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Can Lagat-esque Tactics be Taught?
By Bryan Green
"Running from the front requires more energy. But then again, so does catching up to the leader."
I wish I knew where I first heard that quote, but it always sticks with me when I watch championship racing. If you could pick one place to be in the final lap, it would be 2nd place, one stride back from the leader, on the outside of lane 1 (preferably without Imane Merga slapping your arm and pushing you outside). You're not in the front, but you're at the front, and you have to work the least to catch the leader.
You know who is always in that position? Bernard Lagat.
Bernard Lagat just won a medal in his 6th outdoor championship, dating back to 2001 (and he likely would have medaled in 2003 and 2005 had he not been forced to sit out). Obviously, Lagat is one of the most talented runners to ever lace up a pair of spikes. But the fact that he continues to place so well against the world's best at age 36 is a matter of more than just talent. He's no longer the best runner in the world, but he's arguably the best tactician.
All you can aim to do in a race is give yourself the best chance at placing as high as possible. Lagat always puts himself in that position. In fact, the art of executing perfect race tactics should just be named after him at this point. We should all agree to call perfectly run races "Bernards" and to describe the right move at the right time as "Lagatesque". Shouldn't we?
Why is it that Lagat can always run this way and others can't?
To Mix It Up, Or Not To Mix It Up
We first need to look at racing styles. In general, there are three distinct race styles, and athletes tend to fall into one of the following: front-runners, big kickers, or mixer-upers.
Front-runners are a rare breed. They go for it at the gun and challenge you to beat them. Front-running, especially in championship settings, requires a unique combination of outstanding ability and what we might call delusional confidence. Pre's myth centers around his front-running approach. Another classic front-runner was Johnny Gray, who never met a race he didn't need to lead. I think we can fairly assume his shins were the least spiked in history. Charles Jock may be the next Johnny Gray.
Big kickers are the opposite of front-runners. They hang as far back as possible--often dangerously far back--and rely on a huge kick to catch everyone as late as possible. These guys are equally one-dimensional, albeit more thrilling to watch than front-runners. The big problem for big kickers is that at some point, someone else in the race will have the same big kick and if you're at the back when the race really starts, you'll probably lose. Nick Symmonds appears to be learning this, to his credit. Maggie Vessey, Andrew Wheating, Robby Andrews, there are a lot of young American athletes who continue to use this approach exclusively to devastating success...and failure.
Mixer-upers are the guys who change their tactics for every race. They mix it up with everyone, fight for position, aim to be in the right place at the right time, and are always trying to manufacture the perfect race. Mixer-upers need to be constantly aware and reacting to the dynamic changes taking place mid-race. This leaves them susceptible to other problems, like getting boxed in, kicked in the shins, tripped up, etc. But when it works, these athletes are most likely to put themselves where you really want to be at the bell: 2nd place, one stride back, outside of lane 1.
Most athletes are mixer-upers, if only because they don't have the necessary kick and/or they aren't delusional. But most are not capable of consistently running ideal races in a championship setting. Bernard Lagat is an exception, a mixer-uper who thrives in championships. Have you noticed that Bernard Lagat never loses to big kickers? That's because a) he has a pretty damn good kick, and b) when the kicking starts, he's always in better position than the big kicker.
If you're going to beat Bernard Lagat, you're going to have to both mix it up with him and be better than him. A pretty hard task, as very few combine the consistently superior tactics with the finishing kick needed. Mo Farah did, and he won the men's 5000m as a result. But no one else did.
Can Lagatesque Tactics be Taught?
Are superior race tactics a skill that can be taught, or is the answer simply, "Some people get it and others don't"?
I think Lagat's approach can be taught, for the most part. The challenge is in maintaining the composure to execute it. The first step is to simply understand what it is he does. Luckily, Bernard Lagat has been running the same race for the past decade. It is so predictable as to be boring.
A "Bernard" can be summed up in 6 parts:
1. Stay out of trouble early-mid race. If possible, stay on the outside of lane 1. If you have good position mid-race, don't give it up. It's better to start at the back and move up on the outside than get trapped on the rail mid-race.
2. Be in the top 3 by the last lap. Sacrifice position early to have the freedom to move up by the last lap. Aim to be on the outside of lane 1.
3. Don't take the lead. You should only take the lead once, when you are sure nobody can catch you. For Bernard that's usually with about 100m to go.
