so was it fast?

This is an abridged version of the McMillan race equivalency calculator using my best college 1500m:

I'm well aware that aging athletes sniveling over faded ability are terribly pathetic so I'll try not to be one. To that end, I think this little table may prove useful. For example, although I never ran a 5K in 15 flat, the table says I recorded an "equivalent" performance, i.e., 4:01 for 1500m. And last fall -- 15 years later -- I ran a 16:57. In other words, I was 13% slower than my lifetime best (16:57 / 15:00 = 1.13).

So was it fast? Is that 13% slow down acceptable? No and no. Going back to the calculator, 16:57 for 5K is equivalent to a 4:53.6 mile, and that is not fast. I just can't call a 4:53.6 mile "fast" even now, in the deep autumn of my running career. Must do better.