Magnificent 7 Race Series

The Magnificent 7 Race Series consists of 21 races located within a 7-county area in south-central Indiana. Individuals who complete at least 7 of these races during a given year are automatically eligible for Series awards!

The Magnificent 7 Race Series is overseen by a volunteer committee of runners and walkers, who are active participants and dedicated to the common good of the Series. Please note, though, that each race in the Series is autonomous and managed by a local director, NOT the Mag 7 committee. Race directors set rules for their own races, but agree to meet a minimum set of standards required for Series inclusion.

The Magnificent 7 Race Series is indebted to our founder, Dr. Jerry Ruff. Dr. Ruff first organized the the Series in 1997, with a goal of encouraging broader participation in local races. He cobbled together a set of road races within a 7-county area and sought out sponsors to fund participation awards. His legacy lives on! (Dr. Ruff's contribution to local sports goes beyond the Mag 7. You can read more about his legacy in this nomination that advocates for him to be added to the Monroe County Sports Hall of Fame.)

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there were no Series results for 2020. The vast majority of race directors cancelled their events.

2023 Mag 7 Series Standings - FINAL STANDINGS FOR 2023

AWARDS DINNER for 2023 Series Winners will be held on Sunday, February 25. Invitations will be emailed in mid-January.

Please open the attachment at the bottom to view the complete scoring for all participants. To be eligible for an overall or age group winners, individuals must have completed at least SEVEN Series races. If an individual has completed more than 14 Series races, only their best 14 scores are counted toward their final point total (lowest scores are dropped).

FINAL Series Standings for 2024

OPEN PDF below winner lists for full scoring.

FINAL Series Standings for 2025 are now available.

Congratulations to all the overall and age group winners! For the complete scoring record, please see the PDF linked below.

It's time to celebrate our overall and age group winners for the 2025 Mag 7 Race Season! We have space for approximately 100 people to join us for the dinner and celebration at the Harrodsburg Community Center at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 1. Tickets are $18.00 per person and must be purchased by February 22*. Click here to purchase tickets!

*Each 2025 Series winner (overalls and age group firsts) has been emailed a discount code for a complimentary ticket. If you are a winner and have not received this email (check your SPAM!), please let us know at mag7raceseries@gmail.com

Race registration links will be added as each race's website opens for 2026 signups!

• Apr. 04: Mag 7 Kickoff 5k... 10 SERIES BONUS POINTS, just for registering!
• Apr. 11: Lions Club Fitness Challenge 5k
• Apr. 18: Friends of McCormick's Creek State Park 5k
  
• Jun. 06: Erin's Purpose 5k
• Jun. 13: Linton Freedom Run 5k
• Jun. 14: Strawberry Shortcake 5k
• Jun. 20: Springville 5k
• Jul. 11: Solsberry Hornet 5k
• Jul. 18: Limestone Classic 5k
• Aug. 01: Mid-Summer 5k Challenge
• Aug. 29: Dollars for Scholars 5k
• Sep. 12: The Grind 5k
• Sep. 19: Ellettsville 5k... 5 SERIES BONUS POINTS for completing - our 2026 Hidden Gem!
• Sep. 26: The Persimmon 5k
• Oct. 03: Bloomfield Apple Festival 5k
• Oct. 11: Morgan County Fall Foliage Festival 5k
• Oct. 24: Travel Trot 5k
• Nov. 07: Cabin Fever 5k
• Nov. 21: Worthington Waddle 5k
• Nov. 26: Becky's Place 5k
• Dec. 05: Reindeer Romp 8k... Remember: ONLY the 8k distance is eligible for Mag 7 points!

(Hey, race directors! We have a simple sign that you can display at your registration table to help educate walkers about race walk rules. Feel free to use it!)

Walking is widely recognized as an important and healthful form of exercise, and the 5K footrace is an excellent venue for the walker to investigate the possibility of developing the strength and endurance for greater athletic effort, perhaps the eventual transition to running, or even competitive walking, if you want to be a real rebel. The Mag 7 Race Series strongly encourages participation from both runners and walkers, and these simple guidelines have been developed in order to assist race directors in understanding the basic differences between the run and the walk.

