Ha, ha ... just remember ... you will eventually hurt Uncle Roger's feelings ... but for real ... nothing there. Completely different type of athlete. Plus, we made a living at Conner working with kids who were not football, baseball or basketball players. This situation is significantly different as well. Everyone is on board with the program.

 

Not to mention .. at the end of the day ... everyone at Beechwood actually works together to try and make things work for all programs. That doesn't happen everywhere. I wouldn't expect any problems at all between any of the programs. If anything ... I would expect a lot of flexibility amongst all teams, coaches and athletes.

 

 

 

The enthusiasm is pretty strong. It is even stronger after this past Saturday. The boys really didn't know what to expect from an indoor track meet ... and walked away with the thought that it was a pretty cool deal. I really don't care to single anyone out ... but the young man above (and the rest of the girls/boys we had on Satuday) are the real deal.

 

 

 

 

The meet went very well. Right out of the gate ... our boys middle school 4x800 team won--which basically set the tone for the entire day. We had one goal for the day--which was to learn (girls and boys) what to expect from each other. Well, next time our goals will be significantly higher. Our kids were in the slow heats all day ... and we placed MANY in the top 6 (against some solid competition). Being in faster heats would have results in some wins. Lots of potential in the sprints (girls/boys), jumps, throws, distance.

 

The difference between this group of kids and others I have been around ... is that we didn't have to convince any of them that they were there to be successful or to leave everything on the track. The effort and the ability to learn was higher than any group I have ever been around in track or cross. When you take that fact--and combine it with kids that will be in the program from swimming and basketball ... I like our chances.

 

Explain to us track novices the difference between "slow heat" and "fast heat." It sounds like those are designated as such prior to the actual running, correct?

Explain to us track novices the difference between "slow heat" and "fast heat." It sounds like those are designated as such prior to the actual running, correct?

 

What generally happens is that all entrants in a given event must give the meet director a time, height or distance. The entrants are then grouped; entrants with similar marks are grouped in the same heats.

 

Exception - an entrant can ask to be placed in a faster or slower heat. However, in the case of a tie (suppose two athletes run 11.5 in the 100 meter dash) in DIFFERENT heats, the athlete running in the faster heat is given the tie-breaker and the higher placement/point total. As a result, it sometimes it pays to run in the faster heats.

 

Another exception - in regional and state meets, there are no "fast heats and slow heats" in the sprint preliminaries. This is, in theory, so the best athletes can advance on to the finals.

.

What generally happens is that all entrants in a given event must give the meet director a time, height or distance. The entrants are then grouped; entrants with similar marks are grouped in the same heats.

 

Exception - an entrant can ask to be placed in a faster or slower heat. However, in the case of a tie (suppose two athletes run 11.5 in the 100 meter dash) in DIFFERENT heats, the athlete running in the faster heat is given the tie-breaker and the higher placement/point total. As a result, it sometimes it pays to run in the faster heats.

 

Another exception - in regional and state meets, there are no "fast heats and slow heats" in the sprint preliminaries. This is, in theory, so the best athletes can advance on to the finals.

.

 

Gotcha. Are the finals comprised of the fastest times regardless of the heat or is it 4 from one and 4 from another? In other words, is there strategy involved in determining what heat you run?

Am I correct that track practice can't officially start until 2.15?

 

You need to fish with better line, Clyde. The official start date for practice is the first week in December. Otherwise, there would be about 200 teams in major trouble with the KHSAA. (I have a feeling that you already knew that though)

You need to fish with better line, Clyde. The official start date for practice is the first week in December. Otherwise, there would be about 200 teams in major trouble with the KHSAA. (I have a feeling that you already knew that though)

 

You're reading way too much into this. I really know nothing about track as evidenced by my previous question. I didn't know of any teams practicing so I figured it was due to a 2.15 start date like other spring sports.

 

Relax. I'm rooting for you guys.

You're reading way too much into this. I really know nothing about track as evidenced by my previous question. I didn't know of any teams practicing so I figured it was due to a 2.15 start date like other spring sports.

 

Relax. I'm rooting for you guys.

 

I don't know Clyde .... I figured you looked at that results link like the rest of us.

If not .. my bad.

Uncle Roger was starting to feel bad emotions from his fellow CONN*R grad!

I don't know Clyde .... I figured you looked at that results link like the rest of us.

If not .. my bad.

Uncle Roger was starting to feel bad emotions from his fellow CONN*R grad!

 

I did see the results. I just figured there were some exceptions for winter track meets.

 

So in general are all track teams now practicing even if they're not doing indoor meets?