4. Don't go at the bell. Everybody goes at the bell. Too hard and too fast usually. If you're aiming to win, you need to go just enough to keep contact with the leaders. But you don't need to be right with them. Most races are won in the final 100m, not the backstretch.
5. Don't give up. How many times have we seen someone open up a big lead from the bell to the final straight, only to get reeled in by the strongest finisher in the last 100m? People who go early almost always come back. So stay close enough to not lose faith.
6. Have a good finish. The first five don't matter if you don't have it at the end.
It's simple but devastatingly effective. Of course the X-factor is number 6. Take Galen Rupp in both of his races. He ran very good tactical races but didn't have it at the end. So it goes.
A couple other Americans did have good finishes, however, and came home with medals as a result. Jennifer Simpson took a page out of Lagat's book to win the women's 1500m gold, and Matt Centrowitz surpassed all expectations and snuck a bronze in the men's 1500m.
Simpson is a world-class steeplechaser who chose to run in on "off-event", the 1500m. She has a 3:59 PR in the event, so it's not as though she had no credentials heading into the meet, but she was far from the favorite. Still, she's a tenacious competitor, and is always mixing it up with the lead pack. The final in Daegu was no different. She stayed right near the front, didn't respond when everyone went too hard too soon at the bell, got to the outside and then picked people off down the homestretch to take the title.
And Centrowitz was an even bigger surprise. A 21-year old senior at the University of Oregon, he won the NCAA title (not a surprise) and then the US title (kind of a surprise), but if he'd been eliminated in the semis in Daegu everyone would have considered the experience a success. Instead he controlled and won his semi (a race in which reigning champ Yusuf Saad Kamel failed to qualify), ran in perfect position at the front throughout the final, maintained his poise as the crowd jumped him at the bell, and kicked home faster than a slough of veterans to take bronze. It wasn't just a Lagatesque final, it was a Lagatesque season.
What did Jennifer Simpson and Matt Centrowitz have in common with Bernard Lagat? They executed a simple plan. They always got themselves into the position they wanted to be in. When they had good position, they didn't give it up easily. They didn't get excited and go too early. Even when they were gapped, they maintained enough connection to stay competitive. And of course, they finished.
That's the part that can be taught. In order to do it, however, they had to stay composed and disciplined as each round and each lap of the final heated up. They couldn't get caught up in the moment and make a mistake. You don't know if someone has that ability until they show it.
"Running from the front requires more energy. But then again, so does catching up to the leader."
I wish I knew where I first heard that quote, but it always sticks with me when I watch championship racing. If you could pick one place to be in the final lap, it would be 2nd place, one stride back from the leader, on the outside of lane 1 (preferably without Imane Merga slapping your arm and pushing you outside). You're not in the front, but you're at the front, and you have to work the least to catch the leader.You know who is always in that position? Bernard Lagat.
Bernard Lagat just won a medal in his 6th outdoor championship, dating back to 2001 (and he likely would have medaled in 2003 and 2005 had he not been forced to sit out). Obviously, Lagat is one of the most talented runners to ever lace up a pair of spikes. But the fact that he continues to place so well against the world's best at age 36 is a matter of more than just talent. He's no longer the best runner in the world, but he's arguably the best tactician.
All you can aim to do in a race is give yourself the best chance at placing as high as possible. Lagat always puts himself in that position. In fact, the art of executing perfect race tactics should just be named after him at this point. We should all agree to call perfectly run races "Bernards" and to describe the right move at the right time as "Lagatesque". Shouldn't we?
Why is it that Lagat can always run this way and others can't?
To Mix It Up, Or Not To Mix It Up
 Johnny Gray's shins were never touched by a competitor's spikes. |
Front-runners are a rare breed. They go for it at the gun and challenge you to beat them. Front-running, especially in championship settings, requires a unique combination of outstanding ability and what we might call delusional confidence. Pre's myth centers around his front-running approach. Another classic front-runner was Johnny Gray, who never met a race he didn't need to lead. I think we can fairly assume his shins were the least spiked in history. Charles Jock may be the next Johnny Gray.
Big kickers are the opposite of front-runners. They hang as far back as possible--often dangerously far back--and rely on a huge kick to catch everyone as late as possible. These guys are equally one-dimensional, albeit more thrilling to watch than front-runners. The big problem for big kickers is that at some point, someone else in the race will have the same big kick and if you're at the back when the race really starts, you'll probably lose. Nick Symmonds appears to be learning this, to his credit. Maggie Vessey, Andrew Wheating, Robby Andrews, there are a lot of young American athletes who continue to use this approach exclusively to devastating success...and failure.
