"Slow Down, Slow Down, Slow Down to run fast" has been echoing in my head since I read the article: Speed Demons featuring Tom Tellez, University of Houston Head Track Coach. Slowing down is the last part of the running process. It is referred to as... deceleration. Just as acceleration builds to top speed; deceleration slows the body down, as illustrated by Florence Griffith-Joyner.
Deceleration is the final aspect of the running process.
The brain no longer perceives the body as falling. If
anything...the body experiences the down hill effects of
over speed and compensates by opening the stride, further as the body leans backward.
There is a direct correlation between acceleration, deceleration and distance. The longer the runner's rate of acceleration... the less distance is involved in deceleration. Runners who employ a shorter rate of acceleration...experience a longer slope in decline when decelerating. This results in significant speed lose and slower times.
Runners make the mistake of trying to increase speed when they feel deceleration set in. This tactic induce rapid fatigue, disrupt smoothness of form and as previously mentioned...cause greater slowing.
In the 100 meters, sprinters decelerate the final 12 meters; For baseball players, deceleration takes place the last 7 of 60 yards, and for football players, deceleration takes place the last 5 of 40 yards.
Basketball players decelerate just prior to taking a jump shot; baseball and softball players decelerate when sliding to the next base; football, soccer and tennis players decelerate just prior to making changes in direction or positioning themselves to block or tackle in the case of football or kick and block kicks in soccer, and when positioning themselves to return volley in tennis.
Conclusion: Mastery of proper relaxation when deceleration sets in prevents undue tightening in the final distance. One of the best methods to develop the skill of deceleration is to run down a gradual hill on to a flat surface. The runner should practice opening their stride so that the body assumes a braking position of a backward lean.
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