On a recent thread it was mentioned that putting PRs in sigs was a form of bragging. I tried to leave it alone, since I do prefer to stay out of drama threads, but that's been bugging me for a few days now so I wanted to check in. Do other people feel that way?
I personally like to see race times in sigs because it helps me to put a person's comments in context. While not the entire picture by any means, it gives me a snapshot of the runner and I can get a sense of where they're coming from without having to click all the way through to their log (assuming it's even public).
I mean, I'm proud of my PRs in that I've worked hard for them, but I'm not trying to brag about how fast I am. That would be silly.
But are there people who do get annoyed by PRs in subject lines because they think those of us who have them are bragging or trying to get attention?
Again, not trying to start drama, just an honest question that's been bugging me.
I look at them. I check logs to see how much other people run too.
I think it's about competition on some level, those that post them like to see how they rank (in my opinion).
I've thought about starting a thread entitled "running ahead pecking order" just to find out who's really the fastest.
To answer your question, it absolutely is bragging. but so what? If you want to take pride in your hard work, go for it.
But please, no humble bragging.
Another question though, are you more likely to listen to advice from someone who has a fast time in their signature?
Do you value the opinion of the sub 20 5K runner more than the 30 minute 5ker?
Trail and Ultra Running User Group
I guess it's often about finding people who have similar times to mine, and comparing their workouts to mine. Do they run their easy miles more slowly? More quickly? What times are they aiming for on their speed workouts, etc.
Also it helps me to put some workouts in perspective. A 4-mile tempo if you're running 7 minute miles is a totally different workout than if you're 3 min/mi slower, for example. And IMO a 10K is an entirely different race depending upon how close or far away your time is from your lactate threshold.
One other thing, I don't think the PRs paint the whole picture of the runner.
Using myself as an example, my current 5k pr, set a month or two ago, is slower than the splits on my only 10k, more than 8 months ago.
The difference? The 10k was run in the Phoenix Metro area at an altitude of 1500 feet or so, on a course that had 70 feet total elevation gain.
The 5k was run in my home town, at an elevation of 6200 feet, on a course that had 350 feet elevation gain.
Different situations entirely, but people see the PR and make assumptions. Same with the log book. When I do hill work, its 150' of climb in 1/4 mile. I don't have anywhere flat to run, so my lactate threshold/tempo runs look pretty slow, but I'll do a 8 mile loop and gain 2000'.
PRs aren't the whole picture.
I've rambled on long enough.
mta: had to double check elevation gain on the 5k
Runs4Sanity
I love seeing race times in sigs, I love seeing how the engine works in someone else and it is something you should be proud of because it showcases your hard work and training. What I also want to see is other's average elevation gains during runs dang it, I believe I live and run in a pretty flat area (okay not flat, but compared to the guys and gals whose average runs consist of like 800 feet gain or more, 200 feet is pretty small) and I love seeing and just trying to imagine what it is like running in mountains and stuff.
*Do It For Yourself, Do It Because They Said It Was Impossible, Do It Because They Said You Were Incapable*
PRs
5k - 24:15 (7:49 min/mile pace)
10k - 51:47 (8:16 min/mile pace)
15k -1:18:09 (8:24 min/mile pace)
13.1 - 1:53:12 (8:39 min/mile pace)
26:2 - 4:14:55 (9:44 min/mile)
I find the PRs and log data to be more relevant when determining what advice to give, not when deciding whether I should listen to somebody.
Antipodean
I do it (obviously) and it's a form of accountability for me, as is my public log. And it's competition, sure. So are races and I love it. I am not ashamed of my times (I'm a 45 year old female) but I really want to get my first half done so I can put a HM PR up. I hope it's under 2 hours, if not, well, it may make me train a bit harder for my next one.
Some people seem a bit, ah, sensitive. But that's ok, they don't need to put their PRs up & shouldn't bother to read others.
