Sanya Richards Runs 2:10.74 for 800

Splits??

Looks like a slower race all around, Nichole Jones is faster than that

Looks like they went out too slow. Richards should have been able to go out in 54, feeling good, and then she'd have that time in the bank for the second half when she starts to tire.

I don't really know what I'm talking about, but it seems that girls are closer to guys in sprinting than they are in distance. Is this true, and if so, why?

its shorter.

the answer is here wrote:

Looks like they went out too slow. Richards should have been able to go out in 54, feeling good, and then she'd have that time in the bank for the second half when she starts to tire.

Wouldn't matter.

While I don't agree that 54 is wise, sprinters generally fare better going out fast and holding on. I think a girl like her really should go out in 58-59 and even slowing to a 68-70 would've been an improvement.

Another thing to consider here is Sanya didn't care about this race. She considered it training and sort of a novelty. I doubt she had her heart in this as much as she has her heart in a 400 in Europe or at a championship meet.

the answer is here wrote:

Looks like they went out too slow. Richards should have been able to go out in 54, feeling good, and then she'd have that time in the bank for the second half when she starts to tire.

Well,with a 54s she would undoubtedly blown up and run even slower.Just shows though,don't it,how weak some "sprinters types"are at 800m,one would think off such a slow first quarter she should have blown them away.Alas,no.Kinda the reason why Lydiard had his Snell and all do plenty of aerobic work.

For the record, Maggie Vessey ran 2:06 at Mt Sac.

It's early, and people talking sub-2:00 just displayed their lack of knowledge (NOBODY has run those kinds of times yet).

Now lets see Nick Symmonds run the 400 at Penn.

As pointed out above, sprinters usually compete best against distance people (but not 400/800 types training for the event) by pushing the pace early. The idea is to push the endurance types into oxygen debt sooner, expecting that the sprinters have the much stronger anaerobic systems. The race appears to have gone out on the slow side, and Sanya, lacking experience, probably didn't push the pace soon enough, and that plays into the hands of endurance types with finishing kicks.

She split 65/65. Looked like she wasn't even trying. She was wearing a long sleeve form fitting shirt and knee length tights. I don't think she raced it seriously.

It was raining all day in Waco and the track was saturated. The meet eventually got called.

She ran even splits??

She can surely go faster than that!!! Not a serious effort.

wow that really sucks

No, actually the gap is relatively greatest at 1500m-5000m or so.

1:41/1:53 3:26/3:52 12:37/14:12 26:18/29:50

With some research into basic physiology you should be able to write down about 20 factors which might explain the performance gap. However, you will need to rethink some of what you read. If you look at running as a sport about producing and maintaining power first and foremost, things will make more sense.