The final sprint

happysongbird

happysongbird

Chapter Presidents
Jul 1, 2011
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Nampa, Idaho
dailyimprovisations.com
#1
I am preparing for my second barefoot race. The first was a 2 miler about a month ago. I was up to a 3.5 mile barefoot distance at that time, so the 2 miles was comfortable. The only unforeseen problem I had was the "need" to sprint at the end when someone was trying to pass me about 100 yards to the finish line. I may be a 50 year old woman, but I wasn't going to put up with that unnecessarily! (I was a sprinter in high school, a long time ago....) Well, they did not succeed, but I ended up with missing skin on one toe. I read and read and everyone says "don't push off," but when there is the moment to put it in that gear, it just happens! Now I'm signed up for 5K this coming Saturday. I have worked up to 5 miles totally barefoot, so again, feel ready for the distance, but am concerned about the end of the race again. It doesn't help any that I seem to have bruised the ball of my left foot dancing Friday night. (Barefoot runners make better dancers) But maybe it will be healed by then. So, what comments do you all have about the final push at the end of the race?
 
#2
I am curious as well, and BTW

I am curious as well, and BTW congrats on your first bf race, I have yet to reach that milestone. But I have the same problem, I usually do a crazy all out finish. A few races I have run with a partner who is a tad slower and had quite a bit left... I have picked up over 30 places once in the final sprint from my partner! In the last race I did my wife photographed me in the final sprint to the finish with tons of photos (just left the camera on rapid continous fire). My form was horrible, not only was I heel striking it was like I was pointing my toes stright up and slamming the ground with my heel! (That was actually when my avatar was taken). But I was taking about as long of strides as I could. I know bf this will never do.
 
#3
If I have enough energy to

If I have enough energy to sprint to the finish, I try to keep the same running form but just do it faster! Easier said than done though!
 
#4
I think there's a strong

I think there's a strong tendency to push off when sprinting, since we tend to run on the balls of our feet when we are sprinting, so it may be unavoidable to some or most of us. One thing you can definitely do though is build-up speed much sooner than 100 yards to the finish. Get going fast and strong in the last 1/4 mile, so you've already kicked it into gear. Good luck and have fun!
 
#5
I liked the way my race went

I liked the way my race went yesterday. Rather than hang around with all those competetive types to finish together, I left them in my dust on the long downhill and had the finish all to myself. That's what I'd recommend. If it doesn't work out and you still have pesky runners crowding you toward the finish, accelerate as gently as you can and keep as true to your form as possible.
 
#6
I ran a race yesterday which

I ran a race yesterday which was my first one barefoot. My friend who had already finished met me at the last turn. He said "let's sprint." It was like a switch was flipped. We took off like lightning. I leaned forward, bent my knees and drove it home hard. Still it was lots of small strides just faster. I think because my focus the whole race was on form, I didn't have to think about it at the end.
 
#7
If you're going to sprint or

If you're going to sprint or you think there is a chance you might, I would practice it first. Same goes for long up hills and down hills. I had the ocasion to give it all I had and then some on Saturday at the barefoot 5K race, but I've been prepping to go fast for the past month or more. I've been doing speed work with the local running club at one of the middle school rubber tracks. I started out easing into it and getting a little faster as my form at a quicker pace came along. Up and down, like I use to sprint in shoes, would bruise me and involve my toes, but after some practice...

Here is what works best for me. I stay low keeping the knees bent and feet landing under, same as normal pace running, try to keep my upper body "quiet" and ramp up my speed by leaning forward and picking up my turn over allowing my legs to travel back, but not above parallel and not pushing off. Think "Beep-Beep" Mrrrooooowwwwww! Like the Road Runner. Feet a blur, but the rest rock solid. So far, that's the form that's proven the easiest on my skin and I laid it all out accross the line on Saturday, sprinting the fastet I ever have barefoot! It actually felt really good!

-Jonny
 
#8
I sprint near the end of

I sprint near the end of every run I do. I guess maybe sprint is the wrong term, but I go as fast as my tired legs will allow me. This is all my training runs and I usually start picking up speed the last 1/4 of a mile or so. Eventually I will be able to get back to picking it up for the last 3/4 mile or so but I am just not able to do that anymore.
 
