Fun with statistics: A tutorial on using linear regression to develop race time conversions

As you can see, I've been playing around with numbers recently.  "Conversion charts" intended to predict future race performances (or equivalent race times) based on a previous race abound on the internet and in running books.  But they often don't have the race distance you are looking for.  And the various conversion tools runners use ... Read more

Should you think about running in college?

As high school cross country finishes up, many juniors and seniors are turning their attention to college applications.  Some of the more serious runners are probably thinking about running competitively in college.  In talking to high schoolers and their parents, I find there are often a lot of misconceptions about what college distance running is ... Read more

Caffeine and running: effectiveness, ethics, and the NCAA

In my previous post, I mentioned how caffeine can boost athletic performance by stimulating the central nervous system, which in turn makes a given effort seem easier–the rated perceived exertion (RPE) drops.  I was leading you on a bit: the drop in RPE isn't the whole story with caffeine.  In fact, it only accounts for ... Read more

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