Rut Mountain Runs Event Cancellation Policy

Our top priority is the safety and well-being of our participants, volunteers, and staff. While we strive to host the event as planned, unforeseen circumstances may arise that require us to adjust, postpone, or cancel the event. Below is our policy regarding event cancellation. Due to the significant fixed costs associated with organizing the Rut Mountain Runs, refunds will not be offered under any circumstances. If the event or a portion of it is canceled, altered, or postponed, we will make every effort to resolve the situation fairly and provide options for participants.

The Rut Mountain Runs reserves the right to cancel, alter, postpone, or reschedule any portion of the event, including specific race distances or the entire weekend, for reasons that may include but are not limited to:

• Weather-related hazards, such as extreme or unsafe weather conditions. Air quality concerns, including wildfire smoke (generally an AQI above 200 for extended periods of time). Force majeure events, such as acts of war, terrorism, or other threats to security. 

We appreciate your understanding and support as we work to provide a safe, world-class trail running experience.

Clean Sport Policy

The Rut is committed to clean sport and does not condone the use of performance enhancing drugs or banned substances at any level of competition. The Rut believes all athletes competing in any of The Rut events and sport in general should educate themselves on the anti-doping rules and banned substances established by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and on other anti-doping rules and policies.

In order to further this commitment and to help create a clean sport in trail running and ultrarunning, The Rut will be enforcing this policy and will require athletes competing in events to acknowledge the policy and agree to a Code of Conduct that allows The Rut to enforce the policy.

Athletes who have been banned from competition by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), any national sports federation, or a similar organization identified by The Rut, for a violation of applicable anti-doping rules or policies, are prohibited from competing at any Rut event while the ban is effective.

Once the ban has been served and officially lifted, the athlete may compete at any Rut event, however, such athlete (1) will forever be ineligible to receive prize money, awards, podium recognition, or overall or age group competitive rankings at any Rut event.  (If a ban is overturned on appeal or otherwise vacated, the athlete will be eligible to compete on the same terms as all other athletes and will be eligible for prize money, awards, etc.).

If The Rut determines, at any time, that an athlete competed in a Rut event while banned from competition as provided in this policy, that athlete must forfeit the event and return any prize money, awards, etc.; The Rut shall have sole and absolute discretion in determining whether a qualifying ban was imposed.

This policy is subject to change by The Rut at any time.  If changed, The Rut will notify registered runners of the updated policy.

Transgender and Non-Binary Runner Policy

At the Rut Mountain Runs, we strive to create and foster a culture of inclusivity. While we have designed an experience that may intimidate and challenge our runners, it is also important to us that our participants are accepted and welcomed at our event.  With this in mind, we have established a Transgender & Non-Binary Runner Policy for all Rut Mountains Runs events.

Entrance Policy for Transgender Athletes

We will accept each entrant’s declared gender at face value, and no additional supporting evidence is required.

A transgender female (male-to-female) entrant can register to compete as a female, provided they have undergone continuous, medically supervised hormone treatment for gender transition for at least one year prior to the race.

A transgender male (female-to-male) entrant can register to compete as a male. Transgender male runners cannot register to compete as a female if they have begun hormone treatment for gender transition, that includes testosterone or any other banned substance (as defined by the World Antidoping Agency).

Runners may compete in the category of their sex assigned at birth if they have not undergone hormone treatment.

Transgender entrants, at their option, may provide medical documentation related to their transition to the Race Director and/or Medical Director(s) prior to the race. All information about the runner’s gender identity and medical information, including any information provided pursuant to this policy, will be kept strictly confidential.

Challenges of Results Involving Transgender Athletes

The Rut has adopted this policy and the ability to challenge results out of a desire for inclusion and fairness. As such we expect all parties to behave in a manner that is honest, compassionate, and respectful. We will not tolerate hateful or discriminatory behavior by any of our runners, or those associated with the race, regardless of the cause.

Challenges may be made to results, which are directly related to a runner’s self-declared gender, only when a top 5 position is at stake. A challenge must be made in writing or email to the Race Director within 10 days of race completion and must be submitted privately and with the utmost discretion and respect for all parties involved.

Neither party may publicly post or discuss the challenge until a decision has been reached by the race. Challenges not related to a runner’s gender status, such as course cutting or other rule violations, will be handled in the normal process.

In the event of a challenge, or as deemed necessary, The Rut may request supporting documentation from a medical professional. All information about the runner’s gender identity and medical information, including any information provided pursuant to this policy, will be kept strictly confidential. The Race Director, with input from the Medical Director(s), will review the relevant facts and make a final decision.

