Marathon Elites Prove Every Runner Needs a Strong Finishing Kick

NEED SOME MARATHON motivation? Look no further than the 2020 London Marathon’s down-to-the-wire finishes: American Sara Hall—who’d moved up from ninth place at the halfway mark to third at the 40K mark—surged past world champion Ruth Chepngetich in the last 150 meters to claim second place and a personal-best 2:22:01. She described her mindset as “hunt mode,” saying, “I kind of just, in faith, started throwing myself forward and willing everything in my body forward.”

- CINDY KUZMA

On the men’s side, Shura Kitata of Ethiopia sprinted down the line to finish in 2:05:41, just one second ahead of Vincent Kipchumba (with third-place Sisay Lemma coming in at 2:05:45).

Of course, Kitata and Hall first put themselves in a good position by pacing wisely over the first 26 miles and dialing in elements like nutrition and hydration. But in elite races, the finishing kick often determines who moves on to finals, ascends podiums, or claims victory, says Juli Benson, who’s coached collegiate and pro runners for two decades (including another athlete known for her kick, Jenny Simpson).

For the rest of us, the ability to change gears at the end can make the difference in reaching a specific time goal, like setting a PR in the 5K or qualifying for the Boston Marathon. What’s more, powering across a finish line stands as a sign you’ve raced to your potential, rather than starting too fast and fading.

“Scientifically, the evidence shows that the most efficient way to run a race is evenly paced, and a very close second is a negative split,” says Benson, who is also a 1996 Olympian in the 1500 meters. “Across the board, having a good finish—no matter what you’re training for—can really make a difference in how you feel about your performance.”

Some of that kick comes naturally. Hall says genetic tests show she has the makeup of a power/ speed athlete, with fast-twitch muscle fibers to turn to even when her legs are fatigued. She won her first race ever—a seventh-grade cross-country competition—and the 2000 Foot Locker Cross Country Championships in sprint finishes. “I think I just got hooked on the competitive side of that part of it, the thrill of that,” she says.

But she’s also worked hard to hone that skill through the years, and you can, too. Here’s how.

Finish every run strong