Mixer-upers are the guys who change their tactics for every race. They mix it up with everyone, fight for position, aim to be in the right place at the right time, and are always trying to manufacture the perfect race. Mixer-upers need to be constantly aware and reacting to the dynamic changes taking place mid-race. This leaves them susceptible to other problems, like getting boxed in, kicked in the shins, tripped up, etc. But when it works, these athletes are most likely to put themselves where you really want to be at the bell: 2nd place, one stride back, outside of lane 1.
Most athletes are mixer-upers, if only because they don't have the necessary kick and/or they aren't delusional. But most are not capable of consistently running ideal races in a championship setting. Bernard Lagat is an exception, a mixer-uper who thrives in championships. Have you noticed that Bernard Lagat never loses to big kickers? That's because a) he has a pretty damn good kick, and b) when the kicking starts, he's always in better position than the big kicker.
If you're going to beat Bernard Lagat, you're going to have to both mix it up with him and be better than him. A pretty hard task, as very few combine the consistently superior tactics with the finishing kick needed. Mo Farah did, and he won the men's 5000m as a result. But no one else did.
Bernard Lagat on the last lap in Daegu - right where he wants to be. |
Are superior race tactics a skill that can be taught, or is the answer simply, "Some people get it and others don't"?
I think Lagat's approach can be taught, for the most part. The challenge is in maintaining the composure to execute it. The first step is to simply understand what it is he does. Luckily, Bernard Lagat has been running the same race for the past decade. It is so predictable as to be boring.
A "Bernard" can be summed up in 6 parts:
1. Stay out of trouble early-mid race. If possible, stay on the outside of lane 1. If you have good position mid-race, don't give it up. It's better to start at the back and move up on the outside than get trapped on the rail mid-race.
2. Be in the top 3 by the last lap. Sacrifice position early to have the freedom to move up by the last lap. Aim to be on the outside of lane 1.
3. Don't take the lead. You should only take the lead once, when you are sure nobody can catch you. For Bernard that's usually with about 100m to go.
4. Don't go at the bell. Everybody goes at the bell. Too hard and too fast usually. If you're aiming to win, you need to go just enough to keep contact with the leaders. But you don't need to be right with them. Most races are won in the final 100m, not the backstretch.
5. Don't give up. How many times have we seen someone open up a big lead from the bell to the final straight, only to get reeled in by the strongest finisher in the last 100m? People who go early almost always come back. So stay close enough to not lose faith.
6. Have a good finish. The first five don't matter if you don't have it at the end.
It's simple but devastatingly effective. Of course the X-factor is number 6. Take Galen Rupp in both of his races. He ran very good tactical races but didn't have it at the end. So it goes.
A couple other Americans did have good finishes, however, and came home with medals as a result. Jennifer Simpson took a page out of Lagat's book to win the women's 1500m gold, and Matt Centrowitz surpassed all expectations and snuck a bronze in the men's 1500m.
Simpson is a world-class steeplechaser who chose to run in on "off-event", the 1500m. She has a 3:59 PR in the event, so it's not as though she had no credentials heading into the meet, but she was far from the favorite. Still, she's a tenacious competitor, and is always mixing it up with the lead pack. The final in Daegu was no different. She stayed right near the front, didn't respond when everyone went too hard too soon at the bell, got to the outside and then picked people off down the homestretch to take the title.
And Centrowitz was an even bigger surprise. A 21-year old senior at the University of Oregon, he won the NCAA title (not a surprise) and then the US title (kind of a surprise), but if he'd been eliminated in the semis in Daegu everyone would have considered the experience a success. Instead he controlled and won his semi (a race in which reigning champ Yusuf Saad Kamel failed to qualify), ran in perfect position at the front throughout the final, maintained his poise as the crowd jumped him at the bell, and kicked home faster than a slough of veterans to take bronze. It wasn't just a Lagatesque final, it was a Lagatesque season.
What did Jennifer Simpson and Matt Centrowitz have in common with Bernard Lagat? They executed a simple plan. They always got themselves into the position they wanted to be in. When they had good position, they didn't give it up easily. They didn't get excited and go too early. Even when they were gapped, they maintained enough connection to stay competitive. And of course, they finished.
That's the part that can be taught. In order to do it, however, they had to stay composed and disciplined as each round and each lap of the final heated up. They couldn't get caught up in the moment and make a mistake. You don't know if someone has that ability until they show it.
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