Eli5 What makes a running track ‘fast’ , in caparison to a ‘normal’ track? Heard this term a few times at the World Athletic Championship in Eugene, OR
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I see a lot of people talking about track materials, and while that can/does play a major role there is another factor: elevation. Depending on how high from sea level a track is located can influence how runners perform due to the amount of oxygen present.
**Running at high altitudes decreases the amount of oxygen getting to the muscles.**
This actually doesn’t affect sprinters as significantly as long distance runners though! Sprinters actually benefit from higher altitudes as there is less air resistance, leading to faster sprints.
Fun fact about elevation is that it affects many other sports, and in more ways than ones endurance/performance! In baseball, the stadiums with the highest amount of homeruns are always at higher elevations. The thinner air makes it easier for the ball to travel further!
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