Pedestrian Handicapping.

Southland Times, Issue 1148, 18 March 1890, Page 3

Pedestrian Handicapping.

TO THE EDITOR.* Sir, — Why is it that handicappers at athletic sports do not generally give slow mile runners as great a start per 100 yds. in running a mile as they give to slow 100 yds. runners and to other slow short distance runners. A slow mile runner would take 330 seconds to run a mile ; a fast mile runner would run it in 253 seconds. This would be just at tbe rate of 14£ sees, to every 100 yds ., whereas the slow mile runner would take at the rate of 18f sees, to every 100 yds : therefore the slow mile runner would take 4 5-12 th sees, longer to every 100 yds than the fast mile runner. If a fast 100 yds runner would only take 2 sees, [less to run 100 yds than a slow 100 yds runner, then it is plain that the slow mile runner would reauire to get a greater start per 100 yds than le slow 100 yds runner. Taking the above figures for an extreme sample we find that the slow mile runner would run 13491iyd8 only while a fast mile runner would run a mile. Under these circumstances the slow mile runner would require to get a start of 410§yds in order to compete successfully with the fast mile runner. But as a person would run 1349£ yds at a greater speed than he would run 1760 yds, and also taking into account the time that the fast mile runner would lose in passing (say) 14 other competitors, on a round narrow track, the proper start should be 385yda. Now supposing that A, B, C, D, E, and F are going to run a mile, and that A can run it in 4 mm. 50 sees. ; Bin 4 mm. 55 sees. ; C in 5 mm.; D in 5 mm. 8 sees. ; E in 5 mm. 16 sees. ; and F in 5 mm. 30 sees. , the proper handicaps should be : A, scratch ;B, 35yds ; C, 56yds ;D, 98yds ; E, 138 yd s; and F, 202 yds. To give 30yds of a start to a man that would take 5 mm. 10 sees, to the mile, to run against a person that would run it in 4 mm. 50 sees. would be like giving a hungry horse 30 grains of oats for a feed. The one that could run it in 4 mm. 50 sees, would be in first, just 72yds before the other. In the above handicaps I have allowed for loss of time in passing other competitors and everything.—l am, &c., Observer.