Athletics was included in the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and has formed their backbone ever since. Women were first allowed to participate in track and field events in the 1928 Olympics.
In modern times, athletes can receive money for racing, putting an end to the so-called "amateurism" that existed before.
Indoor Athletes
There are two seasons for track and field. There is an indoor season, run during the winter and an outdoor season, run during the spring. Most indoor tracks are 200 metres and consist of four to 8 lanes. There are also some 150 metre indoor tracks, and others as small as 120 metres have been used. Some "oversize tracks" (larger than 200 metres) are popular for American collegiate athletics despite the fact that they are not considered valid for setting indoor records. Often an indoor track will have banked turns to compensate for the tight radius of the turns. The banking can help prevent injuries to the athlete, while also promoting higher speeds.
In an indoor track meet athletes contest the same track events as at an outdoor meet, with the exception of the 100 m and 110 m/100 m hurdles (replaced by the 55 or 60 m sprint and 55 or 60 m hurdles at most levels, or the 55 m sprint and hurdles at the high school level), the 10,000 m run, 3,000 m steeplechase, 400 m hurdles. Indoor meets also have the addition of a 3,000 m run normally at both the collegiate and elite level, instead of the 10,000 m. The 5,000 m is the longest event commonly run indoors, although there are situations where longer distances have been raced. In the mid 20th century, there was a series of "duel" races on Madison Square Garden's indoor track, some of which featured two men racing a marathon (42.2 km). However, this is an extremely rare occurrence, for obvious reasons. In some occasions, there may also be a 500 m race instead of the open 400 m normally found outdoors, and in many college championship races indoors both are contested. There is also a 1500 meter race walk at the high school level.
In Secondary school meets the events that are exhibited are the 55m, 600m, 1000m, 1500m racewalk, 3000m, and 55m hurdles. There is also shotput, long jump, high jump, triple jump and 4x200m relay and 4x800m relay. Indoor track in secondary schools is seen as a strength season where not only the legs, but also the arms, core and other main muscles or exercised as opposed to outdoor track which is more focused on running.
Outdoor Athletes
The outdoor track and field season usually begins in the spring and lasts through the summer. Most tracks are ovals of 400 metres in circumference. Modern All Weather Running Tracks, known to many by genericized brand names such as "Tartan tracks" or "Mondo tracks", are made with rubber surface materials. These typically consist of rubber (either black SBR or colored EPDM granules), bound by polyurethane or latex resins. Older tracks were cinder-covered. Tracks normally consist of 6-10 lanes (up to 12 lanes on the 'front' straight) and many include a steeplechase lane with a water pit on one of the turns. This steeplechase pit can be placed either inside or outside the track, making for a tighter turn or a wider turn. It is common that tracks will surround a playing field used for American football, Canadian football, association football (soccer), or lacrosse. This inner field is usually known as the infield and has a surface of either grass or artificial turf.
All field events can be contested on the infield. However the javelin, hammer and discus throws are sometimes contested on fields outside of the track stadium because they take up a large amount of space, the implements may damage the infield, and the implements could end up landing on the track. However, some infields are used specifically for these events, and for the javelin, an athlete may have a longer run-up by starting it on the other side of the track, and crossing when there are no athletes passing. Because the throwing events effectively result in projectiles being thrown, they are intrinsically more dangerous to spectators. Deaths and bodily injury have occurred as a result. Rules and meet organizers are justifiably safety cautious about the proximity and position of spectators, frequently putting the athletes inside cages with controlled openings to the landing area.
Events
Outdoor events
Sprints are events up to and including the 400 metres. Events commonly contested (as defined by events held in the Olympics or World Championships) are:
* 100 metres
* 200 metres
* 300 metres (uncommon, no World Record kept)
* 400 metres
Middle Distance Events are events longer than sprints and up to 3000 metres. Events commonly contested are:
* 600 metres (uncommon, no World Record kept)
* 800 metres
* 1000 metres (World Record is kept)
* 1500 metres
* 1600 metres (used in US high schools; conveniently four laps of a standard 400 m track)
* One mile (not an Olympic event)
* 2000 metres (uncommon, but a World Record is kept)
* 3000 metres (not an Olympic event)
* 3200 meters (uncommon—used in US High Schools)
* 3000 metres steeplechase
Long Distance Events are events over 3000 metres. Events commonly contested are:
* 5000 metres
* 10000 metres
There are several, uncommon long distance events on the track in which World Records are kept. Those include: 15000 metres, 20000 metres, 25000 metres, 30000 metres, 100000 metres and the One Hour Run.
