Why age-graded results are estimates, not rankings

TruePace Run is designed to make age grading easier to understand. It is not designed to replace race results, award medals, settle club debates with legal authority, or tell you that the weather did not happen.

The calculator gives useful informational estimates. That word matters.

What the calculator does

The calculator takes a distance, finish time, age and gender. For supported road distances, it compares that result with sourced road-running age standards, then returns an age-graded percentage and an age-adjusted equivalent time.

The currently supported distances are 5K, 10K, half marathon and marathon.

What an age-graded percentage means

The age-graded percentage is a comparison against a reference standard for that distance, age and gender. Higher percentages indicate stronger performances relative to the relevant standard.

That can be very useful, especially when comparing performances across age groups. It is still a calculated estimate, not a new official race placing.

What an age-adjusted equivalent time means

The age-adjusted equivalent time is a way to express the performance in a more familiar form. It helps runners understand roughly what the result might look like when adjusted against open-age style standards.

It should be read as a comparison aid. It is not a claim that you literally ran that time, and it is not a replacement for your official finish time.

Why the result is an estimate

Any age-grading calculator depends on the standards it uses, the distances it supports and the assumptions behind the calculation. TruePace Run uses sourced 2025 road-running age standards and labels the source near the result.

That transparency is a strength. It means you can see the basis for the estimate instead of being asked to trust a mysterious number floating out of the internet.

What the calculator does not adjust for

The calculator does not adjust for:

• heat or humidity
• wind
• hills
• terrain or course surface
• crowding and race congestion
• pacing choices
• training status
• health, illness or injury
• shoes or equipment
• course measurement issues

Those factors can change the meaning of a result. A hot, hilly race and a cool, flat race are not the same thing, even if the calculator sees the same distance and time.

Official results still belong to race organisers

TruePace Run is independent from parkrun, WMA, USATF, race organisers and timing providers. It does not publish official rankings, validate race results or change anyone's finishing position.

If you need the official result, use the event's published results. If you want age-group context for understanding a performance, use TruePace Run as an estimate.

How to use the result sensibly

A sensible reading sounds like this: this was my official finish time, and this is the age-graded estimate that helps me understand it in context.

That gives you a clearer, more honest way to compare performances without overclaiming what the number can do.