Updated April  11, 2021

• Welcome to 2021! We hope you and your families are well. 2020 was a rough year for so many, and we are grateful for the big and small sacrifices people are making for each other and for our communities. Thank you!

As we announce relay dates for 2021, our primary concern is for the safety of runners, volunteers, partners, and our surrounding communities.  In an effort to ensure our events are safe and healthy for everyone, we have developed (and are continually evolving) a COVID-19 operating plan that incorporates ever-changing health authority guidance and Governor’s orders. 

The COVID-19 plans shared below are based on current guidance. As the numbers begin to decrease (hopefully!!!!), and county risk levels improve, these protocols will evolve!

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Our Commitment to Slowing the Spread

Gorgeous Series is committed to keeping our participants, crew, volunteers and communities safe at every one of our events by implementing an operating plan aimed at mitigating the spread of COVID-19. We are confident that the following measures will keep the threat to a manageable and acceptable level. 

The steps outlined in this document are a baseline of measures we are committed to following at each of our events. Our events take place in different counties across Oregon, and in each case, we will follow the recommendations of local health authorities and implement additional measures, if necessary.

Event Operating Procedures

• Mitigating the spread of COVID-19 must begin well in advance of each event and is the responsibility of everyone involved, including staff, crew, volunteers and participants.
• While we plan to run our regular schedule of events in 2021, they will only proceed with the approval of our permitting partners.

Participant, Staff and Volunteer Protection

• One week prior to each event, a health and safety form will be sent to all registrants, staff and volunteers. Those planning to participate will be required to confirm that they are symptom-free, have had no known exposure to COVID-19 in the two weeks prior, have been following physical distancing guidelines and agree to follow physical distancing guidelines during the event.
• If a registrant, staff member or volunteer becomes symptomatic prior to the event, they are not to attend the event under any circumstance and will be encouraged to contact a local healthcare provider immediately.
• All group infrastructure, including washrooms and common areas will be thoroughly sanitized prior the start of each event.
  
• Participants are required to bring their own masks and hand sanitizer. Gorgeous Series will also have sufficient hand sanitizer and sanitizing products for common areas that will be made easily accessible for all participants, crew and volunteers.
  
• If a registrant, staff member or volunteer becomes symptomatic during the event, they (and, if it’s a participant, all of their team members) will be asked to leave immediately, and will be encouraged to contact a local healthcare provider immediately.

Race Briefing

• A live virtual race briefing will take place, via Zoom, prior to each event. It will include up to date information on event COVID-19 policies and procedures and a recording will be posted to our website for further review.

Registration/Package Pickup

• All participants and staff are required to wear a mask and observe physical distancing guidelines during registration/package pickup.
• Plexiglass barriers will be installed to mitigate the spread of droplets.
• ​Package pickup times may be assigned and markings will be placed on the floor or ground at 6’ intervals to encourage social distancing.
• Participants will be asked not to bring supporters into the registration/package pickup area. Start/Finish, Common Areas (Exchanges), and Along the Course
• Face coverings will be mandatory in the start/finish chute as well as at the finish line. Start times will be staggered.
• An extra supply of masks and hand sanitizer will be kept on hand in all common areas and made available to crew, volunteers and participants.
• All common areas, including washrooms/port-a-potties, will be thoroughly sanitized at regular intervals throughout the day.
• Outdoors at exchanges, where a minimum of 6’ physical distancing can be maintained, face coverings are not required.
• Outdoors along the course, it is recommended that participants wear a face covering (such as a BUFF) around their neck and use it to cover their nose and mouth when maintaining 12’ of physical distance is not possible and when passing, or being passed, in either direction.
• In the case of an emergency, managing hazards and stabilizing injuries will become a higher priority than mitigating the spread of COVID-19. Should a situation of this type occur, crew members, volunteers and participants will be expected to proceed accordingly.

Check Points

• All checkpoint attendants will be required to wear face coverings and gloves.
• All food, drink and other checkpoint consumables will be handed out by the attendants.
• Physical distancing of at least 6’ will be encouraged.
• Exposure/Evacuation Operating Procedures

While Gorgeous Series has every confidence in our COVID-19 mitigation measures, we cannot guarantee any outcome. We also rely on the event crew, volunteers and participants to contribute in a productive manner to keeping everyone at our events safe.

At any time, the crew may determine that it is necessary to remove a participant from the course for reasons including, but not limited to, the participant showing signs of illness or failing to adhere to the risk mitigation guidelines outlined in this document. In the event that a crew member, volunteer or participant becomes sick, or is suspected to have been exposed to COVID-19, Gorgeous Series will follow all local health authority guidelines.

Post-Event Operating Procedures

Our efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 don’t end with our events. Gorgeous Series will keep a record of all participants, crew and volunteers for each event, so that it may be used for contact tracing, should the need arise.

Contact

If you have any questions, or would like clarification regarding any aspect of our COVID-19 operating procedures, please contact:

Kristina Wright
Owner and Chief Operating Officer, Gorgeous Series
relay@gorgeousseries.com
mobile: 815-501-0868

The best of Gorgeous Runners and the Gorgeous Series is running together, supporting each other, and supporting the gorgeous towns, amazing small businesses and nonprofits of Oregon. We look forward to welcoming teams back to Gorgeous Series relays as soon as we can!  

In the meantime, keep inspiring other Gorgeous Runners by sharing your runs and outdoor adventures in our Facebook Group I'm a Gorgeous Runner and with our Instagram page @gorgeousrelayseries

Be well - Alexa, Kristina & Zina