How fast is 11.5...

[HST]

In a 100 meter race? This is in reference to a 16 year old that ran his first race today. I do not know anything about track, and was hoping someone could extrapolate what an 11.5 in 100 meters would compare to in a 40 yard dash time. Thanks in advance for your patience ops: and help. :P

[26mi235]

Re: How fast is 11.5...

In a 100 meter race? This is in reference to a 16 year old that ran his first race today. I do not know anything about track, and was hoping someone could extrapolate what an 11.5 in 100 meters would compare to in a 40 yard dash time. Thanks in advance for your patience ops: and help. :P

Well, I ran 12.0 as a distance runner-type person but was not running track because I was not really good enough to make my HS track team (I did make the JV XC team). I ran it without spikes on a dirt track (I was in college). I always had "good speed" compared to most kids, but I was not a top sprinter.

Extrapolating to 40 yard hand times, starter reacting to the runner is a little difficult for me. If you look at good college sprinters/football players, you can probably find runners with various times (e.g., 10.50) that then ran 4.45 in a "combine" (note that track timing and "40 yard timing" are not comparable due to the differences in how the timing is done and how the start is made). One thing that I found surprising is that Brian Calhoun, who was on the Wisconsin 4 x 100 team that ran at NCAAs only produced a 4.8 or 4.9 40 yard time, and his stock tumbled).

There are several threads on the 40-yard timing if you use the search function.

[bekeselassie]

Good question. Depending on where some athletes live, it's easy to be deceived about your ability. In some less populated rural areas where you might run more small meets or dual meets, you could win 'em all and think you're something when you're not.

The honest facts are that at 16, running 11.5, you have some decent speed but the college scouts won't be banging your door down. If you don't improve quite a bit in your high school career you might have to accept the fact that a sprinter isn't what you were created to be. I've been there in the distance running realm.

But all of this is said with no knowledge of you, your build, your experience, your training, etc. But the best sprinters could easily go 11.5 probably at a younger age than 16. I'll be corrected if I'm wrong here.

But the main thing is enjoy yourself. Set personal goals, work your butt off to achieve them, and have fun!

[bekeselassie]

One more thing.

I'm not able to do the extrapolation you're wanting (where's eldrick?), but just your 11.5 indicates that you probably don't have the explosiveness for a very fast 40. But again, you have some speed. It's just questionable if you have what it takes to compete at the state level as a sprinter.

Sorry if I'm all bad news. Just being as gently honest as I can. Keep working and keep running, my friend. And welcome to the boards. You'll learn some stuff around here.

Just not from me.

[Quarter Horse]

11.5 for 100m at the age of 16 is not bad. And being that you want to know how it converts to a 40yd dash tells me that you're interested in being a sprinter or at least a football player (WR/RB maybe?). I didn't start running track competitively until I was 16 and I started out running the 100m in around the same time (maybe a little faster, but I don't recall the exact time).

I lacked the explosiveness it took to be a short sprinter, so I ended up moving up to the 400m/200m. By the time I was a senior (18 yrs old), I was running in the low 47's in the 400m (consistantly) and around 21.4 - 21.8 in the 200m (I was also a WR/RB/FS on our football team). I then went on to run track and play football in college.

My point being that if you work hard over the next couple of years, you can grow and develop into a decent, if not very good, sprinter. But it all depends on how hard you work on the track, in the weightroom on the football field and in the off season.

Best of luck!!!

[26mi235]

11.5 for 100m at the age of 16 is not bad. And being that you want to know how it converts to a 40yd dash tells me that you're interested in being a sprinter or at least a football player (WR/RB maybe?). I didn't start running track competitively until I was 16 and I started out running the 100m in around the same time (maybe a little faster, but I don't recall the exact time).

I lacked the explosiveness it took to be a short sprinter, so I ended up moving up to the 400m/200m. By the time I was a senior (18 yrs old), I was running in the low 47's in the 400m (consistantly) and around 21.4 - 21.8 in the 200m (I was also a WR/RB/FS on our football team). I then went on to run track and play football in college.

My point being that if you work hard over the next couple of years, you can grow and develop into a decent, if not very good, sprinter. But it all depends on how hard you work on the track, in the weightroom on the football field and in the off season.

Best of luck!!!

Quarter Horse: You continue to keep your ratio of "Quality Posts" to "Total Posts" at the top of the heap. Thank you for making a reply that was much more informed and informative than mine.

[Daisy]

Quarter Horse: You continue to keep your ratio of "Quality Posts" to "Total Posts" at the top of the heap.

Seconded, it was a very good post, as usual. Please keep them coming.

[bekeselassie]

Quarter Horse: You continue to keep your ratio of "Quality Posts" to "Total Posts" at the top of the heap. Thank you for making a reply that was much more informed and informative than mine.

AHEM!

Anyone else you'd like to acknowledge . . . ?

[Quarter Horse]

Much appreciated!! I enjoy reading all of your comments as well. We have some great discussions on this board and I'm just glad that I'm able to contribute.

[Guest]

Quarter Horse has it sussed. But I'll modestly add that build is crucial.

I was a bit quicker than 11.5 when I was 16 - being a Brit, I never did a 40, but I'll bet it'd have been embarrassingly bad.

I was all legs then , hence I stuck with LJ .And obviously I couldn't have played American Football if my life was at stake....

Good luck in whatever you choose - you'll be fine, I reckon.

Edited for syntax and spelling.

[Track fan]

I would say it depends on your physique, if your a mature type physique I'm not sure how much more you can improve beyond conditioning and practice. If your a late bloomer you may improve tremendously because of your body changing rapidly..........

[HST]

He is a little over 6'4", 210 lbs, and squats 475 as far as his physique goes, and this was the first race he has ever run. I did not mention that he does not practice with sprinters or anything, he throws, it was a fluke that he even tried it. I hope that he may be able to get even faster with coaching. I appreciate your posts, because never in my wildest dreams did I think he would ever run in a track meet. If I am reading this correctly, it may be worth putting some effort into to see how he does over time?

[Track fan]

That physique isn't a sprinters build(at least a world class or national level), He may have to become a decathlete or play football as your athlete seems to have a tightend type build. Mark Bavaro was state finalist in the sprint hurdles in highschool and he had a similar build to the person you described.....

[bekeselassie]

OH!

HST, somehow I got it in my head that we were addressing YOU. You're talking about someone else! My bad. If anything in my response didn't make any sense, that's why (at least this time 8) ).

[EPelle]

I:ve told this story before, but it is worth mentioning again.

There was a grade-11 athlete in my high school who ran a 12,1 or so in his first-ever track meet (he was a basketball player, and a defensive end on the fotboll team). We had a female athlete already at 11,8, and the same grade he was. No matter. He was determined he would make it to state. He dropped down to 11,23 by season:s end, anchored our 42,34 4x100m right on into the state prelims. He went on to run 10,85/22,43 auto the following year.... off basically nothing but determination and some strange belief that he was supposed to be that good.

The kid you:re mentioning has the sky as his limit (as well as whatever talent with which he was afforded).