Why do so many people not run through the line?

Pisco Sour

I can never understand it. You see it everywhere, from Under 10s, all the way up to the Olympics. Some people have missed out on medals because of this. If you have given it everything for 99.5% of the race, why put on the brakes in the last 5 metres? Why not wait that extra half second, run flat out through the line and THEN rest. It is infuriating to watch.

Even at training yesterday I noticed it from a guy much faster than me. Every single rep he'd slow to basically a jog for the last 5-10 metres. What's the point of doing that!

robinph

Can cause a bit of bedlam as well in a mass participation race where people grind to a halt before the line and the person behind, either going for the time or just to catch that person, then crashes into the back of them.

It makes sense if you are Usain Bolt and you are 10 metes ahead of everyone else in the Olympic final then your main priority is to look good doing the Mo-bot on crossing the line for the photos. But even he has to run to the line a lot more at the moment compared with what he was doing in Bejing.

I loved the finish to the womens triathon in London, made a change to see them actually race all the way to the tape as the tri folks are normally waving to the crowd and walking across the line.

RoyMcC

Drives me mad in a coaching context, athletes easing up before the line. Youngsters you can tell to aim 10 metres beyond the line. Older ones think it's fine and acceptable to ease off well before the line :mad:

Kurt Godel

Every February a new bunch of local kids get to begin training with rule number 1 drilled into them: "You always run past the line".
Every year without fail, the ones who are naturally fastest win the early races by a country mile, slowing down towards the end. But come June, the ones who have made all the improvement, are the ones who have "raced past the line" since the start of the season.

I know its summer time when mr February speedster is pipped by someone who doesn't slow up, and the look on his beaten face is priceless;)

walshb

I guess there are many examples that may look like jogging that are genuine all out tying up and fading badly!

Even in my plodding along extremely amateurish approach to running, where coming in the top 10% is the height of my ambition, it annoys me too.

I mean sheesh, if someone can't put in a burst to get over that mat, I dunno...it's bad. I can honestly say its the bit of the race I get most enthused about, I like overtaking people near the end. It's the best way to get some appreciation from any crowd too, whether first or last everyone likes to see someone give it their all.

RoyMcC

walshb wrote: »

I guess there are many examples that may look like jogging that are genuine all out tying up and fading badly!

The odd one perhaps, in long reps. For sprint repeats it's just bone idleness.

Pisco Sour

RoyMcC wrote: »

The odd one perhaps, in long reps. For sprint repeats it's just bone idleness.

Agreed. No excuse to be easing back after 140m of a 150m rep!

wrstan

Pisco Sour wrote: »

Why do so many people not run through the line?

Maybe because it's their only chance to look like Usain!

Itziger

The counter to this though is the fella sprinting like a demon for the last 100 mts of a marathon.

You see it all the time, especially at slightly longer distances. The half, 10 k races. These runners would surely be better off getting the pace and effort right over the course of their run.

Mint Sauce

Deleted User wrote: »

Even in my plodding along extremely amateurish approach to running, where coming in the top 10% is the height of my ambition, it annoys me too.

I mean sheesh, if someone can't put in a burst to get over that mat, I dunno...it's bad. I can honestly say its the bit of the race I get most enthused about, I like overtaking people near the end. It's the best way to get some appreciation from any crowd too, whether first or last everyone likes to see someone give it their all.

I do like a sprint finish, and have got involved in one or two, its a great adreniline rush, even more when you hear the crowd shout sprint, weather its for first and second place, or 101st and 102nd.

The most disapointing one though was in my first 5km. There was no run off behind the finish line and nearly had to stop dead on it so the timers could get our race numbers due to no chip timing.

First event of this year I had the issue of someone slowing infront of me, my finishing pic looks like I have the air brakes on trying to stop my self crashing into them.

ocnoc

Get pipped on the line once in a race you care about and you will run through the line in every single race, regardless if its neck and neck or your 100m clear.

Losing hurts and it hurts a lot more to lose it in the last meter when all the hard work is done.
So it burns and hurts a little, suck it up, it'll all be over in a couple of seconds.

If in doubt, through the kitchen sink at it.

earlyevening

Seems appropriate to post up the old clip of Ovett easing up against Treacy in 1980.