personally, being a distance runner and having tried multiple events, i would have to say the 400m... it is rough and it kills you by the 300m mark...
anyway, i would say the 4 x 400m relay is harshest: you can let people down on that...
2007-03-04 17:51:15 · 18 answers · asked by brownboy 6 in Sports ➔ Running
Olympics marathon race
2007-03-12 05:58:02 · answer #1 · answered by chrisorrrobinson 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends. I ran the 400 all through high school and I loved it. I thought that when I ran the 800 it was harder though. When I ran it I went out in a 57 sec first lap and then a 59. man I thought I was going to die. But it depends, many people are going to say marathons because they are so long, but how many of them have run a competitive 400 or 800? I mean I trained for 3 years to get a 47-48 sec 400 and believe me it hurts when I was done. There is no right answer because people run distance or sprints. It is very hard to be good at both. But since I am a sprinter I will say the 400m and 800 are the hardest :).
2007-03-05 07:04:47 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Steeplechase
I know they don't have it in highschool so not many people get to run it and experience it, but it's tough. I'm going to start training for the college steeplechase (3000m) soon, but I ran a 2000m one a couple years ago and I had to drag myself across the finish line. Besides the 4 hurdles on every full lap, you also have a water jump to contend with. I know the 400 is grueling and although I never ran the 400 hurdles I imagine that it is even more difficult. The nearly two mile distance of this race means it is short enough to be intense and long enough to be absolutley draining. Trying to hurdle those barriers just kills you. Not to mention when it gets crowded around a barrier, especially the water pit, elbows (and people) go flying. Its more than a race, It's a fight.
2007-03-06 05:24:29 · answer #3 · answered by j12bash 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
i would disagree with the 4x400 being the hardest. it is the most nerve-racking because its the most team oriented and high pressure but adrenaline kicks in and alot of people do better in that race than they would in a normal 400. the 400 is definately hard, one of the hardest no doubt. i would say the 800 meters is the hardest physically because you have to be able to do the 400 meters twice, its so short that pacing doesnt help much and you have to teach yourself to run in a "controlled sprint" and keep it for longer. I would also say the 3200meters is hard. especially if you are exceptional at it. you have to be mentally strong most of all and able to keep going even though you want to stop, and pacing plays a crucial role and it seems like the race is dreadfully long and deceptively short at the same time. amazing 2milers are always at risk of screwing up and running a good 20 to 30 seconds slower than they know they can.
2007-03-07 14:08:25 · answer #4 · answered by scott_russell_20 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I agree with j12bash, steeplechase has got to be the hardest.
After that, 400m hurdles, then 400.
In the steeplechase, you not only have the distance, you have the barriers, including the water jump every lap. The barriers are solid, unlike hurdles. If you hit one it will not go down, you will.
The 400m hurdles are harder than the flat 400m because you have to handle the hurdles (duh!). You have to maintain your stride length to keep your steps right.
Both the 400m flat a hurdles are tough because you have to run around 95% of your sprint effort. The human body does not like that. At 300m, it tends to seize. It feels like someone gave you a piano to carry.
2007-03-10 09:14:38 · answer #5 · answered by rt11guru 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The 800m its borderline aerobic and anaerobic... its very hard because if you push too hard you die and lose.. if you don't push hard enough, the field will get away from you and you won't catch them.. also i agree that the 400m is a tough race.. i find it impossible to sprint the whole thing but i am lame with my 9:02 3200m
2007-03-06 06:23:33 · answer #6 · answered by hahree 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the 800m is often referred to as the hardest event in track and field, just because of the way it is in between the sprinting events and the distance events. It is neither a distance event nor a sprinting event, you have to almost sprint for a long distance, it is finding this perfect pace and keeping it up that makes it the most difficult race.
2007-03-05 11:49:42 · answer #7 · answered by Michael F 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the 3200 is the hardest because instead of exerting your self in a short time you have to run fast over a prolonged period of time.
or the 1600
bunnibaby, running 800 in 3 min is easy for everyone, run 2:20 then talk, 4:20 1600 9:30 3200
2007-03-05 15:36:17 · answer #8 · answered by irishrunner1 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The 400m is bad but when you add hurdles to that it is worst. I would have to say the 400m hurdles is worst. I never ran it but those guys always look like they are dying, even in the pro's.
2007-03-05 09:15:06 · answer #9 · answered by jed p 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Badwater Ultra is the toughest
400 m is not being a distance runner its a sprint
2007-03-06 05:40:48 · answer #10 · answered by spazdogrunner 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Often it is considered the 1600 m b/c you have to continue going at a pretty fast pace for a while. In order to succeed in this event you must have talent and work hard.
2007-03-05 14:12:58 · answer #11 · answered by Anthony L 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