Run-Down Forums

[Micah Ward]

I did an easy 4 miles tonight in 39:12. Nothing remarkable about that but it started me thinking. My 10K PR is 39:12. I ran that back when I was 26 years old. Now that I am 47 I doubt I will ever see a sub 40 10K again.

But.......

At age 47 a 10K in 42:30 age grades to 39:04. In other words, according to the WAVA tables a 42:30 at age 47 is equivalent to a 39:04 for an open runner.

So if I can run a time that age grades faster than that 39:12 is that effort now my new PR?

Does any of this make sense? Does it really matter? Am I just trying to deny that I am getting old? Or have I come up with a way to continue setting PR's as I get old?
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[Dan]

Well, not quite being eligible for age grading yet, I might not be qualified to comment, but I don't see how an adjusted effort can be considered your best ever, when clearly it isn't your best ever. The whole age grading thing is too arbitrary, in my opinion. You didn't actually run that fast. Just a chart that told you it's the equivalent performance. Who's to say the actual age/physiology grading for you in particular isn't better than WAVA's charts?

And as more and more people continue high levels of running into later years, the age-grading tables will presumably reflect that with tougher conversion standards. Does that mean the worth of your efforts changes over time? I don't think so. What you do is what you do, regardless of what anyone else does.

Dan
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[Micah Ward]

There is a certain profundity to that last sentence that I like.

Upon turning 40 I decided to keep track of PR's in 5 year age groups. It is a way of keeping the excitement alive in the face of the certain knowledge that I am getting slower as I get older. You will understand better when you hit this age.

Now I have hit on this idea of age graded PR's. I know it won't be the same as an absolute PR but you can bet I will put a big star beside it in the running logs.

I always thought I would grow old gracefully, but it is hard to do when it comes to running and racing. So I guess we each do what we do to keep ourselves satisfied, regardless of what anyone else does.
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[Conway]

Look at it this way ... Every year you can set a new PR for a new age !!!! That way you will never run out of setting new PR's and you will always face a new challenge !!!!

And personally I've never belived in age graded charts either ... You am what you am and you run what you run ... Just enjoy what you do ...
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Conway
Speed Thrills

[Micah Ward]

I do enjoy it....immensely

I also like playing with the age grade tables. I know they are not scientifically exact but they do give a basis for comparing performances from different eras.
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[Dan]

[Micah Ward]

Maybe "eras" wasn't the right word.

But "decades" would certainly apply
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