GENERAL:

- A runner who is awarded GFRC Grand Prix (GP) points for a designated GFRC Grand Prix race has to be (1) a current member, or one who is within the renewal grace period, (2) officially entered and subsequently being the person listed as finishing in the race, (3) if late for the start, start before the first GFRC racer finishes, (4) Any racer can opt to not receive points and/or have his/her name published, (5) in communication with a GP director within two weeks of the first of the month following the Grand Prix race in which they didn't see his or her name listed in the results. Participants must report any non-GP series races (i.e. marathons, ultras, half marathons) for which they wish to receive GP points within 30 days of the completion of the race (or by the end of May if the race is in May) to the General Results page at Raceresults@gfrcrun.org.

- A member can participate at any point in the series. By reason of being a member, a member whose name is listed in the results of a designated GP race will be included in the club's GP results for that race (unless exercising the #4 provision above).

- As we've done since 2005, points awarded will be based on age-grading. Age-grading is a statistical translation of a runner's time that accounts for an individual's age, gender, and race distance so that race performances by runners of all ages can be compared. We used to group people by ten-year age groups (e.g. men 40-49, women 50-59, etc). Using age-grading to award points instead corrects the unfair disparity that can occur in the numbers of participants in each age-group category (e.g., say, only 2 in 60-69, while 12+ in 40-49).  The 2015 WMA Age Grading Calculator is now used to calculate age graded times.

- The top age-graded performance in a Grand Prix race for the men and women is each worth 25 points. The second-best age-graded performance for both men and women is worth 24 points, etc. No runner will receive fewer than 15 points for a Grand Prix race so that, in effect, the top 10 age-graded men and women in each Grand Prix race will in effect have been given extra points. Also, the genders will be scored separately, as they always have been. Only one Grand Prix race's points per month will be added to a runner's total when the runner completes more than one race; the higher of the points earned will be the one added. Trophies will be awarded to the top 6 male and the top 6 female point-earners at the end of the Road Series, and the top 4 in the Trail Series.

Marathons/Half Marathons/Ultra Races In Place of Monthly Grand Prix Races (not in addition to):
To support runners who wish to compete in the GP Series but also wish to run longer races, we will give points for half marathons, marathons, and ultra races in place of the GP points earned that month (presuming you would get more from using this method).

The following points are available:

- Ultra runners will receive 25 points for one ultra race (50K or greater) during the series. If you start an ultra race and do not complete it but have an official time for a full marathon distance you can count it as a marathon instead. You cannot downgrade an ultra to a half.

- Marathoners will receive 22 points for up to two marathons per series, but no more than one per month. If you start a marathon and do not complete it but have an official time for your half marathon, you can count it as a half-marathon instead.

- Half Marathoners will receive 18 points for up to three half marathons per series, but no more than one per month.

- The 25 points for ultras, 22 points for marathons, and 18 points for half marathons are awarded in this fashion: Trail distances (26.2+, 26.2, 13.1) can be used for either the Trail Series or Road Series, but road distances (26.2+, 26.2, 13.1) can be used only for the Road Series.

The following rules apply to these points:

- You must run in a race that is organized, measured, timed, and advertised to the general public on Coolrunning or on some similarly recognized public forum.

- Your completion of the race must be easily verifiable independently by the GP Directors (results posted on the Internet in a trustworthy location).

- You must claim your points within 30 days of the finish of the race, and within the month of May for races run in May.

- You may claim any combination of these races adhering to the terms of each but cannot accumulate more than 62 points in total in this manner (earned by one ultra + 2 halves).

An Award:
Anyone who completes at least 11 of the GP races receives a special award. Please note that marathons, half-marathons, and ultras completed that are not an official GP race (even if they give you GP points) DO NOT count towards GP race total for the award. If we put a (or any) half marathon in the GP series it would count.

New Members : 
If a member joins within 4 days of running a GP race, then that member does get awarded points for the race in accordance with the usual point-awarding rules. However, because of the automatic delay in membership (after the race's finish) and possible listing of race results with points before the person actually joins, the points awarded will not bump down a pre-race member's points for that race. In other words, the points for that new member's one race will be equal to the current member's points next closest to the new member's points. (e.g., if a new, post race member is, say, first among us so getting 25 points, then the member who already got 25 points will still get the 25.) That way, no one else down the line will lose a point because of this member joining after the race. Fair as fair can be!)

For questions or comments concerning the Grand Prix race series, please contact our Grand Prix directors at: GrandPrix@gfrcrun.org