RUN YOUR BEST TIME

Greg McMillan, a coach and exercise physiologist, recently wrote an article for “Running Times” in which he breaks races into four segments and identifies the mental focus for each of them. His approach to racing disregards the presence of other competitors and is designed to have a runner achieve the fastest possible time, apparently believing that doing so will give the athlete the best possible place finish. I think it is a particularly good approach for young runners because it is far easier to learn how to run a pace than it is to learn how to race.

The key to the success of this approach is establishing a realistic goal time. Too much optimism leads to going out too fast, being jumped by the bear during the last lap and a long, slow trudge home. Lots of us have been there. Too much caution creates the flat-out sprint during the last 100 meters that gains back at most a second or two of the many seconds given away. Once the goal pace is established, McMillan says, the runner must be in a specific mental zone for each segment of the race, as follows:

START ZONE
The focus here is to get out fast and get up to race pace as quickly as possible. Hardly any more energy is expended running the first 50 meters in 7 seconds than in 9 seconds.

PACE ZONE
The second phase of the race involves relaxing and running under control without forgetting race pace. Too often runners confuse relaxing with slowing down the pace. In this key phase the focus must be on hitting split times through the first half of the race.

GO ZONE
This phase must begin just past the midpoint to the race and holds the key to success or failure. It is at this point that the runner must pick up the intensity and run faster than is comfortable. For 800 meter runners, this means that the third 200 must be attacked. Everyone will have some kind of kick coming off the last curve so unless you are blessed with exceptional sprint speed you must make a move much earlier. Telling yourself that you are entering the “Go Zone” will help you focus on picking up the pace and taking control of the race.

GET TIME ZONE
The key to running that great time is the ability to sustain the drive to the finish without breaking down. Focusing on form and concentrating on turn-over (think quick feet) and arm action will help maximize performance. Here is where that last set of intervals will seem worthwhile.