Now that I’m back to more serious training and racing, it’s been fun to compare my current performance relative to the same events in previous years. That’s where Athlinks comes into play.
According to Athlinks, I’ve covered 1,224 miles across 48 races since I started my athletic ventures in 2001. Athlinks aggregates race results (marathons, triathlons, open water swims and even 5Ks) and allows you to claim finish times and events into your profile. Then, Athlinks provides both a chronological and by-type summary of your race history. Awesome.
What’s super cool about Athlinks is that it allowed me to claim race results under both my married name and my maiden name, so I have one comprehensive portfolio of races. And it shows my PR for each type of race, which is how I realized that I had a PR at the Kinetic ½ Ironman last month.
The site is pretty easy to use, and navigating typically involves only one or two clicks. And, there’s a “report” section which allows you to rate the course according to a few key factors (like execution, course layout, swag, crowds) and your own feelings about your performance that day. Not sure I would use those features, but an interesting concept.
There are a few downsides about the site: (1) my Ironman Brazil race results didn’t show (which I attribute to the implications of an International race, but disappointing given the fact that it’s an M-dot race). And, (2) Athlinks only shows the aggregate race results (so I don’t get marathon splits, nor breakdowns of time among the swim/bike/run of triathlons). Finally, (3) not all of my race results are pulled into the system and/or categorized accordingly. For example, my Kinetic ½ Ironman times are within my profile, but the race in 2006 wasn’t tagged as a ½ Ironman, so my total number of races at that distance is one short. You can add race results yourself – dubbed Unofficial Results – but I found the steps and confirmation following submission confusing. That said, the quality of the follow-up from the Athlinks help team was thorough, which I consider awesome.
Overall, Athlinks is a pretty cool site and definitely worth checking out – especially if you’ve raced a fair amount in previous years and want to look at your performance over time. Good luck on your next PR!
