In a sport like track and field, where the majority of the events the athletes are running against the clock, every 10th of a second matters.

Nowhere is this fact more apparent than in sprinting events like the 100 meters, 200 meters, 400 meters and the relays and hurdling events.

With all of these events being so short every second counts, which is why the start of these events and getting out of the blocks is so important.

“The block starts in track and field can make or break your race,” said head coach Connie Teaberry. “If you don’t get out and react to the starter’s gun when it goes off you will be last and playing catch up, and in meets where athletes are really good, it doesn’t happen. So, the block starts at the start of any race…the 100, the 200, the 400 the relays. So it becomes an integral part of the success of each event.”

Senior sprinter Janay Mitchell said getting out of the blocks is often the difference between winning and losing a race.

“It’s very important that every physical aspect of my start is on point in a race…,” Mitchell said. “In a split second everybody will be ahead of me in my race [and] my race is over from the beginning if I get out of my blocks wrong. So I just try to get the mechanics and just practice so it’ll show in the actual race.”

With everything riding on the start of a sprinting race, senior sprinter Jenelle McCalla said runners need to be ready once the gun goes off.

“I’d have to say just getting in that proper mindset, which means being aggressive,” McCalla said. “Just trying to think ’OK’ [about] powering out [and taking] a big step out and making sure you have your six to eight drive steps coming out, so basically just being aggressive.”