A different perspective challenging conventional ideas
This article is the first of three to examine running and sprinting through the lenses of fitness and recreational runners, team sports athletes, and multisport enthusiasts.
Why know the differences Between Running and Sprinting
In competitive sports, running, and fitness circles, it is the norm to describe running and sprinting as two different types of running. Running is associated with medium to long distances (800m to marathon) while sprinting is associated with shorter distances (less than 200m).
Here is the first paradigm shift in thought: What is running?
To humanly move faster than walking speeds (2.0 m/s; 7.2 km/h; 4.5 mph), we transition to a running mode of transport (gait).
Whether from 20m to the marathon, all distances between and beyond the marathon fall into the running category.
Running is natural to the human person.
Here is the second paradigm shift in thought, so what is sprinting?
Sprinting is associated with fast or speed running.
Sprinting is a learnable skill that benefits all runners regardless of running distance. The best and fastest runners have excellent sprinting skills. Sadly, the reverse is not always true: excellent sprinting skills equal fast running speeds.
Sprinting skills improve one's ability to use maximum running speed during races efficiently.
What are the Differences Between Running and Sprinting
The following table highlights some significant differences between running and sprinting.
Additionally, running is a type of gait or movement an athlete or exercising person uses to engage in activities that require faster speeds than walking (2.0 m/s; 7.2 km/h; 4.5 mph).
Referring to the above table, the running gait is one of three types:
Jogging or grounded running: ultra and long distances
Running at moderate to moderately fast speeds: middle distances
High-speed running (average speeds of 17 – 20 mph): short distances
However, sprinting is a set of neuromuscular movement skills competitive speed athletes (sprinters) use to optimize high-speed running during short races.
Running – The Components
The Method
Jogging or grounded running is the gait pattern of the middle-to-end pack fitness and recreational endurance runner.
Jogging is the gait pattern that team sports athletes use to transition between attacking and defense.
The proficient endurance runner uses a more conventional gait, typically runs faster, and trains or competes at distances between 1/2 mile and 10km. Endurance running at these faster speeds is a feature of the:
Middle-distance endurance runners who train and compete at 800m and 1500m
Elite long-distance endurance runners who train and compete in track or road races at 5000m (3.1 miles) or 10,000m (6.2 miles)
Elite marathon (26.2 miles) and half marathon (13.1 miles) runners
In endurance running events above the 1500 metres, the elite endurance runner
Achieves faster running speed that the jogger cannot achieve.
Use a completely different running gait than the fitness and recreational runners.
Shorten and Pisciotta (1) noted that 16% of marathon runners and 33% of runners in recreational 5 km race events use the grounded running gait; read the article here.
In the middle to long distances, many competitive and elite endurance runners use speed-type training to:
Increase their running speed.
Increase their anaerobic capacities and power by carefully manipulating distance, running speed, and recovery intervals.
These speed-type training activities allow competitive and elite endurance runners to use "bursts of speed":
During the last meters, 5 – 100 metres of a 5kms or 10kms race, or sometimes even a marathon, to achieve a faster time.
In 10 – 30 metres spurts/surges at varying stages during an endurance race to "shake off," overtake, or move away from another runner/competitor.
Team sports and multisports enthusiasts also use speed-type training to:
Increase speed reserve
Train repeated sprint abilities
Increase both anaerobic and aerobic capacities and power
Runners and team sports athletes run their speed-type activities at sub-maximal speeds or as a percentage of the runner's current maximum running speed. These activities are known as interval training (I.T.), high-intensity interval running training (HIIRT), or fartlek endurance training.
Sprinting – The Skill
High-speed running is usually associated with distances of 60 – 100 metres. The runner who excels over this range of distances uses better sprinting skills during training and competition. These specialist runners are sprinters, e.g., Usain Bolt. Here, the runner's goal is to achieve the fastest rate of a unit change in distance for a unit change in time, expressed as miles per hour or metres per second.
High-speed running demands that the runner employ sprinting skills at maximum effort. Efficient sprinting skills are associated with short distances (10m – 100m), high-intensity running efforts, and generous rest periods. For example:
In 60 – 400 metres races or as a training method.
Football – running back scores a touchdown.
A striker evades a defender and gets into a position to score a goal in soccer.
A rugby player escapes the opposing defenses and sprints towards the touchline.
Sprinting skills are necessary to achieve fast times in races (e.g., 100m) by facilitating maximum ground reaction forces with each running step. Sprinting skills enable effective positioning of the head-neck-trunk segment, arms, and legs to achieve maximum ground reaction forces.
Linear and multidirectional speed and change of direction segments are crucial elements of play within team sports (soccer, football, rugby, fast bowlers in cricket, footy players, and field hockey athletes). The benefits of speed to the team sports athlete can be as the 1% difference between victory and defeat. Athletes and coaches employ varying means and methods to maximize these crucial elements of play to enhance sprinting skills.
While efficient sprinting skills are necessary to approach fast speeds during high-speed running, more than sprinting skills are required to guarantee excellent running speeds or times.
What Are the Benefits of Learning Sprinting Skills for the Fitness Runner
Learning a new skill
Learn sprinting skills using the posture, arms, legs (P.A.L) model
Better race times
Effectively add speed training to your weekly and monthly running regimes
Accessing means and methods of training that can improve and reduce the effort of running
Key Takeaways:
Running is the method and has a quantitative endpoint, i.e., distance, seconds, minutes, or hours.
Sprinting is a skill and is qualitative.
Learn how to sprint, add a new skill to your training and racing regime
Get in the fast lane and boost your running experience
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