It’s a harmless oval of synthetic rubber. It’s perfectly measured, free of obstacles or elevation changes. It’s been engineered to be the best surface to run on anywhere.
So why does a running track evoke fear, intimidation, and even disgust among some runners? I would bet that it’s even less popular than the dreaded treadmill (which by the way, is also a great place to run).
On today’s Run to the Top, I’d like to explore the common and perhaps misguided perceptions of track running, how you can use the track to improve your running, and the important rules of the track, so you won’t look like newbie out there, even if you’ve never run on a track before.
And I’ll also go into why you just might learn to love it. Yep, it’s possible!
The first reason track running is great for any runner is because it takes out as many variables as possible, which makes running faster easier.
But of course, making running as easy as possible has a downside. The easy route is usually the boring route. If you look at the track as a torture device of ultimate boredom, then no, you probably aren’t going to get a whole lot out of it.
On the other hand, if you are looking for any edge in your training and are hoping to make faster running just a little easier, the track can be an amazing tool.
If you’d like to try working out on the track, the first step is finding out if you have access to one nearby. Most towns have a high school or college track that is open to the public at certain times, so check around and see if this is an option for you. Even better, if you are lucky enough to have a decent-sized running community in your area, there might even be organized track sessions each week.
This is how I got started with track workouts. When I fell in love with running in my late 30s, I first joined a trail running group to learn my local trail system. When those runners told me about the Tuesday night group track workouts, my first reaction was, “no way.” Running around in circles with strangers sounded horrible.
But eventually, with enough positive peer pressure, I worked up the courage to join them and I have to tell you, it was one of the best decisions for my running that I’ve ever made. The Tuesday track workouts helped my speed, my focus, and helped me find my tribe.
Running hard is always hard, but running hard with other people makes it just a little bit easier.
When you are ready to hit the track, there are some universal etiquette rules that you should know before starting your first session. Just like rules of the road, the rules of the track help everyone share the space without crashing into each other.
Now if you are lucky enough to have the track entirely to yourself for your entire workout, feel free to do whatever you want. But as soon as another person shows up, you’ll need to follow some standards.
Knowing what you are doing keeps us all on the same page and can actually make the experience a lot less intimidating.
Before you even begin running on the track, take a look around and see what others are doing.
If the school’s team is working out, they have top priority and might not even want the public sharing the space at that time, so be sure to double check that you’ve picked an okay time to show up.
You should look both ways when crossing the track, but especially look to your left where runners should be coming from. You don’t want to stand around and make people run around you, so please take your group conversation off track.
If you do get distracted or caught up in conversation a common warning call is simply “Track!” This is shorthand for “get out of the way because someone is coming and you need to move.” And it’s just a lot nicer than screaming, “MOVE!” at someone!
Which brings me to what should be an obvious point, but I’ve got to mention it anyway, be sure that you can hear the people around you. Headphones are going to be an issue, so leave them at home or turn t hem way down.
As you start to warm up with some jogging or a few drills, be sure you do that in the outer lanes which should be less crowded.
The most important rule to know is always run counterclockwise. In other words, all your turns should be left turns. The only exception to this is when the track isn’t crowded and you are doing a cool down or warm up. You can head to the outer lanes and run “in retro” which means clockwise.
This is only done as a way to balance out all those left turns, and again, is only done when no one else is in your way. Really pay attention when you run in retro because this is like driving your car on the wrong side of the road and you’re the one at fault for any crashes.
The next rule is when you are running hard, run in lane one and own it, no matter what your pace. Lane one is the innermost left lane and it doesn’t matter if you are slow or fast compared to others. You are entitled to lane one if you are running fast for you. Period. Faster runners can go around you if they need to, but everyone deserves lane one when they are running hard.
If you need to pass a slower runner, always pass on their right. So that means, you’ll veer into lane two to pass someone in lane one. When it’s time to get back into lane one, don’t be that runner that abruptly jumps back in. Make sure you are clear and are a few steps ahead of the runner you passed so you don’t freak him or her out.
If you’ve headed to the track with a friend or you’re in a group, never run side by side unless you are actively passing someone. You should always run single file in the faster lanes. This makes it easier for faster runners to pass your group and not to mention, makes the distance equal for all runners.
When you are finishing up with your fast interval, be sure that you have a sense of who is around you and behind you. You don’t want to suddenly come to a stop and get rear ended. Take a quick glance over your shoulder and get out of lane one as soon as you can.
When it’s time for your cool down, head to the outside lanes and leave the inside lanes for those who are running hard.
Now that might seem like a long list of rules for running in circles, but it’s really not that complicated: run single file, counterclockwise, fast in lane one, slow in the outside lanes, and pay attention to your surroundings.
But how do we make it less boring? I promised you at the beginning that you might actually like track workouts and I know not everyone is convinced.
The social aspects of running in a group is amazing, but that can also be found outside of a track.
The reason the track can be fun is precisely because it’s so precise. It’s easy to make up little games and little goals that you can hit that can give you a boost of dopamine with each achievement.
Perhaps your workout is 10 x 400m, which is one lap around the track, ten times. Your goal is probably not to run each of those laps until you fall down and cry. Your goal is usually to get them as even as possible. That means you need to hold back for the first half and turn it up for the second half.
When there is nothing else to think about other than running around the same oval, you can pay attention to your breathing. You can feel how high your heel comes up behind you. You can actively stretch your big toe with each and every push off.
What are your arms doing when you run hard? Is all the momentum going forward or are your arms crossing over your midline? There are so many little things that your body is doing with every step during every run and there’s no better place to really focus on your form than on a track.
Take a look at your watch at the halfway point of each interval. Are you halfway to your goal time? Should you speed up or slow down to nail your target?
Oh, and speaking of looking at your watch, your GPS will be fairly useless on the track. The oval is simply too tight for the satellites to understand exactly what you are doing. Even the wrist you are wearing your watch on will make a difference in the data, so it’s far better to learn your goal times in minutes and seconds, rather than pace per mile or kilometer.
For example, if you are trying to run 8:00 per mile for 400m, that breaks down to just under 2 minutes per lap. So at the 200m mark, you should be rolling by in about 60 seconds to stay on target.
The trick is to try to do all of your math before you start running. When running hard, you need all your brain power going to your legs, not solving math problems.
Overall, if you have a track in your community, I would encourage you to give it a go, if you want to help your running, especially if you are in a plateau.
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