Kind of hilarious we all still accept the "BU has a crazy bouncy surface because of the wooden frame!" explanation. The track is obviously short. Everybody deep down knows this. BU knows it too. They make $1 million a season so college kids can convince themselves they've run faster than they ever have and most likely ever will (until they go back to BU).
National records have been set on this track. How can it be short? Surely it is measured.
The first time I wore Vaporflys I instantly said, “This feels like running at BU.”
BU’s track is a trampoline that’s well calibrated for running, simple as that. Other fast tracks I ran on like the Armory and Penn State don’t feel the same.
The debate here is ridiculous. So many conspiracy theorists spewing crappola. The asymmetrical turns make it easy to enter and a rapid drop off that slings shot you off turn. The wide turn radius is not mentioned but obviously another major factor. Lastly is the response each foot strike gets from hitting the track.
The debate here is ridiculous. So many conspiracy theorists spewing crappola. The asymmetrical turns make it easy to enter and a rapid drop off that slings shot you off turn. The wide turn radius is not mentioned but obviously another major factor. Lastly is the response each foot strike gets from hitting the track.
Isn't the bank steeper entering the turn than exiting?
The first time I wore Vaporflys I instantly said, “This feels like running at BU.”
BU’s track is a trampoline that’s well calibrated for running, simple as that. Other fast tracks I ran on like the Armory and Penn State don’t feel the same.
I wear Vaporflys over spikes in track races, and I'll be running at BU for the first time at the mini meet in two weeks. I'm almost concerned it'll feel too bouncy lol. Anyone have experience in this regard?
I wear Vaporflys over spikes in track races, and I'll be running at BU for the first time at the mini meet in two weeks. I'm almost concerned it'll feel too bouncy lol. Anyone have experience in this regard?
If you can wear vaporflies instead of spikes and not notice a hit to your performance, you probably aren’t fast enough to notice the aggressive speed of the track..
If any of these runners besides Yared Nuguse can replicate their performances on an outdoor track, a unbanked 200m track, an oversized indoor track, or even a different banked 200m indoor track, I will never say another word about how the BU bouncy house is a literal cheat track.
Lol might wanna think a little more before you post. Let me list a few names for you:
Grant Fisher 12:53 5k at BU - ran 12:46 outdoors later the same year
Mo Ahmed only ran 12:57 at BU but has run 10 seconds faster outdoors
Touhy ran 10+ seconds faster outdoors than at BU for 5k
Karissa Schweizer's 8:26 3k AR from BU was broken by Alicia Monson at the armory
Cooper Teare ran a 3:52 mile at BU last year and missed his PR by 2 seconds, which I think was from Arkansas
Joe Klecker ran 12:54.99 at BU and then still ran 12:55 and 12:56 outdoors, which I would say replicates that performance.
Not sure if this one technically counts but Nico Young's indoor 5k PR (13:15) from BU is slower than this outdoor PR
I guess your days of trash talking BU's track are over buddy
If any of these runners besides Yared Nuguse can replicate their performances on an outdoor track, a unbanked 200m track, an oversized indoor track, or even a different banked 200m indoor track, I will never say another word about how the BU bouncy house is a literal cheat track.
Well, Grant Fisher and the 5k. But honestly, Yared is such a major caveat to carve out here. Let's stop a sec and acknowledge just how awesome Yared's Prefontaine mile was last year!
Can someone on the ground there measure it and film it??
Actually numerous short tracks exist mainly because the company that painted the surface was told or assumed the track lines they were laying out were for a track with a curb(kerb)/rail. No curb(kerb)/rail and you have a short track. Actually, ALL tracks are short, but governing bodies (NFHS/USATF/IAAF) have established how far out from the inside lines the track should be measured from (30 cm or 20 cm.). Curve calculation mistakes can also easily be made and this frequently happens with the steeplechase curvature to the water pit which is always something different than the primary curvatures. Even lazy/busy/average painters/installers may use 12" instead of 30cm or 8" vs. 20 cm and errors quickly occur.
Lasers, steel tapes, etc. do not work on curves and mathematical calculations are needed and then proper execution of laying out the curvature is harder than most think. You may have noticed lines on tracks are often NOT in the same place when tracks are repainted/resurfaced. When that is the case, which line is correct? The original, or the newly painted lines? Or, maybe they are off on each end slightly, but overall work to create the required distance, or maybe not.
To the posters that commented on the track's bounciness... I guess it was recently redone with an all new surface, for the first time in 20 years. So, maybe it just has extra bounce now.
NCAA Indoors Championship is to be held on the quite new Track at New Balance in Boston this year. Afterward, it would be interesting to get athlete’s perspectives on how that track compares with the BU track.
NCAA Indoors Championship is to be held on the quite new Track at New Balance in Boston this year. Afterward, it would be interesting to get athlete’s perspectives on how that track compares with the BU track.
It will, but those races will likely be much more tactical in nature.
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