Jostling in track races, need advice

Great question! I have a light, wispy, high school freshman who isn't used to all the shoving and jostling on the track, especially at the start through 150 meters or so.

I know some of this will come with maturity and experience, but am looking for advice from seasoned high school coaches on how to train kids to hold their position when things get shifty. Strategic advice? Drills they can practice during workouts?

Don't be nice.

I'm not saying to be an asshole, but don't worry so much about the other runners. Cut in 1 and a half steps in front of someone instead of 2. Clip someone's heels. If you push, keep it low. It's much easier to move someone with a push to the hip area than the upper body, you don't have to worry about just tangling arms, and the officials are less likely to see it.

If you have trouble not being nice, find a reason to hate everyone you race against. It doesn't really matter what it is.

I think the key is stop looking at jostling and pushing as an annoyance and start looking at it as something positive - it's part of competitive racing and it makes running feel more like a game. Be an active participant. I used to get really thrown off by jostling, but now I sort of enjoy pushing and getting pushed in races - it reminds me that I'm competing and I'm there to beat other people, not just run a fast time.

Everyone, quit telling this guy all of the secrets. I need guys to race against like this!

twirpy kid wrote:

So, is there anythin that i can do without being disqualified or being a complete asshole to fight this? Does anyone have good stories/advice/tricks and tips? Or do i just need to man up and put some pants on and race?

Be a complete asshole. Who cares if opponents and their parents don't like it? You aren't racing for their benefit.

This will only get worse the more competitive the races are.

Elite athletes in any sport aren't nice once they set foot on the track/field/court/whatever.

meanguy wrote:

If you push, keep it low. It's much easier to move someone with a push to the hip area than the upper body, you don't have to worry about just tangling arms, and the officials are less likely to see it.

Thanks for the tidbit, some of these runners just push me to the inside and then immediately jump in front.

Another question, does the level of physical contact just keep rising the faster one gets (i would say the least contact/pushing is a JV dual meet and then high school state, then college, etc...).

twirpy kid wrote:

meanguy wrote:

If you push, keep it low. It's much easier to move someone with a push to the hip area than the upper body, you don't have to worry about just tangling arms, and the officials are less likely to see it.

Thanks for the tidbit, some of these runners just push me to the inside and then immediately jump in front.

Another question, does the level of physical contact just keep rising the faster one gets (i would say the least contact/pushing is a JV dual meet and then high school state, then college, etc...).

Correct. I was barely jostled, got to states, and was thinking "Man this is states. This place is crawling with officials. No one is gonna get within 2 feet of touching someone." Then the race started and 28 guys all fought for the inside lane; people got spiked; I got pushed in the back (not hard, but a little, partially cuz the guy didnt want to run right into me) and everything. It gets rougher.

Luckily im 155 lbs, so Im like the biggest guy there haha.

Good advice.

Stay Standing on the line a split second after the gun goes off. Odds are that the first 150m is a sprint so you save energy by positioning yourself at the back and moving up through the first 400m meters. Its not about who starts first in a race, its about who crosses the finish line first.

Just chill on the outside for the first 200 and then ease yourself in front of someone. Don't waste too much energy trying to avoid contact it's part of the race.

ricky-bobby wrote:

Stay Standing on the line a split second after the gun goes off. Odds are that the first 150m is a sprint so you save energy by positioning yourself at the back and moving up through the first 400m meters. Its not about who starts first in a race, its about who crosses the finish line first.

Do the opposite and work on getting a quick first 2 or 3 steps off the line. This puts you more in front and in control, and therefore less likely to get jostled. Letting yourself start in back will usually result in far more jostling later in the race when you try to pass those guys back, and especially in an 800 or mile, the extra time and energy needed to get back in position can mess up the end of your race. I used to have the same problem but now that I get off the line faster than almost everybody in my event (the 800), I rarely have issues.

Also build some muscle and be one of the guys doing the pushing instead of one of the ones being pushed.

This is a great thread and one that comes up often at the high school level. I hear people often talk about how unfortunate it is when people get boxed in and pushed around and I try to explain that is part of the sport. Soccer and basketball player always grab and push each other when they are going for the ball and runner are always going for the same space as well.

I tell my athletes two pieces of advice. If you honestly belong at the front, I ask them to watch the gun and try to react like a sprinter the first 60m of a race. You can run as hard as you want for 6-8 seconds before lactic acid builds up. But if you are a guy in the middle of the pack, just go to the back and work your way up. I've also been watching some kids just stay in lane 1 1/2 the whole first half of the race and staying out of trouble that way.

No matter what you do, you will still come in contact with other runners. I always tell kids to use your arms as defense, never as offense. Trying to push other runners around will only use adreline that will come back to hurt you later in the race. A forearm to the hip to anyone that gets too close to your lane should keep them away without getting involved with unsportsmanlike conduct. But the most important thing is to shake hands with your opponent after a hard fought race.

I remember in a 3200 race my senior year: within the first 200 meters i had been cut off by someone who's first stride in front of me had spiked me right in the testes with his back kick. So i layed for the first half of the race, and eventually the lead pack broke off and i was the last one to go with them around halfway through. So i start to work my way up and this kid who cut me off just wont let me through. I try going around on the straight, no dice. He drifts to the outside for whatever reason, i try squeezing in on the inside, he pushes me towards the inside rail. As he starts to come at me from the outside i go ahead of him and plant a spike on the outside of his left foot (didnt get a final look at the end of the race, but i do know that his spike was bloody with a sizeable tear). He didnt bug me the rest of the race.

Another time, i was trying to pass someone on the outside with 600 to go. The kid gave me a nasty look and starting goin wide with his elbows and caught me and it caused me to stumble. So i dropped back and dried to pass him on the straight. He swung wide so i just stood my ground and played elbows with him until he got pissed and clipped my heels. Waited for a couple of strides and then got his calf pretty bad. Finally the idea that i wasnt going to fade with 400m to go got to him.

Moral of the story, stand up to the pricks. You dont have to be a dick and instigate it, but for the love of god if they start it you finish it. It only gets worse the faster you get, and you dont have to play nice.

Sharpen your elbows, son, and learn to carve out some space for yourself.

So pushing and clipping heels are legal parts of the game? I didn't know. So if it's an accepted and legal part of the game, then it's something you must do if required. Complaning about it would be like complaining about blocking and tackling in football when that's part of the game.

Don’t shove kids off the track, but at the start of a race don’t be afraid to cut people off. You’re either getting cut off or cutting people off, so choose. If i really flagrantly go half a step in from of someone to cut in I’ll throw them a “sorry” and no one cares, it’s part of the race