Re: t-and-f: Lane Assignment and Reaction Time (much ado bout nuthin)

2008-06-22 Thread Dan Kaplan
> From: Jack Moran <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> High-end track meets put speakers in the blocks.

Isn't that primarily for the starter's voice commands, or do they also get the 
sound of the gun through the speakers?  I would think that might create a 
strange echo.

Dan


  


Re: t-and-f: Lane Assignment and Reaction Time (much ado bout nuthin)

2008-06-22 Thread Jorma Kurry
If I read the article correctly it had more to do with the fact that it was 
louder for the runners nearer the gun.


- Original Message - 
From: "Jack Moran" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

To: "Dan Kaplan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Cc: 
Sent: Sunday, June 22, 2008 9:46 AM
Subject: Re: t-and-f: Lane Assignment and Reaction Time (much ado bout 
nuthin)



They do it from behind at the Drake Relays, with assistant starters 
watching in front.


In the worst case, if a starter stood (off the track, of course) on a 
line with the starting line, the sound of the gun would reach the  runner 
in lane 1 about 0.025 seconds before it reached the runner in  lane 7. 
High-end track meets put speakers in the blocks.


On Jun 21, 2008, at 11:05 PM, Dan Kaplan wrote:


From: Jorma Kurry <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
is there a reason why the starter could not stand behind the
runners in the straightaway races at that level?


Just venturing a guess...  Sounds are more difficult to localize  and 
identify when they come from behind, if I remember correctly.   That 
uncertainty might create more jumps.  Also, the starter has to  wait for 
everyone to be still, and that's much more difficult to  determine from 
behind.  It would probably require a change of  duties for the starting 
crew.


Dan












Re: t-and-f: Lane Assignment and Reaction Time (much ado bout nuthin)

2008-06-22 Thread Jack Moran
They do it from behind at the Drake Relays, with assistant starters  
watching in front.


In the worst case, if a starter stood (off the track, of course) on a  
line with the starting line, the sound of the gun would reach the  
runner in lane 1 about 0.025 seconds before it reached the runner in  
lane 7. High-end track meets put speakers in the blocks.


On Jun 21, 2008, at 11:05 PM, Dan Kaplan wrote:


From: Jorma Kurry <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
is there a reason why the starter could not stand behind the
runners in the straightaway races at that level?


Just venturing a guess...  Sounds are more difficult to localize  
and identify when they come from behind, if I remember correctly.   
That uncertainty might create more jumps.  Also, the starter has to  
wait for everyone to be still, and that's much more difficult to  
determine from behind.  It would probably require a change of  
duties for the starting crew.


Dan










Re: t-and-f: Lane Assignment and Reaction Time (much ado bout nuthin)

2008-06-21 Thread Dan Kaplan
> From: Jorma Kurry <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> is there a reason why the starter could not stand behind the 
> runners in the straightaway races at that level?

Just venturing a guess...  Sounds are more difficult to localize and identify 
when they come from behind, if I remember correctly.  That uncertainty might 
create more jumps.  Also, the starter has to wait for everyone to be still, and 
that's much more difficult to determine from behind.  It would probably require 
a change of duties for the starting crew.

Dan


  


Re: t-and-f: Lane Assignment and Reaction Time (much ado bout nuthin)

2008-06-21 Thread Jorma Kurry
Well, I hate to clutter the list when it's already so busy, but I'm going to 
venture another opinion.


Presumably, the meaning of significant here was limited to a statistical 
conclusion that there is a variation among lanes that is unlikely to be due 
to chance. Whether that has any practical significance remains up for 
debate. I would suspect that the frequency of competitions where this 
discrepancy has a tangible impact on the results is probably not negligible 
but also not likely to be hugely important, especially when the top seeds 
are clustered in the middle of the track for finals.
However, is there a reason why the starter could not stand behind the 
runners in the straightaway races at that level? The recall starter could 
still stand in front. I'm not a starter so maybe that view is not sufficient 
...


