While a runner’s quickest races are typically those where, they can run their own race, stick to their numbers, while sheltering amongst others all the while making sure they have enough in reserve for a strong finish, sometimes this isn’t possible and you just have to race the day.
OZ day 2024 was certainly a day where you had to race the day. For days leading up to 15min before the start you had to deal with the unknown of whether they would hold the swim or not, which impacted warmups and pre-race preparations. Then there was the challenge of the swim itself with murky water and a strong current. The bike course was busy and affected by a strong southerly which made pacing extremely hard, while the run course was equally busy and wind affected. So, the race ended up being one where you couldn’t rely on your numbers you simply had to make any number decisions as to what you thought would be the best strategy.
When it comes to racing and pacing Louis got taught a valuable lesson at the track 5000m on January 24. While he was super excited to qualify for the A final, running with the best runners in the state, he was a little unsure of himself as he hadn’t done a lot of training leading into the race with Xmas, our Bali trip and an injury all getting in the way.
While his 15.26 from November got him in the A final, it also meant he was the slowest qualifier and given he wasn’t in that sort of shape it meant he had some decisions to make. His end goal is to break the state under 16 record which is 15.10. In the 15.26 everything was perfect- weather, others to run with, pacing and he had a bit of training and racing behind him, so while 15.10 was going to be a stretch, he was keen to find out what was possible. To go 15.10 means running sub 73 second 400s and 3.02/km. While it doesn’t see like a massive step up from 3.05’s it is a big one, especially when going in underdone.
When the race started, he shuffled himself to the back, but you could see after a couple of laps he was working a lot harder than he usually does and the smile that dominates his face was missing. While he hit the required pace for the first km, he soon learnt the hard way that he needed to run his own race. Before long he was well off the back and going backwards.
He ended up with a 16.16 almost a minute off his November pace. He probably could have run a 15.50 if he had just run his own race and held 3.10s, which is where his fitness was probably at, but in the end he wanted to race and mix it with the best, to find out what is possible. In this case the finding out was “that if you aren’t fit enough then always chose pacing over racing!”
Basically, he was probably running at his 2km pace. A pace that you can only hold for that distance. Once you reach that point you will slow down and slow down a lot. It may only seem like a few seconds difference but when it comes to performance it matters a lot.
On that same night Tori paced a great 18.35, which for a first race on the track was awesome. She stuck to her paces and worked her way through the field. Another athlete I coach who ran an 18.08 in November without any real race experience on the track, this time, with a solid block of training behind her, crossed the line in an awesome 17.09. While we had an idea on how to pace it, she did look as if she had more in her. This meant she raced 100m behind the leader throughout the early kms, and while she was reeling them in, when the leader went with a few laps to go, the gap created was too great to close down and she finished 3seconds adrift.
So, for her, the next big challenge will be to move from pacing (which she does a great job at, just ticking consistent lap after lap off looking at her watch incessantly) to actually racing. Where we have to combine the two worlds, going into the unknow, to risk blowing up like Louis did, for the sake of glory.
While triathlons are a bit more chaotic than a 5km track race, if you want to make a podium then you will need to get the balance right between pacing and racing. And this is why we train, especially the hard sessions. Unless you go to the edge in training you won’t know what is possible on race day. Running hard reps on Tuesday and Thursday are vital for becoming a racer. So well done to everyone who tested themselves on Tuesday night, there was no one cracking a whip behind you to work hard, but everyone did and learnt that little bit more about what is possible.