GENERAL INFORMATION

RACE DATE, TIME AND LOCATION

The Ninth Annual NPC-50 sponsored by the U.S. Secret Service Employee Recreation Association (USSS-ERA) will take place on Friday, May 16, 2008 at the U.S. Secret Service Training Center in Laurel, MD, about five miles north of Washington, DC. The race begins with a short Opening Ceremony at 8:15am. The first runners take off at 8:30am. The final leg begins at 10:45am. The race will be officially over and the course will close at 11:30am. The Awards Ceremony follows at noon.

ELIGIBILITY

The NPC-50 is open to all full-time employees of city, county, state, federal or military law enforcement agencies.

FORMS AND FEES

* Online registration available February 18, 2008*

Team applications must be submitted via our new on-line entry system no later than Friday, April 4, 2008.

The entry fee of $500 should be mailed, along with a copy of the online application, to:

USSS-ERA / NPC-50
P.O. Box 710333
Oak Hill, VA 20171-0333

The entry fee for applications received after April 4, 2008 is $550. Entry fees are fully refundable through April 25, 2008.

After submitting an application online, captains will receive two emails with further information about how to access and manage team records.

** QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ONLINE APPLICATION PROCESS CAN BE
ADDRESSED TO Allene Smith, Registrar,
n.pc@usss.dhs.gov

Each team must submit a RUN PLAN listing the 10 runners and two alternates by April 25, 2008. (These are the names that will be listed in the Race Program.)

A FINAL RUN PLAN must be entered online no later than May 9, 2008.

The team captain is responsible for insuring the eligibility of all runners and alternates on his/her team. Captains verify eligibility when submitting the Run Plans.

The team captain is also responsible for submitting a WAIVER signed by each runner and alternate. The waiver can be downloaded from the web site and is due the morning of the race.

TEAM CAPTAINS

Each team will designate a captain and co-captain. They will act as the only official spokespersons for the team. The Team Captain and/or Co-Captain must attend one of the Captains’ meetings the week before the race. Captains Meetings will be held on:

Tuesday, May 13, 10 a.m. at USSS Headquarters, Washington, DC and
Thursday, May 15, 4 p.m. at USSS Training Center, Laurel, MD

TIMEKEEPING

Lin·Mark Computer Sports, Inc., a professional timing service will provide individual and team times using a chip timing system. These times will be considered the official times and will be the basis for all awards. Team times will be the sum of all 10 runners’ chip times.

MEDICAL ASSISTANCE

Immediate medical assistance will be available throughout the course from trained and licensed Emergency Medical Technicians.

REFRESHMENTS

Refreshments for runners, volunteers and support personnel will be available throughout the race in the Refreshment Tent, located near the Start/Finish line. Bagels, donuts, fruit and juice will be available in the early morning hours. Lunch will be provided by Outback Steakhouse.

TEAM NAME

Each team should select a name. Names will always be listed with a team’s department/agency, so there is no need to repeat the department/agency in the selected moniker. Names can be simple identifiers such as:

Homicide Division - Big City PD

or more creative, such as

The Flying Wollendas - Big City PD

Where appropriate, we will also list, or refer to, the officer in whose memory a team is running.

TEAM T-SHIRTS

Some teams choose to design their own t-shirts to wear during the race. We suggest that any artwork or logo be put on the back of the shirt so that it will not be covered by the bib number during the race. By selling extra t-shirts, teams may be able to defray the cost of travel to this event.

TEAM PHOTOS

The U.S. Secret Service Employee Recreation Association will provide team photos for all participating organizations. Photos will be taken from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., in an area to be determined.

RALLY POINT

We encourage teams to bring a flag or marker and establish an area where runners and supporters can gather.

WEATHER

Mid-May temperatures range from lows in the 50s to highs in the 70s. The race will be run rain or shine; however, the course will be closed and the race will be halted if lightning is sighted.

HOUSING

For teams outside the Washington, DC area, we strongly recommend that you make hotel reservations as soon as possible. With 10,000+ law enforcement personnel in town for National Police Week, available rooms will be scarce. Please email Kam Flynn for a list of area hotels, NPC50@verizon.net.

PARKING/TRANSPORTATION

A limited number of parking spaces will be available at the race course. Each team will receive three parking passes for use on race day. Team buses or extended vans can be accommodated as necessary. Further information regarding access to the U.S. Secret Service Training Facility will be provided in later correspondence with team captains.

SILENT AUCTION

Our annual silent auction offers fantastic deals on everything from sport memorabilia to weekend getaways to tactical gear. Be sure to bid on your favorite items.