Race Strategy

Strategy for the 800, 1600, and 3200

First and foremost, it's worth distinguishing between "competing" and "racing." They can occur simultaneously or independently. Competing entails lining up against opponents to determine who is the fastest, as seen in championship races, the Olympics, and State Meets. However, leading up to the season's pinnacle events, you're given several opportunities to compete and many chances to race. These races provide opportunities to test new strategies and focus on executing them to the best of your abilities. These plans can be strict, loose, or open-ended.

What does it look/feel like?

Strict racing plans, such as aiming for a specific time like 4:59 and planning to run 74, 75, 76, 75, often feel very confining and can lead to a desired performance but rarely help an athlete achieve a personal record because the mind tends to raise red flags when not exactly on pace as planned.

Loose Plans - We’ve discussed these before, involving working with ranges and allowing room for imperfection during the race, but coming together towards the end. For a sub-5:00 race, you might aim to open in 73-75, maintain effort at 76-74, stay strong through 1200 with another 73-75, and then push hard to close the last lap in 75 or faster. While the plans may seem similar on the surface, the approach is semantically different.

Open-Ended - I use this strategy with athletes who need to work on specific parts of a race and aren’t facing a competitive field or favorable weather conditions for a solo effort. The goal of this strategy is to set a specific time standard for a particular part of the race. For example, "Run the first 800 in control, hit goal pace from 800-1200, float 200m, and then push hard to close." This approach involves using races as workouts, addressing weaknesses, and building confidence in those areas.

The unlisted option is the “send-it,” where as a coach, I step back. This might occur when an athlete feels frustrated with holding back or emotionally charged about the race. I give them permission to "send-it" and try it their way, exploring for themselves. Sometimes, you need to learn from what doesn't work before trying another plan.

The 800m

The 3-second rule: I encourage runners to implement the 3-second rule when pacing the 800. If you have 52-second 400m fitness, you can likely open in 58 and close in 61 to hit the sub-2:00 800m mark. This also applies to girls; opening in 68 and closing in 71 is a normal pattern for HS girls breaking 2:20.

Due to the buildup in an 800m race, you’re likely to experience a net loss, and that's the desired outcome because you're fighting physiology. If an athlete runs a negative split in the 800m, they're often leaving time on the track. As you progress your effort, the mental hurdle to overcome is fearing a fast and aggressive first lap. Set a goal to listen for at 200m, stay steady through 400m, and then prepare to maintain or push at the 600m mark. This is when it's time to launch an attack and kick it into the finish, where your fast 200s in practice come into play. There's often little time to think in these races, and maintaining momentum is key to success. If you're going to pass, do it decisively; don’t make a slow pass - be assertive and go with your instincts. The best 800m runners are like assassins with a willingness to live up to their bravado.

Push, Maintain, Float, or Setup, PUSH.

The 1600m

This race is like a play in four acts. I coach athletes to rely on a progressive strategy or a negative split strategy. One common mistake I see in HS races is the inability to pace a quality first lap in a 1600m race, often resulting in a first lap 5-6 seconds faster than the final race average. For instance, a 5:20 girl (1:20/400m) might open in 1:15 but close in 1:22 and get overtaken by a competitor who paced more conservatively through 600/800m and managed their effort better. While the 3200m is an art and science of effort management, the 1600m is simply done at a faster pace.

In the first lap, you need to find your rhythm and position. For a target mile time of 5:59, your first 200m could be 43-41 seconds as you find your place in the field, but be mindful of your relative effort and avoid being pulled into a 1:22 opening lap (5:28 pace).

Lap 2 is about maintaining momentum and aiming to hit your goal split (90 seconds in this case). You may need to move up as others start to fade. The focus here is on momentum and managing effort.

Lap 3 can be challenging, as it's where negative thoughts may start to creep in, often resulting in the slowest lap of the race. This is when athletes worry about how much they have left and may slow down to "finish strong." However, slowing down here can disrupt momentum and make it harder to shift gears for a strong finish. I encourage athletes to take a softer approach through 800m, knowing they can execute a confident third lap and carry that momentum into the final lap.

Lap 4 is the commitment lap. There isn't much to say here. When you decide to go, make it count and push through the discomfort. It's almost over, and you'll be able to recover shortly.

The 3200m

This race doesn't follow the four-act structure; instead, it adheres to the rule of thirds. Splitting it into thirds may seem simplistic for an 8-lap race, so why not 4x 800m efforts? Because the focus is on hitting your range in the first mile, setting yourself up for lap 6, and then making laps 6-8 a spectacle for the spectators. Solo 3200m efforts can be mentally taxing, so I encourage distance athletes to race 3200s where they can have someone to work with for 2000m, although that's not always possible.

I like to break down the race into three parts: The First Mile, the next 800m/1000m, and the final 800m/600m. Position yourself well in the first mile, then "lock in" for the next 800m, and ride a line before pushing into the red zone. Some tactical maneuvering from 1600m-2600m should be expected. With 8-600m to go, be prepared to go with the moves or endure discomfort and give everything you have left.