THE RACE - 5 Types of Running Sprints
THE RACE by Tyler Manzo
In this series we will break down 5 types of Running Sprints
1. 40 yard Dash
2. 100m
3. 200m
4. 400m
5. 800m
Now, looking from top down all of these races can be characterized as a sprint (Speed race). As well as each one of these races have components of each race which intertwine each other.
THE “40”
40 yard dash has become extremely popular being that it is a race characterized as being the fastest but yet emphasizing on quickness and acceleration. We only see the 40 yard dash in American football combine style training, but it is a true testament to acceleration and quickness that cannot be tested and let’s say a track and field race.
Every race has multiple components of the race but the 40 yard dash will only be characterized as two key components
Drive Phase
“Pop up”
DRIVE PHASE is about strength and quickness: it is roughly the first 10 to 15 m inside of the 40 yard dash. This is when the athlete is either in a three point stance seen in spikes/cleats or may be in a standing two point stance seen with running flats. As the athlete gets into position he or she is trying to force as much tension inside of the toes through the calves all the way into the quadriceps and hamstrings. The mind is calm and their breath is big deep; focused now on only one thing: trying to build as much tension inside the body like a bow getting pulled back ready to fire. Once the athlete's mind has become calm but the tension is ready to redline the athlete fires off with low short quick powerful steps moving forward. The torso is tight, the arms are swinging as fast as they can; our bodies are at 45° angle driving with every step.
Now transitioning from this phase into our next phase, can either be done by number of strides or distance. If the athlete chooses to use a number of strides he or she will develop this number in training: the practice of the 40 yard dash multiple times, and has developed a stride count to know where exactly they are at by the time they hit a certain stride number. Opposite of that the athlete would need distance markers set on the ground to know when to transition to the next phase.
THE POP UP PHASE would be characterized as the transition phase or the “pop up”. Now the term “pop up” is not necessarily a full stand up to max velocity, it is a slow gradual pulling up of the torso; all staying in stride not to jerk straight up to decrease velocity. The cue here is where the eyes go, the head will follow. As you are driving coming into transition you want your eyes to slowly come up the track you’re running on and to gradually see the finish line.
“THE FINISH” Is this playing as simple as run through the line. For any race if that be the 40 to 100 to 200 to 400 even the 800 you need to picture in your mind that you will be running 20 m past that finish line. You and only you are in control of the velocity of your body.
THE 100M DASH
In regards to any sport there is no other event that is looked upon as being the world’s fastest race. The 100 m dash requires quickness as well as power and the utmost of max velocity speed. The hundred meter dash can be broken up into three phases. Just like the 40 yard dash it will consist of the Drive phase as well as the transition. The phase that is not necessarily in the 40 yard dash is going to be the max velocity phase or maintenance phase.
THE MAINTENANCE PHASE is mostly broken down into protection of mechanical running form. Meaning that around 60 m in your 100 m dash you will reach max velocity; now the maintenance in the protection of that max velocity will only withstand itself if the form of your body has not broken down. This is where a little bit of strength speed comes into play meaning: if your hamstrings and quadriceps or even your core starts to weaken the breakdown of form will happen fast which will directly result in breakdown and decrease in velocity. The maintenance phase can be protected by doing drills such as A skip as well as B Skip.
THE 200M + 400M
Now transitioning from the 100m dash into the 200 and 400 is quantitative to the maintenance phase. Meaning when you run the 200 the maintenance phase has then become longer so you will have to hold running form for a longer period of time. The only way this can be achieved is in strength endurance as well as yet again the equation of stride frequency X stride length. For most athletes stride frequency can be the variable which can be manipulated because it can be trained within tempo runs. On the contrary, the thought stride length can only be quantitative to overall leg length with some variability in running mechanics.
THE BEAST
In the speed world the 800m is still looked upon as one of the world’s fastest races but yet it is a combination of strength, speed, endurance, and overall willpower to run at max velocity for 800m.
Like I mentioned in the other races the maintenance phase is about strength and endurance, but in the 800 it’s about mindset and the ability to calm your mind to directly impact that into your running form.
What I’d like for you to do now is close your eyes and picture you have crossed over the threshold of the first 400 m into your 800 m. Your heart rate is now relatively at its peak; you're trying to breathe through your nose and out through your mouth to calm your mind. You have begun to loosen the muscles inside of your face, upper neck and shoulders. Your legs have become filled with lactic acid they’re burning so you begin to kick your foot harder to increase your stride length. You now know that this is a race and there is a finish; the only thing preventing you from getting across is your mind. That is the 800m.