By Cass Norville
1. 1600-meter relay: This race (more commonly referred to as the “4×4”) is the last event of the entire track meet. The event requires four people to each run one lap around an outdoor track or two for an inside track. Each time a person finishes one lap they exchange a baton. One of the main reasons this event is so difficult is because of the pressure. This particular race is one of the most important events in the entire meet. In each event, the top eight places score points. It is very important for the relay team to do well and score points. They can earn many points that will contribute to the team winning.
2. Pole vault: In this field event, one must dig a large pole into the ground and launch their body into the air over a heavy bar. As they clear each height, the bar is raised and they must propel themselves higher and higher. In order to be successful in this event, the athlete cannot only be strong enough to hold their weight, but they also need to be quick and quite slim. It doesn’t seem hard at first glance, but flying through the air isn’t as easy as it seems. The training for this event isn’t just about sprinting. It’s about learning the steps and being able to move one’s body in new and difficult manners.
3. High jump: Similar to pole vault, a person must run and jump over a bar. But in this event, the athlete must jump head first – backward over the bar. As they clear each height they must continue to jump higher. What makes this event so difficult is that you must be able to jump so high off the ground and turn your body to fall over the bar. It’s a weird position and something most people take years to perfect.
4. 3200-meter run: This is the two-mile. Of course, this one of the hardest events. Not only is it difficult to push oneself to do, it’s the longest race at a typical high school meet. What makes this such a difficult race is the length of it. The athlete has to find a specific way to pace themselves all the while pushing themselves so that they can increase their speed. Many people that do distance enjoy pushing their limits and challenging themselves, even when it seems too much.
5. 300-meter dash: This race is simply awkward. It starts on an awkward position on the track and what makes it so hard is the quickness of it. For a 400 there is a type of pace-sprint mentality, and for a 200 it is a straight sprint. For a 300 it’s an awkward end where if you sprint too hard you won’t be able to finish the last 100-meter, but if you pace yourself, you’ll end up losing the race and saving way too much energy. In order to do well in this event, it requires training to learn to adapt to the difficulty.