Okay, I am 6’2 in my senior yr of H.S and I have always been a 100m guy. Last I made provincials , but got injured. Last yr I ran 11.2, my goal is to ran atleast a 10.8 but the end of this current season.
Anyways I joined a Track club to realize this goal , and the coach is insisting that I am a 400m sprinter not a 100m. I was never really an endurance person, so I hate it. My first 400m indoor race was 51.2 came second in provicials for Alberta ( Last month).
My legs are longer than my toro, I am tall and skinny !! While it is true that I have long strides.
Are there any sprinters over 6’1 that can run sub-10 or below ?
I find it frustrating when , I want to ran 100m but instead train for a 400m. :mad:
At this rate I will not be getting faster. I have been lifting weights for the past 3 months and gained about 5 pounds from 167 to 172.
If I were to really bulk up, would that make me a 100m guy ? What are your opinions ?
There are different types of sprinters out there; Ben Johnson, Mo Greene, Ato Boldon: shorter guys (5’8"-5’9"), but very muscualr and dense (~175-180 lbs.). Carl Lewis, Asafa Powell are taller, in the 6’1"-6’3" area. There really isn’t a certain type out there that fits the mold. Just because you are 6’2" doesn’t mean you can’t be a 100m guy. Xavier Carter comes to mind especially; he’s primarily 200/400 now, but in HS he ran 10.38 for 100m (He’s ~6’3" I believe, 195-200 pounder)
51.2 is pretty good for your first 400; try to lower that 100 time. You may be pretty succesful in the 400 though with your speed and not even know it yet.
Training for the 400m is almost the same as training for the 100m (nearly identical). I would get a different coach. You want to do 100m, so find a coach that knows what they are doing, and do the 100m!
If you need some help getting rid of your coach I suggest watching “The Apprentice” tonight. Then go and practice saying, “Coach, you’re fired!”
As far as bulking up is concerned…you are heavy enough. Work on getting stronger, not heavier! Dang muscle magazines!
It’s difficult to be successful in an event that you don’t like. Coaches usually just coach what they’re comfortable with. My old coach thought everyone was destined to be a 400m runner…
You gotta remember that most good 400 runners also have excellent 100 speed. I don’t see Jeremy Wariner or MJ running 11.2 in the 100.
honestly you should stick with the 400 and try to get under 50 for this season. However if you hate the 400 have a talk with the coach if he isn’t a dictator and see if he’ll compromise with you and let you run the 100 and the 200. 400 and 100m training arn’t VASTLY diffrent. The main differance is the actual race.
Taller athletes generally take longer to develop because of their longer growth rates, generally speaking. You should do the 400m training but keep in touch with the speed work. Try to improve abdominal strength. Being so tall you will have more torso to control. Taller athletes do not have to worry so much about added bulk cause the longer levers decrease effort on muscle systems so stay strong but light… but for that mechanical advantage, you will be probably lacking in acceleration… so you may as well work on your strengths and make it superior to others…top speed work(still got to work on your acc as well). Of course you will still need to start but you will benefit from top speed work. I have a cousin who is 6ft 5ins tall, he ran 20.55 (200)and 10.17(100) then ran 9.9 at Mount Sac but clock did not work so was not ratified. He’s not training anymore due to injuries and father time… So, you can achieve that and more do not worry about your times now. Apply yourself and it will happen… Do not worry about J Wariner and M Johnson just yet… they must have been running 11.2 at some point then progressed. Just train concentrate apply yourself, breath track but keep balanced about things…
I think you’re better off doing 100/200m training and then just racing a few 400’s. Which way is more likely to result in an injury, training for 400 and running 100’s or training for the 100/200 and running a couple of 400’s now and again?
Rap, and mart have a great point about things. Keep in mind that Asafa runs 46s-48s in practice at early points in the year. 400m training does have it’s place in 100m training, but be really careful to plan your goals for a specific event. If training is done properly you should never get injured in your career. Look at the top athletes, 1-2 injuries in an entire career. Given the intensity of the training, it shows just how good their programs are.
If your true goal is to get under 11.0 you will have to get that start down really well. Particularly the first 30m. I am 6’1" and 182 lbs. I look like I am closer to 190 because of my build, but I can relate to having an impaired acceleration. Keep in mind athletes that are tall (and named above) have still gotten 30m hand times 3.4s-3.5s. SHoot for sub 3.6 in a hand timed 30m and you will jog an 11 flat.
I would use the 400m very conservatively and never within 2 weeks of when you decide to peak for your 100m races. Concentrate on staying as lean as possible! Increased weight will just make your levers move even slower. IM me if you need more suggestions…
Okay, I understand the short choppy steps you must take in the first 10m , but the arm swinging ? Do you swing with your arms across your chest ? Or beside the rib area ? Also how are your fingers ?
I see so many strange ways, from loose fingers to those perfecto postion. ( U know when your about to flick something)
This is interesting because I was asking a similar question about starting a while ago. I saw a guy with a great start who emphasized front-side arm action and had very little back-side arm action, meaning his arm only came back just slightly behind the hip before it started forward again. They guy next to him had a backswing that went way back. At 10 meters, the guy with the front side emphasis - for about three strides - had a one step lead and that was the margin at the finish. Thinking about this, it seemed to make sense that while stepping over the ankle that you would shorten up the arm action somewhat. Thoughts?