Rules for cross country
There are not many rules in cross-country. However, if we do not
follow them, we could be disqualified. Therefore, we need to know them.
Here they are in no particular order:
Jewelry: It is not permitted with the exception of a digital watch. That means no earrings, nose rings, bracelets, necklaces, ankle bracelets,
body pierce rings, non-digital watches, etc. Taped jewelry is still jewelry.
Uniforms: They all have to be exactly alike in terms of
lettering, colors, material, etc. although that is not typically
enforced in races that involve unlimited entries. In championship
races (county, region, sectionals, state) even the slightest color
variation could cause a runner to be disqualified. If you choose
to wear leg tights, they must be a solid color with no large corporate
logos. If more than one runner in that race wears tights, they must match.
Pacing: You are not allowed to run alongside a runner to try
and pace them (even if your intent is just to encourage them)
if you are not in that race. If that happens, then that runner
is subject to disqualification. This rule applies to non-athletes as
well, so make sure you educate your parents about this rule. The rule
is summarized basically by saying that there's no paralleling, even for
a few strides. You are allowed to run to various points on the course
to give times, encourage, etc. as long as you do not parallel them in
the process.
Aiding other runners: A runner will be disqualified if you do any
of the following things to aid him/her: Give them water (this is not
always enforced at low key early season meets when the weather is very
hot), give them food (although why would you want food in a race), give
them a towel, pick up a collapsed runner, hold a runner up to keep them
from collapsing, help a runner across the finish line, throw water
onto another runner to cool them off, etc. Unlike the pacing rule,
all these rules apply to whether the person lending the aid is in the
race or not. An example of how this can be strictly enforced is that
runners are not allowed to finish hand-in-hand crossing the finish line
(that used to be done as a show of team unity). In that case, both would DQed.
Pushing, shoving, intentional obstruction, throwing elbows, etc.:
This is obviously not permitted and will make any runner in the race
subject to disqualification. If a runner weaves all the way over the
course and, in the judgment of the official, is merely trying to impede
the progress of a runner coming up behind him/her and not really trying
to race, then that is intentional obstruction, a disqualifiable act.
Profanity: If an official hears a runner using obscene or profane
language he can be disqualified, even if it is after his/her race.