Finishing Strong
Finishing strong isn’t just for super fit runners, age group winners, or elites.
Finishing strong is a skill, not a talent.
Do you sometimes fade to the finish of your run or workout? Want to work on your finishing speed and strength?
Here are some ways to start practicing in your training runs and workouts.
Make it a Habit
The best way to ensure you’ll have a strong finish in your next race is to finish every single run strong.
No exceptions.
Steady training run? Dial it up in the last few minutes. Interval workout? Aim to make your last interval the best or fastest of them all.
“Last One Best One” (LOBO) is my training and coaching philosophy. Even an easy recovery run should end with the knowledge that if you wanted to, you could run faster.
Start Slower!
Even the fastest runners in the world can lose their ability to finish strong - simply by starting too fast. We all have an upper limit to our speed, so the only way to ensure a strong finish is a more comfortable start.
Finishing strong isn’t about fitness level, it depends on pacing ourselves and measuring our effort, saving some energy with the intention of finishing strong. If you’re struggling to finish strong or you can’t get "LOBO on your final interval, try starting slower.
Putting it into Practice
Ladder Down is a simple interval workout I designed specifically to help runners learn to finish strong. (click here to read a detailed description!)
Out & Back Run “out” from a starting point, and then when you’re halfway through your run, turn around and try to get back to the starting point faster. If it’s a windy day, or a hilly route, make sure you run into the wind, or the net uphill on the way out, so that conditions on the return will help you execute the faster return.
Fast Finish Finish the end of all your easy runs with a few minutes of faster running. It doesn’t have to be “all out” and it doesn’t have to be a long time. But even doing the last 1-5minutes slightly faster in every run will help you develop the habit of finishing strong. You’ll always have a strong finish in the back of your thoughts.
Progression Runs Mentally break up your run into easy, moderate, somewhat hard, and hard sections, and transition through those effort levels as you go. For a 4mile or 4km run, you could assign an increase in effort with each mile or km that you run.
For a longer progression run, I recommend easy for about the first third, then moderate for the next third, and the last third moving from “somewhat hard” and into “hard.”
Natural Progression
With consistent and intentional practice finishing strong in all your runs and workouts, you will improve your ability to measure your effort. You will develop a habit of “saving” a little extra energy for the finish, all the time. The main difference might simply be that you generally start slower than you used to, and notice that without even trying, there is a subtle and natural progression of pace even in easy runs.
Control
Starting every run or workout with the intention to finish strong, and hit that LOBO will eventually give you a sense of control at the end of all your runs and workouts. You won’t fade to the finish or have to stop and walk when you don’t want to. And you’ll be able to blow past some other runners while you finish strong in your next race. That’s a great feeling.
Nicole Sifuentes is a full-time Running Coach for adults of all ages and abilities. She is a former professional runner and 2-time Olympian, and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. Read more about her services, and schedule your free coaching consultation.