Course Measurement and Certification Procedures

View the Manual Online

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Equipment Needed
• Statement of Requirements
• Laying Out a Calibration Course
• Calibrating the Bicycle
• The Shortest Possible Route
• Use of the Calibrated Bicycle
• Course Maps

• Appendix A: Supplementary Tips
• Appendix B: Course Layout
• Appendix C: Example of Course Measurement
  • Setting Up the Calibration Course
  • Calibrating the Bicycle
  • Measuring the Race Course
  • Course Maps
• Appendix D: Filling Out the Forms
• Appendix E: Metric-Imperial Conversions
• Appendix F: Application Forms

Download the Manual in PDF format

This requires downloading two files:

• manual.pdf (The Manual itself, 992 kB, last updated May 7, 2008)
• appforms.pdf (Application forms, 52 kB, last updated Feb 15, 2006))

Tools

See our Tools for Course Measurers page which explains how to purchase a Jones/Oerth counter, where to find topographic maps, and much more. Also, please read the certified course expiration/renewal policy.

Contributors to the Manual

The following persons have contributed directly to the preparation of the USATF/RRTC Course Measurement Procedures Manual:

Bob Baumel Tom Benjamin Ted Corbitt George Delaney Gabriel Duguay Tom Duranti Len Evens Tom Ferguson Jim Gerweck Bill Grass David Katz Tom Knight Glen Lafarlette Bob Langenbach

Bob Letson Jim Lewis A.C. Linnerud Ken Loveless Dale Matty Wayne Nicoll Al Phillips David Reik Pete Riegel Fred Shields Bob Thurston Carl Wisser Jennifer Young Ken Young

Revision History of this Manual

First Edition: © 1985 by The Athletics Congress (previous name of USA Track & Field); edited by Ken Young; printed by Electric City Printing Company, Anderson, South Carolina.

Second Edition: © 1989 by The Athletics Congress (previous name of USA Track & Field); edited by Pete Riegel; printed by Electric City Printing Company, Anderson, South Carolina.

Third Edition (present online version): © 1999-2008 by USA Track & Field; edited by Bob Baumel; originally posted at www.rrtc.net, now at www.usatf.org; launched June 14, 1999; last revised May 7, 2008.