TOM SCHWARTZ
General Overview of the Process of Warming Up For Races
• Before the first race of a meet, warm-up long enough and hard enough to increase performance.
• It’s totally fine to warm-up early and hard. • After an early warm-up, rest, and then perform a second, brief warm-up before racing.
• Whenracingmorethanonceatthesametrackmeet,thesecond warm-up can be more brief.
Specific Overview of the 800m Race Warm-up
• This event requires the warm-up to create a “hot engine.”
• Run a portion of the warm up intensely and build lactate.
• (Increasedmusclelactateindicatesthefastermusclefiberswereengaged/activated.)
• Thefaster(TypeIIa,IIax,andIIx)fibersarethemainfibersused
during the 800m race.
• Start an aggressive warm-up early enough before the race, so that a recovery period is possible.
Specifics of the (1st) 800m race Warm-up
•Start the warm-up 50 to 60 minutes before the 1st race or 20-30 minutes before the 2nd race.
•Before the first race: run 6-12 minutes easy.
•Run more easy warm up when the ambient temperature is cold and less when it’s hot outside.
•Then, run 5 x 30 seconds @ 3200m race speed or run 5 x 200m @ 67% of best sprint speed.
•Before a 2nd or 3rd race, only run 2 or 3 reps.
Recovery Period Between Warm-ups
•Hydrate with diluted sports drink;not straight water.
•Use the restroom as needed.
•Stay warm if it is cold outside.
•Cover up with warm clothes or blankets when needed.
•Elevate legs to reduce swelling.
•Rest in the shade if it is hot outside.
•Stay out of bright sunshine during track season to avoid burning and dehydration.
•Recline until ~15 minutes before the 800m race.
•Put on your racing shoes and double knot them.
Specifics of the (2nd) 800m Race Warm-up
•10 minutes before the race, start the second warm-up.
•Jog 3 minutes and then run 4 x 20 to 30m very quick (400m speed), using walk back recoveries.
•Walk and jog until it’s time to start the race.
•(Avoid running hard or fast in the last 5-minutes before the race.)
The 800m Event – Pacing & Racing Strategies
• The800meventrequiresafasterfirst half of the race than 2nd half of the race.
• Ideallythereshouldbea3%difference between the first and second half of the race, if you are a specialist in the event. • Completethefirst400metersin ~48.5% of the total time.
• Complete the second 400 metersin~51.5% of the total time.
• A1:56(800m)runnershouldrunthe first lap in 56.26, and the second lap in 59.74. • Getoutquick,settledownandposition yourself to move with 40 seconds left in the race.
• Emphasizeaquickrhythm,relaxation, and anticipating the moves of opponents.
• Protectyourrunningspace-nobody should box you in!
• Runahalf-widetotheathleteinfront of you at crucial moments in the race.
• Accelerateoffcurvesbyusingafaster arm cadence – legs will follow the arms!
• Attheendoftherace,turnoveryour legs quicker.
• The mistake is to try and powe rthe stride with tired legs!
General Overview of the 1600m Warm-up
• This event requires the warm-up to create a
“moderately-hot engine.”
• Generate some lactate during the warm-up by running somewhat intensely.
• Increased muscle lactate means the fast
intermediate and fast explosive fibers were activated. • Start an aggressive warm-up early.
Specifics of the (1st) 1600m Warm-up
•Start the warm-up 50 minutes before the 1st race or 30 minutes before the 2nd race.
•Before the first race: run 6-12 minutes easy, varying with the ambient temperature.
•Use less general warming up on hot weather days.
•(Use more warming up on cold weather days.)
•Then, run 3 minutes @ CV Pace or Effort (jog 1 minute).
•Then, run 5 x 30 seconds @ 5000m to 3200m race effort (jog 30 seconds).
•(Before the 2nd race, only run 2 or 3 reps.)
•An alternative is to run 67% of best sprint speed.
•If Jennifer can run 30 seconds in the 200, 67% speed is 44.8 seconds.
•Jog equal recovery times to the rep times.
•Then, run 5 x 15 seconds @ 1600m race speed (jog 30 seconds between reps).
•(Before a second race, run only 2 or 3
•Next, jog 2-3 minutes.
Recovery Period Between Warm-ups
•Hydrate with diluted sports drink; not straight water.
•Use the restroom as needed.
•Stay warm if it is cold outside.
•Cover up with warm clothes or blankets when needed.
•Elevate legs to reduce swelling.
•Rest in the shade if it is hot outside.
•Stay out of bright sunshine during track season to avoid burning and dehydration.
•Recline until ~15 minutes before the 800m race.
•Put on your racing shoes and double knot them.
Specifics of the (2nd) 1600m Warm-up
• 10 minutes before the race, start the second warm-up.
• Jog 3 minutes and then run 4 x ~40m quick (about 800m speed), jog back recoveries.
• Walk and jog until it’s time to start the race.
• Avoid running hard or fast during the last 5-minutes before the race.
- The 1600m Event - Pacing & Racing Strategies
• The 1600m event requires patience.
