Does the increased lubrication on wet tracks make them faster than dry ones? I don't mean running in ankle deep puddles during a downpour, I mean running during a light rain shower.
Just wondering, because a lot of my PRs were set in the rain.
Does the increased lubrication on wet tracks make them faster than dry ones? I don't mean running in ankle deep puddles during a downpour, I mean running during a light rain shower.
Just wondering, because a lot of my PRs were set in the rain.
Sounds psychological. The opposite occurs with 800m world record holder David Rudisha. He hates it. But I enjoyed a drizzle of rain under the lights in a 3200. It's nice to feel cooled while youre working hard.
All things being equal, I'd say a wet track is slower than a dry track. Doesn't water tend to stick to itself...cohesion? So the water on your shoe is sticking to the water on the track which could in turn slow you down on some level.
Then of course you have the traction issue if one isn't wearing spikes.
Flashback, Paula Radcliffe, Euro Champs., many moons ago, Munich, 10,000...run in very wet conditions..
she ran a phenomenal 30.00 that day, with many pundits claiming it was worth 29.40-29.50 minimum, in optimal conditions.
Year was 2002, the year before her 2.15 marathon.
PA runner wrote:
Does the increased lubrication on wet tracks make them faster than dry ones? I don't mean running in ankle deep puddles during a downpour, I mean running during a light rain shower.
Just wondering, because a lot of my PRs were set in the rain.
Assuming the track is draining well and there's no issue of puddles, I doubt the track conditions themselves would make much difference because your traction comes from spikes and not friction between your shoe sole and the track. Maybe the lubrication from water makes spikes come out of the track slightly easier but that seems like it would be a very small effect.
The fact that light rain was falling and providing a cooling effect might be beneficial in longer races from a physiological standpoint.
It's slower if you're not wearing spikes and about the same if you are wearing them.
Bolt's first 100 WR (9.72?) was set on a wet track.
The old synthetic fields were faster wet than dry (maybe because the water would "compress" the surface?). This probably wouldn't apply to a track, though.
Do different synthetic tracks absorb different amounts of water? Regardless, the lubrication helps, and traction should not be an issue even on the curves - Tyson Gay ran a 19.62 on a wet track, which was a PR for him at that time.
Not if it's a dirt track.
Yes, of course. Freeze that thin layer of water to get a real nice icy surface for even less friction and faster times.
potato wrote:
Yes, of course. Freeze that thin layer of water to get a real nice icy surface for even less friction and faster times.
Already done. It's called "speed skating".
The unique thing about the rain is that it's pretty much the only non-ideal weather condition you can run in and still have a reasonable chance to PR provided that the rain isn't heavy, you're in good shape, and you're wearing spikes on a synthetic track. Can't say the same about other adverse weather like snow, hail, high winds, dense fog, 100 degree temps, etc.