BARR

This page is devoted to the excellent work of the British Association Of Road Races.

www.barr-online.org.uk - The British Association Of Road Races

Background To BARR - extract taken from the BARR website

"The British Association of Road Races (BARR) was formed in 1984 when a number of concerned road race organisers met at the London Marathon. Prominent amongst those was Chris Brasher, founder of the London Marathon, who was largely instrumental in establishing BARR.

The chief cause of concern was the rapid expansion of road running for in the early eighties, the New York and London Marathons had triggered a road running “boom”. What had previously been a minority sport for an elite minority mushroomed into a vast mass participation activity for joggers and runners of all standards.

New events sprang up everywhere- many organised by the newly formed road running clubs. Most of their directors had little or no experience of what was needed. As one observer said “ often it was the blind leading the blind.”

They were faced with issues involving road safety, policing, marshalling etc which. Hitherto, had not been a feature of either track or cross-country events. There was no body of rules, no recommended standards nor any organisation to which those putting on the events could turn to for advice.

The founding committee quickly drew up a set of standards to which all member races had to conform. They then pioneered a system of race grading by which they could encourage race directors to develop their events to even higher standards, Thus events were to be graded not upon size but upon the quality of their race provision and organisation.

Today BARR remains a membership association open to any road or multi-terrain race and its aim is almost identical to that when it was founded back in 1984"

Its current objectives are fourfold;

• on behalf of events:
  
  To maintain and review a Code of Practice for the benefit of competitors and the efficient management of both road and multi-terrain events
  To be a membership organisation leading to the exchange of information, knowledge and best practice amongst members of the association.

• on behalf of UK Athletics:
  
  To act as their official agent monitoring and policing Permit Standards
  To act as the official and national race grading body including both the setting and assessing of those standards.
  

Regional BARR Contacts - Find Out How BARR can support you

paul.wood@barr-online.org.uk - (Hertfordshire based)