Track and field events
Learn about different events through Mclean track athlete Q&As
100-meter
3200-meter
1600-meter
400-meter
100-meter hurdles
Pole vault
Long jump
1600-meter race
The 1600-meter race is four laps around the standard track and is exactly one mile. It is a test of strength and enduance. Athletes often make a comback towards the end of the race, meaning that conserving energy and finishing the last lap strong is essential. Q. What is your strategy for managing your energy during the 1600 to ensure that you still have enough energy to finish the race strong? A. "Trying to stay relaxed on laps two and three helps me stay efficient and not waste energy, so I can have energy at the end," sophomore Bryce Yang said. Q. What role does having a positive mindset play during the 1600 in helping you stay strong during the race? A. "Having a positive mindset for racing is very important," Yang said. "When you inevitably get tired, you need to be prepared to keep going."
Photo by Kent Arnold
Pole vault
Pole vault is a field event in which an athlete vaults over a horizontal bar using a flexible pole. During the approach, the athlete sprints down a 40-meter runway at full speed to build momentum. Q. What goes through your mind during the split second you are clearing the bar? A. "Happiness [and] exictement," sophomore Nora Bogacki. "I feel a relief that I cleared the bar." Q. How do you build up the trust and confidence needed to consistently push yourself to higher heights? A. "I watch Sophie Knudson and [observe] how she has overcome a lot of [challenges]," Bogacki said. "Last year she struggled a bit with pole vault, [but] now she has broke six school records."
Photo by Kent Arnold
100-meter hurdles
The 100-meter hurdles is solely a women's track and field event where an athlete sprints down the straight of a track while jumping over ten hurdles set equally apart in distance. Athletes competing in the 100-meter hurdles need to have extensive practice hurdling in order to become comfortable with the three-step rhythm Q. How do you balance maximizing your speed while also making sure that you clear all of the hurdles? A. "It is hard at first, but as you keep doing it over and over again, it [becomes] a lot easier," sophomore Jane Lipsy said. "I think the key to clearing the [hurdles] is [to use] your momentum." Q. How does your mindset differ when running the 100-meter hurdles compared to the 100-meter dash? A. "There is more time for me to think [during] an open race versus [when I am] hurdling because when hurdling I am thinking about so many things at the same time," Lipsey said.
Photo by April Sheng
3200-meter race
The 3200-meter race is the longest racing distance in high school track and field. It is exactly eight laps around the standard track and is approximately two miles. Running the 3200-meter race requires consistent pacing and strong enduance. Q. What goes through your head while you are running the 3200-meter race? A. "When I am in a race I am always trying to talk as positive to myself as possible," junior Jaidyn Buday said. "I really like to break it down and take it one step at a time cause it helps reduce [my] anxiety." Q. Explain the importance of having a strong mindset when running the 3200-meter race? A. "Having a good mindset makes all the difference," Buday said. "If I'm in my head like 'oh no, I can't do this, I'm scared I'm not going fast enough,' that's not really [going] to get me anywhere."
Photo by Kent Arnold
100-meter dash
The 100-meter dash is the shortest and fastest track event. It requires maximum force and quick reaction times. The event is run over the straight of a standard 400-meter outdoor track. Q. How do you improve your reaction times so that you can have a strong start for the 100-meter dash? A. "I do a lot of block starts on my own time because I have my own set of blocks, and I also do plyometrics to help with explosiveness so I react faster," freshman Zoriana Paulson said. Q. What goes through your head when you cross the finish line during the 100-meter dash? A. "When I am actively crossing the line, my mind blanks," Paulson said. "[However], when I am officially done, a sense of both relief from finishing and anticipation for the time that will pop up on the board [floods over] me."
Photo by Kent Arnold
400-meter dash
The 400-meter dash is exactly one lap around the standard track and is one-fourth of a mile. It requires a balance of speed and endurance. As a long sprint event, athletes racing the 400-meter dash need to run at maximum effort for the majority of the run. Q. How do you pace yourself throughout the 400-meter dash to make sure that you have a strong start and finish? A. "I try to [start] out strong for the first curve, and then at the straight I try to maintain my speed, but decrease my exertion," sophomore Juliet Sheehan said. "I continue this until I have about 125 meters left in the race, and there, I try to kick it as much as I can." Q. What motivates you to finish the 400-meter dash when you start to get tired? A. "I motivate myself to finish the [race] strong by having the mindset that I always have enough left in me to push [through] the last 100 meters," Sheehan said. "I feel like track teaches you that you can do more than you think you are capable of, and that the only true limit is your mindset."
Photo by April Sheng
Long jump
Long jump is a field event in which athletes run at full speed up down a runway until they reach a wooden board, where they jump as far as possible and land in the sand. Having a strong approach and takeoff is crucial in maximizing the distance of the jump. Q. What kind of mentality do you need when jumping to prevent yourself from bailing out at the last second? A. "I try to stay as aggressive as possible while incorporating feedback given to me after each jump," senior Stephen Shields said. "Between jumps, I am able to assess my form with [my] coaches and look at what can be improved upon before taking the next jump." Q. What is your primary focus during the approach run to ensure that your jump is successful? A."I strive for improvement no matter the event," Shields said. "I try to let the form I have worked on during practice take over and not think too hard about it."
