Dope Hardstrong wrote:
Armstronglivs wrote:
4.49 as the world's best at age 61 - which I can believe - is why I find the world mark of 4.19 at age 53 difficult to believe. 30 seconds slower in 8 years.
You need to compare lifetime PRs too.
I understand that runners will age at different rates, and some who excelled in their youth won't be as good at a later age as those whose decline was more gradual. Also, the rate of decline is likely to be greater past 40 and 50. But the gap now between the best in the 50's and 60's seems much wider than I would have expected.
I was interested to see what Dan King was running in his fifties, but I see that he only took up running again 10 years ago. I read that he ran 4.50 at 54 and 4.37 for the 1500 in the 55-59 category in 2016. As a latecomer, he appears to be improving.
However, taking into account that he is the best in the world now at 61, I find at difficult to see why the best in the world in the 50-55 category is 30 seconds faster. That is huge. Is 30 seconds an expected decline in 8 years, from 53 to 61, which is the age difference between Barton and King? Should we expect Barton to be running at least 4.30 at King's age - if his age-related decline is comparable?