Published by the DAILY RECORD of Morris
County, New Jersey
On Sunday, January 5, 2014
Copyright, Madeline Bost, 2014
The USATF New Jersey Long Distance Running committee will be
meeting in two days to make decisions that could have a major impact on racing
in 2014. In September a number of
proposed new rules or changes to rules were accepted for consideration. On Tuesday they will be rejected or accepted,
but this time for the first time in its history, the votes must have a 60%
majority in order to pass.
That is, if the first of the proposed rules is
accepted. A narrow vote at last year’s
meeting has prompted the proposed new rule.
No filibustering allowed.
If the second proposed rule is accepted then an issue that
had been voted on in the past year cannot be brought forward again until two
years have passed.
The next two proposed rule changes are similar as they would
affect the make-up of two of the team divisions and for the same reasons. Some divisions have grown in such a size that
the minimum number of members scoring is deemed as too small.
Baby Boomers are now in their 60’s and they have swelled the
ranks of M60 and M65 divisions, both at the local level and the national
level. Currently the Men 60 to 69 teams require
only three men to score. It is proposed
that one more be added. Eight men could
be declared on the team with the first four men scoring for the team.
At one time Open women’s teams required only three women to
score. That was changed to four women in
2011. Now it is being proposed that the
teams require five women, just as is required for the Open men’s teams. The rationale here is that there are plenty
of younger women and if necessary a club could bring down their W40 + runners
to fill out their Open teams.
Another change that will bring on debate is one that will
revert to the previous method of scoring teams.
In 2013 the scores for each team were all counted, whereas previously
only the best eight of a possible nine or nine of a possible ten were
counted. Said another way, each team
could drop their lowest score. Some teams have felt that it is unfair to
teams that make it to all of the championship races to allow a team to drop a
score of zero that resulted from a missed race, while their team must subtract
points. On the other hand, once a team
misses a race, the contest is over for them.
A sister rule change gives a one point bonus for making it to all of the
championship races.
A final proposed change is to add the road mile as an
included distance in the long distance grand prix, with an exception of only
allowing one mile race in a person’s final score, and that would apply also to
the Mini One grand prix that has been from 3 kilometer to four miles.
The meeting is being held in Rockaway at Parette Somjen
Architects, 439 Route 46 East beginning at 7:30 p.m.
LOCAL WOMEN DO WELL AT FIRST RACE OF THE NEW YEAR
Diane D’Achille of Denville won the women’s division of the
Hangover 5K in Westfield on New Year’s Day in 18:44.97. At
the Hamilton Hangover five mile race Jane Parks of Morristown, now 61 years old,
was the top masters woman overall and tops in age grading with an outstanding
87.55% for her finishing time of 36:13.
Correction: In last week’s column a proof reading
error slipped past the proof reader, who also happens to be me. Referring to the 1st Day 5K in Fairlawn
on New Year’s Day the copy should have stated that it sprang up in 2003, not
2013.
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A calendar of USATF sanctioned events can be found at www.usatfnj.org or at www.raceforum.com for running and tri and
biathlon events.
Contact Madeline Bost at madelinebost@verizon.net.
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