Clock of Doom 50k

The Race

A 50k is easy if you just break it up into smaller chunks, right? What if you just did 10 5ks, for example? That wouldn't be too hard, would it? Enter the CLOCK OF DOOM. It's a 50k, yes, but broken down into more "manageable" segments, 3 miles each. The only catch: You don't know how much time you have to complete each segment until just before you run it! The clock is set for a randomly-chosen DOOM TIME, and you have exactly that long to complete the course. If the clock reaches zero before you finish, you are out! The survivors (if there are any) all start each segment together. The winner is the runner with the lowest elapsed running time who completes all ten segments.

The Rules

Runners report to the start/finish line at least 1 minute before the start. A Doom Time is selected from a hat, and that is the time every runner must beat in order to stay in the race. The runners start each segment together, and the Clock of Doom counts down to zero from the Doom Time. All runners must complete the segment before the Clock of Doom reaches zero! Each runner's time is recorded as they complete each segment. At this point, they may NOT start the next segment! Runners who do not complete a segment before the Clock of Doom reaches zero are eliminated. Runners who complete a segment on time must report back to the start/finish line before the Clock of Doom reaches zero. At this point, a new Doom Time is selected from the hat, and the cycle repeats! The overall winners and age group winners are calculated based on their total running time for all the segments. In other words, your actual time for each segment is added up for an overall time. Any extra time you gain by completing a segment early helps reduce your overall time. If no one in an age group completes the entire 50k, the person who completed the most segments in the fastest time is the winner. To get the overall win you must complete the entire 50k!

The Details

There are nine 3-mile segments, plus one 4-mile segment: The Hills of Mayhem. The Doom Times for the 3-mile segments range from 30 minutes to 50 minutes. They are chosen randomly from the following list: 30, 33, 35, 38, 40, 43, 45, 48, 50. Once a Doom Time is selected, it will not be used again. That means every Doom Time will eventually be used! The Hills of Mayhem segment gets added to the hat after the fifth segment. When it is chosen, the Doom Time is one hour.

Age Groups: 10-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60+, for each gender. Overall awards: First place for each gender

The Course

The 3-mile segment is a flat, paved, out-and-back greenway. The Hills of Mayhem is a TOP-SECRET, hilly, paved loop.