Team Pace Checkpoint
What is the SMR Team Pace Checkpoint?
The Pace Checkpoint is where we verify whether or not your estimated team pace (and thus your team start time) were accurate or, at least close enough. The goal is to catch and correct those teams that inadvertently underestimated their pace.
But first, before we explain why, a brief explanation of how the SMR works
The Smoky Mountain Relay is 210 miles long and there are 36 legs connected by 35 different exchanges along the entire course. The planned route generally remains the same, except for the occasional change related to road closings or exchange permissions. The race currently starts at the Pisgah Ranger Station/Visitor Center on HWY 276, just outside of Brevard and ends at the Nantahala Outdoor Center in Bryson City.
Runners are members of a 6, 9, or 12-person team. A typical 12 person team will split into two vans/vehicles each carrying six runners. Each runner will run three legs of the relay over approximately 24-36 hours and average about 17 miles. Legs vary in distance, elevation, and terrain.
As you might imagine, coordinating the flow of dozens of teams of different sizes and speeds over 210 miles is a logistical nightmare.
This year, the Smoky Mountain Relay is introducing a new guardrail called a Pace Checkpoint, which aims to correct underestimated team paces in one location on the course and ensure a smooth flow of teams from start to finish.
Why are we doing a pace check?
Each exchange opens and closes on a rolling basis as teams move through the course. Exchange 1 opens almost immediately, while exchange 35 doesn’t open until about 10 a.m. the next morning. These times are scheduled prior to the event and used by us to ensure that they are staffed by our volunteers. We aim to schedule exchange openings so that no team arrives before an exchange opens. We also aim to provide enough time between opening and closing so that almost every team of every speed arrives before an exchange closes.
A key component of this process is the pace at which every team rolls through the course. Fast teams move through the course more quickly than slower teams. To account for this, team starting times are staggered based on their estimated speed so that they all reach the finish line within a 6 hour time range, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Slower teams start first, typically between 3:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. while the faster teams will start as late as 1:30 p.m. Over the course of the race, the faster teams pass the slower teams and finish first.
Since starting times are based on team estimates, it’s important to have a relatively accurate estimate. If you are a fast team, but your estimate shows you as a mid to slower team, your early start time will mean that you are likely to arrive at one or more of the exchanges before they open and then have to wait before continuing.
Where is the SMR Pace Checkpoint?
This year’s Pace Checkpoint is located at Exchange 12. EVERY TEAM MUST CHECK IN AT THE PACE CHECKPOINT.
What does the team captain (or an authorized representative of the team) need to do at the pace checkpoint?
Follow these steps:
- Record the time your runner leaves exchange 11.
- Immediately after your runner leaves exchange 11, drive to exchange 12.
- Report to the Pace Checkpoint table
- Show the Pace Checker your bib which should have your team name and team number on it and provide the time your runner left exchange 11.
- The Pace Checker will look up and confirm with you the time your team started the race.
- The Pace Checker will look up your EXPECTED ARRIVAL time at exchange 12 based on your estimated pace and start time.
- If your arrival time is as expected, then your pace estimate and start time were accurate.
- Nice work! Your team may continue on without a pause.
- If your arrival time is earlier than expected then your team’s pace estimate was too slow and you started too early.
- Your team will be given an amount of time to wait at exchange 12 equivalent to the difference between your actual start time and the start time you SHOULD have had based on your pace.
- If your arrival time is as expected, then your pace estimate and start time were accurate.
If our team is required to wait at the Pace Checkpoint, does this hurt our time? Is this a time penalty?
No. Your final time will take into account the amount of time you waited at the Pace Checkpoint. For example, if your team had to wait 1 hour at the checkpoint, it would be subtracted from your finish time.