Once the starter calls, “Runners on your mark…set...,” my mind goes into a different zone. The gun erupts but silences the nerves. Immediately following the gun, the crowd explodes with cheer. A pack of track runners furiously take off from the starting line. We are beginning a four lap race of hell, the mile. Throughout the course of my high school career, this exciting scene became very familiar to me. I always look forward to track season, and running the mile is by far my favorite event. To me, there is something about the event that makes it magical. While running the mile, to achieve my goals, I always focused on a strategy my coach told me before my first ever mile race. He called the strategy the four P’s of the mile. To run a successful mile, one must follow the four step process of pushing, pacing, positioning, and persevering. The mile race originated in England during the 1800’s. It was used as the standard distance for gambling races. Eventually, the mile race soon became known as “The Mile” near the end of the 19th century when professional foot racing became the most popular sport in England. As time continued, track and field spread across the world, and the mile was the main event. For the next century, it was a mystery if a human could run a sub four minute mile. Eventually, in 1954, Roger Bannister became the first man to do so. In many opinions, no running distance or field event, has the history, the appeal, or the “magic” of the mile. On an outdoor
The weather is perfect for racing: not too hot, not too humid, not too windy. I dash down the twisted trails in the woods, trying not to stumble on the gnarled roots protruding from the dirt. My spikes puncture the soft earth with every stride, and my legs repeatedly pound on the ground, soreness surging through them. As sweat trickles down my face and dirt smears across my aching calves, I ascend a steep hill, trying to bring forth the strength I have accumulated throughout endless hours of practice. Now that I am nearing the final two hundred meters, I must force my body to begin sprinting. Breathing heavily, I dart for the imminent finish line, trying to beat the uninterrupted tick of the timer. Even though the crowd surrounds all around me, I can barely hear their animated cheers, because all I can focus on is crossing the line before the girl next to me. I can feel adrenaline surging through my body, and I widen my stride to cap off the remaining distance. When I glance at my Garmin watch, a new personal best time flashes across the screen. I realize that all of the gruelling work I have put in is worth the final result: happiness. (Snapshot Lead)
When the race begins the runners all begin by running at a pace that is comfortable for them. Runners need to try and to start as close to the front as possible. After the first mile, all the runners will begin to spread out. That’s when the hard part starts. Runners now will begin to speed up and begin passing as many runners as they can, but at the same time they can't let anyone pass them. Usually when your about to pass someone they will
After every race, you can vaguely expect what you will see up on the clock. I know, now, how much I put in, is only as much as I can expect to get out. Running has helped me form some ideas that are still fresh in my brain but will hopefully help me become a better version of myself. Just remember, someone may have a lifetime ahead of them, but they need to make the last bit just as good as the
A typical 400m race involves an entire lap of a standard running track, and requires each athlete to run in separate lanes. The race begins with runners in staggered positions, so that each athlete is running equal distance, and those who false start twice, or obstruct another runner from moving forward will be disqualified. As a 400m runner, you require considerable speed endurance, in order to maintain a high intensity over a considerable distance.
It is assumed that the ancestors of mankind developed the ability to run for long distances about 2.6 million years ago. Since then, running has developed into one of the world’s most competitive sports.
While Bannister and Prefontaine set the standards for the short and medium distance runners, a new group of long distance runners was beginning to emerge, along with a new running culture. In the early and mid-1970’s, long distance American runners Frank Shorter and Bill Rodgers, joined forces with short and medium distance runners (Bannister and Prefontaine) to kick-start the running boom of running in America. It’s said that over 25 million people were active runners during this time.
