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St.Albans Athletics Club Training - Middle Distance stalbans-athletics.org.uk | Vitruvian - Middle Distance - 5th Sept 09 bratclub.co.uk | Middle Distance Group athleticsyork.org.uk |
Middle distance track events are track races longer than sprints up to 3000 metres.
[edit] Middle distance eventsThe standard middle distances are the 800 m, 1500 m, mile (in the United States), and the 3000 m (which is viewed by some as more of a long distance event). In the United States, the 3000 m is more common at the high school and collegiate levels (along with the US two mile). In Japan, the 800, 1500 and 3000 meter events are competed in both genders for junior high school and high school, except that high school boys jump to 5000 meters. Both 3000 and 5000 meter distances are sometimes described as long distance[1] but also frequently as middle distance,[2][3][4] depending on the context. From the perspective of a longer race like a half marathon, marathon or relays such as the ekiden relay, the 5000 meter race might be viewed as middle distance. What constitutes a good mark for each event of course varies by gender, age, individual, intensity of training/competition, point in the competitive season and many other factors. [edit] 600 mThis middle distance length is rather uncommon, and is mainly run by sprinters wishing to test their endurances at a longer distance. The 600 m is also used as an early season stepping stone by 800 m runners before they have reached full race fitness. The record at this distance is for men:
For women:
[edit] 800 mMain article: 800 metres The 800 m consists of two laps around a standard 400 m track, and has always been an Olympic event. It was included in the first women's track programme in 1928, but suspended until 1960 because of shock and the exhaustion it caused the competitors. Without the benefits of modern training, men of the era were, in contrast, expected to run themselves to complete exhaustion during competitions[citation needed]. The current record is for men:
For women:
[edit] 1000 mThis distance is not commonly raced, though it is more common than the 500 m event is for sprinters. This is commonly raced as an indoor men's heptathlon event, or as an indoor high school event. The record at this distance for men is:
For women:
[edit] 1200 mA distance seldom raced on its own, but commonly raced as part of the Distance Medley Relay. [edit] 1500 mMain article: 1500 metres Along with the 800 m, this is a premier middle-distance race, covering three and three-quarter laps around a standard Olympic-sized track. In recent years, races over this distance have become more of a prolonged sprint, with each lap averaging 55 seconds for the world record performance by Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco in 1998 at Rome (two 1:50 s 800 m performances back to back). Thus, speed is necessary, and it seems that the more aerobic conditioning, the better. This is a difficult distance to compete at, mentally, in addition to being one of the more tactical middle-distance track events. The distance is often witness to some of the most tactical, physical races in the sport, as many championship races are won in the final few metres. The record at this distance for men is:
For women: [edit] 1600 mAt exactly four laps of a normal 400 m track, this distance is raced as the metric mile as a near replacement for the mile (it is, in fact, about 9 m shorter; however, it is still colloquially referred to as "the mile"). The 1500 m, however, is the most popular distance run at the college and international levels. A mile is almost exactly 3.75 laps in lane 5 which is more exact than 4 laps in lane 1. [edit] MileThis length of middle-distance race, 1760 yards, (1609.344 metres), is very common in countries that don't use the metric system, and is still often referred to as the "Blue Riband" of the track. When the International Amateur Athletic Federation decided in 1976 to recognise only world records for metric distances, it made an exception for the mile and records are kept to this day. Historically, the mile took the place that the 1500 m has today. It is still raced on the world class level, but usually only at select occasions, like the famous Wanamaker Mile held annually at the Millrose Games. Running a mile in less than four minutes is a famously difficult achievement, long thought impossible by the scientific community. The first man to break the four minute barrier was Englishman Roger Bannister at Oxford in 1954. The term "miler" is sometimes also applied to a 1500 m runner. The record at this distance for men is:
For women:
[edit] 2000 m
For women:
[edit] 3000 mMain article: 3000 metres
For women:
[edit] 3200 mAt exactly 8 laps on a standard 400 m track, this event is typically run only in American high schools along with the 1600 m. It is colloquially called the "two-mile," as the distance is only about 18 metres shorter than two miles. In college, the typical runner of this event would convert to the 3,000 metre run. [edit] 2,000 metre steeplechaseAnother race only run in high school meets. The typical specialist in this event would move up to the 3000m steeplechase in college. [edit] 3,000 metre steeplechaseMain article: Steeplechase (athletics)
For women:
[edit] Middle Distance Times: Youth FocusThe tables below do not focus on record times but rather on the performance of many runners in a given year (in this case, 2007 and 2008). These are the top 100 (or even 500) junior high school and high school runners in Japan and the USA. Results from other countries would be welcomed. [edit] 800 meters
[edit] 1500 metersA few states of the USA use this distance, among them Oregon, Florida and Massachusetts.
[edit] 1600 meters
[edit] 3000 metersA few states of the USA use this distance, among them Oregon, Massachusetts and Florida.
[edit] 3200 meters
[edit] 2000 meter steeplechaseIn the USA, the steeplechase is still relatively uncommon in high school. One example is New York state, where high school boys compete in the 3000 meter steeplechase and the high school girls compete in the 2000 meter steeplechase. In many states, both boys and girls compete in the 2000 meter steeple chase.[9]
[edit] 3000 meter steeplechase
[edit] 5000 metersJapanese high school boys regularly run 5000 meters on the track rather than 3000 meters. USA high school boys rarely run this distance except during cross country.
[edit] References and Notes
[edit] See also
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