We want to encourage competition amongst members as well as encouraging individual improvement. The current format of splitting members into leagues purely on pace favours the fastest in each league and leaves the majority with little realistic opportunity to win trophies or gain promotion to a higher league. The requirement to complete a minimum number of events in groups up to half marathon distance over different terrains is also a deterrent to those in the lower leagues in particular.

It has been agreed at committee that a revised league format would be introduced and members would be able to count their best 10 scores from any of the nominated 2023 events.

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Three New Club Championship Leagues: - Open, Male, Female

These are purely time-based leagues to encourage competition amongst the faster club members.

Scoring:

Open League - points will be allocated to the first 15 club finishers only– first gets 15 points, then reduces by 1 per place.

Males and Female Leagues – points allocated to the first 10 gender finishers only – first gets 10 points then reduces by 1 point per place.In the event of a tie at the year end, positions will be determined by ‘head-to-head’ scores.

Six new Performance Leagues based an Age Grading Assessment for a 10k using 2022 event data.

The assessments are made using the race results we hold for events ranging from parkruns to marathons to form a benchmark pace per mile for a 10k. For new members this will be based on an assessment after their first event(s).

The pace per mile is converted to a 10k time which is then used with your age on 1 January 2023 to calculate an Age Performance Percentage. Age is calculated to 2 decimal places (years plus days).

Members are allocated to a league based on their Age Performance.

1 - 70% and above

2 - 65-70%

3 - 60-65%

4 - 55-60%

5 - 50-55%

6 – below 50%

Example: male born 15 May 1976 will be 46.63 years old on 1/1/23. If their benchmark mile pace is 09:10min their 10k run time will be 56:28 and their age grading is 51.74%. He would be in League 5

The Age Performance Percentage benchmark will remain the same throughout the year. In the example above if the same person ran a 10k in the same time on 1 December 2023, his age performance % would increase to 52.13% - showing an improvement in that he could run at the same pace despite being 11 months older! To maintain the same (51.74%) he could run slower – 56:23. The older you are, the greater the time difference, whereas those in their early 30’s or younger, their time would more likely stay the same throughout the year.

The aim of the new format is that you are racing against yourself and therefore you have a much better chance of finishing in the top 3. There will be a mixture of ages and speed in each league therefore it’s not a case of just trying to beat someone – it’s YOUR relative effort which will count.

Points are awarded in each league measured on YOUR performance relative to YOUR benchmark. The best in your league is awarded 10 points, with each subsequent place reducing by 1, but all finishers in your league will get 1 point.

For races of distances other than 10k the same Age Performance % is used, but the pace per mile will increase for longer runs or reduce for shorter runs. No adjustment will be made for the degree of difficulty or terrain of each run.

For an easy course – e.g., Selby parkrun or the Tissington Half Marathon the majority would expect to better their benchmark, whereas in a Peco Cross Country race it would be very difficult for most to get anywhere near.

A list of individual’s Benchmark Age Grading and the pace per mile used will be published. Please note that this is unlikely to be the same as for your 2022 Age Grading Award which is based on the average of your best 10k/10m/Half Marathon.

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In the event of a significant error having been made in the calculations, an adjustment will be made after discussions with the member concerned.

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CLUB VESTS OR T SHIRTS MUST BE WORN OTHERWISE A MAXMUM OF 5 POINTS WILL BE DEDUCTED - EXCEPTIONS FOR NEW MEMBERS AWAITING DELVERY

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