Episode #15: Matt Armelagos of MI XC Speed Ratings

The Blue Water Running Podcast

Hello and welcome to episode #15 of The Blue Water Running Podcast!
Today we have an extra-special guest on the podcast: the man, the myth, the legend, Matt Armelagos, who is the analytics genius behind Michigan Cross Country Speed Ratings. According to his website, Matt looks at cross country and track from a numerical perspective, calculating rankings and standings. In essence, speed ratings are a figure to see how fast an athlete ran on that course on that day. During the season, an athlete can judge themselves from week to week on how they compare against others, and a coach can look to see if there’s improvement, or in the off-season, take a second look at how an athlete responded to training. Another planned outcome of the speed ratings was that college coaches could hopefully use these in accordance with track times to find recruits that wouldn’t normally be on their radar.
Matt has intelligently designed incredibly thoughtful data formulas including calculators, charts, and graphs to compare and contrast runners across the state. He pours hours of his own free time into writing previews, explanations, rankings, and more and few people know Michigan running better than him. His website and social media sites have amassed thousands of followers and somewhat of a cult status, as every high school runner I know (and most coaches and parents) tracks his content and posts religiously. In Matt’s own words, “For all this work, all that matters is what you take out of it. Whether it be fun, competitive, or goal-setting, we’ve all come to love running in some way. Cross country isn’t run on paper and that’s one beautiful aspect of our competitions. My dream is that these ratings call to attention those overachievers, those small schools, and the unfathomable improvements we strive for.”
I'll leave you with a quote by Emil Zátopek, who was a Czech long-distance runner who won three gold medals at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki. He won gold in the 5K and 10K, but his third medal, and probably the most unbelievable, was earned when he decided at the last minute to compete in the first marathon he had ever run! It’s no wonder he was nicknamed the Czech Locomotive.
In 1954, Zátopek was the first runner to break the 29-minute barrier in the 10K. He was considered one of the greatest runners of the 20th century and was also known for his brutally tough training methods. He is the only runner to win the triple crown of 5K, 10K, and marathon all in the same Olympics. Runner’s World Magazine selected him as the Greatest Runner of All Time in 2013.
“We are different, in essence, from other men. If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon.”
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