Association of Road Racing Statisticians
Encyclopedia
The Association of Road Racing Statisticians is an independent, non-profit organization
that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics
regarding road running
races. The primary purpose of the ARRS is to maintain a valid list of world road records for standard race distances and to establish valid criteria for road record-keeping. The official publication of the ARRS is the Analytical Distance Runner. This newsletter contains recent race results and analysis and is distributed to subscribers via e-mail. The ARRS is the only organized group that maintains records on indoor marathons.
is a retired professor of atmospheric physics
and former American record-holder in the indoor marathon who currently holds two of the top 10 marks in the event. Ted Haydon, a former track coach for the University of Chicago Track Club
and the United States in the 1968 Olympic Games
, reportedly staged an indoor marathon for Young so that he could make an attempt at a world record in the indoor marathon. Young also earned a PhD
in geophysical sciences with a minor in statistics
, and taught at the University of Arizona
. Young was the founder and director of the National Running Data Center (NRDC), self-described as "an independent, non-profit organization devoted to the collection, analysis, publication and dissemination of long-distance running information." This group pioneered and developed road racing records in the United States.
After the United States Congress
passed the Amateur Sports Act of 1978
, The Athletics Congress (TAC), now known as USA Track & Field, replaced the Amateur Athletic Union
as the national governing body for the sport of athletics. Although the records maintained by Young and the NRDC were initially "unofficial", The Athletics Congress recognized them as its official records at their annual meeting in late 1979. In 1986, the official record-keeping for TAC would be assumed by TACStats, later known as the Road Information Center.
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics
Statistics
Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments....
regarding road running
Road running
Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road . These events would be classified as long distance according to athletics terminology, with distances typically ranging from 5 kilometers to 42.2 kilometers in the marathon. They may involve large numbers of runners...
races. The primary purpose of the ARRS is to maintain a valid list of world road records for standard race distances and to establish valid criteria for road record-keeping. The official publication of the ARRS is the Analytical Distance Runner. This newsletter contains recent race results and analysis and is distributed to subscribers via e-mail. The ARRS is the only organized group that maintains records on indoor marathons.
History
Ken Young (born November 9, 1941) of Petrolia, CaliforniaPetrolia, California
Petrolia is an unincorporated community in Humboldt County, California. It is located southeast of Cape Mendocino, at an elevation of 121 feet . The ZIP Code is 95558....
is a retired professor of atmospheric physics
Atmospheric physics
Atmospheric physics is the application of physics to the study of the atmosphere. Atmospheric physicists attempt to model Earth's atmosphere and the atmospheres of the other planets using fluid flow equations, chemical models, radiation balancing, and energy transfer processes in the atmosphere...
and former American record-holder in the indoor marathon who currently holds two of the top 10 marks in the event. Ted Haydon, a former track coach for the University of Chicago Track Club
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
and the United States in the 1968 Olympic Games
1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
, reportedly staged an indoor marathon for Young so that he could make an attempt at a world record in the indoor marathon. Young also earned a PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in geophysical sciences with a minor in statistics
Statistics
Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments....
, and taught at the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
. Young was the founder and director of the National Running Data Center (NRDC), self-described as "an independent, non-profit organization devoted to the collection, analysis, publication and dissemination of long-distance running information." This group pioneered and developed road racing records in the United States.
After the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
passed the Amateur Sports Act of 1978
Amateur Sports Act of 1978
The Amateur Sports Act of 1978, , establishes a United States Olympic Committee and provides for national governing bodies for each Olympic sport...
, The Athletics Congress (TAC), now known as USA Track & Field, replaced the Amateur Athletic Union
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
as the national governing body for the sport of athletics. Although the records maintained by Young and the NRDC were initially "unofficial", The Athletics Congress recognized them as its official records at their annual meeting in late 1979. In 1986, the official record-keeping for TAC would be assumed by TACStats, later known as the Road Information Center.