like a mirage in the desert
I think I saw a flash of colour up ahead. My only hope can be that he slips in this mud too.
Oh f*** I think she's 200 m ahead of me. 500 meters to go and I can see her.
Don't give up Anna.
Don't give up.
Do you have a running buddy who's faster than you? Want to level out the playing field and see who can win in a
head to head all out race?
Well, welcome to the ultimate five Km handicap race.
The great thing about running is whether you're an elite or not, it's for everyone, you can all do the same
race line up on the same start line, but you just come away with different times.
But do you ever look at faster runners and wish that there was a way that you could go up against them fairly to see
who could come out on top?
Well, here it is popular with lots of different running clubs.
A handicap race is a way of making a race in our case a 5K completely even,
regardless of whether you're a sub 20 minute 5K runner or not, and DHB have challenged us to take
on our own.
So, how does it work?
Well, everyone sets off at different times, depending on the runners predicted 5K time, the faster you are, the more
time you have to wait until starting the race and the first person that crosses the finish line is the winner. Simple!
So let's introduce the competitors and get this race started.
First up
we have TRC community presented Jess, who's aiming to run her 5K in around 28 minutes.
Anna will then set off one minutes and 30 seconds after her aiming for a 26.5 minute 5K time.
Sarah will be waiting on the start line for four minutes before setting off predicting to run a 24 minute 5K.
Then Andy will head off last 11 minutes behind the start and he'll be aiming for a
17 minute 5K.
Ready everyone? Let's get ready!
Jess, 5,4, 3, 2, 1 go,
go, Jess. I'm next. She's gone off a lot faster than 28 minute pace I think though.
I want to go already.
So here we are.
I've started my part of the race of the handicapped race.
I started off too quickly, well aware of that, but the idea of being chased by three
people who are significantly faster than me that will make you run.
How are you feeling Andy?
Nervous. Long wait though.
He is so cocky about this.
He's not going to be cocky when he's miles behind us at the finish though.
I'm getting some stick
here, me against the girls.
I'm not looking forward to this.
What's stickier? Our sticky or the mud on the course?
Right, so tactics, I've got 28 minutes
Roughly that's around nine minute miles, 5:40 per kilometer.
So, I've got to go and lock into that, luckily for this
I'm allowed to wear my watch. I feel a bit nervous that Tom is in
charge of the countdown.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1! Go Anna go! Right I am off. That doesn't seem like a very long minute and a half.
So my tactics for this.
I've set up on my watch
a 26 minute 30 5k.
And then it will tell me whether I'm ahead or behind, look.
But I'm chasing Jess down.
Still no sign.
I'll keep you posted.
Then there were two.
I should probably set my watch out ready to run.
Sarah's just setting her watch up Anna's headed off.
Silent waiting begins.
Right now I have horror movie music in my head just waiting for someone to come up
behind me and it's eerily quiet here.
You won't be able to tell by the end because it's so muddy.
Save this for the course! Save it for the course. The waiting's quite hard, the wait is difficult.
I'm not a fan of the waiting.
It feels very, very strange.
It doesn't feel like we're about to start running flat out.
No, not at all
that's the thing,
it's a weird sort of false sense of security, we're just stood around.
Very calm,
just taking in the day.
You're calm, I'm nervous now.
Right, It's been two minutes
so I know that Anna's started,
I'm already looking over my shoulder.
It's really cold in the shade.
How long left now? 3,2,1 go!
Right off we go!
Let's find Anna Harding!
This feels so weird because I'm just off for a little run by myself
and you obviously, glad I've got some company for this one.
What pace are we doing? oop 3:30
Not so keen on having Andy and Sarah
chasing me down.
It's very weird chasing someone down
when you can't see them.
Although I think I spot Anna
3,2,1 Go.
Finally I'm off.
Just going through two K.
Which means Mr Andy Bradley has started and
he will be chasing me down from now.
I know I've said this millions of times before, but my worst fear is
being chased and yet I keep ending up in these situations where I
am being chased down. Why?
Oh God, we're 11 minutes in which means Andy's coming!
2k, 5:17 for that one.
Still early days and the hard thing is quite a windy course.
They're obviously quite a long way ahead already so I can't see or hear anybody.
She's gonna chase, chase chase chase.
We are just coming up to 2K.