Gotcha. Are the finals comprised of the fastest times regardless of the heat or is it 4 from one and 4 from another? In other words, is there strategy involved in determining what heat you run?

 

In the case of these indoor meets like the ones Mason County hosts, there are no finals. The 8 fastest times (caveat - no more than 2 athletes from any one school) get the places and the points. In the event of a tie; the athlete in the "faster heat" gets the tie-breaker.

 

Now, let's say you're in a meet that has preliminaries and finals; and let's say that there are three heats. What generally happens is that the top 2 finishers from each heat plus the next two fastest times (and they can occasionally be faster than the top 2 times in a given heat) advance to the finals. For example - here are the hypothetical best times in each of the three preliminary heats in the BGP 100m:

 

Heat 1

 

quickslick 11.15

mcpapa 11.35

Clyde 11.36

Ram 21.70

 

Heat 2

 

Voice of Reason 11.38

JOHNDUNHOFT 11.55

Govnah 11.60

Watusi 21.70

 

Heat 3

 

theguru 11.08 (I kissed butt, so sue me)

goaheadandjump 11.28

buzzsaw 11.55

LRCW 21.70

 

Your 8 finalists are the two top finishers in each heat - REGARDLESS OF TIME - plus Clyde and buzzsaw; who have the two fastest times not belonging to any of the top two in each heat. Additionally, they will be "seeded" via lane placement in the final. The two fastest times (theguru and quickslick) will get the best lanes (4 and 5); and the rest of the field alternates "inside and outside" (lanes 3 and 6; 2 and 7; 1 and 8).

Gotcha. Are the finals comprised of the fastest times regardless of the heat or is it 4 from one and 4 from another? In other words, is there strategy involved in determining what heat you run?

 

After reviewing my wordy response, I realized that I didn't answer your basic question about strategy.

 

If I'm the coach, I want my athletes competing in heats that will test them. I'm running my athletes in the fastest heats that make sense - for two three reasons.

 

A. The aforementioned tiebreaker scenario.

 

2. Much more importantly, run against the best. When you're pushed, your performance will improve.

 

D. And you just might make a statement against a stud from a rival school,

I did see the results. I just figured there were some exceptions for winter track meets.

 

So in general are all track teams now practicing even if they're not doing indoor meets?

 

Most have started ...or will start soon. A lot of teams have been running meets since the 1st week in January.

In the case of these indoor meets like the ones Mason County hosts, there are no finals. The 8 fastest times (caveat - no more than 2 athletes from any one school) get the places and the points. In the event of a tie; the athlete in the "faster heat" gets the tie-breaker.

 

Now, let's say you're in a meet that has preliminaries and finals; and let's say that there are three heats. What generally happens is that the top 2 finishers from each heat plus the next two fastest times (and they can occasionally be faster than the top 2 times in a given heat) advance to the finals. For example - here are the hypothetical best times in each of the three preliminary heats in the BGP 100m:

 

Heat 1

 

quickslick 11.15

mcpapa 11.35

Clyde 11.36

Ram 21.70

 

Heat 2

 

Voice of Reason 11.38

JOHNDUNHOFT 11.55

Govnah 11.60

Watusi 21.70

 

Heat 3

 

theguru 11.08 (I kissed butt, so sue me)

goaheadandjump 11.28

buzzsaw 11.55

LRCW 21.70

 

Your 8 finalists are the two top finishers in each heat - REGARDLESS OF TIME - plus Clyde and buzzsaw; who have the two fastest times not belonging to any of the top two in each heat. Additionally, they will be "seeded" via lane placement in the final. The two fastest times (theguru and quickslick) will get the best lanes (4 and 5); and the rest of the field alternates "inside and outside" (lanes 3 and 6; 2 and 7; 1 and 8).

 

The Guru took off when that car backfired instead of the starter's gun.

WOW, thanks for the compliment a 11.55 JD

After reviewing my wordy response, I realized that I didn't answer your basic question about strategy.

 

If I'm the coach, I want my athletes competing in heats that will test them. I'm running my athletes in the fastest heats that make sense - for two three reasons.

 

A. The aforementioned tiebreaker scenario.

 

2. Much more importantly, run against the best. When you're pushed, your performance will improve.

 

D. And you just might make a statement against a stud from a rival school,

 

How often does a runner not make the finals that had a better time than someone in the finals?

How often does a runner not make the finals that had a better time than someone in the finals?

 

Fairly often .... but overall ... it isn't a situation that is super strange.

Fairly often .... but overall ... it isn't a situation that is super strange.

 

Thanks. Explain to a track simpleton like me why they simply do not take the X fastest runners regardless of which heat they ran.