Headstarts

So that people of all ages can compete in this race on a more or less equitable basis some runners are allowed to begin the race before others. The following table indicates how many Headstart minutes each entrant will receive based on gender and age. Headstart minutes are based on years of historical data of actual times and records of male and female runners. Compiled and interpreted by "Birdman", the race's official handicapper, the information is presented to the committee for review annually. Typically at least eight of the ten top finishers have been from different handicap groups.

2008 Headstarts

Eight runners established new single age records in the 2007 race, five men and three women. Stefan Venne set a new record for boys age 6, propelling him to fifth finisher in the Dipsea Runner section. However, his actual time was several minutes away from the handicapping "line" for younger runners. Russ Kiernan set a new record of 1:05.45 for men age 69, which compares very well to his record of 1:04.56 for men age 68. Russ slowed by 49 seconds relative to 2006 and by 2 minutes 1 second since 2005. Bill Dodson, Sam Hirabayashi and Roy Harvey set single age records for men age 72, 80 and 81, respectively. Their times however, have no effect on the "line".

O

n the women's side Jamie Berns set a new record for women age 56, winning the race and breaking Shirley Matson's previous record by 27 seconds. The new record is consistent with nearby records set by past winners Matson and Melody Anne Schultz. Heidi Meyer and Barbara Robben set single age records for women age 70 and 73, respectively, with no impact on the line.

None of the new records convince the handicapper or the Dipsea Race Board of Directors to adjust the head start minutes for men or women.

The winners' penalty scheme of "4-3-2-1" will continue as well as the 25 minute maximum head start that was implemented in 2007.

In short, the 2008 handicaps and start time will be the same as in 2007.

Head Start Table and Start Times for 2007
Age
 Group Minutes Head Start Section
MEN
WOMEN
 INV DR
6 & under, 74 & over
8 & under, 66 & over
AAA
25
8:30
8:57
73
65
AA
24
8:31
8:58
72
64
A
23
8:32
8:59
71
63
B
22
8:33
9:00
70
62
C
21
8:34
9:01
7, 69
9, 60-61
D
20
8:35
9:02
68
59
E
19
8:36
9:03
67
58
F
18
8:37
9:04
66
56-57
G
17
8:38
9:05
65
10, 55
H
16
8:39
9:06
8, 63-64
54
J
15
8:40
9:07
62
11, 53
K
14
8:41
9:08
61
49-52
L
13
8:42
9:09
9, 60
12, 45-48
M
12
8:43
9:10
58-59
13-14, 44
N
11
8:44
9:11
10, 57
15, 41-43
P
10
8:45
9:12
56
16-18, 40
Q
9
8:46
9:13
11, 54-55
19-39
R
8
8:47
9:14
12,52-53
---
T
7
8:48
9:15
13,50-51
---
U
6
8:49
9:16
14,48-49
---
V
5
8:50
9:17
15,45-47
---
W
4
8:51
9:18
16,42-44
---
X
3
8:52
9:19
17,38-41
---
Y
2
8:53
9:20
18,31-37
---
Z
1
8:54
9:21
19-30
---
SCR
0
8:55
9:22