Photo by April Sheng
Track and field events
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Transcript
Track and field events
Learn about different events through Mclean track athlete Q&As
100-meter
3200-meter
1600-meter
400-meter
100-meter hurdles
Pole vault
Long jump
1600-meter race
The 1600-meter race is four laps around the standard track and is exactly one mile. It is a test of strength and enduance. Athletes often make a comback towards the end of the race, meaning that conserving energy and finishing the last lap strong is essential. Q. What is your strategy for managing your energy during the 1600 to ensure that you still have enough energy to finish the race strong? A. "Trying to stay relaxed on laps two and three helps me stay efficient and not waste energy, so I can have energy at the end," sophomore Bryce Yang said. Q. What role does having a positive mindset play during the 1600 in helping you stay strong during the race? A. "Having a positive mindset for racing is very important," Yang said. "When you inevitably get tired, you need to be prepared to keep going."
Photo by Kent Arnold
Pole vault
Pole vault is a field event in which an athlete vaults over a horizontal bar using a flexible pole. During the approach, the athlete sprints down a 40-meter runway at full speed to build momentum. Q. What goes through your mind during the split second you are clearing the bar? A. "Happiness [and] exictement," sophomore Nora Bogacki. "I feel a relief that I cleared the bar." Q. How do you build up the trust and confidence needed to consistently push yourself to higher heights? A. "I watch Sophie Knudson and [observe] how she has overcome a lot of [challenges]," Bogacki said. "Last year she struggled a bit with pole vault, [but] now she has broke six school records."
Photo by Kent Arnold
100-meter hurdles
The 100-meter hurdles is solely a women's track and field event where an athlete sprints down the straight of a track while jumping over ten hurdles set equally apart in distance. Athletes competing in the 100-meter hurdles need to have extensive practice hurdling in order to become comfortable with the three-step rhythm Q. How do you balance maximizing your speed while also making sure that you clear all of the hurdles? A. "It is hard at first, but as you keep doing it over and over again, it [becomes] a lot easier," sophomore Jane Lipsy said. "I think the key to clearing the [hurdles] is [to use] your momentum." Q. How does your mindset differ when running the 100-meter hurdles compared to the 100-meter dash? A. "There is more time for me to think [during] an open race versus [when I am] hurdling because when hurdling I am thinking about so many things at the same time," Lipsey said.
Photo by April Sheng
3200-meter race
The 3200-meter race is the longest racing distance in high school track and field. It is exactly eight laps around the standard track and is approximately two miles. Running the 3200-meter race requires consistent pacing and strong enduance. Q. What goes through your head while you are running the 3200-meter race? A. "When I am in a race I am always trying to talk as positive to myself as possible," junior Jaidyn Buday said. "I really like to break it down and take it one step at a time cause it helps reduce [my] anxiety." Q. Explain the importance of having a strong mindset when running the 3200-meter race? A. "Having a good mindset makes all the difference," Buday said. "If I'm in my head like 'oh no, I can't do this, I'm scared I'm not going fast enough,' that's not really [going] to get me anywhere."
Photo by Kent Arnold
100-meter dash
The 100-meter dash is the shortest and fastest track event. It requires maximum force and quick reaction times. The event is run over the straight of a standard 400-meter outdoor track. Q. How do you improve your reaction times so that you can have a strong start for the 100-meter dash? A. "I do a lot of block starts on my own time because I have my own set of blocks, and I also do plyometrics to help with explosiveness so I react faster," freshman Zoriana Paulson said. Q. What goes through your head when you cross the finish line during the 100-meter dash? A. "When I am actively crossing the line, my mind blanks," Paulson said. "[However], when I am officially done, a sense of both relief from finishing and anticipation for the time that will pop up on the board [floods over] me."
Photo by Kent Arnold
400-meter dash
The 400-meter dash is exactly one lap around the standard track and is one-fourth of a mile. It requires a balance of speed and endurance. As a long sprint event, athletes racing the 400-meter dash need to run at maximum effort for the majority of the run. Q. How do you pace yourself throughout the 400-meter dash to make sure that you have a strong start and finish? A. "I try to [start] out strong for the first curve, and then at the straight I try to maintain my speed, but decrease my exertion," sophomore Juliet Sheehan said. "I continue this until I have about 125 meters left in the race, and there, I try to kick it as much as I can." Q. What motivates you to finish the 400-meter dash when you start to get tired? A. "I motivate myself to finish the [race] strong by having the mindset that I always have enough left in me to push [through] the last 100 meters," Sheehan said. "I feel like track teaches you that you can do more than you think you are capable of, and that the only true limit is your mindset."
Photo by April Sheng
Long jump
Long jump is a field event in which athletes run at full speed up down a runway until they reach a wooden board, where they jump as far as possible and land in the sand. Having a strong approach and takeoff is crucial in maximizing the distance of the jump. Q. What kind of mentality do you need when jumping to prevent yourself from bailing out at the last second? A. "I try to stay as aggressive as possible while incorporating feedback given to me after each jump," senior Stephen Shields said. "Between jumps, I am able to assess my form with [my] coaches and look at what can be improved upon before taking the next jump." Q. What is your primary focus during the approach run to ensure that your jump is successful? A."I strive for improvement no matter the event," Shields said. "I try to let the form I have worked on during practice take over and not think too hard about it."
Photo by April Sheng