The Art of Sprinting
- Dajunonna Mikulin
- Jul 31, 2017
- 4 min read
"As most people equate success with having more, my quest was always for less. For as long as I can remember, life has been measured in seconds. The fewer, the better."
-Sanya Richards-Ross, Chasing Grace
Somewhere between 100 and 200 milliseconds (for elite sprinters) from the time the gun goes off, the sound travels from the gun to the ear of the sprinter. The ear hears the sound and sends a signal to the brain, which the brain then processes and signals the body to start running. The signal is then received by the muscles as the sprinter pushes off the blocks into a triple extension and begins their quest to reach maximal velocity. The quadriceps, hamstrings, and hip flexors give power to the legs to push into the track with the ball of the foot. Because of the texture of running tracks, the force of the foot hitting against the track actually launches the runner forward. This force continues with each stride down the track as the arms create 90 degree levers willing the legs to move faster.
At 6'5", 207 pounds, striding down the track in an uncharacteristic step, his long stride is helped by a fast turnover, allowing him to cover more ground, faster. Clocking in at just over 27 miles per hour at top speed, the 100m and 200m record holder has hit 9.58 and 19.19 respectively. We have never seen anything like it. The form. The body stature. The stride. The dance moves. The lightening strike.
With his unorthodox style of running, straight up and down, the Dallas, Texas native did nothing but impress during both his collegiate and professional careers. The winner of 13 gold medals between the World and Olympic Championships, even though his form may have looked funny, it actually allowed him to win races. His upright form allowed him to produce more force into the ground which was in fact returning as speed. As his gold shoes crossed the finish line in Atlanta in 1996, coaches around the world began to reconsider the extent to which form correction is necessary.
From the time she was seven years old, everyone around her saw the star she would soon grow into. She was running faster times than those in grades years above hers and quickly came to stardom after making the move from Jamaica to the United States. Her tight-knit family, poise, and work ethic contributed to her many successes in track and field. The NCAA Champion, Olympic Champion, World Champion, and American Outdoor 400m record holder is also the female responsible for the most sub-50 second 400m races in history.
Known as "Chicken Legs" because of her lanky physique, her skinny legs have more strength than some twice the size. She won her first Olympic medal (silver) at the age of 18 and is now the most decorated female in United States Track and Field. Originally a 100/200 runner, in the last few years she has also added the 400m to her list of successes. Her long stride and always calm facial features make running any sprint race look so easy.
Usain Bolt. Michael Johnson. Sanya Richards-Ross. Allyson Felix. Sprinters come in many shapes and sizes. Moving their limbs at high rates of angular velocity and high frequency through large ranges of motion allow them to gracefully move their bodies down the lane and across the finish line in lightening fast speed. The art of sprinting is deeper than the surface. Sprint mechanics and technical skills assist the sprinter in reaching optimal performance. The process involves many different systems at work within the human body. The neuromuscular and energy systems play a huge role in allowing the body to accelerate, get up to maximal velocity, hold that speed for a period of time, and then decelerate.
One of the main differences between a sprinter and endurance runner is the percentage of a type of muscle fiber each has. The sprinter has a type of fiber known as "fast-twitch" fibers. These fibers fatigue much more quickly than its opposite (slow-twitch fibers), but because fast-twitch fibers have a short tension, they produce more force. According to USATF, power, explosive, and sprint athletes have about 70 percent or more of fast-twitch muscle fibers. A non sprint athlete usually splits between fast and slow twitch at 50/50.
For a sprinter the form is what keeps us going. In the 400m race the form is usually the first to go as the legs scream for oxygen and the mind screams in pain. The 100m dash is so quick that one misstep can cost you the race. The 200m curve can be a blessing or a curse. The runner needs to be successful in high speed curve running to push the body smoothly around the curve without adding any length or stepping out of the lane. The phases of the sprint race must be executed efficiently to allow a smooth transition from one phase to the next. Timing is a crucial part of the sprint races. The difference between a gold medal and a fifth place finish can come down to a hundredth of a second. Sprinting is an art in which the mind and body work together to produce more in order to achieve less.
Photo from: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9BsDZ-PFhOU/maxresdefault.jpg
Comments