Q: Killer Sessions Change Your Plans
A:
I killed it today! My session on the track was speed endurance, and I was so friggen nervous for it all morning. Rowland was making a special trip up from the European Championships to see Nick and I work out, which added to the anticipation. If he’s taking a one hour train to be there, you better not blow it.
The highlight of the session was a 1000 in 2:44.0, running it with each 200 faster than the previous, like a wind-up. That was right in the middle of the session, and I still managed to finish off the day respectably.
Before that session, my focus was entirely on getting into Stockholm and London to race back-t0-back 5k’s. After the session, all we could talk about was trying to get into a 1500 within a week. We determined I’d try to get into a Belgian Meet on the 8th, and when I picked up my phone to text my agent, I read that I had been confirmed as a rabbit in Stockholm for the 5k. Hmmm. What to do?
Being “confirmed” in track is just like it is in the Catholic Church. It takes a lot of work to get in, but once you’re in, it can’t be undone. I’ve heard horror stories of athletes backing out of meets they were confirmed in, only to get permanently blacklisted from future entries. The politics of getting into races is a subject worthy of a book series of its own.
So the 1500 will have to wait a few weeks. For now I’m off to Belgium tomorrow at 6am to get the hell out of this place until its time to rabbit Stockholm.
What does it mean to be “confirmed as a rabbit” – you will run the race but don’t count for the placing? Or will you just run a certain number of laps at a certain pace and then drop out?
Congrats on the speedy speedwork! That must be such an amazing feeling to suddenly realize you’re ready for way more than you thought, especially your first season back after such a long break from racing. Exciting!
I don’t know too much about the behind the scene specifics (such as how the pace to hit gets determined, among other things), but I know what rabbits basically do in races. Usually, a time goal at a certain distance (almost always more than halfway through the race) will be given, and it’s the rabbit’s job to run to hit the goal time at the distance as evenly as possible. This pace then provides a good platform for the top runners in the field to run fast (often with a goal of setting a PB or SB). I have heard of rabbits finishing (I think Sammy Korir was a rabbit for Tergat when Tergat set the world record in the marathon), but I don’t know whether that’s generally encouraged if the rabbit is feeling good or frowned upon.
More concretely, a rabbit in a 5k might run the first 3k in 9 minutes to set up a time in the 14:50s if the athletes kick hard and haven’t let the pace lag after the rabbit steps off. Lauren is probably scheduled to go through a bit faster. Any additional details, corrections, or clarifications are welcome.
Lauren is toeing the line to help Stockholm record its 84th world record set in this stadium – the only stadium in the world with so many world records set. The women’s 5.000m two years ago was a heart-breaker for Mesert Defar, who finished with 14’12″88 to finish a heart-breaking 1″73s off of Tirunesh Dibaba’s world record of 14’11″15 set a month earlier at Bislett. Olga Komyagina, an 8’42 3.000m runner – and also successful pace-setter – had pace-setting duties that time. Lauren is stepping into a big role here to help Defar, who as many know has that nasty kick the final 400m of her races, to stay on course to utilise it and kick past Diaba’s two-year-old world record.
The paces desired are going to be tough, and the meet organiser, Rajne Söderberg, needs someone who will run as evenly and closely as possible to achieve the pace desired by him along with the top competitors. The DN Galan is Sweden’s biggest sporting event each and every year.
Good luck with that we will also stay glued in front of the TV for that.
My question is can a rabbit actually continue on and finish the race? I mean is it allowed? Or is it frowned upon by the organisers etc.? I think there are some people who have done this in the past but I am not sure.