• Get out quick the first 20-25 seconds of the race. • Then, settle into the average pace by the 200m mark. • Move up when runners slow in front of you. • Anticipate changes in speed of the runners ahead of you! • Quicken your rhythm, not your effort so much, to pass people during the race. • Save your final “kick” for the last 40 seconds of the race. • The last 300m is by far the fastest of the race.
• The splits should be slightly negative, meaning the latter half is faster than the first
half.
• Runners who lack stamina will fade during the second half of the race.
• Instruct athletes to use a quick rhythm, relaxation, and anticipating the moves that
their opponents make.
• Tell athletes to protect their race-space, meaning nobody boxes you in, ever!
• Run half-wide of the man in front of you at crucial moments in the race.
• Accelerate off curves by first using your arms; the legs follow the arms!
• Get out quickly, settle down, adjust regularly during the race, and position yourself
to move with 40 seconds left in the race.
• The last 20 seconds are all about turning the legs over quickly instead of powering
the stride!
General Overview of the 3200m & 5000 Warm-up
• This event requires a “cooler engine”
than the shorter events.
• Still, generate some, but not too much, lactate during the warm-up!
• (Increased muscle lactate means the faster muscle fibers are engaged.)
• Slow Fibers and Fast intermediate fibers are highly involved in the
performance of the 3200m and 5000m race.
• Fast explosive fibers are involved minimally: only the first and last few seconds of the race.
• Warm-up only once, unless there is hot weather.
• When it is hot, start the warm up early and then cool off in the shade.
• (Early means 50-60 minutes before the
• While cooling off, hydrate with diluted sports drinks.
• (Stay out of direct sunshine when it’s hot outside.)
• On hot days, do a brief (2nd) warm-up immediately before the race.
• (Jog 2 minutes and do 2-3 short (30m) race.) striders.)
Specifics Overview of the (1st) 3200m & 5000m Race Warm-up
• Start the warm-up 40 minutes before the 1st race or 20 minutes before the 2nd race.
• Before the first race: run 6-12 minutes easy, varying with the ambient temperature.
• Use less general warming-up on hot weather days.
• (More warming up is needed on cold weather days.)
• Then, run 5-minutes @ Tempo Pace or Effort (jog 1 minute).
• Then, run 5 x 30 seconds @ 5000m race effort (jog 50m recoveries).
• Then, run 5 x 10 seconds @ 1600m race speed (jog 20 seconds between reps).
• Next, jog 2-3 minutes.
• Hydrate with diluted sports drink.
• Be proactive about using the restroom.
• Stay warm if it is cold outside by jogging around and staying out of windy areas.
• If you are doing two warm-ups due to hot weather, elevate legs to reduce swelling.
• Rest in the shade if it is hot outside or when there is bright sunshine.
• Recline until ~15 minutes before the 3200m or 5000m race, if you are doing 2 warm-ups.
• Put on your racing shoes and double knot your shoes.
• Athletes should be near the starting line 10 minutes before their race begins.
• Give final instructions to athletes 10-minutes before the race. Keep it brief!
Specifics of the (2nd) 3200m & 5000m Race Warm-up For HOT WEATHER DAYS!
• 8-10 minutes before the race, start the second warm-up.
• Jog 2 minutes and then run 4x40m quick (about800m speed), jog back recoveries. • Walk and jog until it’s time to start the race. • Avoid running hard or fast during the las t5-minutes before the race.
Specifics of the (2ND) 3200m & 5000m Race Warm-up
• The 3200m & 5000m event requires a lot of patience.
• Get out quick the first 20-25 seconds and then settle into the average pace.
• Run the last 1km the fastest by not going into oxygen deficit the first km of the race!
• Too much bad information about race strategy ruins the performance level of runners.
• It is often not true that “runners must get out with the leaders” to perform their best.
• It’s the opposite in most cases because the leaders run too fast early-on.
• Only when there is a potential for a constricted pathway in the first 20% of the race that going out faster is necessary.
• Advise athletes to focus on rhythm, relaxation, and “checking out” periodically, to
borrow Joe Newton’s term.
• The splits should be slightly negative, meaning the latter half is faster than the first half.
• Runners who lack stamina will fade during the race until they kick the last 40 seconds.
• Pair runners with someone who brings out their best performance level.
• Protect your space during the most crucial times of the race; avoid being boxed in!
• Run half-wide of the man in front of you at crucial moments in the race.
• Accelerate off curves by first using your arms; legs follow the arms!
Specifics of the (2ND) 3200m & 5000m Pacing & Race Strategy
• Get out quick but settle down early enough to conserve energy.
• Run distance races using the “Tinman 20-60-20 Rule.”
• Run the first 20% easier than your think it should feel.
• Run the middle 60% at your average effort for the race.
• Run the last 20% all-in, bull-bore, no holds barred.
• Runners can throttle people the last 20% of the race if they are patient the first 20% of the race.
• Do the unexpected sometimes! This goes against the above rule, but can work well.
• The last 40 seconds are all about turning the legs over quickly.