Awards

CARA believes in acknowledging and rewarding those members who support and compete in CARA races. Whether competing in the Runners’ Choice Series for Overall, Individual age group, Clydesdale and Athena, Club or Corporate team awards or participating in our Best of Chicagoland and Certified Races, members will be recognized!

CARA provides three-deep, five year age group awards for top age group competitors in the Runners’ Choice Series, with separate awards for the overall and age-graded winners in this Series. We have some very special ‘Runners of the Year’ awards for competitors selected for their exceptional running accomplishments.

Members in CARA’s Clydesdale and Athena (weight), Club and Corporate Team competitions are similarly recognized and awarded. (please see Runners’ Choice Series, Clydesdale and Athena, Club and Corporate Team Competition Rules)  In addition to these, CARA has two other year-end awards: the Participation Award and the CARA Distance Award.

Members qualify for the Participation Award by doing either of the following: 

    • Complete one race at each of the following distances: 5k or 4m; 8k, 5m or 10k; 10m; Half-Marathon; 25k or longer in any combination of CARA Runners’ Choice Series races or Certified races. 

    • Complete a total of 111 kilometers in any combination of races selected from the above groups.

Members may qualify for the year-end Long Distance Award two ways:

• Complete five races of 10 miles or more listed in the Long Distance Series. One of the five races must be of marathon distance or greater.
• Complete six races of 10 miles or more listed in the Long Distance Series.

Long Distance Series races include all Certified Races 10 miles or greater that are listed on the official 2011 CARA Certified Race Calendar.

Runners must complete an application form for these awards and submit to CARA by 11-14-11.  Only CARA members are eligible for any of the above awards.  Winners of all awards will be notified by mail by the end of December.

Click here for the 2011 Participation Award and/or 2011 Long Distance Award application forms.