Posted by lynn allin on April 01, 2008 at 18:42:00:
Hello from Vermont ya'll!
Popped in to see what has been shaking lately and saw that FINALLY! we are having this discussion. The USAT ranks people very similar to this except they use the winning time for your category vs your time for each race. For example, winner of female masters was 1:30, my time 1:55. This way we compare apples and apples.
Using this logic/simple math, I have been telling my team mates for years that I beat them: despite coming in minutes behind them. Why? Because I came in 8th female overall and compared to (insert Bomber name here), who came in 11th overall, I place higher in my category than they did.
(except for the times when Rick was setting a record or Victor ran like a fiend, this held up pretty well)
Because seriously, how am I supposed to beat a man? (yeah it happens, but on average, men are faster)
And because you are basing your percentage on the world's fastest, it doesn't really cut you any slack for age: the fastest 65 year old is still damn fast by any comparison. And there are 38 year old women on the US track team.
...not that any of this matters because I broke my foot ice climbing and won't be running any time soon.
Have fun.
Missing you.
Lynn