Track and Field is a sport that consists of a number of events. These events include athletics such as running, jumping, and throwing. Most of the events are individual but a few, like relay events, involve a team. Team competitions allocate points to events and athletes gain points to their team's total by finishing high in individual events.
The different events take different skills to be successful. There are long distance runs that take endurance, short sprints that take speed, and throwing events that take technique and strength. To do well in track and field you will need to combine physical ability and practice.
History of Track and Field
Track and Field is probably the oldest sport or athletic competition in human history. Running races and jumping contests have been around from ancient history. Even as young kids competing against others by racing and jumping are natural things to do.
The first Olympics had only one event and it was a foot race event called the stadion footrace. The race was around a 200 yard sprint. There were officials to determine who won and starting blocks. The first winner was a man name Coroebus of Elis.
Track and field took another big step in history when the Greeks added the Pentathlon to the Olympics in 708 BC. In addition to the stadion footrace they added four additional events including javelin throw, discus throw, long jump, and wrestling. Points from these five events would be added up to determine an overall winner.
Additional events have been added over the years. Track and field has become a huge international sport and a big part of the summer Olympics every four years.
Track Competitions
Track competitions today can take place indoors or outdoors. In a typical outdoor stadium there is an oval dirt track with grass in the center. The standard length for the oval track is 400m. The running events take place on the track, while the jumping and throwing events take place in the center on the grass. Longer races such as the marathon or cross country races will take place outside of the stadium.
Famous Track and Field Athletes
There have been many famous track and field athletes in history. Often the most popular is the current "fastest man in the world" who is the current 100m record holder. Here are some of the most famous track and field athletes:
Jim Thorpe - won the 1912 Olympic gold medal in decathlon and pentathlon. He was also a professional football player and baseball player.
Jesse Owens - Jesse won 4 gold medals in the 1936 Olympics for 100 meters, 200 meters, long jump, and 4x100 relay. It was an especially great accomplishment as he did this in Berlin. as a black man in front of Adolf Hitler!
Carl Lewis - Carl Lewis won 9 Olympic Gold medals in track and field.
Jackie Joyner-Kersee - Jackie was a tremendous athlete winning Olympic Gold medals in the heptathlon and the long jump. She was voted the greatest female athlete of all time by Sports Illustrated Women's magazine.
Short Distance or Sprints
Runnings
Runnings
A sprint is a short running race. In a track and field competition there are generally three different sprint distances: 100m, 200m, and 400m. The original Olympic event, the stadion race, was a sprint of around 180m.
A sprint race starts out with the runners in starting blocks in their lane. The official will say "on your marks". At this point the racer should be focused on the track, have their feet placed in the blocks, fingers on the ground behind the starting line, hands slightly wider than shoulder width, muscles relaxed. Next the official will say "Set". At this point the runner should get their hips slightly above shoulder level, feet pushed hard into the blocks, holding their breath and ready to race. Then there is the bang and the race has started. The runner should exhale and run out of the blocks not jumping. The initial part of the race the runner is accelerating to top speed. Once top speed is achieved then endurance kicks in as the runner tries to maintain that speed for the rest of the sprint.
Sprinters should remain relaxed while running and move their arms in a straight back and forth motion. They should be focused on their lane and the track at the start and the finish line for the last half of the race or so.
Middle Distance
The middle distance races are the 800m, the 1500m, and the 1 mile long runs. These races require different skills and tactics to win that the sprints. They rely more on endurance and pacing than just pure speed. Also, the runners don't stay in a single lane for the entire race. They start out in staggered lanes, to make the distance the same for each runner, but the race soon becomes open with no lanes and the runners must to pass around each other to gain the lead.
A sprint race starts out with the runners in starting blocks in their lane. The official will say "on your marks". At this point the racer should be focused on the track, have their feet placed in the blocks, fingers on the ground behind the starting line, hands slightly wider than shoulder width, muscles relaxed. Next the official will say "Set". At this point the runner should get their hips slightly above shoulder level, feet pushed hard into the blocks, holding their breath and ready to race. Then there is the bang and the race has started. The runner should exhale and run out of the blocks not jumping. The initial part of the race the runner is accelerating to top speed. Once top speed is achieved then endurance kicks in as the runner tries to maintain that speed for the rest of the sprint.
Sprinters should remain relaxed while running and move their arms in a straight back and forth motion. They should be focused on their lane and the track at the start and the finish line for the last half of the race or so.
Middle Distance
The middle distance races are the 800m, the 1500m, and the 1 mile long runs. These races require different skills and tactics to win that the sprints. They rely more on endurance and pacing than just pure speed. Also, the runners don't stay in a single lane for the entire race. They start out in staggered lanes, to make the distance the same for each runner, but the race soon becomes open with no lanes and the runners must to pass around each other to gain the lead.
Long Distance
There are three main long distance races: the 3000m, the 5000m, and the 10,000m races. These races are similar to the middle distance races, but the emphasis is even more on correct pacing and endurance.
Hurdles
A hurdles race is one in which obstacles are placed at intervals along the track that the runners must jump over on their way the finish line. Typical hurdle races are the 100m and 400m for women and 110m and 400m for men. Timing, footwork, and technique are key in wining hurdles events. Of course you still need to be fast, but jumping the hurdles in stride without much slowing down is how to win in the hurdles.
Relays
Relay races are where teams of runners compete against each other. There are typically 4 runners and 4 legs to the race. The first runner starts with the baton and runs the first leg handing off to the second runner. The hand off must typically take place within a given area of the track. The second then hands off to the third and the third to the fourth. The fourth runner runs the final, or anchor, leg to the finish line. Common relay races are the 4x100m and the 4x400m.
There are three main long distance races: the 3000m, the 5000m, and the 10,000m races. These races are similar to the middle distance races, but the emphasis is even more on correct pacing and endurance.
Hurdles
A hurdles race is one in which obstacles are placed at intervals along the track that the runners must jump over on their way the finish line. Typical hurdle races are the 100m and 400m for women and 110m and 400m for men. Timing, footwork, and technique are key in wining hurdles events. Of course you still need to be fast, but jumping the hurdles in stride without much slowing down is how to win in the hurdles.
Relays
Relay races are where teams of runners compete against each other. There are typically 4 runners and 4 legs to the race. The first runner starts with the baton and runs the first leg handing off to the second runner. The hand off must typically take place within a given area of the track. The second then hands off to the third and the third to the fourth. The fourth runner runs the final, or anchor, leg to the finish line. Common relay races are the 4x100m and the 4x400m.