Thursday Night Gopher Race Series

Bring your pet gopher to this new race series!! Just kidding.

MDRA board member & coach Kirk Walztoni brings us info on a new event. Contact coachkirk1@gmail.com with questions or for more info.

This Thursday (July 12) marks the beginning of a new kind of race series for the Twin Cities Area—the Gopher (a) Run Race Series. It is a 5 week race series that will begin next Thursday evening and run for 5 weeks. What makes this series unique is that the each week points are scored and the winner is the one with the most points at the end of the series. Also, many of the races are quite unique in their execution and scoring. Lastly, the only qualification for entry is that you own a Yellow (for the males) or Pink (for the females) shirt or top. The leaders in each division will be the only ones allowed to wear those colors for that week’s race.

The first race will be the Guillotine Mile and will take place at 6:15 at Minnehaha Academy South Campus’ Track (corner of 42nd Ave south and 46th St. East —one block west of West River Road on 46th St .)
Gopher (a) Run Race Series

1st Stage - Guillotine Mile

* Guess your time (there will be a bidding option directly before the race)
* Only score if you run faster than your bid time
* Score is your bid time, not what you ran
* Time counts down from highest bid, and each person starts when the time hits their projected time-must finish before clock hits zero
* Scoring Based on Sex/Age Group (<30, 30-50, 50+), 15 pts (for 1st), 12 pts (2nd), 9 (3rd), 6 (4th), 3 (all others who finish in time), and 0 pts (for all who don't make the cutoff)

2nd Stage - Witches Hat Climb

* Straight out Race
* Fastest to the top wins. 30 (1st), 24 (2nd), 19 (3rd), 15 (4th), 12 (5th), 10 (6th), 9 (7th) to 1 pt (15th)

3rd Stage - Witches Hat Climb Handicapped

* Handicapped Race
* Slowest runners start first, releasing other runners using results from previous weeks run
* First to the top wins (same scoring as 2nd stage)

4th Stage - Team Race

* 5K Race around Pike Island
* Average Team Members recent 5K Races
* Seed based on average
* Run race and reorder based on average team results
* Same scoring as 2nd and 3rd stages

5th Stage - Predicted Downhill Mile

* No watches allowed
* Scoring is; 25 points within 10 sec, 20 (10-19 sec), 15 (20-29), 10 (30-30, 5 (40-49

6th Stage - done immediately after 5th stage is complete
Storm the Fort

* Steep / Short Course
* No handicap
* Scoring is 5 (1st), 3 (2nd), 2 (3rd), and 1 for all who finish

Post Race Dinner / Awards Place TBD

All scoring is strictly at the discretion of the race director.