The aims behind the Laugavegur Run 2012 race rules

To facilitate the execution of the Laugavegur Run and make sure that the necessary services are provided to participants, a set of rules has been defined pertaining to fair competition, safety and respect for the environment, meaning the geographical area where the run takes place, but also the climate, which calls for specific clothing.

The Laugavegur Run race rules are the fruit of the experience gathered by the organisers over a period of 15 years. An important thing to remember is that the Laugavegur Run is not a street race. It classifies as an Ultra Marathon, takes place in a mountainous, uninhabited area, and is governed in all respects by the rules laid down by the organisers. The race rules are drawn up by reference to sportsmanship in general, in the sense that each participant should do his/her utmost, give consideration to and respect other participants, and comply with any applicable rules.

Through the years, participants in the Laugavegur Run have each been able to regard themselves as winners. They have competed, helped each other, enjoyed each other’s company, and experienced a joint sense of triumph at the finishing line. In this respect, no rules have so far been necessary. However, these circumstances have now changed as the number of participants has grown and the competition for the title of winner, for the record and for better times has become fiercer.

This is the reason why more detailed race rules are now issued. As before, the basic rules concern the safety of the participants, and the ‘entry ticket’ to the Laugavegur Run is a promise to safeguard the environment and to abstain from littering.

The conditions for participating are listed in the section on registration.

• The age limit is 18 years.
• General rules about registration, refund of the entry fee etc. can be found here.
• Terms regarding payments and participation can be found here.

The Laugavegur Run takes place in a protected area named Friðland að Fjallabaki.

• There is a strict prohibition against throwing any kind of litter along the way. A litter bag to be tied around the waist, which is part of the registration package, must be worn by all runners.

Rules pertaining to the safety of participants

• All participants must sign a declaration confirming that they are physically and mentally fit to compete in the Laugavegur Run, and that they have prepared sufficiently well for running a distance of 55 km.
• Participants also sign a declaration confirming that they have read the race rules and that they accept to abide by them entirely.
• Participants must obey all instructions regarding clothing listed on www.marathon.is, and shall bring with them the appropriate pieces of clothing.
• Participants must wear their race numbers clearly visible at the front (see further in the section on clothing) in order to facilitate and speed up the registration process and enable staff to identify those in need of service. They are also required to wear their race wristbands around the wrist.
• Prior to the start, all participants must register with the Registration Officer at Landmannalaugar. Those who fail to do this will be stricken off the list of participants.
• A second registration point is at Álftavatn.

The importance of the registration requirement

• To make it possible to verify that all participants have completed the first leg of the race, which runs through the highlands between Landmannalaugar and Hrafntinnusker, it is essential for all participants to report to the Registration Officers, first at Landamannalaugar and then at Álftavatn.
• Any participant who decides to abandon the race must report to one of the Location Officers, stationed at Hrafntinnusker, Álftavatn and Emstrur, and hand in his/her race number. (Participants who abandon the race remain the responsibility of the organisers and are not allowed to continue on their own from the nearest hut in the area except with the authorisation of the Location Officer.)
• Should a participant be missing from the reporting list at Álftavatn or at the finishing line, he or she will be presumed missing. The default response to this is to call out a rescue team.
• All participants must respect the time limits for reporting, which are four hours at Álftavatn and six hours at Emstrur. The time limit rule means that participants who are unable to report within either time limit are automatically out of the race but remain the responsibility of the organisers, and are not allowed to continue on their own from a hut in the area except with the authorisation of the Location Officer. (Those who fail to respect this instruction forego any right to receive services from the organisers and will have to bear the cost of any searching operation by a rescue team.)

Those who register for the Laugavegur Run undertake to train for a 55-km distance.

• The Laugavegur Run is 55 km long and the track runs through demanding terrain. It is presumed that all participants are well prepared and have trained for the challenging conditions of the race. By registering for the run, each participant undertakes to complete the entire distance. Participants are not expected to abandon the race except for reasons of illness or injury, whether major or minor. An exception to this is when a participant is unable to reach Álftavatn or Emstrur within the time limit, in which case they are required to abandon the race and do not have the right to continue.

Services rendered to those abandoning the race

• Race staff provide assistance to those participants unable to reach Álftavatn and/or Emstrur within the time limit. The participants will be taken by car to Hvolsvöllur and then on to Reykjavik. It should be noted that the drive from Álftavatn or Emstrur to Hvolsvöllur lasts between 2 and 3 hours and can take longer, and that the wait at Hvolsvöllur may last a few hours. Transferring participants between huts is time-consuming and only intended as an emergency measure. Participants who are forced to abandon the race must report to the Location Officer. This is essential since otherwise the person in question will be presumed missing, and this is something we wish to avoid at all cost.

Race rules for the Laugavegur Run

• The organisers may disqualify anyone who does not comply with the race rules.
• Each participant must pay due consideration to other participants.
• Participants may assist each other as necessary to insure their own safety and that of others.
• Receiving outside assistance from anyone not registered for the race is prohibited, except in emergency cases.
• Each participant is responsible for refusing to receive outside assistance, except in emergency cases.
• Every participant must carry his/her own luggage and litter.
• Penalties
• Participants who are unwilling to abide by the race rules will be disqualified.
• Anyone who refuses to follow instructions will be responsible for the cost of any searching operation and/or assistance by a rescue team or other staff.
• Persons who do not comply with the race rules, or any instruction given by race staff, will be barred from registering for the run in the future.

Rights of the organisers

• The organisers are not responsible for any outside influence on the runners. This applies to meteorological conditions, natural disasters, the passage of persons and vehicles and any other unexpected event liable to affect the participants.
• The organisers may disqualify and stop any participant not wearing the appropriate clothing or otherwise insufficiently equipped for the conditions.
• The organisers may disqualify any participant causing danger to himself/herself and/or other people.
• The organisers may disqualify anyone who does not comply with the race rules.
• The organisers and the race staff may order anyone not carrying a race number and the race logo to leave the race area and the running track.
• The organisers are not responsible for any illness or injury suffered by the participants when en route to or from the race or during the race. Participants are encouraged to seek the assistance of race staff in the event of an accident or illness.
• Participants always act on their own responsibility, even when receiving the assistance of race staff.
• The organisers, Reykjavik Marathon, reserve the right to cancel the race at short notice for reasons relating to weather or other unforeseeable conditions that may present danger for the participants and the race staff.

Complaints

• Participants who consider that their rights have been infringed may lodge a complaint with the organisers.
• Any complaint must be received in writing by the person responsible for the race before the end of the race.
• Complaints relating to the overall results in the men’s and women’s races must be received no later than 16:30 on the day of the race.
• Complaints relating to the results in individual age groups must be received no later than 30 minutes after the last runner finishes the race.
• Complaints are dealt with on the spot by a committee of three persons, after consulting with everyone involved.