The Race To The Courthouse 5K Run/Walk 2021

Short review

NEW RACE DATE IS SET:  SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 2021. 

Due to the Corona Virus situation, we have rescheduled the race to Saturday, April 17, 2021.  We hope everyone can adjust their schedule and still join us for this incredible race that raises money for the Legal Aid Society of Martin County and the Martin County Bar Association Scholarship Program.  We are hoping you all can join us and look forward to another great race!  (SEE COVID POLICIES AT BOTTOM OF PAGE)

Join us for THE RACE TO THE COURTHOUSE, the Martin County Bar Association's fourth annual 5K run/walk on Saturday, April 17, 2021. 

The Race to the Courthouse 5K Run/Walk features a scenic course through parts of downtown Stuart beginning and ending at the Martin County Courthouse and neighboring Memorial Park (100/300 SE Ocean Blvd., Stuart, FL) The race and course are family friendly and inviting to both competitive runners and walkers.  For those in the competitive spirit, we will be awarding prizes based on age group, and fastest law firm team,  and this year the largest law firm team will get a traveling trophy!  Team members are not limited to law firm employees – so recruit away! (Please fill out all applicable registration details.  Attorneys, staff, and firm recruits should include the firm name. (Leave blank if you are not an attorney or associated with a law firm)  YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH A LAW FIRM OR TO BE PART OF A LAW FIRM TEAM. 

This race is open to everyone in our community.  Awards will be given to the overall male and female winner, masters male and female winner, and first through third place in 5 year age groups. (10 and under, 11-15, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29...70-74, 75-79, 80+)

Race t-shirts are guaranteed to those who register prior to March 17, 2021. 

Proceeds of the race will benefit the Legal Aid Society of the Martin County Bar Association, Inc. a not-for-profit corporation formed in 1992 that provides free legal services to indigent residents of Martin County, Florida as well as the Martin County Bar Association scholarship program.

The price to register is $30 through March 17, 2021, $35 from March 18, 2021 through April 14, 2021. REGISTRATION WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE AT PACKET PICKUIP OR RACE DAY.  YOU MUST REGISTER ONLINE THROUGH APRIL 14, 2021.  We are providing a $5 discount to all premium members of the Treasure Coast Running Club who register on before March 18, 2021.  (if you are a premium member the discount will automatically be applied at checkout) and student pricing of $20 to anyone 18 or under on race day if registered prior to March 18, 2021. To become a premium member of the Treasure Coast Running Club visit http://tcrunning.org/

Chip Timing by MCM Timing.  REGISTER TODAY! 

Packet Pickup will be on Friday, April 16, 2021 at Fleet Feet Stuart from 2pm - 6pm.  If you cannot make packet pickup, there will also be race day packet pickup but it is highly discouraged.  Please make an effort to do packet pickup on Friday. Race starts 7:30am sharp!

COVID MODIFICATIONS TO RACE

If you have been exposed to an infected person within 14 days prior to the race, if you are a high risk individual who is health compromised in any way, if you have been outside of the United States in the past 6 months, or if you have any symptoms commonly associated with Covid-19 do not show up to race under any circumstances.  All runners are required to have their temperature taken using a no contact thermometer prior to racing and must wear a mask and social distance before and after the race.  There will be a rolling start between 7:30am and 7:50am to ensure proper social distancing at the start line.  We will be handing out disposable masks at the finish line that must be put on immediately after finishing and worn until leaving the race venue.  THERE WILL BE NO WATER STATION ON THE COURSE!  IF YOU REQUIRE HYDRATION YOU MUST BRING YOUR OWN.  We will provide individual water bottles at the finish line.  We will do an on site award ceremony; however, everyone must wear masks and social distance.  Packet Pickup on Friday will be at Fleet Feet.  We will be doing a drive by packet pickup at the curb in front of Fleet Feet.  If you need anything in the store you can still park after picking up your packet and go into the store.  

