The April Handicap is often a favourite event…..lots of marathon leg strength but not yet the fatigue of actually doing the marathon plus it’s the first of the light nights! This year no exception, 22 runners, half the field meeting or beating their handicap and 13 runners in a thrilling blanket finish. Congratulations to Amber Price a clear winner on her first real handicap event (her only previous effort being a socially distanced event back in the Covid years). All part of a special evening for Amber as she was also accompanying Simon Williamson in his very special “run-every-day-with-someone-new” challenge to raise money for Parkinson’s (Justgiving.com/simonjwilliamson) .
We were pleased to welcome 9 athletes making their first appearance of the year including 3 event newbies (Simon Williamson, Pete Savill & Joseph Lowe) plus Rob Bryan back for the first time since 2019.
Amber Price (7’11 net) was our winner on the night, straight-in at No.11 on the Female Honours list, ahead of the returning Adam Cleaver (6’56 net and in at No.91 on the Honours Board) with Kevin Frisby (7’07 net) in third.
We had five athletes sub-7 with Bracken Dawson (6’32) just pipping Matt Grote (6’34) after a thrilling gun to tape footrace. Ed Gurney (6’49), Adam Cleaver (6’56) and James Bailey (6’56 and No.92 on the Honours Board) were the other speedsters present. Amber Price (7’11) was our fastest female with her Mum a distant second fastest (8’19).
The overall standings are still a bit meaningless and literally anyone could still win the trophy….the scoring mechanics are such that even a complete newbie could start their campaign on the first Thursday in May and still win….there is hope for us all! That said those already at the top of the leader board are probably best placed…..James Bailey leads from Jack Rowland, John Mills, Steve Oliver and Ric Pike.
A third of the way through the year and we’re down to only 8 athletes still in with a chance of achieving the fabled 12 out of 12.
New to this and wondering what it is all about? A monthly handicap race (on the first Thursday of the month) around an urban 1.14-mile loop in the Harestock area of Winchester. In handicap racing, the starts are staggered according to handicap, and the faster runners thus chase the slower runners to the finish…..the fastest in the club and the slowest in the club can literally be racing side by side at the finish line. It’s a bit of fun that fits perfectly as a race effort rep to round off a threshold session or as a pickup interval in a block of tempo work. All are welcome, and all running speeds can be catered for. More info here: Harestock Handicap