Finding your strengths and weaknesses with regards to distance racing or middle distance racing takes focused effort and time. We offer the following suggestions on how to get your race finish together and use it for the upcoming invitationals and conference meets.

Four Weeks to a Good Kick
So, what is the difference between 2.10 in the 800 and finishing 8th and 2.08.5 and sixth place? What is the difference between a 10.30 3200 m run and a 10.26 and an new personal best?

The difference is your ability to kick. This kick thing, or finish is not something that comes about without some hard work. Sure, at the end of your race, you might be able to conjer up some hard last 80 meters, but with some mental training, and a few additions to your workouts, and you can develop a kick or finish that takes advantage of your best racing attributes.

To develop a real kick takes a good five to six weeks. Right now- the end of April, most of you are four weeks from finishing your season. But most of you are also in pretty good shape.

My suggestions are pretty simple, but, they are taken from years of coaching, and interviews with top athletes, and they work.

Your goal is to get a personal best at conference and at the post season meets. Your distance work has gone well, and your speed work has gone well, so here are the finishing touches, much like a painter adding a little blue to his clouds or yellow to his fields.

Sunday--Long easy run-run second half of run faster than first--not hard, but put more effort into it, and do this on your easy days as well. It teaches you to run stronger near the end of your race, where you are tired.

Monday--Probably a Speed day. Divide your speed work reps into sections and try running the second half faster than first, and see how you feel. Do you feel too tired? Is it too early for your to move? If you have good speed, you might try and divide your reps into four parts, and run part 4 the fastest.

After workout, do ten stride outs, relaxed, yet strong over 100 yards.

Tuesday--Easy day, Run Hour, finish up with stride outs

Wednesday--Hard day--remember to work on portion of intervals where you know that you can increase your speed, practice it, think about it, make it part of your running.

Thursday--Easy Day--run second half of run faster than first half, do stride outs.

Friday--Meet

Warm up, do two 200 meter runs before the race, at good pace, ten minutes before, jog some more, run two 200s easy, but brisk get to start During race, if you are running a mile, try and make a move over third lap and see what you can do. In a 800m run,make a move over the 400 to 600 mark. In two mile, try and move with two laps to go, and make a strong move. Over the last lap, try and keep something for the last 200 and run hard to the finish, remember to run through the finish, or you may loose the race!

Saturday--just in weeks before big races, last 3 to 4 races of season. Run 30 minutes and do six times 300 meters, cut down, each 300 must be faster than one before--so if one is in 59, then next is in 58, and so on. Great way to get down finish pace.

The additions are not hard, but the practice of developing a finishing kick will give the athlete another way to finish a well run race!

For more articles on training, please check out www.coacheseducation.com.