relay splits

[Jeremy Stuckey]

How much of a difference in time is there between an 800 split in a 4x8 and an open 800?

[JorgeRun]

I was wondering that same question a few days ago...

[robert kelly]

How much of a difference in time is there between an 800 split in a 4x8 and an open 800?with a running start my guess would be about .5..

[bdaniels]

It depends on where the split is taken. Some people take splits at the hand off point, while other take splits at the finish line. My best 4x800 split was during a lead off leg, my junior year, with a 1:57.0 at the line but 1:56 at the hand off which is why I don't say I have a 1:56 best, even though, others would.

I'd say that there is about a +/- 1.5 second variation with most guys who run 2:00 or faster.

bd

[bdaniels]

with a running start my guess would be about .5..

With a perfect hand off, that's an accurate estimate. Our coach use to time our exchanges in practice (i.e., to let us know how much time we'd lose with sloppier hand offs), and our best exchanges were 0.5 of a second. However, the sloppier hand offs would be from 1.0-1.5 seconds.

bd

[robert kelly]

It depends on where the split is taken. Some people take splits at the hand off point, while other take splits at the finish line. My best 4x800 split was during a lead off leg, my junior year, with a 1:57.0 at the line but 1:56 at the hand off which is why I don't say I have a 1:56 best, even though, others would.

I'd say that there is about a +/- 1.5 second variation with most guys who run 2:00 or faster.

bdMy son split 1.49.7 at the S/F line and ran the open 800 in 1.50.7
so you may be right with the 1.5. I thought about it after I had posted that .5 time..BTW my son ran those times as a HS Senior.

[wineturtle]

SHORT ANSWER IS HALF A SECOND ON LEG 2,3,and 4 FACE VALUE FOR LEADOFF
LONGWINDED ANSWER>>Relay splits are taken by timing the baton ,in this case the 4x800 each split is taken at the common start/finishline. Where the hand offs are or who has the stick has no effect on split taking.Each hand off can generate when correctly done about a meter and a half in free space(ie no one runs that distance)at 2:00 for 800 that works out to be .225 sec on a technically perfect hand off exactly at the mid point of the zone(ie common start/finishline).Now you must add in, for legs 2,3 and 4, a running start.......a bit harder to quantify but from watching/timing about a brazillion races in the past 45 or so years I'd give that as a .4 to .6 advantage.(again at 2;00 pace)When we wrap the whole thing up we see something like lead off leg .2 faster than scratch time.... legs 2,3, about .7 faster than scratch time and 4 th leg about .6 . why does the last leg get less than the 2&3 legs?Runner must chest the tape so last runner does not get the handoff end share of that 1.5 metres free space. In the real world 4 perfect legs and 3 perfect handoffs happens ..................
NEVER!!

A realistic look tells us first leg =scratch time and other legs .5 faster is a really good rule of thumb.I feel this is the correct amount of "correction' to be given to 4x800 legs @circa 2:00.
Another comment on coaches hand timing in general-------at the level below elite I firmly believe we are better served calling times 23flat(22.9-23.1 on watch) ,23 lowpoint(23.2-23.4),23.5(23.4-23.6) and 23 highpoint(23.7-23.8).

[robert kelly]

SHORT ANSWER IS HALF A SECOND ON LEG 2,3,and 4 FACE VALUE FOR LEADOFF
LONGWINDED ANSWER>>Relay splits are taken by timing the baton ,in this case the 4x800 each split is taken at the common start/finishline. Where the hand offs are or who has the stick has no effect on split taking.Each hand off can generate when correctly done about a meter and a half in free space(ie no one runs that distance)at 2:00 for 800 that works out to be .225 sec on a technically perfect hand off exactly at the mid point of the zone(ie common start/finishline).Now you must add in, for legs 2,3 and 4, a running start.......a bit harder to quantify but from watching/timing about a brazillion races in the past 45 or so years I'd give that as a .4 to .6 advantage.(again at 2;00 pace)When we wrap the whole thing up we see something like lead off leg .2 faster than scratch time.... legs 2,3, about .7 faster than scratch time and 4 th leg about .6 . why does the last leg get less than the 2&3 legs?Runner must chest the tape so last runner does not get the handoff end share of that 1.5 metres free space. In the real world 4 perfect legs and 3 perfect handoffs happens ..................
NEVER!!

A realistic look tells us first leg =scratch time and other legs .5 faster is a really good rule of thumb.I feel this is the correct amount of "correction' to be given to 4x800 legs @circa 2:00.
Another comment on coaches hand timing in general-------at the level below elite I firmly believe we are better served calling times 23flat(22.9-23.1 on watch) ,23 lowpoint(23.2-23.4),23.5(23.4-23.6) and 23 highpoint(23.7-23.8).Thanks for your answer, I guessed about .5, but I wasn't real sure that was correct.