How do the standards work?

The information in this website makes the assumption that the reader is familiar with how the VTTA standards work.  For those that are not so familiar with this here is an explanation.

• The standards are, essentially, a handicapping system that allows older riders to complete on equal terms with younger riders.
• For each type of event (10, 25, 50, 100 miles) we set a standard time for riders of all ages from 40 years upwards.  For  fixed time events ( 12 and 24 hours) we set a standard distance.  The standard tables also take into account women and tricylists.  So, in theory at least, all competitors should be on equal terms.  For example, the 25 mile standard for a 40 year old man is 1:06:00 - for a 60 year old the standard is 1:16:37.
• We compare each rider's actual time for a race with the standard time to see who has won "on standard". 
• To do this we subtract the rider's actual time from the standard.  The majority of riders beat their standard (that is they cover the distance in less time than the standard) so this usually results in a positive number, which is referred to as a "plus".  For example, if a 40 year old does 1:02:00 for a 25 that results in a plus of 0:04:00.
• If a rider goes slower than the standard we refer to that as a "minus".
• The rider with the greatest plus (or the smallest minus) is the winner on standard.
• In 12 and 24 hour events we subtract the standard from the riders actual distance covered (the opposite way round from fixed distance events) so a "plus" still represents  a beating of the standard.
• An aside on plusses and minusses:
  • The use of the terms "plus" and "minus" is slightly quirky.  In the past, when it was more common for riders to go slower than the standard, the term "minus" would not be used at all - a standard time of "1 minute 10 seconds" meant "1 minute ten seconds slower than the standard".  The relatively less common occurence of someone beating the standard would be referred to as a "plus".  This, of course, is opposite to the normal way of using numbers where positive numbers do not require a plus sign and negative numbers require a minus sign.
  • More recently is it more common for riders to beat the standard, that is they do a "plus".  Result sheets these days are more likely to explicitly refer to "minusses".  "Plusses" are accepted as the norm and sometimes not stated.  Everyone knows who won but the terms (or symbols for) "plus" and "minus" are used (or not used) depending on the whim of the person that compiled the results!
  • In the documents on this website we have tried to be explicit about whether we mean "plusses" or "minusses" to avoid any possible confusion.