Grand Prix

Stratford Athletic Club Grand Prix

A series of local road races are chosen annually as counters for this competition. The list is made up of a variety of distances from 5k to half marathon, and spread throughout the year. There are usually 15 races with the best 8 to count.

Stratford upon Avon Athletics Club

Grand Prix Competition

by Peter Sugden

The Grand Prix is open to all senior members, providing fun competition, with a handicap system that allows all abilities and ages, gentlemen and ladies, an opportunity to take home the prestigious Grand Prix Shield at the end of the season.

Sometimes comprising as many as 20 races, this year the competition will comprise 12 events from the racing calendar, varying in distance from 5M to marathon, road and multi terrain.

Members may compete in as many or as few as they wish, with their best 8 results counting in the competition. Points are awarded according to where Stratford upon Avon AC members finish relative to each other in each race, with all race finishers scoring at least one point per race.

Point Scoring

Place Scoring

1^st – 20 points	6^th – 10 points	11^th – 5 points
2^nd – 18 points	7^th – 9 points	12^th – 4 points
3^rd – 16 points	8^th – 8 points	13^th – 3 points
4^th – 14 points	9^th – 7 points	14^th – 2 points
5^th – 12 points	10^th – 6 points	15^th – 1 point etc.

Female Athletes / Veterans (age at 1^st Jan of the calendar year competed)

Category	Additional Points
	Men	Women
Under 35	0	3
35 – 39	0	4
40 – 44	1	5
45 – 49	2	6
50 – 54	3	7
55 – 59	4	8
60 – 64	5	9
65 – 69	6	10
70 – 74	7	11
75 – 79	8	12

Personal Best

Any athlete achieving a personal best performance in any of the nominated races will be awarded 4 additional points. Personal best performances cannot be achieved if the athlete hasn’t raced the particular race previously – i.e. PBs count for second and subsequent times only.

Club Record

A club runner breaking an existing club record in any of the nominated races will be awarded 6 additional points

2022 Races

This year’s races are focussed on the Warwickshire Road Race League (WRRL) races, plus a couple of local races. The focus on the WRRL races is deliberate to try to encourage the greatest participation by Stratford members, such that we might give some of our rival local clubs a run for their money. Ironically, our best standing in the WRRL in recent years was during the heights, or is it lows, of lockdown in 2020, when the races were run virtually and Captain John Raby galvanised our competitive spirit, with many club members participating. It would be great if we can fill the WRRL races with plenty of yellow and black vests this year.

This year’s Grand Prix nominated races are:

1	18^th Apr (Easter Mon)	Massey Easter 10k (Stoneleigh Park)	WRRL
2	24^th Apr	Stratford Half Marathon or Marathon
3	19^th May (Thur)	Ryton 5M (Ryton Country Park)	WRRL
4	8^th Jun (Tue)	Sphinx 5M (Coventry Memorial Park)	WRRL
5	12^th Jun	Two Castles 10k (Warwick to Kenilworth)	WRRL
6	19^th Jun	Arden 9M (Hampton in Arden)	WRRL
7	10^th Jul	Northbrook 10k (Allesley)	WRRL
8	20^th Aug	Stratford Summer 6M (Wilmcote)	WRRL
9	4^th Sept	Stratford Big 10k
10	11^th Sep	Kenilworth Half Marathon	WRRL
11	18^th Sep	Balsall Common 10k	WRRL
12	9^th Oct	Rugby 10M (Barby)	WRRL

There are actually a lucky 13 races listed, by virtue of a choice of Stratford Half Marathon or Marathon, with 12 potential races which could be run (unless your name is Tara Lambert and you can obtain special dispensation to run both races on 24^th April). It’s up to individuals how many races to enter and it’s your responsibility to enter races. Beware, some of these races may become fully booked, so don’t leave booking a place too late.

Personal experience tells me one needs to think about recovery between races. Sphinx 5M and Two Castles 10k are always only a few days between. If you need longer to recover, and most of us will, think about whether to prioritise one over the other.

Prizes are awarded annually at the Awards Night in different age groups and overall. Past winners of the Grand Prix shield include our chairman Paul Hawkins, while John Turner, Peter Hill, Alan Coldicott, our very own David Jones, Graham Taylor and yours truly have all won the shield twice. Mark Francis won the shield an impressive five times in the competition’s first 12 years. If you want to see the shield adorned with your name for posterity, start entering races.

Happy running.

Results updates

Race Results 2015

Race Results 2016

Grand Prix Results 2017

Grand Prix Results 2018