Equipment requirements for the Surf Coast Century

The following rules and equipment requirements apply to the Surf Coast Century – rules for the Salomon Trail Running Series can be found here.

The weather in the Otway Ranges and Coastline around Anglesea can be magnificent in late September, but it can also be very miserable – wet, cold and windy. You can assume that the race will go ahead no matter what the weather, so we encourage you to be sensible about the gear you take and match it to the conditions expected on the day. The Equipment list below should be seen as a bare minimum but we leave it to your common sense to take additional items if you think they are needed.

Mandatory Gear list for all runners at all times, irrespective of category:

• Your race number plate. This must be worn on your front, as the outermost garment at all times. (Our suggested way of wearing this is on a thin, elastic piece of cord or a triathlon band, as this will allow you to easily have it on the outside no matter what you are wearing without having to fiddle with safety pins.
• First Aid Kit (minimum contents 2 x crepe bandages, 6 x wound closure strips, 1 x triangular bandage, 2 x non stick wound dressing pads and a pair of surgical gloves) (For Sale at Race Registration, $15ea)
• Space blanket (For Sale at Race Registration)
• A whistle (For Sale at Race Registration)
• Mobile phone (Telstra Next G recommended)
• 1 x windproof jacket
• Water container minimum 750ml capacity (may be a water bottle or bladder in a backpack)

Mandatory Gear list for all runners on the course after sunset (6:15pm) irrespective of category:

• White light torch or headlamp sufficiently bright to light the track at least 50m ahead of you and sufficient battery power to get you to the finish line.
• For leg 4 (which includes a section along the Great Ocean Road (GOR) – in night time darkness for many runners) it is mandatory to carry - and wear on the GOR section - a High Visibility Safety Vest that complies with Australian Standard AS/NZS 4602:1999 -N Class. This is a reflective workwear vest that can be purchased from most hardware stores for around $20. The vest must be worn on the outside of all garments and backpacks when running on the GOR in Leg 4. (We will have a limited number for sale at Race Registration, for $20ea)

Recommended Gear List, additional to the items listed above

• Strongly recommended: 1 long sleeve thermal top (polypropylene, wool or similar). Note: cotton, lycra or any ‘compressions’ garments do not qualify
• Additional clothing to match the conditions expected on the day – this may vary from a water proof pants to a sun hat and sunscreen. BE SENSIBLE.
• Beanie or balaclava
• Thermal gloves
• Spare running shoes and socks after Leg 1
• Water proof bag or snaplock for your mobile phone
• Food and additional water / hydration
• Hat and sunglasses
• Vaseline, Body Glide or other body lubricant
• Sports injury tape (like Elastoplast)

What shoe? Julian Spence’s SCC Shoe Review

The Surf Coast Century traverses a whole range of climates and terrain types, so to choose the ideal shoe is a bit of a challenge (if you are a bit if a shoe freak…!). Fortunately one of our event Ambassadors Julian Spence is a shoe freak (he works at The Running Company) and he knows the course like the back of his hand (the course is 500m from his house). He has penned this superb shoe review specifically with the Surf Coast Century in mind so click and read here if you want some great running shoe advice.

Rules for the Surf Coast Century

The rules listed below are current at the time of publicationand may well be updated prior to the race (although the basis of the rules will stay the same)

