Split times as PBs?

Can one use split times as PBs?

I ran a 10K at the weekend and cocked up my pacing, ran the first half far too fast and then burnt out.

One consolation is I covered the first 5k about 5 seconds faster than I ever have in a 5K race (shows how much my pacing was off).

Can I grasp this silver lining and call it my 5k PB?

Johnny

Comments

  • if there's an official 5k split time then yeah that counts!

  • But why would you bother as that means that if you had set out to run just 5k, you will do it faster anyway, so why bother 'claiming a PB' when its patently obvious if you just enter a 5k run, you'll beat it anyway.

     

  • Yeah I know, it's just silly number crunching. Don't think i'll get a chance to run a 5k before the end of the year (busy sats so no parkruns image) and so I wanted to have this as my end of year time.

    There was no official split times, just my watch, so I think it's a no. I don't think i'd have felt at ease with my conscience anyway.

     

    Thanks all

  • If it's been a while since you last ran a 5k, then the 5k split could be a useful guide to inform your training paces, but it suggests your actual 5k race pace could be quicker, as presumably you had "something" left beyond the 5k marker, and in a race, you'd hope to pace yourself to be completely spent by the finish line

     

  • If you use those times you will always have to have a "but" added on. Easier to just go out and run better. 

  • It's a personal best.  If it was an officially measured 5K point (take care there), and you're certain of your time (rounding up, rather than down), then why not?

    This assumes that you're not a high profile, professional athlete - a fair assumption given how much you cocked up that race. image

  • It's a bit like saying that you won the game 2-0 after 45 minutes, when you lost 4-2 at full time. 

  • Nose Nowt wrote (see)

    It's a personal best.  If it was an officially measured 5K point (take care there), and you're certain of your time (rounding up, rather than down), then why not?

    This assumes that you're not a high profile, professional athlete - a fair assumption given how much you cocked up that race. image

    Nah.  If someone asks me my 10 mile PB I'd feel a bit silly giving them my Garmin split time during the Brighton half marathon.  (Especially as the last three miles was back into the wind. image )

  • Hmmm.. I was clear that it had to be an officially measured 5K point... and you have to be certain of your time.   In which case it's not disingenuous to quote that time.

    Having said that, I doubt I'd quote it myself... but why not?

    Certainly, a "Garmin" split - suggesting that the 5K is Garmin measured, can only be a personal Garmin PB... which is pretty meaningless to anyone but yourself.

     

    As for Sussex's football analogy - I'm sure that he/she doesn't have faith that it has any relevance!

  • WilkieWilkie ✭✭✭

    A Garmin split can't be assumed to be 100% accurate anyway.

    I wouldn't claim it as a PB, it would be a target in my head. I'd be keen to find a 5k and do it properly.  

     

  • Nose Nowt. You are like a tin of Ronseal.

  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭

    I agree with Sussex. If you were in the lead at 5k then lost 20 places you would not break the race down and claim on your running CV that you won a 5k race. As others have said, it means you are pacing both distances wrong arguably for that to happen.

    You would have a mildly better argument for it if it was in a big race and there was an official split. 

  • Is it meant to be official, for points/leagues/rankings?  Probably not, but if only taking note for your personal log then yes I would count it! I smashed my 20 mile PB in the Berlin Marathon and i totally count that!! image I count PBs gained in training runs, not just races anyway.  Grab that silver lining! image

  • Again, depends what you mean. Technically my 5k and 10k PBs all came at splits in the Great South Run (I know, I know!). These were done on chip times, appear in the official results and are presumably accurate given the event. Power of 10 won't accept them as official PBs though - I asked!

  • Sussex Runner NLR wrote (see)

    Nose Nowt. You are like a tin of Ronseal.

    Do you think I wood care?
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    you can't use mid race splits for a pb.

    The race might have some downhill bias that wouldn't allow it to stand if it was a stand along distance, as the rest of the race might make it back up to "Neutral".

    A pb is an officially recorded full result.

    Otherwise you could start saying you'd "won" a 5k within a marathon, and all sorts of other nonsense.

  • it could be a downhill half of a race...............so no chance...my 10k and 10 mile PB was done in my half marathon but i can't take them as PB's.i will just have to race those distances again one day.......mind you that half was two and a half years ago..........

  • Really depends on either how serious a runner you are or how serious you take yourself.

    Nothing wrong with considering splits or self timed runs as a PB or even using GPS as a basis. Taking a corner off the race line can add a fair distance to the race so accuracy is relative anyway. Very few people adding to this forum are going to need to worry about the extremes of accuracy.  Some people choose never to run races and their personal best is just as valid as anyone else.

    Having said that if my 5k PB was part of a 10k run I would be pee'd off with myself and would need a new 5k PB as soon as possible. 

     

     

  • DT19 wrote (see)

    I agree with Sussex. If you were in the lead at 5k then lost 20 places you would not break the race down and claim on your running CV that you won a 5k race. 

    You've got a running CV?

  • "Interests:  Reading..."

     

    (See what I did there?)

  • Of all of these I liked the football analogy best! (it's because i'm an English teacher). I didn't drop any positions after the 5K mark despite dropping loads of time so I guess the analogy is gong 2-0 up at half time and then hanging on with 0% possession through the second. (That said 2 - nil up is generous. More like going 8 nil down, then not conceding anymore).

    I'm gutted as starting the real endurance section of my marathon training now and so will lose this extra pace I currently have before I can race.

    It's a catch 22 as the people who would really care and understand about pbs will be you runners who will know it's a cheat. I think i'll just boast to people who don't know what 'm talking about. 

  • BirchBirch ✭✭✭

    My 10K pb is faster pace per mile than my 5 mile pb, so it's reasonable to assume I went thru' 5 miles in the 10K faster than in the 5 mile race. However, I can't take that as a pb, as nowt official, and, as an old git, this was well before Garmins etc. Must say tho' that we shouldn't take Garmin splits as pbs anyway. 

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