Obviously, you cannot just run even splits, you might get beat in the kick. If you try to negative split by too much, you might end up so far back you can't beat anyone. I would like to hear some strategies to try out early in the season, or even preseason(if we have a time trial). Any suggestions?
Thank you-EGF
The winning strategy: 3 evenly paced laps and kick like a mofo.
Hey dude! I see you post a lot here and I think you tend to overthink your workouts and races.
Im not the best miler, (4:38 PR) but I think I’m good/experienced enough to give some advice.
Don’t worry about times, stick with the lead pack the entire race and keep telling yourself “I’m going to destroy everyone in the last 400. They aren’t even going to see it coming”
Most HS races end up being tactical, (or lack tactics cough cough sub 60 first lappers) and it’s better to not get super technical about paces until later on in the season. Run the race like a race, not a math equation.
El G really liked to hold the front pack and then as I’m sure you are aware of, release his deadly kick going into the last 400-600. Stay mentally strong and competitive and the PRs will come.
Go out 2 seconds faster than your goal mile pace, hold it through the second and third laps you most likely will slow down to your goal pace,let your heart carry you through the pain of the last lap, go to your arms and think about how you worked your butt off in the offseason and how much you want it to pay off.
to PR or to win? because in my experience, low-stakes high school races often devolve into time trials, where the fastest kids want to get a good qualifying time for some meet, and there's simply no way to beat them if you don't have the fitness. In a situation like that, if you want to win, the only chance is to sit on them until 200 to go and then kick, but if you don't have it you don't have it. For PRing, start a little faster than goal pace and try to stay as smooth as possible.
If a race does turn tactical, you don't want to make the bet that you're the fittest guy there, so be patient and take the inside. In most cases, by 200 to go, somebody will have pulled the trigger on their kick and the field will string out quick, so you won't be boxed in. Only in very high quality fields will the pack stay together through the first 1400m. Once again, it all comes down to fitness. If you are patient, you won't waste energy, so you'll have the best chance that you could have, but it's very possible that somebody is just better than you and will dust you anyway. Just hope they wasted their energy in the first 3 laps.
Just pray to God.
Get out hard, take a chance in the middle and then kick like hell
I used this a lot in High School and beat a lot of people I shouldn't have. It's a really tough way to run, I was a tough kid back then.
First Lap, Get Out, get in good track position, close to the front
Second Lap, Settle, get through it expending as little energy as possible while not losing track position.
Third Lap, Attack, this was the key lap for me, make your move before when no one is ready for it, there's a good chance they'll let you go.
Fourth Lap, Hold On, you blew your load in the third lap, fight, scratch, claw to keep from slowing too much on the fourth lap.