CARA Resources

 

 

   
    2004 Club Circuit Rules

 

  1. What is the Club Circuit? A year long competition between running clubs. Winners receive awards at the year-end CARA Awards Party.

  2. Which races are included? All CARA Circuit races, from March 28 to November 7, 2003. When a race consists of events of more than one distance, club members will be scored in all events for club scoring purposes only (not for individual Circuit competition) in the following events: Great Western, Elgin Valley Fox Trot, Ridge Run, Walter Payton Sweetness Run, Chicago Distance Classic, Park Forest Scenic 10, Lake Zurich Alpine, and Westchester Veteran’s Day. Yellow division teams must score a majority of their athletes in the longer distance event. For example, at the Valley Fox Trot a Yellow division club must score three out of five, four out of six, or four out of seven in the 10-mile event.

  3. Who may compete? Running Clubs that are CARA members in 2004. CARA membership is $50 per year for clubs competing on the Circuit. Membership is FREE for clubs not competing on the Circuit.

  4. What about smaller clubs? There are two divisions – Yellow division and Green division, and each club must compete in the same division for the entire season. Yellow division teams will be scored on the basis of the top 5 individuals on their team, with the 6th or 7th individual acting as tie-breaker. Green division teams will be scored on the basis of the top 3 individuals on their team, with the 4th individual acting as tie-breaker. All new teams joining in 2003 will compete in the Green Division.

  5. Can a club change divisions for the next season? The first place team in the green division last year will automatically advance to the yellow division this year. Other changes are voluntary. (NOTE: This rule will not apply in 2003, due to the small number of teams competing in the Green Division the previous year).

  6. Do club members have to be CARA members? No. But out-of-state runners will only be scored for Yellow Division teams if they are CARA members.

  7. How does CARA know who is competing for each club? Clubs must submit a list of club members to the CARA office by March 26, 2004. The list should contain each member’s name, address, sex, and age.

  8. Can runners switch clubs during the season? NO!

  9. How do you stop them? If a runner appears on the membership list of more than one club, CARA will inform each of the clubs. The clubs must then submit to CARA a signed form indicating that, for Club Circuit scoring purposes, the runner is a club member. If asked by two or more clubs, CARA can require a club to submit a form signed by the runner, indicating that the runner is competing for that particular club. If the form is not submitted to CARA within 21 days, the runner will not count for that club.

  10. Can club members be added during the year? Yes, but the CARA office must be notified at least 48 hours before an Illinois resident is eligible to score on the Club Circuit, and 30 days for an out-of-state resident. New club members may not be added on race day.

  11. How are teams scored? Individual club runners will be classified into the same age/sex groups that are used in the individual circuit. Points are scored according to an individual’s percentile placing (between 0 and 100) among all race participants in their age group. (For example, a person who finishes 5th out of 50 is in the 10th percentile). The club score will be determined by adding up the percentile finishes within age groups of the top five (5) individuals for Yellow division teams, or the top three (3) individuals for Green division teams, with the lowest team score winning. Fifteen points will be awarded to the first place club at a race and one less point to each lower place (14 points for second, etc.). In case of ties for first place, the performance of the 6th or 7th team member (for Yellow division teams) or 4th team member (for Green division teams) will be included in the calculations. If there is still a tie, 14.5 points will be awarded to each of the two teams. All participating clubs with at least three runners will be awarded a minimum of one point. Clubs may score points in all Circuit races but only their top ten finishes will be used to determine their total score for the season.

  12. How does CARA know how club members finished in each race? After competing in a circuit race, the club captain must send a list of competing team members, with their approximate finishing times, to Barb Kummerer at CARA_Barb@yahoo.com or by fax (312) 781-1736, or by mail to: CARA, 203 N. Wabash #1104, Chicago 60601.

  13. How long can a club wait to report results? Clubs may not "back track" and submit results late in the season for earlier races. Results will not be accepted more than two weeks after race day.

  14. Do club members get race entry discounts? No. Only individual CARA members receive race entry fee discounts and other membership benefits.

     

    For more information, contact the CARA office:
    Chicago Area Runners Association
    203 N. Wabash #1104, Chicago IL 60601
    Tel. (312) 666-9836; FAX (312) 781-1736
    e-mail: info@cararuns.org
    www.cararuns.org