Athletics Rules & Us

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Kieren Feb 2013 9:47am, 19 Feb 2013 3,611 posts	0 Kieren A thead to talk about the rules I guess. I just watched a the following video on flo-track where they asked if the winner should be disqualified. There was a couple of falls and maybe some obstruction. For cross country thought it was allowed to kind of obstruct (?). In that everyone dashes for position at the start before the field narrow. With that in mind I have started reading the rules and while most are no doubt aimed at professionals, at what point do these apply to us? For example, Rule 21 says technical devices and the use of heart rate monitors over 10k distance are classed as assistance. So technically running a half marathon using a garmin to pace would be cheating? Pedantic maybe, unenforceable perhaps but to what point? I've been at club races where where people have claimed assistance from spectators pacing & a big empathis is placed on wearing the registered club shirt, not the tri version for running events.
SODIron © 2002 Feb 2013 10:56am, 19 Feb 2013 10,396 posts	0 SODIron © 2002 I find that rule somewhat odd. I mean when does a Garmin actually aid performance? Sure it can help you with your pacing I guess but most professional athletes don't need a Garmin for pacing. Also when you consider that many marathons employ pace makers for the athletes, are these not of great assistance? I mean, you can't draft behind your Garmin.
SODIron © 2002 Feb 2013 10:58am, 19 Feb 2013 10,397 posts	0 SODIron © 2002 #edit: employ official pacers for the athletes
oi you Feb 2013 11:12am, 19 Feb 2013 122 posts	0 oi you when does a Garmin actually aid performance? Sure it can help you with your pacing Yup, that would do it. I guess pacers are OK as they're there for anyone - not particularly assisting one runner.
Kieren Feb 2013 12:01pm, 19 Feb 2013 3,612 posts	0 Kieren I've seen people complain at cross country in regards to "pacers / coaching" where club supporters ran along side lead runners and gave position advice. A complaint was made, heard & nothing came of it apart from being told not to do it. Pro level is at a different league and the majority of us rank place in hundreds or thousands when it comes to these huge race finishing positions - like the big half marathons so I don't think we need to know or consider the rules too much. Good club runners though, can place top 20, top 10 maybe even position for prize money. Is there a line that's drawn somewhere based on that ability or is that a rule that is largely ignored or used to to apply when someone is blatantly cheating (kind of letter of the law ans spirit of the law being slightly different)?
fetcheveryone Feb 2013 12:06pm, 19 Feb 2013 12,436 posts	0 fetcheveryone Sanity suggests that it only matters when it actually matters e.g. qualifying for a special team, or winning something worth having.
Keefy Beefy Feb 2013 12:19pm, 19 Feb 2013 8,268 posts	0 Keefy Beefy Imagining having a mare and struggling to a PW, feeling like death and then being disqualified for using a Garmin LOL
KinkyS Feb 2013 12:20pm, 19 Feb 2013 16,835 posts	0 KinkyS I've seen someone not get a vet prize in a small localish race because they weren't wearing the vest of the club they entered under and were effectively disqualified. So I guess some races do apply the rules even when it doesn't 'matter' as such. (I bet the winner was wearing a Garmin though!).
Kieren Feb 2013 12:37pm, 19 Feb 2013 3,613 posts	0 Kieren Then again, I saw Paul Radcliff's husband and coach run along side her shouting encouragement and no DQ there, although as far as pacers go - she almost lost the world record for having male pacers as the IAAF deemed it an unfair advantage, ref espn.go.com Maybe it just depends how much of a stickler for rules someone is to be. I have no doubt officials apply common sense but if another competitor decided to make a complaint I guess it would have to be heard although obviously no one would ever disqualify the 650 people infront of me
The Teaboy Feb 2013 12:47pm, 19 Feb 2013 5,147 posts	0 The Teaboy In some of the marathons, doesn't the lead vehicle have a projected pace display? Hardly different from using a Garmin. But when there are hundreds of thousands or millions of pounds in publicity and sponsirship coming in, I suppose rules may be optional...