If the runner is not in compliance with this policy, they will forfeit any place positions but will retain their official finish. Any announcements made by the race will simply state whether a runner was or was not in compliance with our policy and the associated action taken by the race. We will not disclose, unless requested or allowed by the transgender runner, any medical information related to the decision.

Entrance Policy for Non-Binary Athletes

Some people feel that their gender identity cannot be simply defined by the expected binary terms of ‘man’ or ‘woman’. Instead, they experience their gender in another way. Typically, we refer to this group of people as being ‘non-binary’. The term non-binary refers to a person:

Identifying as either having a gender which is in-between or beyond the two categories ‘man’ and ‘woman’, as fluctuating between ‘man’ and ‘woman’, or as having no gender, either permanently or some of the time.

Our registration platform Runsignup.com offers a non-binary option for runners. We are happy to pass this option on to our runners when they register.  Note this should appear as an option when creating a Runsignup.com account. If you already have an account you may need to edit your account to show your gender as non-binary. Here are instructions on how to edit your profile.  In addition to your Runsignup profile, we will ask your gender while registering for your Rut race with additional terms such as Two Spirit, Non Binary, agender, genderqueer, and other.  Lastly, we will provide an opportunity for our runners to express their desired pronouns. Beginning in 2024 we will have a podium ceremony for the top three overall non-binary runners in each event.

We plan to periodically review this policy to be sure it is up to date and equitable.  Please contact race director, Mike Foote at Mike@runnersedgemt.com if you have any questions, comments, or feedback.  This policy was updated December of 2023.

Cupless Details

After going through 12,000 cups in 2018 we decided it was time to join the growing list of races who are no longer providing disposable cups at their aid stations. It’s a small step in the right direction and we hope you are as excited as we are to take the leap!

This means that we will not have cups for you at the aid stations or finish lines of the race. Rut Runners must carry their own water bottles, bladders, or reusable cups to get fluids on the course.

In addition to water and Skratch drink, we also offer soda and even hot broth at some of our aid stations.  If you desire to drink these and you do not want them in your water bladder of soft flasks, we highly recommend you bring another collapsible cup for taking these liquids.

Good collapsible cup options include the speedcup, or you can even cut the bottom half off of a plastic water bottle for a cheaper alternative. Either way, having a cup for liquids that you won’t be putting into your bladder or bottles are a great idea!

Rut Runners Rules

No Crewing –  Crewing Rut Runners is not allowed in any Rut event.  Runners can only receive aid at aid stations from Rut volunteers and staff.  No aid can be received outside of aid stations.

Bibs –  Bibs must be visible on the front of the body at all times.  If wearing layers be prepared to adjust your bib as needed.

Assisting a runner in need –  If you encounter a runner in distress you must stop to assist them.  Not assisting a runner in need will result in disqualification.  Time spent rendering assistance to a fellow runner will be taken into account by race organizers to adjust finishing time.

Mandatory & Recommended Kit for 28K and 50K  – We now require carrying the essential gear to maintain a higher capacity for safety in the mountains during your Rut 28K and 50K Rut race. Learn about our mandatory and recommended gear here.

Staying on course  – The Rut courses are well marked and runners must stay on route at all times.  Cutting switchbacks or going off course is not allowed.  If you accidentally go off trail you must return to the point of departure from the course before continuing on the route.

Headphones – Due to the possibility of wildlife encounters, rockfall, and other hazards associated with mountain travel, we highly discourage the use of headphones.  If you insist on wearing headphones please use only one earbud or consider headphones using jawbone conduction which allows you to stay aware of your surroundings.

No external speakers – While you might be stoked to turn up Whitesnake’s “Here I go again on my own”  to full volume at 6 am when the 50K starts, there is a good chance the dozens of people within earshot may disagree.

Dropping Out – Runners may only drop at an aid station checkpoint.  In order to drop out find an aid station captain to record your drop.  Not doing so could result in unnecessary, timely, and costly search efforts.

Littering – Trash receptacles will be available at all aid stations. Runners must not dispose of trash on the racecourse outside of aid stations.

No pacing  – Runners may not be paced during any Rut race.

Poor sportsmanship toward or insulting any competitor or volunteer – This can result in immediate disqualification.

Prize Money and Overall Awards – If you would like to compete for overall awards or prize money in your event, you must start in Wave 1. Overall awards are based on gun time, not chip time.

Cutoff times –  The course must be completed within the race cutoff times (Cutoffs can be found on each race page).  If a runner does not make an aid station cutoff they cannot continue. If they choose to continue against the request of the aid station captain they will be disqualified from the event and barred from entering future editions of the race.

Thank all volunteers and support your fellow competitors – Help us lift one another up and bring positivity to the culture of this event!

*Not adhering to any of the above rules can result in a time penalty or disqualification.  Ultimately it will come down to the race organizer’s discretion.