Elmhurst 4 on the 4th marked the halfway point of the season, with 8 of the 15 races scored. The 8th race is significant. For that reason, we will zoom out of the individual race, and take a meta view of the current team competition.
Scoring Summary
Final team scores are calculated based on a team’s 8 best race finishes. 1st place earns 15 points, 2nd 14 points, etc. A perfect team score is 120 points and guarantees a season victory.
Until this point, each time a team finished a race, they earned points. Now points can only be earned if they can outperform their worst team score so far. For example, if a team’s 8th best finish was a 7th place finish at Shamrock Shuffle, they will need to finish better then 7th place to drop the old score and improve their team score.
Importantly, this was the last race where every team was mathematically capable of collecting a perfect team score. As the season progresses, there will be less opportunities to drop low scores. Meaning some teams may have high scores now, but low score caps. For example, a team with 90 points, but 3 victories still has a chance to reach 120 points, while a team with 100 points who’s best finish is 2nd place has a score cap of 119 points.
This can lead to major shake-ups in the team standings after each race. Some teams have raced every Circuit race; for those teams, their scores will increase slowly. However, some teams may have skipped races. For those teams, a good performance can erase their “no team score” and rocket them up the standings.
With points becoming harder to come by, race day victories will become all the more valuable. Data was pulled from previous Circuits to help understand important milestones each team is targeting.
110 Points- 20% chance of a podium finish
112 Points- 40% chance of a podium finish
114 Points- 5% chance of a season victory, 66% chance of a podium finish
116 Points- 10% chance of a season victory, 100% chance of a podium finish
117 Points- 80% chance of a season victory
118 Points- 95% chance of a season victory
119 Points- 99% chance of a season victory
120 Points- 100% chance of a season victory
Let’s now take a look at each category and see which teams are still in the running!
All Around Standings:
(Combined Gender, Age Graded Scoring, Top 5 Score Per Team)
Elmhurst 4 on the 4th Results | Season Standings |
DWRunning- 850 | Evanston Running Club- 106 |
Evanston Running Club- 845 | DWRunning- 97 |
Naperville Running Company Track Club- 810 | CARA Racing Team- 95 |
Evanston holds a commanding lead in this category. They have secured 4 team victories, giving them a clear path to 120 points. Despite their commanding lead, they still have a 9th place finish on their scorecard. Once that performance is dropped, they have the opportunity to dramatically widen their lead.
DWRunning has collected 3 victories in this category, with a real path to 120. This is already a stronger start in the standings than last year. DW is known to focus their energy on only a handful of races. This causes a slow early season, but leads to 8 great performances throughout.
CARA Racing Team has scored a respectable 95 points. However, their best team score so far has been 2nd place. This gives them a score cap of 119. This is a precarious place for a 3rd place to be, as 4th place’s Fast Track, 6th place’s Fleet Feet, and 7th’s Naperville Running Company also have a score cap of 119.
Nameless Track Club sits in 8th place, but still has a path to 120 due to their victory at Chicago 13.1.
Open Men Standings:
(Top 5 Men Score Per Team)
Elmhurst 4 on the 4th Results | Season Standings |
Naperville Running Company Track Club- 20:49 | Xtra Mile Fast Track Racing Team- 105 |
DWRunning- 21:17 | CARA Racing Team- 101 |
Xtra Mile Fast Track Racing Team- 22:10 | DWRunning- 95 |
Fast Track has opened up it’s lead on CARA Racing Team. This 4 point lead matches the largest spread these two teams have had on each other since CARA’s victory over Fast Track at Shamrock Shuffle. With 3 race victories under their belt, Fast Track is well positioned to reach 120 points and repeat as category champions.
CARA Racing Team has been consistent racers, just like Fast Track. With 1 team victory under their belt, CARA still has a score cap of 120 points. It will be a battle to overcome Fast Track, as CARA currently trails by 4 points. But with a win/loss record of 4-4 against Fast Track, they are not out of the hunt yet.
When DW wins, they win big. However, they’ve only collected 1 team victory at this point in the season. Last year DW was ranked outside of the top-4 at this point of the season and finished in 2nd place. They still have a score cap of 120, and the talent to secure a season victory.
Naperville Running Company currently sits in 5th but has 2 victories and the talent to upset the category. However, with their 3rd best team finish being 7th place, Naperville will likely need to collect a lot of all-out victories, as they would be in a vulnerable position in the case of a tiebreaker.
Fleet Feet is in 8th place, but still has a mathematical chance to win the division after their victory at Chicago 13.1.
Open Women Standings:
(Top 5 Women Score Per Team)
Elmhurst 4 on the 4th Results | Season Standings |
DWRunning- 24:08 | CARA Racing Team- 107 |
Fleet Feet X New Balance Racing Team- 25:34 | DWRunning- 100 |
Naperville Running Company Track Club- 27:30 | Oak Park Runners Club- 94 |
CARA Racing Team has secured three team victories so far this season along with two 2nd place finishes. The problem for CARA is that DW also has three victories and two 2nd place finishes. CARA leads DW due to more consistent performances. However, as the season continues, DW’s points will rise dramatically as they drop their low scores. While a point gap exists between these two teams, they are functionally tied in the competition for a season victory.
