How are lane assignments determined for distance races at the state meet?

[claynation]

Just wondering if there is a system or if it is a random draw. Confused why qualifiers who placed lower than my athlete at regionals received a more preferable lane assignment.

 

[Supertramp]

It appears to be completely random.

 

[Altor]

Just wondering if there is a system or if it is a random draw. Confused why qualifiers who placed lower than my athlete at regionals received a more preferable lane assignment.

The 800, 1600, 3200, and 4x800 have been random draws in the tournaments for at least 30 years.

Contrary to popular belief, the concept of "preferred lanes" is not about which one is the best for the fastest runners. It was about making it easier for finish judges to pick places in a time before video review. It's much easier to pick places when they come across the line in a V-shape. This was not necessary in the longer races since they don't finish in lanes.

 

[yj_runfan]

Just wondering if there is a system or if it is a random draw. Confused why qualifiers who placed lower than my athlete at regionals received a more preferable lane assignment.

Thanks for confirming your experience with high school distance racing.

 

[claynation]

Thanks for confirming your experience with high school distance racing.

Thanks for the comment. I was pretty sure it was random, but I wasn't certain and figured someone would be able to confirm for me. I also wasn't sure if the addition of at-large qualifiers changed the previous process.

 

[Finishtiming]

Yes all distance evens are random seed. The thing that confuses people is the lane races. Seeds are determined by place and then time and it is the same for the prelim to final seeding. I was asked at least 3 times this past week to look at seeding because they thought it was wrong.

 

[stew]

Interesting comment about preferred lanes being more about officials than athletes. Makes me wonder what the preferred lane order should be. I know it would vary by athlete and event if they were asked which lane they would prefer.

 

[Altor]

Interesting comment about preferred lanes being more about officials than athletes. Makes me wonder what the preferred lane order should be. I know it would vary by athlete and event if they were asked which lane they would prefer.

The more elite the field, the outer lanes tend to be preferred by the athletes when there is a curve involved.

 

[Mr. Slippery]

The more elite the field, the outer lanes tend to be preferred by the athletes when there is a curve involved.

That would be my preference, so I don't get boxed in early. Incidentally, I also had 400m runners who preferred lane 1 to all other lanes, so that they could see exactly where everyone else for the majority of the race. By contrast, if they had an outer lane, they were defeated before the gun ever went off.