Final sprint

This article is about increasing the pace at the end of a lengthy athletic race; for the German television film from 1970 see Endspurt (film) .

Final sprint ( English finish , final sprint , final sprint ) describes the increase in speed at the end of a long sporty race .

Final sprint in the 5000 m run

The term is relatively young in German, its etymology is not completely understandable. It was not until the 19th century that “spurt” was documented for a fast run ( sprint ); it is believed to have originated from the English spurt , which actually means “splash”.

Originally from the field of running , the term is now used in most of the human-powered racing sports, including cycling , rowing and cross-country skiing . In the case of medium or long-distance distances, it is necessary for the athlete to manage the energy, so the average speed is considerably lower than in the case of short distances. Shortly before the end of a race, the speed can then be increased again in order to use the last available power reserves. Choosing where to start the final sprint is also part of the racing tactic in some sports . Starting the final sprint too early can lead to maximum values ​​of the lactic acid concentration in the tissue and tire the athlete so much that he has to finish the run before the finish line.

function

In a final spurt, the last reserves should usually be mobilized in order to increase the speed again at the end. For short distances (400 m and less) this is not possible, since most of the run is run at top speed anyway. But here, too, this should be seen as a hint not to let up in the last few meters. In the context of a race, the final sprint is the last chance before the finish to win or to improve the ranking.

Figurative meanings

The word final spurt is also common in common parlance and generally means an activity that moves into the final phase. The context of meaning can be a very individual one (go to the final spurt! = Get to the end of your activity quickly), but also a very general social one (the election campaign is now entering the final spurt!). But the tendency is the same, the dynamic, active, goal-oriented conclusion of an activity.

Web links

• Final sprint. In: Digital dictionary of the German language .

Individual evidence

1. ^ Friedrich Kluge, Elmar Seebold: Etymological dictionary of the German language. Berlin 2002, ISBN 3-11-017473-1 .
2. ↑ Peter GJM Janssen: Endurance training: Training control via heart rate and lactic acid determination. Balingen 2003, ISBN 3-934211-43-7 .