Oak Park has yet to secure a team victory and has a relatively large point gap to reach DW. Because of this, their point cap is 119. While that’s normally a vulnerable position for a podium team at this point in the season, their consistency has rewarded them with a 3 point lead against Fleet Feet who also hasn’t achieved a team victory yet. Oak Park’s consistent performances have not only given them a lead at the midpoint of the season, it’s also put them in a good position to hold off a late charging Fleet Feet in a tie breaker scenario.
There is one more team with a score cap of 120. That is Nameless Track Club, who currently sit in 9th place. This team has secured two dominant team victories, but races very infrequently. If they race 6 more times they could pull off a victory.
Masters Men Standings:
(Top 3 Men Ages 40+ Score Per Team)
Elmhurst 4 on the 4th Results | Season Standings |
DWRunning- 22:20 | Xtra Mile Fast Track Racing Team- 112 |
Xtra Mile Fast Track Racing Team- 22:35 | Evanston Running Club- 106 |
Evanston Running Club- 23:52 | DWRunning- 95 |
Only three teams in the Circuit have passed the halfway point of the season finishing in the top-3 for every race so far. Because of this, Fast Track has emerged as clear favorites, with a solid 6 point gap on Evanston, they have almost certainly secured a podium spot. Even if they did not race for the last 7 races, they’d still have a 40% chance to hang on to a podium finish.
Evanston has two victories, along with two second place finishes. They still have a real chance of reaching 120 points and they’ve beaten Fast Track head-to-head twice.
DWRunning has a major point deficit against Fast Track. However, with 3 team victories DW has the cleanest path to 120 compared to any other team in this category. DW still has 10th, 7th, & 7th place finishes, meaning they can make up a lot of ground in a very short amount of time.
CARA Racing Team sits in 4th place with 93 points, but remains in the conversation thanks to a team victory at Chicago 13.1.
Masters Women Standings:
(Top 3 Women Ages 40+ Score Per Team)
Elmhurst 4 on the 4th Results | Season Standings |
DWRunning- 25:05 | CARA Racing Team- 107 |
Fleet Feet X New Balance Racing Team- 27:18 | Oak Park Runners Club- 101 |
Oak Park Runners Club- 28:34 | Evanston Running Club- 93 |
CARA Racing Team’s top-3 finishing streak was broken at 4 on the 4th, but emerged from the first half of the season with a 6 point lead thanks to three team victories.
Oak Park holds a very vulnerable second place in the season standings. They have yet to secure a race victory, giving them a score cap of 119 points. Based on their past performances, they’re currently on a trajectory to finish the season with 110 points. If Oak Park wants to secure a podium position they will likely need a victory.
Evanston Running Club’s consistency has kept them in the top-3 through halfway. However, like Oak Park, they are in a vulnerable position with no race victories and a score cap of 119.
DW is tied for 4th place, but is the most dangerous team in the category. They have four team victories, the most out of any team across all categories. You would think this would give them a dominant position in the team standings, except they collected 0 points from Chicago 13.1. Prepare for them to rocket up the standings, once that race is dropped from their scorecard.
Fleet Feet is in 6th place, but their victory at Chicago 13.1 still gives them a score cap of 120.
Veteran Men Standings:
(Top 3 Men Ages 50+ Score Per Team)
Elmhurst 4 on the 4th Results | Season Standings |
CARA Racing Team- 24:50 | Evanston Running Club- 109 |
Xtra Mile Fast Track Racing Team- 24:57 | Xtra Mile Fast Track Racing Team- 101 |
Evanston Running Club- 27:09 | Oak Park Runners Club- 98 |
Evanston currently leads one of the most competitive categories in the Circuit. They have collected three race victories in a category where victories have been spread out across five teams. In a 10 team category, half of the teams still have a realistic shot at a championship.
Fast Track only has one race victory, but has been a fixture of the top-3 thanks to their consistent team performances.
Oak Park Runners Club has yet to secure a race victory, putting them in a vulnerable third place in the standings.
Elmhurst won Chicago 13.1 which gave them a boost and kept them in 4th place. This team regularly finishes outside of the top-3, however, at this point of the season victories can grant major point swings. Any team with the ability to win Chicago 13.1 and maintain a score cap of 120 at this point of the season needs to be considered a legitimate threat.
DW is in 5th place with two early season team victories. DW normally thrives in the late season, however, this team has a lot of ground to make up against very stiff competition if they want to top the season standings.
CARA Racing Team has experienced a mid-season charge. In their first 6 races of the season their best team finish was 5th place. However, they experienced a mid-season upswing with 2nd and 1st place finishes at Race Against Hate and 4 on the 4th. If their momentum holds this team has a chance to rocket up the standings.
