Racing Tactics

By Dr. Russ Ebbets

Off The Road Column

A STRETCH IN TIME…

THE MYSTERIOUS VITAMIN B6

Children Running Can v. Should

Female Triad

GLUCOSAMINE SULFATE

HEART RATE MONITORING

Over Training

Racing Tactics

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Tactics, on the other hand, are specific efforts before or during a race that serve to weaken a physical quality of a particular opponent, demoralize them mentally or both so that their ability and will to proceed is compromised.

It should be noted tat tactics and strategies should be applied within the rules of fair play. Intentional physical contact, verbal abuse or other "unsportsman-like conduct" are rightfully subject to disqualification. One can be respected for one’s cleverness and will power as long as it is applied within the spirit of the competition.

Choosing a race tactic depends on one’s maturity, physical strength, speed and general fitness level. It is inappropriate to expect the 14-year old novice to employ mid-race surges before they have mastered even pace running. Race tactics are like adding tools to a tool kit. They are added one at a time, over time.

I always trained my runners to divide their races into three segments. Three is an archetypal number and has been proven to conceptually be the largest grouping one can conceive at one time. Each segment had general goals, with the most important goal, winning, reserved for the last segment.

The goal of the first segment was to let the race settle out. In an eight-person field in the 800m for example, everyone can run the first 300m segment fast. The race is usually bunched together as the pack heads into the finish straight for the first time. There is little to no advantage surging or worrying about being boxed at this stage as the race will soon "break apart."

The next 200m in an 800m race is critical. This is where one needs to gradually assume a position that allows for the most advantageous finishing kick. Geographically one has the finishing straightaway and the first turn to get well placed.

Entering the backstretch, some 300m from home, is the third and final phase. The competitors in an immediate 3-5 meter area are the runners one will be racing to the finish. Avoiding being boxed in, getting picked on a fading runner and generally having a clear path to start a kick or respond to someone’s kick are of tantamount importance. The following chart offers some suggested race divisions from a tactical point of view.

Several notes:

• Note that the 400m uses times rather than distances. This prevents the athlete from becoming fixed on hitting marks and more allows them to sprint the race.
• The finish phase is for placement. I am not suggesting one kick from the noted finish distances.
• For the tactically strong the middle portion can be used for repeated surging, 10-steps, curve accelerations or other tactical efforts as one’s condition allows.

While some discount the importance of the race start in middle distances (they don’t give medals for one’s start) early placement can play a critical role in races with a large field, an indoor race or in a cross country race where course layout may dictate start strategy.

Some coaches feel, because of their understanding of physiology, that every start should begin with a six-second sprint. They arrive at that conclusion because of the energy store creatine phosphate (CP). CP is a short term, explosive energy source that lasts about six seconds. The reasoning is to use the source, to get well placed early and continue with the race. Some others feel that this energy source should be saved for the finishing sprint. A compromise strategy would be to start with five quick steps.

How the first step is taken is also subject of debate. Should the first step be with the back leg, with a full stepping stride? Or should the first step come from the front leg with a short "jab step?" It seems logical to take the full running stride, but consider for a moment how long that stride takes to complete. Which should one chose? Remember that force generation and subsequent speed development come when the feet are on the ground.

The quicker one gets their feet on the ground the quicker one comes to achieving full racing speed. If the jab step takes one-half second to complete and the full stride step takes twice as long is it not obvious that with the jab step start one will achieve speed and

momentum earlier?

The final thought on starting is the use of tangents. Tangents are straight lines to a corner or turn. Straight lines cover distance in the shortest and quickest time. That may influence one’s decision whether to sprint for six seconds at the race start and use the CP stores or go for the five quick steps.

Once the race has started and everyone has settled into an even pace the question arises – is it better to lead or follow? This portion of a race represents a true area for tactical application. Leading is recommended when the competition is weak, one needs to push the pace to achieve a qualifying time, one desires (and has the physical skill) to dictate tactics from the front (employ surges) or the terrain is questionable and a better view of the ground is needed.

