The Team Unites

The main events of the Track meets themselves are the Relays. To see four individuals become in sync with one another for a few seconds is amazing. Spectators enjoy them because to see a perfect focus of the team is unreal; it’s like they don’t have anyone around them and it’s just them running alone the track. The sprinting relays usually get more attention than the distance relays because it’s a fast paced race that requires about 6-8 people on the track running at a time. Before the race starts the teams must be set up into heats (the teams that involved in the race at a time-usually set up by running times) so that everyone knows who their running against. Then the teams walk to the track to line up heat by heat waiting to jump on to the track. When the runners get on to the track they go to a specific line in their line, each relay race has a specific line the runner must stand on. The first leg or runner sets the tone for the entire team, the 2^nd and 3^rd legs are supposed to keep the place or more up in front of other runners ahead otherwise maintain the place. The fourth leg is important; this runner should have the fastest time out of all the runners on the team because they have a lot of pressure on them to win the race for the team. Hand-offs are very important in these races, the baton must be on the inside of each runner at all times. The baton is what the times use to hand-off. Throughout the runners passes it must go right, left, right, left or however the runner is comfortable running with it. It must be in this pattern for the flow of the race will be thrown because the baton is in danger of happening which is never good. if a baton is dropped in a race the team is either disqualified because depending on how it dropped it could jeopardize another team’s chances (rolling into another lane on the track). Otherwise the team member could pick it up but it usually loses time for the team. The crowd goes wild and in sync a long, “Ooooooooooooooo…”, is yelled out because the baton has been dropped. The crowd is a part of the race as well because when another runner is about to pass another there is a whooping sound that echoes. The crowds loud and exploding comments are crazy because the runners can literally hear their passion about the sport in their voice.  

*This is from a elementary to high school level perspective, at the college level things become more complex.