The Minnesota Distance Running Association (MDRA) holds an annual Grand Prix (GP) series of races, typically 13. In 2007 it will be 14. A runner who is interested in entering the GP pays a five dollar fee, and collects points for each race s/he enters according to a formula that considers the runner's finishing position in that race compared with all other GP entrants who ran that race. A runner can run as many or as few of the 13 races as s/he chooses, and a maximum of 10 scores in the 13 races are added to compute his/her total score.
Awards are presented in five-year age groups at the MDRA Annual Meeting, held in January every year. Over 100 runners entered the GP in 2006; MDRA is hoping for even more this year. Personally I find it interesting; it's fun, and a powerful incentive to train and run races. Kudos to the age-group winners, but I also salute those stalwart runners who enter and participate year after year even when stronger runners are much more likely to win.
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