Winter 2020-21 Virtual Grand Prix

WINTER GRAND PRIX UPDATE

Scroll down for January’s routes…

Please be covid secure at all times. In Tier 4 it means that Harriers can only run with members of their own household or with one other person.

Sorry for the slow service over the holidays and the start of January. We are back with the new routes but I think the weather has been putting a few people (me included) off running the routes. Lockdown is back upon us and this is what the GP was all about, being able to run on your own, get some motivation from fellow Harriers and a bit of friendly competition.

Hopefully with the return of the warm wet weather we can all get out and run again.

Good luck, stay safe and follow the Covid Rules.

Thanks

Stuart

January’s routes:

Route 7: Balls to Bridge. Pick your own route avoiding a specific section.

Route 8: Coxhoe-Sunderland Bridge-Hett Loop, the long run at 10.8 miles.

Route 9: The Wynyard Figure of 8, 6.5 miles.

Route 10: The Netpark Mile.

December’s routes:

Route 4. Short, a 500m two lap sprint around the perimeter of Coxhoe leisure centre field: https://sedgefieldharriers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/WGP-4-Coxhoe-Field-2-Laps.pdf

Route 5 UPDATED . Medium, a 4 mile circuit around Sedgefield village: https://sedgefieldharriers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/WGP-5-Sedgefield-village-4-mile-UPDATED.pdf

Route 6. Long, an 11 mile route taking in Butterwick, the Walkway, some fields and the road back from Fishburn: https://sedgefieldharriers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/WGP-6-Walkway-and-Fishburn-10.8-mile.pdf

November’s routes:

Route 1. Short, a 600m dash along Sedgefield’s West Park Lane: https://sedgefieldharriers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/WGP-1-WPL.pdf

Route 2. Medium, a 6.3 mile loop around the south of Sedgefield: https://sedgefieldharriers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/WGP-2-Sedgefield-Circular.pdf

Route 3. Long, a 9 mile circular from Coxhoe, taking in Quarrington Hill and Garmondsway: https://sedgefieldharriers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/WGP-3-Coxhoe-Garmondsway-Circular.pdf

Back by popular demand, but with a slightly different format. Read on…

The format of the winter grand prix is going to be slightly different from the summer version.

There will be 10 races held over 3 months (November, December and January)
As with the summer Grand Prix the results are to be sent to Stuart Park. (WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Email, text, Post. Please do not post to the Harrier Facebook page as these can get lost in the feed easily and missed). If you can, please send the GPX data (Garmin/ Strava /etc)
Each month will have 3 races to complete (4 in January). You will have all month to run them and you can run and submit as many times as you like in the month.
There will be one short run (< 1 mile)
There will be one medium run (5 – 10 km)
There will be one long run (> 10 km)
Terrain will be varied from Road to Mud. At least one run will require some navigation (this is part of the challenge, I will try and avoid dogs and cows though). GPX data is available for all routes.
Routes and directions will be posted out before the end of the preceding month.
7 of the 10 races will count.
Winners of Division 2 Summer grand prix have been promoted to Division 1.
Please follow the latest Government and UKA guidance about Covid-19
Please follow the countryside code (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/897289/countryside-code-leaflet.pdf)
You will be representing the Sedgefield Harriers. Please be polite and respectful. Use the designated footpaths and bridleways.

Thanks, Stuart.

Stuart Park Contact details:

Phone – 07988256466

Email – S_R_park@yahoo.co.uk

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Summer 2020 Virtual Grand Prix

FINAL 2020 Summer Grand Prix results (provisional)

Final notes by Stu:

Firstly I would like to thank everyone that has taken part in this year’s Grand Prix. I hope you all think that it was as much of a success as I do and I cannot believe how well it has taken off. From a hair-brained idea during one of my lonely runs at the start of lock-down to a well fought and competitive finish. There were never any sure things in this Grand Prix and some amazing times put in by everyone.