Following may be the better strategy when there are environmental concerns (generally strong winds) or when one desires to "rest" – run with a more even effort. Drafting, closely following a leading runner, gets more press in cycling and auto racing but also can be used to decease ambient wind resistance in foot races. Finally, some feel that one will have more control of the race when following. The initiation of the final sprint can be started with surprise that may provide the margin of victory.

The use of surges is another mid-race tactic that gets press but may be difficult to employ, especially for the untrained. Surges are an acceleration of the race pace ostensibly to weaken or deaden the finishing sprint of a competitor. On the international level surges may last 200-400m. Surges of that length are used in a 10k or longer race.

Shorter surges, the "3-step" or "10-step" can be used in races such as the 800m or 3000m respectively. The 3-step acceleration is used in shorter races to jump start one’s drive home. Generally this tactic can be employed 200-120m from home. Similar to the 10-step the runner needs to change their biomechanics for three fast steps and then settle into the final sprint. This is a good method for getting out of a "box" once daylight appears.

What the 10-step calls for is a change in the biomechanics of the body for 10 steps. A shorter arm action and a step over the knee with the foot, what many will recognize as good sprint form, for 10 quicker steps. This will accelerate the pace for 10 steps and if done repeatedly can be disconcerting for those following. Needless to say the 10-step technique must be practiced so that its use does not become physically exhaustive to the user.

The "box," either "getting boxed" or being "boxed" are two mid-race states that lend itself to much gamesmanship. Simply defined, a box is when an opponent or opponents, through plan or chance, align themselves in such a way that it becomes difficult to pass them (runners A and B in Figure 1). Generally the runner who is "boxed" is at a tactical disadvantage. The Kenyans, Ethiopians and Moroccans have made boxing and tactical surges a fine art.

I remember racing distance great Barry Brown in the 800m. At about 150m out I passed him on the right. Just ahead was a fading runner. I slowed just enough so that the fading runner, in lane one, "boxed" Brown in forcing him to break stride. The moment I saw Brown break stride I used a 3-step acceleration and began my final sprint to the finish line from about 120m. I also stayed to the outside of lane one so that were Brown to catch me he would have to cover extra distance from lane two to do so. Unfortunately Brown covered the extra distance and caught me down the straight. When we talked later he noted what a difficult time he had passing me, by my design.

For many the excitement of watching a track 10k race is akin to watching paint dry. For the sophisticated observer much of the enjoyment of watching the 10k is noting the surges that are continually taking place. While on paper it may look like the runners are clicking off evenly paced laps of 70 seconds often times the first 200m is covered in 30 seconds followed by a "recovery" 200m in 40 seconds. Pacing not for the faint of heart.

Curves and corners present tactical opportunities for clever racers. Using these directional changes may be used on the road, track or cross-country. Given a choice it is better to lead than follow into a curve. This is particularly important when racing on an indoor track. Directional changes cause a change in pace, usually slower. A slower pace for the leader is accentuated for all those that follow until the last runner in the cue may actually have to break stride going into the corner. Done repeatedly the trailing runner will be forced to constantly surge and break stride, surge and break stride, something they may not be physically capable of nor something that they gain any tactical advantage from.

A second point about curves and corners is that they present an excellent opportunity for the leader to surge. The change in direction alters one’s spatial relationship between the leader and the follower. Using a 10-step surge out of a turn or around a corner can be psychologically disconcerting to the follower because it essentially shows them they have been caught "sleeping" and may prove to be an advantage they cannot make up.

At first thought it might seem foolish to have finishing tactics – the preeminent goal, to get to the finish first would preclude any other actions. While that may be the pre-eminent goal there are things one can do to aid one’s finishing kick.

When should one start the "kick" or finishing sprint? I always trained my athletes with the thought that they have 35 seconds of sprint in them. Thinking in these terms allows one to plan for him or her when one should kick by how much "sprint reserve" they have left in the body.

