Millersville Mile 2010 - Race Strategy

I am going to configure my GPS watch to display my split times at each quarter mile.  I need to run each quarter mile in under ninety seconds in order to finish the mile in under six minutes.

My game plan is to come out with a fast initial quarter mile.  I need to come in between 80 and 90 seconds for the first mile.  If I finish the first quarter mile faster than 80 seconds I will increase my risk for having no energy left for a fast finish.

I should be in the  first dozen or so racers at this point.  I anticipate several runners being approximately 50 to 75 yards ahead at this juncture.  These runners will finish the mile in under five minutes. I can not concern myself about keeping up with these runners, at least not this year.


Based upon my split for the first quarter mile, I will adjust my pace for the second quarter mile.  I want to conserve as much energy as possible for the last quarter mile. Mentally I will be settling down within the second quarter mile, everyone should be within their pace comfort zones at this stage. There is a fair amount of separation now within the runners among the field.

The third quarter mile is the set-up segment of this race. You are setting up your strategy for the final quarter mile.  At this point either you have your running mojo for the day or you do not.  You sense you will have a kick for the end of the race or you are on auto-pilot trying to sustain your current pace in an attempt to stave off a dozen runners passing you in the last fifty yards before the finish line.

The last quarter of a mile is the most exciting part of the race.  You are typically battling someone for position, you can see the finish line,  and the people lining the race route are cheering . It's been a long time since I have caught anyone at the end of a race.  I have had to outrun runners trying to pass myself in the last fifty yards of a race.

The last exciting component of the race is watching the clock tick off the seconds as you approach the finish line.  The official race clock typically has numbers some eight inches high making it very easy to see from a distance.  I have had several occasions where I was very pleased with what the clock was reading as I approached the finish line and pushed harder to get to the end and set a new personal record.