Essay 1: Draft 1

                                                                                                                        Emily Scott 1

Emily Scott

Professor Kerr

EN 101-23

7 September 2011

Running the Races

            Around 35,904,000 Americans run 100 days per year. ( http://ccooper.typepad.com/writing_on_the_run/2009/08/an-increase-in-the-number-of-us-runners.html )Running is not an inexpensive sport as many people think. The cost of shoes, running clothes, registration for races and nutrition bars has increased despite the bad economic times. Why do people run? Some run to lose weight, support a cause(marathons), be part of a team(xc and track), improve health, some run to win the race or get that runners high. Whatever the motivation, a runners goal is to be fast. Competitive running or races are physically challenging events in which the runners compete against other runners to see who is the fastest. Competitive running is usually separated into three main races: marathons for distance runners, cross country races for mid-distance runners and track races for short-distance runners.

           Track races are the shortest of the three races. The longest race being only two miles and the shortest just 50 meters. Races on the track can be defined once more into three catigories: distance, mid-distance, sprinting, and hurtling.  Most of society thinks of Track as a sport for people with big muscles because of the sprinting involved.  Middle schools, high schools, and colleges have Track teams that their students can join. Track is run in all seasons but mostly just the spring. The outdoor track is usually 400m but sometimes 440yds (very small difference). Indoor is 5 to 12 laps per mile instead of the usual outdoor tracks' 4 laps per mile. (http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=5069) Sprinters wear spikes and distance wear regular sneakers. Coaches put runners in races with other runners that run at the same pace. Before the season starts, most runners build up endurance. During the season they work on faster times. Each team earns points based on how well their runners and field events did. The team with the most points wins.

            Cross Country races are around 3miles. It takes about 23minutes to run a cross country course but the race is usually on a trail so it may take longer.  Middle school, high school, college kids race mostly. Coaches track times and place you in either varsity or junior varsity depending on those times. They also tell you how to prepare for the races (your training). Pre-season endurance workouts. Work on faster times during the season. Each team earns points based on how well their runners did. The team with the most points wins. Most marathoners finish the race in about four to five hours.(http://www.marathontrainingexpert.com/marathon-time.html ) It is a 26mile long race but there are rest points along the street that you are running so the support group that follows and comforts you can give you supplies. Most of the money that is earned from the race is given to a charity. Around 26miles in about 4 hours usually in the street. Rest stops along the way. You can have a support group follow and support you. Most races are run for a charity.Older, very fit, good endurance runners. Marathons are raced year-round but most races are in the fall season.(http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=14385 ) Marathoners run in sneakers, barefoot, five fingers. No coach, just online resources, your experience and your friends experiences. Taining usually involves lots of miles all the time and weight training can help as well.(http://www.fitnesssports.com/Strengthtraing.html) Medals are awarded to the fastest runners.

            There are three types of running :distance, mid-distance, and sprinting. Competitive running takes lots of training and time but you get awarded sometimes.

Works Sited

1. Jordan, Tom. "Track and Field." Scholastic. September 6, 2011 http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=5069article.jsp?id=5069  article.jsp?id=5069

2. Holmes, Jago. "Average Marathon Time." Marathon Training Expert. September 6, 2011 http://www.marathontrainingexpert.com/marathon-time.html
3. Dikos, Jackie. "Fueling the Runner." Running Times Magazine. September 6, 2011. http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=14385
4. Lentz, Doug. "Strenght Training for Runners." American Running and Fitness Association. September 6, 2011. http://www.fitnesssports.com/Strengthtraing.html
5.Cooper, Chris. "An Increase in the Number of U.S. Runners." Writing on the Run. September 6, 2011.  http://ccooper.typepad.com/writing_on_the_run/2009/08/an-increase-in-the-number-of-us-runners.html