Hardrock 100 leader DQ'd for receiving aid outside aid station

They use the word “may” disqualify, not that they will or have to. They could have just warned him first, which is what they do in USATF/IAAF sanctioned events for a first offense.

You have to think in a fatigued state and someone offers you aid you may be somewhat mindless to remember you have to decline it. It seems a bit harsh to DQ him without a warning first.

Network Engie wrote:

If the Hardrock 100 allowed people to brazenly break the rules about aid/crew access they would no longer get permits from the National Park System to hold the event. The permit for the event is given on a year by year basis. The National Park System regulations are also the reason most American races have rules about cutting switchbacks. Europeans complain about these rules before they even ask why the rules are in place. If the rules were not in place the event would cease to exist because they would no longer get permits from the National Park System.

National Park? Where TF do you think this race is held?

To the other posters wondering why enforce this rule... This run is held in and through lots of remote national forest, blm, and wilderness. The location in question is off a narrow two lane road that has a 800ft cliff exposure on one side. The race doesn't want crews stopping any old place to give aid to their runners. If everyone stopped to give aid here it would be a disaster. For the long term sustainability of the race it was a good call.

That said, I stand by my earlier assessment that if this was someone close to the RD like Dakota Jones it would be a slap on the wrist instead of a DQ and they would have stressed the following year that such a thing will be a DQ going forward.

Ultra follower wrote:

This race is a joke. Lottery system favors older runners with multiple finishes and ensures there is little competition at the front.

Agreed.. this race is a farce.

It's a circle jerk of old has-beens in the ultra scene who want to hike 20 minute miles around the San Juans, rather than give their spot to someone who is actually worthy.

From the runners manual:

10 Crew may give runners aid within 400 yards of the aid station. Please do not go out on the course

and give aid between aid stations nor should runners or their crew stash aid for runners along the

course.

Remember, runners are responsible for and accountable for the actions and behaviors of their crews and pacers before, during, and after the run.

The runner AND the crew should know the rules.

Ignorance of the rules is no excuse.

Thévenard said he met his and his pacer met (??) their wives (crew of the day) on a parking while crossing a road, stopped to chat, had a few sips and some ice.

It took the organisation 12h to exclude him because he denied it at first.

https://durangoherald.com/articles/232849

Plus, he doesn't respect rule 1.

The "rules" are actually guidelines. and include other gems like "no whining" "enjoy yourself" and "you must kiss the hardrock".

I'm sure many runners broke these rules too.

We should review video evidence of the rock and make sure all racers, I mean runners kissed the rock. If not, DQ them.

He cheated, but I do like his "Master of the House" in Les Miserables.

sdfasdfsdfd wrote:

He cheated, but I do like his "Master of the House" in Les Miserables.

Bah. All that phenomenal music in the show, and this song is what's always stuck in my head when I walk out of the theatre.

Rule book

“No stashing of supplies along the course and no accepting aid except within 400 yards of a designated aid station.”

French guy

I feel miserable because I didn’t think I was cheating,” he wrote.

It wasn't an accidental mistake having his crew waiting to give him aid far from the aid station. It's the typical French way of cutting corners during races.

As someone familiar with Hardrock, my thoughts follow.

First, Hardrock is a game contrived by the event organizers. The course itself does not follow the logical easiest route. For example, instead of taking the rough steep existing route down to a known point, they send you up, over, through willows, hills, rocks, swampy areas to get there. Part of the game seems to be a desire to make completing/finishing the game as difficult as possible. The easy options have been eliminated.

They likely call it a run not a race because the terrain, weather, elevation, etc. can be severe enough to be life threatening. Their guidebook states that the cutoff time to complete the game is long to allow participants to hunker down in safe areas to avoid severe weather and lightening. I believe they would prefer people choose safer options rather than risk their lives. This only works with fitter/faster runners, and the reality is there are many people who now enter the game that are not fast enough to take time out during the run to complete it within the cutoff. Race implies risking all, a run is more calculated.

Hardrock does not adhere to normal track and field/athletics/running rules. The IAAF competition rulebook is over 230 pages long. The 2018 Hardrock Runners Manual, which contains 11 Executive Rules, some other rules, but is mostly other information, is only 16 pages long.

