Last Updated (Thursday, 27 July 2023)
- Club Champion
The club championship runs for the full twelve months of a calendar year and consists of 12-16 events of varying distances and disciplines. These are spread as evenly as possible so that there is usually one event per month. We now have 2 Mens Divisions and 2 Ladies Divisions – the winner of each division is determined by the highest number of points scored. The overall club championship title is won by the athlete who has the highest total score, usually the runners who compete the most often are at the top of their respective championship tables!
There are a wide variety of races that make up the Club Championship in order to encourage runners of all abilities to participate, experience different types of events and improve their race times. To win the title the victor must compete in at least one shorter distance event (5K, 10K or 5-miler) and at least one longer distance event (10-miler or half marathon) so that the resulting champion is a true specialist of all the distances. - Scoring
In every single race the first to finish from each division will get 10 race points, the second 9 race points, and so on until 9th place and subsequent positions which are awarded 2 points. No athlete is obliged to take part in all twelve events as only the best eight performances will count in the final reckoning. This facilitates the obvious breaks in the year for everyone when they are either on holiday or other family commitments take precedence, as well as the incidence of illness or injury. In addition, some events give the choice between 2 races (runner’s choice), but only the race where the runner achieved more race points will count towards the club championship. - Club Personal Best
A few years ago a bonus points system was introduced, which provides an incentive to everyone, but especially to those who are not always at the sharp end of the finishing order. The bonus points are added for club personal bests (C.B.) over that particular distance, i.e. the fastest time someone achieved in a club championship race. 5 points are awarded for achieving a C.B. but maximal once a year per distance. The distances where one can earn these bonus points are 5K, 10K, 5M, 10M and Half Marathon. These bonus points can make a significant difference and have a “levelling up” effect for all those taking part. The Championship Targets table sets out all current target times for this year’s championship and the year and location at which they were achieved.
As none of us can prevent the effects of Anno Domini (even though some of us make a noble effort) it was decided that the C.B. is always the best club championship race result from the preceding 3 years. This means for the club championship in 2022 the C.B. for a particular distance is the best race time achieved over that distance in a club championship race during 2019, 2020, 2021, or 2022 as the years advances.
Anyone new to the championship must set their C.B.’s in a championship race before claiming any bonus points. The same rule applies if an athlete did not compete during the last 3 years over a distance in a club championship race.
The C.B.’s are calculated on club championship events only. If Joe Jogger produced a mind boggling run of 34 minutes in the Clegg’s Brewery Bowel Buster 10km at Much Moaning By The Sea, this would not be to the detriment of his club championship aspirations. - Bonus Points
The bonus points for C.B.’s count separately to race points. If someone achieved a C.B. in the first race of the year these 5 bonus points are save to count for the club championship even if he/she achieved 8 better race results and the race points of the first race would be dropped. Equally, if someone managed a C.B. in a month with a runner’s choice but got more race points in the second race, the higher number of race points will count in addition to the 5 bonus points for the C.B. Let me give an example: Joe Jogger got 6 race points in the Bearbrook 10K and managed to run his first 10K C.B. of the year. If this was a runner’s choice month and Joe got 8 race points for the Burnham Beeches Half Marathon he had secured 8 race points and 5 bonus points towards the club championship.
Every runner, who competed in at least 8 events, will receive another 5 bonus points to encourage participation in club championship races. - Tie-Breaker
If there is a tie between 2 runners we will apply the following tie-breakers in this order: (a) higher number of C.B. bonus points (to favour the more improved runner); (b) higher number of club championship races (to encourage participation in club championship races); (c) higher score in single races (i.e. 10-10-9-9-8-8-8-8 is better than 10-9-9-9-9-8-8-8); (d) the result of the Club Handicap. - Promotion
To keep the divisions as challenging as possible from one year to the next, at the end of the season there will be 3 runners promoted from the 2nd division and 3 runners demoted from the 1st division. - Joining In
All competitive members who are registered with England Athletics (either 1st or 2nd claim) can participate, new joiners to the championship will start in division 2. You will automatically be entered into the championship when you complete one of the annual fixtures provided you are registered as a Thame Runner for the event. If you would rather not be listed in division 2, then please “contact us” asking to be excluded. - Transfer of Race Numbers The committee wish to bring to the attention of club members rule 143 S2(iii) and the clubs position in respect of it. It is not permitted to take part in a race with another runner’s bib number. Rule 143 states ‘Athletes who receive transferred numbers without permission from the race organiser i.e. a formal transfer will be disqualified from the race’. Both runners will be subject to disciplinary action by the appropriate National Association. In our clubs case the national organisation is England Athletics. The sanctions imposed are usually a 12 month ban from all UKA races not only for the person running but also for the person who gave them their number if they were aware. This is a serious rule and as a UKA registered club we are obliged to support and reinforce their rules. The reasons for the rule are: If a medical emergency occurred there could be potential mix ups. The organisers may get in touch with your emergency contact, leading to panic and/or confusion. They may use your medical notes given at the time of entry, which could have disastrous consequences. Any race insurance will be void. It impacts in results not only for the race itself but for Run Britain / Power of Ten rankings / results and this is especially so where the other runner is a different category, gender or capability. There have been a number of incidents where ladies have been deprived of a first place because they were beaten by young men with women’s numbers. UKA registered running and athletics clubs are obliged to report these incidences to England Athletics (in our case) as are race organisers.