2nd heat bias

Don, Speaking for myself, having been in that situation, although many years ago, I can say that 2nd heat runners are focused on their own race and don't even know who or what happened in the first heat, let alone the time. An earlier heat was always a blur to me. Maybe I wan't good enough to notice and needed to be more focused on myself rather than watching or looking at the time of an earlier heat. I can't imagine hearing a 400 split and thinking, 'well, we've got to pick it up to be ahead of the first heat.' My focus was ALWAYS on the automatic qualifying 'position', never time.

Right, but the fact that the same thing happened in both the mile and 800 suggests that the guys in the 2nd heats WERE smart/focused enough to realize what they had to do to qualify, and so more people qualified in those heats.

It does seem like something of an advantage. Maybe me/someone whosnotme could run a statistical analysis of later heat advantage? ;)

Thanks for the perspective. It just seems that this meet was extremely stacked with 2nd heat runners in both men's and women's 800m and mile. Maybe it was just fortuitous.

it may be an advantage if those in the first heat let it be one by putting up relatively slow times. those in the first heat have the opportunity and responsibility to make it a fast enough race to put the pressure on those in the second heat.

In my experience, having run in many a second heat in championship races, I was always fully aware of exactly what the first heat ran. You can not help but notice it. You're right there on, or near, the track, and the announcer is yelling the time, etc. Not to mention the clock usually being in plain sight. In every second heat I've run in every semi-final, the second heat always tailored its tactics based on the outcome of the first heat. Sure, some will just settle in and let the chips fall where they may, but there is almost always someone who is less confident of his kick and goes for it.

I respect all other opinions as I can only relate to what I am thinking & focusing upon. Dash, You actually ran a nationals heat with thoughts of the first heat in your head? Instead of thinking "I must be in the top three", etc., you were thinking, "I must break 4:04 to qualify on time"? Again, I respect what you are saying, it is just very foreign to my focus and way of thinking. As I alluded to before, I was never a favorite, but a guy fighting to make the final. I didn't feel I could afford to waste my mental energy on anything but my own race. Also, I can remember in NCAA meets, having no splits given for that very reason. It would be interesting to see if that practice has changed. Can any younger guys than me confirm/deny this?

You simply can't help but notice what the first heat ran. That almost always affects the 2nd heat. As for me, personally, I usually just focused on my own race. There are always those, however, who feel it is in their best interest to make their race faster than the first heat to maximize their chances of advancing. I have seen people push the pace for this very reason. Right or wrong, this is what happens most of the time. Of course, the first heat often runs fairly fast in anticipation of this, and the 2nd heat's advantage is diminished. My vote: It is better to be in the second heat!

The 2nd heat runners would not have to waste time watching the 1st heat splits, etc.. Their coaches would do that, then tell the runners what times they need to hit. A definite 2nd heat advantage.

Although it was long ago, early-mid 80's, I ran ntional meets and have been in all of the heats in question. If in a later heat, I would see the previous race, but it was a blur & my coach would never have broken my focus to tell me the previous times. Of course, I was a kicker, and I wouldn't/couldn't have been one to push the pace early due to the times of a previous heat. I understand what you are saying, and logically it is an advantage in knowing approximately how fast you have to run to advance, but truly, I feel it has little to no effect on things. In this years mile, the heats were very similar. I can't imagine someone becoming the sacificial lamb and leading just to assure overall times, probably for others, are faster. Again, your theory is logical, but I doubt it actually has any impact.