I have registered a relay team but am not sure all of my runners will make it to the race. What should I do?

One of our past team captains came up with a great suggestion. Tell your teammates up front - before there's a drop out - that they need to treat this like it's their wedding: plan to be there no matter what; don't get sick or injured, and don't have emergencies! It of course sounds absurd to say "don't have emergencies," but think about it - the number of brides and grooms who don't make it to the church is infinitesimally low.

I don't know anyone with a van. Any suggestions?

Many teams rent out vans for the event. There are several sources for dependable and affordable rental of vans in State College. We strongly recommend that you reserve your vehicle as early as possible.

Do I have to know who all my team's runners are before I register my team?

No, but read on. If you register via Active.com, you will need to enter your information but can enter your team members' information later. However, because there is a cap on relay registrations (75), your team will not be guaranteed a spot until all of your runner forms and team information have been received. You can also register by mail (send team captain's completed application form and full team fee to register your team), but recognize that your team will not be guaranteed a spot until all of your runner forms and team information have been received. Each team must provide all team member forms, IDs (for masters teams), and runner rotation order for their registration to be considered complete.

I'd like to run in the relay, but I don't have a team. How can I find a team to run with? OR We have a relay team forming, but need another runner. Do you know of any runners looking for a team?

The event organizers help to match teams with runners whenever possible. Teams who need additional runners, and interested runners who would like to join a team, are encouraged to go to the Discussion Forum at http://nvrun.com/index.php/community/discussion or contact us directly and we will do our best to help get you matched up. Relay team categories and divisions are described on the event application. Send e-mail to info@tusseymountainback.com or call 814-238-5918.

Can I register my team before I know who all the members are?

Yes, but read on. If you register via Active.com, you will need to enter your information but can enter your team members' information later. However, because there is a cap on relay registrations (75), your team will not be guaranteed a spot until all of your runner forms and team information have been received. You can also register by mail (send team captain's completed application form and full team fee to register your team), but recognize that your team will not be guaranteed a spot until all of your runner forms and team information have been received. Each team must provide all team member forms, IDs (for masters teams), and runner rotation order for their registration to be considered complete.

I'm part of a relay team. Can I run my two legs consecutively, or are we required to follow the rotation order?

The rotation order is an absolute requirement: Each team must determine a sequential rotation order for the runners and provide that sequence along with the team's application forms. The order must be followed to the end and then be repeated in the same order through the 12 legs of the course. (For example, in a team of 6, after the first six legs of the course, the rotation returns to the runner who ran the first leg, who now runs leg 7, the second runner runs leg 8, and so on.) This is an aspect where team planning can be very useful. Since the legs vary in length and level of difficulty, your team may wish to chart out the legs and decide which person will run which leg(s). The number of people on the team will determine which and how many legs each runner will run. (See the examples on the last page.) The team rotation and mileage tables below present a breakout for each team size. At each transition zone (between legs of the course) an event official will verify the runner who is completing a leg and the runner who is starting the next leg.

What is the age requirement for masters teams?

All members of teams competing in the masters category must be age 40 or above on race day. Masters team members need not provide proof of age, but could be asked to if they win their category.

Do I need to be a serious runner or logging a lot of miles to participate in the relay?

Not at all. The relay event of the mOUnTaiNBACK is designed to accommodate a wide range of training levels. The more people you have on your team, the lower will be the mileage per person. (See the team rotation and mileage tables.) On a team of 8, for example, since the course has 12 legs, four of the runners will each run just one leg of the course. Runners 5 and 8 will run one leg of 3.4 and 2.8 miles, respectively, and in terms of level of difficulty both of these legs are classified as "easy." Conversely, runners on smaller teams can expect to take on a greater challenge.