Race on foot - SpeedyLook encyclopedia

The race on foot is:

a discipline of the Athletics in the sporting field,
a type of displacement with incidences in multiple fields (biomechanics, sociology, economy, fiction, medicine, psychology…)

The race on foot within the meaning of the Athletics

The race on foot is a sport consisting in running at more or less long distances. The competitions can be practiced on a Piste of athletics, on road or various original grounds. In France, the candidates must be laid off or provide a doctor's certificate to the organizers for reasons of insurance.

According to the distances covered and speed, the type of furnished effort is different, it there a:

the races in Aérobie , oxygen necessary to the muscles is initially provided by breathing (for example slow race on 10km).
the races in Anaerobic , oxygen necessary to the muscles is provided by the stock body (for example fast race on 200m).

The races on track go the 60 m to the 10.000 m, the races of Cross-country, 4 to 12 km. The races on road can be of any distance, but the current distances are the 5 km, the 10 km, the semi-marathon (21,1 km) and the marathon (42,195 km). The test of 100 km is a test of race on foot belonging to the family of the Large-bottom. Most mythical of the 100 km French, disciplines rather confidential (less than 2.000 runners) is that of Millau.

The competitions of races on foot, tracks or road are subjected, for France, with the rules of the French federation of Athletics and international by the IAAF. They are opened with the handisport. Other federations are concerned with the tests multi-disciplines, like the Triathlon, the modern Pentathlon, the natural Raid and the Course of orientation (race and reading of chart).

Races of sprint

Middle-distance races

Basic races

Competition, Technique, Biomechanics

Competition

the competition is the place of result of the drive, confrontation with the other or its previous performances, for the amateur. It is the place where is played notoriety, the wages and the contracts of the professionals (see occupational Sport, Économie of the sport).
Before the competition, it is recommended not Manger 3 hours front, and of to drink a mouthful of Eau all the 15 mn not to be dehydrated.
the runner is presented to the departure provided with its number. This last is fixed by safety pins, on the back for the races until the 400m, on the chest for the races higher than the 400m. This to support the reading of the judges, indeed the runners of sprint once passed the finishing line present back to the judges (race in corridors). On the other hand, the long-distance runners on track pass the finishing line several times of face and are thus seen by far by the judges in charge of of the classification (race in group).
After the competition, it is recommended to make a jogging of recovery at slow speed to help to remove the muscles from the Toxine S, one also needs réhydrater.

Drive

the race is practiced generally outside. Except in the communes equipped with stage covered, the runner is tributary of the meteorology, but an adapted behavior makes it possible to run by all times. A bonnet, gloves and a sweat shirt, or a wind-cutter, is enough to support negative temperatures. A water cap and bottle in a small bag are enough by a heat lower than 30°.
the meetings are very varied. A meeting can proceed at least in three times: heating at low speed, meeting specific then stretchings and recovery to low speed. Many types of meetings exist and can be practiced in alternation: Fartlek, Fraction born in identical blocks or pyramid, PPG (general physical preparation), coasts, threshold, endurance, cleansing (slow endurance), musculation.
In club, the framing is made by sporting teachers graduate or not. For the not laid off runners of the specialized magazines plans of drive propose according to the laid down objectives (level of the athlete, outdistances aimed, many weekly sessions).

Equipment

the race requires very little equipment: shorts, a tee-shirt, and a pair of shoe S of sport, and for the race on track of the shoes with variable points length according to the grounds. The time is far from the runners in pants, a Mouchoir on the head (see Michel Théato in 1900). In fact the shoes of race on road strongly progressed in technical term since the years 1970 (boom of the jogging). The shoes became specific to the anatomical point of view (heavy runner, pronator, supinator, several widths of feet, half-size) or to the point of view of the use (competition thus lighter but fragile, all-ground thus notched and more doors, rising for the race of orientation). The anonymous runners pay rather expensive this equipment, and that the most known runners are Sponsor ized by these marks. The glasses made their appearance in the equipment for protection against the wind and the insects, psychological insulation with respect to the adversaries (concentration). For the high level runners, it is also an accessory posting of sponsor, like temporary tattooing. At the same time as the shoes, the textile evolved/moved, traditional cotton leaving the place with breathing and light matters the such Gore-Tex, and to increasingly technical cuts.
See sporting equipment supplier, Adidas, Asics, Brooks, Decathlon, Diadora, Mizuno, New Balances, Nike, Puma,

Material

the runner obtains sometimes with a Cardiofréquencemètre, or a watch announcing of times of passage by beep. The cardiofrequencemeter estimates rather well the expenditure in Calorie S, the distance, speed or the maximum heart rate reached.
to calculate the distance covered, simplest is to run on a ground measured as a preliminary, certain runners use a podometer and more and more GPS. There exists also a new device which is called the kit Nike+iPod
the Travelator allows a practice inside, even if oxygenation is often insufficient in the rooms.

Speed, Timing and Test

speed is the distance covered divided by time. It depends on two principal factors, the Amplitude and the Fréquence of the tread. The amplitude varies from less 1m (with 7km/h approximately) to more 2,20m (with 25km/h). The frequency varies from 3 to 5 treads a second. The mean velocity on a test depends on the style (energetic efficiency), of the Tactique (respect of the train), of the physiological capacities acquired with the drive (effectiveness neuro-muscular) and of the Motivation (going beyond of oneself, recognition, encouragement of the supporters). The race being mainly a displacement in translation, the active gesture is as much as possible required in the axis of displacement. The inflections, rotations of the body are avoided, for that a technical work is made thus that a good sleeving. See also the article Movement (anatomy).
Here some orders of magnitude in term speed

timing is manual (with the 10° of S) or electric (with the 100° of S). The difference between manual time and electric time to compare records is of 24/100 of S. On road the runners are equipped with an electronic chip, the stopwatch starts in the passing of the starting line and stops with the finishing line.
Test for runners or not runners:

For the high level or old runners, a test with the effort, even an electrocardiogram is useful for the tracking of malformations.
For the candidates for contests, the race is often used to test the general physical capacity: to see Test of Cooper.

