Racing tips for the mile and 2mile??

Question

so ive been training a lot harder this year and at the beginning of the season i was doing good, i got a pr in the mile-5.43(i know not amazing) and a pr in the 2mile-12.35. the coaches think i can run with some of the girls of our rival school and run under 5.30 for the mile and under 12 for the two. but recently i ran a 5.50 in the last two meets for the mile and thats obviously not where i want to be. i have two races left, mile and two mile and idk what to do. the coaches say that all of us(the girls team) are capable of running those times but we're afraid of trying and we're not confident. but i always feel like i've tried my hardest and not to make excuses but i've just found out i have asthma so that was a problem for me in the last race cuz it was hard to breathe.

I want do my best for my last races. but i need some tips, i know what to eat, i have a routine for warming up and stuff. i think i need some tips to help me mentally when im running. any ideas will be great!thanks

Answer 1

It is probably too late to do anything drastic in terms of training.  So let's focus on race stretagy.

You want to run a 5:30 mile.  That is an average about 82 secs per lap.  Is that what your current splits are?  I will bet no.  Most likely, you are going out to fast.  Next race, focus on running a 82 sec first lap, and hitting 2:45 at the half.  The third lap is actually the hardest for people to keep pace.  Bear down and keep your pace, don't worry about the last lap, it will take care of itself.  Hopefully you will hit your mark again.  On your last lap, slowly start to kick it in.   Those people that sprint the last 100m look like idiots, they don't know how to properly pace themselve and have sold out 10 seconds in the first 1500 m for 1 sec in the last 100m.  Don't be them.  You should be too tired to sprint at the end, all your effort should be just to maintain your pace.

Do a similar pacing for the 2 mile.

Good luck.

Answer 2

just relax

Answer 3

just relax and keep warm

Answer 4

You said mentally...That is the core of distance running its all metal...the best way to prep mentally is to visualize your race's all week whenever you have a spare moment and especially right before you sleep...imagine who you will pace with where you'll make a move how you will feel at each part of the race...By the way what grade ru in? cause a 5:43 is an excellent time for girls especially for a freshman through junior...asthma and breathing problems are always detrimental to a runner's confidence but only if you let them be...be sure to constantly tell yourself that the asthma isn't going to stop you and that you'll fight through the pain to the very end...ok end of the week its race day and you've done all the prep work and your season has come down to these last races...do your regular warmup step up to the line wish your competion good luck and your off...you obviously know how to run with times like that so i won't lecture you on form or pace or anything that's your coaches job ...but i will remind you to KEEP YOUR HEAD UP!!! remember that your mind will mentally lock in with the person in front of you's pace if you stare at the back of their head(almost like a fishing pole it will reel them into you)remember throughout the race what you are going for and that its only a little longer and the pain is gone but the victory of a pr or outkicking in the end will last a lot longer...goodluck and let me know how you do

Answer 5

It doesn't sound like you have a lot of time until these last 2 races.  There is not a lot you can do as far as conditioning.  If you had a couple of months I would say put in a lot of long slow distance.  But with a short amount of time the main thing you can work on is your form.  Be sure you are running as relaxed as possible.  No tension in the arms/shoulders.  Any tension here is just wasted energy.  You might think about your stride.  Try raising your knees just a LITTLE bit.  That'll increase the length of your stride, but will tire you out faster.  So practice it in the workouts you have left.  The mental goal is to increase your speed without increasing your energy output.  Impossible, I know, but just a mental approach.  

Hopefully you know what splits you want.  If you don't have them written down and someone calling them out, then just try to pace yourself so that you feel like you are going just a little too slow in the first half of the race.  This will give you more energy for the last half.  Another good tactic is to try to stick with someone who you know is just a little bit faster than you.  They will pull you along and improve your time.  

For your workouts: don't overdo it at this point.  Practice some short 75% sprint repeats while raising the knees as stated before.  Get your body used to the higher effort.  Go easy in workouts for 2 days before the race.  This will let the body rest and recover and feel fast when race day comes along.

I don't know of anything that can be done about asthma.  Just hope it is not a smoggy day when you race.  The 2 days of rest hopefully will help too.  There will be a bit of sacrifice: hard on the lungs; that's just what runners put up with to improve.

Answer 6

I am also a runner and run those same events. I always try and get into a groove of the pace i want to run the think of something else. anything works or ill sing a song that i like quitely to myself. if something hurts try to think of something else. Or, say you have a bad sideache and a small muscle pain. Think about the muscle pain and the sideache will disapear.

Run run run.