Hurdles events require the runner to run over evenly spaced barriers during the race. Events commonly contested are:
* 100 metres hurdles (women)
* 110 metres hurdles (men)
* 300 metres hurdles (Youth, High School and Masters age groups)
* 400 metres hurdles
A women's 400m hurdles race on a typical outdoor red urethane track in the Helsinki Olympic Stadium in Finland.
Relay races are events in which four athletes participate as a team, passing a metal baton in between. Events commonly contested are:
* 4 x 100 metres relay
* 4 x 200 metres relay (high school & collegiate, a World Record is kept)
* 4 x 400 metres relay
* 4 x 800 metres relay (uncommon, but a World Record is kept)
* 4x1500 meters relay {uncommon, but a World Record is kept)
Some events, such as medley relays, are rarely run except at large relay carnivals. Typical medley relays include:
* Sprint Medley Relay (SMR): the four legs are two 200 metre legs, 400 metres, 800 metres; or alternately two 100 metre legs, 200 metres, 400 metres
* Distance Medley Relay (DMR): the four legs are 1200 metres, 400 metres, 800 metres, 1600 metres
Road Races are events conducted on open roads, sometimes finishing on a track. Events commonly contested are:
* 10 km
* 20 km
* Half marathon (21.0975 km)
* Marathon (42.195 km). The marathon is the only common road racing distance run in major international athletics championships, such as the Olympics.
The Ekiden is a long distance, road, relay race (originated and still very popular in Japan) where individuals on teams might run different distances exchanging a cloth sash, or tasuki.
Racewalking may be contested on either the track or on open roads. Elite road walks are conducted on closed loop courses (usually loops of 2,000 or 2,500 meters). Events commonly contested are:
* 10 km
* 20 km
* 50 km
Indoor Events
Due to space limitations, indoor races normally shorten the Sprint and Hurdle races, depending on the available space. Because of the limited space, many races finish by leaving the arena, into a drag rope or stopping abruptly at a padded wall. Common distances are:
* 50 metres
* 55 metres
* 60 metres
* 60 metres hurdles
Other races are run on shorter lap tracks. Two hundred metre tracks are common, though tracks of many other sizes remain in use, including Imperial distances (measured in yards). Some facilities have "oversize" tracks, but in order for an indoor record to be valid, it must be on a track of 220 yards (slightly longer than 200 metres) or shorter. Though still a commonly held event, the indoor 200 metres has been removed from the World Championship event list. It was determined that a fair race could not be held because of the tight indoor turns, favoring runners in the outside lanes. Many tracks have banked turns to reduce the disadvantage of tight turns, and there are also many flat indoor tracks. Most outdoor event distances are common, though the longer distances (over 5,000 metres) are less common. Even indoor track Marathons have been held. Indoor racewalk events tend to be shorter, as short as 800 metres, or more commonly a variation on the 1500 metres or mile. Steeplechase and long hurdle races are generally not held indoors, though inventive people have created some unique events. The odd distance races and Imperial distance races are much more common indoors. Per rules, indoor hurdle races are identical to the beginning of their outdoor counterparts, though over shorter distances, usually using just five hurdles.
Running the race
In all races run in lanes, each athlete must keep within his allocated lane from start to finish. This also applies to any portion of a race run in lanes. If an athlete leaves the track or steps on the line demarking the track, he/she should be disqualified. Also, any athlete who jostles or obstructs another athlete, in a way that impedes his progress, should be disqualified from that event.[14] However, if an athlete is pushed or forced by another person to run outside his lane, and if no material advantage is gained, the athlete should not be disqualified.
There are races that start in lanes and then at a "break" line, the competitors merge. Examples of this are the 800 metres, 4x400 relay and the indoor 400 metres. Variations on this, with alleys made up of multiple lanes on the track, are used to start large fields of distance runners.
Done by Chloe (15)
~super wordy~
Credits : Google , Wikipedia
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