Advice to a first time 4x200m runner at the D1 relays
First, congratulations – you are about to experience one of the most chaotic and wild rides of your life. A 4x200 at Reggie in a crowded environment is bewildering and can be confusing.
Here’s how it goes down:
1.) Some of the officials are exceedingly strict. They’re paid to officiate and that’s what they do. There have been D1 relays where they’ll disqualify teams for what seems like the slightest infraction. So, worry about jewelry, under armor and uniforms. No jewelry, wristwatches, hair beads, earrings or rings. If two or more runners wear under armor – the must be identical. Even if an official inside the gym says it’s OK, the official on the track will DQ you anyway. The uniforms have to be identical. If the little Nike label has been washed off on one person’s uniform, everyone has to put a piece of tape over that spot on all the uniforms. I know, it sounds crazy, but people have been DQ’ed for all of these things. Check your uniforms the day before the race and if you’re going to wear under-armor, compare your plans and make dead-certain they’re identical. My advice is to just skip under-armor – it’s like a red cape waved in the face of a bull (official).
2.) Don’t miss the call!! Reggie is very loud – stay close to your teammates and listen for everything that goes over the loudspeaker. It’s easy to miss the call for the relay. Bring your stuff to the gym, but then be ready to wait. Again, stay together.
3.) Remember your heat number when you check in. Make sure your numbers are on and the hip number for the anchor is on so that the camera can view it at the finish. They’ll call for your heat and then you line up in the order you run. Leadoff in front, #2 behind them, #3 behind them, anchor last. Leadoff and number 2 runner, remember your lane assignment!! Have your spikes on (yes you’ll have to walk funny out of the gym). The officials will peel off the number one runners and send them off, and then the number 2, then 3, then anchor. All the leadoffs, then all the #2’s etc will be led to the narrow corridor next to the track with the fence on the other side. You’ll idle there and watch other races go by. Parents and teammates will tell you to “kick-ass”, but you’ll be nervous and bewildered and make small talk with the runners from other teams next to you.
4.) OK, you’re the next race on the track. After the first handoff and the runners break from the race before yours, the leadoffs will be led to the outside rail of the turn and the official will try to point out the starting line for you. Remember the color and location in your lane of the start line.
5.) As soon as the previous race is over, they’ll tell the leadoffs to get to their lanes. The officials will rush the number two runners to the start of their exchange zones. This is a red colored triangle that’s pointing in the direction you’re running. Take a close look for the triangle that’s the end of the exchange zone 20 meters down the track. Make a note of the halfway point between the triangles. Remember to stay inside these two triangles. I can’t for the life of me understand what’s so difficult about this concept, but there you go.
6.) Number 3 and 4 runners then have to line up along the plastic outside railing led by a big official with glasses and grey hair. He’ll eyeball you to see if you have any jewelry on.
7.) While #3 and #4 are lining up against the rail, you’ll probably hear the gun go off, and the official will still be talking to you. Since the first three turns are in lanes, when the leadoff comes around, the official will tell you to scrunch back against the plastic railing to let the leadoff in lane #6 get by.
8.) Handoffs – here’s where it gets really interesting. The outgoing runner has to judge when to start. Ideally, the exchange should happen just before the mid-point of the zone. The outgoing runner’s responsibility is to keep that receiving hand absolutely still and a target for the incoming runner. It’s the incoming runner’s responsibility to hit that target. You don’t want the outgoing runner to fumble around to grab the baton while the incoming runner is trying to find the mark. That’s like waking up in the middle of the night and trying to find the light switch, but the light switch decides to move around on you. Outgoing runner – just make a good steady target. If the outgoing runner gets to the midpoint and doesn’t have the baton in hand, tap gently on the brakes, so you don’t have to come to a full stop at the end of the zone. This gives you a chance to complete the pass and make up for small errors without a catastrophic DQ or coming to a dead stop.
9.) OK, you have the baton – now it’s showtime. The leadoffs have to stay in their lane until all the runners go by, and then get off the track quickly. The runner who has the baton should accelerate rapidly and then on the break to the pole, run a straight line toward the far turn. Remember you need one and a half strides on another runner to cut in. Sometimes you might have to dart just a bit more quickly to the inside to hold the rail, but don’t do this at the expense of a DQ. There’s an official with a flag who’ll be watching this cut in like a hawk at that turn.
8.) OK, now number 3 – this is the first exchange out of lane. There’s a red line and a red triangle on the inside lane 10 meters behind the start finish line. The order of runners coming off the last curve determines the order of runners in the line-up at the exchange zone. You stay inside the triangle and red line. Remember that the start-finish line is the halfway point of the exchange zone. If a runner gets the exchange ahead of you, you advance to the rail if there’s time. Sometimes the incoming runner will break wide to reach you. You have to use some judgment about advancing toward the inside lane. Wave at them, and make sure they see where you are. At some point you commit and go into your crouch to take off. As before, the number 3 runner has to present a stable target for the incoming runner, and the incoming runner has the responsibility of getting it into their hand. Yelling “slow down” isn’t crazy if the outgoing runner takes off too soon. Again, if the exchange doesn’t happen by the start-finish line, the outgoing runner should gently tap on the brakes.
9.) Once the exchange happens, the #2 runner should quickly step off the track to avoid collisions – quickly glance back and don’t act as an obstacle for another runner, especially if the exchange is happening in an outside lane. The # 3 runner should put on a burst of speed once he/she has the baton and go for the inside lane to establish position. If #3 ends up behind someone, toward the end of the first turn, drift to his or her outside shoulder at the end of the turn, and then use the backstretch to take them. Be aggressive on the backstretch and get a good position for the next turn. Us the last turn as a slingshot to propel you into the final straight.
10.) Anchor – much the same advice goes for the anchor as the number 3 runner. The main thing is that it’s up to you to bring it home. Again, the backstretch is your biggest asset to pass people – or hold off a challenge.
11.) If you’re holding the inside lane coming off the last curve toward the finish, hug the inside lane, don’t run wide, as this can force another runner wide and you can get DQ’ed.
12.) Run ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE FINISH – too many people let up and get caught at the end. Pretend that the actual finish is maybe five meters past the finish line, even if you’re in the lead. You can get surprised if you don’t.
13.) Runners 1,2,3 – don’t yell at your teammates from the inside of the track – this can result in a DQ.
14.) Above all – the official, the noise, the crowd, the whole dance can be distracting. Remember to focus and execute the handoffs with a clear head, and then race hard and smart, don’t let other runners intimidate you.
15.) When it’s all over, give your teammates a big hug, no matter what went down! You’re now part of the Reggie veterans!
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