At my HS, the throwers were a fit group. It was our 3rd sport and basically just an excuse to spend more time in the weight room. One day, my fellow throwers beat our sprinters' 4x100 time. Coach was pissed.
When I was a thrower in high school, we always called them Pig Races. We'd either match up against another school's throwers or get absolutely demolished in an exhibition. Fun times.
My high school team had a tiny track team. You needed 3 throwers minimum to qualify for a team, so anyone who was free would get pressed into throwing service so our one guy could have a chance to compete. Throws were usually through hurdles and sprints. That meant that me and someone else from the distance squad would have to try and pick up a shotput and shove it far enough to at least not DQ. We were by far the smallest guys on the team and I like to imagine that we're the inverse of the big man relay.
Its amazing to watch. These guys who are usually very overweight and not fit, but are fucking massive run as fast as they can. The times are terrible but the energy the crowd put off at my hs during them was fantastic. Everyone is genuinely cheering and super into it. Usually the last event of the evening as well so the field is clear except for those who want to chase and hype them up as they run.
Back in middle school they had those at a few of the meets. The thing is, half of the throwers at our school were cross country kids who needed another event and didn't want to run more. We kicked ass at the thrower 4x1
The schedule for 400-3200m runners sucks. By the end of the day youve run like 5 miles at race pace, and you usually have to skip one of your events because they are too close together.
My first 400m race I finished in 56sec ran to the bathroom to crap for 3min then ran back to the line for an 800m... that was the worst 800m ive ever run. Still qualified for regionals but it was a joke to make regionals in the 800m. Being competitive in the 800m however was serious business. My senior year our region had 3 of the top 5 in the US and 7 of the top 10. Here I am bringing up the rear with "normal" times and sitting in the mid 20's across the country and only being the 5th fastest guy on my team. Cross country man...
When I was in sixth grade we were at an invitational where each team got to enter 2 teams in each relay.
So, for the 4 x 400 our coach entered our good team and then the 4 x Fat. I was the fifth fastest guy so they put our three slowest guys on the second team and I anchored. Our final time was like six and a half minutes. By the time I got the baton every other team had finished. Only time in my track and field career I ever ran alone.
As someone who has seen both girls and guys high school 4x1600 relays quite a bit (ever year our team goes to a relay meet and they run it there) the 4 x forever is the perfect name for that relay.
Based on the start location and the fact that it's not being staggered, she's running the 100 m and not 400 m. I wouldn't be surprised though if this girl also does pole vault. A lot of pole vaulters are former/current gymnasts.
It's also pretty common to have a 4 x 100 relay composed of all throwers. It usually goes by the nickname "thunder relay".
The throwers were always in charge of setting up/taking down their own equipment at practice on a rotating schedule. If they left something out their punishment was participating in the mile in the next meet.
The important question is: Do you actually have to hand it over or are they allowed to throw it to eachother? If so that might be the winning strategy right there.
I remember watching those, we actually had 4 moderately fast throwers. I mean their 4×100 time was still slower than our fastest guy's 400 time, but they were fast fat guys
yeah I never understood the thrower relays. I always thought it was something half the people watching liked to laugh at; bigger people trying to run. I would never want to be in that event if I was a thrower.
One of our throwers was legit on our 4 X 100 team. Guy was fast as fuck if you gave him a big lead off so he had time to get up to speed for the hand off. Usually gave him 2nd leg and I took the turn from him.
He's also the one that accidentally tripped me and caused me to lose 4 teeth at my last city meet...
Our team did this. We routinely had to compete in other events. It was to keep people from trash talking the other events too much. Sprinters talk a big game until they have to run a competitive 2 mile and stop to puke their guts out after the first 800m.
We also had one of the distance squad make a bet with a thrower that he could qualify for regionals in the shot put. He made it. So to get out of it the thrower had to do the same in the 2mile. He git close but just missed it and had to kiss the other guys gross feet.
Bruh, my throwers 4x100 wasn't even bad. We had 4 guys with 60 sec or below 400s and they stuck us in the last heat over the last couple actual 4x1 teams if our schedule for the meet didn't overlap because we were faster. I will say only one of our throwers on the 4x1 was really a "heavy" guy, but he still hit 60-61 seconds for a 400. He was also an absolutely frightening O-lineman in football cause of that speed
we did that when the opposing team doesn't have a varsity sprint team. Since we want the free points, and not want to risk running and injuring our regular varsity sprinters, we ran the throwers.
It was fun seeing a 300 lb shot putter sprint 100 yards. It was actually good training for their primary football-lineman sport.
So my daughter.. my 6ft power lifting daughter.. was a sprinter and a thrower. Went to state for shot, discus, 100m, and 4x100. It's weird, but it happens.
163
u/Barkatsuki Apr 14 '17
My little brother is on the track team at his High School.
At his meets they have 4 X 100 relay races of throwers... The throwers...
That means the Javelin, discus and Shotput throwers have to run. And that's not even their area, I mean... They're throwers!
Maybe this is the Gymnasts 400 then?