Veteran Women Standings:
(Top 3 Women Ages 50+ Score Per Team)
Elmhurst 4 on the 4th Results | Season Standings |
Evanston Running Club- 32:01 | Evanston Running Club- 112 |
Xtra Mile Fast Track Racing Team- 32:26 | Oak Park Runners Club- 111 |
Elmhurst Running Club- 36:00 | Xtra Mile Fast Track Racing Team- 93 |
Evanston and Oak Park have battled all season for the top spot. However, Oak Park remained a slight favorite after finishing in the top-3 for their first seven races of the year. This streak was brought to an end with a 4th place finish at 4 on the 4th and Evanston claiming the victory. The battle between these two teams will likely stretch into November, as each team only has one finish outside of the top-3 and both have a route to 120 points.
Fast Track maintains a 3rd place position in the season standings thanks to their consistent presence at Circuit races. However, with no 1st place finishes their score cap of 119 puts them on dangerous footing.
Elmhurst’s performances have improved as the season has progressed. They now sit in 4th place also with a score cap of 119. They are only 1 point away from a podium position.
CARA Racing Team did not field a team at 4 on the 4th, dropping them down to 5th place in the season standings. This team hasn’t had the same consistent finishes that a lot of teams in the category have, but have shown their ability to perform, with two team victories on the season so far.
Senior Men Standings:
(Top 3 Men Ages 60+ Score Per Team)
Elmhurst 4 on the 4th Results | Season Standings |
Elmhurst Running Club- 27:30 | Oak Park Runners Club- 112 |
Oak Park Runners Club- 28:56 | Elmhurst Running Club- 112 |
Evanston Running Club- 29:50 | Evanston Running Club- 105 |
Elmhurst’s Senior men defended the castle at their home race, 4 on the 4th. This was a crucial victory for the team who has been fighting for the top position all season. This is now the second time this season where they have pulled even with Oak Park, the first of which was back in early June after Run for the Roses. Both Elmhurst and Oak Park have 3 victories so far, they are also two of the remaining three teams that have exclusively finished in the top-3 for every race so far. This category is an even match up that might not be decided until the final race in mid-November.
Evanston is the next closest competition. This team has been able to beat Elmhurst and Oak Park in several head-to-head matchups. Evanston also capitalized on their home field advantage and claimed victory at the Race Against Hate 5k. Evanston has a major gap to close to reach the top-2 teams, but with a score cap of 120 and a deep roster, they still have a shot at the championship.
Fast Track is the final team in this category with a path to 120 points, however, they are currently 18 points away from the podium. When this team musters its forces, they are able to force a tight battle between the favorites. However, with regular finishes outside of the top-3 this team not only has a large point gap to make up, but also find themselves on shaky ground if a podium finish is decided by a tiebreaker.
Senior Women Standings:
(Top 3 Women Ages 60+ Score Per Team)
Elmhurst 4 on the 4th Results | Season Standings |
Elmhurst Running Club- 40:50 | Xtra Mile Fast Track Racing Team- 103 |
Evanston Running Club- 41:17 | Oak Park Runners Club- 97 |
Xtra Mile Fast Track Racing Team- 46:20 | Fleet Feet X New Balance Racing Team- 94 |
Across every category, Fast Track has benefited from consistent and frequent competition. This category is no exception. This team has scored at every Circuit race, which is extra valuable in this category. They are also talented, beating Oak Park at their own home race. The catch is, although they are leading the division, it’s hard to call them a favorite as they’ve only collected 1 team victory.
The favorites in this division are likely Oak Park in 2nd place with two team victories, and Evanston in 4th place with three team victories. These are talented teams with deep rosters who have collected the majority of the category victories between them. However, due to their focus on shorter road races, they did not post team scores for Chicago 13.1. Once that race is wiped from the record, these clubs will start to aggressively chase the top podium stop.
Fleet Feet’s victory at Chicago 13.1 was instrumental in keeping them in the running for a podium finish. They have a talented roster. However, it’s a rocky path to 120 as they have seven team finishes outside of the top-3 that will need to be erased from the ledger.
Elmhurst has been lowkey this season, but entered the conversation at their home race. Their victory at 4 on the 4th was their first win of the season and a statement to the other teams. With their one victory, the path to 120 remains a possibility.
Final Thoughts:
Now that we have passed the halfway point of the season every race becomes a critical opportunity to either move up in the standings or fall behind. The main characters of each category have emerged as more than half of the teams in Division I are out of the competition for a podium finish. With each race, focus will narrow on a smaller and smaller handful of teams until champions are finally crowned.
Preview
Chi-Town Miles was an electric race which saw Chicago’s first outdoor sub-4:00 mile. In the wake of that phenomenal individual performance the team battles were settled across 16 drama filled heats.
Upcoming:
Alpine Races 10 Miler is this weekend August 18. Same day registration is available for last minute sign ups: runsignup.com/Race/IL/LakeZurich/AlpineRaces
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Join a team, follow the schedule, and check standings at cararuns.org/circuit
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