Runners trial incredible ASICS blackout track that leaves them sprinting in complete darkness
Athletes completed a 10km "mental marathon" as they trialled a racetrack in complete darkness, to train their minds as well as their bodies.
ATHLETES have been trialling the first UK racetrack which trains the mind as well as the body, as they run in complete darkness.
The ASICS Blackout Track was developed with top coaches and sports scientists, with an absence of sound, technology, scenery and even a finish line, to allow runners to focus their minds on every strep.
The custom-built course in south east London is completely dark apart from a spotlight following the athlete and one lap is 150m.
The three runners, including American Olympic medallist and marathon record holder Deena Kastor, trialling the track completed 66 laps as part of a 10km "mental marathon".
Kastor, who ran the fastest time in the trial at 37 minutes and 16 seconds, said: “For me, the track was a reminder of the simple joy that running offers; a rush of endorphins, or a quiet place to find ourselves in.
"Whether you’re a pro athlete or an everyday runner, mental restraints can limit us, but we all have the power to think our way to success.”
Researchers involved in the creation of the track included Professor Samuele Marcora, the Director of Research at the University of Kent’s School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, and Dr Jo Corbett, leader of the Human Performance and Health Research Group at The University of Portsmouth.
ASICS ambassadors Chevy Rough, a Mind Coach who works with leading athletes, and Jan Erik Kruse, a lead ASICS Frontrunner, also helped to shape the various experiences on the track.
Professional adventurer Danny Bent, who cycled 9,000 miles from London to India and has also done a coast to coast relay in the USA, ran the track in 44 minutes and 7 seconds.
After testing the track, Bent said: “That felt like a marathon – were they playing tricks on us? It was a great reminder of the need to push through the voices in our heads that hold us back.”
The project, located in Printworks, a 119,200 sq. ft industrial space in Rotherhithe, south east London, has been in development for more than six months, and runners can feel the difference as technologies work together to absorb impact and propel them forward.
The technique of removing all distractions when training has been shown to improve the performance of long distance runners, and has been successfully used by Japanese marathon runners.