Harry's Handicap: A New Year's Day Tradition

Harry’s Handicap Team Photo - January 2019

By Linda S. Chan All photos by PaFoua Hang, except as noted

Race Directors, dressed as Kurt Steiner

I joined PPTC in September 2018. Before becoming a PPTC member, I had never heard of Harry’s Handicap.  But on January 1, 2019, I raced Harry’s Handicap, and it was a race like no other. 

Held annually on New Year’s Day by PPTC for its members and friends, Harry’s Handicap is named for PPTC’s co-founder, Harry Murphy. The tradition of Harry’s Handicap goes back long into PPTC history (or at least into the 80’s). This is a race unlike any you’ve run before: The racecourse is a loop of Prospect Park. But unlike “regular” races, all runners don’t have the same start time. 

When you sign up for Harry’s Handicap, you enter into a spreadsheet information about your most recent 5K time, and the time you think it will take you to run a loop of Prospect Park. Come race day, you are given your start time. The slowest runner starts first and is followed progressively by faster runners, with the fastest runner starting last. If the calculations of the handicaps are correct, all runners will finish at the same time.  

My start time (Photo by Linda S. Chan)

I didn’t know what to expect when I ran Harry’s Handicap. I went to Shepherd’s Hall on the morning of New Year’s Day to check-in for the race. My starting time was written on my hand (so there would be no forgetting), and I was given a vintage canvas reusable bib, a number, and some pins. I’m one of the club’s slower runners, so I didn’t have to wait too long for my start. I left Shepherd’s Hall to start; some of the faster runners were out there warming up. When my handicap time came up on the clock, I started running.  

Me, starting the race

The start alone was a little different. I started alone shortly after the runner ahead of me started — and there was someone behind me waiting to start — but there weren’t corrals of runners waiting to start with me. At first it was like any other race: I just put one foot in front of the other and started running. I also passed a runner (that doesn’t happen often at other races).

About a mile in, thoughts I’ve never had at other races invaded my mind:

“The faster runners must have started.  They must be on their way to me.” 

“They are coming!”  

Every footstep I heard behind me had to be a runner about to pass me. Going up Zoo Hill (Battle Pass Hill), I heard fast footsteps quickly approaching. I could hear the runner’s heavy breathing. I was going to be passed.

The runner did pass me, and stopped at the top of the hill. Nope, he wasn’t competing in Harry’s Handicap: It was just a runner doing hill repeats. Who does hill repeats on New Year’s Day?! But I was still good. No one had passed me, yet.  

The fastest runners (Johnny and Ted), starting last

As I continued to run, I kept thinking, “THEY are coming!” Then I heard it: Footsteps from a group of people who were running, talking, and laughing. Oh, no! I was going to be passed and by a group talking and laughing! They passed me. But no, they weren’t running Harry’s Handicap. They were just a group of friends out for a run; I was still good. I couldn’t make out any PPTC members ahead of me, I just kept running. Then the group passed me.

Andy and Dean near the finish

I don’t remember exactly where in the course it happened — I think it was in the second half — but Andy and Dean passed me with some waves and words of encouragement. At least they seemed to be working hard to keep a faster pace, so I was okay with that. No woman had passed me, so that was good, right? Got to keep running. The rest of them must be coming. Soon, there was going to be a stampede of faster runners who would overtake me.

Then, I could see it. The finish line was near. I had a little more to go before the turn to the finish…and then I got passed again.  

This time, it was Jimmy who passed me. Damn it! I was so close to the finish!  Some more words of encouragement, but I didn’t have it to even try to catch him. 

But the finish was near. The voice in my head said just one thing: “GO!” At that point, I didn’t see anything but the finish line. 

I crossed the finish line, knowing I had passed one person and was passed by three runners. It turns out that I also passed another woman near the finish, but didn’t see her since I was so focused on the finish line.  After the race, I stayed and cheered on the faster runners who were, for once, finishing after I did.

It was fun to see runners of different abilities finishing at the same time. For so many runners, Harrys’ Handicap is one race that provides an opportunity to cross the finish line before a faster runner (or sometimes just edging out ahead of a faster runner).  

After the race, we returned to Shepherd’s Hall to feast on the potluck buffet. When awards for the race were announced, I found out that I had come in first among the women! It was the first medal I earned for finishing first in a road race!  

What am I doing New Year’s Day? I’m running Harry’s Handicap. Sign up to race with me. Listen for the footsteps. Keep running. Don’t look back, and just maybe you’ll win a medal. 

Potluck buffet at Shepherd’s Hall, after the race