Personal Record Question (Read 761 times)

To me, a personal record is the best you've done at something (fastest, longest, whatever). Whether that's a goal you want to surpass is separate. That said, I think there is probably a point where a personal record gets old and you might not measure current results against it, especially if you have taken a break from the sport and are coming back to it.

Some people even list different eras in their signature line. For example, listing PRs from their 40s, then from their 60s.

Or 20th Century and 21st Century.

"......as I am a runner who will literally never enter a race." That is really too bad. Racing is fun!

I agree about racing! I'm about as slow as they come, but I love it. Even though I consider myself to have only one pace, somehow I DO go faster during a race. It's a great way to meet people in the local running community, too. And my friends are always impressed when I tell them I've run a 10K race or am training for my first half marathon. You should try it!

The USATF and other organizations have age graded formulas so that you can compare times if you don't want to deal with 20th vs 21st century (for example.) You could just age grade all of your times and see how they compare that way.

Heh. I'm not old enough for age grading to make much of a difference. Which means either: a) at 37, if I train hard and smart enough, some of those 20th century PRs might be attainable within the next few years b) My 21st century PRs suck, comparatively speaking. I prefer to go with a) and think of the 21st Century of as work of progress.

Thanks for the responses. I wasn't sure if this question would result in a big ball of flames headed my way. I think that I agree with the posters who set aside the PRs from their younger days. I think so, anyway. I've been running now for 18 months and even at age 41 I have still managed to get steadily faster, relatively speaking. I mean I'm slow. Seriously slow. But I'm faster than I was. So for me right now my PRs are my PRs because I truly believe that I can still beat them. I guess I am afraid of that time where I have to admit that I will never run X distance as fast I did "back then". I know that if I walked into a gym now and started hitting the iron again I would try very very hard to forget anything I had accomplished before. Notice I say I would try. I have a lingering suspicion that those old numbers would be haunting me like a ghost. That's why I asked the question. As for the racing thing, it's pretty simple. I enjoy running. Honestly, I never thought I would enjoy running but I do. I ran my first mile without stopping in February of '07 at the age of 39. Prior to that the only time in my life that I had run more than half a block was in high school gym class. I truly expected to hate running but I reached a point where it was all I had left. So why not race? Because I know how my mind works. I know that if I raced once I'd want to race again. I know that I'd train and push until I was able to at least rack up some decent age group placings. I also know that wouldn't be enough. It would be the gym all over again. It would be "if I can bench 225 I can bench 245" right up over 400lbs and let's ignore the injuries along the way. No pain, no gain, right? In the end I would grind my legs into dust in much the same way that my shoulder now more closely resembles a bag of walnuts than it does any part of the human anatomy. So instead I run. I structure my training with planned "races" that are chosen days where I set out with the goal of doing a predetermined run at a better pace than I ever have before. I train for those "races", but I also understand that it's just me and I can have a bad day and do my "race" on the next run. So far it's just enough of a challenge to keep me happy without having the self-destructive side kick in.

Good question, one that I currently deal with too. I'm 42 and have a running, um' 'er "career?" that started when I was 10 years old. My current formula is to think of my BC PRs and AC PRs. Translation: Before Children PR and my After Children PRs. I stole the acronmyn from a dad I know who runs and coachs a high school cross country team. And yes, get out and race. If you partake, perhaps find one with a post race beer garden. Always a good incentive to get to the finish line.