So hopefully if I maintain pace, this could mean an overtaking the third or fourth.
I can see a problem which is that I'm trying to run as close to 3:20 per K as I can.
I can't really talk. Hard to make a video.
Okay, I'm enjoying the run, but I have a serious bone to pick with Andy
because the mud. I know I'm gonna get some stick from the guys.
I've called him out our secret filming location and it's very muddy,
very slippery,
and we're all in road shoes. Did not expect the levels of mud,
ice and just general slipiness.
There's so much mud. We're getting into the muddy section
bit of course now, where I know Anna will be
much better than me because she is queen of ultras.
She's queen of trails.
So I've got no chance.
So I need to try and catch her on the road.
Make sure you give us a like. If we get over 2000 likes
we're gonna give away an awesome package of DHB goodies to one
lucky winner in the comments.
Right, I'm over halfway.
Still no sign of anyone and as far as I'm concerned, as far as we're
concerned that means I'm winning.
S***! Nearly at 3K
and Sarah's coming.
There she is.
Don't give up Anna.
Don't give up.
Yeah.
I spy Anna Harding.
I spy Anna Harding do do do do do do do do
So Sarah was the last one to set off in front of me so I wonder if she'd be the first person I can
see if I catch them.
Just checked my watch.
My speed is slightly below where I needed to be so gotta crack on, gotta
crack on.
3K. Can I hold her off for two? Very much doubt it. I can't go any
faster so I don't think I'm gonna catch her.
Do do do do
No sign of Jess.
Here she comes.
She's hanging on my shoulder. F***.
Hello! I'm sure you're going to re overtake me
when we get to the muddy bit at the end.
Right, let's find Jess.
Let's find Jess.
I'm definitely more slipping than running at this point and I
fully blame Andy, but my only hope can be that he slips in this mud too.
It is very muddy and we're still on the road section
Anna will be throwing a proper hissy fit.
The mud is increasing.
This is the ultimate battle of runner V
mud V runner. The last K
is the muddiest, I think, which will make for an interesting race.
I want to catch them so bad.
I wonder how Jess's getting on. Coming up to the final kilometer and I'm
still my own.
I think. Unless Anna is hiding in the bushes somewhere, I
wouldn't put it past her.
I can't find Jess which is annoying and I'm very aware
that Andy it's probably about to come find me.
Which is terrifying.
Sarah's the one, Sarah's the one I really wanna get, the amount of stick she gives me.
I want to get one over on her. How do you think you get on
at the handicapped race?
Let us know in the comments.
And would you want to take us on?
How do you think you do in this race?
4K, try and do the maths.
Got about 5:20 left of running for me if Andy hasn't caught me by now,
can he catch me?
It could be my mind playing tricks on me,
but like a mirage in the desert
I think I saw a flash of colour up ahead.
Oh s*** I thought I heard him.
I can see Anna up ahead.
It's really muddy.
I know I'll be getting some stick.
I still see Sarah up ahead as well, annoying.
Here he comes there.
Here she is. One down. Sarah's just up there, get her!
I'm coming for Sarah, I'm coming.
It's very muddy you can hear. Final stretch and
still no sign of anyone.
Yes! I see her.
No! Oh f*** she's 200 m ahead of me
I can see Sarah, 500 metres to go and I can see her.
The mud is not helping.
Come on sprint finish.
I can see the finish.
Come on.
Wooooooo! Done.
No! No!
That's so annoying.
Oh I forgot to stop my watch. 5K PB though!
Not all bad.
No, no, no, no.
What a moment.
How do you find that Andy?
So hard. It's quite muddy out there, isn't it?
Andy, I didn't see on the list to bring brown shoes
It's alright we've got brown shoes now because of the mud.
Just finished, can't breath, and listen to what I'm dealing with. Go on Anna!
That is absolutely insane how close this was at the end,
I can't believe that.
On the nose! You lot all did faster than your times.
Think I'm gunna be sick.
Well, I'd like to know what the others ran compared to their
times that they said.
Well, what a race that was.
That was not so great for me because I came last again.
But it was so much fun to do and you should definitely give it a go with your running pals too.
Are there any other challenges or races that you'd like to see us take on?
And do you think we need a rematch? Yes! Nope! Yes!
Let us know in the comments,
and we will see you next time on the running channel.