The Evolution of Indoor Track and Field
The Evolution of Indoor Track and Field
Indoor track is an often overlooked sport. Being a different version of the already disregarded outdoor track, the apathetic attitude towards indoor is understandable. Individual sports are less popular than team sports because team sports are more complex and represent whole communities. It is easier to support an organization that represents something you love than a single individual. Athletes treat indoor as a warmup season, using it to work on specific aspects for the outdoor season. Even though indoors seem similar to outdoor tracks, they have evolved in different ways, its beginnings, advancements, and strategies are unique to itself.
The first indoor track meet can be traced back to the 1800s in New York. Held in an ice rink arena and run by the New York Athletics Club, the event took place on November 11th, 1868. The event list was basic including a half-mile race, shot put, the high jump, and triple jump. These events looked different than they do today. Techniques have shifted since the mid-1800s. High jumpers would go over the bar facing forward instead of the iconic backward movement used today, and triple jumpers would not receive a running start in their event; being called the standing three jump instead.
After its introduction, indoor began to gain popularity; especially across Europe and the United States. Athletes wanted to be able to train when the confines of cold weather held them back. Indoor track is not popular in countries closer to the equator because it is warm year long. In its beginnings, meets were held in a random assortment of buildings and the tracks were makeshift. Since there were size constraints in borrowed buildings, indoor tracks were around 200 meters long; half the length of a normal track. This design philosophy has stuck, with every indoor track measuring out to be exactly 200 meters long to keep the size smaller but still keep the track long enough to stay competitive. While the track is more compact, this also causes the track's curves to be much more amplified, this leads to athletes not being able to go as fast around them, leading indoor times to almost always be slower. Constraints such as these are what make the evolution of indoor track so fascinating. The natural design limitations lead to brilliant workarounds.
An early major improvement to the technology of the track was the change in what material was used for it. Tracks evolved from concrete or dirt to synthetic rubber that increased grip and was a precaution to prevent injury. The elastic nature of the material is easier on ankle and knee joints than concrete and other hard materials. Studies have shown that synthetic tracks can make athletes faster as well, “turn over” is a common buzzword used in track, referring to the time it takes for a runner to stride. Runners can only accelerate when they are pushing off the ground making maximizing the amount of time in contact with it crucial. Synthetic tracks help with this concept by acting like springboards, propelling the runner's feet upwards, making the turnover speed faster, and improving the number of strides taken. Another advancement made since the first meets is the angle of the track. Since the turns are so tight, The angle of tracks has gradually increased for athletes to keep as much speed as possible. Similar to NASCAR racing tracks, some banks can go up to 18 degrees.
Many people attribute indoors to a warm-up season. While indoor is important for that reason it is more than that. Athletes use indoor track to hone their skills such as endurance and strength for the outdoor season when they are held back by poor weather. Indoor sports give athletes a purpose for training. Competition is an important tool for athletes as it pushes them to improve. The Sports Journal says, “This enhanced training environment was likely an outcome of a more motivating environment that contributed to stronger mental and physical effort” The main benefit of indoor is to give athletes a reason to train hard during the off-season of their main sport. It also gives track athletes more experience in how to handle competition, this gives them more time to acclimate to the stresses of competition and gives them a chance to gain confidence. The smaller indoor size can give young athletes a chance to segway into the larger, more intense atmosphere of outdoor track.
Athletes worldwide utilize indoor track to excel in their running abilities and push further into greatness. The oldest sport is the footrace. Human biology is built on running. Our unique ability to sweat cools us and allows us to push farther than any other animal. This along with our natural competitive attitudes makes running a cornerstone of the human experience.
Works Cited
Brown, Ray. “The Boards.” Tracksmith, https://www.tracksmith.com/journal/article/ray-brown-the-boards. Accessed 16 January 2025.
“Inside America.” Spikes.com, 2016, https://worldathletics.org/spikes/news/history-of-american-indoor-athletics. Accessed 16 January 2025.
Todd, Jessica. “The History Of Track And Field.” FloTrack, 21 May 2020, https://www.flotrack.org/articles/6747663-the-history-of-track-and-field. Accessed 16 January 2025.
Warmath, Dee. “The Role of Athlete Competitiveness in High School Sport Specialization in the United States.” National Library of Medicine, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8918744/#:~:text=The%20findings%20from%20this%20study,win%20at%20all%20costs%E2%80%9D%20mentality. Accessed 16 January 2025.