Track and Field as it is popularly known in American English, was originally known as Athletics. Athletics is a word derived from the Greek word "althos." which means "contest." It consists of a collection of sports events that can be divided into running, throwing and jumping events. These sport events were the original Olympic sports that athletes participated in 776 BC.

This is a secret technique I did in my Track Star days which I have never made mention of or ever bothered to tell anyone about. Now I cannot say if it helped me to stay undefeated for 4-consecutive seasons or not, indeed all I can say is it is yet one more component of a serious athlete. There is something I use to do to train that no one else did, that I just made up, I never told anyone else. What I would do is start out at the 50 yard line and run, but I would drag one leg as a balance and make the other leg do all the work, by bringing the good leg knee up high and pushing off really hard and then accelerating on the grass of a football field. You have to pump your leg in use really hard to do it and still accelerate. Then switch off and do the other leg. I use to do this for a warm up about 50-75 yards at a time (3-4 sets) and a couple of times in the middle of the work out, it seemed to stretch the muscles and strengthen them. Sometimes I would do this while out jogging on soft terrain, trails or grass. Think on that, see if it works for you.

The reason I just now have remembered this, was because I was reading up on the "Plyometrics" stuff last night that while working on a running book, book review. And I remembered I use to do that all the time. And no one ever told me to and I have never met anyone else who has, but I did it. Of course no one ever beat me in those 4-years either. Maybe that might be a little secret to remember? I certainly hope this article is of interest and that is has propelled thought. The goal is simple; to help you in your quest to be the best in 2007. I thank you for reading my many articles on diverse subjects, which interest you. It is interesting all the misconceptions in Track and Field, some people classify the 800 meter as a long-distance race? Not so I tell you, not even close. The 800-meter is an absolute high-performance race and it is more like a sprint than the 400 meter in fact. It is most definitely a sprint for two-solid laps. The laps from hell, where you give it all you have and then try to finish up at the end with your muscles burning and your feet on fire. Indeed on a reslite or tartan track you will feel like your feet are on fire and while racing you will feel the pain shoot up your muscles signaling to your brain; Capitan, Scotty here, we are at maximum warp, I do not think the engines can take much more of this. The 800-meter is a punishment worse than any of these snivelers at Guantamo Bay call pain or torture.