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Age grading.

WMA age-graded scoring — a fair way to compare a 45-year-old's marathon to a 25-year-old's marathon. World Class above 90%, recreational below 60%, and everything in between.

DIVISION
FINISH TIME
::
AGE-GRADED SCORE
66.4%
Local Class
Equivalent open-class time · 3:05:15
Age-group world-class standard · 2:09:25
DISTANCEPROJECTED TIME · RIEGEL 1.06AGE-GRADE %CATEGORY
5K20:2065.3%Local Class
10K42:2365.3%Local Class
Half Marathon1:33:3265.7%Local Class
Marathon · input3:15:0066.4%Local Class

Based on World Masters Athletics (WMA) methodology. The "projected time" column uses the standard Riegel formula (exponent 1.06) to scale your input time across distances — useful for seeing which distance currently grades highest for you. Age-grading factors are approximate and may differ slightly from official WMA tables.

PERFORMANCE SCALE
World90%+
National80–90%
Regional70–80%
Local60–70%
Recreational< 60%
METHODOLOGY

How this calculator works

  1. WMA age-grading tables

    Age-grading expresses a performance as a percentage of the age-and-sex world record for that distance. A 65 % age-grade is solid; 80 % is national-class; 90 % is world-class. PaceCalc uses the 2023 WMA tables — the most recent published.

    World Masters Athletics, Age-Grading Tables, 2023 edition. Used by USATF and most national governing bodies.

FAQ

Frequently asked

What is age-graded running performance?
Age grading adjusts your race time based on your age and gender, allowing fair comparison across demographics. A score above 60% is considered good, above 70% is regional class, above 80% is national class, and above 90% is world class.
How is the age-graded percentage calculated?
Your age-graded score = (age standard time / your actual time) × 100. The age standard is the world-record time for your age and gender, derived from WMA (World Masters Athletics) tables.
What does 'equivalent open-age time' mean?
This shows what your performance would equal if done by an open-class (peak-age) runner. It lets you compare your effort level to elite performances regardless of your age.
Are the age-grading factors the same for all distances?
Factors vary slightly by distance because aging affects sprint speed differently than endurance. The decline is generally more pronounced for shorter distances. Our calculator uses distance-appropriate standards.
What is a good age-graded score?
Over 90% = World Class, 80-90% = National Class, 70-80% = Regional Class, 60-70% = Local Competitive, under 60% = Recreational. These benchmarks help you understand where your performance falls regardless of age.