The technical sport of racewalking requires the enforcement of two basic rules for the athlete, and this enforcement is problematic for race directors in our area; true race walking competition requires an experienced, knowledgeable and keen-eyed marshal to judge performance, and that’s very difficult to provide on the local level. It’s easiest for most race directors to simply eliminate the walk division completely, but this can discourage participation, too.

Very simply stated: there is race walking, and there is the walk, a.k.a., speed walking, power walking, or fast walking; the latter is the most widely practiced form in our area.

In order to conduct a competitive walk, there’s still the need to readily distinguish a walker from a runner; ready for this? The basic difference is that most runners are airborne for a short time during each stride, and walkers are NOT. A legal walker is an earthbound athlete, all the time.

The restraints on the race walker are:
•    No creeping
•    No lifting

Creeping basically means no bent knee; the advancing leg must be straight and unbent at the knee when the heel of the advancing leg makes ground contact, and remain unbent until the leg is directly beneath the torso.

Lifting means that both the heel of the advancing foot and the toe of the receding foot don’t lose contact with the ground simultaneously; if both feet lose ground contact (the airborne phase of the stride), then it’s called running.

Creeping is the hardest rule to enforce on the local level, because keeping the advancing leg straight requires more discipline and self-regulation than most participants want to invest, so in the interest of attracting the greatest possible participation, the Mag 7 Series does not enforce the rule on creeping.

Then the basic rule for the Mag 7 Series legal walker is this: no lifting. If the walker becomes airborne for much more than a few paces, then they become a runner.

Brand-new walkers can understandably be carried away by the excitement of a competitive race, and unintentionally, almost unconsciously, forget the rule and begin transitioning to running, especially if they’re trying to close the gap between themselves and the next contestant, SO enforcement of this basic rule will be conducted discreetly, leniently, and non-confrontationally.

Within the Mag 7 Series, regulation of the walk is mostly internal; there is a group of dedicated Mag 7 walkers who are regular attendees and are very observant, knowledgeable, and competitive, and if there is a major violation on the course that is observed by and agreed upon by at least two or more experienced walkers, a first-time infraction will be reported to the race director and the race timer, and if the violation is deemed valid, the violation will be explained to the participant without penalty of reassignment to the run division. However, if such a violation results in wrongful receipt of an award, the rightful walker will be asked if they wish to contest the result, and if so, the award will go to the rightful recipient. The improper walker could then be moved down one place in that race’s walk division rankings, or placed in that race’s run division if there is broader objection. 

In all instances, such decisions will be considered in the light of the topmost priority: encouraging long-term participation. Disqualification is the last resort, and will only be threatened if the participant can’t self-regulate and repeatedly offends the legal walking contingent by lapsing into a runner’s gait at multiple events. 

Dedicated walkers are just as enthusiastic and supportive of nascent athletes as their running counterparts, and greatly enjoy the fellowship of a well-attended (and keenly competitive!) event. The Mag 7 Series participants know a good thing when they see it, and extend a hearty invitation to all comers to step up and experience the many benefits of a rousing, well-organized foot race!

The Mag 7 Series is governed by a committee of 5-9 people, self-selected from among active participants in the series, who exhibit a willingness to work with others for the common good of the Series.

• The Mag 7 Committee will strive to include cross-sectional representation, including walkers and runners, competitive and recreational participants, as well as a gender and age balance.
• There are no terms or term limits for service, but members are encouraged to make room for new membership from time to time.
• The Mag 7 Committee will conduct an in-person meeting once a year to review the Series rules and procedures and consider any proposed changes. This meeting will be held in November or December; any changes (which must be approved by a majority of Committee members) will go into effect during the subsequent calendar year.
• The Mag 7 Committee may hold additional meetings during the year, if there are mid-season issues with the Series that need to be addressed promptly. Mid-season meetings may be held over email or in another virtual format, if all members agree to do so.

