Why have relay zones?

an extra 33 meters loses top speed, but is still faster than the first 33 meters, so the average speed for 133 is greater than 100.

But with 4 runners, it shouldn't make any difference.

The fastest way around would be with 3 runners it seems!

silly question wrote:

The fastest way around would be with 3 runners it seems!

Only if you had 3 studs and one dud. But what's so bad about that? Imagine the pre race chatter speculating on whether the coach will try to stretch his three studs or whether he will run all four guys. It would sound like before a baseball game with the coach having to decide the best lineup. It would add a whole element of strategy

Interesting idea

Agreed

The exchanges outside of the zone always hurts the team and is never an advantage.

No need for a DQ.

One of the best questions asked here at LRC. I think you're exactly right in your thinking - it would add a cool strategic element to relays and would eliminate DQs for something that gives no advantage to getting the baton through the total distance. I would be even more interested in relays if the location of exchanges was up to each team.

I like the idea if the current 4x100 format is to survive.

However, I'd like to see both the 4x1 and the 4x4 scrapped (relays are hardly ever ran anyway) and swapped for a 1000m relay.

100 + 200 + 300 + 400.

The 1000m is a distance which should have a place in track with its round figure and it would mean that different types of runners need to work together.

For this to work we would need relay zones though.

Tradition!

Bump

Very good question. Like the idea.

Cool discussion.

As a HS and college distance runner with no sprint or relay experience who found myself coaching 4x1 and 4x4 relays as a HS head coach, this could have been a a fun and interesting coaching decision. One season, I lost one of my 4x1 girls to injury. We had a chance to win a county championship - a big deal for our school and our kids. I needed every point, so I replaced her with a discus thrower, the only body I had to spare. Had a a week or two to practice. We won anyway but missed out on a state qualifying time. I might have run 3 girls or had the discus girl run 20 meters if I had the option.

I like the 1000m relay, too. That's the complete test of your sprint team.

Cool discussion.

As a HS and college distance runner with no sprint or sprint relay experience who found myself coaching 4x1 and 4x4 relays as a HS head coach, this could have been a a fun and interesting coaching decision. One season, I lost one of my 4x1 girls to injury. We had a chance to win a county championship - a big deal for our school and our kids. I needed every point, so I replaced her with a discus thrower, the only body I had to spare. Had a a week or two to practice. We won the team trophy but missed out on a state qualifying 4x1 time. I might have run 3 girls or had the discus girl run 20 meters if I had the option.

I like the 1000m relay, too. That's the complete test of your sprint team.

No zones and no lanes too.

In high school our JV team beat our varsity relay team ( one of the best in the league ) by actually passing the baton in the air inside the zones. So as soon as a runner entered the zone they tosses the baton to the next runner who was already headed down the track,

Shocked everyone but of course it turned out to be against the rules.

It was the 1960's and our coach checked it out before telling us it was illegal. If not, we would have used it in leagues. As it was we ran faster than our Varsity school record and we were all JV's.

any more thoughts on the 1000m relay? brojos can yous get a campaign for this going please boys

+1 get rid of zones and the four person requirement.

That would be very cool