Free Spirits meta-nonathlon

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Rodger
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Free Spirits meta-nonathlon

Post by Rodger »

Originally Greg came up with the idea of a meta-nonathlon as a tool for self improvement referenced motivation, see here. I took up this idea, made a spreadsheet and discussed certain points in the nonathlon 2014 thread (here and here). As the start of the 2015 season draws near, it's time to set up this new competition.

What is the meta-nonathlon?
The meta-nonathlon compares your nonathlon scores with those of your previous season. In essence, you are competing against your former self. Using nonathlon points has a couple of advantages:
- a fair number of Free Spirits are doing the nonathlon anyway; no extra actions from the participants are required and the rules of the meta-nonathlon should be intuitive to nonathlon participants;
- scores get age adjusted (as well as adjusted by weight class and gender) by the nonathlon, which can be especially attractive to rowers beyond their natural peak;
- the nonathlon uses most of the C2 ranking pieces, so there is a nice spread of erg distances, from 500m to a full marathon.

Of course the scores will then be sorted into a Free Spirits meta-nonathlon ranking in which your competition against yourself is compared with those of your teammates on a level playing field (sort of).

How does it work?
The scores will be calculated per piece in a simple way: for every piece (500m, 1k, 2k, etc.) your 2015 nonathlon score will be divided by the 2014 score. The outcome is then multiplied by 1000, keeping in line with the nonathlon way of targeting 1000 points. So, managing a better score on a piece than in the previous season gives a score over 1000. Just like in the nonathlon itself, the total score is calculated as the sum of the nine best individual scores (out of all 10). And just like in the nonathlon, a bonus of 100 points is awarded for posting the maximum of 10 scores.

If you haven't entered a time/distance for a piece in the previous season, the score to beat will be equal to your highest score in that previous year. In my case, I didn't do a FM in the 2014 season. If I decide to do one in 2015, the 2014 benchmark is set at 868, which is my highest score in 2014 (in this case, achieved for the 1k). There is a threshold of 5 ranked pieces though, so If you entered less than 5 nonathlon scores in the previous season, the benchmark for unentered pieces will be set at 1000 instead of the highest ranked score. The sheet is sorted by the total score, so it still pays to do as much of the pieces as possible, even if you didn't enter a result in the season before.

What does it look like?
The current table makes use of fictitious scores for the 2015 season and can be viewed here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc ... _web#gid=2

The colour coding in the sheet should be self-explanatory: green means you have beaten last season's score, yellow means you've equalled it, orange/red means your current season's score is lower. The boundary between dark green and light green, as well as between red and orange is arbitrary. Right now, I have chosen 975 and 1025 as tipping points. We can change those boundaries later if that will result in a more informative sheet. If you don't have a score yet, the cell is dark red. Basically, on the 1st of May the whole sheet will be dark red, and we will slowly see it get more colours.

How often will the scores be updated?
Erm, I don't know. At least once a month I would say, hopefully somewhat more frequently. The thing is, this could get more laborious than I intended. If it becomes too much, we can always backscale to using the total nonathlon scores instead of the individual pieces (which I think is what Greg had in mind initially, anyway).

I want in! What do I do?
I will take the scores from the team-filtered nonathlon website. So if you are on Stan's list of Free Spirits in the nonathlon you don't have to do anything. If you are not, it would be helpful if you get on that list before the season ends. You can do that by asking Stan on the nonathlon thread (or, presumably, sending him a PM).

Right, I think that's about it for now. :-k You have ten days left to enter your 2014 nonathlon scores that will be used as your FS meta-nonathlon 2015 benchmark. :fsgrin:
Last edited by Rodger on Thu May 14, 2015 11:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Introducing the FS Meta-nonathlon 2015

Post by nervtoeter »

Rodger, thanks for the work and also to all others ^O^
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Re: Introducing the FS Meta-nonathlon 2015

Post by Paul Victory »

Thanks Roger.

That's a very thorough exposition of the rules. I was planning to try to improve some of my SBs before this season ends, but now I'm not so sure that's a good idea. All I would be doing is raising the bar for myself for this challenge next season. #-o Decisions, decisions ... :lol:
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Re: Introducing the FS Meta-nonathlon 2015

Post by plummy »

There's a lot of work gone into the planning and execution of that Rodger - well done and thank you indeed!
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Re: Introducing the FS Meta-nonathlon 2015

Post by Gregor Andrews »

I have no idea how well I'm going to do in this twist on nonathlon, but I'm looking forward to the challenge. Thanks for all the work you've done on this Rodger.

I still have a few nonathlon distances to improve before the season ends, but I'll do my best to attempt PBs this season and make this more of a challenge for next season.
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Re: Introducing the FS Meta-nonathlon 2015

Post by Rob C »

This looks interesting and could be another element of motivation to keep on rowing
Paul Victory wrote:I was planning to try to improve some of my SBs before this season ends, but now I'm not so sure that's a good idea. All I would be doing is raising the bar for myself for this challenge next season. #-o Decisions, decisions ... :lol:
My thoughts exactly. But given that my big target for this season has to be reaching a million, the SBs (or in my case PBs which equal SBs) are secondary. This could mean a flying start in May when I start to look again at quality by improving my technique, rather than just quantity.
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Re: Introducing the FS Meta-nonathlon 2015

Post by Stan »

Rodger, I would also like to add my thanks for this contribution and look forward to competing in this next season. :D
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Re: Introducing the FS Meta-nonathlon 2015

Post by turkish79 »

Rodger, thank you for all your efforts, I find the biggest challenge with my rowing is the motivation to keep going and I love the challenges etc and the personal aspect in this really appeals!
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Re: Introducing the FS Meta-nonathlon 2015

Post by Phil Lamb »

Splendid idea, looking forward to competing against my former self! Thank you for investing the time in devising the challenge, it will be interesting to see how it pans out! =D>
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Re: Introducing the FS Meta-nonathlon 2015

Post by nogsy1959 »

Rodger, this is great!!