Current Committee Members: Jill Vance, Tim Ryder, Rachel Dolgner, Joanne Allee, Dan Leach, Melinda Seader, Larry DeMoss, Alex Michael

The Series automatically tracks your points for any Mag 7 races in which you participate. All you have to do is show up and finish!

To be eligible for any Series award, an individual in the 18+ age categories must compete in a minimum of 7 Mag 7 races during a given year. (Individuals in the 17 and under age categories must compete in a minimum of 3 Mag 7 races during a given year to be eligible for Series awards.)

The maximum number of races that will be counted towards an individual’s Series point total in a given year is 14. If an individual competes in more than 14 races, their lowest scoring races will be discarded and only their top 14 scoring races will be counted.

Series winners are honored at the annual Dr. Ruff Mag 7 Banquet, which is held prior to the kick-off of the next race season.

Points Awarded for Runners (in each individual Series race)

• 10 points for 1st Overall (male and female)
• 8 points for 2nd Overall (male and female)
• 7 points for 3rd Overall (male and female)
• 5 points for 1st in Age Group (male and female)
• 3 points for 2nd in Age Group (male and female)
• 2 points for 3rd in Age Group (male and female)
• 1 point for all other finishers

Series Awards for Runners

• Overall (to be excluded from Age Group Awards)
  • Open Category: top 3 males & top 3 females under age 40
  • Master Category: top 3 males & top 3 females age 40 and up
• Age Groups: top 1 male & top 1 female in each age group
  • 0-10
  • 11-13
  • 14-17
  • 18-24
  • 25-29
  • 30-34
  • 35-39
  • 40-44
  • 45-49
  • 50-54
  • 55-59
  • 60-64
  • 65-69
  • 70+

Points Awarded for Walkers (in each individual Series race)

• 7 points for 1st Overall (male and female)
• 6 points for 2nd Overall (male and female)
• 5 points for 3rd Overall (male and female)
• 4 points for 4th Overall (male and female)
• 3 points for 5th Overall (male and female)
• 2 points for 6th Overall (male and female)
• 1 point for all other finishers

Series Awards for Walkers

• top 7 overall males
• top 7 overall females

What happens if my age group changes during the course of the season? Which age group will I be in for Series Awards? (This situation is applicable to runners only, as there are no age groups for walkers.)

The FIRST Mag 7 race that a person participates in during a given season also determines their age group category for that season's Series Awards. Series points for each individual race, though, will be always awarded based on a person's actual age on race day.

ex. A runner might earn points in the 25-29 age group for several races early in the season, have a birthday that moves them up into a new age group, and then accumulate points for the remainder of the season in the 30-34 age group. Points earned from both age groups will count toward the runner's overall point total. The runner will be assigned to the 25-29 age group for the purposes of Series standings, because they were 29 years old during the first race that they participated in that season (even though some of their points were later earned as a 30-year-old).

The Mag 7 does not manage/direct any races, except for the Mag 7 Kickoff 5k. All other races in the Series are autonomous, managed by independent race directors who set their own race logistics and policies. However, all races that are part of our Series must agree to abide by a set of minimum standards to be included as a Series race.

It is strongly recommended that all race directors have both a severe weather policy and an emergency plan in place prior to race day. The Mag 7 organization and individual committee members do not bear any liability in relation to the planning and implementation of any races that are a part of the Series, with the exception of the Mag 7 Kickoff 5k. It is the responsibility of each individual race director to have an appropriate safety plan in place for their event and implement it, if necessary.

Race Organization

• Races may not be a part of any other formal race series. The Mag 7 Committee will consider exceptions to this policy, if the race meets all other requirements and has a unique element that could enhance the Series experience.
• A benefitting organization or individual (i.e. the entity receiving the proceeds from a race) may only have 1 race included in the Series.
• A race director may serve multiple races in the Series, as long as each race has a different benefitting organization or individual.
• Only races located in Monroe, Owen, Lawrence, Morgan, Brown, Greene, Washington, Orange, or Jackson Counties are eligible for potential inclusion in the Mag 7 Series.
• Each race in the Mag 7 Series must be on a different date. Races may potentially "double up" on a weekend (i.e. one race on Saturday and one on Sunday) but two races cannot take place on the same day.

