HDSRL Rules

Last update January 2019

Click here for guidance for race organisers

Runners

  • only Bona Fide “First Claim” or “Second Claim” members of clubs affiliated to the HDSRL are eligible to compete in the League (sorry, guest runners are not allowed)
  • every competitor must be registered with England Athletics with a ‘competition license’
  • runners should wear club vests
  • runners must wear the race number issued to them throughout the year’s League events (including the Handicap race). Failure to do so will mean that the runner will not be recorded in the results and will not count for team points etc.

Safety

  • Runners and others taking part in HDSRL events do so at their own risk and, in entering this series, you must accept the normal risks involved in running, including running off-road over uneven ground, and your own responsibility to yourself to be properly prepared and in proper condition to take part.
  • All races will have an England Athletics licence, which requires the organisers to have conducted a risk assessment. This cannot however absolutely ensure that the race is free of all risks.
  • Race organisers cannot accept responsibility for personal property.

Younger runners and vulnerable adults

  • Any runner must be aged 15 on the day of the race.
  • The details of a responsible person (parent, guardian or approved club member) who accepts responsibility for ensuring the wellbeing of the runner must be provided in the case of any entrant under the age of 18 or any otherwise vulnerable entrant. This information will be required at the point of entry online.
  • The responsible person should consider the suitability of the course for the abilities of the entrant in respect of each race in addition to general safeguarding considerations.
  • The club should keep a record of the responsible person in respect of each young or vulnerable member entering the series.

League competition

  • Points in a nutshell:
    • Points will be based on relative position, e.g. 200 finishers in a race: winner gets 100 points, 50th finisher gets 75 points (well, just over 75 points actually), …, last finisher always gets 1 point.
    • the results of all team and individual competitions, except the Elite Team competition, are calculated from these points
    • points and Elite times are cumulative for the overall League results
    • the best 3 from 4 races count towards the cumulative individual results
    • the cumulative team totals across all 4 races count for the Elite Team competition
    • the best 3 team totals from 4 races count for all other team competitions

    Teams competitions

    • Main Team” competition: 10 runners from each club to score (may include Ladies, Vets, Lady Vets)
      There are League prizes for first and second teams overall.
    • Ladies Team: 5 ladies (may include Lady Vets) to score
      There are League prizes for first and second Ladies teams.
    • Male Vets Team: 5 to score
      League prize for first Vets team.
    • Lady Vets Team: 3 to score
      League prize for first Lady Vets team.
    • Supervets Team: 5 to score, male or female, V55 and above
      League prize for first Supervets team.
    • Elite Team: competition based on the sum of the finish times of the first 3 runners for each club.
      League prize for first Elite team.

    Individual competition

  • There are prizes for the overall male and female league champions and second and third places
  • In addition medals are awarded for the first placed in the following age categories:
    Male Vet: 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65+,
  • Female Vet: 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55- 59, 60+
  • A medal will also be awarded to the winner of any older age band of 5 years, either male or female, in which there are competitors who complete at least 3 races.
  • A runner’s veteran age class for the series will be determined according to their age on the date of the first race of the season. (Updated 2019)
  • The points gained by the runner from their best 3 from 4 races count in the calculation of these results
  • A runner may only count in the class for their age, as above, except in the case of overall League Champions:
    • the League Champion may be a Veteran, a Lady, or a Lady Veteran runner;
    • the League Ladies Champion may be a Lady Veteran runner:

    in which case the runner would be awarded the Champion trophy and their own Lady/Veteran/Lady Veteran age class medal

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