I too look to competing against my former self.

I have managed to improve all my nonathlon scores in April, except for 500m (where my score is a PB)and 1000m (where I might just be able to improve a fraction, so I am happy that they roughly represent where I am at right now
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Re: Introducing the FS Meta-nonathlon 2015

Post by turkish79 »

I have a time for everything except the FM and am looking forward to this. Looks like FM time will be the first one in this year....get it out the way early
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Re: Introducing the FS Meta-nonathlon 2015

Post by Rodger »

Here is a first attempt to get the meta-nonathlon table up with real nonathlon scores for 2015.
I have left the 2014 and 2015 score sheets unhidden so you can check the calculation if you want to.
Let me know if you see something weird.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc ... _web#gid=5
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Re: AW: Introducing the FS Meta-nonathlon 2015

Post by nervtoeter »

Rodger I missing myself, or is this a first test?
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Re: Introducing the FS Meta-nonathlon 2015

Post by Rodger »

That is because you are not on the Free Spirits filter list for the 2015 nonathlon yet. At least, not when I ripped the scores from the nonathlon website.
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Re: Introducing the FS Meta-nonathlon 2015

Post by plummy »

Could you put a colour code key up on the spreadsheet (in case anyone new is wondering) :D
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Re: Introducing the FS Meta-nonathlon 2015

Post by nogsy1959 »

Looks good to me Rodger, well done!
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Re: Introducing the FS Meta-nonathlon 2015

Post by Phil Lamb »

Looks good, can you add me at the next update, I agree with the requirement for a colour key. Well done a Roger! =D>
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Re: Introducing the FS Meta-nonathlon 2015

Post by Paul Victory »

Brilliant piece of work Roger. ^O^ ^O^ ^O^
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Re: Introducing the FS Meta-nonathlon 2015

Post by plummy »

Looking at the colour key (I know it is part explained above) it appears:

Red cell - you are 25 or more points lower than last years score - need to try harder :twisted:

Orange cell - you are less than 25 points behind last years score - good effort, keep trying #-o

Light green cell - you have equalled or bettered last years score by up to 25 points - great stuff, well done =D>

Dark green cell - you are more than 25 points up on last years score - you're flying, awesome stuff ^O^

Looking at it (and just a thought), I think the text could be all the same colour and just let the cell background be the simple visual key to how you are doing.

Also, I have no idea how much work this is for you but I feel a once a month update will frustrate many as the actual Nonathlon updates immediately and we're a competitive (and therefore by nature an impatient) lot. Could it be done weekly at least?

Great idea still - comparing yourself against your former self of last year

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Re: Introducing the FS Meta-nonathlon 2015

Post by nervtoeter »

Good point, I wondering why, last season I was in, ok will give Stan a hint
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Re: Introducing the FS Meta-nonathlon 2015

Post by cowboygrrl »

If you were in last season and registered for the Nonathlon 2015, will you automatically add us to this season? If not will you add me? Thanks.
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Re: Introducing the FS Meta-nonathlon 2015

Post by Rodger »

Thanks to all for the kind words! :)
I have updated the table. 26 Free Spirits are in now. Of the FS that participate in the nonathlon 2015 I have added two names that weren't in the FS 2014 nonathlon list: badocter and danfennell. Last year's nonathlon top ranker Bangers now goes by the name of Ergonaut. At the moment two names that are in the 2015 nonathlon list are excluded from the meta-nonathlon because there doesn't seem to be any comparison basis from the 2014 nonathlon: FlbrkMike and jbh.

Some minor changes:
- Added a bonus column (100 points for doing all 10 pieces). The bonus was in the calculation of the sum score already but not reported separately in the main sheet.
- Added the date of the latest update in the left upper corner. This also means I will not give a shout in this thread every time I update the table. If you think it's time for an update you can remind me in this thread. I'm not going to promise updates as regular as once a week (as Plummy requested). We will see how it goes. If people feel there are not enough updates, perhaps one or two volunteers could share duties with me. In that case, I will write down 'instructions'.

I will see to the colour coding later. Frankly, I thought the traffic light coding system would not need much explanation.

The table is at the same internetty spot as always:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc ... _web#gid=5

Happy meta-nonathlonning. :fsgrin:
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Re: Introducing the FS Meta-nonathlon 2015

Post by turkish79 »

Thanks Rodger, if people feel there are not enough updates I don't mind volunteering.
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Re: Introducing the FS Meta-nonathlon 2015

Post by sander »

I just want to say how much I appreciate all the effort you have put into this. It is a very nice addition to all the other challenges that keep us motivated, and definitely will motivate me to put in a few more trials than last year.
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Re: Introducing the FS Meta-nonathlon 2015

Post by strider77 »

Thanks for all the hard work Rodger, as you can tell we all appreciate it =D> :D :fsbgrin:
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