The racing patterns of male 800 m runners of different record levels

The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of racing patterns in male 800-m runners with different record levels with respect to running speed, stride length and stride frequency. Forty-nine male 800-m runners in official competitions were videotaped with video cameras at a sampling rate of 60 Hz during the whole course of the race. They were divided into four record groups according to the race times obtained as follows: Group 1 (G1), 1 min 46–47 s; Group 2 (G2), 1 min 48–49 s; Group 3 (G3), 1 min 50–51 s; Group 4 (G4), 1 min 52–53 s. The ratio of the race time to the personal record was no less than 99% for all runners analyzed. The average running speed, stride length and stride frequency were calculated for every 100 m based on the temporal data collected by reading the timer counter superimposed on the video images. The main results were as follows:1) The running speed increased to a peak before 200 m, decreased from 200 m to 400 m, and was maintained or slightly decreased from 400 m to the finish. 2) Significant differences in running speed among the groups were observed in the middle stage of the race (120–600 m). 3) There were no significant differences in the relative running speed every 100 m among the groups. 4) The race patterns were classified by the relative running speed, stride length per height (SL) and relative stride frequency (SF) into a) The 1st half dominant with average SL and high SF for G1, b) The 1st half dominant with large SL and average SF for G2, c) The 2nd half dominant with average SL and low SF for G3, and d) The 2nd half dominant with low SL and high SF. These results indicate that the difference in running speed among the groups was large in the middle stage of the race, and that the pattern of the relative running speed was similar in all groups regardless of the performance level. Therefore, the present study suggests that the pace to achieve a goal time can be estimated by using the relative running speed.