#10
FWIW, HSB, in my last race, a

FWIW, HSB, in my last race, a trail 10K, the course sort of lent itself to me starting my "kick" about 2 miles from the end. That's where the highpoint of the course turned into long downhills with some nice flatter stretches, and I was able to use BF skills to take advantage. I think it was BF Josh who has recently inspired me to want to go faster, but I am not, nor was I ever a sprinter. I really liked pacing my race to have more left in the second half and spend my energy chasing down all those folks who passed me earlier on.
 
#11
It's exciting isn't it, when

It's exciting isn't it, when you still have energy in the tank and others don't? I love that feeling of passing people in the final stretch.
 
#12
I also feel the need to pick

I also feel the need to pick it up that last 1/2 mile and then sprint once the finish line is in sight. My form was great for my whole run yesterday morning and my feet weren't bothering me at all. I got one little blister and I think it was from the last couple miles where I was trying to go faster. Ohh well.....with practice......
 
#13
NickW wrote:It's exciting

NickW said:
It's exciting isn't it, when you still have energy in the tank and others don't? I love that feeling of passing people in the final stretch.
Click to expand...

Yep, you blast by several people and then 2 steps fromt he finish line someone else pops in front of you! Where did they come from! Noooooo! lol

Back when I ran in HS CC I rarely could ever muster up any additional speed at the end let alone sprint. I just spent myself throughout the whole race I guess. But just about any race I have done since I have been able to pull off a pretty good sprint at the end. I suppose not being in 'racing' shape I just cant push my body as hard during the race.

It does feel good to give it all you have left at the end (when you have some left). I have passed quite a few in the end. Here is one that had online stats I did a screen shot off... My first race I ever ran with a partner was this 5k in 09. I am sure had I run on my own I would have been faster yet, but running at her pace (which was pretty impressive since she hadnt really even but jogged a couple times that year so far) I had plenty left at the end. I wasnt planning on leaving her in the dust but we went around the last turn and there was several people blocking her and I passed em around the outside. Looking back it was apparent she wasnt even going to try to pass em so I just said why not? Took off like a rocket and picked up quite a bit considering it couldnt have been much over 100 yards left...

http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/ac235/kc2ebm/run1.jpg
 
#14
I guess when I used to race I

I guess when I used to race I was pretty fast and never had anyone pass me near the end... Now that I am chunky and slow, I may have a ton of people pass me. The last race I ever did was in HI and was a forced half marathon, and we had to stay in a formation and run at an easy pace so we all finished together. We had lots of people pass us near the end. That seems like eons ago. I guess almost a decade would be considered an eon to some.... Maybe now that I'm running again I will start to do some races again in the near future, although at my pace now I wouldn't call it a race, but just a run.
 
#16
Your link doesn't work quite

Your link doesn't work quite well enough to get me to your blog, so I tracked it down by "DailyImprovisations."

You're doing a spectacular job of developing your BF running, to be taking AG prizes after only 3 months. I'd suggest you not push too much harder on the speed, and get some more milage on your "instrument" to build a bit more strength and shock absorbption into your legs and feet. Or not. It's just a thought.

It's going to be getting into winter soon and racing season will be sort of winding down. Next year you should be even more comfortable with the BF style and will be done with the pesky blisters and soreness that come from not having your form dialed in.

50 years old. Not bad for an old bird. Not bad. (I can almost get away with saying that, as I'll be 55 on my next BD.)

Carry on HSB/L.
 
#17
Songbird. When I sprint

Songbird.

When I sprint holding good form is difficult. Heel striking, foot slapping, pushing off. These guy seem so smooth

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5D56ZAvcxN0&feature=youtube_gdata_player
 
#18
Hi Songbird,I think maybe

Hi Songbird,

I think maybe what happens when we sprint is we increase our stride length and that causes us to push off. It should be leg speed that increases and you have to have discipline to keep the stride length from stretching out. Of course the way to do that is keep the legs bent and springy.

See what leg speed to can manage over short distances. When I count I always use my right leg on the ground as my count increment. Most times I'm around 90 per minute maybe you need to be up at over 100 for sprinting.

Regards

Neil
 
#19
I read in Ken Bob's book that

I read in Ken Bob's book that in order to stop the "foot slapping" you have to take shorter strides. I hope this helps.
 
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