The club has a set of awards, called The Club Standards, which are awarded when a runner matches a set of times for 4 different distances. The target times are specific to each runner’s age and gender. There are 4 awards available: Merit, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Gold*. To achieve a Club Standard, runners must meet the standard time for that award in 4 different events. An event could be a race or just a Strava timed run, which must start and finish at the same point, (no tail wind support!) Each of the events has a personalised time that the runner must meet in order to gain that Standard. The times are set as a percentage of the World Record speed for that event. For example, to gain a Merit then your speed must be 40% of the World Record holder’s speed, once it has been adjusted for your age.  The speeds for the other awards are: Bronze: 50%   Silver: 60%   Gold: 70%   Gold*: 80%.  Runners receive a set of times for the standard distances.  

If you would like to try this challenge, ask for your set of times for that year, then you will receive a personalised set of times. You choose an award to aim for: Merit, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Gold* and 4 events, then run them over the course of a year. The colour of the lowest standard-time met, sets the overall award achieved. For example, if you achieve 3 silver and one Bronze of your Standard times, then you will have gained the Bronze Standard. Events you have run, only count within the same calendar year. Each year is a clean start, with a new personalised times sheet, which will have a slightly longer time for each event, as you will be a year older. Your age on 1st January will be used for the times throughout the year.   

The Platinum Award  
This is an award for consistent dedication to your running over a number of years. To gain it you must achieve any award in 5 consecutive years.  
Ask me for your times sheet. I’ll have a guess at your gender, but I won’t risk guessing your age! When you have gained a Standard you can feely rightly smug and pleased with yourself and at the annual Awards Ceremony your name will be added to the NAC Roll of Honour and glory will be heaped upon on your head.   

Enjoy the Challenge