Duration of track meet question

[Val]

I know this is a trivial question given the Iraq war, swine flu epidemics, and the current U.S. and world economic situation, but.....

.....how long should a junior high track meet last? We just got back from DS13's away track meet. There were 11 schools in attendance, boys and girls. Each team was allowed 2 entries for 7th and 2 for 8th for the girls, and then the boys. Girls ran first, then boys. The meet started at 4:00 (yes, we got there at 4- and paid admission- $5/adult). I walked in the door at home at 10 pm tonight- we left just before the last event started because we were SO cold and DS13 pulled a muscle and scratched from that event. DS13 still has not called us to be picked up from school, DH is sitting in the school parking lot waiting for the bus so he can quickly pick him up. These kids left the school at 2:15 today. They have not had dinner, sat in the hot sun (it was 82 here today, but it has been in the 50's all week), then when the sun went down it quickly dropped into the low 60s. Our boys, who sat around waiting to run (boys didn't start running until 7:35, remember, the meet started at 4) were dropping like flies with injuries- they had been hot, and then were running in the cold. They were all shivering like crazy, and I think many pulled muscles because they were SO cold and stiff.

Last year this meet was similar in length, although they ran in a monsoon- they even ran heats during tornado warnings! Our teams' belongings got ruined to the point that the school had to replace all their textbooks. It just seems that this meet is SO much longer than any other meet, and so poorly run.

If you have a junior high/high school track kid- is this typical? We had a tri-meet on Wednesday with unlimited entries, started at 4:15 and finished at 6:45. That meet even ran 6th grade heats. Am I crazy to think that tonight's meet is overly long (shoot, 6 HOURS long!). I would understand it if it was a Saturday meet and the kids started in the morning, but to finish this late at night is ridiculous. These kids are 11-14 years old, for goodness sake. Some of the kids from the other schools won't be back at their home school until 11!?!?! Am I nuts, or is this just wrong!?!

Note: I am NOT upset at our school's coaches- they seemed just as frustrated as we were (okay, 10x more!). We have the BEST-EST ever coaches...it seems to be an issue with the host school.

 

[Justanopinion]

Two of my kids graduated last year so track in Jr. High was about 5-6 years ago. It was nothing for them to get back to the school around 11 or after. And a lot of track meets were on school nights.

There was even a meet once, I will never forget. Thankfully, it was a Friday meet. There were supposed to be back at the school around 11. My DS had a Boy Scout camping event that I was going to drive him to when he got home. DH and the other boys had gone on ahead without him. I sat in that parking lot for 3 hours...yes, it was 2 am before they got home. And yes, DS wanted to get to camp so here I was at 2 am driving him 30 minutes north to camp and returning home by myself.

 

[ksjayhawks]

A meet with 11 teams present, even with limited entries, would take a long time to run, so that length of time would make sense.

Maybe the solution is to not have so many teams--or was this a league competition where all the teams needed to be invited?

 

[Val]

ksjayhawks, yes it was a league meet...important times, although times were way down since the kids were running in 30-40 mile winds. Kinda funny to watch them "draft" off one another in the backside.

Ugh, guess I better get used to it. The good news- my DS13's 4x100 came in first with a state qualifying time! His 400 was terrible- he pulled a muscle and ran a 68, but he says it isn't feeling too bad now. And, we came in FIRST overall!

 

[CookieDiva]

DD just returned about 45 minutes ago from an invitational meet about an hour from our HS.
I think that the meet started at 2:00.

I swear that I heard the number "40" mentioned regarding the number of schools involved. DD is sleeping now. I will get more info in the morning.

 

[RN4Babies]

Sounds pretty typical to me for junior high with that number of schools involved.

My niece started throwing shot put and discus in middle school...did it all the way through high school, and was first in state her senior year for both events. She went to Michigan State on a full athletic scholarship as a thrower on the track team. If your ds continues into high school and college, settle in for some realllllyyyy long meets! Wear lots of layers if it's chilly outside, take blankets, and I always packed a bunch of instant hand warmers for her meets.

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

Thanks for the heads up--DD13 made the "A" team in track, and I have no idea what that entails for here (we moved to this city last summer). I was secretly hoping she'd be on the "B" or "C" team, for just the type of reasons you describe. Our old school was smaller and more rural, so it's completely different here. I do know that the "A" team is the travel team--silly me for thinking they would travel and then get home at a reasonable hour!

 

[golfgal]

Sounds about right. Watching track meets-except really good ones like the Olympics or the NCAA finals is really, really, really boring-just an FYI. Bring a good book and a bleacher chair with a back rest and arm rests (you can get them at Walmart for about $15) . I ran track all through middle school, high school and college and being IN them is fun, watching them, not so much!

 

[PatsMom]

The length sounds about right for a big meet. Our weekday meets in middle school sometimes lasted until 7 or 8 but they kept them small, even dividing into two groups if necessary.