Outdistance, kind and categories

the distances evolve/move for reasons of physiology, mode or standard. For physiological reasons (lactic tests) for example the 400m is prohibited at least 16 years, and the 600m was removed. The 25km disappeared in the years 1990, him, with the profit of the semi-marathon, and the 10km developed. There is an age floor to take part in the races on road. The children should not take part in those of more than 5 km.
the tests in Yard or mile were gradually replaced by the close distances in Mètre S or Kilomètre S, maintaining the international standard.
the race on road is one of the rare sporting disciplines which practices the Mixité kinds (female and male). The classification is established in three categories: the Scratch (general classification), the classification of the men and the classification of the women. On the other hand the equipments are often weaker for the female podiums than for the masculines (see Discrimination).

The gesture and the breathing of the runner

the gesture of the runner is different according to the pace. The propulsion is ensured by the installation of the foot. In sprint, the contact on the ground is fast, impulsive, the before-foot flat, moving of scratched. In bottom, the contact on the ground long, flexible, is unrolled heel with the pressed pointe.
La can be shaving or air, but the force of propulsion is transmitted to the moment of the contact on the ground, therefore the suspension is one nondriving moment. However, it is necessary to permanently coordinate the movement of the arms in opposition of the movement of the legs. The leg of support creates the movement of the back cycle, the free leg creates the movement of the front cycle. The ideal position of the body is in very light angle in front of the vertical, in not cambered extension. Fluidity is the compromise between the vertical push, the reciprocating motion near to rotation (to the arms and legs) and the general movement in translation forwards. There thus exist two different phases in the tread:

the propulsion : The back foot is in support on the ground, the articulations ankle, knee, hip are requested, the opposite arm is ahead. This phase is powerful, the muscles are in tension, the thigh propels vigorously, the back remains sheathed. The front foot is in the air.
the suspension : The front leg is in the air, the knee goes far, then the foot prepares with the contact on the ground, the opposite arm is behind at right angles.

breathing of the runner is an important component in the contribution of energy, because the oxygen transformed into Glycogène is the energy source of the muscle. Only the 100 meters can be run in Apnée without guarantee besides of a profitable result. Knowing that the anaerobic die lasts to the maximum two minutes, the runner must fix its adequate breathing (inspiration, Expiration) at the beginning of the race. The greatest pulmonary capacities are of 7 liters, but the output in race depends more still of the VO2Max.

Medical, wound, overtraining

With reasonable amount, the race on foot is beneficial in the physiological and psychic plan. A regular practice improves the physical condition, the cardiovascular state, vitality, instigates the immune system, increases the seuse mass Os, therefore protects from the risks of Ostéoporose, especially for the old women, stabilizes the hormonal fluctuations, thus improves mood (: fight against the depression) and improves the self-confidence, reduced the Anxiété, assistance with the weight loss and refines the silhouette.
On the physical level, with too strong amount, the many shocks on the ground involve disorders. Indeed even followed médicalement the body suffers, it receives more than 40000 impacts per week for a runner which practices 3 2 hours meetings to 10km/h. This involves minor disorders (Crampe, Point on side, Contracture) or more important (Tendinite, pubalgie, Fracture of tiredness). For the women a too great practice adds the risk of Aménorrhée and Anorexie.
On the psychic level, in the majority of the cases the basic race calls upon a solid and healthy autosuggestion, but the great repetition of this pendular gesture emerges in extreme cases towards a hypnotic anesthesia . The unconscious runner of its state can undergo a Déshydratation, a Heat stroke, see a syncope or a worse Coma. The obligation to run which thus exceeds the will conscious of the athlete raises of a behavior of Dépendance (toxicology) and of Surentraînement. Here a quotation of Frank Shorter, Olympic medal in 1972, graduate of Yale in psychology and specialized in medicine: “The psychologists noted that when they ran, the athletes generally placed themselves in a particular state: the association or the Dissociation. In dissociation, an athlete lets his spirit rove and the race tends to pass very quickly. To run with a walkman is an good example of dissociation. Association, it, privileges the task to be achieved. The athlete is " présent" mentally and concentrates on its performances, as at the time of a sprint. ”.
In the same way, it is sometimes noted with the brutal stop of the drive for the high level sportsmen, of the phenomena of Manque.

Object with the image of the race on foot

Stamps: Several stamps are devoted to the race on foot, quote in particular
to make…

See related articles

Glossary of the athletics, World records in athletics, Proprioception, Food of the sportsman, Metabolism

The race on foot within the meaning of the mode of displacement

The race (myth and fiction)

As well as walk by its repetitive mode can have a psychological dimension by creating a particular state of consciousness, the race has also its followers (see the people of the Tarahumaras).
Of the men started to run for a cause by collecting money. See Terry Fox.
Of many heroes runs to flee (if they are the prey) or to catch up with (if they are the hunter). The hero can pass from one role to the other, sometimes reducing, sometimes catching up with something or somebody. Among films, let us quote: Death with the cases , Marathon man , Fugitive the , 58 Minutes to live , or Forrest Gump . The concept of continuation to the cinema then extended to the scenes from race-continuation with the most varied means of transport. The film the City of the fear contains even a parody of race-continuation to foot since the sound effects of the shoes are replaced by noises of tires and a joggor " dérouté" explode like a car.
There are also films of athletics whose hero is a runner: Carriages of fire (film) , Ralph or Endurance .