Together we have completed over 1659 miles with 302 runs being submitted by 37 different runners. The most popular run was the Netpark (Mad) mile with 36 different attempts and 12 repeats but the one that the most people ran was the Fishburn loop with 31 out of the 37 runners completing this. 24 of the 37 runners completed the requisite 7 runs and 8 of them completed all 10.

As usual I am sure there are a few mistakes or missing runs. If you let me know then I will update the results before we crown the winners.

To mark this event in this unique year, all participants will receive a unique medal made by fellow Harrier, Ray Carmichael. This is a lovely final touch and thank you very much to him.

Thanks

Stuart

Name	Distance	Terrain	Map	Description
1. Sedgefield parkrun	5k	Trail	Map	Needs no description
2. Fishburn loop	5.4 miles	Road	Map	Sedgefield to Fishburn, back via the A177.
3. Coxhoe railway lines	10k	Trail	Map	Railway lines between Coxhoe, Garmondsway & Cornforth.
4. Fishburn-Middleham Half	13.3 miles	Road	Map	Good sized loop between Sedgefield, Fishburn, Bishop Middleham & Mainsforth.
5. New Handicap route	6 miles	Trail	Map	2 laps around Bishop Middleham on the new handicap route.
6. Coxhoe-Quarrington Hill loop	5 miles	Trail	Map	Up to Q Hill via Old Quarrrington, back via Crowtrees reserve. The 'Coxhoe Timeless Run' route.
7. Serpentine (modified)	5.9 miles	Trail	Map	The 'Sedgefield Serpentine' with a modified start/finish in the park.
8. Foxton and back	5.9 miles	Road	Map	Sedgefield to Foxton, and back again!
9. Wynyard woods	5.4 miles	Trail	Map	Popular Wynyard walkway route.
10. Netpark Mile	1 mile	Route	Map	A full lap of Netpark including the new part.

New for Summer 2020 – Sedgefield Harriers Virtual Grand Prix!

1st June to 31st August

organised by Stuart Park

The Summer Virtual Grand Prix consists of 10 courses around Sedgefield (incl. Bishop Middleham, Coxhoe and Wynyard) of various terrains and distances. The challenge is to run these between 1^st June and 31^st August. Record your time on a watch / phone and send the results to Stuart Park (Facebook, Whatsapp (07988256466) or email (S_R_park@yahoo.co.uk)).

Times will be collated and ranked per race as per the usual Grand Prix.

Complete 7 courses to count.

It’s for fun, so a simplified league system will operate, based on the current GP leagues, with two divisions each per men and women:

Division A for women is all females in current Elite and Division 1
Division A for men is all males in current Elite and Division 1
Division B for women is all females in current Divisions 2 to 4
Division B for men is all males in current Divisions 2 to 4

There may be a prize for the winner of each division…

Rules

Follow government guidelines on social distancing – very important
Please be honest and don’t cheat
You can run each course as many times as you want and your times can be updated
You don’t have to begin at the designated start but you have to run the full course (e.g. if you live in Bishop Middleham you can start and finish some of the relevant courses there)
Have fun and don’t take it too seriously
Follow the country code and close gates behind you
Try not to get lost please.

Updates

I will send out regular updates. If you are not on Facebook and would like these then please drop me a message or email. A specific Facebook group will be set up to accommodate the results and not clutter up the normal group.

Thanks, Stu.

