Of course, we're talking about quite a small difference, which would
make it hard to detect from the performances achieved in any particular
meet. Nevertheless, a very quick mental calculation as I write this seems
to indicate a difference of about 50 cm for the 400 metre lap. Ask any 400
runner if he would be happy to run 50 cm further, AS WELL AS being drawn
in the inside lane!
As has been said before, we tend to focus enormous precision on the end
of races, with .01 second timing (even .001 sec. in swimming). Very often
this does not reflect the precision with which we know the other
parameters, such as the length of the track in this case.
David Dallman
On Fri, 6 Apr 2001 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>
> In a message dated 4/6/01 9:08:06 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
>
> << David is quite correct in his
>
> observation that you can't simply put down a curb (kerb) on a track without
> one.
>
> >>
>
> Actaully you COULD, but the effective (if not the actual distance) would
> change.
>
> The indoor track at Yale's Coxe Cage has a removable curb, to allow the
> facility to be used by other Yale teams. Occasionally some HS meets were run
> there and due to time contraints the curb wasn't put in place. I can't recall
> if the times seemed unreasonably fast on those occasions.
>
> Jim Gerweck
> Running Times
>
David Dallman
CERN - SIS
