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Checkers Grand Prix 2012 Welcome to the home page for the Checkers Grand prix series. As the season progresses, you will find links here to the current series standings. What is it? The Checker’s Grand Prix Race Series is a competition exclusive to Checker’s members, consisting of twenty-three (23) races throughout the 2012 race season. Your best results for these races, up to a maximum of six (6), will count towards your total score. What are the races?
* race-to-savings How are you scored? Every Checker’s member entered in these races will be scored on a sliding 100 point scale. That is, 1st member receives 100 points, 2nd member 99 points, 3rd member 98 points and so on. If there are more than 100 members entered in a given race, a minimum of at least 1 point will be awarded to each. Who is my competition? Normally, in races and race series’, you compete against your gender in five (5) year age groups. This is where the Grand Prix will be unique. We will use scoring groups to determine competition. The scoring groups will be similar to pace groups Coach Mitchell uses at track workouts. The scoring groups breakdown as follows; 65 and higher, 64-61, 60-57, 56-54, 53-51, 50-48, 47-45, 44-43, 42-41, 40-39, 38-37, 36-35, 34-33, 32-31, 30-28, 27-26. Please note, scoring groups are not gender specific, as they include both male and female athletes. How is my scoring group determined? Your time and distance for each race run on a certified course before May 31, 2012 will be punched in to a VO2max calculator. Your best three (3) VO2max scores will be averaged, resulting in your scoring group. If you don't run three (3) certified races by May 31, you will be placed in a group after you finish your third certified race. Only then will your scoring group be determined and your score be computed for the series’ races you have run-to-date. How will I know my standing? Once scoring groups have been established, a link will be set up here, and on the Checkers results page, directing you to the up-to-date standings. What are the awards and when will they be presented? The Awards for 2012 will be $25.- gift certificates to the Runners Roost for every Scoring Group Winner. They will presented at the annual Holiday Party. What if I don’t want to take part in the Grand Prix? Just drop an e-mail to grandprix@checkersac.org and we will see that you are not included. Checker’s member Rick Queeno presented the idea of this race series to the board of directors. A committee was then formed to hash out the details. The committee worked hard in a short period of time to come up with this plan. Frankly, we don’t know exactly what’s going to happen. It will be up to each member who participates to make this Grand Prix successful. The purpose of this series is to give members an incentive to improve as the season goes forward. Listen to your coaches, work hard at track practice and run your races with determination. An honest effort will not go unnoticed.
Questions? What purpose of the Checkers Grand Prix? The purpose of the Checkers Grand Prix is to provide an opportunity for all Checkers members to be able to compete on equal footing in races of varying distances throughout the year. It also makes Tuesday night track practices more meaningful, as speed is such an important element in successful road racing. It’s also a way to unite Checkers members and Checkers members who serve as race directors. How did you choose the races for the series? Our first criterion in selecting races for the Checkers Grand Prix was to include all races in the Race to Savings series, which are races put on by Checkers members and where you save $2 or more on your entry fees. We then considered all other races put on by Checkers members. Finally, we tried to add races with varying distances to spice up the list a little.
How are scoring groups determined? VO2 max levels, the basis for scoring group placement, are calculated for any race distance during Checkers Grand Prix competition. The following table illustrates the VO2 max levels based on 5k times:
VO2 max is the maximum capacity of one’s body to transport and use oxygen during incremental exercise, which reflects the physical fitness of the individual. The name is derived from “volume per time,” “oxygen,” and “maximum.” The formulas used to calculate VO2 max are varied and complicated; however, you can access a VO2 max calculator by clicking here.What if I change running groups during the course of the year? Once you’ve completed your third certified race of 2012, you will be assigned to a scoring group. You will compete in that scoring group for the remainder of the year. As your times improve, so do your chances of winning your scoring group’s championship.
Can I still participate if I join Checkers later in the year? Any race you run as a Checkers member counts in the scoring, regardless of whether you have been put in a scoring group by then. Once you have run three certified races, you are assigned a scoring group. You take whatever points you have accumulated at that time into your group.
Who do I see about omissions or corrections in results? You are encouraged to report any omissions or corrections in race results by e-mailing grandprix@checkersac.org.What would keep me from running my first three races slower than usual to get in a slower scoring group and then picking it up to win a prize? The Checkers Grand Prix series committee discussed this and came to the conclusion that people are not likely to spend $60 or more in race entry fees to run three races to qualify for a lower scoring group. They are even less likely to spend another $200 or so in more race entry fees to win a nominal, yet aesthetically pleasing award.
What will scoring group champions receive? It hasn’t been decided on what exactly scoring group winners will take home, but we’ll post it right here once the awards have been determined.
Are the Y5 or the Buffalo Full Marathon part of the Grand Prix Series ? No, they are not. If I opt out, can I be reactivated and participate in the Grand Prix? Once you request to opt out of the Checkers Grand Prix, you cannot be reactivated until 2013. This is because points will be awarded in races during your absence and cannot be recalculated if you were to return.
Grand Prix committee members are Tom Droz, Rick Queeno, Ray Ernst, Fritz van Leaven, Herman van Leeuwen, Sam Spritzer, and Greg Lavis.
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