PUBLISHED 06/04/2008
A USATF-certified course is a road race course whose distance has been certified for accuracy.
Courses must be certified for any road running performance to be accepted as a record or to be nationally ranked. Furthermore, running a race on a certified course allows you to accurately compare your time to performances run on other certified courses because you can be sure the distances were the same. No one can truly establish a personal best if the course distance is not accurate.
In order to apply for certification, you will need to contact an area USATF official who, for a nominal fee, will measure your course in accordance with USATF standards. When your course is certified, you will receive a certificate number and logo, which you can place on your brochure and marketing materials, since many runners look to see if your course has this designation.
Certification is not the same as sanction, which includes the insurance for your event. Your race can be sanctioned by the USATF; your course is certified by the USATF.
For more information on certifying your course with the USATF, visit their website, www.usatf.org.