Race Structure

• Beginning in 2026, only "road races" will be eligible for the Series (i.e. no cross country, trail/dirt, or gravel courses). A course does not need to be on an actual road to meet this requirement, but the route must be on pavement/asphalt. It is acceptable to have an intersection where participants must briefly cross over grass/gravel/dirt, but this is not preferable and should be avoided if at all possible.
• Races must be no longer than 10K to be considered for the Series. If a given race event offers multiple race distances within this guideline, only one of those distances can be included in the Series.
• Races must include a separate competition category for Walkers. If possible, race directors are encouraged to schedule the start of the Walk for at least 5 or 10 minutes prior to the Run.

Race Registration

• Race directors must offer an online registration option. 
• Race directors are responsible for setting up their own registration, using the website of their choice. 
• The online registration link must be supplied to the Series a minimum of 6 weeks prior to the race date.
• Advance registration must close no earlier than 48 hours prior to the race start.
• The advance entry fee cannot exceed $30 per person (with a t-shirt) / $25 per person (no t-shirt), not including any online processing fees. This amount will be reevaluated by the Mag 7 Committee on an annual basis and may be adjusted upward in future years.
• Advance registration must include a no-shirt option (if shirts are offered). This option must give entrants a minimum discount of $5 off of the advance race entry fee, if selected.

Race Awards/Results

• At the absolute minimum, races must provide formal recognition (an award) to the top overall male and female finishers in the run category and the top overall male and female finishers in the walk category. 
  • Additional awards (i.e. age categories for each gender in the run/walk) are at the discretion of the race director. However, keep in mind that races which provide very minimal awards are typically viewed poorly by participants. 
  • Directors are welcome to ask the Mag 7 for guidance on determining appropriate award age categories (5-yr groups, 10-yr groups, etc.) and depth (how many awards to give in each age category) for their race. As a general rule, though, consider that a race anticipating 300 people should plan on giving out more awards than a race anticipating 100 people!
• Race results should be provided to the Series within 48 hours of the race’s conclusion. In general, it is easiest for the race timer to provide these to the Series directly; however, it is the responsibility of the race director to ensure that this happens. Results must include the following for all participants, in an Excel/CSV format:
  
  • Name
  • Race category (i.e. run or walk)
  • Age on race day
  • Gender
  • Finish time
  • Overall finish place
• Email addresses for all advance registrants, and same-day registrants when possible, are to be provided to the Series within 7 days of the race’s conclusion. 

Race Mismanagement

If a race fails to comply with the Series rules for Race Organization, Structure, Registration, Results, or if there are incidents of serious race mismanagement due to factors within the race director’s control (i.e. problems that are within a race director’s control, for example: no water provided, lack of appropriate signage/direction, significant differences between advertised and actual distance), the Mag 7 committee will make a determination on whether the race should be removed from the Series or issued a warning.

• If the incident (for which a warning has already been issued) is repeated in the subsequent year, the race will be removed from the Series.
• If the incident (for which a warning has already been issued) is fully rectified but a different incident occurs in the subsequent year, a second warning will be issued. 
• If a race experiences serious mismanagement incidents for three consecutive years, regardless of whether the incidents are of the same or different types, the race will be removed from the Series.
• Once a decision has been made by the Mag 7 committee, it is final.

If a race has been removed from the Series due to failure to comply with Series rules or serious mismanagement incidents…

• The race will be ineligible for inclusion in the Series during the subsequent calendar year.
• If a race is interested in rejoining the Series in the future, it must provide assurances, to the satisfaction of the Mag 7 Committee, that the issue(s) that led to its removal have been fully rectified. 

The above policies were last updated on October 28, 2025.