Is it unethical to sit-n-kick?

I don't think that it is unethical. It's a smart racing tactic. It just isn't as honorable I think. But I think sitting and kicking is one of the reasons why American distance runners suck. We suck because we're so worried about just winning instead of running fast times. That's my two cents.

One Day I Will be Good wrote:

I don't think that it is unethical. It's a smart racing tactic. It just isn't as honorable I think. But I think sitting and kicking is one of the reasons why American distance runners suck. We suck because we're so worried about just winning instead of running fast times. That's my two cents.

my opinion is that open meetings are for running eyeballs out for a time, and championships are for sit & kick.

if you win a medal who cares what time? but if your in an open its all about time. so depends on the situation.

It was a great tactic and a brilliant win.

The time was good too.

Amazing that you were the overall winner of the race.

You are an elite female athlete aren't you??

Two ways to look at it:

Could you have blown him away easily before the last 100M?

*If yes, they you're a 'Wuss' for winning cheap.

Were you running all out?

*If yes, then you ran smart!

-- You sound like the first...

No, its not unethical especially in a 5k race. Every runner should run to his/her strengths. This is what makes racing so exciting.

HOWEVER, its very unsportmanlike to sit in behind a single other runner for a marathon. I tried doing this once and got so embarrassed after clipping the guys heels for the 4th or 5th time in 4 miles that i simply had to get out and lead (...well, for about a mile, then i sat in again).

ALSO, its very unfair to let another athlete lead out all the reps in training although some runners just love to front run. I once did 20x400m with a runner about 20s slower than me over 5k who insisted on leading every single rep. I ended up letting him take a 1 sec headstart just so i wasn't passing him.

He or she said they were in it for the money ie to win, just like in a championship.

We have to get away from the idea that a win isn't valuable unless you bravely lead from miles out. Sit and kick is good race tactics if you have the ability to pull it off and the joy of the sport is that the guy who can't pull it off has to find another way of winning.

What do we think of El G or Kelly Holmes last year? Unethical wheel suckers (to use a cycling phrase) or astute tactical runners who used the physical attributes they had on that day to win?

I think it's the right thing to do if the opponent is at your level, and you're giving close to 100% throughout the race. If you could have surged ahead and won by more than 15 seconds or more, you two don't have the same ability, and you should have sensed that earlier on, and surged ahead. Congratulations on winning. The other guy is a sore loser and a bad sport.

It is his fault for letting you sit there.

Sometimes if there is a guy sitting on me at the end of a race, I will slow down so that I can get behind him for those last couple of moments before the kicks are started.

I have also been in a position where another guy and I slowed way down and started staring at eachother waiting for the other guy to do something.

Idealy in a PR race you would follow a pack of runners the entire race.

That's the wrong question... They should be asking if it's the best way to race. Hey, for those who are good enough and have the luxury of doing that and winning everytime, I applaud you. Unfortunately, most of are not at that level. So I think for the most part you're always better off running your own race. Trust me, sitting and kicking in a race is okay, it's going into the race with a sit and kick mentality that's a downfall.

i personally don't like seeing it, but if i am in a race and it goes like that (they rarly ever do in highschool) and i am not confindant in my ability to run away from people or out last someone then i might go with the sit and kick, but i prefer a hard all out battle, not just to run, but i prefer to watch them as well.

If you are content with sitting and kicking, you will forever run 15:30 5k. In a post collegiate road race, I would rather run a fast time than win some chicken scratch.

In a low-key 10k on our home track in college, I had a teammate (with a PR 45 seconds slower than mine) sit on me for 9500m. He launched into the lead with 500 to go, aiming for the win. Furious, I sat on him for a lap, and then fired away my own tough kick for the win. He PR'd by some 25 seconds. I missed mine.

I was pissed because if he had helped me out during SOME part of the middle of the race, maybe I could have set a new PR myself. When the win was gonna be him or me, I could give a sh*t less, but if we both could have gotten a PR, and I would have been beaten, so be it.

Point is, if you had some incentive (money in this case), running a tactical race makes sense, and can be wholly justified. If there is nothing in it for the win (save maybe a mention in the online article), run your heart out and see what happens!

I do not see anything wrong with sitting and kicking...if he wants to lead the whole race let him do it. I race to win and if sitting on the leader and out kicking him will get me the win then that's what i'm gonna do. I a mid distance guys and I've had a few 800s where i sit in like 4-5th place through 600 meters and outkick everyone down the last 200....it's running smart.

Sounds like that guy is a big nancy. Go do it again this weekend. What does he say to you? What a moron.

Sure - if you are time-trialing - sitting and kicking is wrong, but if you are racing, it is just fine.

Next time the guy gets pissy, tell him that you will meet him out at the track and help him run a fasttime trial. hahahaha

there is nothing "unethical" about sit and kicking. there is no rule in the sport that says it isnt allowed. plus its more fun just to chill off the leaders for a while then look at their faces when you blow by them on the last lap.

Last time i checked the goal of a race is to win. It doesn't matter it you go balls to the wall from the start or not, if u sit and kick that's fine, whatever race staregey works for u. If someone complains they are just a little bitch who wasn't strong enough to wear u down.

I was in a situation in my last 10k, much like Mr. 15:32 here. Except, I was constantly slowing the pace, swinging out wide to keep the others from drafting off me, even looking back at everyone for some help up front into the wind. But, not one of them would come up front. I ended up leading the way, and getting outkicked by some prick in the last 50m who I dragged around for 9.9km. I wasn't impressed.

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Depends. If you're really playing to win, it's fair game. The only time I will not try to kick is if I'm doing the race as a workout -- for example, if I'm doing a road race, and running at about 30th, a couple of minutes slower than an all-out effort, I'm not going to show off near the finish line.