<maths geek> Hmmmm, that site says that the percent figure is the percentile. If so, that would mean that, say, 65th percentile would put you in the top 35% of the population, or 50th percentile would put you exactly half way down the population. What the population is here isn't clear though. Presumably all the people of the same gender and age group that they have times for. It's a pretty meaningless statistic unless you know what the population is.

It's not the same thing as 65% of the best person's time/score/whatever - as it all depends on how the population is spread. So you might get 60% in an exam, but be in the 95th percentile, even though someone got 100%. Or you might get 95% in the exam, but only be in the 60th percentile, if it was a very easy exam and lots of people got 100% or close to it. </maths geek>

I hope that makes some kind of sense - it's so much easier to explain it with graphs

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Cautiously potter-along puddy

That`s cleared that up then....................................................


.

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Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.

I had a feeling that might be the response.

Maybe this makes more sense:

If you're in the 65th percentile, you're better/faster/smarter/taller/shorter/geekier than 65 percent of the population. Whatever the population is...

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Cautiously potter-along puddy

I like that.

Thanks bagpuddycat.

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Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.

NO IDEA WAHT IT MEANS BUT OUR CLUB CHAMPS FOR THE NEW SEASON IS GOING TO BE AGE GRADED....% =POINTS

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It's finally happened.....

It means that if you were a senior man (<40) rather than a vet, your 45.32 would be worth 31.35. The higher the percentage, the closer you are to the world record for your age group.
Taking my time (31.29) as a percentage of the senior mens world road record (27.00 I think), it would give me 85.71%. So our pb's are roughly the equivalent.

Do I need to get out more???

Thanks for that. We both need to get out more and train harder if we want to get nearer that 100% mark. It's interesting to work out our percentages over various distances. My highest percentage is for the marathon - 89.18% - so I suppose that was really my best distance.
Cheers!

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Give me the hills!

I'm having to go a long way back for this, I'm afraid...

... 30:06 April 1993!

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GONE RUNNING

you must be sick it wasn't a sub 30

Where did you do that, Mr P.

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A loser is not the one who runs last in the race. It's the one who sits and watches and who has never tried to run.
Bird in Boots Oh what have I done FLM09

Wallsend 10K.
Won in 29:22 by Colin Walker, who was an international steeplechase representative at the time.
I was runner-up.
Third was Mike McLeod who was/is an Olympic silver medalist over 10K.
I'm embarrassed to admit to being guilty of indulging in former glories I'm afraid.

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GONE RUNNING

Why shouldn't you indulge, this is the kind of thing that makes you puff your chest out with pride.

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A loser is not the one who runs last in the race. It's the one who sits and watches and who has never tried to run.
Bird in Boots Oh what have I done FLM09

Hmm... Chest puffing. Not really comfortable with that sort of thing; unless it's as a result of a particularly strenuous hill climb during a run.

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GONE RUNNING

woohoo...PB today in Derby 10K 38:28...please update my time Richard when you get chance
storming run in pretty miserable conditions, aimed for sub40 but new it was gonna be quick when i hit 5K in 19mins...even managed a sprint finish before collapsing onto pride parks in-field...legs are sore now but i can live with that...time for cake and tea before a great big sunday roast later this evening...

Well done, KP. Attachment 411

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GONE RUNNING

Did my first one earlier today

Got a 47:27 according to officials, but i timed it at 47:09 from when I crossed the start but i guess that is unofficial