The following protocols are in place to ensure a safe race:

SAFETY PLAN FOR THE RACE TO THE COURTHOUSE 5K RUN TAKING PLACE SATURDAY MORNING, APRIL 17, 2021 AT MEMORIAL PARK IN STUART, FLORIDA

The following safety requirements have been defined by the City of Stuart:

CITY OF STUART REQUIREMENTS
The City of Stuart requires that Permittees address the following in their Safety Plan:

CDC GUIDELINES

o    Permittees must adhere to the CDC’s Guidelines listed on the CDC’s website:

For Gatherings and Community Events:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/large-events/index.html 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/Mass-Gatherings-Document_FINAL.pdf   

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH GUIDELINES

o    Permittees must adhere to the Florida Department of Health’s Guidelines:
www.floridahealth.gov 

The Event Organizers will do everything possible to assess risks, and to put into place mitigation procedures that are designed to reduce and eliminate risk as much as possible.  In general, risks can be classified by the ‘Three Cs – Closed Spaces, Crowded Places, and Close-Contact Settings’.  Event Organizers will do all they can to eliminate these risks.

ASSESSING RISKS

In order to reduce and eliminate the possibility that infected persons might attend this event, each participant will be instructed on the website and via email prior to the race that if they have been exposed to an infected person in the 14 days prior to the date of the event, if they are a high-risk individual and is health-compromised in any way, if he or she has been outside the United States in the past six months, or if he or she has any of the symptoms commonly associated with Covid-19, they will not be allowed to race and should not show up to the race site under any circumstances.

Each participant will have his or her temperature taken before starting the race, using a No-Contact Thermometer device, and only those participants whose temperature is 100.3 degrees Fahrenheit or less will be allowed to remain on-site.

In addition to being notified via electronic mail of these procedures listed above, there will announcements race morning that anyone participating in the event must adhere to these requirements or he or she will not be allowed to participate.

PROMOTING BEHAVIORS THAT REDUCE SPREAD

All reasonable precautions against the ‘Three Cs – Closed Spaces, Crowded Places, and Close-Contact Settings’ will be put into place, including those specified below.

Event Organizers will mitigate against ‘Closed Spaces’ by conducting the entirety of the event outdoors, and not utilizing Closed Spaces at all, with the exception of allowing participants to utilize the public restroom buildings located     within Memorial Park. Other than that exception, the event will take place in a huge outdoor space that will allow more than enough physical space for Social Distancing and other risk-mitigating behaviors.

Event Organizers will mitigate against ‘Crowded Places’ by using the following processes and procedures, as specified below.

Prior to the Event, participants will pick up their race packet, containing a t-shirt, race bib number, safety pins and other miscellaneous items utilizing a drive-by process whereby each participant will drive past the front door of the Fleet Feet running store located at 2440 NW Federal Hwy in Stuart, where a volunteer wearing a face mask and gloves will hand the participant a bag containing those items.  The participant must wear a mask in order to be given a race packet.  Pre-race packet pickup will be conducted Friday, April 16, from 2:00 PM until 6:00 PM, in order to give participants ample time to complete this process.

There will be NO RACE-DAY REGISTRATION.  Anyone who participates MUST register online using contactless registration and payment before race day, April 17.  There will be NO PAPER REGISTRATION and no money will be collected at any time.

At the event site Starting Line, signage will be placed that reminds all participants to maintain a safe Social Distance of at least 10 feet apart at all times, and the large open outdoor space of this area allows this to happen.  Race volunteers will also be reminding participants of event processes and procedures, and helping direct participants properly to maintain all such processes.  Anyone not following such processes will be asked to leave, or will be escorted off the event site by race organizers.

It is anticipated that participants will spend less than 5 minutes in the Starting Line area, because they will start the race as soon as reasonably possible upon arrival.  Anyone remaining in the Starting Line area for more than 5 minutes will be required to wear a face mask and to practice appropriate social distancing measures, or they will be asked to leave the event site.
The same process will be used at the Finish Line, with signage posted prominently reminding all participants to maintain Social Distance of at least 10 feet at all times.  A race volunteer will be reminding participants of all event processes, such as social distancing and wearing of masks.  The large open space of this area allows this to happen.
Further Social Distancing processes will be utilized at the Starting Line, as there will be NO MASS START OF PARTICIPANTS ALLOWED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.  

