Technical Instructions

Runners competing in the 2024 USATF Masters 12 Km Championships on Sunday, September 15, 2024, hosted by USATF-NJ and their By Hook Or By Crook Run, 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: pjenkins@buffalo.edu.

1. Registration. Entry instructions, and the online entry form for the 2024 USATF Masters 12 Km Championships are available at: 2024 USATF Masters 12 km Championships | USA Track & Field
2. Deadline. Online registration closes at 11:59 pm PT on Thursday, September 12, 2024.
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 2024 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 2024 membership, please complete a membership application first here.
5. The Race Course. The 12 km championship race is on an out and back course which starts and finishes on Hartshorne Drive, near Parking Lot E, inside the Sandy Hook Gateway National Recreation Area in Highlands, NJ. Free parking is available adjacent to the start/finish. The Measurement Certificate and Map can be viewed here.
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)
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 finish and at two aid stations on the out and back course; hence four options for water during the race. Runners may at any time carry water and other refreshments by hand or attached to their body provided it was carried from the start.
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 pickup will be on Saturday, September 14th at The Outpost Running & Walking Company, 32 Church Street, Little Silver, NJ 07739 from 1 PM to 5 PM. Packets may also be picked up on race day, Sunday, September 15th from 7:30AM to 8:30 AM, in the parking lot adjacent to 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. There is no host hotel. Information about area lodging can be found here.
13. Bag Drop. A designated bag drop area will be available near the start/finish. Masters Championship runners may drop their gear in their own bag. While we try to marshal the area as best we can, the race is not responsible for lost or stolen items from clothing bags. You must use your own athletic bag. You can also leave your gear in your car since the parking lot is adjacent to the start/finish.
14. Start Time. Each competitor is responsible for knowing the starting time of their USATF Masters 12 Km Championship race – 9:00 AM ET.
15. Start Line. All competitors are responsible for being at the starting line no less than ten minutes before the start of the race, with their competition bib number and age/gender “back” number properly affixed.
16. Team Uniform Checks. The USATF Clerks will begin to verify team uniforms near the packet pickup table from 8:00 until 8:40 am before the race. The whole team should report at the same time. Do not wait until the last minute to verify team uniforms. Only complete, verified teams may score. Individuals who are not on teams need not check in.
17. Start Details. 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 Results and Record purposes. Runners are encouraged to seed themselves roughly by age and/or speed, relative to a nationally competitive field, 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 (for example, 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 12 Km Championship Awards’ Ceremony will be held in Parking Lot ‘E’ adjacent to the start/finish as soon as the one-hour protest period has expired.
23. Results. Overall Masters Championship Individual and Team results will be posted in the Packet Pickup Area of Parking Lot E adjacent to the finish area. 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 on conduct and result 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 2024. 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 the parameters found in Regulations 4 and 6 in the 2024 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 nonresident member of an Association is eligible to compete for a team in that Association”. Consult: Rule Books | USA Track & Field (usatf.org). A non-resident who is on the merged Grandfather Clause/Moved list for that association may also compete, with the understanding that at least one member of a team must be an Association resident.
26. Club affiliation. Athletes must be bona fide members of a 2024 USATF club 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, such as M50+. 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 11:59 PM PT on Thursday, September 12, 2024. 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, September 14th 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 can 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) 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. We cannot verify ages as part of the packet pick-up process. 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., 3rd 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 2024 USATF Masters 12 Km Championships are eligible for “in-competition” drug testing. Any questions regarding prescriptions or other overthe-counter medication should be directed to the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) at 1- 888-233-0393. If the 2024 USATF Masters 12 Km 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) Athletes who win a cash prize in more than one category, for example, Overall and Age Division or Age Grading and Age Division, may double dip on the cash prize. Indeed, triple dipping is possible, if someone is in a prize money position in Overall, Age Grading, and Age Division.
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.
36. 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.
37. All prize money will be mailed to clubs or individuals following the race.
38. Elite Performance Medals will be awarded 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 at: Calculators | USA Track & Field (usatf.org). Click on the ‘Masters LDR Age-Grading Calculator’ button. Gold medals will be given to 90% or better; Silver for 85-89.99%; Bronze for 80- 84.99%. These medals will be distributed near the packet pickup tables, during the Protest Period prior to the start of the Awards Ceremony.