If one has used a long sprint to get placed at the start of a race or there has been a number of surges in the race the length of the kick will be compromised and a shorter time or distance for the kick will have to be chosen.

How does one know when to apply the 35-Second Rule in a road race? Telephone calls are usually 44 yards apart. Thirty-five seconds is between four and five telephone poles. This needs to be checked out before the race but should give one an accurate mark to begin one’s finish.

A second finishing concern is lane placement. Selecting the path to the finish depends on whether one is leading of following. If in the lead, applying the 35-second Rule, one’s sprint will begin somewhere with 200m to go. On a track that means going into a turn, coming out of a turn and down the final straight.

If one is in the lead the rules allow one the first lane and that passing should come to the outside or to one’s right. If this is the case then the leading runner should cover the outside of lane one, diligently protecting lane one. This will force challengers to swing wide and run extra distance to get to the finish, especially around the turn. Of course if entering the final turn there is no potential challenger the leader should hug the rail as close as possible.

Once one hits the straight the leader should continue to run to the outside of lane one. Fading into lanes two or three or weaving back and forth to impede challengers may result in disqualification. Energy should be spent on getting to the finish. Challengers in spots two, three or four have a significant disadvantage that they must overcome by superior finishing skills.

The objective once one has started their finishing kick is to get to the finish line as quickly as possible. This is not a beauty contest, it is an opportunity to "win ugly." But all that being said there are certain biomechanics one should use to get to the finish as quickly as possible.

Since the kick is a sprint one should use sprint mechanics. There is a tendency when finishing to lengthen the stride with the thought that one is moving faster. In reality this causes one to "float." This is significant because power generation only comes when the foot is in contact with the ground. Therefore a quick turnover, getting the feet on the ground should be the pre-eminent goal.

Sprint mechanics should be employed. This entails a higher knee lift, stepping over the ground support knee with the swing leg and a synchronous arm drive with the hands pumping from the eye level to the pocket and back.

This position is difficult to hold for a great length of time, particularly when fatigue is at its greatest. It therefore becomes important to judiciously use a kick from a distance one can get home without breaking down.

It should be emphasized that one can only truly kick once during a race. This finishing sprint is an all out effort that will exhaust any reserves one has left in an effort to get to the finish more quickly.

Even though kicking once is the "rule" there is a sprint technique that when mastered allows one to extend their kick by easing off slightly down the stretch before fully sprinting again. What the On-Off Technique calls for is to use the above mentioned sprint technique for four, six or eight strides and then ease off for four to six steps. Traditionally this has been used in the straight by 200m sprinters (Tommie Smith used this to win the 1968 Olympics) but it could be used by anyone in one’s final kick of 35 seconds.

The final concern is the finish lean. In a close finish the part of the body that "counts" is where the front of the neck connects to the torso. Because of this one often sees exaggerated leaning by runners at the finish line (Figure 2).

The finish lean is actually an unbalanced lunge where one forcefully throws one’s trunk to the finish line with the dive forward initiated from the ankles. To get into this position one needs to use a high back kick where the trail leg almost goes parallel to the ground. This allows one to flex at the waist and move the neck-trunk junction to the finish.

It should be noted that this is an unbalanced running position and can only be maintained for 2-3 strides. It is not uncommon for one to fall when lunging through the finish line.

If one truly has superior physical skills tactics play a less important role. On the world class level this is rarely the case. In any event there are a number of equally qualified individuals whose individual strengths and weaknesses warrant study and dictate tactical plans that can be solidified through training. It is clever application that will lead to success.

Remember that various tactics require heightened levels of fitness before their application can have the desired results. A wise plan is to seasonally train to develop and include a new race tactic in one’s racing skills arsenal. Over two to three years, for the mature runner, one can approach a race aggressively with the knowledge that success goes to not only the swift but the most tactically adept.