2016 Masters Motivational Times

Let's get this party started! Here are the 2016 motivational times. New! Motivational times are now presented in three formats: human-readable PDF, and two CSV spreadsheets. In the first spreadsheet (mm:ss), times are rendered in the usual minute:second notation. In the second (sec), times are converted to seconds, which facilitates stuff like this. Have fun! PDF mm:ss sec SCY 2016-SCY-Masters-Motivational-Times.pdf mmss.csv sec.csv LCM 2016-LCM-Masters-Motivational-Times.pdf mmss.csv sec.csv SCM 2016-SCM-Masters-Motivational-Times.pdf ------------------------------------------------ Motivational times (MTs) are calculated from the base time given in Column X. The algorithm for calculating the base time is similar, but not identical to, the method USMS uses to calculate national qualifying times (NQTs) for the annual SCY national championships. Most of the time, Column X is(A) the average of the previous three year’s 10th place times. However, if there are fewer than three 10th place times over the previous three years, we use, in order,(B) average of two 10th place times over the previous three years. If there are fewer than two 10th place times, (C) average of three 5th place times + 4.45%. If there are fewer than three, (D) average of two 5th place times + 4.45%. If there are fewer than two, (E) No Time (NT). If one of the alternatives B-D is used, it’s indicated by a superscript. The rest of the columns are proportional to Column X as follows, AAAA = X + 5% A = X + 20% AAA = X + 10% BB = X + 30% AA = X + 15% B = X + 40% For MTs, the same algorithm is used for all three courses, SCY, LCM, and SCM. Relationship to NQTs. For SCY, as long as Column X is calculated using method A, B, or E, Columns AA and AAA should be, but are not guaranteed to be, exactly the NQTs for sprints and 200+ events respectively. However, there will be some small differences for methods C and D. For LCM, the MTs should be different from the NQTs in all cases. USMS does not publish NQTs for SCM or for age groups 85+. Column X. I like to think of Column X as “the moral equivalent of a Top Ten time”. Of course, in any given year, the 10th place time will be faster or slower by some amount than the average of the three previous years, so of course, Column X is not an actual Top Ten time. Too bad, huh? You can also think of it as “the time I need to hit to have about a 50/50 chance.”