Its such a simple exercise for the race organiser (as an organiser of countless events myself ) just another tick box on the registration form.As already stated its not about the prizes at all but simply being able to compare yourself to someone close to your own age. Maybe in the younger age groupings it isnt as important but as you get older ( 55 60 65 etc) your fitness, ability etc is more difficult to achieve/maintain so a closer comparison is essential.
That really depends on what the organiser currently does. Organising a race consists of lots and lots of simple things. If we start demanding more, it might put future organisers off.Originally Posted by Lefty
Essential?? At these ages (which includes me) it's just nice to be able to take part in a race - anything else is just icing on the cake.
We're none of us getting any younger, me included, but I'm not really convinced by this "comparison with other runners of the same age" lark. If you discover that you really were the first V55 in that race, what does that mean? Probably that all the really good V55 runners were injured or racing elsewhere.
The really useful comparison is with your own previous performances. You usually know whether you could have run faster - if you didn't, what do you want to do about it? Pecking order - that's for the birds.
I know that lots of other sports have 5 year catgories, but many of them only allow you to compete in one vet category and, as has been noted already, these other sports are strictly for the well heeled!!
Just train a bit harder, run a bit faster - the real competition is (as it always was) yourself.
Well said YT, couldn't agree more, oneself is the only one that can take you forward, or hold you back.
If your just concerned by your own performance why bother entering a race then?Why not have a blast round any race route at any time and compare it with your previous performances if thats all that matters?
Running in a race will usually make you run faster than running on your own, or even running with a club. That's one reason for entering races - there are many others.If your just concerned by your own performance why bother entering a race then?Why not have a blast round any race route at any time and compare it with your previous performances if thats all that matters?
Can't have a pint with friends after if you don't raceIf your just concerned by your own performance why bother entering a race then?Why not have a blast round any race route at any time and compare it with your previous performances if thats all that matters?
I think position is meaningless compared to time - I have been 64th and 124th in different Juras with a time difference of 3 minutes between the two. My personal aim is to get below 5 hours, I have managed between 5.12 and 5.18 on 5 occasions, just over 4 hours on the short course and nearly six hours once when I was unwell - I'm never going to win a category but I can compare my own performance year on year and this has more meaning for me than who else has failed to turn up or who has had a bad day, especially as I get a little older and try to maintain or improve my times (3 minutes behind my PB from 7 years ago on last years race - that gave me a lot of satisfaction, and personally I would rather beat my PB or run 4.59 than be 'first' in a relatively small group of a particular age. If I was 'xth' V50 I still think more than a few V55s and V60s would be ahead of me.
For me I look at a percentage...if I'm going well I like to think I can finish in the first 10%, so 10th if theres 100 in a race or about 20th in a 200 strong field.That way weather or course changes that affect previous times doesn't affect were you finish relative to everyone else.
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