Grote wrote:
>Right. Because that would be about running...moving as fast as possible
>over a given distance. The spikes and blocks would help reach that goal.
>I wouldn't know too much, as I've never run out of blocks, and all of my
>PR's from 3000m-10000m are in road racing flats. However, the idea in any
>running event is to move as fast as possible. Running is the fastest way
>for humans to move, since we cannot fly. If we could, different story. I
>don't run track any more, I'm too slow. However, the point of going in
>circles is also to move the fastest, that is the track is the most even,
>best surface, etc. In road races, the same concept applies, cover the
>distance as fast as possible, at least that is my idea.
If track is purely about covering the distance the fastest then you better
get rid of the hurdles and the steeple. All those barriers in the way
prevent the athletes from getting to the finish line as fast as possible.
And we wouldn't want that, would we?
But wait a minute, maybe we could revise our thinking and consider the
hurdles a fundamentally DIFFERENT EVENT from the sprints and not worry about
direct comparisons.
And come to think of it, if we really wanted an intellectual challenge, we
could do that with the walks too; we could consider them as events unto
themselves rather than slow versions of the running races. Nah...better not
- that would be thinking too far outside the box. It's easier just to mock
these other events - the same way Joe Sixpack mocks the entire sport of
track and field. It's always cool to mock what you have no appreciation
for.
Kurt Bray
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