Spectator PR's

[tandfman]

Being a sedentary non-athlete, I could not contribute to the recent PR thread. I could only read it with admiration and a bit of envy.

But guess what? Spectators have our PR's too. Mine are listed below. These are the best marks I've ever seen in person in each of the standard OG/WC events contested in the stadium.

The purpose of doing this is not a competition. I'm pretty sure I don't have the best set of PR's in the world--I can think of at least a few friends who can probably beat them. But I know perfectly well that this is a very respectable list that most people won't match (although, Lord knows, lots of people have me beaten in particular events or even groups of events). So what? As I said, this is not a competition.

The real reason to compile a spectator PR list of your own is to add another dimension to your enjoyment of the sport. Just as journeyman athletes get great satisfaction out of setting a PR, no matter how modest that PR may be by international elite standards, any serious fan who goes to a decent number of track meets can get spectator PR's on many occasions, often by seeing performances that won't make any headlines. And when you see a PR, if you're a hard core fan (as many readers of this Board are), you can really get a thrill out of it.

Whether or not you want to share your PR list with the Board is up to you. But if you don't already have such a list, think about compiling one. You'll have fun doing that, and if you then take it with you to meets, you'll have more fun at those meets when you realize that you've just seen a PR.

Here's my own list (* = current world record/world indoor record):

Men

100 – 9.58*
200 – 19.19*
400 – 43.03*
800 – 1:40.91*
1,500 – 3:27.65
3,000SC – 7:56.94
5,000 – 12:50.55
10,000 – 26:43.16
110H – 12.80*
400H – 46.78*
4x100 – 36.84*
4x400 – 2:54.29*
HJ – 2.43i (7-11½) (2.42o) (7-11¼)
PV – 6.06i (19-10 1/2) (6.05o) (19-10¼)
LJ – 8.95* (29-4½)
TJ – 18.29* (60-¼)
SP – 22.91 (75-2)
DT – 71.26 (233-9)
HT - 86.74* (284-7)
JT – 92.80 (304-9)
Decathlon – 9045

Men Indoors

60 - 6.34*
400 - 44.52*
800 - 1:42.67*
1500 - 3:33.10
3000 - 7:32.41
60H - 7.34
4x400 - 3:00.77*
HJ - 2.43* (7-11 1/2)
PV - 6.06 (19-10 1/2)
LJ - 8.79* (28-10 1/4)
TJ - 17.92* (58-9 1/2)
SP - 22.31 (73-2 1/2)
Heptathlon - 6645*


Women

100 – 10.49*
200 – 21.34*
400 – 47.60*
800 – 1:54.44
1,500 – 3:51.95
3,000SC - 8:44.32*
5,000 – 14:24.53
10,000 – 29:17.45*
100H – 12.26
400H – 52.16*
4x100 – 40.82*
4x400 – 3:15.17*
HJ – 2.09* (6-10¼)
PV – 5.05 (16-6 3/4)
LJ – 7.45 (24-5½)
TJ – 15.50* (50 10¼)
SP – 22.24 (72-11¾)
DT – 73.04 (239-7)
HT – 82.29 (269-11)
JT – 72.28* (237-2)
Heptathlon – 7291*

Women Indoors
60 - 6.95
400 - 50.04
800 - 1:56.90
1500 - 3:59.75
3000 - 8:29.48
60H - 7.70
4x400 - 3:23.85
HJ - 2.05 (6-8 3/4)
PV - 5.02 (16-5 1/2)
LJ - 7.32 (24- 1/4)
TJ - 15.36* (50-4 3/4)
SP - 20.67 (67-9 3/4)
Pentathlon - 5013*

Most of all I envy your free time and disposable income!

MEN
100 - 9.80
200 - 19.66
400 - 43.18*
800 - 1:42.67i (1:42.80o)
1500 - 3:26.45
St - 8:01.98
5000 - 12:52.79
10000 - 26:49.57
110H - 12.92
400H - 47.03
4 x 100 - 37.59
4 x 400 - 2:54.20*
HJ - 2.40
PV - 6.05
LJ - 8.64
TJ - 17.99
SP - 22.12
DT - 69.72
HT - 83.38
JT - 92.80
Dec - 8902

WOMEN
100 - 10.70
200 - 21.77
400 - 48.89
800 - 1:56.11
1500 - 3:55.60
5000 - 14:41.82
10000 - 30:01.09
100H - 12.33
400H - 52.84
4 x 100 - 41.71
4 x 400 - 3:20.65
HJ - 2.06
PV - 4.80i (4.75o)
LJ - 7.49
TJ - 15.25
SP - 21.69
DT - 68.57
HT - 75.20
JT - 69.53
Hept - 7001

[tandfman]

>Most of all I envy your free time and disposable income!<

I've been very fortunate in being able to travel as much as I have. It has involved some sacrifices, but I've gladly made them, and I'm now in a position where I can see the major national and international championships each year, and I do.

But that's not the point of all this. As I suggested in my original comments, you can enjoy keeping PR's at any level. Just as you don't have to be Gebrselassie to experience the thrill of bettering your own PR for 10,000m, your spectator PR's don't have to be very good at all--you can still get excited about seeing one, no matter what it is. And you can certainly have a greater range of events as a spectator than most people can as an athlete.

But you can't play the game without keeping score. If you don't keep track of your own spectator PR's, you're missing a potentially exciting experience every time you go to a good meet.

So compile your lists. Use Peter Larsson's website to check your memory. http://www.algonet.se/~pela2/

Have fun!

