Vastness of Track

I have come to realize that there is no simple way to define a track and field athlete, because track and field athletes come in all shapes and sizes. Tall and skinny, short and stocky, average and toned, large and strong, if ever there was a sport for everyone, track and field would be it (as long as everyone is willing to work). In each event there is an ideal build, but this ideal build doesn’t work for everyone. It is the ideal build for one person in one event so that they can fully reach their potential. As a 400m runner I see a wide range of athletes just in my event. Tall, short, stocky, skinny, distance runners, short sprinters, mid distance runners, long sprinters, being the longest sprint, a quarter mile around the track takes more than a fast pair of legs. I have seen runners be any where from 110 to 220 pounds and run the 400m dash. Some of them will do better then others and some already have. The great part about track is, someone who is mediocre in one event could be amazing in another. Just this past weekend, a girl on my team was put into the steeplechase, a 3000m race with horse jumps in your way. She had never done it before, and she was put into it so that our team could try and score some points towards the championship. She ended up getting second overall at the NEWMAC championship meet in an event that she had never even looked at. Needless to say, every one was impressed.