baRUNNER - a website for the British Airways Athletics Club

British Airways Athletics Club: Hexathlon Event Instructions

Take Care: Important!  Don't get injured. These disciplines are a bit more explosive than we would normally encounter, so the key is to ensure that you stretch and warm-up thoroughly.  And don’t forget the warm-down afterwards.

This week’s challenge is to complete a hexathlon - six events testing your running, jumping and throwing ability.  You can try each event as many times as you like during the week.  You only need to declare your best performance.  The best five of your six events will count towards the final standings, so if there is one discipline which you really don’t want to attempt, that’s fine.  Results must be in by 5pm on Saturday 21st November.

You may find it helpful to work with a fellow bubble occupant, but all of these tasks can be managed alone if necessary. 

1: Running (1)  Shuttle run 

Mark out an area with two lines, ten metres apart.  Start behind the first line, then run to the second.  Ensure that one foot touches the ground beyond the line, turn and come back to the start.  Complete ten runs, i.e. 100 metres, as quickly as possible.  Record your time.

2: Throwing (1)  Single arm throw. 

Simple.  Throw a tennis ball as far as you can.  A run-up is allowed.  Measure from the point of release to where the ball hits the ground.  If you don’t have a suitable measuring tape, stride out the distance and measure your stride length.

3: Jumping (1)  Standing long jump. 

Stand behind a line, with your two feet shoulders’ width apart.  Swinging your arms, jump forward as far as you can without falling backwards.  Measure to where your heels land.  If you can find a sandpit, perfect, otherwise a dewy lawn or park works well!

4: Running (2)  1000m. 

An unusual distance.  It’s a very long sprint, but a short middle-distance run.  You may never have tried this distance before.  Create a new PB for yourself!

5: Throwing (2)  Overhead throw. 

Place your heels on the now very worn line 1, holding a football in two hands.  Bend your knees, then uncoil and throw the ball hard, high and behind you.  You may need your fellow bubbler to mark where the ball lands, or re-use your dewy park grass to find a mark.

6: Jumping (2)  Vertical jump.

Start by standing side on to a wall and reach up as high as you can with the hand closest to a wall (or post). Make note of how high you can reach. This is called the standing reach height. Then stand a little away from the wall, and jump high as possible using both arms and legs to assist in projecting the body upwards.

Attempt to touch the wall at the highest point of the jump. Make note of where you touched the wall at the height of the jump. Measure the distance between the standing reach height and the maximum jump height, and that is your result.

You can assist in recording your score by holding a piece of chalk in your had and using it to mark the wall. If the wall already has horizontal lines, such as a brick wall, it will be easier to mark your jump height. Have as many attempts as you need to get the best possible score. Practice your technique, as the jump height can be affected by how much you bend your knees before jumping, and the effective use of the arms.

Overall

Tackle these events in any order you choose.  If you have any questions, please ask. 

Results

Copy the following table, fill in your performances and send to Steve Hillier by 5pm on Saturday 21st November.