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.

2010 Headstarts

After careful consideration, the Dipsea Board of Directors have voted to reduce the winner’s penalty minutes for its race champions to 1-1-1 (one minute each for three consecutive years) from 4-3-2-1, effective this year for the 100th running of the Dipsea. The revision, the board agreed will allow Dipsea Race champions a more fair and equitable chance to defend his/her title in the future. It retroactively will affect the last three champions for this year’s race. The line for time handicaps for gender and age will remain the same. Nine of the top finishers in the 2009 Dipsea came from different age groups.

Head Start Table and Start Times for 2010
Age
 Group Minutes Head Start Section
MEN
WOMEN
 INV DR
6 & under, 74 & over
8 & under, 66 & over
AAA
25
8:30
8:57
73
65
AA
24
8:31
8:58
72
64
A
23
8:32
8:59
71
63
B
22
8:33
9:00
70
62
C
21
8:34
9:01
7, 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
65
10, 55
H
16
8:39
9:06
8, 63-64
54
J
15
8:40
9:07
62
11, 53
K
14
8:41
9:08
61
49-52
L
13
8:42
9:09
9, 60
12, 45-48
M
12
8:43
9:10
58-59
13-14, 44
N
11
8:44
9:11
10, 57
15, 41-43
P
10
8:45
9:12
56
16-18, 40
Q
9
8:46
9:13
11, 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