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.

2012 Headstarts

Five 2011 runners – one man and four women – established new single age records. Roy Harvey ran 2:13:43 for men age 85. Julie Nacouzi ran: 59:47 for women age 17; Sissel Berntsen-Heber ran 1:01:32 for women age 47; winner Jamie Berns ran 1:07:33 for women age 60; Melody-Anne Schultz ran 1:17:23 for women age 69. None of these new records has any significant impact on the handicapping "line" which derives from a graph of single age record times vs. age.

There will be no change in the 2012 head starts for men or women.

We will continue the "1-1-1" system of winner penalties, by which each Dipsea winner is penalized one minute for the ensuing three years. If they enter the 2012 Dipsea, one minute penalties will apply to these runners: Jamie Berns (2011 winner); Reilly Johnson (2010 winner); and Brian Pilcher (2009 winner).
Head Start Table and Start Times for 2012
Age
 Group Minutes Head Start Section
MEN
WOMEN
 INV DR
6 & under, 74 & over
7 & under, 66 & over
AAA
25
8:30
8:57
73
65
AA
24
8:31
8:58
72
8, 64
A
23
8:32
8:59
71
63
B
22
8:33
9:00
7, 70
62
C
21
8:34
9:01
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
8, 65
10, 55
H
16
8:39
9:06
63-64
53-54
J
15
8:40
9:07
62
11, 52
K
14
8:41
9:08
9, 61
49-51
L
13
8:42
9:09
60
12, 45-48
M
12
8:43
9:10
10, 58-59
13-14, 44
N
11
8:44
9:11
57
15, 41-43
P
10
8:45
9:12
11, 56
16-18, 40
Q
9
8:46
9:13
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