College Steeple Coach
Women's Steeplers always going out WAY too fast! 4/10/2012 10:17AM Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
Why is it that women's steeplechase races Always go out WAY too fast from the front? I have watched this phenomenon for years and it continues to amaze me that other coaches aren't telling their girls that a 15 second split between their fastest and slowest laps isn't a good way to run the event. My problem with it is because just to stay with the pack, oftentimes you're forced to go out 5-6 seconds faster than the target pace yourself. Anyone else notice this?
Dorando
RE: Women's Steeplers always going out WAY too fast! 4/10/2012 10:35AM - in reply to College Steeple Coach Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
Not just SC, for some reason females of all ages (more than guys)tend to blast and die at all distances 400 and above. Its been pointed out many times before. maybe the effect is magnified in the 'chase because of the nature of the event. As former 'chaser my splits were always positive - has anyone ever negative split a 3000sc?
afdsafsd
RE: Women's Steeplers always going out WAY too fast! 4/10/2012 10:47AM - in reply to Dorando Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
My PR was a pretty big negative split in a tactical race. I always felt it was better to negative split steeples because the consequences for going out fast are so severe. Your speed over the barriers affects your efficiency, so the slower you go, the slower you get!
yousef
RE: Women\'s Steeplers always going out WAY too fast! 4/10/2012 4:42PM - in reply to afdsafsd Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
bump
bad coach
RE: Women's Steeplers always going out WAY too fast! 4/10/2012 5:28PM - in reply to College Steeple Coach Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
Maybe they have a bad coach.
dfgdf
RE: Women's Steeplers always going out WAY too fast! 4/10/2012 5:43PM - in reply to bad coach Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
I like when they fall in the water.
randomcoach
RE: Women's Steeplers always going out WAY too fast! 4/10/2012 8:07PM - in reply to College Steeple Coach Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
I'm currently coaching a national medalist in youth steeple.

I intentionally have her go out quickly to get in front of the pack for the first steeple and the first water pit, which for 2000m on an outside track, happens after something like 80m and 150m of running. I don't want her screwing around with trying to run an even pace, which would risk not having good visibility for the barriers. After the first barrier, I like her to gradually let the speed bleed off which seems to take until about the finish line.

Another reason is purely tactical against a local competitor, who has won a national steeple title as a midget. The competition has a better finish than my athlete. So far, everytime my athlete takes the race out hard against her, my athlete wins. Everytime my athlete runs even-ish splits, my athlete loses in the kick.