Parkrun Championship

We introduced a new championship category in 2018 - Parkruns!

Parkruns are a phenomenally popular way of running with like-minded people every weekend. For many people, a Parkrun is their first venture into the running world. As a club, we want to acknowledge the dedication that people put into their Parkruns.
 
To do this we've devised the Spectrum Striders Parkrun Championships. This is a new championship that will sit alongside the existing champs - Road, Cross Country and Fell.
 
The championship has been designed so that it's not just geared towards the established elite runners - we wanted a way to reward those who might just be starting out with running. All club members can participate of course, but the system is designed as a level playing field. As in XC champs, your best 6 results count (and you get one extra point for every other race you attend).
 
Unlike our other champs, there are no separate male and female winners for our Parkrun champs. Parkrun's built-in age grading already takes account of gender, allowing us to compare the results directly across all participants. 

How it works

The championship consists of 12 races, one per month. These will be based on Parkruns local to Warrington. There will be a 'home' Parkrun, based at Victoria Park. Every alternate month, the Parkrun will be based at an 'away' location - this will change throughout the year (but will always be in the Warrington area).

The championship results will be based on your barcode time from the Parkrun. No additional effort is needed from you - just turn up at the correct Parkrun in your club vest and run.

The dates and locations for the 2019 Parkrun Championships are detailed to the right with 6 new venues to visit.

We have tried to spread them around the region with 2 in the Manchester area – Stretford and Sale, two towards Liverpool, Croxteth Hall & St Helens, Northwich in Cheshire and a bit further afield for the August race to Wepre Park in Connor’s Quay North Wales.

In general, we have tried to keep them to the second Saturday of the month with the exception of July which I know will clash with another event.

Also, the scoring format has been changed for next year to keep you all on your toes.

We are going for a full handicap style as trialled on a couple occasions this year and is based entirely on your Parkrun PB. The closer you can get to or beat your PB will determine your scoring position.

However, in 2019 instead of using your all time PB for Parkrun, we are going to use your 2018 PB for all of Parkrun. If you didn’t run Parkrun in 2018, then your PB will be taken as the previous year you competed, and if you haven’t run Parkrun before, then your PB will be taken as your first ever run.

There’s an incentive for all you potential first timers!

It is hoped that this format will encourage all of us to try and reduce that finishing time!

The winners of the championship will be awarded at the annual awards dinner in January 2020. 

Runners on the Spectrum Striders Beginners Initiative If you're currently running on the Beginners Initiative, then you are also eligible to take part in this championship, in anticipation of you joining us as a fully-fledged member upon completion of the initiative in April. Just make sure that when you sign up to Parkrun, you put Spectrum Striders as your running club to allow us to easily pick up your times.

Handicap

A few times a year, the Parkrun races will also be run as a handicap. A race that is marked as a handicap race has an extra incentive - your finishing time will be judged against your Parkrun Personal Best (PB). The winner of the handicap will be the runner who gets the best time on the day compared to their Parkrun PB. If no-one betters their PB, the winner will be whoever is closest to their Parkrun PB on the day.

Handicap results are included and count towards your score in the championship.

Handicap races will take place at the Warrington Parkrun. See the fixtures list to the right to see which races are included.

Parkrun championship rules

  1. You must be a paid up member of Spectrum Striders Running Club, either first claim or Second Claim

  2. You must run in club vest

  3. You must compete at the selected Parkrun on the day of the competition

  4. You must have registered for Parkrun - your results will not be included otherwise

  5. Therefore you must be a registered finisher at the race, i.e. make sure you have your barcode

  6. You must have a Parkrun PB, preferably at Warrington. It will be compared against your current age group PB based on Parkrun records

  7. You must obey Parkrun rules - be courteous to other runners

  8. The safety of all competitors is paramount

Results

Results are available in the sidebar to the right.

Tell us what you think!

This is a brand new championship and we're very much open to suggestions. Let us know what you think - speak to Geoff Hand, Alan Brady or any committee member at the club to give your comments.

 

Thanks for Geoff Hand for devising the championship, and Alan Brady for his input.

  

2019 fixtures

 

No Date Location
1 12-Jan Warrington Victoria Park
2 09-Feb Warrington Victoria Park
3 09-Mar Stretford Parkrun
4 13-Apr Northwich Parkrun
5 11-May Warrington Victoria Park
6 08-Jun Sale Waterpark Parkrun
7 06-Jul Warrington Victoria Park
8 10-Aug Wepre Park Connah's Quay
9 14-Sep Warrington Victoria Park
10 12-Oct Croxteth Hall Park
11 09-Nov Warrington Victoria Park
12 14-Dec St Helens Parkrun

Spectrum Striders is not responsible for the content of
external links

Results

  Summary
 Details
2019
 [PDF] [PDF]
2018
 [PDF] [PDF]

 

 

 

 

Spectrum Striders is not affiliated in any way with Parkrun Ltd