RESOURCES FOR RACE DIRECTORS

Computer-Generated Runner Bios

Interested in a particular runner or group of runners? Ken Young can supply you with detailed bio information, which includes performances (including world/regional championship medal performances and national championships won, as well as any current national bests), wins, prize money won, best times, point level, and world ranking, all going back to November of 1991.

Who can use a computer bio?

Race directors: Deciding how to allocate your appearance/travel money? Computer bios give you an unbiased analysis of the performance you can expect from any given runner. Not only can you see how they are currently ranked but you can see if they are trending up or down over time. A 2:10 marathoner five years ago may still be capable of a 2:10 or lucky to break 2:20.

Race Promotion: Who are the favorites in your race? Our studies show the highest ranked runner wins 40% of the time (with seven or more ranked runners in the race). Sports writers understand prize money a lot better than they understand marathon times. Get the facts on prize money won by the elite runners in your race.

Elite Runners: What is your current racing level? Are you getting better or do you seem to be training harder and racing slower? Are you racing too little or too much? A computer bio plots your competitive level over the past 30 or more months (depending on data available) so you can see what racing pattern works for you and what doesn't.

Writers: Doing a story on an elite runner and need the facts? A computer bio gives you many useful facts, such as races and prize money won, PR's, and details on all recent performances of note.

What does a computer bio include?

Performances: All the performances in Running Stats since 1994 and a few more from other sources are included. Each performance gives you not only the place and time for the race but gives you the competitive level for the race. This immediately tells you what the competition in the race was like.

Annual Summaries: For each year, the number of races, wins, 2nd, and 3rd placings, total distance raced, prize money won, highest world ranking and point level, and best times for standard road and track events are provided.

World Ranking and Competitive Point Level: The current and past ranking and point levels are provided for roughly 1500 runners. Past rankings/point levels are plotted. Each race is denoted by a tic mark so you can easily see the active racing periods and racing frequency.

What does all this cost?

A "human-generated" bio can cost you $10 and up. Each full computer bio costs only $6.00. If the runner is unranked, i.e., no plot can be generated, the cost is only $5.00. If the runner is not in our data base and we can't provide even a single performance, there is no charge beyond the minimum charge of $5.00 per order.

Order 20 or more computer bios and get a 10% discount.

Contact:

Ken Young, kcy@inreach.com
916-987-9586

Statistics information derived with permission from Race Results Weekly and Running Stats, newsletters of international track, road and cross country results and information.