Latest Standings

Grand Prix 2020 after Thirsk

2020 Fixtures

Date	Race	Distance	Type	Entry Details/Results
06 Jan	Stuart Pailor Memorial Run (formerly Old Monks)	5.5M	Trail	Results
02 Feb	South Shields Winter Trail	5k	Trail	Results
15 Mar	Thirsk	10M	Road	Results
April	Harriers Track Day	400m	Track	Enter via Phil
17 May	Pier to Pier	7M	Mixed	Entry Details
21 Jun	Aycliffe 10k	10k	Road	Entry Details
23 Jul	Cock Crow 5k	5k	Mixed	Event Details
August	Either Tom Wall Relays (NYMAC) OR Middlesbrough Mile	1M	Road	TBC
27 Sep **	Coxhoe Trail Run	10k	Trail
TBC	Manchester Marathon	26.2M or 13.1M or 6.5M *	Road	Entry Details

* Manchester Marathon rules – you may enter solo or as part of a 2 or 4-person relay team; finishers will be ranked by distance completed, then time (so a person finishing the marathon in 8 hours will still finish ahead of someone finishing the half in 1.5 hours); 2 bonus points will be awarded to anyone providing video evidence of them singing “Blue Moon” as they pass Old Trafford

** dates not yet confirmed

Rules

The 2020 Sedgefield Harriers Grand Prix is open to all paid-up first-claim members of the Sedgefield Harriers over the age of 16 on 1st January 2020.

There are six divisions: two elite divisions (one men, one women), followed by four mixed-gender divisions of around 25 (these will change as members join and leave).

All divisions are based on fastest Sedgefield parkrun time of 2019. Where a runner hasn’t run Sedgefield parkrun in 2019, a previous year’s time is taken. Where no time exists, the fastest 5k time available on Power of 10 is taken. Where no previous 5k time exists, runners are ineligible.

For each division, first place receives 10 points, second place 9 points etc.

Bonus points are available for: competing in the Harrier League Cross-Country (2pts per race); volunteering at Harriers events (1pt per event, maximum 2pts); competing in the NYSD track and field competition (2pts per meeting).

The best 7 results are taken from 10 races.

Bonus points will also be awarded for taking part in Grand Prix races as follows:

0-2 races: 0 bonus points
3-4 races: 2 bonus points
5-6 races: 5 bonus points
7 or more races: 10 bonus points

Good luck to everyone!

Small print:

All athletes must run in their Harriers vest
Points will only be scored where athletes are paid-up members of the Harriers, i.e. new joiners won’t score points for races run unattached or in another club’s vest, leavers won’t score points in subsequent races
Where an athlete runs under someone else’s number, this must be notified to the Grand Prix organiser before the race or points will not be scored. If an athlete using someone else’s number runs in a lower category, e.g. a V40 runner using a V60 runner’s number, points will not be scored.
Where chip time is available, this is used in preference to gun time
You don’t need to run 7 races to win – your best 7 results count, but if you win without running 7 you still win

Tie break:

Where two athletes finish on the same points, the following will be used to settle a tie –

athlete with the most points from races (as opposed to bonus points)
athlete that has won the most runs head to head with competing athlete
athlete that has entered the most Grand Prix races
athlete with most volunteering points
athlete with most XC points
athlete with most NYSD points
oldest athlete
arm wrestle

Roll of Honour

From 2018, the Grand Prix format was changed to allow two smaller "elite" divisions based on gender and four larger mixed divisions based on ability.

Year	Men's Elite	Women's Elite	Division One	Division Two	Division Three	Division Four
2019	Mark Raine	Rosie Warnett	David Walker	Ian Spencer	Fay Uphill	Helen Frame
2018	Chris Lines	Jane Spink	David Walker	Matthew Walker	Andy Corfield	Beth Raine

The original format was a division for men and a division for women. In 2015 this was expanded to allow two divisions per gender.

Year	Men's Division One	Women's Division One	Men's Division Two	Women's Division Two
2017	Chris Lines	Lisa Darby	Paul Lee	Alda Hummelinck
2016	Ray Carmichael	Lisa Darby	David Round	Helen Letts
2015	Paul Weir	Tracy Glaister	Paul Glaister	Deb Pennick
2014	Paul Weir	Chris Hearmon	-	-
2013	Graeme Addison	Gail Bell	-	-
2012	Graeme Addison	Diane Baines	-	-