Speed Training: How to Time Yourself Properly
Published: Tue, 05/31/11
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In this issue:
Greetings / Salve, This is a picture of my Seiko Training Timer I used for timing when training alone or when I was self-coached. It is a regular stopwatch with a device that looks like a shutter release cable for photographic cameras, used for long exposure photos or when using a tripod.
Back then, all my workouts were timed “on the fly” (i.e. 10 meter run-in) by programing the splits and then using the thumb device to “take the split” when I crossed the start line, then press it again when I crossed the finish line. This would give me a more natural running motion compared to reaching out and holding the start button like a marathon runner!
By using a pen and paper, I would then take the 2 “splits”, subtract them, and that would be my "fly" time. For example, by subtracting 1.87 (split 1) from 17.18 (split 2), it would give me a 15.31 150m fly time.
Of course, this device would be impossible for timing a proper start from a 3 or 4 point stance. Even a 40 yard dash was impossible. And even if you had a coach timing you, how accurate is it? It is, after all, a hand time where you must rounded up to the nearest 1/10th of a second. 9.91 on your stopwatch becomes a 10.0 HT, but 9.91 sounds better right? So how can we improve on this? The Freelap Timing System I’ve been using the Freelap timing system which is essentially a stopwatch using electromagnetic field transmitters to take split times, accurate to 2/100th of a second. It’s made in Switzerland, so you know it’s already an excellent watch. You have to wear the watch on your chest or waist level for the best accuracy and a strap is available for this purpose. Having it on the wrist is not accurate as your arm could be in an upswing or backswing when you cross the transmitter.
By using 2 transmitters devices, you can easily do fly testing at any distance over 20 meters. It so simple to use, that you (or the coach) no longer has to worry about missed timing. Just run fast and check your time! For distance runners, it does lap times automatically but you only need one transmitter. If you want 200 meter splits, then you’ll need 2 transmitters. The Freelap Stopwatch can also record over 700 splits and/or use software to download to your PC. So there’s a lot of flexibility to the unit. But What About the Start? By using the TX Touch device, you can start from a 3 or 4 point stance using the hand on the ground as the starting mechanism. The hand should always be the first to move when you react to the gun anyways. I’ve been using it and it's extremely accurate, though my 40 time is not as fast it it used to be. The minimum split times is about 1 sec or 20 meters. My 30m fly time with a 30m acceleration is my frequent test for max velocity. I also love it for my magic speed endurance session of 60, 80, 100, 120, 150m. It also works great for my magic special endurance sessions. (see my past newsletter) For a 100 meter dash, you can’t get 10 meter splits, but you can certainly get 20 meter splits if you have 5 TX Juniors transmitters. If you don’t have a coach, I highly recommend getting this unit. Even if you do have a coach, you should buy it instead of expensive FAT (fully automatic timing) systems and stop worrying about inaccurate or missed times in practice. Remember, the times you run in practice will extrapolate to the time you will run in real races. I use the Sprint 1 Coach package which has the watch, waist belt, starting device (the TX Touch), and 2 transmitters (TX Juniors). It’s very small and hardly takes up any room in my track bag. And best of all it’s extremely affordable. Did I say it would make a great Father’s Day gift? For more information, visit www.freelaptrackandfield.com Rome Golden Gala
Since I live in Rome, I had to go and check out the Diamond League Golden Gala event LIVE. I have several short articles and videos in HD on the blog, and this article is a good starting point with links to the all the sprints and relay events:
Best of May 2011
As always, here are the best articles for May 2011.
Regards,
Jimson Lee
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