It’s time for midterms in the wonderful world of coaching. Each semester, athletes are busy preparing for major exams and their schedules change. The combination of stress and lack of sleep impel most athletes to request alternative practice times, or the day off, to prepare for these grueling examinations. I have always preached the importance…
All posts by Marc Mangiacotti
What To Do With Your Walking Wounded
I have been coaching long enough to understand that in athletics injury is inevitable. The repetitive motion of running and contact with multiple surfaces can increase the rate of injuries among sprinters. As a sprints coach I am sure you have encountered common injuries such as shin splints, stress fractures and pulled muscles. When I…
Workouts and Training During Breaks
For me, the holiday season or any extended break always brings about a sense of nervousness. It is less likely that I’ll worry if my wife will like the new pair of shoes I bought her, or how much snow I’ll have to shovel to clear the driveway. What keeps me up at night is…
Testing
Every November for the past 10 years, I have tested my sprinters in order to improve the training for each individual athlete, and to help me become a better coach. All of the tests that I use are designed around specific track and field events. Testing is beneficial for both the athletes as well as…
The Circle of Truth
I have received a lot of great feedback and questions about sprint workouts and the Master Class on the 100m. One question that came up a few times pertained to “runs” early on in the season. I was confused at first by these questions because sprinters go on runs every day. As a matter of…
How Tailwind Affects a Sprinter
In the wake of Hurricane Irene one of our volunteer assistant coaches asked me how I thought those 60-70mph winds that this storm created would help a sprinter in the 100m. We all know that a tailwind helps in a race. However…he was amazed that I answered by saying that it all depended on an…
Young Sprinters Struggle with Erectile Dysfunction
Young Sprinters Struggle with Erectile Dysfunction by Marc Mangiacotti, Brown University Sprints/Hurdles As soon as you read “erectile dysfunction” you probably thought about a problem some men have as they grow older. For them…there is a blue pill to help fix their dilemma. Young sprinters struggle with a different type of erectile dysfunction. Youngsters…