A Track and/or Field Thread

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Mon Apr 13, 2015 3:40 pm

If coaches punish team sports teams by making them run, what do running coaches do to punish the team?
http://www.businessinsider.com/oregon-r ... rly-2015-4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

rass · Post by **rass** » Wed Apr 20, 2016 6:14 am

This is pretty great. Great finish. Great brogues. Just great!

h/t (skip to the 3:00 mark or so for the last lap)

Post by **Sabo** » Wed Apr 20, 2016 7:52 am

Holy crap. I think they need to test that girl to see if she has a motor clandestinely implanted in her legs.

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Wed Apr 20, 2016 7:54 am

Awesome, er, great.

Post by **Shirley** » Wed Apr 20, 2016 8:28 am

What a great race. The 4x400 might be the most underrated event in all of sports. If you've never been to a track meet and watched it, you're missing something.

My older son is in 9th grade now and running track for the first time. It's actually the first time his school has ever fielded a team, so they only have 6-7 kids and only 5 (at most) attend the meets. They have no track at the school, so all of their meets, and the only time my son has ever actually run on a track, are away. He is running the 1600 and 800. He has been steadily working his 1600 time down from 5:40 to the 5:10 he ran yesterday. It's been a ton of fun to watch.

Unfortunately with such a small team, there are no kids on the team who can remotely run with him, so the only competition he gets is at the meets, so it's been hard for him to learn pace, but he's slowly getting it. He really wanted to hit 5:08, which will apparently qualify him for the state meet. I think he'll get it next time. He probably would have gotten it yesterday if it hadn't been 85 degrees (the first really hot meet).

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Wed Apr 20, 2016 10:34 am

Shirley wrote: Unfortunately with such a small team

We have the opposite problem. My son is doing a PAL track program for 2nd-8th graders. One parent started it 2 or 3 years ago, and it's become hugely popular. They have over 100 kids this year. His first meet is this weekend, and they haven't told us which events our kids are running yet. I'm told the meets run for about 8 hours. The coach strongly encourages everyone to stay for the entire meet. Fuck. That. The distance races are first, and that's what my son should be running. Hopefully that's where they put him, and I can skip out really early.

HaulCitgo · Post by **HaulCitgo** » Wed Apr 20, 2016 11:20 am

Wife and I huddled up in a blanket on a cold bench for 5+ hours watching wave after wave of maybe 5-12 yr olds run a gazillion events. End of that. My eldest learned a lot about competition and discipline but no one wanted anymore after one season. Parents nor kids. Dont bring liquor into the stands though. Leads to fights after several hours. And that leads to cops making threats and announcers threatening to shut the damn meet down.

Oh and track women are insanely sexy. Think ive mentioned that one before. New upgrade or not I still suck at using this site. Someone please post hot pictures of 20yr old track athletes. Sprinters preferably. Others are hit and miss.

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Wed May 03, 2017 6:58 am

https://www.wsj.com/articles/track-and- ... 84?tesla=y

Post by **Shirley** » Wed May 03, 2017 11:15 am

I just watched that race up there again. Man, that was fun. I'm actually a little teary now.

One year later, my son's team has grown a bit, but still quite small. For a few meets, they've had enough boys to actually field a 4x400 team, and my son has loved that. Unfortunately, they only have three who are competitive, so they get blown away in the fourth leg (not sure why we put the slow guy last), but it's fun.

For the 1600, he had hoped to blow under 5 minutes and get down to 4:50 or so, but he hasn't gotten there yet. He has a 5:01, but he wasn't feeling it (a day after oral surgery) the last two meets and slipped a bit. We're hoping he busts through at the conference meet next week.

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Wed May 03, 2017 2:47 pm

Shirley wrote:For a few meets, they've had enough boys to actually field a 4x400 team, and my son has loved that. Unfortunately, they only have three who are competitive, so they get blown away in the fourth leg (not sure why we put the slow guy last), but it's fun.

For the sake of the competitive guys, the coach may be avoiding putting the team in a hole by putting the slow guy first. Instead of possibly losing some desire by being in an insurmountable hole early, the competitive runners can work against other competitive guys and maybe "win" their lap.

Post by **Shirley** » Wed May 03, 2017 9:27 pm

DSafetyGuy wrote:
Shirley wrote:For a few meets, they've had enough boys to actually field a 4x400 team, and my son has loved that. Unfortunately, they only have three who are competitive, so they get blown away in the fourth leg (not sure why we put the slow guy last), but it's fun.
For the sake of the competitive guys, the coach may be avoiding putting the team in a hole by putting the slow guy first. Instead of possibly losing some desire by being in an insurmountable hole early, the competitive runners can work against other competitive guys and maybe "win" their lap.

