How exactly do you race? (Read 1049 times)

Tactics matter a lot on the track; not so much on the roads. Mostly I go with the rule of thirds: hold back for the first third, steady and controlled for the middle, torture yourself during the final third. Deciding when to kick depends on knowing what type of runner you are. Kids tend to have furious sprint kicks. As you get older, you lose it, but you gain strength. I've got a decent 100 meter kick, but I usually go from 800 out if I know I'm the stronger runner. On the track, I like to go to the lead and slow the pace down, since lots of college kids will take the pace out way too fast. I'm also comfortable going out in last place in an evenly matched field, though it depends somewhat on the type of track. A short turn track is obviously better for making moves. If I'm on a long turn track, I usually don't want to be in back, because it takes too long to move up the field. The real key for me was always having a surprising kick. 600 meters out is nice because it's unexpected. You can win by a the margin gained on the surprise, while making sure that nobody has the energy left for a true sprinters' kick at the end. That's usually my way to go. I've got a decent sprinters' kick, but there's an element of uncertainty about depending on it. I also know that college kids have good kicks, but they're often not as strong as me.

Mostly I go with the rule of thirds: hold back for the first third, steady and controlled for the middle, torture yourself during the final third.

I wouldn't call myself experienced or anything, but this has been the strategy I've used. For a 5K, first mile should feel easy and comfortable, yet fast. Mile two, speed up a little from mile one but don't overdo it. Mile three (HELL) is where things get ugly, speed up once more, try and stay relaxed/maintain good form through all the pain. Last .1 mile (or a little earlier) - muster up a kick if you have any energy left. I usually race with a friend who's at about the same speed/fitness level as me and I think that's really helped. We go back and forth on winning, but for the last two races he's beaten me (within 15 seconds), despite having run less it seems.

For me, how I race kind of depends on the race and the distance. When I do 5Ks I can usually pace myself pretty well and try to go out a bit fast the first mile. After that I usually use the "pick a person and try to pass them" routine until the end. For longer races, like the HM I did yesterday, I usually plan them out a bit more. I had mapped the course, knew where all the hills were (though I didnt realize how windy one section was going to be) and made a game plan. I then use my Nike+ pod to make sure I stayed relatively near the pace I had planned for that particular part of the race. Personally, I like to save a little something for that last quarter mile and finish really strong. Yesterday I probably passed a dozen people in the last quarter mile because I had a little kick left.

A little birdie dragon just sent me this. It's just what I was looking for. Racing tactics for mid-packers: http://runningtimes.com/rt/articles/?id=12612&c=97 Thanks again, Amy. Really interesting stuff.

EXCELLENT! I love that advice to not try to "take" people on hills or other difficult spots in a race, but during flats. Huh...I will have to try that. Normally hills are a spot where I gain on people (as well as in the last half mile or so...I am definitely a "kicker").

It's all about the chase. Either you're chasing them, or they are chasing you. You want to pass, and stay in front. Different people respond differently to different tactics. There's no one set way. Racing is like war. Attack when your enemy doesn't expect it. Be flexible in your tactics. Realize what the goal is (to beat someone, not get a pr). Know your enemy, and know yourself. If you can conquer yourself, you can conquer your enemy.

Wow, lots of great advice in this thread. I run mostly short races, so this thinking might not apply quite as easily to longer races, but here goes: When I ran track, I used to tell myself that the mile was a 3-lap race, and that the 2-mile was a 7-lap race. Meaning, I knew I was gonna go all-frickin'-out with everything I had on the last lap -- that was automatic (and somewhat anaerobic, so the pace of the last lap didn't depend much on the previous ones). So my job was to run even splits at goal pace or slightly slower for three (or seven) laps. And let the inner animal take care of running the last lap. Same with a 5k, it's a 2.8 mile race (or so). Doesn't have the same ring to it, but the same thinking applies -- use discipline and even pacing to get you that far, and then unleash the fires of hell the rest of the way. In general, most races are wrecked by too fast first miles, so try real hard to run the first mile of any race at goal pace or slightly slower. I liked the discussion of hills in the article -- better to "win" the hill with a surge over the top rather than attack it from the bottom up. I read something from an elite road racer a long time ago that's always stuck with me: "I don't attack hills, I let them come to me."

First the disclaimer: I am not saying I run competitively, I am remembering this stuff from high school, 40 years ago! Any races I have been in recently have been against myself, and the key to good finish times is even splits. The race tactics I am describing are designed to beat another runner, not set the best time you are capable of. Scout is right that if you want to beat someone you've got to look at the race as a war. (The holding hands across the finish line idea is the opposite of the attitude you want!) For a half marathon, lets say, you want to prepare by running the last 5k as hard as you can a few times in training runs, and you also want to try varying speeds. Ideally you want to know if your opponent is strong on hills but a weak finisher, or slow on downhills but has a good kick etc. In the race you could try maintaining a good pace to about 16k then putting on a surge for say 400 metres, then slow down again for 100 metres, then surge for 200 metres, slow for 2oo metres, surge again, in random patterns. See if your opponent seems to be having trouble staying with you. Lull him/her into thinking you won't surge again by a longer slow period, mix it up. When you go for real your attitude is going to be "I'm going to drop this guy like a bad habit, I'm going to burn his lungs out!" and you have make a decisive mood. As others said, if you get a certain distance ahead it will have a major psych-out effect on your opponent. Of course, the other guy will be trying to do the same thing if he can, and its not impossible he may use an accomplice to pace him, or to let him draft, so you may have to adjust to the situation. If you are a strong finisher he may try to burn you off by running hard for the first 3/4 of the race so you cannot use your advantage, or you may do that to him. Anyway there's a few ideas. Simon.