Current standings for the 2025 Handicap
What is the handicap?
A 5Km race (5.6Km on the winter course) against the clock and other club members every month; start times are handicapped based on your previous performance from either the previous month or the last time you ran the handicap. Each month you are awarded points and at the end of the year prizes are awarded to those at the top of the leader board. In January, the scores are reset and you do it all again!
Why do the handicap
- It’s a handicap which means your time is based on your performance, so it is totally fair and allows an equal race against the rest of the club
- You get accurate times to chart your progress
- You get faster if you do them regularly
- It provides useful pacing guidance for real races
- It’s sociable and you get to compare yourself with others
- You get to complain about your start time to the marshal for the evening
The handicap takes place on the second Wednesday of each month, just turn up at the usual time and collect your race number from the timekeepers.
Scoring
- The 1st person back is awarded as many points as there are runners in the race. Each subsequent runner will get 1 less point, so if there were 40 runners, 1st would get 40 points, 2nd 39 etc. The last runner back will get 1 point.
- The first time you assist in timekeeping or as a mentor/sweeper you will be awarded half points (half the total number of runners)
Winter Course
The winter course is a 3.5m (5.6Km) circuit on the roads around the perimeter of Beckenham Place park, starting and finishing outside Beckenham Sports Club.
Summer Course
The summer course is 5Km (3.1 miles) with 2 x 2Km laps within Beckenham Place park, and finishing outside Beckenham Sports Club.
The start will be at the far exit of Beckenham Sports Club (between the Bus stop and Foxgrove Avenue).
Head towards Southend Road and then right into Beckenham Place Park road. At the junction (Blue circle on the map) take the right hand fork and follow to the end where it joins Westgate road.
Turn left onto the track to the left of the gate, after 10m bear right (Green circle) up a narrow dirt path that joins the main trail path. Stay on this trail and follow it round to the left at all times. After descending you will go over a small stream and then start a steady incline up to the left where you will pass a squirrel sculpture on the right (Yellow circle).
Follow this path around the front of the house and then to the right by the side of the house towards the car park. At the top, bear left and follow the road down through the park and the gate at the bottom, bringing you back onto Beckenham Place Park road.
At the junction (Blue circle) take a left and follow the same route in the park for a second lap. On the second lap proceed straight on at the junction and retrace your route back to towards the start.
The finish will be at the bus shelter just beyond the centre exit of Beckenham Sports Club.
