Forums >General Running>How to develop a strong kick to the finish?
What specific training have you done to develop a kick to the finish?
I've realized that I do not yet have one. I can speed up a little from the pace I am holding, but cannot seem to make my body muster a sprint to the line. It really hit me today when I was racing 2 other females to the finish line in a 5K today. I was beside one, but knew she was going to outkick me (she did and won), and the other was behind me. She was able to pass me with a kick to the finish. I tried to make my body sprint, but there was no sprint in it. I still had a good finish (20:03), but was disappointed that I could not muster anymore speed.
I do weekly speedwork and have a good distance base. (If you are one who looks at the logs - mine for this week is not my typical mileage due to a couple of days of illness and resting for the race.) I also do a fast finish to a couple of my training runs each week - I can muster a good kick on those - the difference is that my training runs are not usually at a 6:27 mile/min. pace like the race - so I am not as tired.
What has worked for you? Thanks for your input.
I just make my move @ 1 mile from finish
How often do you do sets of striders?
Long dead ... But my stench lingers !
Runners run
The King of Beasts
that seemed to work very well for you.
"As a dreamer of dreams and a travelin' man I have chalked up many a mile. Read dozens of books about heroes and crooks, And I've learned much from both of their styles." ~ Jimmy Buffett
"I don't see much sense in that," said Rabbit. "No," said Pooh humbly, "there isn't. But there was going to be when I began it. It's just that something happened to it along the way."”
Unlike heavy hitters like DB, I get ready to make my move at 1 mile to finish (in a 5k). I make my move at 1/2 mile to finish.
"If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus
The process is the goal.
Men heap together the mistakes of their lives, and create a monster they call Destiny.
I just make my move @ 1 mile from finish How often do you do sets of striders?
I generally do striders once or twice a week.
I find that I am still passing folks in the last mile, even the last 1/2 mile. Most of the time there are not 3 women in a pack in the last .10 like this race. The other 2 women had something left to make a move at the end.
Work on your running form such as these drills
Yes, thanks. I've been doing those the past few weeks as well.
What else has worked for folks?
jfa
so that by the time you're a few hundred yards from the finish line you're already a quarter mile ahead of those two women.
there's more than two
Jim2- that's a terrific article.
I would also ask the OP what was your mile splits? Were the others you passed in mile 3 running even or fading? Did you reach oxygen debt earlier than normal for an effort like this?
How you arrived at your third mile (your pace in miles 1-2) could tell a little more about your mental and physical state in the final stretch. If you were in O2 debt early, I doubt better drills or strides would matter. (Though I highly recommend strides and drills)
I also agree with Mikey's statement concerning one's genetic limits with fast-twitch muscle fiber.
Great question. After thinking about it, it's easy to realize that race execution has many variables to the end outcome.
Barefoot and happy
The ideal 5k would have a steady pace the whole way. Anyone who has a massive kick at the end probably could have just run faster.
Not to say I'm not guilty of that. But I think focusing on the kick is a distraction from getting better.
I've got a fever...
The ideal 5k would have a steady pace the whole way. Anyone who has a massive kick at the end probably could have just run faster. Not to say I'm not guilty of that. But I think focusing on the kick is a distraction from getting better.
I agree that if one's kick is too massive, it can often mean that most of the race was not run hard enough. But some people do have the ability to ruthlessly impose their will upon that last 0.107 miles, regardless of the the pace of the first 3 miles.
It's anaerobic. Put your head down and go like hell for 172m, as if the lives of you and everyone you love depend on it. Imagine you are Frodo, being chased by the Witch-King of Angmar (otherwise known as the Black Captain, Lord of the Nazgûl, and Leader of The Nine).
On your deathbed, you won't wish that you'd spent more time at the office. But you will wish that you'd spent more time running. Because if you had, you wouldn't be on your deathbed.
See Late Race Push.
Nice read
1983
Sprinting speed has a lot more to do with genetics than endurance or stamina do. There's only so much you can do. Sure you can work on strides, hill charges, even do all out 200's with full recoveries from time to time. But if 5k to marathon is your focus, you'd be better off amping your mileage and putting most of your energy into tempos, hills, long intervals etc. so that by the time you're a few hundred yards from the finish line you're already a quarter mile ahead of those two women.
I agree with this.. In addition, be aware of where you are with respect to other runners in the last mile of the race. If you don't want to get beat in the last 100 meters (who does?) and you don't seem to have those short sprint power gears, then you need to break away a little earlier. I learned a long time ago that I don't have the power sprint at the end, so I work on dropping anyone near me 3/4 to 1/2 mile out. No amount of speedwork is going to get me that much benefit over the last 100 meters.