27 September 2010

The runbritain handicap scheme is now well underway with almost 4000 scores claimed. The scoring system, system, which allows runners to make comparisons against fellow runners of varying degrees of ability, is designed to allow road runners of all abilities to benchmark their progress and compare their results across a range of distances and terrains. Anyone who has run a 5km, 10km, half marathon or marathon this year will have a score and the runbritain team has decided to check out the scores of some well known faces so far…

Jenni Falconer was one of the first to claim her 15.7 handicap but it hasn’t taken long for her to reduce it by a massive 2.4. Singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding recently ran the Great North Run in 1:50:40 which gives her a handicap of 20.9, but since it was her first race over one of the distances this year she’s sure to lower that in no time! Likewise, X Factor star, Joe McElderry scored 16.2 by running 99:21 at the GNR; by knocking another 15 seconds off that time he could move up to 16.1

After running the Jane Tomlinson 10K in York Nell McAndrew was awarded with a 10.9 but then lowered it to 9.2 after running at the Great North Run. Her next target should be 9.1, and to achieve that she needs to lower her 5km by three seconds, 10k by six seconds, half marathon by 13 seconds and marathon by 28 seconds.

Emmerdale actor Tony Audenshaw has been up and down between 12.5 – after a parkrun he ran early in the year in Leeds – and 10.5 after the Virgin London Marathon. He is currently on 10.9 after running 1:42:55 at the Great North Run. "At the moment I’m not fit so it’s good for me to be able to compare my scores and progress," he said, knowing he needs to knock 28 seconds off his marathon time or 14 seconds off his half marathon time to lower his score to 10.8. "I will run another marathon in December. Twenty-eight seconds might be a big ask for me. I’ve got more chance of knocking 14 seconds off my half marathon time after running the Great North Run in a banana suit and after having run a marathon the week before and a 56-miler the week before that!"

So – moving from the stars of our screens to the stars of our sport…

Mara Yamauchi has the lowest female handicap with an impressive -1.2. She started the year on 2.7 after running 70:46 for the half marathon. She went into the minus figures at the Virgin London Marathon and reduced it further to -1.2 at the Great North Run.

However, the current leader with the lowest overall score of -5.0 is Andrew Lemoncello. With times of 2:13 for the marathon, 63:11 for the half marathon and 28:47 for the 10K he’s undoubtedly one of Britain’s top distance runners and his handicap is proof of that!

If you haven’t done so already, log on to claim your handicap. If you’re a first timer you need to claim your result from a race you have done and then the system will ask for your email and password. If you’re already registered on The Power of 10, you need to log on first by using the same email and password as this system has been developed in conjunction with the team that runs the McCain Power of 10 website.