Grand Prix league

How the Grand Prix League works

The Farnham Runners Grand Prix is an internal competition based on participation in the two leagues that the club competes in.

The aims of the Grand Prix are to encourage friendly competition within the club giving runners of all abilities a chance of doing well in the competition and to encourage runners of all abilities to participate in the league races.

By competing in the Grand Prix, you may qualify for one of the Club London Marathon places (see below).

The two leagues that we compete in are:

  • Southern Cross Country League (SXCL) – these are free races to which you can just turn up (in a Farnham Runners vest) and run. They are 4.5 – 5.25 miles in length and are all within about 45 minutes drive away. There are 6 or 7 races per year, each hosted by a participating club. Runners of all abilities (except the very fastest) can run in them and they are great fun.
  • Hampshire Road Race League (HRRL) – these races generally require entry in advance and carry an entry fee (although club members get a ÂŁ2 discount). They are a variety of distances: 5 mile, 10k, 10 mile and half marathon and races are generally within about one hours drive away. There are usually 12 races per year. Runners of all abilities participate in them, from county level runners at the top end down to social and charity runners at the more relaxed end of the scale.

All races qualify for Grand Prix points in the calendar year in which they occur unless specifically indicated in the SXCL and HRRL fixture lists given above.

Runners of all abilities can do well in the Grand Prix! The keys to success are:

  • Run in as many races as you can
  • Keep improving and gain some Personal Bests (PBs).

Grand Prix League tables are posted in the club pages.

Qualifying races for 2026-27

All races in the SXCL and HRRL in the 2026-27 season.

Note that some race dates are not announced or confirmed by the respective leagues until later in the season.

Grand Prix rules for 2026-27

The following rules apply:

  1. The Grand Prix year goes from the beginning of September 2026 to July 2027 (all SXCL races and all HRRL races are included.)
  2. A runner’s 12 best points results across the 18 races completed are included. If there are only 17 races this will be reduced to 11 best points.
  3. For each gender, points are allocated as follows: 1st – 8 points, 2nd – 7 points, 3rd- 6 points, 4th- 5 points, 5th- 4 points, all other finishers – 3 points
  4. A runner can claim 2 bonus points if they have run a Personal Best (PB) in an HRRL race. They need to let Jane Georghiou know by email or by using our Facebook private pages within one week to claim their points.
  5. Prizes for the Grand Prix will be presented at the annual awards dinner. Trophies are given for first five men and ladies in the Grand Prix points table. Also, there will be a prize for the man and lady with the highest number of PBs in the year.
  6. It is the responsibility of each individual runner to ensure that he or she is fit enough to compete in each race, and that he or she feels confident of finishing.
  7. If, due to injury or other unforeseen circumstance, a runner does not finish, then it is solely at the discretion of the Team Captains whether one Grand Prix point is awarded and whether the race should count for that runner as an event towards the allocation of club marathon places. The Team Captains may defer this decision to the Farnham Runners Committee if they feel this is appropriate. The individual runner may appeal to the Committee, if he or she feels aggrieved by the Team Captains’ decision. The Committee will investigate the matter thoroughly and their decision will be final.

Allocation of Club London Marathon Places

Farnham Runners receives an allocation of places for the London Marathon from the organisers. We run a ballot to award these places to members based on HRRL and SCCL events entered and a failed entry in the London Marathon ballot.

For the 2028 London Marathon club places will be awarded as follows:

  • If we receive one club place all members who have done enough races in the 2026-27 season and been unsuccessful in the official ballot for the 2027 London Marathon will go into a draw for that place
  • If we receive two or more places, all members who have done enough races in the 2026-27 season and have been unsuccessful in the official ballot for the 2027 London Marathon will go into a draw for the first of these places. All other members who were unsuccessful in the ballot plus members who were unsuccessful in the draw for the first place will go into a draw for the additional place(s).
  • You must have been a fully paid-up member of Farnham Runners when you applied for the London Marathon ballot in 2026 and be a member for 2026-27.
  • The maximum number of Grand Prix races that count for London Marathon places is 12 if there are 18 races in total. If there are only 17 races this will be reduced to 11. If no-one achieves 12 (or 11) races within a gender group, then the qualifying number will be dropped to 10, then 9 etc. as necessary.
  • You must produce evidence of your rejection for 2027 to the Club Secretary once you receive it to be eligible for a place. The exact cut-off date is to be confirmed.
  • If you win a Farnham Runners ballot place, you cannot re-apply for a club place in the following two years
  • The eligible men’s and ladies’ names will be put in the same draw however many places Farnham Runners is allocated
  • Members must be a first claim member of Farnham Runners to be eligible to receive a club marathon trophy award.