1-
History & Essentials
2-
Track
3- Field
4- Diagram
of Track
5- Special Events and
Cross Country
Special Events
Some track teams compete in
additional events, such as the
decathlon, heptathlon, or pentathlon,
in which athletes compete in
10, 7, or 5 of the track and
field events, respectively.
Specialty relays are also run
during some events such as the
medley relay (teammates run
a mix of distances) and the
shuttle relay (back and forth
relay). Another specialty event
is the steeplechase, in which
athletes run 7.5 laps and jump
obstacles during the race. Finally,
some competitions include the
hammer throw, a throwing event
similar to the shot-put and
discus, except that the athletes
use the hammer (metal ball,
wire, and handle) as the weight.
CROSS
COUNTRY
Cross country is a sport that
many track athletes compete
in during the fall season. Races
take places in rural areas that
have grass, dirt, mud, water,
and hills. While the races range
from 2500 m to 5000 m, the 5
k (5000 m or 3.1 miles) is the
most common race. Each team
uses the first seven runners
to calculate its score. The
runners are given points based
on their finish in the race
(1st place = 1 point,
2nd place = 2 points, etc.).
Each team adds the points from
five of the seven runners and
the team with the lowest total
score wins. The 6th and 7th
runners help the team win by
beating the slowest members
of the other team.
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