Policies

Code of Conduct

Be nice to everyone. This includes volunteers, runners, spectators, and race staff. Mean, spiteful, and bigoted comments have no place at our events. Every person has the right to feel comfortable at our races. No harassment of any kind is tolerated. Runners or crew will be disqualified if this happens.

No whining. If you absolutely feel the need to whine do it directly to the race director. Even better, send him an email after the race with constructive criticism. Constructive criticism that makes our races better is always appreciated. Complaining is not.

What should I do if I see or experience an unsafe situation?

  1. If it is life threatening or an emergency, attempt to call 911.
  2. If you see bullying, harassment or other unsafe situations, notify a volunteer or the race director. The race directors phone number is provided at packet pick up
  3. You may also email [email protected] after the event.

Once a situation is reported, we will investigate the event. If necessary, we will pass information along to law enforcement or address it with the parties involved. You may report a situation anonymously. However this may impact our ability to fully investigate a claim.

Volunteers

We love our volunteers! These events could not happen without you! Anyone volunteering 4 hours or more at an event earns a free race equivalent to a 50 miler, 12 Hour, 50k, 8 Hour, or 10 miler. If a volunteer is interested in earning a free race for 36 Hours, 24 Hours, or 100k they must complete either a 6 Hour volunteer shift or an overnight/event close down at Dogwood, Night Train, or Freight Train. Volunteers who are family members may transfer their credit to a family member who is a volunteer.

We are happy to work with youth who need volunteer hours. Email us ahead of time and we will help the parents come up with a plan of action.

Refunds/Deferrals

We understand that life happens and you sometimes can’t make it to a race. Unfortunately, races begin spending money as soon as an event is scheduled. For this reason, there are no refunds!

We are happy to work with you on a deferral with prior notice. Deferral requests anytime prior to 24 hours before a race will be allowed as long as you email the race director requesting it.  Deferrals are meant to be used 1 time for the event the runner is deferring. They need to be used within 365 of the event that was deferred. They are for work conflicts, pregnancy or injury.  They are not meant to be used because you overcommitted yourself to events. Day of deferral requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Deferral requests will not be considered after the event. Because equipment, permit, and supplies do increase in price, any deferral request will incur a 25% fee when the runner registers the next year. This covers an increase in the cost of all these supplies.

Bib transfers are prohibited.

Results

I will do my best to post results within 72 hours of the completion of the race. Please don’t email me prior to that asking when the results will be posted. If there is a question about a time please email me directly. Don’t post the question on social media. I will only make adjustments to finish times if the difference is over a 3-minute discrepancy or a podium finish time.  I also offer live updates via Race Result.  Live timing links will be posted prior to each race.

I only recognize the top 3 finishers. I do not offer age group awards.  Night Train and Freight Train do recognize top Grandmaster (60+) finisher in each distance

I do not make entry lists public ahead of time. Due to the presence of youth runners and individuals who have been harassed via public entry lists in the past, we keep our starting lists private.

Alcohol/Drugs

Many of my races take place on state land. Open consumption of alcohol is prohibited. The use of any drugs (including marijuana) is strictly prohibited. Violations of these policies will result in immediate banning from future events as this puts future events in danger.

Group Runners and Referrals

We think running with other crazy people makes for a great community. We are happy to offer a couple of incentives to help you find other runners to share in your adventures.

Refer 3, Run Free

If you are the ringleader, simply get 3 friends to sign up. Then email me and I will put you in the same event for free. You cannot use this across races. It must be for the same event (different distances are acceptable).

Bulk Runner Discount

If you are going to be part of large group (5 or more) then email me ahead of time. I will provide a code for the entire group to use that will give 20% off each runner’s registration. This must be used for the same event (different distances are acceptable)

Timing

We now offer timing services for events in the Mid-Atlantic region. We have timed events ranging from a 5k to a trail 100-miler. We use Race Result systems and chip timing. Contact us for a quote!

Gluten Free Options

We recognize that dietary restrictions can present an obstacle to trail races. We always encourage you to bring what you need if it is a specific need. However, we will now be offering gluten free options of food at all of our races. When you register, you can select gluten free as an option. I will then make sure I offer such things as gluten free bread (for PB&J), corn or almond flour tortillas, gluten free Oreos and other options. When you come into an aid station, tell the volunteers you need the gluten free options and they will take care of you.

Quiet Start

Runners wishing to have a “quiet start” may coordinate that with the race director prior to the race. We know that start lines can be overwhelming for certain people. A quiet start allows the runner to start 5 minutes after everyone else. They have the same amount of time and are not penalized.