Forums >Racing>2011 Goal of Sub 20 5k
Wow. I would take it in a second!
Of course, your Garmin could be wrong too. But, if you can verify the true distance (car?) absolutely.
2018 Goals
Figure out the achilles thing...... and THEN try to get running regularly again.
No racing goals
Wow. I would take it in a second! Of course, your Garmin could be wrong too. But, if you can verify the true distance (car?) absolutely.
BTW - cars can be very inaccurate. Your GPS will typically be better. A well calibrated cycle computer better still.
So here's a question for ya: I just ran a 5k on New Year's Eve. I ran a 20:40. However, the race measured long - everyone's Garmin showed 3.25. Even the race website showed it was 3.22. If that's the case, I ran a 6:24 pace - which translates to a 19:53 "true" 5k race. Would you count that as a sub-20? I'm torn. I want to - I feel like that's legit, but wondering your opinions. Thanks!
So here's a question for ya:
I just ran a 5k on New Year's Eve. I ran a 20:40.
However, the race measured long - everyone's Garmin showed 3.25. Even the race website showed it was 3.22.
If that's the case, I ran a 6:24 pace - which translates to a 19:53 "true" 5k race. Would you count that as a sub-20? I'm torn. I want to - I feel like that's legit, but wondering your opinions.
Thanks!
Do whatever you want. But seriously, this whole idea that "my Garmin said this, and my buddy's Garmin said that, so if I take this and that and adjust this, my ACTUAL pace would have been such and such, which in turn would have given me THIS for my race time," is getting pretty ridiculous. I hear this same discussion going on at almost every race I run now. The only official race distance and time is from the start line to the finish line and what it says on the race clock. Taking anything other than that as "legit" or a "PR" is stretching, regardless of what everyone's Garmins say or what the race director admits to after the race. But your time only means something to you, so what it comes down to is, do whatever you want. Justify whatever you want. No one elses opinion really matters much. But since you asked.... I say heck no it doesn't count
Factor in, too, that a certified course is intentionally longer than the precise distance, so the calculated "equivalent time" for 5000m is optimistic anyway.
"I want you to pray as if everything depends on it, but I want you to prepare yourself as if everything depends on you."
-- Dick LeBeau
Yep, the way courses are measured and certified, it is physically impossible to run the true race distance. Then factor in that Garmins record data from point to point, in a stright line. Granted, those points are very close together and the data is received very frequently, but it will always be recorded longer than the actual running distance, especially if there are a good number of turns on the course. The same reason Garmins "struggle" to be precise on a track.
Then again if it's the opposite problem (course is short), it's very difficult to just take the time given and feel OK about it. I would have had a 5K PR last summer if I had chosen to take it.
Indeed. I tried to account for that--was shooting for a 19:59, so ran for more like a 19:40 in terms of pace, figuring it'd be even enough. My Garmin measured my marathon only 0.12 over--less than half a percent off (certified course, too). When I did the 5K, it was just shy of 0.15 over...almost five percent. D'oh. The course was long, sure, but most are (it was also certified). And I had fun. And it affirmed my capabilities and made me hungry for the next one.
Them are the breaks. I figure I'll get it next time--you will, too, molsen. I didn't count mine, either.
"When a person trains once, nothing happens. When a person forces himself to do a thing a hundred or a thousand times, then he certainly has developed in more ways than physical. Is it raining? That doesn't matter. Am I tired? That doesn't matter, either. Then willpower will be no problem." Emil Zatopek
Oh, in THAT case I always take the PR! Just kidding! I am the same way. If I am certain a course is short, I can't justify taking the PR in my own mind. It would just always bug me.
Anyone going to do a 2012 thread?
"If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus
Here it is.
Prince of Fatness
Dude, pay attention. The 2012 thread has been out there for a while.
Not at it at all.