Gate River Run Competitive Team Competition

I agree - but in running - like everything else - money rules the world - and the shoe companies have the most of it.

Richard Fannin wrote:

10,000 and 5,000 PRs of top 40 seeds.....

So you decided seeds for a road race based on track times? Why not use current road times, as some people are better road racers than a lot of the track types. Moreso, track PRs may not even be relevant to anyone's current fitness (ran their PRs years ago in college). Guess seeds don't matter really, but still, it's perplexing you would use track times.

Richard Fannin wrote:

· We also offer $5,000 for an American Record and $3,000 for a Course Record.

· Since the American Records were both set at Gate River Run – anyone achieving either (both) would get the full $8,000

· Men’s AR – Todd Williams – 42:22

· Women’s AR – Deena Kastor – 47:15

· Lastly, $10,000 for a World Record

· Men’s WR is 41:29 (Felix Limo)

· Women’s WR is 46:55 (Kayoko Fukushi)

This might be a little harder after tomorrow with Hall racing down in Tampa.

Those were NOT the order of how we seeded our runners ....

That list was sorted by 10,000 PR

Andrew Carlson, as the defending champ, will be wearing #1...

From there, we seeded according to a complex formula, but one which placed the most emphasis on recent results.

You are right, what bib number someone is wearing really makes no difference - other than to perhaps get someone fired up who is unhappy with theirs.

Hall missed it by 1:04 ...

That 42:22 is a very tough record.

That is why it has stood for 10 years.

I remember that day he went through 10k in about 28:00 flat - all alone.

For someone to even have a prayer of 42:22 for 15k (particularly on this course with the bridge) they better be sub-27:40 for 10,000.

Hall missed it by 1:04 ...

That 42:22 is a very tough record.

That is why it has stood for 10 years.

I remember that day he went through 10k in about 28:00 flat - all alone.

For someone to even have a prayer of 42:22 for 15k (particularly on this course with the bridge) they better be sub-27:40 for 10,000 on the track.

Richard Fannin wrote:

From there, we seeded according to a complex formula, but one which placed the most emphasis on recent results.

Well, you gave one of my teammates a top 20 seed, and this individual hasn't even finished a race in over a year because of injuries. So, if you're basing seeds on recent performances I know of some people who have been racing extremely well the past 6 months (on the roads) and it's puzzling they aren't a top 20 seed. But again, doesn't matter.

Yes, because seeding in road racing is so important. That low bib # really gives you an edge...

this seems odd wrote:

Well, you gave one of my teammates a top 20 seed, and this individual hasn't even finished a race in over a year because of injuries. So, if you're basing seeds on recent performances I know of some people who have been racing extremely well the past 6 months (on the roads) and it's puzzling they aren't a top 20 seed. But again, doesn't matter.

Again ... no one has any earthly idea how we seeded our runners.

That list I put out was simply all competitors sorted by their 10,000 PR.

When the runners pick up their numbers, they will see that they were LARGELY based on recent performances.

We DID give the defending champion the traditional #1, and we DID give a slight bias to former Gate River Run champions or Olympians - who may or may not be in top form.

SOME guesswork and SOME subjectivity went into it.

No one was meant to be slighted or offended.

Maybe we should offer a prize to the runner who scores the lowest under his or her bib number - now THAT would be fun.

Kyle King has scratched from the race ...

So who has a full team?

Team USA Minnesota

ZAP

McMillian Elite

Hansons

Who else?

Dobson ran 28:15.66 in 2004 for 10,000.

Dobson actually ran 27:59 in 2005. My bad.

Also ...

TEMPO SPORTS

Jorge Torres

Ed Torres

Fernando Cabada

MARATHON PERFORMANCE

Dathan Ritzenhein

James Carney

Jason Hartmann

CLUB NORTHWEST

Forest Braden

Mike Sayenko

Joe Gray

NEW BALANCE BOSTON

Roland Lavallee

Jeff Caron

Ryan Carrera

TEAM USA CALIFORNIA has Dan Browne and Ian Dobson - but Meb has "scratched" - so they don't have a third.

NYAC - Has Chris Pannone and Mark Olivier (but missing a third) (Josh Simpson scratched)

BROOKS CANADA MARATHON PROJECT - but they are ineligible, because must be US citizens

8 guys who have run under 28:00 - and 12 who have run under 28:20 - plus defending champ Carlson - and Gotcher, Ed Torres, Cabada, Lehmkuhle, Gabrielson, et. al.

