Racing Hints & Strategies - Middle Distance & Distance

Racing is 90% preparation, 10% inspiration.  If you haven’t put in the work up front, you shouldn’t expect to excel.

Warm-Up appropriately.  Warm-up duration depends upon the outside temperature.  Warm-up should not be too long but should have some intensity included in the routine.

The Race START

Be aware of where you are starting in the pack and where the first turn is.  Is the first turn a right turn or a left turn?  How do you avoid getting cut off or hung up?

Don’t start out too fast.  Don’t start out too slow.  The most efficient race is run at or very near your average pace the entire way. 

World distance records are all set when the pace set was consistent with the finishing time.

Be aware of whom you’re running against and whom in the field might be good to gauge your pace off of.

Often, you’ll need to run a little bit faster than pace over the first half-mile or mile just to keep in touch with your competition.  This is fine, up to a point.  If the pace is too fast, you can sit back and pull the pack back when they start to slow.

Keep your competition in close proximity.  Once you lose contact, you’re not likely to pull them back in.

Try to run the shortest distance.  Anticipate the upcoming turns and position yourself to be in the best position.

LEARN TO DRAFT.  IT HELPS PHYSICALLY AS WELL AS MENTALLY.

When drafting, you need to stay within 3 feet of the runner you’re drafting.

Focus on their mid section and don’t let the gap open up any more than three feet.

If a bigger gap opens, close it immediately.

Drafting is a great tool to use when you’re fatigued and not mentally focused on your race.

As a defense mechanism, the mind likes to drift off into daydreams.  This way you don’t consciously sense the discomfort.  By drafting, you can still daydream a little and maintain a good pace.

Any time there is wind involved in your race, put the wind to work for you.  Be smart and let the environmental factors play out in your favor.  Tuck in behind other runners when running into the wind.  Make you move and any change in position while running with the wind.  Let the other runners do the work and provide a wind barrier whenever possible.

UNDERSTAND YOUR COMPETITOR’S WEAK POINTS AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE WEAK POINTS.

1)      In a 500 Meter race the major weak point for all ruuners is between 2000 meters and 4000 meters.  This is the point where most runners fall into a trance and lose ground on their pace.  This is the point in the race where you can make up ground.  Or, if you’re going for a win, this is the point where you can break your competition.

2)      The second weak point is at the top of a hard climb.  At this point everyone lets down.  Keep the same intensity that you used to climb the hill for another 50 yards.

3)      Start your kick a little before your competitor.  If you’re racing neck and neck with one runner and don’t think you can beat him/her to the finish line, back off on your spring about 50 yards from the finish and wait for your competitor to back off as well.  When he or she backs off, kick it into high gear and beat them to the finish line.

FINISHING

Everyone has a kick, or at least the ability to kick.  A kick is not necessarily about speed.

A kick is part Anaerobic Reserve, part Speed and a lot Mental (discuss).

A kick is the ability to maintain your form and put yourself into that final phase where you throw caution to the wind..

The racing speed generally starts to escalate with around 400 meters to go

Start your full sprint somewhere between 100 - 120 meters remaining.  You'll surprise yourself at how long you can maintain an all out kick.

Try to pass your competitors on the side that they don’t expect to see you.

When you go past someone, go by hard and don’t give your competitor the opportunity to respond.

Run all of the way through the finish line!!!

OTHER TIPS

Run with good form… keep loose, keep your arms low and you hands open and loose. 

Run with a slight lean forward.  When you tire, focus on leaning forward just a little bit more than normal.

When you tire… try to draft off of other runners.  Don’t let runners pass you without attempting to hook on to them and let them take you along with you.