18 October 2009
Age-Grading the Roadkillers
10/20/2009 09:19 Filed in: Marathons
| 5K and 10K
Scanning the
results
from this years' UCF
Five-Miler, I was reminded of an important
characteristic of the Lake Monroe Roadkillers: our
group ranges in age from 21 to 55+. Our training
goals and race performances are just as diverse.
We run together as much as possible, but
inevitable separations occur when we toe the line
for races.
But it's easy to wonder: all things equal, who's the best runner?
Thanks to the World Association of Veteran Athletes (WAVA), there is a tool to measure this. WAVA's age-grading formula measures running performances without bias for age or gender. The formula levels the playing field, to demonstrate which performances are better than others, across age groups and genders. It's based on a runners' theoretical performance in their prime running years (20's or early 30's) and shown as a percentage of that prime performance. For example, a 55 year-old male runner with a 21:45 5K, has an age-graded performance of 69.6%. It's the equivalent of an 18:38 5K for a male in his prime running years.
Without further ado... we analyzed the results of 90 Roadkiller performances from January - October and calculated the average age-graded result for each runner. Jim Masters, 57, of Longwood, Fla., and Mike Scures, 53, of Winter Park, Fla. top the list.
Top 10 Roadkillers
Name, Average Age-Graded Performance:
1. Jim Masters, 75.94%
2. Mike Scures, 75.80%
3. Daniel McCarthy, 74.41%
4. Mike Baron, 73.53%
5. Jeremy Davidson, 72.52%
6. Diana Hampel, 70.57%
7. Danny Fritz, 68.48%
8. April Darrow, 67.32%
9. Elliott Strouse, 66.90%
10. Wade Compton, 63.09%
To put these results in perspective, consider Masters' performance at the No Boundaries 5K, held May 2 in Altamonte Springs, Fla. Masters ran a 19:26 to win the Masters Division at this race. It was the equivalent of a 16:22 5K, for a male runner in his prime years. An excellent performance.
Other highlights:
Mike Scures running a 39:20 at the CNL Bank Winter Park 10K. It was the equivalent of a 34:45 10K, for a male runner in his prime.
Daniel McCarthy's 56:45 at the Miracle Miles 15K - the equivalent of a 54:53 result for a male runner in his prime.
Last but not least, the best age-graded marathon performance goes to Mike Baron, 55 years young. He placed 5th in his age group at the 2009 Walt Disney World Marathon in 3:18. Baron's marathon was the equivalent of a 2:53 marathon for a younger runner in his prime. By the way, his absolutely great result at Disney was part of the Goofy Challege - he'd finished the Walt Disney World Half-Marathon the day before!!
Great running by all.
A few notes: We only analyzed the results of Roadkillers who'd run at least four races this year. There are several versions of the WAVA age-graded results calculator online. The calculator we used can be found here, courtesy of the Heartbreak Hill Striders.
But it's easy to wonder: all things equal, who's the best runner?
Thanks to the World Association of Veteran Athletes (WAVA), there is a tool to measure this. WAVA's age-grading formula measures running performances without bias for age or gender. The formula levels the playing field, to demonstrate which performances are better than others, across age groups and genders. It's based on a runners' theoretical performance in their prime running years (20's or early 30's) and shown as a percentage of that prime performance. For example, a 55 year-old male runner with a 21:45 5K, has an age-graded performance of 69.6%. It's the equivalent of an 18:38 5K for a male in his prime running years.
Without further ado... we analyzed the results of 90 Roadkiller performances from January - October and calculated the average age-graded result for each runner. Jim Masters, 57, of Longwood, Fla., and Mike Scures, 53, of Winter Park, Fla. top the list.
Top 10 Roadkillers
Name, Average Age-Graded Performance:
1. Jim Masters, 75.94%
2. Mike Scures, 75.80%
3. Daniel McCarthy, 74.41%
4. Mike Baron, 73.53%
5. Jeremy Davidson, 72.52%
6. Diana Hampel, 70.57%
7. Danny Fritz, 68.48%
8. April Darrow, 67.32%
9. Elliott Strouse, 66.90%
10. Wade Compton, 63.09%
To put these results in perspective, consider Masters' performance at the No Boundaries 5K, held May 2 in Altamonte Springs, Fla. Masters ran a 19:26 to win the Masters Division at this race. It was the equivalent of a 16:22 5K, for a male runner in his prime years. An excellent performance.
Other highlights:
Mike Scures running a 39:20 at the CNL Bank Winter Park 10K. It was the equivalent of a 34:45 10K, for a male runner in his prime.
Daniel McCarthy's 56:45 at the Miracle Miles 15K - the equivalent of a 54:53 result for a male runner in his prime.
Last but not least, the best age-graded marathon performance goes to Mike Baron, 55 years young. He placed 5th in his age group at the 2009 Walt Disney World Marathon in 3:18. Baron's marathon was the equivalent of a 2:53 marathon for a younger runner in his prime. By the way, his absolutely great result at Disney was part of the Goofy Challege - he'd finished the Walt Disney World Half-Marathon the day before!!
Great running by all.
A few notes: We only analyzed the results of Roadkillers who'd run at least four races this year. There are several versions of the WAVA age-graded results calculator online. The calculator we used can be found here, courtesy of the Heartbreak Hill Striders.