As you may know, I was the co-RD for last weekend’s Worlds End Ultramarathon. With Eastern States 100 coming up, I want to clarify some key rules and policies:
1 – Be Respectful to Volunteers. Yes, the weather might stink, or you might miss a cutoff, or feel frustrated about a mistake. But don’t take it out on the volunteers. They give their time and energy to help everyone—not just you. If they remind you about a rule (e.g., cutoff times are final), don’t argue. They didn’t make the rules; the rules exist for safety, logistics, permitting, and fairness. (Respect works both ways: If a volunteer acts out of line, let race management know. We’ve removed volunteers before and will do so again if needed.)
2 – Bib Placement. Your bib must be worn on the front—no exceptions. If we can’t see your number, you may be stopped to fix it or even disqualified. And no, running backward into an aid station won’t cut it.
Also, bibs must be turned in when a runner drops or misses a cutoff. This isn’t a punishment—it’s for safety, so we can account for all runners on the course.
3 – Drop Bags. Keep your drop bag reasonable. No duffel bags, suitcases, 5-gallon buckets or coolers. And please, don’t bring a huge container just to hold a couple of gels and socks.
4 – Crewed Aid Stations. You may not meet your runner at any uncrewed aid station or along the course except where crew is allowed. Too often, people claim they’re just spectating and coincidentally meet their runner. Please—don’t do this. If your crew is observed breaking this rule, you will be disqualified.
5 – DNF Runners as Crew. If you drop from the race, you can crew for another runner—but you must then follow the Crew Member Rules. That means only meeting your runner at designated crewed aid stations, and not turning race staff into your personal Uber driver.
Let’s all do our part to keep the race running smoothly and fairly.