Maura Kane ‘27
EE Staff Writer
On January 31, Sam Ruthe took the line at the Boston University classic to run his first-ever indoor mile. He walked away with a win, with an astounding time of 3:48.88, he was 16 years old. Now, that may come as a shock, but it has become very common in the track world recently. We have seen 17-year-olds running a 1:42 second 800m and 18-year-olds running a 9.92 second 100 m. Track has come a long way since the start of the sport. In the first Olympics games in 1896, the winning time for the Men’s 100m dash was 12.0 seconds (Thomas Burke), but in the 2024 Olympics, the winning time was 9.79 seconds (Noah Lyles).
What is Trackflation?
Trackflation is a term that was coined online that is used to describe the “phenomenon of significantly faster times and higher performance standards”. Since 1900, men’s times have improved by 25%, while women’s times have improved by 67% (National Institute of Health). Trackflation primarily is used when talking about young athletes running elite times, frequently being high schoolers, but some even being in middle school.
What’s Causing it?
In the 1990’s, track spikes that were made with mesh and had plastic bottom plates were frequently used by all athletes. However, upon entering the 2000s, the companies shifted towards making them with more aggressive plates, lightweight materials, and designs that were made specifically for certain events. But this was just the beginning, the real massive shoe impact came in 2019, with the introduction of the “super spikes”.
Super spikes are a term for the more modern spikes made in 2019-2021. They include brand new upgrades, like thick, lightweight foam (called ZoomX), and carbon-fiber or nylon plates. According to the RunningWarehouse, “Super spikes are built with significantly more foam underfoot compared to spike designs of the past.” They are specifically made like this to help the athletes feel fresher for much more of their race.
But this is only one part of the massive number of changes since the start of the sport. Another big detail is better access to information. Since the creation of the internet, athletes have been able to easily find out important information on nutrition and training. This, along with new wearable technology for tracking data (like Garmin, along with other brands), allows runners to figure out exactly what they need to do in order to get better.
Another game changer has been the age at which they start training. According to Human Kinetics, “Beginning at age 7 or 8, children who enjoy running may participate in fun runs and organized track and field programs that last a few months each year”. This is probably one of the most fundamental things that has changed over the years. Fostering a joy for the sport at a young age is very important for one, the athlete to still enjoy what they do later on, and two, a better starting spot, which can cause time improvement to come that much quicker.
So What Does This Mean For You?
As tough as it may seem to look online and see someone much younger than you absolutely decimate your personal best (believe me, I know how that feels), you have to remember why you do it. A sport is supposed to be fun, and as long as you still find joy in it, that’s more than enough. In track, there has become a massive issue with constant comparison, but that isn’t always fair! People may run the same event as you, but they most likely ran it in very different conditions, both physically and, well, weather-wise. One thing I can say, from experience, is yes, you can look at those other times, but don’t hold yourself against them and think you’ll never reach that level. Take it as a challenge, nothing is stopping you but yourself from getting to that level, so don’t hold yourself back from all that you can accomplish.
Feature Photo Courtesy: Athletics NZ – Aaron Bui