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

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

A friend took the lead in his college xc conference race for the first 5k then faded to about 30th. He got some air time in his last collegiate race.

Cruise with the pack for 5 miles, then lead from 5 mile until you can't lead anymore.

Just run your own race and don't worry about the top guys.

We will see you when you outkick Walmsley on the final stretch.

Good luck.

talent beats training wrote:

Most of the 2:18 guys take themselves too seriously. Many are former 30:30 D3 guys who have dedicated their lives to this. They are sleeping 9 hours and eating right and training right and they have inspirational reminders around the house. But none of the 2:18 guys are going to get any attention and nobody is going to care if they run 2:17:30 that day. I would rather look back 20 years from now and say that I was leading at the 10 mile mark. The DNF or the 2:17:30 are irrelevant.

So if a 4:12 guy ran a half mile PR to be the leader in a big race and finishes with a 4:30, that's a good story? There will be about 100 runners at the trials capable of leading at 10 miles and "I lead at 10 miles, but didn't finish" is not going to impress anyone that has knowledge about distance running.

Just surge on the straights.

Well, like everything in running, it all comes down to your fitness.

Two scenarios.

1. You qualified at CIM in 2018. A year or two out of school. Qualifying was a surprise. Since then you've run over 5000 miles and nailed big PRs at all distances. Training for the trials has gone really well.

2. You qualified at CIM in 2019. You're early 30s, working towards this for a while. By now, you know how good you are and what you can realistically expect to run.

I expect that it'll take 2:10:30 to make the team.

If 1, then take a big shot at it. Go out in 1:05:30. I bet there will be a big pack. Just tuck in and stay out of everyone's way. Make sure to get your drinks/gels. Someone from this group will run a big negative split and make the team. At least be there for that move. So what if you crack and run 1:11 for the last half. You still get a PR and ran a tough, aggressive race. Probably finish top 20. Maybe you crack and run 1:15 for the last half, so what?

If 2, then run a more measured race. Hook up with the 1:10 group. Aim to run even splits. I guarantee you'll have lots of people to pass that last 10k, including some big names you'd never even see in another race.

Both of the above outcomes you can be proud of. There are scenarios in between these two, like perhaps you want to go 1:09 for the first half. Whatever you decide, be honest about your fitness and pick the strategy that'll result in the most positive experience for you.

Have you thought about sprinting to the front and letting your wang hang out of your shorts?

A Dogs Dawg wrote:

Have you thought about sprinting to the front and letting your wang hang out of your shorts?

Question about the popularity of running:

Do you think that more or less people would see this guy's wang than the guy who did this during the 40 yard dash at the NFL combine?

This post/thread proves that 2:18 guys are not really going to make a dent in the results nor will their efforts be much improved. Some posters point out that some do improve and get up in the top tier and some become ‘names’ ... most run the same or make a breakthrough but fade away over the next 2-8 years never doing jack sh!t Simply put ... if you’re not really going out with the leaders or don’t respond to the real deal move at or near the front ... YOU DON’T BELONG in that tiny little unimportant race that has Olympic Games written all over it.

You can't make the top 3 if you don't try. That said you've got a couple of options: You can either hang with the leaders as long as possible, or run slightly off the lead pace for the first half, and hope to reel in the stragglers in the closing miles. Only you know which route is more likely to be successful based on your capabilities. As for going from 2:18 to the necessary 2:12 or 2:13 for 3rd: It is absolutely possible. Is it likely? I think we can all agree, no, but possible just the same - and more possible than the majority of posters on here pitching suggestions. You have an opportunity most folks never get. Give it your best shot, and good luck.

Giving a 2:18 guy VFs isn’t going to make him a contender for top 3. Quit acting like the VFs magically drop 4+ minutes off people’s times.

What is 4% of 2:18?

That’s not the way they work. Can’t just say “oh hey 2:18 guy wear these shoes, you’ll drop 4% (around 5.5 minutes) off your time.”

Don’t get me wrong, the shoes probably help, but they aren’t magic like Rojo and other posters on the boards seem to think they are

Scotty B.. wrote:

You can't make the top 3 if you don't try. That said you've got a couple of options: You can either hang with the leaders as long as possible, or run slightly off the lead pace for the first half, and hope to reel in the stragglers in the closing miles. Only you know which route is more likely to be successful based on your capabilities. As for going from 2:18 to the necessary 2:12 or 2:13 for 3rd: It is absolutely possible. Is it likely? I think we can all agree, no, but possible just the same - and more possible than the majority of posters on here pitching suggestions. You have an opportunity most folks never get. Give it your best shot, and good luck.

I dont know why people keep suggesting this strategy. The OP has no chance of making the team and trying to keep up with the leaders will only result in a huge negative split. His strategy should should be the same as it would be if he was running CIM or the L.A. Marathon.

4% faster is supposedly within the realm of possibility. Some study recently claimed to quantify the improvement in race time anywhere from 0-8% depending on running mechanics of the wearer.

I don't want to believe that any shoe could make such a drastic difference because it does feel like cheating at that point, but I haven't seen any conclusive evidence yet that leads me to believe that these kind of improvements could or couldn't be a result of the shoes.

I have yet to read a study that really convinces me that even 4% is realistic. One study said about 1-2 minutes which seems reasonable. 4% would be still be almost 5 minutes for a 2flat marathon. Which is just absurd.

Does Chris Barnicle stand a chance?

Yes FFS at least entertain us even if you can't make the team. Have some b@LLS.

Maybe 52.5 isn't even fast enough somebody might try to hang on and obscure your coverage.

Can you go 51.8?

wejo wrote:

This thread is great.

1) We should definitely do an interview with you after the Trials. Don't reveal who you are now.

2) Actually maybe we should interview you beforehand but not know who you are. If you're interested. Email me from a fake email address

wejo@letsrun.com

and tell me where you first posted for and we could do this.

3) Good luck.

PS I need to find the LetsRun singlet in case someone wants to wear it.

*cringey*

run faster