RHAC Road Race Championships Rules, 2026

1. Points will be awarded based on athletes’ position relative to other Rochdale Harriers in the same race/series. 50 points for 1st Harrier, 47 points for 2nd, 46 points for 3rd and so on.
2. Points will be awarded in the overall category, and in age categories U23, 23-34 (Senior) and veterans starting at V35 in 5-year increments.
3. Your age on the date of the first race in the series will determine your age category for the full championship, even if you do not run in that race.
   Athletes are required to be a fully paid-up, first claim member of RHAC on race day for their result to count.
4. Club vests must be worn in championship races for results to count, except at Parkruns.
   To qualify a person must run with their own number such so that they appear in the official results for that race.
5. Please update your Parkrun profile with RHAC as your club, this makes result compilation much easier. Notify Kevin Holland of your time / date too.
   Best 5 results to count.
6. Chip Timing – When Chip Times are available in a race, these will be used to calculate positions (not gun times).
7. There is no requirement to compete in all 3 race categories (5k, 10k & HM) in order to qualify for prizes.
8. For Sale Sizzlers and Parkruns, athletes can run as many races / parkruns as they wish but only the best result from each series will count towards the championship.
9. Prizes will be awarded to the Top 3 Male and Female athletes overall, and to the Top 3 Male and Female athletes in each age category.
10. In the event of a points tie (working down the list until a winner is found), the tiebreaker will be decided by:
    • The Head-to-Head victories record of the tied athletes (same race/parkrun, same day).
    • Number of maximum point hauls (32 Points).
    • Total Points from all races.
    • Best time at the Parkruns.
      If still level a tie will be awarded.
11. In order to qualify for the championship participants are required to assist at least once at a Rochdale Harrier-organised race during the season (see below for more information). Please notify the Men’s Captain once you have assisted at a RHAC race.
    Athletes will receive only one trophy if they finish in the top 3 both overall and in their age category. Both achievements will be acknowledged on the trophy where space permits.
12. A memento will be provided to athletes who:
    (a) complete every race (1 race from a series is sufficient); or
    (b) are not in the top 3 of their category or overall, but have completed at least 5 qualifying races (only 1 race counting from each series) and also assisted at least once at a Rochdale Harriers-organised race during the season.
    
    Notes on Volunteering: We rely on our members to help occasionally with our races. For example, in order to not miss-out on events of interest, road runners can assist at RHAC’s fell races and fell runners can assist at RHAC’s road races. With this principle in mind, any athlete who does not assist personally in at least one RHAC race during the year will not qualify for either the RHAC road or the RHAC fell championships, even if they run enough races.

Assisting at a RHAC race includes :–

Marshalling
Official Time Keeping / number recording
Results Compilation at a race
Race Number Distribution
Tail Runner / Sweeper
Lead Race Cyclist
T-Shirt / Socks Pre-Race distribution
Water Station attendant
First Aid Support
Course Flagging / De-Flagging
Race Director / Organisation