The Roadrace

Tuesday, Jan 26.

Start: 12 noon, AI/LCS Parking Lot.

Along and around Charles (not me).

Routes

We have FIVE courses, abnormally distributed around Charles River (see the map above).

Course 1: 1.74 miles. From AI Lab to Science Museum Bridge; do NOT cross it, turn around and run back. They say 97% of the population can't even run a mile, and I don't believe it. Not for the superheros.

Course 2: 2.43 miles. From AI Lab to Science Museum, cross the bridge to the other side of Charles, and come back on Longfellow.

Course 3: 4.37 miles. Go past Longfellow, and run along the river (don't run on to the islands, unless you want to run extra), cross Harvard Bridge, and run back to Longfellow along the river, and then home.

Course 4: 6.27 miles. Cross BU Bridge instead to the Cambridge side of Charles, go on to Harvard Bridge, Longfellow and back to AI.

Course 5: 7.68 miles. Cross River Street Bridge to Cambridge, go along the river all the way to Longfellow and back to the warm lab.

Course 6? Not this time. If you really want it, I'll personally guide you when my knee heals in a couple months.

Rules

The rules can't be simpler; put on your sneakers and run as if other teams are chasing you. But,

tie your shoelace,
watch out for cars and little kids,
don't run backwards or with your eyes close,
and, stay out of water.

Scoring

This event, like all other events, encourages participation.

Finishing course 1 gets 5 pts.
Finishing course 2 gets 6 pts.
Finishing course 3 gets 7 pts.
Finishing course 4 gets 8 pts.
Finishing course 5 gets 9 pts.

So a marathon horse is no match for two grad students taking a jog around the corner.

Meanwhile, we do encourage some friendly competition and do reward athletic abilities:

No. 1 finisher of each course earns 7 pts.
No. 2 finisher of each course earns 6 pts.
No. 3 finisher of each course earns 5 pts.
No. 4 finisher of each course earns 4 pts.
No. 5 finisher of each course earns 3 pts.

The person that contributes MOST points to his/her term will be crowned the Most Valuable Runner.

Prior to the start of the race, each subcaption MUST submit a list of runners, AND WHICH course each runner is going to take. This helps keeping track of scoring. Also, your list is better kept as a team SECRET: if other teams know which courses are crowded, they might go for an unpopular course and get the easy points.

Each course has its own start time, so runners know how they are doing.

No course has finish time; if you come back at midnight and can't find me downstairs, find me in 812, with a cup of coffee.

I trust that everyone will finish the course they sign up for. I also have a surveillance/cheer-leading bike and Jeremy de Bonet, who, despite a broken ankle, is still a menace to society.

Charles D. Yang