What exactly is middle of the pack?

[ddanger]

Without sounding too dumb, when someone says you run middle of the pack, what does that mean? Does it literally mean just that?
So if there are 20 racers who finish a race.

How would you break it down?  Top 5 are front of the pack? Last 5 are back of the pack? Everyone else in between is middle of the pack?
What determines front of the pack, from middle of the pack etc.

That's what I'm trying to ask

[Woofentino Pugrossi]

about half way back. Very subjective to the person saying it. Some poeple say 6th on down to ?, some say 10th on down to ? Something thats not that big of a deal to worry about.

[Court Jester]

means you're not the fastest but you're not the slowest.

[Jason748]

I'd say it's outside of the top 10, but not last...

[extrakt0r]

I'd say it's outside of the top 10, but not last...

What is there is only 12 people in the race...Then you would be NTDFL...

Middle of pack, I am with Jester...Not the fastest, not the slowest...But that rule doesn't apply when Wood or Jensen or some one like them is there...Because they can skew the times...You have to take the times of a normal "non-god" expert racer or am, and base your middle of pack times off them...

[dabirk23]

Regardless of the number of bikes in the race, on average, half finish the race ahead of you, half finish behind you.

[Ducmarc]

you're thinking too much

[ddanger]

Middle of pack, I am with Jester...Not the fastest, not the slowest...But that rule doesn't apply when Wood or Jensen or some one like them is there...Because they can skew the times...You have to take the times of a normal "non-god" expert racer or am, and base your middle of pack times off them...

Would you say that finishing 3rd to last (ie: 24 out of 27) is middle of the pack then? Not the slowest not the fastest. Seriously asking


Also, you brought up an interesting point. Is "middle of the pack" based on lap times. Or finishes? 
I brought this post up, because this term is used so much in racing.  I'm guessing most people are "middle of the pack?"

[Ducmarc]

24th out  of27th is back of the pack  now if you were 2nd in a 3 bike race but Rossi first that would be back of the pack but if you were stoner and haydon was last that would be middle of the pack

[DavidV]

What would these lap times be? Middle or back of the pack

VIR: 1:45's
Summit: 1:25's
Jennings: 1:27

I've considered myself middle of the pack, but this post may change that 

[Court Jester]

 

Would you say that finishing 3rd to last (ie: 24 out of 27) is middle of the pack then? Not the slowest not the fastest. Seriously asking


Also, you brought up an interesting point. Is "middle of the pack" based on lap times. Or finishes? 
I brought this post up, because this term is used so much in racing.  I'm guessing most people are "middle of the pack?"

God no, i'm back of the pack for sure. I think it's more of a relative term.

[chaplain220]

What exactly is middle of the pack...5 positions ahead of me