Running Track and field

1 running

1.1 sprints
1.2 middle distance
1.3 long distance
1.4 relay races
1.5 hurdling

running
sprints


the finish of women s 100 m race

races on short distances, or sprints, among oldest running competitions. first 13 editions of ancient olympic games featured 1 event, stadion race, race 1 end of stadium other. sprinting events focused around athletes reaching , sustaining quickest possible running speed. 3 sprinting events held @ olympics , outdoor world championships: 100 metres, 200 metres, , 400 metres. these events have roots in races of imperial measurements later changed metric: 100 m evolved 100-yard dash, 200 m distances came furlong (or 1/8 of mile), , 400 m successor 440 yard dash or quarter-mile race.

at professional level, sprinters begin race assuming crouching position in starting blocks before leaning forward , gradually moving upright position race progresses , momentum gained. athletes remain in same lane on running track throughout sprinting events, sole exception of 400 m indoors. races 100 m largely focused upon acceleration athlete s maximum speed. sprints beyond distance increasingly incorporate element of endurance. human physiology dictates runner s near-top speed cannot maintained more thirty seconds or because lactic acid builds once leg muscles begin suffer oxygen deprivation. top speed can maintained 20 metres.

the 60 metres common indoor event , indoor world championship event. less-common events include 50 metres, 55 metres, 300 metres , 500 metres run in high school , collegiate competitions in united states. 150 metres, though competed, has star-studded history: pietro mennea set world best in 1983, olympic champions michael johnson , donovan bailey went head-to-head on distance in 1997, , usain bolt improved mennea s record in 2009.

middle distance

arne andersson (left) , gunder hägg (right) broke number of middle distance world records in 1940s.

the common middle-distance track events 800 metres, 1500 metres , mile run, although 3000 metres may classified middle-distance event. 880 yard run, or half mile, forebear of 800 m distance , has roots in competitions in united kingdom in 1830s. 1500 m came result of running 3 laps of 500 m track, commonplace in continental europe in 20th century.

runners start race standing position along curved starting line , after hearing starter s pistol head towards innermost track follow quickest route finish. in 800 m races athletes begin @ staggered starting point before turn in track , must remain in lanes first 100 m of race. rule introduced reduce amount of physical jostling between runners in stages of race. physiologically, these middle-distance events demand athletes have aerobic , anaerobic energy producing systems, , have strong speed endurance.

the 1500 m , mile run events have historically been of prestigious track , field events. swedish rivals gunder hägg , arne andersson broke each other s 1500 m , mile world records on number of occasions in 1940s. prominence of distances maintained roger bannister, (in 1954) first run long-elusive four-minute mile, , jim ryun s exploits served popularise interval training. races between british rivals sebastian coe, steve ovett , steve cram characterised middle-distance running in 1980s. 1990s onwards, north africans such noureddine morceli of algeria , hicham el guerrouj of morocco came dominate 1500 , mile events.

beyond short distances of sprinting events, factors such athlete s reactions , top speed becomes less important, while qualities such pace, race tactics , endurance become more so.

long distance

kenenisa bekele leading in long distance track event

there 3 common long distance running events in track , field competitions: 3000 metres, 5000 metres , 10,000 metres. latter 2 races both olympic , world championship events outdoors, while 3000 m held @ iaaf world indoor championships. 5000 m , 10,000 m events have historical roots in 3-mile , 6-mile races. 3000 m historically used women s long distance event, entering world championship programme in 1983 , olympic programme in 1984, abandoned in favour of women s 5000 m event in 1995.

in terms of competition rules , physical demands, long distance track races have in common middle-distance races, except pacing, stamina, , race tactics become greater factors in performances. however, number of athletes have achieved success in both middle- , long-distance events, including saïd aouita set world records 1500 m 5000 m. use of pace-setters in long distance events common @ elite level, although not present @ championship level competitions qualified competitors want win.

