Speed rating database field

Question

Hi, I am interested in how and when the  speed rating is calculated?
In some flat races it's available and in some it's not.
Also is it calculated after the race or before?

Answer 1

Hi - the speed rating is always calculated after the race has finished so is only available for historic runners.  We don't explain the basis for calculation, it's optional information that you can use at your discretion.   Generally if the race was poor (a much slower than standard time) a speed rating is not returned, or if there is no benchmark for the runners.  An alternative of course is to create your own speed ratings.  We'll be writing more about this in the blog at the start of the new year.

Comments

I use median race times as the basis for my speed ratings.

Median better than mean in this context as it more effectively strips out the confounding effect of data errors, unrepresentatively slow races and other weirdness.

Happy to share a script for calculating these median times in Smartform if there's interest.

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Hi - somehow missed this comment from a while back, but absolutely would be great if you can share a script for calculating median times in Smartform.   We can turn this into a blog post if you are willing.

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18 months later ... I'm jut having a browse through my old comments on here, and I saw this!

If you want a blog and a script on Median Times, still happy to do it. Let me know