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Race Requirements

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Race Requirements

The following requirements must be met to be considered for the HARRA series competition. RELAY RULES

  1. COURSE CERTIFICATION: All events must have the race course certified through USATF, and the certification number must be provided to HARRA. Course timing must adhere to USATF guidelines. This includes races that are timed using electronic chips. Exceptions to the certification requirement apply to events conducted on a certified track and the club competition relay races.

  2. LIABILITY INSURANCE: $1,000,000 minimum liability insurance, with Houston Area Road Runners Association included as an Additional Insured

  3. WAIVER: Include HARRA in any runner’s release or waiver of responsibility.

  4. DISCOUNT: HARRA members get a discount of at least five dollars ($5.00) off the entry fee unless this creates an undue financial burden for the event, in which case you are encouraged to contact HARRA to discuss alternatives.

  5. BRANDING: HARRA logo must appear on the entry form (paper or online), as well as recognition that race is part of the HARRA Spring or Fall Series.

  6. FEE: A HARRA fee is due to HARRA within 4 weeks of the race date. The fee schedule is based on the total finishers for the HARRA-recognized race distance. This fee schedule for events with a HARRA-member club as the organizer is as follows:

Tier 1: 1-300 finishers $0.125 per finisher

Tier 2: 301+ finishers $0.25 per finisher

If the race is not organized by a HARRA-member club, the higher fee schedule tier (Tier 2) will always apply, regardless of the total finisher count. Here, “HARRA-member clubs” refers to clubs that have paid in full their annual club membership dues to HARRA for the membership year in which the event occurs.

Fee payment can be submitted by mail to HARRA P. O. Box 572497, Houston, Texas 77257 Attn: Treasurer. Alternatively, you may contact treasurer@harra.org for instructions on electronic payment

 

      7. THE RACE MUST PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING:

  • Two (or more) easily identified, non-participant EMT’s (intermediate or higher level), or two ( or more) certified medical personnel approved by the HARRA Medical Advisor.

    • The medical personnel must be on site 60 minutes prior to the race and until either: 1) 30 minutes after official course closure time or 2) 15 minutes after the last participant has finished. If the medical personal have not appeared and replacements have not been arranged for 30 minutes prior to race start, HARRA recommends that the race be canceled and rescheduled.
    • IF THE EVENT IS CONDUCTED WITH OUT THE PROPER MEDICAL PERSONNEL THE RACE WILL BE EXCLUDED FROM THE HARRA SERIES THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

  • One toilet for each 70 runners.

  • Parking available within 0.5 mile of the start line

  • Banners and/or directional signs to race start and finish, race registration and packet pickup

  • Water and refreshments available at finish

  • Posted race results

  • Police protection and proper traffic control as needed

  • Each mile clearly marked on the course

  • Visible clock at the finish line

  • Awards at least 3 deep for each male and female 5-year age group as follows: 19 and under, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39,40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75 and over

  • Entry forms or online registration available 6 weeks prior to race date

  • Water/replacement fluids available at start and finish and at a minimum every two miles along course

  • Course must be clearly marked

  • Provide individual finishing times for all finishers within one week online and in Excel format directly to HARRA  (VP of Clubs), including the following fields:
    First Name – Last Name – Age – Sex – Time - Running Club Affiliation

  • Send to HARRA VVIP Coordinator a list of race volunteers for inclusion in the HARRA VVIP Program.
     
  • If a race serves alcoholic beverages a race must (1) not serve anyone who is obviously intoxicated or presents the appearance of being a danger to themselves or others; and (2) not serve anyone who is underage by Federal guidelines (i.e. under the age of 21).
 

Recommendations

  • All participants in a HARRA championship race, regardless of organizational affiliation should be eligible for awards.
     
  • No organizational affiliation should be required to enter a HARRA championship race.
     
  • HARRA events should be scheduled so there will be adequate recovery time for participants competing in the other championship events. Consult with VP for Road Race Management if possible before scheduling the event.
     
  • Events longer than 10K should have at least 2 weeks between them and no less than one week for shorter events.
     
  • Port-a-cans should be available at course water stations consistent with race size and course limitation considerations.
     
If any questions or comments, please contact the VP for Road Race Management at races@harra.org.
 
 

Rules for Relay Races (Road or Cross Country)

  1. In order for a team to score in the HARRA Interclub Competition, all runners must be members in good standing in HARRA and in the club they are representing at the time of the race. (Current HARRA Membership can be viewed: https://harra.org/member-list).
    • Club affiliation must be designated in the runner’s HARRA member profile.
    • There is a 48-hour grace period after the race for runners to make their HARRA status and club affiliation current. (Links to Join, Renew or Login to account are on the top right of the HARRA home page.)
  2. Teams that have non-member or mixed affiliation runners may still participate in the race competition, but the team will not be counted in HARRA standings.
  3. Each runner may only run one leg of the relay. Runners may not run on more than one team.
  4. Each leg must be completely finished or the team will be disqualified
  5. 4th leg runner must wear the D race bib/number (or carry chip on person). Runners should run in order of bib (A, B, C, D)
  6. All members of each team eligible for awards are subject to verification by race officials prior to the awards ceremony.
  7. The race director and or race official may disqualify anyone for not adhering to the rules.
  8. The race director has the option to include teams not adhering to Rules 3. and 4. in a non-competitive category if they wish, but they will not be counted for HARRA competition.
  9. The race director must provide a complete list of teams including individual team members after results are finalized to HARRA.

HARRA Series Relay Races (Road or Cross Country) must have, at a minimum, the six HARRA team categories detailed below. Additional categories are permitted but they must have equal awards for both gender categories of teams.

Relay categories are as follows:

  • Open
  • Open Women
  • Masters (40+)
  • Masters Women (women 40+)
  • Veterans (50+)
  • Veteran Women (women 50+)

The following additional categories may also be included:

  • Open Mixed (team of 2 Men and 2 Women under 40)
  • Masters Mixed (team of 2 Men and 2 Women 40+)
  • Senior Men (men 60+)
  • Senior Women (women 60+)
  • Senior Mixed (team of 2 Men and 2 Women 60+)

If a club is concerned about the categories, they should contact HARRA to approve any changes/additions prior to their race.