“Ripping off the bandaid“
Last weekend, Colin Abert, Owen Hoeft, and Emi Trost all raced an indoor mile at the Jim Emmerich Invitational at South Dakota State University. Colin and Owen ended up 4th and 5th in 4:06.66 and 4:06.75, while Emi was 5th in 5:04.72.
This was the first indoor race of 2023 for the team, and as such, it was what we often term a “rust-buster.” For Emi, it was actually her first indoor mile since 2017. The phrase she used was “ripping off the bandaid” which I think provides a very vivid description of what that first race of the season can feel like. While we always go into any competition with the intention of running as well as possible, it’s important to remember that not every race is going to entered into in peak fitness and sharpness. For Colin and Owen, they will be back on the track this week, with a Friday mile race at Boston University. Emi will return to the track next week, with an 800m at the University of Minnesota.
With longer races such as a half marathon or marathon, we almost always try to get in a couple of shorter “tune-up” races beforehand. This allows the athlete a chance to remember what it feels like to race, to gain an understanding of where their fitness stands, and to identify areas that need improvement. In the shorter distance races like the mile, tune-up races may be the same distance, or either shorter or longer.
These tune-up races are even more important for athletes in the middle distance event range, as the precision needed to execute one’s best race is even higher. Whereas a half marathon runner can start off slightly off pace and easily adjust, a miler has lower margins for error, simply due to the short duration of the event. By the same token, the time it takes to recover from a mile race is much less than it would be for a longer race, so the benefits of more frequent racing usually outweigh the risks for middle distance runners.
So for those of you targeting some races later in the spring, consider signing up for an early season race or two as a fitness check. You will not only gain a better understanding of your fitness, strengths and weaknesses, but also will up your mental game for the next outing.
Whether you are preparing for a racing season, or trying to get back into some other activity or practice, try embracing a mindset that places value in getting back out there, regardless of where you are at in your process. Don’t let desire for optimal performance keep you on the sidelines, either in running or elsewhere in life. Embrace the imperfection, learn from it, and move on to the next thing.
I’m curious to know, how do you intend to bust the rust this year? Comment below, or shoot me an email at coachlundo@gmail.com.
Chris Lundstrom is the head coach of Minnesota Distance Elite – formerly Team USA Minnesota – which includes some of the top distance runners in the USA, including Annie Frisbie, Dakota Lindwurm and Joel Reichow.
