Association of International Marathons and Distance Races
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The Association of International Marathons and Distance Races, also known as AIMS, is an association of the organisers of long-distance road running races. It was founded in 1982 at a meeting in London of marathon race directors. Its membership was extended in 1986 to include all road races. In June 2016, over 400 race organisations were members.[1]
Objectives
[edit]According to its Articles of Association, AIMS's objectives are:[1]
- to foster and promote distance running throughout the world;
- to work with the World Athletics on all matters relating to international road races, and;
- to exchange information, knowledge and expertise among the members of the Association.
Course measurement and world records
[edit]AIMS works together with World Athletics to ensure that its road races are measured accurately. All AIMS races must be measured by an accredited AIMS/IAAF course measurer. In addition, in order for a road race world record to be ratified by IAAF, it must satisfy certain conditions. Among these are that:[2]
- a course must not be, from start to finish, downhill by more than 1 metre in height per kilometre of length
- the separation between start and finish must not be more than 50% of the length of the course
The second condition is intended to ensure that a course is not designed in such a way that a tail wind may improve times unduly, but does not apply for the purpose of establishing Olympic and World Championship qualifying times.[2]
All races which have obtained World Athletics Label Road Races have been subject to AIMS/WA course measurement standards.
Other activities
[edit]The magazine “Distance Running” is published four times a year and distributed free to runners at events organised by AIMS members.
Since 2013 the organisation has hosted a gala dinner each year at which the Best Marathon Runner award is given to honour the year’s most outstanding distance athletes. There is also a Green Award and a Social Award.
See also
[edit]- List of World Athletics Label marathon races
- World Marathon Majors
- World Athletics Label Road Races
- Short course prevention factor
Notes
[edit]- ^ a b "About AIMS". Association of International Marathons and Distance Races. n.d. Retrieved 2016-07-08.
- ^ a b "AIMS - Course Measurement". Association of International Marathons and Distance Races. Archived from the original on 2019-11-28. Retrieved 2016-06-16.