Note: The following was composed last November (2008) at the end of the season and never saw the light of day. I think it is pertinent now, at the beginning of the running season as the group prepares for racing and meeting goals in the coming months.
Enjoy, RF
A lively discussion followed last evening’s running workout. Not unlike other lively post-workout discussions only this one was actually about running!
The question before the assembly was, “Can I run a sub-20:00 5K?” The question was posed by a member who has been riding a season of exceptional athletic endeavors including several running PRs (20:29 for 5K, I think) as well as successes in triathlons all on top of being devoted to her family.
The group’s consensus seemed to be “Sure” she can run a sub-20:00 5K given the improvements in her running throughout the year.
The conversation went back and forth and all around the table
Running/racing season has come to a close here and now it’s time to put away the racing flats and go back to base-building and aerobic-building training… the seeds for next season’s running campaign.
As a result of the discussion, I sent the following note to our running buddy.
Hey:
Just a note regarding last night’s conversation about running a sub-20:00 5K. You know, you were prepared to run that time this year. Your training was top notch, you were focused and most everything you can control was ready for it to happen. Only it didn’t.
I know, you’re shaking your head saying “Duh, I know that Rich.”
What I’m getting at is that you were in that “sweet spot” where you knew on the line that you were ready to compete at a PR or close-to-PR pace. You were prepared. No doubt about it. And that, being prepared, is the key to reaching your goal. Being prepared creates an environment for success to happen. That’s the part that you can control but there is so much else that you can’t control. You can’t control the weather, the course, or your concern for a sick child or some other anxiety. There are plenty of things that you can’t control but those things affect your performance nonetheless.
Ten years ago when I was racing, not just running, I discovered that the major improvements seemed to come all by themselves. The common thread during that time was that I was prepared so that if everything fell into place… the stars were aligned… I was ready to take advantage of it.
I know it seems whimsical and defies reason but think about it… if there weren’t all the uncontrollable factors, everyone who is physically prepared would run PRs at every race – the only limitation would be your own body.
Why do we all run faster on the track on Thursdays? Because we’ve eliminated two of the uncontrollable factors… the surface is uniform and absolutely flat.
So, the more of those factors you can control before and during the race, the better your chance for success. The more prepared for success you are, the more likely it is that success will happen!
Some of the things I learned from successful runners and coaches and from my own meager experience that you can think about…
Pre-race routine - begins at least the night before and includes things like pinning your bib # on your shirt and making sure you have everything in your bag ready to go and setting the schedule so you have plenty of time to warm up, stretch, strides, bathroom, etc.
Make sure your warm up is long enough (time wise). Use it to check out the course if it’s unfamiliar. Be sure to check out the finish…so you don’t get faked by a finish line that is around a corner or in a parking lot or somewhere else that you can’t spot it..
Don’t hesitate to start at the front! That way you’re up with faster runners who will bring you along in their wake. Not much feels better than starting at the front. Starting back farther (even if it’s a chip race) means you’re always trying to catch up…psychologically and in reality.
Be aware of surroundings before and during the race. For instance, watch others warming up especially the known fast runners you can learn from their routines. At the start, look around to know who the fast people are, who you can key off of during the race…especially those who may be in your age group. Oh, remember fast people don’t necessarily look fast during warm up and at the start… don’t be fooled. The more races you run, the more you will recognize those people you need to be running with. During the race be aware of where you are on the course so you can relate how you feel to your location on the course and how you are executing your plan. Be aware of split times (they may scare you early in the season.) For me, doing the split time math to figure out what my time should be at the next split really kept my mind off any pain or fear.
Don’t forget to use your arms especially at the end of the race. Your arms and shoulders tend to get tired (even in a 5K) and people tend to pull them up to their chests and hunch their shoulders, they become tense and slow. I used to actually talk to myself, “Drop your arms, Rich!”
I don’t know if this stuff answers the question from last night but hopefully it will give you insights to ponder over the winter (as if you didn’t have enough going on!) I was happy to break 21:00 years ago and I don’t think that 19:59 is out of reach for you if you are prepared when the opportunity presents itself and, of course, when the stars are aligned.
See ya.
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