Australian Pursuit: Pass and Score Points

A no-elimination version of the Australian pursuit from track cycling: runners start evenly spaced around an oval and run for three minutes trying to pass the person ahead. Each pass scores a point, and being passed doesn't knock anyone out, so everyone runs to the end.

How to play

1. Mark an oval of about 150 meters with ten evenly spaced cones; in groups of ten, each runner wears a pinnie and stands at a cone (3 min).
2. Simultaneous start on the whistle: 3 minutes of running, trying to catch and pass the person ahead; each clean pass scores a point; meanwhile, the other group acts as judges, one per runner, recording clean passes (4 min).
3. Switch groups: the second group runs with the same rules (4 min).
4. A second round for each group in the opposite direction, starting from a different cone (6 min).
5. Group share: was it better to start fast or to pace yourself and come back at the end? (3 min).

Rules

• Always pass on the outside and call out first; touching or cutting in is not allowed.
• No one is eliminated: anyone who is passed keeps running and can pass again.
• Points are personal and are used to compare each student's two rounds, not to make a ranking.
• Leave at least an arm's length when passing.

Variations

Adaptations

• Wheelchair user: races in a separate round with other wheelchair users or against the clock, counting laps completed.
• Visual impairment: runs with a guide in the outside lane of the oval, where they don't need to pass on the outside of anyone.
• Low fitness: acts as a judge in one round, and in the other runs counting laps instead of passes.

Learning goals

• Sustain a fast-paced endurance effort for several minutes.
• Decide when and how to pass based on the opponent and one's own reserves.
• Compete fairly and follow passing rules.

Equipment for a class of 25

• cones: 10
• pinnies: 10

Teacher tip

With ten runners on 150 meters, the starting gap is 15 meters, enough for passing without crowding. If one runner passes a lot of people, have them start behind the fastest runner in the next round.

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