- The name of the club is the Marathon Club Ireland (incorporating 100 Marathon Club Ireland)
- The aims of the Club are:
2.1 To provide a focal point for marathon runners in Ireland who have completed 1 or more races of marathon distance or longer and have an aspiration to run 100.
2.2 To maintain a database of marathon statistics relating to members’ achievements.
2.3 To promote and organise various marathon challenges for members.
2.4 To assist members to enter races of marathon distance and longer, individually and collectively.
2.5 To share knowledge and experience and encourage newcomers to the sport of marathon running.
2.6 To assist the organisers of road marathons in Ireland by providing constructive feedback.
2.7 To promote road marathons in Ireland. - Membership
3.1 Full membership of the Club is open to all runners, of good standing, who have completed 1 or more races of marathon distance or longer as defined in 11 below.
3.2 Only members who have completed 100 races of marathon distance or longer as defined in 11 below shall have the right to wear the official 100 Marathon Club Ireland kit.
3.3 All members have the right to wear Marathon Club Ireland ‘Aspiring to 100’ kit
3.4 All members will be subject to the regulations of the constitution and by joining the Club will be deemed to have accepted those regulations and codes of conduct the Club has adopted. - Committee
4.1 The Club will be managed by a Committee comprised of the offices of Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, and at least three other members.
4.2 Committee members including officers will be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.
4.3 All officers will retire each year but will be eligible for re-appointment.
4.4 The Committee will have the power to co-opt additional members from time to time for specific purposes. Such co-opted members shall be non-voting.
4.5 The Committee will meet as required, but at least once per year.
4.6 The quorum will be three members. - Application to the club
5.1 Applications for membership of the Club will be received and normally accepted by the Secretary, who will maintain a register of members.
5.2 Application for membership includes authorisation for the Committee to hold personal data on computer media.
5.3 Members will have the right to examine a copy of the record held and may limit the use of personal information to administration purposes only if they so choose. - Membership fees
6.1 Members will pay a joining fee on election and thereafter a subscription fee annually on the 1st January. Options may be made available to pay subscriptions for periods greater than one year including life membership. Joining fee and subscription charges will be determined at Annual General Meetings of the club.
6.1 Reminders will be broadcast for any subscriptions outstanding at the 1 January to all members signed up on email. Individual reminders will be issued to non-email members.
6.2 Membership will be assumed to have lapsed for any member whose subscription is still outstanding at 31 January.
6.3 Honorary Life Members will pay no obligatory subscriptions. - Withdrawing from the club
A member intending to withdraw from the Club shall give notice in writing to the Secretary, and membership terminates on the date of that notice unless the member is financially indebted to the Club, in which case the Committee may withhold acceptance of the resignation until the liability is discharged. - Application proceedures
8.1 The Committee shall have the discretionary power to vet applications for membership and to expel members who are deemed to have acted or behaved in a manner so as to bring the Club or sport into disrepute. Disqualification from or being removed from the results of a race shall be deemed to have brought the Club into disrepute and will automatically result in expulsion from the Club unless the member concerned advises the Committee of mitigating circumstances and these are accepted. - General Meetings
9.1 The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Club will be held once in each year, within three months from the close of the financial year end of the Club. Items for the agenda should be received at least eight weeks before the AGM.
9.2 The Annual General Meeting will conduct the following business:-
(a) Acceptance of reports from the outgoing Committee.
(b) Election of Committee.
(c) Determination of Subscription Charges.
(d) Amendments to the Constitution of the Club.
(e) Motions. Limited to motions notified in writing to all members at least 21 days before the General Meeting, and amendments to such motions.
(f) Any other business.
9.2 Members will be able to call for an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) of the Club should the need arise, but due to the costs and time involved any such request must be in writing, clearly stating the nature of the business to be discussed and supported by signatures of at least 25% of the membership of the Club. At an EGM no business shall be transacted other than that for which it was called.
9.3 Motions will be passed by a simple majority of members voting, with the exception of a motion to permanently disband the Club which will require a two thirds majority.
9.4 No proxy votes will be allowed at General Meetings.
9.5 Twenty one days notice of all General Meetings will be given to all paid up members.
9.6 Ten members shall be required to form a quorum at a General Meeting. - Non-Profit
10.1 The Club shall be deemed as non-profit making and as such any surplus income or gains shall be reinvested into the Club. Surpluses or assets cannot be distributed to Club members or third parties.
10.2 In the event that the Club is permanently disbanded by over two thirds majority decision at a General Meeting of the members, then that meeting shall nominate a properly registered charity to receive any surplus of the Club’s funds, including proceeds from the disposal of Club assets. Club trophies donated to the Club should be returned to the donor. Club trophies purchased by the Club should be given into the safe custody of a Club member nominated by the meeting.
10.3 Any Club asset which includes the Club logo, eg medals or kit, may only be sold to Club members. - Definition of races to count towards Club membership:-
11.1 Only races should be included. Training runs should not be included, whatever the distance run. Distance runs of a “non-competitive” nature, often undertaken for charitable purposes by one or two runners, should not be included.
11.2 Race definition: An official event open to all applicants (occasionally subject to entry limits or qualification restrictions), Normally officially measured (Jones Counter) and advertised at least 14 days beforehand. Normally, but not always, competitive. Normally at least 10 starters and 5 finishers (photographic evidence may be required to verify starter numbers). Normally results available. Fully insured.
11.3 The runner must have completed the whole race entered and have run (jogged, walked) the whole course (unless misdirected by the organisers) for the race to count. For example, dropping out at the marathon distance in an ultra race can not be counted unless this was advertised beforehand as part of the race rules. The declared race distance counts (the runner is not penalised if the race distance appears to be short). However, a runner should not count a race he knows in advance to be short.
11.4 If a runner finishes a race outside a stated time limit the race should not count unless the race director is flexible in his interpretation of the rules and the runner is given a medal/certificate and/or appears in the result list.
11.5 Types of races which can be included for club membership
Marathons: Races where the distance measured and stated by organisers is 26m 385y (26.2 miles) / 42.195 km (42.2 kilometres) on the road or, for trail marathons, accepting that exact measurement is not possible, rounded down i.e. 26m or 42km. Races less than marathon distance should not be included.
Ultra Marathons: Road or trail races of distance longer than marathon.
Stage Races: Races over several days with a set distance each day. One of the stages must be of marathon distance or longer for the race to count. If two or more stages are of marathon distance or longer and results are published for each stage, then each such stage may be counted separately.
Examples: The Marathon Des Sables usually counts as two events as there is normally one ‘long day’ further than a marathon distance and a ‘marathon day’.
A 100 mile race will count as one event only.
The Brathay 10 marathons in 10 days challenge would count as 10 marathons.
A 24 hour race would count as one event if more than 26 miles 385 yards have been completed.
11.6 If there is a dispute as to whether an event should count towards Club membership and statistics the Committee of the Club will arbitrate. The decision of the Committee is final. - The Marathon Club Ireland hereby adopts and accepts this constitution as a current operating guide regulating the actions of members.
