AFD Annual 5k Handicap Road Challenge

This is the fourth 5k handicap Robbie has run in, I have run in one myself and was seriously considering having another go this year, but bottled it on the day, I need someone out there to kick me up the arse and make me do it next year.

The race is slightly different to most, the handicap is worked out in advance and runners start based on their expected times, so for instance if Joe expected to do the 5k in 30mins, he might start first, Pete can do the 5k in 25 mins, so he starts 5 mins after Joe etc. etc.

Robbie was quite ambitious this year, having completed the 5k in 18’40” last year he upped his expected runtime to 17’30”, hoping to knock a whole minute and 10 seconds off his time.

Positions are always a little fluffy, because of course everything depends on the accuracy of the estimated times, Robbie finished 15th in the actual standings, not sure where he would be ranked if it was done on time only, but he did complete the race in an excellent 17’12” ultimately knocking off 1’28”. This also now represents his fastest ever 5k, previously 18’02” set in a Park Run at Basingstoke April 2013.

Coming in to the final bend in the AFD Boxing day 5k.

Name Athlete Predicited Time Mick’s Predicted Times Handicap Clock Time Actual Time Finish Position
David Hay 31:00 31:00 00:00 26:45 26:45 1
Cathy Stewart 24:30 24:30 06:30 28:22 21:52 2
Niamh Reid-Smith 22:00 21:45 09:15 29:31 20:16 3
Gabi Eglen 22:00 22:00 09:00 29:39 20:39 4
Rebecca Stevens 23:00 23:00 08:00 29:48 21:48 5
Catlin Critchley 23:00 22:45 08:15 29:54 21:39 6
Ben Watson 17:10 17:10 13:50 30:19 16:29 7
Dan Rickards 17:20 17:20 13:40 30:26 16:46 8
Katie Bingle 20:45 20:30 10:30 30:28 19:58 9
Rebekah Pantony 20:00 19:55 11:05 30:31 19:26 10
Billy Smith 20:00 19:00 12:00 30:33 18:33 11
Eloise Milbourn 20:30 19:45 11:15 30:39 19:24 12
Niall Flemming 15:00 15:00 16:00 30:40 14:40 13
Lily Partridge 16:40 16:35 14:25 30:41 16:16 14
Robbie Coupland 17:30 17:30 13:30 30:43 17:13 15
Jonny Hay 15:00 14:50 16:10 30:43 14:33 16
Steph Twell 16:40 16:40 14:20 30:45 16:25 17
Steve Connor 18:00 18:00 13:00 30:46 17:46 18
Sam Eglen 15:30 15:30 15:30 30:47 15:17 19
Poppy Disley-May 20:45 20:15 10:45 30:49 20:04 20
Emelia Górecka 16:20 16:20 14:40 30:49 16:09 21
Ruth Haynes 18:00 18:00 13:00 30:50 17:50 22
Ian Bailey 15:10 15:10 15:50 30:56 15:06 23
Charlie Purdue 16:00 16:10 14:50 30:57 16:07 24
William Davis 16:10 16:20 14:40 30:59 16:19 25
Mona Jäppinen 18:30 18:30 12:30 31:05 18:35 26
Tara De Klerc 20:00 20:15 10:45 31:05 20:20 27
Molly Pocock 22:00 21:30 09:30 31:06 21:36 28
Michael Try 19:20 19:45 12:15 31:07 18:52 29
Claire Arnold 18:00 18:00 13:00 31:09 18:09 30
Toby Smith 16:00 15:40 15:20 31:10 15:50 31
Jake Cvetkovic 17:00 17:05 13:55 31:17 17:22 32
Matt Arnold 16:00 16:15 14:45 31:24 16:39 33
Lizzy Squibs 20:00 20:05 10:55 31:28 20:33 34
Chris Try 18:15 18:15 12:45 31:37 18:52 35
Richard Allen 16:00 15:45 15:15 31:44 16:29 36
Charlie Critchley 16:00 16:00 15:00 31:52 16:52 37
Robert Hislop 17:00 17:00 14:00 32:17 18:17 38
Andrew Hislop 19:00 19:00 12:00 32:22 20:22 39

Christmas Training

As always Mick Wood’s training program steps up over Christmas, and as always there are some fun and frolic events thrown in. The Christmas Eve training session is the first of the fun sessions, a full on, Sunday beasting, but in fancy dress. This years theme being “Disney” left a lot of scope for the runners to select from. Robbie chose “Woody” from “Toy Story” and was sort of, slightly cowboyish in appearance 🙂

Mick’s group dressed up and ready to run.

South of England Athletics Association – Inter Counties

Robbie was selected to represent Hampshire today in the SEAA – Inter Counties, alongside AFD team mates Jack Boswell and Jake Cvetkovic, unfortunately Jack was injured on the day and Hampshire traveled the long road to Biggleswade minus their number 1 runner.

The loss of Jack definitely effected the Hampshire team standing in the race, but didn’t really effect Robbie directly as he was selected outside, and finished outside the team scoring positions (Only the top 4 runners score for the team, Robbie was selected 5th for Hampshire and finished 5th for Hampshire).

Hampshire Team Places and Times.

Pos. Name Time
26 Jake Cvetkovic 13:19.0
27 Luke Powell 13:20.0
32 Michael Ilott 13:22.0
33 Sam Costley 13:25.0
39 Robbie Coupland 13:29.0
51 Ben Reed 13:35.0
52 Alex Forster 13:36.0
James Beeks NF

Hampshire U15 Boys Team 2013. Southern Inter-Counties XC