Wakefield Harriers Christmas Handicap Race

Every year the club has a Christmas Handicap Road Race, usually held on a club night in the week before Christmas. This is the one race of the year where every runner has an equal chance of winning, assuming the handicapper gets his sums right ! The race has been going for more than 80 years, and over that time we have had winners of all abilities, and from all age categories. The course has changed several times over the years, but for the last 50 years has usually consisted of two full circuits on the pavement around the perimeter of Thornes Park, with variations in the start and finishing points.
Since 2003 it has started on the Thornes Park track, then the runners do two full circuits around the perimeter of Thornes Park, before returning to the track for a final circuit of 400m, making a total race distance of about 4.5 miles. The course record for this version of the race is now 22 mins 04 secs, recorded by Mark Bostock in 2021, with Helen Singleton holding the ladies' record with 25 mins 15 secs in 2008. Nathan Elliott has recorded the fastest time on this course no fewer than 7 times, and is the only runner in recent years to have won the race whilst also recording the fastest time. Helen Singleton has also been dominant amongst the ladies, recording the fastest time on 6 occasions.
Well over 200 different runners have competed in the event since 2003, and here is a Record in Excel of everyone's times recorded on the current course during those years.
2020 was a virtual race, due to Covid restrictions.