News
Blackcap Handicap summer 2025
(June 12, 2025)Thank you to everyone who took part. Having so many runners coming over the hill together is a sight to behold! The weather was pretty much perfect and there were some fabulous runs.
Firstly, I want to thank Marion and Mark for everything in the last few weeks. I have never organised a race before and starting with a handicap feels a bit like starting on the black run! Thank you also to Sheilagh, Helen and Tom for your invaluable help on the day.
In first place was Caroline with an awesome run. Looking (and some may say sounding) like a steam train as she approached the line. Hats off to James Booth not only for a great run but for some reason unknown to anyone but himself running a stupidly quick Clairpark run just days before and to give him much credit owning up to it. Thankfully it didn't affect the result but it would have made Caroline very nervous (and possibly faster!) if he had started a few seconds earlier. Mr El Presidente Mark Sykes, free from the shackles of setting the handicaps, had a storming run to come in third. Fastest was Harvey Alcock but as is ever the way, the speedsters will always struggle to make a dent in their handicap.
My apologies to everyone who's handicap I got wrong. Whilst I started with park run times, some people are better at different distances and terrain and some do more parkruns than others, some only do park run dressed as a snowman and some have or have had niggles. The only thing that can be guaranteed is that almost all handicap times will be wrong....
Except, we have joint winners of the closest to handicap time, Pippa Sykes and Rebecca Hedges and in total 9 people were within 10 seconds of their handicap.
Thank you for making it such a great event. I know some of you wanted to be there but unfortunately could not make it and hopefully you will be next year.
The times are here. Well done all. If you spot anything obviously wrong, please let me know.
A history of the events winners/fastest runs is here
Chris