Abstract: A sporting venue includes a sporting course having a first topography over which an athlete traverses and a fall protection system. The fall protection system includes an overhead support structure having one or more cables or trusses extending over the sporting course and configured to support the weight of the athlete, a trolley slidably engaged with the overhead support structure and configured to travel with the athlete while traversing the sporting course, a self-retracting fall arrestor comprising a lanyard operably coupled to a braking system configured to prevent or slow a fall of the athlete, and a lanyard extending from the self-retracting fall arrestor and configured to couple to a harness of the athlete.