Chapter 274: Adjusting the Start and Pacing Rhythm
As Kitasan Black and Almond Eye ran back toward him, Makoto quickly organized his thoughts on Almond Eye's performance.
In this 1800-meter joint run, Almond Eye finished with a time of 2 minutes 24.1 seconds.
Converted, that meant her average speed was about 14.5 meters per second.
Compared to Kitasan Black, this result was clearly inferior, and the key issue lay in mistakes in running style and race strategy.
However, if one carefully broke down Almond Eye's run, there were still many commendable aspects.
For example, after falling behind at the start, she didn't completely lose her composure. Instead, she quickly adjusted her rhythm and, through sheer perseverance, gradually increased her speed to chase the runner ahead.
This ability—to recover quickly from a disadvantageous start and reorganize her pacing—was extremely important for a runner, demonstrating strong mental resilience and adaptability.
Once she found her rhythm, her resistance to interference was also impressive. She kept her attention firmly locked on the target ahead, accelerating and chasing with complete focus.
Although her breathing became rapid due to the intensity, it remained stable, and her steps never became chaotic or hesitant due to external distractions.
All of this showed a level of focus and composure beyond her age and experience.
Especially in the late-race phase, during the first 200 meters of her finishing stretch, she burst out an impressive speed of around 17 meters per second.
Measured against active runners, while there was still some gap, it was already quite close to top-level performance.
Take Kitasan Black as an example—her best recorded closing speed since debut was 17.5 meters per second, achieved in her debut race, while her overall finishing average could consistently reach around 17.1 meters per second.
By comparison, Almond Eye's closing kick already demonstrated the potential to rival Kitasan Black.
What was even more remarkable was that she achieved this despite completely flawed tactics.
She fell behind at the start, spent the entire race blindly accelerating in pursuit, failed to distribute her stamina properly, disrupted her pacing, and then rapidly decelerated upon entering the final straight.
Yet even so, before fully losing speed, she was still able to rely on her remaining stamina to unleash a powerful closing kick.
This undoubtedly highlighted her natural talent and showed Makoto many possibilities.
With proper refinement in tactical guidance and stamina distribution training, given time, Almond Eye would surely shine brilliantly on the track.
As Makoto finished organizing his thoughts, the two Umamusume had already jogged back.
Almond Eye's face was full of frustration. She lowered her head, her chest heaving as she gasped for breath. Sweat streamed down her cheeks, soaking the front of her clothes.
Clearly, the result of this run had left her deeply dissatisfied.
However, after only a short moment, she lifted her head again. A fiery determination reignited in her eyes as she said loudly:
"Trainer, I want to run again! I didn't perform well this time. If I run again, I can definitely catch up to senpai!"
Her voice carried unwavering determination, her small frame seeming to contain boundless energy.
Hearing this, Makoto and Kitasan Black couldn't help but exchange smiles, both recalling scenes from the past.
In previous joint runs and training races, Kitasan Black had gone through something similar.
Back then, when facing powerful veteran like Daiwa Scarlet, she too had been filled with the desire to catch up.
Every time she fell behind, she would stubbornly clench her fists and declare that next time, she would definitely surpass them.
Now, Almond Eye looked exactly like Kitasan Black back then.
Kitasan Black stepped forward, gently patted Almond Eye on the shoulder, and encouraged her:
"That's the spirit, Ai-chan! You'll definitely be able to surpass me!"
Her eyes were filled with warmth and expectation, as if she were seeing her own past self—the one who had just debuted, brimming with fighting spirit.
Makoto nodded slightly as well, smiling at Almond Eye as he said:
"Your fighting spirit is great. But before we try again, let's analyze what went wrong this time. That way, we can make targeted improvements and you'll definitely run better next time."
He knew very well that Almond Eye's unwillingness to give up was the key to her success, while proper guidance and planning would help her grow faster.
"So don't rush. Let's review this run together first."
Makoto cleared his throat and spoke in a calm, methodical manner:
"Almond Eye, you made a major mistake right at the starting phase of this run."
"You were overly conscious of my presence, which distracted you. Your reaction was slow, and your push-off lacked power. In an actual race, that would be fatal."
"Also, you spent the entire run blindly accelerating in pursuit without managing your stamina properly."
"You need to understand that speed, stride usage, and stamina consumption are directly proportional. With that kind of running style, even if your early speed improves, you will inevitably lose speed in the later stages due to exhaustion."
"Just like this time, your speed clearly dropped in the final 300 to 500 meters."
Then he turned to Kitasan Black, his gaze carrying approval:
"Kita, your overall performance this time was very stable. You executed the planned Slow Front Running strategy well."
"However, since this was your first time acting as a pacer, there's still room for improvement in how you interfere with and guide Almond Eye."
"For example, when she accelerates to catch up, you can adjust your speed appropriately to create pressure. That forces her to adapt to changing rhythms and learn how to maintain her own pacing and stamina distribution under variation."
"This kind of pacing role requires you to constantly monitor Almond Eye's condition and follow my instructions precisely—things like subtle interference, forcing position battles, and so on. The goal is to train her ability to handle complex race situations."
Kitasan Black was already used to her Trainer style of instruction. By the time he got through the first few sentences, she had already taken out her carrot-themed pen and a small notebook.
As she listened attentively, she nodded from time to time and occasionally asked a question or two.
At first, Almond Eye was still somewhat dejected from her earlier failure, but as Makoto went deeper into analyzing her mistakes, her attention gradually shifted.
When she heard just how many errors she had made in her start, pacing, and stamina management, she couldn't help but murmur softly:
"Ah… so I made that many mistakes…"
As she said this, the impatience and frustration in her eyes faded, replaced by intense focus and a strong desire to learn.
She stared at Makoto, occasionally glancing at Kitasan Black's notes, eager to absorb every bit of insight and make up for her shortcomings.
"…So, from now until the simulated race, Almond Eye, your training will focus on improving your start and your pacing rhythm."
After finishing the analysis, Makoto looked at the two attentive Umamusume and concluded seriously:
"The start determines how you begin a race. A good start lets you take an early advantage."
"As for pacing, it's the key to maintaining a strong condition throughout the race and performing at your best."
"Let's continue with a few more runs like this. After that, I'll apply to borrow starting gates and other equipment so we can simulate real race conditions for further training."