My main event is the 400m. I never have this problem with the 400 or 200, just the 100 and to some extent the 55.
Basically, I find that when I get into an upright sprinting form from blocks (as opposed to a gradual build-up, or something like a 30m fly) sometimes, (most of the time, not always) I am unable to get into my stride properly.
For example, last night I ran the 100m in a race. I had a decent block start, but when I got into my upright running form I could feel my heels coming up way too high behind me and my knees dropping too low in front of me. In the moment, I felt like I couldn’t do anything to adjust my form. I stayed loose and didn’t panic, but still ended up running pretty poorly.
Like I said this never happens to me in the 200/400, probably because of that lacking sense of urgency you get in the 100. It also never, ever happens when I start from an upright position. Sometimes I am able to transition from driving to upright properly, that’s when I run my best races obviously, but it seems to happen less than 40% of the time and I don’t know what triggers it.
Has anyone ever heard of this problem before? I’m thinking some mental cues to focus on would be helpful. Any tips would be much appreciated.
this exact problem happens to me, when i think about pushing back instead of stepping down i start getting this unnecessary heel recovery, try after your first couple steps thinking about stomping more downwards as opposed to pulling backwards
When I ran the 400 ( and I love the 400 btw) I just ran when the gun went off and threw my guts into it right around 250-300 meters. My best were 47 seconds and change.
The big guys make it look easy but it’s still a mans race, just run with your guts and forget all the technical crap.
It sounds like you’re pushing too much. Did it feel kind like falling over forwards? Did you feel it in the quads after that race?
Like I said this never happens to me in the 200/400, probably because of that lacking sense of urgency you get in the 100.
You answered your own question. Be patient. Essentially you’re getting over-excited and rushing things which turns into pushing. “Let the race come to you”.
You answered your own question. Be patient. Essentially you’re getting over-excited and rushing things which turns into pushing. “Let the race come to you”.
Well, the reason this never happens to me in the 200/400 is because I come out of the blocks slower. It’s not ideal, but I do it to make sure I get into my stride properly
essentially I have two block start mentalities - “conservative”, which I use for 200s and 400s, where I am completely relaxed and I “let the race come to me”. This is definitely slower than the approach I have towards the 55/100 which is more “explosive” and forced. The explosive approach is like playing russian roulette, if it works I come out of the blocks much better (6.92 FAT 55m in practice), if it doesn’t work I encounter the problem I described above.
So I guess my problem with the relaxed, let it come to me approach is that my starts are always .1-.2 slower over 55m than they are when I deliberately try to explode out of the blocks…though that only works less than half the time
at the end of the day i’m not too worried about it because it shouldn’t effect my main event, the 400, too significantly.