Should be a scorcher.

Everyone on that list still running except Rod Koborsi, Kyle King, and Daniel Kanyaruhuru - who have scratched.

How can Hartman run for Marathon Performance, when he is part of Team Strands?

soxshujaz wrote:

How can Hartman run for Marathon Performance, when he is part of Team Strands?

the team thing is a complete joke. Hope USATF isnt putting the money up for it. Hey put me on a team so I can get some money too

This a TEAM competition - not a SPONSOR competition.

That is why we are not having TEAM NIKE, TEAM ADIDAS, etc.

We wrote out a list of rules which I will post on this site which outline what defines a team.

And - no - our team competition is neither funded by or sponsored by USATF. It is our own competition, privately financed by JTC Running (Jacksonville Track Club).

So we were not obligated to conform to the letter of USATF rules.

WE HAVE RECEIVED NUMEROUS QUESTIONS REGARDING THE GATE RIVER RUN TEAM COMPETITION.

BELOW ARE OFFICIAL RULES FOR 2009.

GATE RIVER RUN TEAM COMPETITION

For the first year, we are pleased to announce the inaugural elite team competition for The Gate River Run.

This competition, which we plan to install as an annual event, will be know as The TenBroeck Cup, named after John TenBroeck, a long-time and tireless volunteer of JTC Running (formerly known as The Jacksonville Track Club) We will award the trophy annually to the top men’s and women’s team, etch the winning teams on the plaque, and the trophy will reside permanently in The Gate River Run Hall of Fame in the Riverplace Tower in Jacksonville.

For 2009, we will award prize money 3 deep in both the men’s and women’s divisions as follows:

• $6.000 for first place

• $3,000 for second place

• $1,000 for third place

Prize money will be awarded equally to the three scoring members of the top 3 teams..

RULES AND GUIDELINES

Firstly, we want to make it clear that the individual races for Gate River Run are USATF National Championships – but the team race is not a USATF championship. Thus, the rules in place are those made by The Gate River Run race committee, and do not necessarily conform to USATF rules for national team championships.

SCORING

To qualify a team score, teams must have 3 finishers, and the combined overall finishes of these three will be added together. Lowest score wins. For men, this will be overall place only against other males. For women, it will be overall place only against other females. (i.e. if the overall women’s champ finishes 19th overall, her team points will be (1) – not 19).

Teams may enter as many runners as they wish, but only the top 3 will score.

WHAT CONSTITUTES A TEAM ?

This is an issue that has been given a lot of thought. The current landscape of US elite distance running contains many teams and clubs, most (but not all) consisting of runners who live in the same geographical area. Most share the same coach – some have a few athletes that run for the club – but maintain their own coach. Some teams consist of runners who all have contracts with the same shoe companies. Many have runners with varied shoe company affiliations.

What we have attempted to do is to allow enough flexibility to be somewhat liberal in our rules for teams, stopping short of allowing “pick-up teams” or shoe companies “throwing runners together” temporarily for the purpose of one competition.

The following rules will be hard and fast – with no exceptions

• All team runners must be US citizens.

• All team runners must have demonstrated a visible prior affiliation with their team – either being listed in prior results under the team name, listed on team’s website, and/or clearly living in the same geographic area and/or sharing the same coach.

• All teams must submit their list of athletes in writing within 30 day of the competition.

While we realize that these rules allow a measure of subjectivity, we hope that you will trust that we will use our judgment in all cases to be fair and permit runners to compete with an established team with which they have proven an alliance.

What we hope to accomplish is an annual competition that is fun, fair, and one that serves to highlight, promote and enhance team running in the United States.

All decision as to “what constitutes a team” will rest with the Gate River Run race committee and all decisions will be final.

PUBLISHED TEAM RESULTS

Out of respect for the shoe companies who have generously sponsored athletes with contracts, we will continue to list all runners in the individual results with their shoe company name.

The team results will have a “heading” with the team name – but all runners on such teams will have their shoe sponsor listed next to their individual names.

We want to do everything in our power to ensure that we are not jeopardizing any athlete’s existing shoe contract, and as such, will be careful with the printed listing of athletes in the team results.

ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS REGARDING THE TEAM COMPETITION MAY BE DIRECTED TO

RICHARD FANNIN

RICHARD_FANNIN@ML.COM

904.662.3814