Introduction

The Annual Handicap Race Competition consists of a number of 5km (3.1 miles) races, taking place along the same course.

With short spring and mid-summer breaks to cater for annual holidays, all races will take place on Adult Club Nights (Thursdays evenings) between the start and end of British
Summertime (March to September).

How It Works (the basics)

The basic concept of a handicap race is to enable runners of various abilities to race competitively against each other. Unlike horses that carry different amounts of weight depending on their ability, time is used as the “handicap” for club runners.

The faster the runner, the later the runner starts. Runners are allocated different time slots relative to their previous performance[s].

For each individual race, runners start at different times (‘go’ times) depending on their pace, the slowest runner starting first and the fastest runner starting last.

Theoretically, if all runners run relative to their previous recorded performances, then everyone should finish the race at the same time. The runner who puts in the most effort and overtakes other runners should be the winner.

As well as adding a little more interest to the Adult Club Runs, the Handicap Race Competition delivers:

• A race day challenge, allowing runners to race other Sleaford Striders in single races with the aim of pushing yourself a bit harder with each race, to pass as many other runners as possible as well gauge one’s own progress and perfect pace – a critical skill in getting the best from running.

As far as the handicap race is concerned, the winner of each race is the runner who simply performs the better (scores the most) relative to the other runners.

• An season challenge based on overall performance for the season. On race night, the runner who finishes first is technically the winner for that individual race, discounting the first race when all runners start at the same time. For the annual handicap competition, performances for each race are recorded and weighted/scored based on the runner’s finish time.

At the end of the season, the best scores from 7 of the 8 races for each runner are aggregated and the highest scoring Sleaford Strider wins.   

The Annual Competition (the science)

Each race is a part of the Annual Handicap Race Competition. Finishers will be awarded points from each race, based on:

• Scores allocated against the calculated results from the WAVA/WMA (World Association of Veteran Athletes / World Masters Athletics) performance grading calculator.

• Weighting scores based on individual performances.

Race Night Procedure

The Handicap race series is open only to Adult Club Members. If you are not a member of Sleaford Striders, you will need to join before you can participate and therefore be included in the annual competition.

On ‘race night’, runners register for the race.

After a quick brief, the race marshals will then make their way to their allocated position and all runners are to make their way to the start.

To ensure the race is finished by 8pm, the race will start at 7pm, or directly after.

Apart from the first race of the season which is a straight forward race and everyone is set off at the same time, runners must ensure they are near to the start line ready to be called forward to be set off at their allocated ‘go’ time based on the previous performance[s].

These will be printed and made available for all runners to see before the start of each race.

Finish times will be recorded as runners cross the finish line. Next, just beyond the timekeeper, runners are to make their way down the funnel to the first Finish Position Recorder who will be hand out a ticket with a position number on it.

This number ‘should’ correspond to the position on the stopwatch when you crossed the line. Runners are then to make their way to the second Finish Position Recorder to record their name against the number on the ticket.

Remember, this only works if runners stay in the same finish order until collecting their ticket and every runner that crosses the line takes a ticket.

Organisation

To run a successful and safe event, the following positions need to be filled:
• Starter/Timekeeper
• Finish Position Recorders
• Tail Runner/cyclist
• Race Marshals assigned to the following locations:
M1 – Corner of Eastgate Car Park entrance onto Eastgate Road
M2 – Cogglesford Watermill Car Park
M3 – Riverside Walkway Bridge (Council Office side)
M4 – Riverside Walkway Bridge (Sleaford Leisure Centre side)
M5 – Right turn from Riverside Walkway towards Hoplands Bridge/Boston Road
M6/M7) – Boston Road (Crossing point to Milton Way)
M8 – Corner of Milton Way and Russell Crescent
M9 – Corner of Russell Crescent and Boston Road
M10 – Corner of Boston Road and New Street
M11/12 – Corner of New Street onto East Banks Riverside Walkway
M13/14 – Cogglesford Watermill Bridge (one each side)

Race Marshalls

At least seventeen volunteers are required for each race, two Finish Position Recorders and ideally a minimum of fourteen Race Marshals to ensure the safety of all runners on the course as well as ensuring all runners continue running in the correct direction.

A polite request for volunteers will be posted a week or two prior to each race. It would be great to have a few more volunteers on the day, or for volunteers to rotate on a race by race basis.

The Course

The start and finish of the 5km race is from Sleaford Town Football Club. With both scenic and residential stretches, it is quite a straightforward unhilly route with plenty of places for quicker runners to pass and just a couple of ‘elements’ where runners need to be watchful.

Marshalls are placed at points where there is a clear change in direction and to ensure the safety of runners and other members of the public (two at points where extra vigilance is required).

The route has been run several times by the Race Director and others and measured to be 5km (give or take a few feet) which is primarily dependent upon how runners take the corners.

Unless unforeseen circumstance dictate, the course will remain the same throughout the season allowing members to better assess one’s own performances and monitor progress over the season.

Please be aware. Though there will be marshals at the point of crossing Boston Road to ensure the safety of the runners and who will probably do a fantastic job by warning runners of traffic to help judge the moment when to cross, they have no authority to control the traffic on the public highway. Therefore, it remains with each runner to ensure their own personal safety when crossing.

Please be aware. As there is no defined crossing point along Boston Road after exiting Russell Crescent leading up towards New Street (about 500 mtrs), it will be down to each runner to choose their own moment to cross the road, ensuring their own personal safety when doing so.

The course is predominantly footpaths and pavements and following Parkrun rules, please try to keep to one side to allow quicker runners past. The roads will not be closed, so runners are responsible for their own safety and need to be aware of traffic and other members of the public/road users.

Awards

The winners of the Male and Female Adult Handicap Race Competition will be announced at the Annual Awards/Presentation Evening.

And Finally… from the race director

Primarily, I would like the event to be as much fun as it is competitive and continue to a be the success it previously has been. The Annual Handicap Race Competition is an old Striders tradition that adds a
little ‘spice’ to the Club Night Runs and it comes to you from 2023 with a new director, a fresh course and a minor tweak to the scoring mechanism.

Not that there was anything wrong at all with the previous scoring mechanism, but it’s very important to me that all participants perceive the results as fair, by ensuring that no-one has an advantage over others.

So, with that in mind, I have been looking at different ways to creating fairest balance between (apparently) opposing ends. I don’t think there is a right or wrong way of calculating handicaps, but I have learned that it can quickly become very complicated when trying to cater for the multitude of variables.

It will always be the subject of lively healthy debate and though I initially thought it would be a good idea to make the whole scoring mechanism and grading completely transparent to dispel the myths and uncertainty, for continued intrigue and mystique and to keep the competition active, we have made the decision to keep the finer details shrouded in mystery.

There is of course scope to make changes at the start of each year and being flexible, I’m happy to hear any thoughts and ideas from members as the competition progresses, however, the effects of any changes will have to be carefully considered first.

That’s all there is to it and I look forward to seeing you on the start line.

‘As fast as you can, as hard as you can’,
Bryan