How to follow running. It’s difficult to follow running as a spectator for several reasons. Running doesn’t get nearly the same amount of television coverage as other sports. There are no teams beyond the college level and even there, it’s how the individuals perform in their respective events that dictates how many points are scored. There are hundreds of professional athletes doing hundreds of races and events. While some of them stay at the top of their respective sport for several years or more, there is a lot of change among the participants so keeping track of athletes requires a fair amount of time, especially since there are not a set number of teams that they’re attached to. Like any team sport pro athlete, such as a pitcher or a quarterback, pro runners have days where they’re outstanding and days where they’re less than outstanding. With running, less than outstanding might mean finishing fifth in a major race as opposed to first. In that case, you’re unlikely to see their name in the running headlines, meaning it’s more difficult to keep track of them. There are qualification standards for many series and races, but they might be different. For the Olympics, some countries have trial meets, others select their runners by committee, and at least one does a hybrid.
Consider this against following the NFL. There are 32 teams, 8 divisions, 16 regular season games, and a short playoff system that relies on number of wins for entry and final scores for advancement. The media reports so much on football that it would be difficult to not be aware of the several best players in the league. If you have any interest in the sport at all, you can be fairly well-informed without having to search too hard. Most Americans can probably name at least three to five pro football players, especially if you allow them to include players from the past few years who recently retired. Besides Usain Bolt, most people would probably have a hard time naming one prominent professional runner from the past five years.
When the Olympics roll around every four years, that is the most exposure the vast majority of people will have to track and field and running. However, the athletes who are there are constantly racing from year to year, leading up to and following the Olympics. If you follow running, you go into the Olympics with a basic idea of what to expect. If not, the commentators will give you background, but it’s fun to either be informed and agree with them, or know that there are other likely finishing scenarios for the races.
Runners race within a certain type of race distance. Here’s how those break down: sprints, middle distance, long distance, and ultramarathons. Sprinters will cover distances from 60M to 400M. Middle distance is 800M to 3000M and sometimes the mile, though that is an American-centric race. Long distance would be 5000M to 10000M on the track. Once you’re off the track, you mainly have 5Ks, 10Ks, ten milers, half marathons, and the marathon. (On the track, they’re called 5000M and 10000M and off the track they’re referred to as 5K and 10K.) Elite distance runners at first will typically stay in the 5000M-10000M range, maybe the half marathon. Once an elite runner moves into the marathon, they will stay there though they may do some half marathons, too. (As with everything, there are exceptions and these are not hard and fast rules.)
Unless it happens very early in a career, runners usually stay within their sprint or middle distance or distance or ultra categories. Middle and long distance can have more crossover, especially once you get to the 1500M and 3000M. That being said, Usain Bolt is not going to become a 5000M contender. Eliud Kipchoge will not be competing in the 800M. David Rudisha will not be running the 100M. Why is this? Here’s an example. Moving from the 400M to the 800M is more difficult than moving from the 10000M to the marathon. While the distance from 400M to 800M is obviously much shorter, the training plans for 10000M and marathon are more similar. A professional 10000M runner may log 90-110 miles per week and go on distance runs. A large component of their training will be speedwork, such as a certain number of 400M sprints (1 lap) with an equal amount of rest between each one. The marathon will have more focus on distance and a training plan would cover 120 to 150 miles per week, though there will be some speed work.
A sprinter’s workouts are about not only building up the person’s speed but also their power, training to get out of the blocks faster, and making tiny adjustments to their form and technique so as to maximize every moment on the track in the short amount of time they’re going to race. Without the longer runs that middle distance and long distance runners have in their training plans, sprinters’ bodies will not be built for success at those longer distances.
Here’s a good article on a phenomenal 400m runner, Jeremy Wariner, who people thought might be able to convert to the 800M. On top of that, he wanted to go for that distance. Ultimately he ran a 1:53. This is much faster than most people can run but it’s around 13 seconds off the world record (a lifetime in the 800) and around 7 seconds off the national high school record. Wariner was an elite 400M runner and while he probably would have gotten faster at the 800 had he made more official attempts, it’s highly unlikely he could have dropped enough time to be competitive at the world level.
On the flip side, you won’t see any long-distance runners moving down to sprints. Their bodies and technique have not been developed in a way where they will be competitive at those distances, at least not at the world level.
Why do I mention all of this? If you pick a certain distance to follow, you can be fairly sure that the runners who are good at that distance will be staying in that category as long as they are able. Also, it illustrates that there are a variety of running and training styles and specialties, which in my view makes it more interesting than just watching the tv to see who can run fast. In a sprint, you get to look at every step to see how it will impact a short race. In a longer race, you can see how often a runner may look over their shoulder, which can cost them a tiny amount of time.
This post isn’t too long yet but I’m not even to the four categories. So, part two next time…
Running food review of the week: (note–gels, bars, chews, and other items affect everyone differently. Try them on a short run before using them for a key training run or race): VFuel Cool Lime drink mix. I drank this prior to a 12-mile run in fairly warm conditions. Some beverages have an intense taste. This one, despite packing in a lot of energy, does not. In that sense, it lives up to its “light citrus taste” description. I felt fine on the run and kept my pace at under 7:30/mile. However, there is a mental aspect to energy drinks/food and with the light flavor, it’s more difficult to wrap my head around the energy it contains. If you like an intense flavor, this does not have that. But if you’re in a long race (like an ultra) and are feeling bloated on food/drinks, this could be a welcome respite.