• (all participants) must read and sign the Participant Indemnity
• Juniors only - (under 18 on race day) must have their parent or guardian advise the organisers, Rapid Ascent, of their intention to enter and the parent or guardian must read and sign an authorisation and indemnity.
• Competitors must follow the complete course as marked and directed. Taking shortcuts or using any unfair means of obtaining an advantage over other competitors will result in disqualification. It is the competitor’s responsibility to ensure that the correct course is followed
• Your race number must be visible at all times on the outside of your clothing (at the front).
• Littering is prohibited.
• Competitors may only receive external assistance on the course by their support crews at the designated Transition Areas as described in the Course Description. Competitors may also receive support by race organisers and officials (but not their support crews) at any additional water points and intermediary Race Kitchens. External support may not be provided anywhere else on the course and this includes the supply of water bottles or food by non competitors.
• One competitor cannot provide assistance in forward progression through physical pushing / pulling / towing, or the provision of food or drinks to a competitor in another category except in emergency circumstances
• Australian Road Rules apply at all times on all roads, tracks and trails
• A High Visibility Safety Vest that complies with Australian Standard AS / NZS 4602:1999 -N Class for night time wear must be worn as your outer most garment if you are on the Great Ocean Road on Leg 4 after 6:15pm on Saturday September 22nd. Penalty will be disqualification.
• You must carry the Mandatory Gear as specified in the equipment list. A 30 minute penalty will apply for any (and every) item found missing during any random gear checks and you will not be allowed to continue until the item is replaced.
• Relay teams can only change over at the designated transition areas – after their team mate has arrived.
• Competitors are responsible for the actions of their support crew and may be penalised for actions or breaches of the rules by their support crew
• Support crews and team mates are not permitted to run with or pace runners
• Any competitor who withdraws from the race MUST notify an official. This is an essential requirement to avoid unnecessary searches being conducted and emergency services being engaged
• All runners are permitted to lodge protests against results or decisions enforced during the event. A judging panel of three Rapid Ascent Directors will adjudicate on all protests and other contentious matters, and their decision will be final. Protests must be lodged within 30 minutes of the subject competitor crossing the finish line.
• Rapid Ascent has sole discretion to alter or amend the race rules in order to increase the safety of participants or for any other reason deemed appropriate
• If the race is cancelled or called off after it has started, it is each competitor’s responsibility to get themselves to the start / finish area as soon as you have been notified of the cancellation

Cut off times

The following cut off times are provisional and may change (slightly) nearer the event.

Cut-off times will be strictly enforced as follows. (2013 times tba):

• Start of Leg 2 – you must depart T1 at Point Danger by 1:00pm Saturday
• Start of Leg 3 – you must depart T2 at Anglesea 8:00pm Saturday
• Start of Leg 4 – you must depart T3 at Moggs Creek by 4:00am Sunday
• The course closes at 11:00am on Sunday

These cut off times are based around an average speed of 4km/hr for the entire course.

Cut Off procedures

• For teams who do not make the published cut off time, the next team member will be allowed to continue at the published cut off time but will be an unranked competitor.
• Individuals who miss a cut off must miss the next leg but they may re-continue from the following transition area.
• If the last cut off is missed, then competitors must make their way via alternative means to the finish line.
• If you cannot complete a leg or are forced to stop or withdraw from a leg the following procedures will be followed:
• You will now be an ‘unranked’ competitor. You will not be permitted to return to that leg but you can recommence the event with the next leg
• When you get to the next transition area, advise an official that you did not complete the leg and hand over to your team mate who can continue the rest of the course
• Your team will be unranked, but you can still continue the event.

Emergency Plans and Procedures

The race directors can be called at any point if you are involved with or hear of any incident on the course that needs our attention via: John Jacoby: 0408 035 261 or Sam Maffett: 0400 001 786. These numbers are printed on the back of your race number plate.

Running below the cliffs

All competitors should be aware of the risks associated with running below ocean sea cliffs (such as rock fall, cliff collapse, being marooned against the cliffs by an incoming tide…) and be confident with the level of precaution taken by race organisers and themselves to mitigate these risks. If a competitor is uncomfortable about the conditions they encounter it is up to them to raise their concerns with race management.

Rapid Ascent advises the following guidelines to competitors to help mitigate and mange any risks associated with running below cliffs:

• Do not stop when running below cliffs (as this increases the time you are at risk).
• Remain as far away from the base of the cliff as possible.
• If you see / hear a rock falling then shout ROCK to all other competitors to make them aware of the danger.
• If the route has been blocked by a cliff collapse then backtrack along the base of the cliff, telling all other competitors to also turn around rather than climbing over the debris.
• If you see or hear of a dangerous rock fall then keep moving to a safe spot and then call Race Management.
• Remain aware of time frames and rising tide. If you think you could be marooned, call Race Management and discuss your alternatives. If you cannot get through, then backtrack to a safe spot.

