Running Post-Race Analysis

After a race, it’s tempting to judge your performance just by your finish time — but there’s more to learn if you dig into the data and context. The following approach helps you make sense of a race objectively, understand what really happened, and plan better for the future.

Why Finish Time Isn’t Enough

• A race’s finishing time depends on many factors: course profile, weather, competition, and more. Comparing results from different races is like comparing apples and oranges.

• Instead of relying only on final time, use it alongside data from your training and race day — that gives a much clearer picture of performance.

Best Way to Analyse Running Results

1. Compare Against Your Baseline Fitness

• Use your pre-race benchmark (e.g. threshold run pace) as a reference. Your target race pace should come from that baseline.

• After the race, evaluate whether you hit that pace.

2. Break the Race into Segments and Evaluate Consistency

• Use tools such as TrainingPeaks (or similar) to highlight sections of the race and assess how you paced each part.

• Look at metrics like Intensity Factor (IF) — which relates pace to your threshold pace — and check if pacing remained even (or appropriate) especially in the opening kilometres.

• For hilly or uneven courses, consider Normalized Graded Pace (NGP) to account for elevation, giving a fairer comparison to flat-course performance.

Key Lessons to Take from Post-Race Analysis

• Use fitness test data + race data rather than finish time alone to assess performance. That gives a realistic view of what worked (or didn’t).

• Recognise that many external variables — weather, terrain, pacing errors — can skew race time. Use data to contextualise results.

• Post-race analysis helps you stay grounded: what might feel like a “bad race” could actually show you paced well given the conditions.

What to Do After Every Race

• Record your race splits, pace, and any race-day conditions (weather, temperature, course profile, how you felt).

• Compare race data to baseline fitness or performance tests (threshold pace, recent workouts, etc.).

• Analyse pacing consistency (first vs final kilometres, segments).

• Use Normalized Graded Pace or similar if course terrain was hilly or variable.

• Reflect on what you learn: strengths, weaknesses, what to adjust next time.