Peyton Scott is a junior Husky who has been on CHHS Varsity Track Team for two years. She loves track because her parents inspired her to pursue it, and her dad is actually the varsity coach. Her goal is to continue being on varsity for her senior year and run for her dream college, which is anywhere in Southern California. If she's not at track practice, her favorite place to run is in her lovely neighborhood. Running on the track for her two hours practices really help her find her weaknesses and strengths. One of her favorite routines is running two miles a day. Peyton has learned to pursue her goals and always believe in
In the novel The Perfect Mile, three men each set out on their own journey of breaking four minutes running a. A quote that captures the theme of the novel is “Further, the four-minute mile had to be won alone. There could be no teammates to blame, no coach during halftime to inspire a comeback. One might hide behind the excuses of cold weather, an unkind wind, a slow track or jostling competition, but ultimately these obstacles had to be defied. Winning a foot race, particularly one waged against the clock, was ultimately a battle with oneself, over oneself.” (2) The three men, John Landy, Roger Bannister and Wes Santee put it to the test. They overcame mental and physical challenges, defeated criticism and were determined to break the barrier.
I soon snapped out of this state, hastily trying to stretch my muscles, which were cramping because I was so anxious. I heard the announcer yell “Ready, Set, Go!” followed by the pop of the starting pistol. Startled I took off running as fast as I could momentary forgetting to pace myself. I knew I would run out of energy if I didn’t do something to correct myself, so I slowed down and matched my breath to my steps. This way I could get an adequate amount of air into my lungs for aerobic respiration. By doing this I cruised through the first mile of the
Blistering heat, rushing adrenaline, and a lost voice are all ways to describe one example of a leadership experience that I had was during my junior year at my second CBL Cross Country race. I remember that at this time, instead of putting in our top seven runners at this varsity race, we actually instead put in our number eight through 14 runners on the team due to our coach playing a gamble and seeing if we could still possibly win the League Championship while sitting out our top racers.
Right out of the blocks, near the very start of the race, one of the runners was badly knocked down, and in a quarter-mile race at such a high level of competition, fractions of a second determine the winner. Anyone knocked down is quite simply out of the race. But accidents like this are sometimes unavoidable in the crowded running of the competitors. Even though he was far behind, this competitor leaped back to the track and continued to race with all-out speed and effort. The fact that he was twenty yards away from the nearest competitor and made the attempt to rejoin the short race seemed ridiculous. Nonetheless, this man ran at such an astonishing pace that the spectators were goggle-eyed and on their feet, mesmerized by the unfolding
Since the 7th grade, I have and continue to push and strive to become the most elite athlete I can be. In middle school, I ran the 100m, 200m, and 400m relay, and the main objective of middle school track for me was to not only place, but to also gain experience before entering high school track. As my high school track career began, track and field was not as much fun and games as it was preparing for future track events. One of the most challenging moments as a freshman was being able to transition from the 100m to the 400m. When most high school athletes think of the 400m, they feel it's one of the most gruesome races to run, and it is. Although I had zero experience running the 400m, I was more concerned doing what was beneficial for
“Good Job keep going, you can do it, run run faster, you got this!” These were the words coming from the audience as I was finishing my last 100 meters in the cold, pouring, rain during sectionals. I was in second place in my heat and my heart was thumping and I couldn't see through the water stains on my glasses, but I heard someone someone breathing hard and their spikes hitting the track as they ran behind me and I knew I had to push even harder.I remembered the rough trading I had in practice and knew I could do it.
When the gun goes off, the runner should go fast enough to get in a good position before they can settle into their usual pace. Even though they want to do well, the most important thing is to do their best and have a good time. The race’s distance can vary from two miles to a 5k. Eventually, when the runner is almost to the finish line they should give it everything they have and push themselves. When they finally finish, they should drink lots of water and be proud of themselves for completing a great race.
This past weekend, 108 entrants set off on a hundred mile race—the fourth annual Pine Creek Challenge. The footrace follows the Pine Creek Trail, a flat, scenic route that still provides ample challenge for the runners. Race director, Steve Hanes, comments, “For me as a race director, it’s great to see people stretching their boundaries...it's great to see people work towards something they might not have even imagined a few years ago, and come out here and accomplish something that's really noteworthy.”