Frazz by Jef Mallett for May 17, 2014

It used to be called “Personal Best”. When did that change? Today?

Both terms are commonly used. I hear PR most often.

Yep. We just had the Amgen speed through here the other day. Too bad they can’t oogle as they ride. It’s pretty nice here – although the hills are starting to turn golden instead of the beautiful green sprinkled with wild flowers. Record breaking heat killed the grass but the athletes still overcame it and powered through to Santa Barbara. Way to go!

I was a runner before I became a cyclist. I never heard anything but PR as a runner, but it always applied to race efforts. PR for that course, PR for this distance, etc. I hear both in the cycling community. I think rephrasing it “Personal Best” came from one or more of the different coaching books from the last ten years or so, and originally applied to training efforts. Now it seems like references to Strava are becoming the new way to describe personal achievements.

No, it is NEVER “PB”, only “personal best”. I first heard the term about 20 years ago related to fun-run 10Ks and other endurance events, but it has become used much less now. I have never heard “personal record” before now. BTW, I don’t think there are “bests” or “records” for bike racing, since each course is unique. Same with rock climbing. BTW2, probably 80% of southerners over 30 say “cold drink” instead of “pop” (father) or “soda” (used in baking biscuits).

Homework is local 5k/10k’s, which you can race every few weekends; tests are half marathon/marathons/Ironmans you only race a couple times a year.