Winning an Athlete's Laurels 



I — Running, hurdling and relay races 

 By Albert B. Wegener 



A technical instructor and director of athletics of twenty-seven years' experience 



SPRINTS, or dashes, are short races up 

 to and including a quarter mile (440 

 yd.) run at top speed all the way. 

 Sprints are perhaps the most popular of 

 athletic events and success depends mostly 

 upon nerve reaction, since athletes of all 

 sizes and build are among record holders. 



5TftRT LINE 



Y 



LEFT 

 FOOT 



4 ; 



fePOUNO PLAN FOR 

 SPRINT START. 



P1RI6HT 



I 



RIGHT 

 FOOT 



I 



Ground plan for placing the feet, knees 

 and hands to make the start for a sprint 



It is customary for four to six athletes to 

 run at a time, the first four belonging to the 

 first "heat," the second four to the second 

 heat, etc., until all have run. Then the 

 first two of each heat run additional heats, 

 called "semifinals," after which the first 

 and second of the semifinals run in the 

 final heat. Before the meet the games com- 

 mittee draw the runners' names by lot to 

 determine which ones are to be in each heat. 

 These positions are published on the pro- 

 gram and cannot be altered even though 

 only one man appears to run in a heat. 



The starter oversees the drawing for 

 the places and the clerk lines them up. 



The runners then dig holes in the track 

 for their feet, the holes being 3 or 4 in. deep 

 with a firm perpendicular back wall. The 

 front hole is dug for the left foot from 4 to 

 6 in. back of the starting line (sometimes 

 called "scratch"). The rear hole for the 

 right foot is dug a little to the right and far 

 enough back so that when in a kneeling 

 position the right knee comes almost to the 

 front hole. 



At the starter's command, "Get ready," 

 or "On your marks," place your left foot 

 in the front hole, kneel on the right knee, 

 place the right toe in the rear hole, place 



the hands on the mark in an arched po- 

 sition with two spans distance between the 

 thumbs. This is called the "crouch start" 

 and is used by all good runners. 



At the starter's command "Set," or "Get 

 set," raise the right knee 6 in., or so that 

 the lower leg is horizontal. Incline the 

 weight forward on the hands and left leg, 

 arms bent a little. Note that the shoulders 

 are forward of the mark. Do not "crane 

 the neck," but hold the head natural, eyes 

 on the track about 20 ft. ahead. Contract 

 all the muscles for the spring and hold a 

 steady position. Do not "break" (start 

 before the pistol is fired). This is a bad 

 habit of novices, and is cos y, since the 

 starter will place you back for each offense. 



At the report of the pistol spring forward, 

 not upward, from both feet and hands, 

 taking a short, quick jab step with the right 

 foot a few inches ahead of the mark and a 

 little to right. At the same time jerk the 

 left arm forward and the right backward 

 and up. The weight must be well forward 

 and low, the upright position being grad- 

 ually assumed at about the sixth or seventh 

 stride. 



During the run incline the head forward, 

 the body forward and arched. Hold the 

 arms half bent and use them directly for- 

 ward and backward, the action being all in 

 the shoulder and none in the elbow. Move 

 the legs directly forward and do not allow 

 the foot and knee to turn outward. Take 

 long, fast strides and run on the balls of 



Three ways of placing the hands on the 

 starting line preparatory for a dash run 



the feet (heels up). When the foot strikes 

 the ground in front, the leg should be bent 

 as little as possible; do not elevate the foot 

 high in the rear. Never look around to see 

 where the others are, but fix your eyes on 

 the finish and your whole attention on your 

 utmost effort. When about 20 yd. from 

 the finish get a feeling of fright as though 



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