Someone Who Knows Things wrote:
If you don't realize the amount of interesting stuff happening in a pack of middle distance runners playing cat & mouse at that pace, then you're an idiot.
And if you are aware of all the stuff going on in tactical, "slow" races and can't learn anything from it as a runner, you're still an idiot.
Jesus f*cking christ I have this conversation every time I bring this up. Would you be ok if all the dudes walked the first half mile? Huh, cause when a group of sub 4 milers goes out in 2:30 that's basically what they are doing. Cat and mouse at 63/64s, that is fascinating, I love that kind of racing. There is a point though where it is ridiculous. If an Olympic 1500 went out in 80 for the first 400 would you say, "Oh that's great". The race is probably going to finish in a very exciting way but that first part is so unbelievably embarassing and terrible to watch it can ruin the rest of it.
I LOVE TACTICAL RACES, but there is such thing as going out too slow for your ability level.