Now DD is in high school and still throwing shot, discus and javelin. I'm off to a Saturday meet today. It is about 70 miles away so I'll have to hit the road soon. And it is considered a close meet! These kids spend a lot of time on the bus.

I definitely agree that track meets are boring! When the girls throwing events are done, I leave the meet. That was one of the best things about DD getting her drivers license - I don't have to meet her at the school to bring her home!

 

[Tinijocaro]

One of my sons is on the middle school track team and yes, the meets can be excruciatingly long. Of course, his main event is the 3000 so his is always last!

 

[sharbear]

A track meet will last forever. It is a guarantee that your child will run the first event and the last. It will be 30 degrees and rain. Or windy. Or the temp will drop 35 degrees from the start to the finish.

Sat through many track meets. I've timed which is a little better because you have something to do but then you can't leave. Did the pole vault once at an inventational once. Started at 3, at 11:30 and everything else was done, I was still at that stupid event. Never, ever do the pole vault!

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

One of my sons is on the middle school track team and yes, the meets can be excruciatingly long. Of course, his main event is the 3000 so his is always last!

Oh, great! DD13 does that and the 1500m (she's a XC kind of girl).

Fortunately, our MS doesn't have a track, so practices and home meets are at the HS, barely a mile from home. She can ride her bike or call when she's done. I have 4 kids, 3 in spring sports--okay, DD5 is only doing t-ball, but still, I won't even consider going to away meets. And she's at that age where she'd rather we didn't go, anyway.

 

[Allison]

That doesn't sound unusual to me. Our track meets with 4 teams take 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

In our area if you are in track, you just have to get used to the fact you will have to deal with lots of different weather conditions-warm, cold, rain, wind.

 

[Jeafl]

A track meet will last forever. It is a guarantee that your child will run the first event and the last. It will be 30 degrees and rain. Or windy. Or the temp will drop 35 degrees from the start to the finish.

Sat through many track meets. I've timed which is a little better because you have something to do but then you can't leave. Did the pole vault once at an inventational once. Started at 3, at 11:30 and everything else was done, I was still at that stupid event. Never, ever do the pole vault!

You aren't kidding! My daughter runs the second race, and the very last one. And right in the middle she throws discus. Therefore I am stuck there from beginning to end.

And while I am complaining, you can multiple that by 3. My son runs high school track, my daughter runs middle school track, and my husband coaches high school girls track (and we don't even have a girl on the team!) Needless to say, I have sat through many more track meets than I ever cared to.

 

[Magic Mom]

A track meet will last forever. It is a guarantee that your child will run the first event and the last. It will be 30 degrees and rain. Or windy. Or the temp will drop 35 degrees from the start to the finish.

YES! Track meets (and multi age cross country events) last FOREVER. DS left this morning a 7:30 for a meet. They will be returning from the meet at about 8:30. It a 90 minute drive each way and they will stop for fast food on the way back.
When DS and DD run cross country we are there for hours because her event is usually first (elementary girls) and his is last (varsity boys). But its all good. We have a fun time, and I get loads of exercise running from point to point cheering them all on.

 

[CathrynRose]

300 million years - possibly longer for a big meet.

My son's meet's go hours and hours and hours and hours.... I get so unbelievably bored, it's not even funny.

The last one I was at they announced a "15 minute break" - I was like . The whole stinking meet is a break, if you're not running!!!

Yes - they're long (and boring if your child isn't in the race. The cross country?!?! Enough to put you to sleep, IMO)

My son is a hurdler. And he's wicked good!! He broke the school record last month! **whooop-whoooop**

(in purple with the ponytail

 

[PlutoPony]

Wow - this is interesting!
We have had a much different experience with middle school track.

Boys and Girls track are different seasons - boys in the spring, girls in the fall.

Track is a cut sport in middle schools here and teams carry no more than 40 kids. The meets are dual or tri and take no more than 2 hours, about 5-7 pm during the week. Most events are run only once with the top 2-4 runners from each team. Those events that are run a 2nd time are "exhibition" and results don't count towards team points. Distances are run with bigger groups - think they max out at 8 runners/team in the mile for tri-meets.

End of the season is a conference championship with top 2 runners/team/event. Lasts from maybe 3pm to7 or 8. Conferences have only 5-6 teams and are grouped geographically. Since all of the middle schools are about the same size (about 1400-1600 kids) there's no problem of running a small school against one with a much larger enrollment.

The meets most of you are describing are more like those at the high school level here.

 

[yoopermom]

This is such a funny thread, because I went to DS's jr high track meet on Weds, on the "balmy" northern shores of Lake MI, with 8 class C and D schools there (so small numbers). It was 40 degrees with 40 mph winds gusting off the lake. We started at 3 and were done sometime after 7 (I was too cold to take off my mittens and look at my watch!). Out of all the sports he does, I have to say track is my least favorite "spectator" sport!

Terri