COVID-Cup Season 3

Week One - 5k
Week Two - 30k Team Relay*
Week Three - 1 mile
Week Four - 50k Team Relay*

*Runners from each team combine miles to complete relay distance. Leg distances are at the discretion of the team, but each runner must run a minimum distance.  

At the beginning of each COVID-Cup season, captains are selected and runners are assigned to teams of ~6 if they have not created their own teams during registration. The teams will compete for four weeks. Each week, runners must submit a time for that week's race distance. The "race" needs to be recorded with a GPS device or App and a screen shot of the results submitted for verification. Times are calculated to create an average team time for the week. At the end of the season, the team with the lowest cumulative average time is the winner.

Each team will consist of ~6 runners, depending on total number of participants. Runners can create their own teams during registration, or be assigned to teams the day before the season begins. Each team will have a captain who is responsible for coordinating communication and ensuring the timely submission of weekly race results.

Each week, team times will be calculated and handicapped based on their cumulative average pace per mile to try and achieve parity across the teams. For example, if Team #3 is 10% slower than Team #1 after the first week, then Team #3's time will be handicapped by 10% going into week two. Note: Week 1 handicap is based on the estimated 5k time submitted during registration. Estimated times will be adjusted to more closely match runner performance if the actual time is more than 2 minutes slower than the estimate. Estimates that are more than 0:01:20 slower than the actual performance will be adjusted to be equal to the actual performance. Week over week improvement is more important that sheer speed.

To enhance engagement and team interaction, we are implementing the use of the Group messaging app, GroupMe. GroupMe is free to use, is available on every device, and can even be used over SMS, which means you don't need the app in order to participate (although it is encouraged that you use the app). We will primarily communicate with all participants via GroupMe, and will set up groups for each team, so everyone can easily communicate, encourage, and banter amongst each other. While we have no choice but to run alone, hopefully a little group chat can make us feel more together.

Each season will consist of at least one team relay. The relay distance indicates the total distance that the team must complete that week. Teams can divide up the miles between runners in any manner that they see fit, however, for each distance, there is a minimum distance each runner must run. For example, for the 50k challenge, each runner must run at least 2 miles. The team's total time will be added to the overall cumulative time for the season. Teams do not have to complete the race in any particular order or time sequence. Teams just need to complete and record their times for the entire relay distance.