Watchout's Ratings: What they mean

I try to remind people every once in a while of what these ratings mean. Used to be, I would explain it on the Dyestat forums rather than here, but since that forum is closed down this is really the only place where I'm going to talk much about XC. I probably should have done this earlier this year, but it's a good topic to cover regardless:

What do these abstract ratings mean?

Let's put them into track terms. Here's a quick chart of what several ratings would be for a 3200m and 3k time on a track (at sea-level). Do keep in mind, though, that comparing across different events is tricky: some athletes are better at XC than they are at the mile or 2 mile on the track compared to their peers.

Rating = 3200m - 3000m

215 =   8:30.45 -   7:55.45 | 170 =   9:51.04 -   9:10.52 | 125 = 11:11.64 - 10:25.60
212 =   8:35.82 -   8:00.46 | 167 =   9:56.42 -   9:15.53 | 122 = 11:17.01 - 10:30.60
209 =   8:41.19 -   8:05.46 | 164 = 10:01.79 -   9:20.53 | 119 = 11:22.39 - 10:35.61
206 =   8:46.57 -   8:10.47 | 161 = 10:07.16 -   9:25.54 | 116 = 11:27.76 - 10:40.61
203 =   8:51.94 -   8:15.47 | 158 = 10:12.54 -   9:30.54 | 113 = 11:33.13 - 10:45.62
200 =   8:57.31 -   8:20.48 | 155 = 10:17.91 -   9:35.55 | 110 = 11:38.51 - 10:50.62
197 =   9:02.69 -   8:25.48 | 152 = 10:23.28 -   9:40.55 | 107 = 11:43.88 - 10:55.62
194 =   9:08.06 -   8:30.49 | 149 = 10:28.66 -   9:45.56 | 104 = 11:49.25 - 11:00.63
191 =   9:13.43 -   8:35.49 | 146 = 10:34.03 -   9:50.56 | 101 = 11:54.62 - 11:05.63
188 =   9:18.80 -   8:40.50 | 143 = 10:39.40 -   9:55.57 |   98 = 12:00.00 - 11:10.64
185 =   9:24.18 -   8:45.50 | 140 = 10:44.77 - 10:00.57 |   95 = 12:05.37 - 11:15.64
182 =   9:29.55 -   8:50.51 | 137 = 10:50.15 - 10:05.58 |   92 = 12:10.74 - 11:20.65
179 =   9:34.92 -   8:55.51 | 134 = 10:55.52 - 10:10.58 |   89 = 12:16.12 - 11:25.65
176 =   9:40.30 -   9:00.52 | 131 = 11:00.89 - 10:15.59 |   86 = 12:21.49 - 11:30.66
173 =   9:45.67 -   9:05.52 | 128 = 11:06.27 - 10:20.59 |   83 = 12:26.86 - 11:35.66

It usually takes a low/mid 190's to qualify as an individual for either national meet on the boys side.
It usually takes a low/mid 140's to qualify as an individual for either national meet on the girls side.

It usually takes a mid/high 170's (average) to qualify as an At-Large team for NXN on the boys side.
It usually takes a low/mid 120's (average) to qualify as an At-Large team for NXN on the girls side.

It usually takes a mid/high 160's (average) to finish as a Top 10/15 team at NXN-NW on the boys side.
It usually takes a mid/high 100's (average) to finish as a Top 10 team at NXN-NW on the girls side.

note: the fields at NXR do vary - sometimes it will take a low 170's average to place top 12-15 on the boys side, or sometimes a girls team can average low 100's and manage a top 10 finish, so those NXR numbers above are meant as a ROUGH estimate in an "average" year with "average" attendance.