Autumn 2007 - British Milers Club

different and some may be flat, somemay be hilly and others will incorporateboth. Add to this twists and turns,single and multiple laps and varyingunderfoot conditions for cross countryand tactics probably play an integralpart as much as physical attributes.Races at altitude for sea-level athletesare very difficult indeed and althoughaltitude acclimatisation is essential,those that are born and live there havean underlying advantage. 5000m and10000m races in particular are verydifficult for sea level athletes thoughraces at the marathon at mediumaltitudes are not so difficult due to theaerobic requirements of the event.particular race. If the athlete is not asfit as they could be due to a previousillness or injury they may have toconsider running a much different raceto their normal plan to get as good aresult as possible.Opposition capabilityHow any one applies themselves in arace is down to the quality of theopposition and what tactics they mayemploy. Although some athletes areself-confessed ‘kickers’ preferring tofollow the pace and sprint for homeusing their superior speed,no one should ever expect any race tobe run one dimensionally. Alwaysexpect the unexpected is the best wayto approach tactics and don’t enter anyrace with only one plan, unless you area Bekele or Dibaba, and even theyprepare themselves for anything theopposition may throw at them.Weather conditionsClimatic conditions can affectindividuals dramatically and change theoutcome of races significantly. Runningin hot and humid conditions doesn’tsuit anyone, but some cope muchbetter than others and those that live inthose environments have a distinctadvantage. So if you are aninternational running in a major gamesin those type of conditions some sort ofacclimatisation will be needed to offsetthis disadvantage. Adverse temperatureisn’t always heat related and extremesof cold can be encountered in a winterseason, this usually affects athletes theleast, although some find it difficult tooperate efficiently. Rain very rarelyhinders athletes though if it is freezingcold as well then improperly attiredathletes will suffer. Wind is probably anathlete’s worst natural enemy and if thetactic is to run from the front then thestrength will be drained from them ifthe wind is particularly strong bybattling two elements, the field and theresistance of the wind. Obviously all ofthese things are exacerbated by thelonger the racing distance, heat inparticular will affect an 800m athletemuch less than an athlete competing ina marathon. Those running indoorsmay find the smaller running area andsloping bends problematic but oneadvantage is that the temperature isconstant and there is no problem withthe wind, so front running is a mucheasier option and indeed many do thisas they can control and dictate the paceto their satisfaction.Course layout andgeographical locationAll cross country and road courses areUnderfoot conditionsJust like racehorses some athletes runwell in heavy conditions whilst othersonly perform well on firm ground andthe lucky ones are adept on either.Deciding where to make a break orincrease the pace in such conditionsmust be given a lot of thought so thatmaximum impact can be made andmaintained.Number of competitors in raceAlthough not usually a problem for theelite athlete, mass fields in crosscountry and road races can hinderprogress and pace judgement. Howeverin track events the number ofcompetitors especially in 800m and1500m races dictates where the athleteneeds to be to strike for home. Inindoor races this requires even greaterattention due to the smaller and moredifficult running circuit and intelligentpositioning is almost as important forsuccess as physical prowess. Elbowsare pointed and arms bend at rightangles for a reason! They preventcompetitors running too closely andmake them run wide around bendsespecially in an indoor competition.Qualification raceTrack championships usually involve aminimum of heats and a final andqualifying is an essentiality and more18 BMC News : Autumn 2007