How to be a Track and Field Athlete
During the Season
Practice Habits
-Attend practice
-Drink over 64oz of water every day
-Eat every day before practice, unless for religious reasons
-Be on time to practice
-Make sure you pack your shoes and your spikes for each practice
-If you are absent, inform the coaches before the practice starts and ask for a home workout for that day
-Compete in practice, push yourself and your teammates
-Know what is next in practice and start to be proactive
-Keep bathroom trips quick and make sure you are not ducking activities
-Foam roll before practice
-Keep your phone away during practice
-Study how different workouts translate to performance
-When it is cold, dress in layers
-Boys mile should be under 7 minutes and Girls under 8 minutes
-Avoid off season workouts and competitions from other sports
-Run in running shoes
-Be mentally engaged in the training
-Have integrity, do the work even when the coach isn't looking
-Aim to get 9 hours of sleep each night during the season
-Communicate with your coaches
-Set season goals and think about those goals in practice
-Manage frustrations and setbacks, breakthroughs can be unpredictable
-If you are injured, see the trainer and follow a recovery plan
-If you are sore, attend practice and follow a recovery workout
-Attending practice on the days you "don't feel like it" are often the days you grow the most
Off Day Habits
-20 minute recovery run
-Daily core workout
-Stretch
-Make sure your grades are above 70% for each class
-9 hours of sleep
-8 minute cold bath
The night before a track meet
-Drink over 64oz of water
-Pack your bag (uniform, shoes, spikes, compress shorts, snacks)
-Bring every uniform
-Make sure your warm up shoes and spikes are in your bag
-Pack water or gatorade for the meet
-Pack fruit or snacks
-Pack money
-Pack a phone charger
-Set your alarm
-Make sure your ride is secure
-Know your events
-Study your event
-Visualize yourself doing well in your events
-Foam roll or stretch as needed
-Get over 9 hours of sleep
At a track meet
-Arrive on time
-No cell phones, earphones, or headphones inside the track area
-Warm up properly
-Do the general warm up and a specific warm up for your events
-Know your events
-Know the order of events
-Warm up for your event 40 minutes before your event starts
-Wear the proper uniform
-Relays must match each other
-Drink water before your event
-Check in for your event and get your hip number
-After your event, do a set of Howard drills
-After your event, put warm up clothes back on
-Between jumps, put a blanket over your legs
-Between events, get off of your feet, drink water, eat fruit or light snacks
-Keep a positive mindset between events
-Encourage your teammates during their events
-Avoid horseplay or goofing off
-Avoid conflicts with other teams
The day after a track meet (recovery)
-Eat a high protein meal
-Get 10 hours of sleep
-20 minute recovery run
-Static or Dynamic Stretches
-8 min cold bath
-Foam Roll
-YouTube Yoga
-Drink 64oz of water
-Drink hydration drinks
Equipment
-Running shoes
-Spikes (get right spikes for your events, some athletes have multiple pairs)
-1/4" spikes for your spikes
-Foam roller
-Water bottle
-Track and Field bag
-Bands for stretching
-Tape for jumps
Daily Core Workout
3 sets of each
15 push ups
25 bicycle kicks
25 flutter kicks
25 toe taps
10 v-ups
10 Windshield wipers
25 toe raises
25 calf raises
How to get recruited for college
-Qualify for individual events
-Have over a 3.4 cumulative gpa
-Be consistent in your training
-Be a leader on your team
-Have great attendance and practice habits
-Be top 5 in your event in Delaware
-Be extremely reliable
How to be a leader or captain
-Be extremely reliable
How to run the 100
How to run the 200
How to run the 400
How to run the 800
How to run the 1600
How to run the 3200
How to run the 110h/100h
How to run the 300h
How to run the 4x100
How to run the 4x200
How to run the 4x400
How to run the 4x800
How to LJ
How to TJ
How to HJ
During the Off Season
What to do in the summer
What to do in the fall