Would I take advice more seriously from people with faster times - yes, maybe, but it has to go hand in hand with experience, mileage, etc.
Julie
"It's not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves."
~ Sir Edmund Hillary
I don't mind sigs. With PRs, without PRs, etc... It's your space and you do what you want with it. I used to have all the races I did in one year, but I decided to make my sig shorter.
As far as taking advice from faster runners... I usually don't take anyone's advice, whether I see fast PRs or slow PRs. Which is why I am nursing a broken foot at the moment.
PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013
Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013
18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010
uʍop ǝpᴉsdn sǝʇᴉɹʍ ʇI
I only do it because I am proud of my accomplishments. If someone thinks it's bragging or a fast or slow time, I don't really care.
Beer-and-waffle Powered
As other posters have mentioned, it can give an idea about the other runner, but not the whole picture. Just because someone is good at something doesn't mean they are very knowledgeable about something, or vise versa, for example I used to be able to beat my old golf coach pretty easily, but he still had a lot to teach me. However, I do believe that the average 15 minute 5K runner will have been in the game longer and know more about training principles than someone who takes twice as long. That being said, that doesn't necessarily mean that their advice is best for someone at a totally different level than them.
+1
In the words of my late-coach : Just hang in there, relax... and at the end of a race anyone you see.....just pass them
Will run for scenery.
By itself, I don't think there's anything wrong with posting fast (or slow!) times in a sig. If it's a fast time for you, be proud. If it's not good enough for you, use it as a reminder to train harder. As long as somebody doesn't act like a jerk about their times, why should I be bothered ?
I like seeing how fast/far other people can run, where they run, what kind of events they run, etc. It's why we have public logs, dailies, etc.
In real life, lots of people are put off just knowing that you run; they certainly don't want to hear about your successes. A forum like this ought to be a place where people can be proud of whatever it is they accomplish.
Stupid feet!
Stupid elbow!
There are people who get annoyed by any damn thing, like the wind blowing, birds chirping or even green grass.
I personally couldn't care less what a person does with their online account. For me to consider it bragging would mean that I have judged them. Something that is completely impossible when you don't know someone.
Are we there, yet?
On a recent thread it was mentioned that putting PRs in sigs was a form of bragging.
I'm sure that could be one reason people put PRs in their signature lines, but there are other reasons also. They are often coupled with goals and become a record of progress or lack thereof. They can be a statement of where someone is with their racing and training, which might or might not be bragging, but does help when requesting advice. Posters don't have to ask for that info before responding.
I don't bother with them because 30 year old PRs are meaningless for my current training and goals. Now if I put them in my signature, particularly without any explanation of when I ran them, that would be bragging as well as deceptive.
2024 Races:
03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles
05/11 - D3 50K 05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour
06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.
Smaller By The Day
I like seeing other people's times in their sig. I don't just put PR's, I put every race since I started actually running. Race times in the signature helped us to have a virtual race, which was fun. I've never seen someone else's times, and felt bad about it.
If someone's sig bothers someone else, I think there is more of a jealousy issue with the person who is bothered by it. I don't think too many people are putting a race time in their sig, puffing their chest out, and looking down on other posters. No. I don't think there is a bragging issue.
Improvements
Weight 100 pounds lost
5K 31:02 Sept. 2012 / 23:36 Sept. 2013 (Same Course)
10K 48:59 April 2013
HM 2:03:56 Nov. 2012 / 1:46:50 March 2013
MARATHON 3:57:33 Nov. 2013
Nearly everyone brags. People frame college degrees and put them up on the wall of their office. If your kid wins an award, you stick that up in some public place rather than just in the kid's room. Folks put bumper stickers on their cars touting that they supported or didn't support some political candidate and they leave them on the cars long, long, long, long, long after the election is over. Sure it's bragging but it's no different from any other bragging we all do.
Short term goal: 17:59 5K
Mid term goal: 2:54:59 marathon
Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life. (I started running at age 45).