sprinting start

[Stick305]

My start in any race (100m, 200m, 400m, 300m hurdles) used to be really late and slow compared to everybody else's. Usually, I would recover with my top end speed and place, but never win. I have worked on it so much that I can move if I hear a pin drop. But, now, I reach my top speed at around 30m and get run down in the second half of the race (in the 100). Am I using too much energy too early now, or have I just lost my top end speed?

[Richie]

Interesting. I wouldn't say it's likely that you lost your top end speed unless something else changed as well. But maybe you are using too much too soon and are slowing down because you don't have the stamina? Maybe you need to work at increasing your high speed stamina.

[tracklj1]

You are probably just expending too much energy at the start of your race, and you don't have enough left to finish strongly.

You can work on this by doing these (taken straight off the sprintic.com site):

"The ability to develop the endurance to finish off a 100m or 200m race is best developed in races. If the athlete is really lacking in speed endurance at the end of these races they could do sessions like below:

- 2x3 x flying start 60m runs at high speed with rests of only 90s
- 4 x flying 100m very fast rests 3min"


It's interesting that you said that before, you'd get out slow, but have the top end to come back and place. Maybe the problem you're having could be fixed by holding your drive phase for a little longer? Meaning you're accelerating slower, but you'll hit your top end a little later in the race.

[Richie]

That would require a lot of control, which during a race I would think would be harder to focus on and achieve.

The training methods mentioned sound like they might help you, they'd help build up your endurance without taking through the point that you are naturally or currently able to cope with.

[100mrunner]

Your getting walked down because your hitting your top speed to early in the race. the hardest thing to do is maintain your top speed especially over 70m.

you should work on you drive phase. personally i think your drive phase should cover 40-50 meters, so when you hit top speed, you can maintain is for a shorter distance.

look at footage of Maurice Greene, his drive phase is about 40-50m.

[rpflash100]

I think most of this stuff depends on the person. But i agree with everyone else here. It is relatively easy to increase a runners endurance. Run a little farther! It kills me when I have sailors that complain about running 2 miles, because the PT test is just 1 1/2 miles! :(