A Biometric Theory of Middle and Long Distance Track Records
Malcolm E. Turner, Eleanor D. Campbell · Biometrics · 1961
It has been often observed that a plot of average velocity againist distanice or time for world track records suggests a continuous monotonic underlying relationship. Several attempts to discern the nature of this relationship empirically by seeking linearizing transformations have been made with varying degrees of success. The purposes of this paper are to describe an attempt to explain the observed curve by a biometric theory alnd to consider the problem of estimating unkniown parameters occurring in the theory. The theory is applied to world record data of 1959 and records which are below par are pointed out. The development is based on the work of A. V. Hill [1927].