Watch time or "official race time" with no chip

7 watchers

Muds May 2014 10:15pm, 15 May 2014 1,451 posts	0 Muds As a rule I would use official time. However I tend to start towards the front. If you train hard for a race but get held up crossing the start line you should use your own time. We record our training conscientiously, why would we enter false info in race details? Would you be proud of PB or bragging rights if you entered a time that hadn't been achieved? If we can't enter our own times there will be jog/walkers starting in front of 5min milers!
Fitz May 2014 8:12am, 16 May 2014 813 posts	0 Fitz Gun time for parkruns, chip time for chip-timed races
Ultracat May 2014 8:16am, 16 May 2014 10,946 posts	0 Ultracat Watch time when recording training from Garmin, official time in race portfolio on fetch.
Weean May 2014 8:17am, 16 May 2014 260 posts	0 Weean What V'rap and ultracat both said.
Ultracat May 2014 8:20am, 16 May 2014 10,947 posts	0 Ultracat Regarding Parkrun times if my watch time and official times are a bit different I would only be concerned if it was a potential PB or SB. I always start my watch on go unless I am wearing a chip then I start my watch when I cross the start line.
DoricQuine May 2014 8:46am, 16 May 2014 874 posts	0 DoricQuine I'm with Ultracat on when I start my watch but if race is not chipped I tend to go with my own time as on several occasions I have run races practically step by step with a running buddy but our official times have been up to a minute apart.
Vicky W May 2014 8:53am, 16 May 2014 113 posts	0 Vicky W For the race results it would have to be official time not my watch - otherwise it would seem like a [slightly better organised & well attended] training run result. However, I can feel your pain as I usually start at the back and so it has often cost me too.
CumbriAndy May 2014 8:53am, 16 May 2014 978 posts	0 CumbriAndy As others - 'Official' time in race portfolio. Watch (Garmin) time & distance in training log.
Vicky W May 2014 8:54am, 16 May 2014 114 posts	0 Vicky W And yep.. If there's a big discrepancy - watch time in training log so I can still feel the glow of achievement
Spleen May 2014 10:09am, 16 May 2014 709 posts	0 Spleen Watch time. Unless you are going for a prize, it's about how fast you run the set distance. The bit before the start is not part of that distance. The challenge is about how fast you can run, not about how early you can be bothered to go to the start line and stand around bored at the front so you don't lose fifteen seconds crossing the line. If I get a PB by five seconds I want it to be because I have trained well and made myself faster than I was before. Not because at the last race I started a bit further back.