GMAA Policies

1)Race Refund Policy

When a runner registers for a race all payments are final and no refunds will be issued. This includes when a runner gives notice by contacting the director ahead of the race, not showing up at a race, or not completing a race.

— Based on past practice of the GMAA

2) Policy When a Runner’s Age Group Changes Mid-year

Members belong to age groups for races, and series of races. In the case of a series of races a runner’s age group might change in the middle of the series. Two examples are the grand prix series and the performance standings. What will happen is that any points earned to date in the prior age group will transfer wholly to the new age group without recalculation. The age of the runner on the last race of the series will determine the final age group that the transitioning runner competes in. For 2007, the last race of the grand prix series is the Green Mountain Marathon and the last race of the performance standings is the Leaf Peepers Half Marathon.

— Adopted at the August 7, 2007 GMAA Officer’s Meeting

3) Policy When a Runner is a No-show for a Race that is Paid For

Members can have a USATF team race paid for by the GMAA if they are an incentive winner or if the team race is their third or more for the racing season. If the GMAA pays the entry fee for a USATF team race and the runner does not run the race, he or she shall pay the club back the entry fee. If the runner starts the race but cannot complete the race the entry fee does not need to be paid to the GMAA.

— Adopted at the February 20, 2007 GMAA Officer’s Meeting

4) Membership Awards at Races Policy

There are a variety of membership awards that can be won at races. In order to qualify for these awards, the runner must be a member prior to the start of the race. Membership awards include but are not limited to: grand prix points, incentive placement, and SkiRack free sneaker bonus. This specifically does not apply to general race awards that are distributed to any runner regardless of membership status.

— Adopted at the May 8, 2007 GMAA Officer’s Meeting

5) Family Membership Policy

Members of a family who live at the same address may join the GMAA with a family membership. This includes children away at college who live at home between semesters. It does not include related family members who live at different addresses.

— Adopted at the May 8, 2007 GMAA Officer’s Meeting

6) Mailing Labels Policy

The GMAA provides a copy of its member’s addresses on mailing labels for one time use to reputable running races and running camps in Northwestern Vermont. The labels are not to be copied into any databases for future uses. A member has the right to refuse that his or her name be included in these labels. The cost for this service is $25 and includes postage for the GMAA mailing the labels to the requesting race or camp. If you are interested in buying a set of labels or having your name removed from the labels, please email us at info@gmaa.run.

7) Race Kit Policy

The GMAA will rent its race kit for approved events (see below) for a $75 fee (plus an additional $50 refundable deposit, required at the time of the rental). The race kit contains everything that is needed to successfully hold a race, including hand-held timers, a finish line clock, and traffic cones. The race kit is located at the SkiRack in Burlington, VT. In addition, the GMAA provides technical assistance whenever possible for non-club races, whether or not the race kit is rented. Any race or organization can be barred from future rentals if equipment is mishandled, broken, or lost or if the race or organization is difficult to deal with (scheduling, payment, etc.).

Race Kit Reservation policy:

  • GMAA races have first priority. A race that keeps the same date (or weekend) from one year to the next has second priority. All other dates are first come, first served.
  • All requests to rent the race kit must be sent to racekit@gmaa.run
  • The race kit rental is restricted to races within Chittenden County and those hosted by Central Vermont Runners. Other events requesting the race kit may be considered, but are subject to approval by the GMAA board.
  • The race kit will not be rented out between the Turkey Trot of one year and the Sap Run of the following year (approximately 12/1 to 4/1)
  • As of 8/13/2008, no new races will be able to rent the race kit. Races that have a history of renting the kit will be able to continue to rent the kit if they stay in good standing.

–Amended most recently at the August 12, 2008 GMAA Officer’s Meeting

8) Event Weather Policy

The Green Mountain Athletic Association holds all of its races in all types of weather, rain – snow – shine. The only exception to this is lightning/thunder. When lightning/thunder is seen/heard prior to the start of a race, the race start will be delayed until 30 minutes after the last occurrence of lightning or thunder.  A metal vehicle or a substantial building is a safe place to wait.

While a race may not be cancelled or delayed due to weather, it is up each runner to decide if they feel they can handle the race weather and decide to race or not race accordingly.

