RACE PERFORMANCE GRAPH

 

 

WHAT IT SHOWS:  All your races in the past one year on a single performance scale, regardless of distance.

 

5K EQUIVALENT TIME:  (dots and dashed line):  This performance scale converts races at distances other than 5K to an equivalent 5K time by the following formula:

 

5Keq = ( time ) ( 3.107 / distance ) ( 1 / ratio )

 

where  5Keq = 5K equivalent time

time = race time

distance = race distance in miles (8K = 4.971, 10K = 6.214, half marathon = 13.109, marathon = 26.219)

ratio = “pace ratio” which reflects how much more time it typically takes to run each mile in a race compared to a 5K pace (for example, ratio = 1.045 for a 10K, which means the average runner takes 4.5% more time to run each mile in a 10K than in a 5K).  Other pace ratios include 1.03 for 8K or 5M, 1.107 for a half marathon, and 1.17 for a marathon.

 

Bottom SOLID LINE:  This is 1% above your best 5K equivalent within one year previous to each race date (your “baseline”).  When a race falls at or below this line, it is OUTSTANDING.

 

middle SOLID LINE:  This is 3% above your baseline.  Your performance for a race at or below this line is VERY GOOD.

 

top SOLID LINE:  This is 5% above your baseline.  For a race at or below this line, you can consider your performance as GOOD.

 

Above the top line:  We all have some races that don’t make it below the top line.  These are when factors such as course difficulty, weather, injury, illness, inadequate training, or not pushing to the max in that race prevent us from running as fast as our potential (but every race is still a worthy accomplishment!).