[The Flash]

It isn't a very impressive list, but I've never seen a track meet outside of Utah either--mostly high school and some college.

100 - 10.54 HS
200 - 21.09 HS
400 - 47.01 HS
5000 - 15:30 College
LJ - 25'4" College
HJ - 7'0" College
TJ - 52'7" HS

[gh]

Obviously tandfman and I go to a lot of the same meets, since our PR lists are so close. Overall, looks like I beat him by 1 mark! I beat him overall in 4 men's events, he beats me overall in 3 women's. (++ i beat him, --he beats me) (and as in his, * =existing WR).

Men
100 – 9.78*
200 – 19.32*
400 – 43.18*
800 – 1:41.24++
1,500 – 3:27.65
3,000SC – 7:59.08--
5,000 – 12:41.86++
10,000 – 26:49.57
110H – 12.91*
400H – 46.78*
4x100 – 37.40*
4x400 – 2:54.20*
HJ – 2.43i (7-11)
PV – 6.05 (19-10)
LJ – 8.95 (29-4) *
TJ – 18.29 (60-0.25) *
SP – 23.10 (75-9.5) ++
DT – 71.26 (233-9) ++
HT - 86.74 (284-7) *
JT – 92.80 (304-9)
Decathlon – 8902

Women
100 – 10.49*
200 – 21.34*
400 – 47.99--
800 – 1:54.68--
1,500 – 3:53.96
5,000 – 14:40.79
10,000 – 30:04.18
100H – 12.29
400H – 52.61
4x100 – 41.47--
4x400 – 3:15.17*
HJ – 2.09 (6-10)*
PV – 4.91 (16-1 1/4)*
LJ – 7.45 (24-5)
TJ – 15.50 (50-101/4)*
SP – 22.24 (72-11)
DT – 72.30 (237-2)
HT – 75.20 (246-9)
JT – 71.53 (234-8)
Hept - 7291*

But enough of the this professional stuff: How about PRs from people who don't do track as a living?

edited to update w/ marks from '04 season, which--damn his eyes!--bring us to a tie. He beats me in 4 events i beat him in 4 and we're even everywhere else.

[stevehj197]

too much research would have to be involved to come up with a full list, and what's the use after seeing all of the above ?

First and best remembered is Budd's 9.2 at 1961 AAU. All marks are from 5 AAU/TAC champs., 4 NCAA's, 1 Pan Ams,'64 sf OT, and '88FOT. And all that does collect some mighty fine marks !

[Jon]

Great thread! I've not been to any major outdoor champs as yet (come to think of it, the greatest calibre outdoor meet I've been to is the outdoor British champs!). I have, however, been to several high-quality indoor meets so I'll include those. I have years ahead of me yet, so hopefully I'll be able to add to this list soon (the outdoor Birmingham Grand Prix next year!).

Men Outdoor:
100m - 10.01
200m - 20.37 (20.20w)
400m - 45.36
800m - 1:47.51
1500m - 3:39.12
3000m - 8:07.58
5000m - 13:34.17
3000mST - 8:28.21
110mH - 13.54 (13.24w)
400mH - 48.68
HJ - 2.28
PV - 5.50
LJ - 7.89
TJ - 17.59
SP - 21.55
DT - 62.13
HT - 74.40
JT - 87.59

Men Indoor:
60m - 6.46
200m - 20.62
400m - 45.34
800m - 1:45.69
1000m - 2:14.96*
1500m - 3:42.59
3000m - 7:40.97
2 Miles - 8:09.66*
5000m - 12:50.38*
60mH - 7.41
HJ - 2.35
LJ - 8.29
TJ - 17.70
SP - 21.24
Hept - 6361
4x400 - 3:04.09

Women Outdoor:
100m - 11.31
200m - 22.83
400m - 50.62
800m - 1:59.86
1500m - 4:06.44
5000m - 15:05.48
100mH - 13.07 (12.97w)
400mH - 55.22
HJ - 1.91
PV - 4.40
LJ - 6.62
TJ - 14.98
SP - 17.91
DT - 59.03
HT - 66.97
JT - 58.45

Women Indoor:
60m - 7.04
200m - 22.18
400m - 50.53
800m - 1:58.94
1500m - 4:01.67
3000m - 8:32.88*
60mH - 7.81
HJ - 2.01
PV - 4.80*
LJ - 6.84
TJ - 15.01
SP - 20.55
Pent - 4933
4x400 - 3:28.45

[tandfman]

Edited to remove now moot response to a comment that had itself become moot and thus withdrawn.

I used to keep a top-10 list of my PBS ("Personal Bests Seen")--talk about nerdly! I've let it lapse in recent years. The following is incomplete, but is what I can remember right now:

Men
100: 9.87 (and 9.78w)
400: 43.68
800: 1:41.24 (and 1:42.20, 1:42.47, 1:42.55, etc.)
1500: 3:26.12 (and 3:26.45, 3:26.89, 3:27.21, etc.)
3000: 7:25.16 (and 7:25.54, 7:26.02, etc.)
Steeple: 7:55.28 (and "7:53.17", 7:58.50, 7:58.98, 7:59.08, 7:59.18, etc.)
5000: 12:39.74 (and 12:41.86, 12:44.39, etc.)
10,000: 26:27.85 (and 26:52.23)

Women:
100: 10.49 (or "10.49"?)
200: 21.66
800: 1:55.19
mile: 4:12.56
3000: 8:21.64 (at the time, an unacknowledged WR)