WHEN YOU CONSIDER

the fact that Mo Farah was virtually unbeatable in the 5000m and 10,000m in major championships over the last six years, it’s surprising to remember that he often raced against men with faster PBS. The key to his success was his race strategy, in particular his focus on the finish: he knew his kick was his greatest strength, so he relied on that instead of trying to break away early. His approach involved a long drawn-out acceleration over the final 500-800m of a race, giving him time to sap the speed of others who might have been quicker over the final 100m. His surges over the final lap were a powerful display of why distance runners need finishing speed.

Many runners believe you’re born a kicker or not, but don’t sell yourself short. ‘People think they’re limited by genetics, but that stuff can be manipulated to a degree,’ says coach Steve Magness. ‘You are never going to be a sprinter, but you can shift fibre types.’ Sean Coster, an exercise physiologist and running coach, says speed is different from finishing power. True top speed can only be sustained for 60-80m by most runners, he says. So a more viable asset is the ability to close hard on tired legs. This takes a unique kind of development. Distance runners need to improve their base speed enough to make the pace of longer races feel somewhat easier, but then be able to dip into that speed reserve when it’s time to power home.