I am a 2:18 guy, what should be my strategy for the Trials?

Run start and then blow up. Get some tv snaps and then enjoy the scene

Plan how far you can run with the lead and then set you race plan accordingly. I am guessing that would be about 12 miles. That would be fun for your fans. The announcers will start talking about you around 10k and will get excited around 10 miles.

Push the pace. Go for a 10 mile PR or so. Get that TV time and make an impact on how the race is ultimately decided.

If possible, get a few other 2:14-18 guys to go with you. The trials race on the Atlanta course would be soooo much more exciting if the racing started early.

Given the history of the US trials and the current entries my guess is that 2:12-13 will be the third spot. People up front will blow up, its bound to happen.

If you think you can sniff that then run your race and maybe you'll sneak in.

If not then run for the cameras, dye your hair, wear a Pre Lives shirt, whatever.

Alan

Haha. That is like telling someone who has run the 10k in 30 minutes several times to give 29 flat a shot. You don't drop from 2:18 to 2:12.

Funnier funner wrote:

Haha. That is like telling someone who has run the 10k in 30 minutes several times to give 29 flat a shot. You don't drop from 2:18 to 2:12.

To say no one has ever dropped from 2:18 to 2:12 is false. We have no idea of the OPs other times or current training schedule.

Alan

2:18 guy wrote:

Some possibilities I came up with:

- try to hang on with the leaders as long as possible, have a 0.01% chance that I finish top 3, but very likely I will blow up

- run according to my current estimated fitness and try to place as high as possible

- start sprinting immediately when the gun goes off, lead the race for the first couple of miles, get a ton of TV attention and then blow up

- be the personal pacer for Rupp for the first let's say 10 miles, keep him out off the wind, hand him bottles etc. I guess he would at least give me his shirt afterwards to thank me

You're not going to make the team so trying to hang with the leaders is not a good strategy and you wouldn't make it past 10K. #2 is the only sensible strategy for you. The obviously not competitive runners that lead the race at a majors for a few miles, always seem like morans to me.

Running 2:18 and qualifying for the trials is something to be proud of and there's no need to make a fool of yourself at the trials.

2:18 guy wrote:

- start sprinting immediately when the gun goes off, lead the race for the first couple of miles, get a ton of TV attention and then blow up

Get to the front of the face and yell out "No more Walmsley threads"!

Who was that dude that went from 2:20 to 2:12 and got 4th? You never know. Make them hurt or run your race.

Take the free trip to ATL party and hook up with a cute non-delusional 2:45 lady and have a good time. Tempo a long run Saturday.

2:18 guy wrote:

Some possibilities I came up with:

- try to hang on with the leaders as long as possible, have a 0.01% chance that I finish top 3, but very likely I will blow up

- run according to my current estimated fitness and try to place as high as possible

- start sprinting immediately when the gun goes off, lead the race for the first couple of miles, get a ton of TV attention and then blow up

- be the personal pacer for Rupp for the first let's say 10 miles, keep him out off the wind, hand him bottles etc. I guess he would at least give me his shirt afterwards to thank me

I did the first in 1976 which was a mistake. 1972 did the second, other two are just silly....

I would do the second.....

ShilohDoesntCare wrote:

Who was that dude that went from 2:20 to 2:12 and got 4th? You never know. Make them hurt or run your race.

The OP described himself as a 2:18 guy and he should know.

Trent Briney 2:21 to 2:12 in 2004.

EVERYONE IN THE RACE HAS A CHANCE!!!

You make the US OLYMPIC TEAM by finishing TOP 3! If the trials results were decided before the race they wouldn’t have the race.

I’ve been a fan of the sport long enough to see people hit CRAZY UNBELIEVABLE PR’S seemingly OUT OF NOWHERE! Frosh, JV, Varsity, College, Pro, Hobby Jogger.....

I saw a kid run a 3k PR, the next week run a 5k PR at the SAME PACE, the week after run a 10k PR at a FASTER PACE!!! INCREDIBLE!!!!

I’ve seen DOUBLE DIGIT SEEDS TAKE DOWN FASTER ATHLETES AND WIN!!! AMAZING!!!

Read the Hoka profiles, read the “Come the Farthest Thread”, so many great stories AGAINST ALL ODDS!

In our sport we get so locked into what’s on paper. Rankings based on PR’s, so many(coaches, athletes, family, teammates) get it in their head that the best you can hope for is a place or two better than your rank. RIDICULOUS!!! GO FOR IT!!! SHOOT YOUR SHOT!!! BELIEVE!!!!

MAKE YOUR DREAMS BECOME REALITY!!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfLLNksZmoY

Something that worked for me (ONCE, and failed spectacularly other times):

Get right behind Rupp (or whichever other leader has a similar cadence to yours) and then get into lockstep with them and try to completely zone out - you're going for a full out-of-body experience where you see yourself in 3rd person - and just cruise. Think about using as little brain function as possible for running (which also limits the pain) and instead focus all your mind on seeing everything from the side.

Best case, I was able to hang on close to the finish. But even if not I felt like I was able to pick up something from it and improve.

Run conservatively and go for a pr. Do you want to run a terrible time and feel like you need to race Boston or Grandmas to show something for the season?

Reality is, that you are not going to take off 11 minutes in your time from now to Feb 29th.

It's just not realistic.

Big chunks come off of times for people going from semi-fit, to fit. But once you get down to the sub 2:20 area, the times rarely come off more than 1 minute at a time.. And even then, there is a plateau.

My advice; Enjoy the time. Enjoy the experience. Don't put pressure on yourself.

Borrow the LRC singlet. Break WeJo's PR. Bask in endless glory.

Stay off of LRC from now until race day. Go out & compete at your best against the best runners in this country.