9) Sponsorship Policy

The Green Mountain Athletic Association, a non-profit, all-volunteer organization, seeks the support of locally owned and operated Vermont businesses for the purposes of sponsoring races and other club activities. Only in the absence of interested local partners will race directors, board members and other volunteers, develop sponsorships with national chain stores.

The GMAA only accepts sponsorship in the form of in-kind gifts, discounts on purchases, and gift certificates to purchase race supplies within the sponsoring business.

10) Race Calendar Policy

The GMAA web site calendar will only list GMAA races, USAT&F Grand Prix race series and GMAA Team Races.

–Adopted at the April 22, 2010 GMAA Officer’s Meeting

11) Race Age Group Restrictions

Due to a number of factors, including the safety of the roads, as many of our races take place on roads that are not closed to traffic, GMAA has adopted the following age group restrictions.

  • All GMAA distance races: Which includes any half marathons or longer, the age requirement is 16 or over.
  • All GMAA 5K races: There is no age requirement.
  • All other GMAA races and group workouts: Any runner under the age of 12 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian on foot for the entirety of the race.

–Adopted at the May 9, 2012 GMAA Officer’s Meeting

12) Email Policy

The privacy of our members and racers is important to us. We do not sell, rent, swap or give your email address to anyone.

–Adopted April, 2014

13) Policy on transgender and non-binary athletes

GMAA chooses to be a gender affirming organization by allowing a participant to register with the gender that they identify.

As GMAA races are sanctioned by USATF, athletes are required to comply with the IOC Transgender policies at the time of completion in order to qualify for any prizes based on age and gender. Currently, IOC policies (as of 2021) allow individual sports federations to make determinations on transgender athletes’ eligibility. The IOC has discouraged policies that aim to verify the sex of an athlete, setting a one-size-fits-all hormone threshold for athletes to compete in a given category, and policies that require athletes to modify their hormone levels. The IOC has specifically discouraged these policies to reduce the risk of abuse towards athletes and adverse impacts on athletes’ health.

All results posted, will list the athlete and the gender with which they identify, unless an athlete requests otherwise. If an athlete does not want to disclose their gender, we will work with that athlete to make sure their gender identity stays confidential. Harassment based on gender identity will not be tolerated and will result in disciplinary action including but not limited to an investigation, with potential for expulsion from GMAA sanctioned events.

Non-binary policy (adapted from BAA policy)

  1. All GMAA-sanctioned races have a non-binary category with equitable gender prizes for the top performer(s).
  2. GMAA accepts each entrant’s declared gender at face value, with no additional supporting evidence required.
  3. GMAA allows participation in the non-binary division to binary transgender athletes, regardless of whether or not they are receiving gender affirming treatment.
  4. In the event that a non-binary participant wishes to compete in a team score (e.g. USATF), the athlete must designate a gender based on World Athletics, USA Track & Field, and World Para Athletics rules.

For reference – copied from the USATF Policy:

“Each year in the United States, tens of millions of Americans run in road races, and millions compete in track and field. In most cases, entries for these races are at the discretion of the runner entering, and race directors rely upon the entrants to accurately provide their name, age, gender, nationality and other details.

With more than 10 million road race finishers each year in this country, the vast majority of race entrants are participating in the road race experience rather than competing for awards and prize money. USATF’s mission is to drive competitive excellence and popular engagement in the sport. In the spirit of popular engagement, USATF encourages race directors and competitors to accept the entries at face value in instances where awards and/or prize money are not at stake.

For any USATF competition or events operated using USATF rules as part of a USATF sanction and where age-group awards and/or prize money are at stake, an affected competitor(s) who has a valid reason to question the accuracy of the entry information of a prize- or award winning athlete may protest, either orally or in writing, against the prize- or award-winner with the referee during the respective meet, in accordance with the applicable rules for that event. If the matter cannot be immediately resolved, and all applicable appeals have been exhausted, the affected competitor may file a grievance within USATF, following the procedures described in Regulation 21 of the USATF Bylaws and Operating Regulations. (https://www.usatf.org/governance/bylaws-regulations)

In cases where an athlete’s gender is at issue, USATF urges that extreme care should be taken to respect the privacy of the parties affected at every step of the process.”

Sources:

USATF Statement Regarding Transgender/Transsexual Policy | USA Track & Field

IOC Framework On Fairness, Inclusion and Non-discrimination 2021

The Guide to Non-Binary Inclusion In Running

–Adopted in 2018, amended 2023