That's actually what I think too, but I haven't asked the coach, because there's no way to not look like an asshole. Another option would be to start the slow kid and let the other guys try to work their way back in it with all of the other runners in front of them. But that might kind of embarrass the slow kid as he'd finish 15-20 seconds behind the other leadoff men.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Thu May 04, 2017 1:10 pm

But that might kind of embarrass the slow kid as he'd finish 15-20 seconds behind the other leadoff men.

Embarrass him worse than does blowing leads the other runners gave him?

Post by **Shirley** » Thu May 04, 2017 3:43 pm

sancarlos wrote:
But that might kind of embarrass the slow kid as he'd finish 15-20 seconds behind the other leadoff men.
Embarrass him worse than does blowing leads the other runners gave him?

Maybe not. But they're not usually in first place at that point either. He does usually get passed by a few guys within the first 50 meters, but it doesn't seem quite as noticeable, because most folks are watching the leaders who are up ahead.

rass · Post by **rass** » Fri May 05, 2017 6:23 am

My oldest is going to run her first race (a 5K) after flaming out of indoor track earlier in the winter (as per the proud parent thread, I think?). She's excited about it, and excited about running a 400 against the rest of the 4th and 5th graders in town at our upcoming field day. I can't figure kids out.

Gunpowder · Post by **Gunpowder** » Fri May 05, 2017 8:01 am

She wants to beat some ass. It's fun.

rass · Post by **rass** » Fri May 05, 2017 8:27 am

Gunpowder wrote:She wants to beat some ass. It's fun.

That's what I thought. Then she beat so much ass in indoor that she got scared she couldn't sustain that level of beaten ass and quit.

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Fri Mar 16, 2018 8:13 am

Don't often see a world record at an NCAA meet (even if this is indoor). Sounds like a fast kid and fast track

USA Today wrote:USC sophomore Michael Norman streaked to a world record in the men's 400 meters, clocking a blistering 44.52, breaking the 13-year-old record of Kerron Clement (44.57) and claiming his first individual NCAA title.

Norman wasn't finished. In the final event, USC — with Norman anchoring — lowered the world record in the 4x400 set a week earlier by Poland (3:01.77) in the world championships. USC finished in 3:00.77, followed by Texas A&M (3:01.39) and Florida (3:01.43). All three times were better than the existing WR.

...but USC does not get the World Record...why...one of their guys is from Antigua....so Texas A&M are the new WR holders.

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Fri Mar 16, 2018 9:09 am

Yeah, had to watch the last 90 seconds twice. That's fucking incredible, because the girls that finished 2 and 3 were BOOKING to make up the gap on the lead.

Imma watch that shit again. The girl in red starts the last lap a very distant fifth and doesn't come into the frame until the last turn. Incredible.

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Fri May 10, 2019 7:00 am

When I saw the headline I thought it was the real life punch line "he won the toss and elected to receive"
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2 ... ef08726e14

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Mon Jun 10, 2019 4:10 pm

So just read that the NCAA Pole Vault record holder (women's) went to the same high school I did. Apparently she has a legit shot at the World Championship and Tokyo Olympics.
Transferred from Kentucky to University of Washington

Post by **brian** » Mon Jun 10, 2019 4:28 pm

Nice to see someone around here still has respect for rules.

HaulCitgo · Post by **HaulCitgo** » Mon Jun 10, 2019 10:08 pm

HaulCitgo · Post by **HaulCitgo** » Mon Jun 10, 2019 10:09 pm

Love that Norfolk State and A&T represent right next to Texas, USC, Florida State and LSU but ummmm... No stopping that. A freshman setting an NCAA record with two hands up before the finish.

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Tue Jun 11, 2019 5:07 am

Damn! That's flying.

HaulCitgo · Post by **HaulCitgo** » Sun Jun 30, 2019 10:09 am

NFL trumps all. Put the pads on your skinny kids early.

Rigged up 40yd dash for NFL guys = $1MM

IAAF Diamond league finals (after a season of globetrotting qualification meets) = $50k

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Tue Jul 16, 2019 7:20 am

My coworker's son qualified for the Olympic Marathon qualification race. He ran at UVA and stayed in C-ville to run for the Reebok Boston (funny name for a team based in Charlottesville).

https://www.runwashington.com/2019/07/0 ... it-a-mile/

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Tue Jul 16, 2019 8:21 am

Tell him I'm coming for him at the Richmond Half this year, and if he's not doing that one, why's he afraid of me?