the long distance track events gained popularity in 1920s achievements of flying finns , such multiple olympic champion paavo nurmi. successes of emil zátopek in 1950s promoted intense interval training methods, ron clarke s world record-breaking feats established importance of natural training , even-paced running. 1990s saw rise of north , east african runners in long distance events. kenyan , ethiopian athletes, in particular, have since remained dominant in these events.

relay races

relay races track , field event in team of runners directly compete against other teams. typically, team made of 4 runners of same sex. each runner completes specified distance (referred leg) before handing on baton teammate, begins leg upon receiving baton. there designated area athletes must exchange baton. teams may disqualified if fail complete change within area, or if baton dropped during race. team may disqualified if runners deemed have wilfully impeded other competitors.

girls handing on baton in relay race in leipzig in 1950

relay races emerged in united states in 1880s variation on charity races between firemen, hand red pennant on teammates every 300 yards. there 2 common relay events: 4×100 metres relay , 4×400 metres relay. both events entered olympic programme @ 1912 summer games after one-off men s medley relay featured in 1908 olympics. 4 × 100 m event run strictly within same lane on track, meaning team collectively runs 1 complete circuit of track. teams in 4 × 400 m event remain in own lane until runner of second leg passes first bend, @ point runners can leave lanes , head towards inner-most part of circuit. second , third baton change overs, teammates must align in respect of team position – leading teams take inner lanes while teammates of slower teams must await baton on outer lanes.

the iaaf keeps world records 5 different types of track relays. 4×100 m , 4×400 m events, races comprise teams of 4 athletes running same distances, less commonly contested distances being 4×200 m, 4×800 m , 4×1500 m relays. other events include distance medley relay (comprising legs of 1200 m, 400 m, 800 m, , 1600 m), held in united states, , sprint relay, known swedish medley relay, popular in scandinavia , held @ world youth championships in athletics programme. relay events have significant participation in united states, number of large meetings (or relay carnivals) focused exclusively on relay events.

hurdling

a women s 400 m hurdles race @ 2007 dutch championships

races hurdles obstacles first popularised in 19th century in england. first known event, held in 1830, variation of 100-yard dash included heavy wooden barriers obstacles. competition between oxford , cambridge athletic clubs in 1864 refined this, holding 120-yard race (110 m) ten hurdles of 3-foot , 6 inches (1.06 m) in height (each placed 10 yards (9 m) apart), first , final hurdles 15 yards start , finish, respectively. french organisers adapted race metric (adding 28 cm) , basics of race, men s 110 metres hurdles, has remained largely unchanged. origin of 400 metres hurdles lies in oxford, (around 1860) competition held on 440 yards , twelve 1.06 m high wooden barriers placed along course. modern regulations stem 1900 summer olympics: distance fixed 400 m while ten 3-foot (91.44 cm) hurdles placed 35 m apart on track, first , final hurdles being 45 m , 40 m away start , finish, respectively. women s hurdles lower @ 84 cm (2 ft 9 in) 100 m event , 76 cm (2 ft 6 in) 400 m event.

by far common events 100 metres hurdles women, 110 m hurdles men , 400 m hurdles both sexes. men s 110 m has been featured @ every modern summer olympics while men s 400 m introduced in second edition of games. women s competed in 80 metres hurdles event, entered olympic programme in 1932. extended 100 m hurdles @ 1972 olympics, not until 1984 women s 400 m hurdles event took place @ olympics (having been introduced @ 1983 world championships in athletics previous year).

men traversing water jump in steeplechase competition

outside of hurdles events, steeplechase race other track , field event obstacles. hurdling events, steeplechase finds origin in student competition in oxford, england. however, event born human variation on original steeplechase competition found in horse racing. steeplechase event held on track 1879 english championships , 1900 summer olympics featured men s 2500 m , 4000 m steeplechase races. event held on various distances until 1920 summer olympics marked rise of 3000 metres steeplechase standard event. iaaf set standards of event in 1954, , event held on 400 m circuit includes water jump on each lap. despite long history of men s steeplechase in track , field, women s steeplechase gained world championship status in 2005, first olympic appearance coming in 2008.