Race Tactics

Race Tactics

• Starts
• Segmenting
• Surges
• Corners
• Hills
• Go points
• Oh poop?
• Race plan

• First 8 seconds, last 8 seconds
• Purpose of the race
• Racing teams/racing individuals
• Best tactic
• When in doubt
• If you feel comfortable

Starts

• Type of Start
• Mt. Sac: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCy87biNro8
• Woodward: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pImaXdjMBRM
• Camino Real Park
• Lake Casitas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GSjC1bar88

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• Alactic system
• Position

Starts

• Before you get to the line
• Warm up
• Bibs
• Chips
• Bathrooms
• Mantra

• After you get to the line
• Double knot
• Focal point
• Review Race plan
• Cleansing breaths
• Promise
• Last dominate thought

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Segmenting

• Break into 6 spots
• Focal points—when to readjust
• One part at a time
• Cut down pace
• Splits

Surges

• What are they
• Control or react
• Practice
• 15 to 30 second segments
• Sometimes longer
• Go Points
• Purpose

Corners and surfaces

• Change of surface
• Corners
• 10 quick strides
• Back to race pace
• Why
• Break contact
• Break physically or psychologically
• Out of vision out of mind

Tangents

Shortest distance between two points is a straight line.

Shorten the turns

Stay within the course requirements

Hills

• On the way up
• Portion of the race
• First 2.5 miles
• Last .5 mile
• At the top of the hill
• 10 quick
• On the way down
• A skip

Six things to remember

• 1. Pull the Rope
• 2. Breathe against the cheeks
• 3. Focal point
• 4. Mantra
• I love hills
• I am a hill monster
• 5. 10 Quick Strides at the top
• 6. Recovery on the way down
• Quick, quick, quick

Segment the course

• 1. First 2 1/4-1/2 miles in the race
• Maintain the effort of the flats. Be steady and consistent up the hills
• Remember transitions at the top
• A skip technique on the way down
• 2. Last 3/4 to 1/2 mile of the race
• Race the hills
• Remember the transitions

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The feeling

• 1. Hills are conditioning
• 2. Everyone feels the discomfort of the hills
• 3. Hills are the difference between cross country and track and field
• 4. You will recover on the way down
• 5. What can I do?

Go Points

• When doing course run
• Strengths
• Break points
• Likes

Oh Poop

• Side by side
• Who is tougher
• Go one more step
• Latch on and run with

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Race Plan

• Why do one
• When to do one
• Team
• Individual
• Alternative race plan
• When to toss
• Road map
• Review at the end.

Alactic system

• First 8 seconds
• What to do after that
• Last 8 seconds
• First 800
• Last 800

Purpose of the race

• Team victory
• Individual victory
• Race shocking
• Negative split
• Surface or Intensity prep
• Experience
• Always a purpose—don’t’ waste an opportunity

Individual/Team

• Individual tactics
• Moves to break opponents
• Run with opponent
• Want fast people
• Team tactics
• Working together
• Practice during practice
• Pack attack
• X Factor

Best tactic

• Be in better shape
• Fitter you are, better the tactics
• Be strong in the middle
• First 1/3 of the race, middle 1/3, last 1/3 of race

When in doubt

• Go faster
• Run smarter
• Increase cadence
• Just get one
• Run for your team

If you feel comfortable

• Get out of comfort zone
• Focus ahead
• Push the limits
• 98% effort

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Body language

• From the front
• From the back
• Face
• Shoulders
• Be an actor/actress
• Fake it until you make it
• Everyone racing is uncomfortable

The finish

• Go point
• Practice daily
• Finish through
• Someone is always coming
• Be a finish monster
• Strength not speed determines finish
• Don’t save it

Relax and run fast

• Everyone is nervous
• Everyone feels discomfort
• Race hard when others are resting
• Push the middle
• The finish will always be there
• Be proud of your finish
• Respect the team