Middle-distance specialist Tristan Allen is not your average runner. Ask anyone around and they'll tell you, he's simply built different.
It's evident in his attitude towards racing. As someone who specializes in 600s and 800s, he needs to balance speed with pace and timing. In the final lap, when the lactic acid seeps into the body, Allen finds another gear, cruising past his competition, eyes ahead.
"It's quite painful some days. I think I'm pretty competitive, so that probably plays a big factor into it. I like the atmosphere, the people and if you're watching a good race it's super fun to watch. I think I might have a decent pain threshold. When I'm in the moment and the pain starts to creep in, I'd like to think that I can keep pushing. I think that's important to have in a race."
Allen has the results to back up this statement. After a three-medal showing between last year's conference championships and nationals, he put U SPORTS on notice in 2022-23 as the fastest 600-metre runner in Canada for the strong bulk of the year.
Allen put his stamp on a dominant indoor season last weekend, winning three gold medals while helping the Herd win back-to-back Canada West male team titles for the first time since 2008-09. He was also honoured as Track Athlete of the Year.
The even-keeled superstar ran the anchor leg in the 4x800 and 4x400, holding off a push from Calgary in the final 100 metres of the latter. But it's his win in the 600, with a time of 1:18.89 that stands out.
Last year, Allen finished second in the event. He did something unheard of, passing two guys on the inside corner with 150 metres to go.
This year, he ran smarter. Training partner Dawson Mann (also a triple medalist) took the lead and set the pace after the first lap, with Allen cruising in behind. In the final lap, he overtook Mann in a textbook 1-2 finish from the two best 600-metre runners in the conference all year.
"Personally, I had a chip on my shoulder from last year, losing out in the finals. I carried that with me," noted Allen.
"I know a lot of people were surprised with how well Dawson did, but I train with him so I know how fast he is. He's very sneaky. You don't see him until it's too late."
'The way to run is to go to the front'
Allen and Mann have been stride for stride all year. The former didn't lose a race, and the duo ran faster than the U SPORTS standard of 1:19.10 a combined nine times.
Mann's performance has been years in the making. Teammates have known for a long time how consistent he is, but sickness derailed last season's campaign. Now healthy, he pushed the pace all season, getting to the front and staying there.
Allen's always been right there, closing the distance and winning in the final stretch. He's led races as well, something he and head coach Claude Berube have talked about, specifically after last season.
"The 600, I think [Allen] has now discovered that the way to run it is to go to the front," said Berube.
"That's where Dawson has been fearless this year. He's just gone to the front and taken races with no fear whatsoever and the big difference is he's hung on. I think Tristan has seen that and is now starting to say he's my training partner, I should be going out with him."
"I've known I needed to stop pulling off those last-minute moves for a long time now, as fun as they probably are to watch," added Allen. "This year, I definitely knew I needed to start racing properly and utilizing my potential. If I sit and kick and I wait too long, I probably could've ran faster, chances are."
'The competitiveness kicks in'
Allen and Mann feed off each other in training, under the guidance of acclaimed middle-distance coach Andy Tough. They're similar in the sense that they're "quiet but also very competitive."
Neither needs to talk the talk. They simply go out on the track and prove it. In Allen's case, a perfect example was the Jim Daly Bison Classic in early February, where he ran 1:18.54.
Rocking aviator shades and with his headphones plugged in, Allen blocked out the noise, literally. He didn't scream and shout, he simply locked in and got the job done.
"I've never done that inside," he admits. "I was in a bad mood actually. That's what I do when I'm upset. I don't want to talk to anybody. I stacked the deck against myself, so I had to follow through."
It's the same at practice, where Allen and Mann push each other during four times weekly interval training. They tend to run a lot of 100s to 300s, and not too much further than 400s unless [Tough] is "in a bad mood."
"We don't really talk to each other about competing very often. In practice we kind of just do it and the same thing applies for racing," says Allen. "In practice we take turns leading reps, and towards the end of the workout when everyone is tired, the competitiveness kicks in and that kind of helps us maintain the pace. If I could sum it all up, we feed off each other for sure."
The duo will take on nationals in a few weeks, where they're ranked second and fourth in the 600. The team is also ranked first in the 4x800, and fourth in the 4x400, setting up what should be a thrilling weekend back in Saskatchewan.
Source: https://gobisons.ca/news/2023/3/1/track-and-field-refined-race-approach-has-worked-wonders-for-triple-medalist-tristan-allen.aspx