The Wednesday Night Running Club’s first of three handicap races was so finely seeded that the organizers got the desired outcome because all but one of the runners finished more or less together.
The 5 kilometer race went from the old World Gym venue last Wednesday with around 20 participants.
Organized by the running club’s founder, Tony Watts, and fellow elite triathlete Justine Plenkiewicz, it is a unique format whereby each runner receives a handicap based on their running ability.
The slower runners start first and faster runners begin soon after and try to catch up. The winner of the race series isn’t necessarily the fastest in the field but the runner who manages to catch up to most people – or avoid being caught.
Final results are based on only two races, even if someone competes in all three, so the eventual winner can still enter the competition.
Most of the entrants were running club regulars, though the races are open to non-members as well. It is free to join but purchase of a distinctive orange Wednesday Night Running Club vest is customary. Members run from the new World Gym behind Queensgate Plaza every Wednesday from 6 p.m.
Some familiar faces in the first event included last year’s champ Marco Gaspar, rapidly improving Dave Bennett, Chris Sutton, Marco Miranda, Evelyn Ritch and Leslie-Ann Daley, plus first-time racers Jo Bond and Shomari Gow, who ended up in the top five finishers.
Starting places for the next race will be recalculated based on the runners’ handicaps and finishing times in the first race, making it more difficult to outrun others by a wide margin.
The next race is on Oct. 15 at 6 p.m., again from the old World Gym site on Lawrence Boulevard. The races are free, but runners must sign a waiver to take part.
Watts said they set the handicap so that everyone should finish at 35 minutes.
“Apart from Dave Bennett, who won, 14 of the top 15 places were within one minute of their handicap, which is awesome, and all credit to super sleuth Justine,” Watts said.
“The remaining participants were all slower than we expected, but will benefit from an adjusted start position next time. So all good so far and the eventual winner may not even show up until the next race.”
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