Why does the DMR exist? It's so stupid.

I agree. I don't see why the fascination with this event. Kenya could win any DMR even without a single 400 guy in the top 20 in the world. Maybe they should give points to each distance like in the decathlon.

I have to agree with you.

I'd rather see something like a 2 x 2 x 400m or a 2 x 2 x 800m relay, where two guys alternate legs in the same race.

I say make the order 1600m-1200m-800m-400m. That'll take away the annoying tactical races

I'd rather see 4x1k. Same overall distance, gives the relay a true mid-distance makeup, and allows relatively equal importance to 800 and 1500 types. You'll also get rid of the extreme disadvantage when the anchor gets the stick in the lead.

4x1000m! Do it!

VVhite guys want to run relays too. This is the event to run them in.

The Waterboy wrote:

I say make the order 1600m-1200m-800m-400m. That'll take away the annoying tactical races

YES! came here to say this. Otherwise the race is basically 90% decided by the 1600 leg.

Yah. Stupid distance medley.

I mean, the 1600 is 40% of the race by itself! The only good medleys are the sprint medleys: 1600 Medley with 200-200-400-800; 1200 Medley with 100-200-300-600; 800 Medley with 100-100-200-400. Those are worthwhile.

But the Distance Medley? Where one leg makes up 40% of the race?

What an awful event.

/sarcasm

Saul Goodman wrote:

I'd rather see 4x1k. Same overall distance, gives the relay a true mid-distance makeup, and allows relatively equal importance to 800 and 1500 types. You'll also get rid of the extreme disadvantage when the anchor gets the stick in the lead.

4x1000m! Do it!

4x1000m. Much better than the 4x800m.

Good idea!

The SMR is worse. There you have one runner covering 50% of the total distance.

The shuttle hurdle relay rocks

watchout wrote:

Yah. Stupid distance medley.

I mean, the 1600 is 40% of the race by itself! The only good medleys are the sprint medleys: 1600 Medley with 200-200-400-800; 1200 Medley with 100-200-300-600; 800 Medley with 100-100-200-400. Those are worthwhile.

But the Distance Medley? Where one leg makes up 40% of the race?

What an awful event.

/sarcasm

+1

I love the DMR good mix of sprint speed and middle endurance. Schools loaded in distance (1500-5k) may have a hard time with 400/800 legs while Sprint focused schools aren't good in the 1600. It's a great balancing act.

I guess you haven't watched too many DMR races.

Often the 1200 opening leg is tactical and the top teams are only separated by a small distance after the handoff.

I have seen a few races where teams lose it in the 400 plus 800 portion and get gapped.

A good 1600m runner still needs to be within reasonable contact to have a chance.

And it's interesting watching someone handle a lead that isn't used to front running. They often let the others catch up too quickly and need to make the chasers hurt a little more.

The race is definitely catered to teams having a top miler.

But it's also set up to have overall team depth and different distances.

If you see a team that is dominant at all four legs, then you get a better feel for the complete team concept.

For high school teams, I think the DMR is great. Breeds camaraderie between sprinters (400 m) and distance runners (the other legs).

It's not often that a 1600 meter runner gets to run a relay with a 400 meter runner (sometimes they meet up in a 4x800, but not always...sometimes that 400 meter runner is 400 and DOWN).

It's also kind of nice, because if your team only has ONE great 400 meter runner and ONE great 1600 meter runner and just TWO great 800 meter runners (one of them can do the 1200 in the DMR), you might be able to put together a very solid team whereas in the 4x400 or 4x800, you might have one or two slow runners drag everyone down.

The DMR is one of track's greatest events and currently its best relay. Who are you people?

DMR is great. Watch a few and educate yourself.

It's obviously better when you have comparable teams and each leg is competitive, but that's a problem with teams, not the event. Weak competition can make any event bad.

Anyone who doesn't like the DMR is a Communist.

voing I agree to

get rid of it!

dawg, the DMR exists because I put da team on my back, doe. my leg broke, I don't know how the f*ck I'm runnin the 1600 leg. BUT I put da team on my back doe.

because it's fun and funny, dummy. plus, it's good for race relations.