Race Scoring

Individual race performances are scored on the following items:

  • Finishing Time
  • Race Distance
  • Gender Place
  • Strength of Field
  • Size of Race

The overall formula is as follows:

(Base Score) * (Race Distance) * (Strength of Field) * (Gender Place Bonus) * (Size Multiplier)

Each one is explained below.

Base Score

Base Score is the gender specific winning time in seconds divided by your finishing time

Example winning time was 3:29 (12,540 seconds), your time was 5:15 (18,900 seconds)

Base Score = .6634

Race Distance

Each race will scored as a 50 kilometer, 50 mile, 100 kilometer or 100 mile race. Races that are not these standard distances will be rounded up or down to the nearest standard distance.

Distance Groups

  • 50k: (28-41.99 Miles). Race Distance = 31
  • 50 Mile: (42-56.1 Miles). Race Distance = 50
  • 100 Kilometer: (56.2-89.99 Miles). Race Distance = 62
  • 100 Mile: (90+ Miles). Race Distance = 100

Strength of Field

Using the prior two years of UltraRunning Magazine's Ultrarunners of the Year (UROY) lists, we give races in which UROY's have finished a bonus. Amount of bonus is based on their UROY ranking. If a runner appears on the list two consecutive years, their bonus will be the higher of the two years.

Bonus is specific to your gender and the gender of the UROY's.

Rankings are as follows

  • #1 UROY: 3%
  • #2: 2.75%
  • #3: 2.5%
  • #4: 2.25%
  • #5: 2.0%
  • #6 1.8%
  • #7: 1.6%
  • #8: 1.4%
  • #9: 1.2%
  • #10: 1.0%
  • #11-15: .75%
  • #16 and below: .5%

The strength of field is the sum of the bonuses for runners that finished the race. View runners with a bonus.

Example:

Race had 1 #1 UROY's (3%), 1 #4 UROY (2.25%) and 2 #18 UROY's (1.0%). Strength of field would be 6.25%

Because the series straddles two years (i.e. both 2016 and 2017), the Strength of Field Premiums will reflect UROY results for both years. Accordingly, when UROY results are finalized for 2016 (on January 1, 2017), the UROY premiums will be revised to include those results, and runners in both UROY years will be credited for their higher ranking year. If a runner appears in both years, the higher ranking will be used

Gender Place

Ranking in the top five will receive an additional bonus.

Gender Ranking

  • 1st Place = 25%
  • 2nd Place = 20%
  • 3rd Place = 15%
  • 4th Place = 10%
  • 5th Place = 5%

Size of Field

There are an average of 70 finishers in any ultra race. With that in mind, we add points for races that have more than 70 finishers, and deduct points for races that are smaller.

Size of field is calculated by:

Total Finishers - 70 = Size

If size is a negative number:

(Divide Size by 200) + 1 = Size of Field

Example:
Finishers = 25.
25-70 = -45.
(-45/200) +1 = .775

If the size is a positive number:

(Divide Size by 1500) + 1 = Size of Field (capped at max 1.15)

Example:
Finishers = 250
250-70 = 180
(180/1500) +1 = 1.12