Hardrock event organizers make up their own rules.

If you want to play their game, you have to follow their rules.

If you do not like their game, don't play it.

You can always try to start your own game.

Obviously those leading events receive greater attention and thus may be under higher scrutiny than those back in the pack.

Leaders must accept this fact, and understand that their actions are being watched and what they do may have consequences.

The question is will the Hardrock game directors try to enforce their own rules consistently and evenly for all players in the future?

Probably not, because their existing rules are not clear (are they "Executive Rules" or "guidelines") and the consequences for violation of these are also not clear.

If you'd ever finish a legit trail 100, you'd realize that receiving aid between aid stations makes a difference.

Network Engie wrote:

If the Hardrock 100 allowed people to brazenly break the rules about aid/crew access they would no longer get permits from the National Park System to hold the event. The permit for the event is given on a year by year basis. The National Park System regulations are also the reason most American races have rules about cutting switchbacks. Europeans complain about these rules before they even ask why the rules are in place. If the rules were not in place the event would cease to exist because they would no longer get permits from the National Park System.

Just sent an email to the National Park Service letting them know runners get DQed if someone gets water between aid stations . They better have rescue crews ready to rescue dehydrated runners. That makes the run safe .

It makes a difference regardless of surface. Assistance rules are more stringently applied in sanctioned events where there’s more competition/records/awards on the line. Outside aid is a very real possibility of incidentally happening in sanctioned events with thousands of participants and spectators who may or may not know the rules. You add fatigue on top, even if you know the rules, and it can cloud your judgement. Having a warning system in place is fair. Having a technical meeting to go over race rules is helpful too. HR100 uses the word “may” which means they have some discretion. When you have athletes from around the world for whom English is not their first language and different customs you’re dealing with a communication barrier too. The unsanctioned trail races like HR100 could learned from USATF/IAAF rules on how to better handle situations like this.

in any 100 runners receive aid from other runners outside aid stations all the time. salt pill, gel, lube, batteries, etc., get exchanged all the time between runners. If you are standing on the side of the trail or doubled over, almost every runner will offer you assistance in this fashion. Should they all be DQ'd or forced to drop at the next aid station? Under a strict HR rule, yes.

plus the dude had an hour lead, so a sip of water and ice 2 miles after being topped off would not give much benefit, if any.

zzzz wrote:

conspiracy crazies wrote:

the conspiracy theories are ridiculous. They had to DQ him because someone photographed him (common around ultra races), and happened to catch him receiving aid. If he wasn't DQ'ed then the evidence would have ended up online, and they would get blasted for making an exception for an elite runner.

See the comments of this from 2015. Someone in the irunfar comments mentioned that they saw it on video, though I don't see it in this one. No DQ.

https://youtu.be/YcvNTVdM92w

14:01 is where that aid happened out of the aid station on video without a DQ. So that's evidence ending up online, but no one blasted them for making an exception for a popular ultrarunning youtuber.

zzzz wrote:

zzzz wrote:

See the comments of this from 2015. Someone in the irunfar comments mentioned that they saw it on video, though I don't see it in this one. No DQ.

https://youtu.be/YcvNTVdM92w

14:01 is where that aid happened out of the aid station on video without a DQ. So that's evidence ending up online, but no one blasted them for making an exception for a popular ultrarunning youtuber.

I have to assume this is 400 yards outside of an aid station, and therefore they must DQ Coury - indisputable that he received fluids at this point. To preserve the integrity of the race (what is left of it) they can make no exceptions here.

hard dq wrote:

zzzz wrote:

14:01 is where that aid happened out of the aid station on video without a DQ. So that's evidence ending up online, but no one blasted them for making an exception for a popular ultrarunning youtuber.

I have to assume this is 400 yards outside of an aid station, and therefore they must DQ Coury - indisputable that he received fluids at this point. To preserve the integrity of the race (what is left of it) they can make no exceptions here.

Yes, DQ Coiry in retrospect. I know he reads this website as everything on his vlog is half from letsrun and half from irunfar. He is all.abpit being PC. DQ. Sorry brother.