USA Track & Field - Southern California Association - Road Running Grand Prix Rules
SUMMARY:
The Grand Prix provides a total of $2000 in cash awards and championship medals to the top 5 overall open and masters men’s and women’s scorers. Gold, silver, and bronze USATF medals will also be awarded to the top-3 scorers in 26 men’s and women’s individual 5-year age-groups and championship plaques will be awarded to the top-10 scoring clubs. Prize money is not awarded to youth competitors.
HOW IT WORKS:
The eleven Grand Prix series races for 2013 are posted at www.scagrandprix.org. Individual runners must finish at least five (5) of these races during the calendar year.
For USATF clubs to post a score in a Grand Prix race, a minimum of 5 of its member runners must post a finish time. For the marathon distance, 3 runners are required for a team. Club members can be of any gender, and any age. It is not necessary to have 5-runners of the same age group and gender. The total club score is determined by adding the 5 highest individual member age-graded scores from the race. The club’s 2013 year-end total score will be determined by adding its highest club scores from five (5) Grand Prix races.
ELIGIBILITY:
All Grand Prix participants must be current members of the Southern California Association of USATF. There is no additional fee for members to participate in the Grand Prix or Road Championship series. The Southern California Road Running Grand Prix is conducted throughout the 2013 calendar year, during which individuals can enter the Grand Prix series at any time. A runner’s age-group category will be based on their age in the first race they participate in.
All Clubs must all be registered members of the Southern California Association of USATF. All its scoring members must also be listed on the club’s on-line roster. More information on registering clubs with USATF is available at http://www.usatf.org/clubs/.
QUALIFYING RACES:
Grand Prix series races are listed on the Southern California Association website at www.scagrandprix.org and are subject to additions or cancellations at the discretion of the Southern California Association Road Running Committee. The Southern California Association Road Championship races for 1 mile, 5K, 10K, Half-Marathon and Marathon are among the designated 2013 Grand Prix races. Individual GP participants must finish a minimum of 5 races to be eligible for Grand Prix awards. Clubs must compete in at least 5 GP races with 5 finishers to be eligible for Grand Prix awards.
Youth runners must run a minimum of three races to qualify for end-of-year awards. Youth clubs must run a minimum of three races for the youth club competition. Separate awards will be presented to youth runners and youth clubs.
INDIVIDUAL SCORING:
For individual runners, scoring is based on age-graded results. This score is computed by dividing the runner’s finishing time by the approximate age-group record and multiplying it by 1000. For example, the score for a 46-year old male who records 39:19 for 10K in which the approximate age-group record is 29:44 would be computed as follows: 29:44 ÷ 39:19 = 0.7564.
0.7564 x 1000 = 756 points
A runner’s year-end total score will be determined by adding together his or her highest age-graded scores from five (5) Grand Prix races. The age-graded score calculator developed by Howard Grubb used for scoring the Grand Prix is included at the bottom of this page.
HOW TO ENTER THE GRAND PRIX:
Individual SCA/USATF members who finish a Southern California Association Road Championship series race will automatically have their results added to the Grand Prix series.
Current Grand Prix standings will be posted on the Grand Prix home page www.scagrandprix.org within one week of each successive race in the GP series (although results may be delayed pending official revisions). To generate USATF Southern California Association results, a match is made by comparing the published, online race results of each event with the USATF Southern California Association membership database. In the event that the name used to enter the event does not match the member’s USATF name, results may not be recorded. Similarly, if there is a wide age difference, or some other error in the race registration process, results may not be recorded. Grand Prix participants are encouraged to check the website, and if their score is not included, or is incorrect, they should contact the long distance running chair, Rebecca Trahan, to have corrections made.
Club Participation: If a member is affiliated with a USATF club, the name of the club is also included in the results. Club participation is based on the official information recorded with USATF.
