Special Olympics Athletics is a collection of track and field events in which all competitors have a physical or mental disability.

Special Olympics athletics is comprised of a number of track and field events meant for athletes with physical or mental disabilities. Athletics events offer a wide range, from the 100 meters and hurdle events to the marathon, from the high jump to the long jump, shot put, relays and wheelchair events. Special Olympics offers events for lower ability level athletes to train and compete in basic athletics skills. The development of these key skills is necessary prior to advancing to longer competitive events. As in all Special Olympics sports, athletes are grouped in competition divisions according to events, ability level, age and gender.

The goal of track events is to finish a race in a shorter amount of time than opposing athletes. In filed events, the goal is out perform opponents by either jumping or throwing a shot put a greater distance.

Since track and field consists of a collection of individual sports, track and field rules are determined by the specific event.

Athletics was an event at the very first Special Olympics International Games held in Chicago, Illinois in 1968. At the 1995 World Summer Games, the marathon was contested for the first time, producing a winning time of 2 hours, 59 minutes and 18 seconds. At the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Dublin, Ireland, 1,111 athletes from 148 Programs competed in the sport of athletics; all seven Special Olympics regions were represented. Today Special Olympics Athletics is the most popular Special Olympics sport, with 889,538 athletes (as of the 2005 Special Olympics Athlete Participation Report) participating.

Baton
Hurdles
Running Shoes
Shot Put

Much of the training for Special Olympics athletics revolves around building good cardiovascular health, endurance and stamina so that athletes can compete in the various running events. For events like the shot put, training focuses heavily on developing an athlete's strength and practicing proper form and technique.

Endurance - a period of time that an intensity can be held for

Overtraining - when volume and intensity exceeds recovery capacity

Peaking - tapering for a major or championship event

Preparation Phase - "training to train", building a base

http://www.specialolympics.org/Special+Olympics+Public+Website/English/Coach/Sports_Offered/Athletics.htm
http://www.completetrackandfield.com/track-definitions.html