by Ujena Fit Club Coach Barry Anderson  Generally speaking, the shorter the race, the more intense or complete your warm-up should be. In fact, many believe that for marathons, or even half marathons, the first miles of the race can be used to warm-up by starting slower than your projected race pace.

Since the initial pace of 5Ks and 10Ks or shorter race is much faster, a complete warm-up should be used. For most runners, this warm-up would consist of some easy running of a mile or less and, hopefully, some gentle static stretching. Most would also include some quicker strides of 50 to 100 yards at or above their race pace in the last few minutes before the start.

This traditional warm-up routine misses an important element of a thorough preparation to race. If you add some longer, fast paced runs after your initial easy running and stretching, you will be preparing your lungs, heart, and circulatory system to race also. These could be 1 or 2 runs of 200 to 400 yards at or slightly above race pace with a short recovery time between each. Try to do these 20 minutes or so before the race start followed by some easy running and additional stretching.  Add your quick strides right before the race starts and you should be completely ready to race.

 Barry Anderson was the women’s track coach for 10 years at Kansas State University. He organized the first women’s Big 8 conference championship, and coached over 30 athletes that earned All-American status.  Barry just started back running last year after a 26 year layoff. He ran competitively from age 13 through college. "My brother Bob got me started running in the early 60's...and he has done it again now that I am 60."

Above Photo: Honor and Shelley warming up before the recent 2012 Great Race in Los Gotos.  Honor ran 26:40 for four miles at age 57.  The warm-up must have worked.  Photo by Catherine Cross

I saw Steve Scott before the start of the Carlsbad 5000 a couple of years ago. He told me that he had to warm up a lot more since turning 40...I think that day he ran a sub 15 5k!!!
Bob Anderson 5/8/12 12:56 pm

I always did two miles and then strides. Scott was correct. I don't race much anymore but even before a harder workout I run slowly for 25-30 minutes, do strides and then go do the workout,
Richard Stiller 5/8/12 8:46 pm

Before my last race I did 2.25 slow about 45 minutes out then did a few real short strides about 20 minutes out. Was the longest warmup I have done but I also had the best race time since I started back.
Steven Richardson 5/9/12 7:07 am

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by Ujena Fit Club Coach Barry Anderson  Runners who are racing 5ks and/or 10ks frequently (2-3 times per month) may want to make sure that some of these races are used as a part of your training program. This is particularly true if there are races on your schedule where you are pointing toward a personal record (PR) or want to defeat one of your top rivals. Sometimes over-racing can lead to injury and/or disappointment if your times do not improve each time you race or fail to reach your race goals.

Go into these “training” races with a different purpose in mind. If you have been having trouble with finishing races strong, start out at a comfortable training run pace and try to accelerate through the end of the race. You may also want to practice surging and floating during your race. During a surge, run at a pace above your race pace for approximately 400-800 meters (or for a certain length of time) then ease into a comfortable training pace (float) for recovery. Repeat this process several times throughout the “training” race. Or, work on running even mile splits at 10-15% slower than you best race times. This can help you further understand the feel of pace.

When you approach races with this purpose in mind, you will not need to taper or sacrifice your training routine. Just consider this run as one of your quality workouts for the week. Sometimes you may even be surprised at the times you run.

Barry Anderson was the women’s track coach for 10 years at Kansas State University. He was responsible for organizing and hosting the first women’s Big 8 conference championship, and coached over 30 athletes that earned All-American status. These athletes included All-Americans in cross country and in track events from the 880 yard run through the 2 mile. 

Barry also participated in track and cross country as a middle distance and distance runner. This included competitive racing at the AAU club level beginning at age 13 and continued through high school, with five state championship top 5 finishes, and earned two letters in his college career.

Above Photo: start of the Ave of the Giants Half Marathon photo by Catherine Cross Ujena Fit Club

As you know, I am racing nearly every weekend this year between 5k and half marathon...it can be tough when you don't hit your goal but you have to shake it off and move to next week. My 5k and 4 mile time in this weekends half was almost as fast as I have been racing those distances...what do you think about that?
Bob Anderson 5/7/12 2:38 pm

Barry, back in the day I used races all the time in place of speed workouts. I called them 95%ers. I would not run them all out but during the race I eould move from tempo to more race-like efforts. I did much better off of these thsn track workouts which tended to tear me up.
Richard Stiller 5/7/12 3:32 pm

If I were running 50 races in a year I would not try to run each one all out. You only have so many really good races in you over a year. I would aim to be fresher for the longer races which are your strength and run the shorter races as Barry described. You'll still be well under your seven pace goal on those.
Richard Stiller 5/7/12 3:35 pm

Richard, we did this also back in the days at K-State. Bob, I don't want to be the cause of you missing your goal but would like to see you try some negative split running and not your "bank it early" style. It will take a different mental approach but, as Richard says, you will still be under your goal. In your next 5k try a first mile at 7:00-7:10 which should seem to be an easy pace based on the splits I have seen. Then pick up your tempo through the last 2 miles gradually with your last mile being the fastest. Don't worry about where you place but you will surprise yourself with how well you will run. Probably will feel better afterward...and recover faster. Your biggest danger in reaching your goal is over-racing. Can lead to injury and/or mental exhaustion. Have some fun on a few of these.
Barry Anderson 5/7/12 6:23 pm

I am having lunch with Bob Thursday. Will discuss but you know Bob. He is all out. But that's what makes him such a force.
Richard Stiller 5/7/12 7:07 pm

Very true...has been that way his entire life. Would love to see him try splits like 7:00/6:40/6:20 plus or minus 5-10 seconds on each. You are a great asset to the Fit Club Richard. Hope we can meet in person some day.
Barry Anderson 5/7/12 7:19 pm

I would like to run splits like this but I do like to bank time early...but I know I don't want to be in the spot I was in when running the Zippy 5k...or even the Great Race...in both cases I needed more of a warm up I think...
Bob Anderson 5/8/12 11:53 am

I think what Barry is saying is that you can't run each race all out.
Richard Stiller 5/8/12 11:57 am

I have run 20 so far all out...I don't know how else to race...and this is what makes my 50 race Challenge more interesting...dealing with injuries, burn-out, stress, etc....certainly keeps it more interesting...race 21 this weekend!!!
Bob Anderson 5/8/12 12:28 pm

Exactly...racing "all out" every week will take a toll both physically and mentally. Physically, you can turn this into a 1-1.5 mile hard run by running a very comfortable pace (for you) the first mile...will also get you warmed up better...the next .5-1mile is a gradual build in tempo...then see what you can do the rest of the way to the finish. Don't set an overall time goal. Of course this is like asking a life time smoker to stop cold turky.
Barry Anderson 5/8/12 12:30 pm

You know yourself best Bob and should do what you feel most comfortable with towards your 50 race goal. With some of the splits I have seen you run (6:30 last mile in the Zippy on a bad day...your words) I think it would be interesting to see if you could go 6:20. You would be passing people like crazy (probably, but know nothing about the race). If you went around 7:00 and 6:40 for the first 2 miles you would still have a good time. No need to fret about it however.
Barry Anderson 5/8/12 1:06 pm

MY thoughts on pacing are the longer the race the more important pacing becomes. In my case with many years of racing experience under my belt the 1st mile of a race is automatically built in. Thats to say my body goes out at what it feels like which usually borders on the edge of sane. Racing every week is totally different as I know from cross-country season when you run something like 12 races week after week. Keeping your head in the game becomes spotty and more attention must be paid to the mind and body. I still try to push as hard as I can this time of year but as I said it's only 12 weeks , not 50 races and 1 year.
Bill Dunn 5/8/12 4:32 pm

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