PRIZE MONEY AND AWARDS - ADULT:
The Top-5 men and Top-5 women with highest individual 2013 year-end total scores will be awarded the following cash prizes and Southern California Grand Prix Championship medals:
1ST Place: $500, plus First-Place Finisher Award
2ND Place: $250, plus Silver Medal
3RD Place: $150, plus Bronze Medal
4TH Place: $75, plus Bronze Medal
5TH Place: $25, plus Bronze Medal
6TH-10TH Places: Bronze medals
Cash prizes will be awarded in the form of checks issue by Southern California USATF. 2013 Grand Prix checks and championship medals will be mailed to the recipients no later than February 15, 2013.
The Top-3 men & women scorers with highest individual 2013 year-end total scores in the following 13 individual 5-year age-groups will receive gold, silver, and bronze USATF medals:
The Top-5 boys and Top-5 girls in each the USATF youth division categories will receive USATF Association Championship medals.
Sub-Bantam
Bantam
Youth
Intermediate
Young
At select Grand Prix races throughout the year, USATF Southern California will also present additional Association Champtionship medals, to runners age 10 and younger, and runners age 11-12. These awards go five deep, gold, silver, and bronze 3rd, 4th and 5th place.
CLUB AWARDS:
The Top-10 USATF Clubs with the highest 2013 year-end point totals will receive Grand Prix Championship plaques from the Southern California Association in recognition of their accomplishments.
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.):
What is Age-Graded Scoring?
Age-graded scoring represents a runner’s performance as a percentage of the current World Record for a person of the same age and the same gender. This is a proven scoring-system that allows runners of both sexes and all ages to compare their results. For the Southern California Association Road Running Grand Prix, the highest possible score in any race would be 1,000 points. To score 1,000 points, you would have to equal or surpass the World Record for that distance for your age and gender.
The Grand Prix is a year-long event, but my age and 5 year age-group category will change during 2013. What age do I use for scoring?
For competition in the 13 men’s and women’s 5 year age-groups, your age-group placement on the date of your first GP race of 2013 will be considered your age-group for the entire year. I have raced for a club team before, but we always competed in the same 5 year age-group category, or as an “Open” or “Masters” level team. How can you have mixed gender teams in the Grand Prix?
By using the age-graded scoring system, we generate comparable scores for both male and female runners of different ages. The purpose of our using age-graded scoring is not to have you focus solely on beating runners in your age-group, but to focus on running your best race.
I joined Southern California USATF in mid-year, but ran two of the Grand Prix races in 2013 while a non-member. Would my scores in those races count in the Grand Prix?
Yes! We can include the scores you ran in GP races prior to you becoming a USATF member in your overall Grand Prix total.
PLEASE NOTE: We cannot, however, include race results while you were not a USATF member in any club scoring. Similarly, we cannot go back and change the results for USATF medals awarded on race day at one of our Southern California Association Road Championship races while you were not a member. However, we will include your scores in GP series races for all of 2013 once you become a USATF member. Be sure to contact Rebecca Trahan at bundlolafs@aol.com with your times from those races and your current 2013 USATF membership number.
I am a member of USATF, but I do not reside in the Southern California Association. Can I still participate in the Grand Prix series?
Our Southern California Association Road Championship races for 1 mile, 5K, 10K, Half-Marathon, and Marathon are also Grand Prix races. However, the other four Grand Prix races in our 2013 Grand Prix are GP events only and not SCA Championships.
I lost the online receipt for my 2013 USATF membership number, have not received my card yet in the mail, and need to report my Grand Prix results. How can I find my membership number?
You can easily look up your current 2013 USATF membership number at the national website below:
Age grading is a way of putting all race participants on a level playing field, regardless of age or gender. Age-graded scores let you compare your race times to those of different runners, as well as to the standard for your age and gender. This is an adapted version of the popular Age-Graded calculator created by Howard Grubb. An expanded version of this calculator is also available online. You can also find this same calculator at Runners World Magazine.