- Original Message - 
From: "Roger Ruth" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

To: 
Cc: "George Malley" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Saturday, June 21, 2008 5:11 PM
Subject: Re: t-and-f: Lane Assignment and Reaction Time (much ado bout 
nuthin)




Admittedly, I'm out of my expertise range with this, but if Malmo has the 
differences calculated correctly, the three "gunshot" volume levels could 
each average an effect close to .01 seconds. Whether that might result in 
changes in order of finish might be examined by looking at the finishing 
times of finalists in the 2004 Olympics 100m. In the 100m finals, no two 
runners finished with the same time (to .01 second), with the top three 
registering 9.85, 9.86, 9.87. It seems a difference of .01sec, .007sec, 
.017sec might have changed any of these times.


On the other hand, in a semi-final heat, Obikwelu (POR) and Green (USA) 
both recorded times of 9.97, but Obikwelu finished second, while Green 
finished third; so clearly differences of less than .01 second do affect 
order of finish. In the finals, however, the two runners finished in the 
same positions, but both ran nearly 1/10 second (not 1/00 second) faster 
than in the heats, so any effect of starting-pistol volume pales by 
comparison with other factors.


Okay, I'm out of this. But I'll enjoy reading other subscribers' 
interpretations of the importance of the study findings.






Re: t-and-f: Lane Assignment and Reaction Time (much ado bout nuthin)

2008-06-21 Thread Roger Ruth


On Saturday, June 21, 2008, at 09:26  AM, George Malley wrote:


It all depends on what you call "significant" doesn't it?

From another Univ Alberta Study on the same topic:

If you report the reaction times in milliseconds (133, 143, and 150) my
gosh, those numbers look big. If you report the results by actual 
reaction
time differences 0.01s (133-143ms) 0.007s (133-150ms) and 0.017s 
(133-150ms)

it looks like there's no there there.


Admittedly, I'm out of my expertise range with this, but if Malmo has 
the differences calculated correctly, the three "gunshot" volume levels 
could each average an effect close to .01 seconds. Whether that might 
result in changes in order of finish might be examined by looking at 
the finishing times of finalists in the 2004 Olympics 100m. In the 100m 
finals, no two runners finished with the same time (to .01 second), 
with the top three registering 9.85, 9.86, 9.87. It seems a difference 
of .01sec, .007sec, .017sec might have changed any of these times.


On the other hand, in a semi-final heat, Obikwelu (POR) and Green (USA) 
both recorded times of 9.97, but Obikwelu finished second, while Green 
finished third; so clearly differences of less than .01 second do 
affect order of finish. In the finals, however, the two runners 
finished in the same positions, but both ran nearly 1/10 second (not 
1/00 second) faster than in the heats, so any effect of starting-pistol 
volume pales by comparison with other factors.


Okay, I'm out of this. But I'll enjoy reading other subscribers' 
interpretations of the importance of the study findings.




RE: t-and-f: Lane Assignment and Reaction Time (much ado bout nuthin)

2008-06-21 Thread George Malley
It all depends on what you call "significant" doesn't it?

>From another Univ Alberta Study on the same topic:

If you report the reaction times in milliseconds (133, 143, and 150) my
gosh, those numbers look big. If you report the results by actual reaction
time differences 0.01s (133-143ms) 0.007s (133-150ms) and 0.017s (133-150ms)
it looks like there's no there there. 


http://www.ssaa.ca/pdf/Maraj%20UA%20SSAA%2004-6.pdf

Here's the another Collins Brown study

http://www.physorg.com/news133103474.html





-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Roger Ruth
Sent: Saturday, June 21, 2008 12:13 AM
To: t-and-f@lists.uoregon.edu
Subject: t-and-f: Lane Assignment and Reaction Time

Today's edition of the Vancouver edition of Globe and Mail includes an 
article that's interesting, but without enough information to know how 
well-founded is that interest.

It describes a study undertaken at the University of Alberta in which 
researchers examined reaction times for the 100m sprint and 110m 
hurdles at the 2004 Olympic Games and found that runners in the lanes 
closest to the starting pistol had significantly faster reaction times 
than those in lanes farther away. This effect was said to be especially 
strong for runners in lane one.

Unfortunately, the dimension of this difference is not given in this 
report, so whether it would affect an individual's measured time in 
these events cannot be determined. The article says that a report on 
the research, by Dave Collins and Alex Brown, is published in the June 
issue of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. If any of our 
subscribers has access to this journal, perhaps she or he can fill us 
in on the over-all effect of this difference in reaction times.