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Fri Oct 11, 2019 12:29 pm

Nike shutting down the Oregon Project (their Salazar-led running) group
https://www.wsj.com/articles/nikes-elit ... major_pos8

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Fri Oct 11, 2019 1:12 pm

wlu_lax6 wrote: Fri Oct 11, 2019 12:29 pm Nike shutting down the Oregon Project (their Salazar-led running) group
https://www.wsj.com/articles/nikes-elit ... major_pos8

Nike pulled all their OP branded gear once this was announced. I follow Kara Goucher on social media, and this ruling seems to have been quite cathartic for her, given she's the (or, one of the) whistleblowers about Salazar.

I still want to do some laps around their badass track with the trees in the middle of the oval.

wlu_lax6 · Post by **wlu_lax6** » Fri Oct 11, 2019 1:26 pm

Interesting read on the sub 2 hour marathon chase...another shot going this Saturday.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-billio ... major_pos9

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Sat Oct 12, 2019 9:00 am

Got it.

Post by **brian** » Sat Oct 12, 2019 9:09 am

Could have made an argument already that Kipchoge is the greatest marathoner of all-time, but this obviously seals it.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Sat Oct 12, 2019 9:43 am

They mentioned that it was a course built for speed. I wonder how that works over 26 miles.

Joe K · Post by **Joe K** » Sat Oct 12, 2019 10:04 am

degenerasian wrote: Sat Oct 12, 2019 9:43 am They mentioned that it was a course built for speed. I wonder how that works over 26 miles.

The article I read said it was run in a park in Vienna that had long flat straightaways with the wind shielded by tall trees. The course itself was a ~6 mile loop so he ran it 4+ times. Regardless of the course condition, use of pacers, etc., running a marathon that fast is astounding. It’s as seemingly impossible to me as anything that any athlete can do.

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Sat Oct 12, 2019 11:48 am

He also had a team of 7 pacers with him at all times, cutting down wind, and was trailing cars that were shooting lasers down on the course to light the correct path. It's amazing, but definitely an assisted feat.

Post by **Shirley** » Sun Oct 13, 2019 9:12 am

He ran at just under a 4:34 mile pace. That is just mind-blowing. I wonder how far any of us could run at that pace? That comes out to about a 68-second 400m (1 lap) pace. Could I still run that? Maybe. I damn well know I couldn't run anything near a 2:16 800.

Post by **brian** » Sun Oct 13, 2019 9:28 am

Shirley wrote: Sun Oct 13, 2019 9:12 am He ran at just under a 4:34 mile pace. That is just mind-blowing. I wonder how far any of us could run at that pace? That comes out to about a 68-second 400m (1 lap) pace. Could I still run that? Maybe. I damn well know I couldn't run anything near a 2:16 800.

You could probably do a 2:16 half mile on a flat straightaway, but your point stands. To do that 51 more straight times after that is insane

Post by **Shirley** » Sun Oct 13, 2019 9:36 am

brian wrote: Sun Oct 13, 2019 9:28 am
Shirley wrote: Sun Oct 13, 2019 9:12 am He ran at just under a 4:34 mile pace. That is just mind-blowing. I wonder how far any of us could run at that pace? That comes out to about a 68-second 400m (1 lap) pace. Could I still run that? Maybe. I damn well know I couldn't run anything near a 2:16 800.
You could probably do a 2:16 half mile on a flat straightaway, but your point stands. To do that 51 more straight times after that is insane

Not without a lot of training (and maybe some knee surgery), I couldn't. I watched my son win some 800m high school races last year with about that time (granted, they were pretty lame meets).

Post by **brian** » Sun Oct 13, 2019 9:50 am

I think anyone who could do a 68 second 800 on a track could do a 2:16 half on a flat straight was my only point. I certainly couldn’t do either even when I was able to do a 4:19 marathon. I think my best half mile time with the benefit of no turns was probably about 3 minutes.

govmentchedda · Post by **govmentchedda** » Sun Oct 13, 2019 2:44 pm

My good friend, and coach, finished Chicago today in 2:47:16. She's 44, has 4 kids, a full time job, and started running 4 years ago. No Kipchoge, but maintaining 6:23 pace for that long is insane.