Rapid Ascent is conducting the race through the “at risk” sections at low tide and also monitoring the cliffs for any signs of weakness and / or weather conditions that may increase the risk of rock fall (such as extremely wet weather and / or big swell and high tides) and may alter the course if it is deemed that the risks are too high. Rapid Ascent has carried out an independent assessment of the cliff stability to comply with permit requirements which gave the go ahead for this section of course.

Event withdrawal

Event withdrawal for emergency purposes – severe injury:
If you have a serious injury whilst out on the course we suggest the following procedures:

• if you are able and without incurring further injury, move off the actual line of travel so you are out of the way of other runners and cannot cause further injury to yourself or others
• stay on the course / track at all times - do not try and find your own way to a road by cutting ‘cross country’
• call the race directors using the mobile phone that is part of your compulsory equipment (whose numbers will be printed on the back of your number plate) to request assistance
• also seek assistance from other runners as they come past - tell them to relay a message forward to the next marshal and checkpoint confirming your location and suspected injuries
• stay calm, use your First Aid Kit. Help will be on its way as soon as possible

Event withdrawal for non emergency reasons
If you wish to withdraw from the event because of fatigue or injury or any other reason AFTER YOU HAVE REGISTERED please tell a race official. We need to keep track of where all runners are out on the course, so if you wake up on Saturday morning (having registered on Friday) with the flu and will not be competing please tell us so we know you will not be on the course.

If you started the race and are out on the course and want to withdraw please tell the next marshal. MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE NEAREST TRANSITION AREA as indicated in the directions above. For non emergency withdrawals we can only arrange for a ‘grim sweeper’ to come and pick you up from a checkpoint rather than anywhere on the course.

If you get lost or lose the trail
If you think you are lost or have gone the wrong way we suggest you follow these procedures.

• STOP! Sit down, have a drink of water and assess the situation with a clear mind. Consider where you are
• Think about where you last saw a course marker – how far back do you think it was (200m, 700m or 2km?) Are there other foot prints along the track where you are?
• When you are certain you have gone wrong backtrack along the exact route you came. Be aware of how far back you have gone and try to limit yourself to what you decided. Look at your watch for time and to estimate distance.
• STAY ON TRACKS AT ALL TIMES – do not try and cut cross country back to a track or take a short cut.

Mobile Phone Coverage
Mobile coverage across the course is very good (best with Telstra) so if you have any issues then call for assistance.

FIRE SAFETY AND EXTREME WEATHER

We are in constant communication with DSE, Parks Victoria (PV) and the CFA about the prospect of a fire and / or extreme weather in the region of the event. We have made a commitment not to compromise the safety of any competitors, any CFA, PV or DSE personnel dispatched to attend a fire or weather incident, any private land owners or the wilderness and surrounding areas as a result of the Surf Coast Century.

As a result, there is a chance that the course could change on the day or the event could be cancelled. The event will only be cancelled if there are extreme weather conditions in the area over the entire weekend and it is determined that the danger is too great to permit runners to go through the course.
Any change of course, evacuation or event cancellation will be communicated to competitors as soon and as safely as possible, through any of the following means:

• SMS sent to competitors mobile phones
• at the event registration area on Friday evening in Anglesea
• when runners are assembled at the start line
• when runners pass a transition area
• Directional arrows stating “Emergency – proceed direct to Finish”
• all messages will be copied and placed on the official event notice board in front of the registration area at the Anglesea Riverbank Park and on the event website at www.surfcoastcentury.com.au

Once again, these changes would be a last resort, but we respect your safety, the landowners, residents, flora and fauna of this beautiful part of the world in extreme circumstances.