Occupation Research engineer Name Peter Riegel | Role Researcher | |
Education BS Mech Eng, Purdue, 1959MME, Villanova, 1966 Known for Race time prediction formula | ||
Peter Riegel is an American research engineer who developed a mathematical formula for predicting race times for runners and other athletes given a certain performance at another distance. The formula has been widely adopted on account of its simplicity and predictive accuracy.
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Career
Riegel gained a BS in mechanical engineering from Purdue University in 1959 and his masters from Villanova University in 1966.
He was a research engineer at Battelle Memorial Institute in Columbus, Ohio, researching the development of deep-sea diving equipment as well as air flow in coal mines. He has numerous published articles on waste-water treatment, underwater life support, motorcycle mechanics and distance running.
Riegel founded and edited Measurement News, the newsletter of the Road Running Technical Council of USA Track & Field. He is also a founding member of the Association of Road Racing Statisticians.
He holds a patent for an automatic trip fill nozzle and another for an exhaust regulator valve for push-pull diving system.
Race time prediction
In a 1977 article for Runner's World Magazine, Riegel proposed a simple formula for comparing relative performances at different distances. The formula is most commonly quoted as:
T2=T1×(D2÷D1)1.06
Riegel expanded on his thesis in an 1981 article for American Scientist, stating that the formula t=axb concerns activities in the "endurance range", namely lasting between 3.5 and 230 minutes. The analysis deals with running, swimming and walking.
The simplicity of the formula and its predictive accuracy has resulted in it being adopted widely by websites such as Runner's World. Some sites have modified it, stating that the value of 1.06 given for the exponent b in the formula results in seemingly unachievable predictions for longer distances.