Re: t-and-f: Lane Assignment and Reaction Time

2008-06-21 Thread Jorma Kurry
It would only be mirrored directly if you randomized the lanes beforehand. 
Seeding fastest in the middle will override the differential in reaction 
time. The important question is whether the same athlete would run faster in 
1 versus 8.
- Original Message - 
From: "Dan Kaplan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

To: 
Sent: Saturday, June 21, 2008 10:49 AM
Subject: Re: t-and-f: Lane Assignment and Reaction Time


Interesting, to say the least.  It makes sense on one hand, but then why 
do the typical overall results not mirror that pattern?  Rarely do you see 
the inside to outside lanes go fast-to-slow.  The implication is that 
reaction time has little to do with overall finish.


I could see the 200m being a bit different, where the starter is more 
toward the center of the pack on the turn, but the research addresses the 
straight laned races...


Dan

http://AbleDesign.com - Web Design & Custom Programming
http://Run-Down.com - 10,000 Running Links, Fantasy T&F

 @o  Dan Kaplan - [EMAIL PROTECTED]
<|\/ <^-  ( [EMAIL PROTECTED] or [EMAIL PROTECTED] )
_/ \ \/\  (503)370-9969 phone/fax
  /   /


--- On Sat, 6/21/08, Roger Ruth <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:


From: Roger Ruth <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: t-and-f: Lane Assignment and Reaction Time
To: t-and-f@lists.uoregon.edu
Date: Saturday, June 21, 2008, 4:13 AM
Today's edition of the Vancouver edition of Globe and
Mail includes an
article that's interesting, but without enough
information to know how
well-founded is that interest.

It describes a study undertaken at the University of
Alberta in which
researchers examined reaction times for the 100m sprint and
110m
hurdles at the 2004 Olympic Games and found that runners in
the lanes
closest to the starting pistol had significantly faster
reaction times
than those in lanes farther away. This effect was said to
be especially
strong for runners in lane one.

Unfortunately, the dimension of this difference is not
given in this
report, so whether it would affect an individual's
measured time in
these events cannot be determined. The article says that a
report on
the research, by Dave Collins and Alex Brown, is published
in the June
issue of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. If
any of our
subscribers has access to this journal, perhaps she or he
can fill us
in on the over-all effect of this difference in reaction
times.








Re: t-and-f: Lane Assignment and Reaction Time

2008-06-21 Thread Dan Kaplan
Interesting, to say the least.  It makes sense on one hand, but then why do the 
typical overall results not mirror that pattern?  Rarely do you see the inside 
to outside lanes go fast-to-slow.  The implication is that reaction time has 
little to do with overall finish.

I could see the 200m being a bit different, where the starter is more toward 
the center of the pack on the turn, but the research addresses the straight 
laned races...

Dan

http://AbleDesign.com - Web Design & Custom Programming
http://Run-Down.com - 10,000 Running Links, Fantasy T&F

  @o  Dan Kaplan - [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 <|\/ <^-  ( [EMAIL PROTECTED] or [EMAIL PROTECTED] )
_/ \ \/\  (503)370-9969 phone/fax
   /   /


--- On Sat, 6/21/08, Roger Ruth <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> From: Roger Ruth <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Subject: t-and-f: Lane Assignment and Reaction Time
> To: t-and-f@lists.uoregon.edu
> Date: Saturday, June 21, 2008, 4:13 AM
> Today's edition of the Vancouver edition of Globe and
> Mail includes an 
> article that's interesting, but without enough
> information to know how 
> well-founded is that interest.
> 
> It describes a study undertaken at the University of
> Alberta in which 
> researchers examined reaction times for the 100m sprint and
> 110m 
> hurdles at the 2004 Olympic Games and found that runners in
> the lanes 
> closest to the starting pistol had significantly faster
> reaction times 
> than those in lanes farther away. This effect was said to
> be especially 
> strong for runners in lane one.
> 
> Unfortunately, the dimension of this difference is not
> given in this 
> report, so whether it would affect an individual's
> measured time in 
> these events cannot be determined. The article says that a
> report on 
> the research, by Dave Collins and Alex Brown, is published
> in the June 
> issue of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. If
> any of our 
> subscribers has access to this journal, perhaps she or he
> can fill us 
> in on the over-all effect of this difference in reaction
> times.