Khanjar |
07-10-2011 04:06 PM |
I bought and read/studied Randy's book a couple of months ago. My main reason for ordering the book was that I was looking for some guidelines on analyzing early pace, i.e., how much is too much, or when can we expect a good early runner to be facing just too much early competition?
I was not disappointed by the book. I think there is no clear answer to my questions, but Randy does provide a framework for such analyses.
I do not have nearly the faith in Quirin Speed Points that Randy does, but I still always check them for any race. I knew that a two QSP advantage is significant, and Randy says as much. He says that he believes them to be more reliable than other speed ratings. Although only first call ratings, he extrapolates them to the second call. I don't know. I find at times they are uncanny in their effectiveness, and at other times not worth a hoot.
Although not an Extreme Pace Handicapper per se, I find that I do routinely note on my race sheet each race's PPG (Pace Pressure Guage) as sort of a FYI general info type thing. So with a low PPG, I immediately think early runner, and with a high PPG I immediately think late runner. But I can't say it actually has much influence on my final decisions.
Likewise, I like Randy's "Pace Comfort Zone" explanation, and use it in some analyses. And I have now added "PC" as a a useful ESP running style.
In sum, a good and worthwhile read, IMO. Extreme Pace Handicapping is a useful addition to a handicapper's library.
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