I think the key to running in any race well is to stretch your leg muscles first, especially the front and back part of the thigh for sprinters. Then take a warm up jog around the track, focus on getting your legs to feel loose. On the back stretch of the track focus on lifting your knees in a comfortable jog and as you come around the second curve, focus on pumping your arms around it.
If you want to be better than most sprinters then you must understand this concept, perfecting your technique in sprinting will improve your speed. To measure your progress, set your objective on bettering your best, not on beating someone in particular.
There are three phases to sprinting the 100, they are; the start, the first 60 and, the last 40.
The Start:
Standing Starts: If you are taking a standing start do this.
1.) Place one leg out in front of the other.
2.) If your right foot is out front, hold your right hand and arm behind you and set your left arm and hand in front of you. Throw your right arm forward and left arm back to start.
3.) Do the reverse of 2, if your left foot is forward.
Starting Block Position: If you are down on one knee at the start, with or without starting blocks, do this.
1.) Get into the set position by placing both hands just behind the starting line. Have your hands open and have your thumbs facing each other.
2.) When the starter says set, raise your hips to where it feels like it is shooting a straight line to the finish line. This is very important; never raise your hips all the way up.
3.) When you feel comfortable in this position, take a deep breath and hold it until the gun goes off. If you are in blocks, push out with both feet, not just one.
4.) Important! When the gun goes off which hand should come up first? If your right knee is up when you get into the starting block position, then your right hand comes up first and your left hand moves backwards.
5.) The reverse is true for number 4, if your left knee is up, then left hand is up first.
The First 60:
Think of yourself as coming out of the start like a rocket being fired at a 45 degree angle. You want to hold that angle for about 10m out with your head still looking down. There is not much thinking going on at this point.
Once you become erect in running posture, focus on being relaxed while running. You do this by relaxing your shoulders, swinging your arms in a straight line, having your hands come up towards the side of your face, keeping your shoulders from moving back and forth and, lifting your knees as high as possible. Your mind is clear at this time, so you can think about this as you run for the next 50m.
The Last 40:
This is where the good separate from the not as good. Holding top speed past this point takes technique. If you are beginning to feel stiff and start to jerk at this point, you have not been relaxed enough in your running. You will go no faster.
If you are feeling comfortable at this point and want to shift into a faster speed do this. Open your hands wide open. Hold your elbows at about a stiff 45 degrees and begin pumping your elbows to the back harder and faster while staying relaxed. Do not think about your legs at all, at this point, because the faster you move your arms back, your legs will automatically follow. This does not work the other way around, think of moving your legs faster to run faster – will not work while running at top speed.
Hopefully this answers you questions pray and hopefully your faith can do the rest!!!
