Rules of Track and Field

Just as in Cross Country Track and Field also has rules and regulations that must be followed. So in the beginning of any race, all runners must start at the exact time no runner is allowed to start early, if a runner by any chance foul starts then that runner gets a warning, the second time it happens in the same event that runner is disqualified from that event, meaning that he can not participate in that event. A foul start is when a runner starts to go before the gun goes off.

Another rule/regulation in Track and Field is when runners start they must stay in the lanes. Every track has lanes in which each runner must stay in during his race. This rule specifically toward the sprinters the (sprinting events). For most middle distance and distance runner they dont not have to follow this rule as closely as sprinters do. For middle distance and distance the races have "breaking points" where the runners can break from there assigned lanes and merge into the inside lanes, this is a rule for the mid distance running event, the 800m. For the mile and 2 mile there are no lanes assigned to each runner, it is like a free for all in these 2 events.

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/track-and-field-rules-general-rules-about-track-and-field.html

History of Track and Field

You may be wondering where Track and Field all started? Well the first recorded examples of Track and Field was the first Ancient Olympic Games in 776 B.C. During the first games the only event that was contest was the stadion footrace. Track and Field has dated back all the way to 776 B.C. Track and Field events where were also present when during the Panhellenic Games in Greece as well. Track and Field was truly marked when the Olympic Games came back during the 19 hundreds.

To this day many national and world recorders have been set by some great athletes. Here are some extremely amazing recorders set by amazing talented runners, for example world record for 100m sprint - Usain Bolt 9.58 seconds, 200m sprint Usain Bolt 19.19 seconds. Some recorders for middle distance runners; 800m Wilson Kipketer 1:41.11, 1500m Hicham El Guerrouj 3:26, the mile Hicham El Guerrouj 3:43.13. Some recorders for the distance runners are; 3000m, 7:20.67 Daniel Komen, 5000 12:37.35 Kenenisa Bekele, 10,000 26:17.53 Kenenisa Bekele. So many great runners have broken and set there own recorders up until now, these runners deserve great respect for there dedication and love to Track and Field.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Track_and_field

http://www.trackandfieldnews.com/tfn/records/records.jsp?listId=1

Introduction into Track and Field

Track and Field, also known as "Track and Field Sports" also "Track and Field Athletics" is a sport that has various competitive athletic contests revolved around the activities running, jumping and throwing. Track and Field is held in a stadium, with a oval running track, that surrounds usually a football field, or grassy area, where most jumping and throwing events are held. Most of the events are individual sports with many athletes, and competitors going head to head with each other to decide one victor. With running events, the victor is chosen by the one competitor that finishes the fastest, unlike running, jumping and throwing the victor is decided by the one who achieved the great distance or height.

Running events are sorted into sprinting, middle distance, and distance. In jumping the events are long jump, triple jump, high jump and pole vault. In throwing the events are shot put, javelin, discus and hammer.For each running group they are associated with certain events in there category, like for example sprinters are usually associated with 100 meter, 200 m, 400 m races etc. For middle distance usually the events that are associated with them are the 800 m, the mile, and 2 mile race. Distance runners usually are associated with 5,000m(3.1 mile race) and 10,000m(6.2 mile race). Track and Field is very interesting to watch and see schools and professional athletes compete.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Track_and_field

"A lot of people run a race to see who is fastest. I run to see who has the most guts, who can punish himself into exhausting pace, and then at the end, punish himself even more."- Steve Prefontaine 

"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift."- Steve Prefontaine

"You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there. Over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement."- Steve Prefontaine

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/s/steve_prefontaine.html 

Cross Country Racing

Like in other sports there are designated places and spots where certain sporting event are held. In Cross Country we run at different school courses. Usually school courses host both the Varsity course and the 2.1 course. The Varsity course is different in the fact that the varsity runners must run an additional loop or extra ground to cover the 3.1 mile requirement for their race, unlike varsity the rest of the team runs the standard 2.1 mile course.

Before the start running groups, JV (Junior Varsity), FS ( Freshman and Sophomores) and Varsity are assigned to a designated box. Within this box is the line for the team to start off in. Usually the fastest starting runners in front. For big groups usually the first 5 fastest runners are in front. This is common because they are like the pace setters for the rest of the team behind them. Through out the course there are markers that signal which direction the runners should be going. The markers, and guidelines for the directions of the course are taken seriously, if a runners goes off the course they are immediately disqualified.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_country_running

Digging Deeper Into XC

You may be asking yourself how XC came to be a common sport in the U.S, well believe it or not XC was not started in the U.S, it actually started in England. The sport originated from the "Crick Run" held every year since 1838 at a rugby school in England. After XC was introduced to England after the late 1830's many private schools in England practiced, and participated in XC. In 1878 the United States was introduced to XC by a man named William C. Vosburgh. At first when it was introduced to the United States the sport was used as training/ conditioning for Track and Field Athletics. Despite the start of the sport as being used for training, 9 years later XC running became a formal sport. Before the 1960's only men where allowed to run the sport, but during the 1960's the International Amateur Athletic Federation, allowed women to run XC for the first time !

Just like in many sports there is a scoring system for XC as well. The scoring system in XC is very complicated but I will try to explain as clearly as possible. In XC the scoring system goes in points. Take the varsity race for example, the minimum runners you need for the varsity team is 5, the most you can have is 7. So when varsity runners finish the place they come in, that is the amount of points they get. The highest amount of points a varsity squad of 7 could earn is 28 because if the runners from the same team came after each other in a consecutive order like beginning from 1st place to 7th place ( 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) that adds up to 28 so that is the highest amount of points the varsity team could earn in a race. XC is a very complicated sport, but fun one too !

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_country_running

Whats Cross Country and Track & Field ?

Running is a very competitive sport. Country Cross and Track and Field are two sports that involve competitive running. Cross Country is an endurance running sport. It tests your physical endurance, and the limitations of your body, mind and heart. In Cross Country there are two different types of races. There is the 2.1 mile race which everyone runs but varsity. Varsity runs the 3.1 mile race better know as the 5K. Both of these races are very difficult and challenging. Overall Cross Country is a very physically and mentally demanding sport.

Track and Field is very similar to Cross Country, but at the same time very different as well. They are similar in the way that they both mentally and physically demanding sports. One way they contrast is the concept that they are built around. Track and Field is more built around speed " sprinting", but Cross Country is built around long distance "endurance running." Track and Field is split into two main running groups "distance runners" and "sprinters." There are running events associated with each group. The 800 meter, the mile and the 2 mile is associated with the distance runners because those are endurance based running events. Everything from the 100 meter to the 400 meter races are considered sprinting events, because these are speed based running events.

Introduction To Running

For my blog I decided to go into depth of cross country, and track & field. You might ask yourself what is cross country and track & field? Well these are sports, and they are not just sports, they are also lifestyles. Cross country and track & field, are both sports that involve running. In this blog I will go into great detail of each one, and the aspects of both. Cross country and track & field are different and similar in may ways. Both of these sports are fun, exciting, and challenging ! Get ready to explore the world of running !