masters Championship Individual and Team results will be posted on a wall in the masters room or on the wall immediately outside.  Please check these results to make sure that your finish is listed. See the Masters Championship Referee if there are any problems/omissions. There is a one-hour protest period once results have been posted.
24. Protests. Protests must be made to the Masters Championship Referee within one hour of results being posted. The Referee will rule immediately on all protests. There is a $75 fee to file a written appeal of the Referee’s ruling with the Jury of Appeal. The filing fee is returned if your appeal is upheld by the Jury. The decision of the Jury of Appeal is final and without further appeal.

25. Club teams. All clubs must be registered with USATF for 2023. Only teams consisting of duly accredited representatives of a member club shall be eligible to score as a team. The formation of club teams must meet all of the parameters found in Regulations 4 and 6 in the 2023 USATF Governance Handbook found here.
    
    USATF Association, Regional, or National “all-star” teams are not eligible to compete in Masters Long Distance Running Team competition. According to USATF Competition Rule 341.8, “Only one athlete per team (for example, Club M50+ team) who is a non-resident member of an Association is eligible to compete for a team in that Association”. Consult: Rule Books | USA Track & Field (usatf.org).

26. Club affiliation. Athletes must be bona fide members of a 2023 USATF club in order to represent a club and score team points. All athletes entering as part of a club must be affiliated with that club as part of their USATF online membership profile. Per USATF Competition Rule 341.12, absolutely no changes will be allowed to runner team affiliation after the close of online registration.  An athlete can view their current affiliation by logging into their USATF Connect account by using the ‘CURRENT MEMBER LOGIN’ here.
    
    Note that this request must be made by the athlete at least one week prior to the date of the race and finalized prior to the close of online registration. This is the athlete’s responsibility. Rule 341.12 reads as follows: “In Masters Long Distance Running including Masters Cross Country, an athlete may not change affiliation prior to the Championships or be eligible to represent or score points for the club to which he/she seeks to change affiliation after the closing of online entries for Masters LDR and Master Cross Country Championships. If the athlete does not desire to compete for their original club, if any, then they may compete unattached, representing no club. Changing club affiliation prior to Master Championship online entry deadlines is the responsibility of the athlete. For the 90-day rule on changing your club affiliation see the USATF Governance Manual Regulation 4.C.2 here. Also, contact your local Association’s Membership Chair for help.

27. Masters Final Team Declarations. As part of the online registration system, there is unlimited team registration. However, only five athletes are allowed to be on the final team declaration per team respective of team division. If you have listed more than five athletes on your team’s online declaration form, only the first five listed shall comprise your club's declared scoring team unless you revise your team roster. Revisions may be made by a team representative using the online team portal prior to the close of online registration at midnight on Thursday, April 13, 2023.  No email, phone or fax declarations will be accepted. On site, hand-written revisions to teams may be submitted by filling out a Team Declaration form at Packet Pickup on Saturday, April 15^th during packet pickup hours only. Please consult one of the Masters LDR Liaisons at Packet Pickup.
28. Sponsor Affiliation. In addition to a club affiliation, athletes are able to represent one (1) corporate sponsor. This corporate sponsor must be a registered USATF Corporate Member and be part of the athlete's membership profile. Corporate Membership applications can be obtained by sending an e-mail to membership@usatf.org. All sponsor affiliations must be finalized by close of entries. No sponsor changes will be accepted after this date.

29. Age Verification. Unless your date of birth/age has already been verified according to your USATF online membership profile, all entries must be accompanied by a copy of a legal document (passport or birth certificate) in order to verify date of birth and citizenship. If you have a valid passport at the time of entry, please use a copy of the information page of your passport as verification of citizenship and birth date. These copies will not be returned.
    
    We cannot verify ages as part of the packet pick-up process for this event. Runners whose ages are incorrect at the time of the race are subject to possible protest and subsequent event disqualification. To upload a copy of your passport or birth certificate, you will need to log into your USATF Connect account and upload the copy under the “Athlete Verifications” tab. 
    
    If you need help with this process, there is a step by step video to assist you with the uploading process here.

30. Masters Team Scoring. Masters Teams for all Road Race Championships shall be scored by gun time as follows: The team score shall be the aggregate official time of the scoring members. The team with the lowest aggregate time is the team winner. Team divisions for both Masters Men and Masters Women are: 40+, 50+, 60+, 70+ and 80+. For all Masters Team divisions – three (3) individuals shall score for each team with a maximum of five (5) individuals declared per team. Each age division shall be scored separately by adding the official times of the top 3 declared team finishers. A runner may only be listed on a single team roster. We will score only complete teams.
31. Incomplete Teams. USATF Rules indicate that when scoring by time; if a team fails to finish with a complete scoring team (that is, fewer than 3 finishers), then that team shall not be scored. However, the team members who do finish shall be counted as individuals in the race results and shall be eligible to win individual awards.
32. Ties. Ties between two or more teams within a division shall be resolved by determining which team’s last scoring member has the faster time. The team whose last scoring member (i.e., 3^rd runner) has the faster time will be awarded the higher place. Individual runners who tie in official gun time rounded to the slower full second shall be resolved by the position of their torso at the finish line when viewed by the finish line camera.

33. Drug Testing. All competitors entered in the USATF Masters Half Marathon Championships are eligible for “in-competition” drug testing.  Any questions regarding prescriptions or other over-the-counter medication should be directed to the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) at 1-888-233-0393.
    
    If the 2023 USATF Masters Half Marathon Championship is selected for drug testing, prize money checks will be mailed following our receipt of the drug testing results. The race has no control over when the results of the drug tests are released, and USATF cannot release the prize money until we have official results as it can directly affect the distribution amounts.

34. Details of the Prize Purse are included at: Athlete Information | USA Track & Field (usatf.org).

35. Championship medals will be awarded to the top 3 places in each 5-year individual division for both Men and Women (40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, etc.), the top 3 Age Graded Men and Women and the top 3 Overall Men and Women. Championship team medals will be awarded to the members of teams in the top 3 places in each 10-year Team Division for both Men and Women.
    
    All Masters athletes must be citizens of the United States and eligible to represent the United States in international competition to be eligible for team scoring and for USATF medals and prize money. Prize money will be awarded to member USATF Masters runners who have appropriately entered the Championship competition. Non-citizens who are USATF members are welcome to compete but may not score for a team nor win USATF medals and prize money. Non-citizens can qualify for Elite Performance Medals.

36. All prize money will be mailed to clubs or individuals following the race.

37. Elite Performance Medals will be given to all competitors achieving at least 80% age graded, in accordance with the USATF tables. You can find a link to a calculator consistent with the 2020 tables here.
    
    Gold medals will be given to 90% or better; Silver for 85-89.99%; Bronze for 80-84.99%.