Updated 04/02/2023

Rules applying to all each race as a standalone event

The following rules apply to each of the races comprising the Friday 5 series, as agreed by all organising clubs.

• All Friday 5 races are open to affiliated and non-affiliated runners, providing they meet the minimum age requirement of 15 years.
• All organising clubs will charge a uniform amount each across the series (to be set at the annual meeting).
• Current club vest must be worn by all entries claiming club membership and price reduction.
• Runners can only compete for a second claim club if their first claim club is not competing, and they have the permission of their first claim club. Runners can only compete for one club for the duration of the series.
• All events will be run under UK:Athletics rules.
• The wearing of earphones (including bone conducting earphones) is fully banned across the series as a matter of runners and officials safety. Entrants caught wearing such during the race will be disqualified by the race referee.
• Prizes will be awarded after each race to the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd male and female overall, 1^st place in each age category, and 1^st Male and Female teams.
• Female age categories: U20F, FSen (20-39), F40, F45, F50, F55, F60, F65, F70+
• Male age categories: U20M, MSen (20-39), M40, M45, M50, M55, M60, M65, M70+
• Runners who finish 1^st, 2^nd or 3^rd overall and also win their age category, will receive both awards.
• Age categories will be determined by age on the date of the first race in the series and will not change during the series.
• Teams will consist of the first 3 Male and Female from each club. The team score will be the combined ranking (finish position) of the 3 runners e.g, 1^st, 3^rd and 6^th = score of 10.
• Official timing will be gun to chip (even if chip to chip is provided at some events)
• Running with buggies is not allowed in any of the 5mile races, but may be allowed in some of the accompanying fun runs.
• Some courses may be suitable for wheelchair competitors, and it is up to individual race whether they are allowed to compete. Wheelchair athletes must contact the race organisers before entering. In events where wheelchair athletes are competing, the Risk Assessment must take them into account, and additional control measures put in place where necessary.
• All races will provide at least one water station.

Rules applying to the series as a whole

• Runners are responsible for checking their own information in the race results e.g., that they are in the correct gender category, allocated to the right affiliated club, and that their name is correct and consistent throughout the series (e.g., William vs Bill).
• Runners must notify the RACE ORGANISERS of any corrections that need to be made. This must be done within one week.
• Provisional results will be published immediately after each race. The results will be considered final one week after the race i.e., when the next race has taken place. Corrections CANNOT be made after this point.

Series scoring – Individuals

• Age categories as above
• Age categories will be determined by age on the date of the first race in the series and will not change during the series.
• Points will be awarded to each individual based on where they finished in the overall race, plus where they finish in their respective age category.
• Scoring will start at 500 for first runner, then 499 for second etc.
• The best 4 out of 6 race scores will count towards the series total.
• In the event of a tiebreak situation in the top 3 runners of a category, the runner who finished ahead in the most races (when both runners were competing) will take the higher overall finish position. If the tiebreak cannot be resolved in this way, the runners will be awarded a joint finish position e.g., joint 1^st with nobody finishing 2^nd.
• At the end of the series prizes will be awarded to the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd male and female overall, plus 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd in each age category.
• Runners who finish 1^st, 2^nd or 3^rd overall and are also eligible for an age category award, will receive both awards.
• Trophies will be presented at the Ipswich Jaffa Ekiden Relay which follows a few weeks after the last race. Runners and teams are responsible for collecting their medals or making arrangements for them to be collected on their behalf.

Series scoring – Teams

• Only teams affiliated to England Athletics will be eligible for team prizes. Scoring will only be applied to runners representing an eligible team i.e., non-eligible runners will be removed from the finishing list before scores are applied.
• Points will be awarded to each eligible individual based on where they finished in their gender. Scoring will start at 500 for first in each gender category i.e., the first male will get 500 points and the first female will also get 500 points. The second male and second female will then get 499 each etc.
• The overall team score for each race will be the combined scores of the first 5 men and 5 women. Incomplete teams will still receive a score based on the runners who do compete.
• The best 4 of 6 races are used for final result.
• In the event of a tiebreak situation, a joint finish position will be awarded e.g., joint 1^st with nobody finishing 2^nd.
• At the end of the series the perpetual shield will be awarded to the winning team. The winning team is responsible for collecting the shield or making arrangements for it to be collected on their behalf.

Trophies will be presented at the Ipswich Jaffa Ekiden Relay which follows a few weeks after the last race. Runners and teams are responsible for collecting their medals or making arrangements for them to be collected on their behalf.