Club Championships 2013
We’ve been doing some work to look at how we could setup a club championship for next year and have come up with a format as described below. This post focusses on seniors – I’d also like your thoughts and ideas on a junior championship.
The objective for year one is to keep it simple and encourage participation – fast track races, long ultras, tough marathons and arduous hill races might be included in future if there is a demand but we’re not proposing to include these in year one.
We’re still finalising the list of races, which are based on feedback from members in a previous Facebook post – we want to get permission from the various race directors that they’re happy for us to use their race as a championship counter. Races will run from March to September and vary from 5k to half marathon and road to trail to hill.
Confirmed races so far are:
· Dechmont Law 10k
· Linlithgow 10k
· Lasswade 10 miler
· West Lothian College 5k
· Murieston 6k Trail Race
· Red Moss Revolution
· Turnhouse Hill Race
· Loch Leven Half Marathon
It would be great to get your feedback on the proposed format below – are there any changes you’d like to see to make this better in year one or a future year? Are you likely to participate?
Please leave a comment or join in the discussion on the club’s Facebook page.
Regards
John
Championship Purpose
There will be prizes for high-placing competitors but the main purpose is to encourage participation and a high Lothian turnout at some good local races.
This will hopefully encourage new members to come along to train with the club and encourage our athletes to take part in events they may otherwise have missed.
Entry Criteria
Entry to the club championship is included as part of your club membership – all Lothian athletes are eligible for entry by officially participating in the designated club championship races.
A broad range of local events have been chosen in the championship’s first year. The following criteria have been applied to races deemed eligible for inclusion in the championship:
*Officially sanctioned race
*Relatively local
*Low cost / Value for money entry
*Straightforward entry process
*Entry places are relatively easy to attain
*Accessible to the vast majority of club runners, e.g. fast track races, tough hill races, ultras and long road races haven’t been included this year but may be considered in future
*Race directors are happy for the race to be included as part of our championship
Scoring
Lothian athletes must complete 5 of the designated races to complete the club championship
You will be awarded points based on your finish position against all other competing Lothian athletes – i.e. first Lothian will be awarded 1 point, second will be awarded 2 points, tenth 10 points etc
Your best five races will count towards your final score
To be eligible for championship points, you must finish the race and be allocated an official result
You must be a Lothian member at the time of the race, i.e. if you sign up in August, pre-August results won’t be included in your final result
Members are encouraged to wear their club vest to championship races (and other races! :-))
If a designated championship race is cancelled or postponed, an alternative race may be added at the discretion of the club’s committee.
Prizes
One prize will be awarded to the athlete with the lowest overall score in the following age categories:
M = 39 and under
MV = 40-49
MSV = 50- 59
M60 = 60-69
M70 = 70+
F = 39 and under
FV = 40-49
FSV = 50-59
F60 = 60+
Your final championship age category will be your actual age category during your first completed championship race
In the event that no one from a given age category completes 5 races, no prizes will be awarded in this category
In the event of a draw in an age category, additional criteria will be added to separate the runners, including the criteria below in the following order:
*Number of championship races completed (highest total is declared the winner)
*Total number of points (lowest total is declared the winner)
*Head to head (first placed runner most frequently is declared the winner)
*Dechmont Law 10k finish place (first placed runner will be declared the winner. Not invoked where a runner was a race marshal)
*A tie is declared
A small prize will be awarded to all runners completing the club championship