The Starting Line will open for participants at 7:30 AM Saturday morning, April 17, and it will remain open until 7:50 AM, a total of 20 minutes.  As participants arrive to the event site and pass through the screening area (having temperature taken), then each participant will be encouraged to step across the Starting Line and begin his or her running race, leaving the Starting Line and running towards the Finish Line.

NO MORE THAN FIVE PERSONS WILL BE ALLOWED WITHIN THE STARTING LINE CORRAL DURING ANY 10-SECOND PERIOD.  The Starting Line will be delineated by an area roped off with stanchions and flagging that will enclose an area no smaller than 15 feet by 15 feet, and only the participants starting at that moment will be allowed within that Starting Line area.

Participants will be strongly encouraged to start alone, by themselves, unless they are starting with other persons with whom they reside (family members or life partners who live together will be allowed to start together).  All others will start by themselves.

Participants who are waiting to start the event will stand on designated spots marked on the pavement at 10-foot intervals in a line behind the Starting Line area, and as each participant inside the Starting Line area leaves that area, the next person in line will be allowed to enter, after a 10-second minimum wait time.  There will be at least 10 of these marked waiting spots marked on the pavement.  If at any time more participants than that are in the area, they will be required to maintain at least a 10-foot Social Distance in the general area, until they can claim a spot on the pavement.

The Event has a 300-person maximum capacity, and with 1 to 5 people starting each 10 seconds, that allows 6 to 25 persons per minute to start.  With an average of approximately 15 people per minute starting over a total starting time of 20 minutes, then a total of 300 possible people could start during this time frame.  The 300-person cap will keep the Event under this maximum starting line capacity.

At the Finish Line, similar processes will be put into place.  As participants cross through the Finish Line and under the Finish arch, they will pass through a finish chute area of no less than 15 feet wide by 25 feet long, delineated by flagging and stanchions.  No one else will be allowed inside this Finish Line chute area.  As the participant exits the Finish Line chute, he or she will be handed a disposable face mask.  A sealed individual water bottle will also be available for each runner at the finish line.

After finishing, the participant will be required to wear the face mask given them, and to practice appropriate Social Distancing by remaining more than 10 feet away from any other person at all times.  Anyone not complying with this will be asked to leave, or they will be escorted off the property by race organizers.

A hand sanitizer station will be located approximately 20 feet past the end of the Finish Line chute, and each race finisher will be encouraged to use the sanitizer.  Hand sanitizer will be at least 60% alcohol and meet all CDC guidelines for such products.  There may be a table with pre-packaged snacks available at the finish line for racers to grab and go, and will be instructed to maintain social distancing.  

The Finish Line race site is outdoors, and is a large open space that will more than accommodate the event finishers until they depart the premises.  Awards will be presented in the large outdoor area, instructing all to maintain safe social distancing.  No direct contact will be made during the award ceremony.  

While on the event route, participants will be strongly encouraged to maintain a safe distance between themselves and other participants, with at least 15 feet of space, unless one participant is passing another, or being passed by someone.  A race volunteer will patrol the race course and will ask any group of more than three participants on course to disperse immediately or face disqualification from the event.

There will be NO water stop or aid station on the course – each participant will be required to provide for his or her own hydration needs during the event.

All race staff and volunteers will wear face masks at all times during the event, and any volunteer who would come in contact of ANY KIND with a participant will be required to wear gloves at all times.  Finish Line volunteers passing out any items will have face mask and gloves on at all times, as well volunteers passing out pre-race packets during the drive-by packet pickup.

Pre-race drive-by packet pickup will be STRONGLY ENCOURAGED FOR EVERYONE, however there may be some small number of participants who will miss that process for some reason.  These people will be allowed to pick up their race packet on race day, under the following conditions.  Each person must of course pass through the on-site screening process before being allowed to pick up his or her packet.  A table will be set up at least 50 feet away from all other event activities, with one volunteer wearing a face mask and gloves present at this tent.  The participant will approach to a mark located 10 feet from the tent, announce his or her name, the volunteer will find that packet and place it on the table.  The volunteer will then back away at least 10 feet from the table, the participant will approach, take the packet, and leave the area.  IT IS ANTICIPANTED THAT THIS PROCESS WILL BE USED BY LESS THAN 15% OF PARTICIPANTS.

