Dealing with obnoxious runners?

I'm not a troll. Here's the race data: He's 19, I'm 20.

http://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/MeetResults.aspx?Meet=177421#1173

I've raced against him before. In the 800 I always beat him because he doesn't have the chance to get in front of me. But his strategy is to get out in front of as many people as possible, then go slowly and go for the kick, which he does better than I do because he's got more raw speed but less endurance.

If you dig deep on Athletic.net, you'll find I still PRd, so why am I complaining? Contrary to your opinion, I'm not being a "twat," I just think it's lame that he would use such underhanded tactics. Especially at our level. I've never even come close to winning a race; neither has he (at least, I think so). I really only run for time, and I think it's lame someone who sucks as bad as I do at running would try to be so competitive.

You still haven't explained why you didn't just keep pushing the pace in order to get past him. If he is slower than you, then he would have not been able to keep it up. That is how you beat kickers. His way of running is how you beat non-kickers.

He kept moving into the lane I'd move in to pass him. And he had superior speed, so he could pick it up briefly to get into my lane.

Caudex wrote:

He kept moving into the lane I'd move in to pass him. And he had superior speed, so he could pick it up briefly to get into my lane.

So why didn't you keep going instead of slowing down? Or switch lanes as he switched lanes? This isn't that difficult.

here is a perfect example of the OP's type of race

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qf9aST3ezk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXu5hAG4wB8

Yea, this isn't making sense.

Unless you just like backed off when he backed off to avoiding running into him or something..but if he was really being THAT adamant you could have kept pushing the pace and just alternating lanes to keep your pace...and eventually he would have had to drop off.

Sounds like he can dictate pace because he's faster than you.

If it bothers you that much run right up on his heels (as recomended) and clip him or come up along side to pass and when he moves out to block you, elbow him.

You'll probably get DQ'd but he'll get the message.

I was in a mile race years back where some much younger runner was doing this same thing to me and cutting me off in the process. After three laps, I sped up to go around him and he came into the second lane to cut me off again. I just hauled off and pushed him into the infield. He tried to get back on the track and I pushed him again.

Two of his teammates had to hold him back from coming after me.

I told his coach that if he did this to me again In a race the result would be the same.

The officials didn't DQ me but my time was lousy because of my Ben Hur antics.

coach d wrote:

If I was your coach, I would file a protest, and perhaps talk to the opposing coach about the issue. Your coach can also talk to the officials before the event and ask them to be aware of the obstruction issue.

.

You must have an impressive group of runners.

Ok, looking at the results, and if I have your name correct, it looks like you finished 20th/22 in this race, over 3 minutes behind the winner. This begs the question, why was a runner back in ~19th place messing with you like this? I could see if you guys were racing for the win, but you both got lapped twice in this race by the guys up front. Totally different perspective here than what I was reading at the beginning, I thought you guys were racing for the win.

Based on what you wrote, the guy was just messing with you. I understand you were going for a pr, but at 20 years old this isn't your first track race right? If it happens again move out into lane 2, then if he moves out to block move into lane 3 and keep moving right. If you end up in lane 8 and he's blocking way out there it's going to be obvious to any officials. As for the "accelerate, pass, slow down" that he was doing, after the 2nd or 3rd time somebody does that you can see the way the game is going to work. You can either accept it and settle in, or you can put on a longer surge and break the guy.

How to deal with this next year? Easy, train harder and don't be running 12:51 for 2 miles.

Why are a 20 year old and 19 year old battling for last in a HS 3200?

Why are you posting on letsrun.com, if you are trying to get away from obnoxious runners?

Seriously though the goal is to win. Why should he let you win?

Let me retract my post about Kemboi vs Cherono after seeing that link

You should have just left out the fact that you guys were super slow and this would have been a very believable troll post

Instead, here is my response - man the ***k up

When I was in your position (at the same age), I wasn't bitching about losing to the guys outkicking me. I was clearly pissed and embarassed about getting LAPPED by the majority of the field in a HS race.

My advice to you:

1. get out of traditional training until you are much faster.

2. make sure NONE of your main runs average slower than 4:30/k pace and aim for 4:00 pace (or faster whenever possible).

3. Get some form of hill and track sprints in your training, but make sure they are under 45 seconds long

4. increase your mileage by the week until you are doing 10-12k runs faster than 4:30 pace

5. Once you are finally running somewhat faster (under 11 for 3200, under 18:30 for 5k and under 39 for 10k), resume traditional training but do not run your easy days slower than 4:20 pace. Also begin training with a realistic goal pace in mind, not current pace.

Once you are finally running under 10 for 2 miles, get some really solid advice as the above is directed towards getting beginner runners fast, not advanced runners looking to reap benefits

I am always torn on tactics like this. They remind me of what HS JV runners often use, and in situations like a high school JV race they are pointless. If the RACE matters (ie there is something even moderately important riding on the POSITION you finish) any tactics are acceptable. On the other hand, if you are getting nothing more than personal satisfaction of beating one more person, the blocking in tactics are extremely obnoxious.

Deep thoughts wrote:

Why are a 20 year old and 19 year old battling for last in a HS 3200?

19 and 20 refer to their finishing order on the results lol

Get out faster. Run your race. If your better by 20 seconds, it won't kill you to run faster than him.

Caudex wrote:

I was doing the 3200 today for the final meet of the season. And I was tailing one of the runners the entire race.

Umm, you were tailing ALL of the runners the entire race.

WTH is going on in this thread? This is highlarious.

Don't worry man, i've been in races with little f***s like that several times, and i came up with a strategy that ALWAYS works. You just zig-zag in lanes 1 and 2 for about 100m straightaway and sooner or later he will get confuzed and you can go through an opening real quick before he notices.

"purposely trying to win the race"

What a jerk! It's like he was in a race or something. Next time carry some cash with you (tuck it in an old chap-stick tube), and slip it to him so he slows down.