Descriptionary

bonk to become exhausted to the point when only slow running is possible. Also, known as hitting the wall.

bounding in the triple jump, the series of leaps made.

break-line the point on a track where runners may change lanes.

carbo load to consume a high carbohydrate diet for three days leading up to a long race, to maximize glycogen or energy stores.

changeover in a relay race, the handing over of a baton from one runner to another.

cross-country a running race ranging over open ter­rain, grass, or through woodlands, rather than over a formal track.

decathlon a two-day competition of 10 different events, often determining bragging rights for great­est all-around athlete. The events are the 100 meters, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400 meters, 110 meter hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin, and the 1,500 meters.

discus a disk or plate thrown for distance in the dis­cus competition. Also the competition itself.

doping the illegal practice of using performance- enhancing drugs, such as steroids.

exchange zone in a relay race, the limited area in which the baton must be passed to the next runner.

false start an early takeoff by one or more runners at the start of a race, requiring a second start.

fartlek a Swedish term for a workout that incorpo­rates a mix of fast and slow running.

fast twitch muscle fiber muscle fiber used to pro­duce explosive speed but which tends to have little endurance.

field event any nonrunning event, such as throwing or jumping.

five K a 5,000-meter, or 3.1 mile, race.

400 meters one lap around the track.

hammer throw a ball attached to a wire, which is thrown as far as possible by competitors.

heat any individual race within a round of races.

heptathlon a competition of seven track and field events, specifically javelin, hurdles, high jump, long jump, shot put, sprint, and 800 meter race.

high jump an event in which competitors try to leap over a high bar, unaided by poles.

hit the wall see bonk.

hurdle one of several waist-high, fencelike barriers that must be leapt over in a hurdles race.

intervals a practice workout in which a course is run at high speed with slow jogs in between.

javelin a spearlike projectile thrown in the javelin competition.

kick at the end of a race, an all-out sprint.

lap one circuit around the track or other course.

leg one portion of a relay race.

long distance designating any race of 5,000 meters or more.

marathon a very long running race of 26.2 miles, or 42.2 kilometers.

meet a competition between two or more teams.

mile, the four times around the track.

pole vault a competition in which competitors run at high speed and vault over a high bar, by the use of a long pole.

runner's high a feeling of happiness or euphoria after a long race, caused by the release of feel-good brain opiates or endorphins.

shot put a competition in which competitors throw a heavy metal ball as far as possible.

slow twitch muscle fiber muscle fiber involved in endurance running but not producing explosive speed.

spikes shoes fitted with spikes for extra traction.

split the time taken at a designated portion of a race, usually at a mile marker, to provide information to the runner about his speed.

sprint a full-out run at top speed over a short course.

staggered start a starting line-up in which runners are staged at varying points behind each other, to compensate for running around a curve, where the outside runner would otherwise have a disadvantage.

starting blocks the blocks on which a runner braces his feet at the start of a race.

tail wind an advantageous wind that helps propel a runner from behind.

takeoff board a 4-foot-long board from which long jumpers and triple jumpers must take off and leap.

ten K a 10,000 meter, or 6.2 mile, race.

throwing circle the circle within which a competi­tor must throw a discus, shot put, or hammer.

triple jump a competition in which an athlete must perform a hop, step, and a jump in succession to achieve the greatest distance.

ultra marathon any race more than 26.2 miles.

VO2max the maximum amount of oxygen that can be used by the body; aerobic capacity.

walk a speed walking race in which competitors must keep one foot on the ground at all times, and the forward leg must be kept straight, to prevent a running gait.

wind-aided helped by a tailwind.

volleyball

antennas the vertical rods at either edge of the net; a ball striking the antenna on either side is deemed out of bounds.

attack block an aggressive attempt to stop the ball before it passes over the net.

back set a set made by a setter overhead and back to a spiker.