Tegenkamp on time ...

Tegenkamp has been posting some very interesting comments in his on line training journal. In this latest he talks about why he dropped out of a recent race :
CONTINUED

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Truth about Rieti: So I have a confession to make--the DNF at Rieti was not due to tired legs. I went into Rieti with one thing on my mind: .the 3K American record. When the gun went off until the time I dropped out, I never settled into the race. I was forcing the pace and not letting the race come to me. I got a good start, and was sitting in third until the second alley came in on us, and then I got shuffled back to about tenth. For some reason, I got very flustered by this, and sprinted around the group to get myself back into fifth. I don’t know what I was thinking, because it was so early in the race, and no one was going anywhere. That really hurt me, because it never allowed me to settle into a pace. I was pressing so much in the race that I kept running into the guy in front of me and getting spiked. I still have some huge marks on my shin.
Even before the mile, I was already looking at the lap counter, and I was very tight. My mind was everywhere, trying to figure out if I was on pace for the record, instead of competing and letting the time come to me. It is true that my legs were not feeling good, but it was not because they were tired from training--I went through 2K in 4:59! Once I knew I was not going to be able to hold onto the pace anymore, I lost it mentally and just stepped off the track. I do think I can handle that pace, but I need to let it happen, not force it.
It was smart to put another 3K on the schedule this season, but I got greedy after Monaco. Everything has been going so well this season, and I knew I could run faster after the 7:34. I thought I could just step out onto the track and grab the American record. Moral of the story is that no one should ever chase a time. If you get into the race and compete well, the times always follow!
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This is really a key point, especially for young runners. If you spend the whole race thinking about your splits and how you feel you will never improve. Races are for racing; save the analysis for the bus ride home.