Transbajaultra 2022 Rules
- You must complete the marked course on foot under your own power.
- Be kind to the volunteers, race staff, and land managers. Our race cannot happen without the selfless people who volunteer their time, hard work from our staff and permit from the local people. If we find out about any bad manners or conduct to any person named above, the runner would face disqualification from the event and a potential ban from future events. Please take the time to thank everyone as you pass them throughout the race.
- In line with the above, should you face any issues of course that you feel are unfair or unjust, it is your duty to bring that up with the directive team. It is unacceptable to point blame at any volunteer for any on-course issues. All potential issues faced during an event are the sole responsibility of the management team and must be broached with them at the start–finish location.
- Be kind to the environment and leave no trace. No littering as that’s grounds for disqualification. Trash goes in two places and two places alone, a garbage bag, or your pocket. Throwing trash on the ground for others to pick up is unacceptable, even if you’re at an aid station. If an aid station staff has to pick up your trash because you haven’t placed it in the bin yourself, they are instructed to report your bib number and you would be disqualified from the race.
- Be kind to other runners. Be kind to other trail users. The trails are not closed for our events, so you’ll always be sharing the trails with other people. Please play nice at all times and respect the fact that even a single complaint from someone not associated with our event can have permitting consequences for future years.
- No drugs. do not consume, inject, inhale, or put any banned substance in or on your body before or during a race.
- Bibs are chip timed and must not be folded. Bibs must also be visible on the front at all times. If you are expecting to change layers due to the weather consider affixing your bib to your pack or wearing a bib belt. Anyone whose bib is not visible may be asked to stop and provide proof that they are in fact in possession of an actual race bib.
- As is stated in registration for each race, as policies that you’ve already signed off on, bibs are non-transferable, non-refundable, and cannot be deferred to the same race one year later.
- No stashing of supplies along the course and no accepting aid except within 30 meters of a designated aid station that allows for crew to support.
- Crew is the runner’s responsibility. Each race is unique in terms of which aid stations allow the crew and which do not. In every race, there are aid stations that are entirely off-limits due to permit restrictions. If a runner’s crew shows up at an aid station where the crew is not allowed, the runner will be disqualified without question.
- The crew must report to each aid station and abide by aid station rules. The crew are never allowed to access aid station supplies and are not allowed in the aid station area. Each aid station captain where the crew is allowed will have a designated crewing area, within 30 meters of the aid station. Crew can bring their own food and gear for runners. Runners are the only people that are allowed in an aid station and are the only people allowed to access aid station supplies.
- The crew must treat all race volunteers with respect. A runner can be disqualified if their crew is determined to be an issue for volunteers.
- Runners must check in with each aid station along the course. Please state your bib number as you approach an aid station and ensure you hear it repeated back to you.
- Dogs. No dogs are allowed on the course, well-behaved and leashed dogs are welcome at the start/finish.
- Trekking poles are permitted to be used from the start to the finish of the race however they must be used in a safe manner so as not to affect the safety of other runners or tourists on trails
- The wearing of iPods or other music players with headphones is allowed but not recommended. This is for your own safety and other runners, also you must switch off the music at all checkpoints so you can hear directions given to you by event staff, you must switch off music when traveling on all public roads so you can hear approaching traffic and you must switch off music when on any cliff sections of the course such as near Valle de La Laguna single track. So while you may use iPods after Checkpoints it is up to you to use them in a sensible and safe manner so that you remain aware of your surroundings at all times
- That mandatory gear is to be carried for the duration of the event, start to finish. There would be gear checks on the course if any runner was missing any mandatory gear they would be disqualified. “I must’ve dropped it” is not an acceptable counter-argument. We are very strict on this policy as it affects the safety of each and every runner in the event.
- You must stay on the marked course. Short cuts are not permitted. If you get lost, return to the last sighted marking.
- You must not leave human feces on the track. If you need to poo either use a toilet, a wag bag or get well off the track and use leave no trace principles.
- If you do not make a time cut-off in a race, you are required to stop racing at that point. You cannot continue on and will receive a DNF (Did Not Finish). Your bib must be removed. It is up to you if you wish to keep your bib as a memento, but it is not to be worn once you miss a cutoff.
- You must leave each aid station by the posted cut-off time. If you return to an aid station after the cutoff you will be assessed a DNF.
- Aid Station Captains have the authority to act on behalf of the event director.
- If you require medical support during a race that includes an IV, you cannot continue the race. You will receive a DNF.
- If you require significant medical support during a race, the race directors and medical support team will make a decision on whether you are allowed to continue or not. This call is up to the medical staff and you are expected to respect their decision. Once medical staff pulls you from the event it is not up for debate as to if you can continue or not, a DNF will be issued.
- If you decide to pull yourself out of a race you must notify race headquarters, either via an aid station captain, or the race start-finish line proper. Please do not simply leave a course and head home. If we are not notified by you of our checkpoints we are then forced to initiate a search and rescue call-out until we can properly identify that the runner in question is safe and sound.
- And finally, thank you for reviewing the rules and we hope you have as much fun as possible while running in BAJA!!