The 2024 Handicap Series

This years Handicap Series was the best ever!! We had PB after PB after PB and also a new club record for the women set! Absolutely amazing!

Fairlands Park was coloured bright with diamonds and Strider colours from runners and marshalls and our final race was one of the best evenings we’ve had a team with a massive well deserved feast as well as participation medals being handed out and our winners presented with their trophies.

Over the series we had 100 runners that took place in at least one race, a massive increase on last year seeing only 74 attending at least one race, this is an incredible turn out!! We also had 51 people (also an increase on last year) that ran at least 3 races and earned themselves a participation medal.

The fastest male this year (over average times in the series) was Abdullah Athar with a 5k time of 17:13 and our fastest female was Lucy Crocker with a time of 21:01 - well done guys!!

The winners this year for the overall handicap series were: 3rd place Sarah Skene, 2nd place Sharon Williams and 1st place Brenda Smith - an all female podium - massive congratulations all!!!

Clcik here to see this years standings and full results.

Many thanks, as always, to our amazing team at the start and finish and our marshalls popping themselves up around Fairlands Park. Looking forward to next year to see what records we can break in 2025!!

Keep your eyes peeled for the dates for 2025!!

The start and finish of each race is adjacent to the car park at the Showground (Fairlands valley park south, opposite the football ground). The race route is an out and back and part of it utilises a single lap of the Stevenage park run.

How does a handicap race work?

Each runner is given a target time based on their current form. This target time is used to work out the order in which runners are started, with the slowest runner going first and the fastest runner last. Each runners handicap is calculated by taking the difference between the slowest runners start time and the runners start time. As each runner finishes, the race stopwatch time is noted against their name. Their actual race time is calculated by taking the recorded stopwatch time and subtracting the runners handicap. The winner of the race is the runner who beats their target time by the greatest margin.

The race route
From the start follow the pathway that takes you across the length of the Showground (approx 1km). At the end of the path turn right on to the cycleway going down the hill. At the bottom of the hill turn left and go through the under pass (under six hills way). Turn left and after approx 100m turn right to go into Fairlands Valley park (north).

The next stage of the route follows a single lap of the Stevenage park run. Follow the pathway keeping the Avenue of trees on your left and the large lake on your right. Stay on the upper path. Where the path forks stay on the left hand (upper path). As you pass the small car park on your left, turn left at the end of the pathway and then immediately right. The kids play area will be on your right and you pass the school on your left. Continue on the path for approx 200m until the pathway junction. Turn right and cross the bridge. Immediately after the bridge turn right and follow the pathway ahead keeping the lakes on your right. Where the pathway forks just after the next bridge (do not cross this!) stay right and DO NOT go up the pathway on the left. You will pass the cycle hub on your right and approx 50m later turn right ahead of the large climbing tower. Do not take the first left turn on this pathway but take the next left turn (the second. This is the start of the Stevenage park run). Follow the path ahead staying on the lower pathway with the large lake on your left. Follow the pathway around the end of the lake and where the path forks take the right hand fork through the small wood. As you follow the pathway through and out of the wood proceed ahead to cross the cycleway and pass through the underpass. Immediately turn right, go up the hill and then turn left to go into the showground (fairlands valley park south). Proceed ahead for approx 1km to the finish line.

Finished!!!

Race series – 5 races with the best 3 results of each runner to count. You must have completed at least 3 races to be eligible to be considered for the race series. Each runner is given a target time for each race. The target times are based on recent race and training data. The aim is to beat that target time by the largest margin. Runners are started in reverse order with the slower runners going first. The winning runner is the one who beats their target time by the largest margin.

Runners are allocated points based not their final position. Winner 1 points, runner up 2 points etc… The winner of the series is the runner who has the lowest aggregate score over their best three results. In the event of a tie the results of the fourth scoring race completed will be considered and then the fifth to separate the runners concerned. If this still results in a tie between two runners then the aggregate of each runners margins over their best three races between their finishing time and target time will be considered.