Mitigation of the ‘Close-Contact Settings’ will be achieved by conducting the event in a large open outdoor space, practicing appropriate Social Distancing at all times during the event, eliminating all close-contact situations as much as possible (no water stops, no mass start, etc), and by requiring face masks and gloves whenever contact is necessary (such as pre-race and post-race packet pickup).

All race staff and volunteers will be screened in the same way as the participants –have his or her temperature taken, and utilize the hand sanitizer upon arriving on site.

In the event of inclement weather, including but not limited to rain and lightning delays, participants must not gather under overhangs, tents, pavilions or other structures where appropriate social distancing would not be possible.  Participants will be required to get back into their vehicles until such a delay is lifted.  The event will take place during rain, but will be delayed for strong winds, blowing rain, and lightning in the area.

MAINTAINING A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT

A healthy environment will be maintained by limiting the number of participants in both the Starting Line and Finish Line areas, such that there will always be fewer than 10 people in any given area for any length of time.

Both a Starting Line and a Finish Line chute will be delineated by stanchions and flagging, marks will be placed on the pavement indicating where participants should stand, volunteers will be available to give verbal directions to participants, and signage will be posted at both the Starting Line and Finish Line that details the proper procedures to be followed.

Congratulatory handshakes, high-fives and other such close-contact gestures will be strongly discouraged, both in writing as part of the pre-race instructions as well as the on-site verbal instructions.

Large crowds of spectators are usually not present at such endurance events.  Spectators will be discouraged via pre-race and on-site instructions, and any spectators at either the Starting Line or Finish Line area will be required to follow all event procedures, including wearing face masks at all times and sanitizing hands upon arrival at either site.

There will be no group water coolers.  Participants will be responsible for their own hydration.  The one exception is that there will be individual small bottles of water available at the finish line area.  Participants will be required to touch only the bottle they choose.

Participants will be encouraged to limit usage of on-site bathroom facilities if at all possible, and to practice proper hygiene when using such facilities, including using hand sanitizer both before and after using the facilities, washing hands before departing the area, and practicing appropriate social distancing measures according to CDC Guidelines when using such facilities.

MAINTAINING HEALTHY OPERATIONS

Cashless and contactless registration processes will be used, and there will be no paper registrations, and no race-day registrations.  No money will ever be accepted unless it is processed via online registration.

Permittees will thoroughly clean and sanitize all equipment and items used before, during and after the event, including tables, boxes, race packets, tents, chute flagging, finish arch and any other items that may come in any contact with participants.  Race staff will designate one staff member who will be charged with supervising such processes at the Starting Line, and another such staff member at the Finish Line.
Health screening, including an on-site temperature check, will be required of all race staff, volunteers and participants.

All race staff, volunteers, and participants will be informed of all COVID-19 related safety procedures via electronic mail before the day of the event and it will be verbally reiterated via instructions announced at the event site.

All personal protective equipment, facial coverings, sanitation wipes, gloves, etc. must be properly disposed of in a trash receptacle. Nothing must be left on the ground.
Any person who becomes ill at the event or shows any symptoms of the coronavirus will be asked to leave immediately.  

If anyone does become ill or show any symptoms of the coronavirus at the event, all participants, volunteer and race staff will be notified of such event so that they may choose to take actions to protect themselves, such as testing for exposure to the virus or voluntary self-quarantine.  Race organizers will make every effort to assist health authorities in contact tracing processes and procedures, such that any possible exposure and viral spread pathways can be identified and traced.

If any heath issue is detected, then City of Stuart Special Events and Tourism, Community Services Representative Mechelle Arbuzow will be notified at marbuzow@ci.stuart.fl.us and 772-286-2844, as well as the Martin County Health Department at 772-221-4000.