what do you do when you enter an all comers track race and you don't know anyone's ability pre-race?

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16 years ago 07/16/2007 3:11pm EDT

Usually at college/highschool meets, you have a good/decent idea of what kind of competition you're facing, so you know no one is going to get away from you (at least based on your heat). What happens in an open race where they may not segregate based on heats?

The situation is: You probably don't know anyone there. Each All-comer's meet probably has new sets of runners, very few regulars. The question then is...if person x takes off on you...do you let him go assuming he is just an over exuberant teenager or do you hang on as long as you can?

I have seen old farts that look slow that have blazed..guys that have looked fast go slow...it's hard to judge your pre-race plan based on any assumptions. All-comer's meets can be a mixed bag, never know who will show up and blaze.

.....

16 years ago 07/16/2007 3:14pm EDT

re: what?what?Tellme!

Usually they enter a seed time that you can gaze at. At an all-comers, runners are usually pretty honest about them.

16 years ago 07/16/2007 3:23pm EDT

re: what?what?Tellme!

i'd stay in a close 3rd or 4th place for a while until the leaders obvious leaders emerge.

whether or not i go with their surge depends on if the pace is actually above my ability, how close i am to the finish line, and how close the people behind me are.

i just run for a pb

16 years ago 07/16/2007 3:29pm EDT

re: what?what?Tellme!

If its an all-comers meet I assume that you don't care hugely about the result as it is probably just tune up or maintenance for cross and track. So, figure out what you always do: sit-n-kick, take it out, surge, pace even, whatever, then decide that you're gonna try something completely different. Use it as a chance to experiment. You may not always be in a big meet where you know what the competition will do. Especially in college where some guy could slip in on a slow tiem and be in way better shape. You can't learn from mistake you don't make. Learn to listen to your body and try something new.

16 years ago 07/16/2007 3:30pm EDT

re: true but

just go out at target/PB pace and see if anyone is running in that general region, if everyone is slower then you're probably going to win, if everyone else is faster then either they're going out too fast and you will start drawing people in or you're in trouble-but if that's the case then going out with the leaders you'd be in even more trouble anyway.

16 years ago 07/16/2007 3:50pm EDT

re: well

What is your goal at this all-comers race...to win or to get a certain time?

99% chance it is to get a certain time. If I am correct, forget about the other guys, just go out and run the splits necessary to reach your goal time. If there are guys running with or ahead of you, think of it as a bonus. If no one goes with you, keep your focus on your splits.

Good luck

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