As soon as I crossed the finish line, all I wanted to do was lay on the ground. My lungs were burning. It was impossible to escape the glare of the sun. But I’m done.
Three weeks earlier I had received a text, out of the blue, that read: “I have an idea for you… it would involve running a little.”
The idea was quite simple; how would the average person, plucked from the streets, pass the Red Rose fitness test?
Honestly, at this point in my life, I’m not the fittest in my life. It’s been at least four years since I could place myself firmly in that category. Even so, I love a challenge.
Unfortunately, the answer was almost immediately yes. All I had to do was find my trainers. I never found them in the end. Instead, I used the worn-out sneakers that I carry the buckets in.
The 1,200m test is used by the Red Roses strength and conditioning team to assess a player’s aerobic capacity. Unlike the wildly popular Bronco—five repetitions of shuttles at 20, 40, and 60 meters, with players returning to the starting line after each distance—players run 12 x 100m at their highest possible intensity.
The test was first introduced four years ago and is administered three times a season – in the preseason, in January training camp and at the end of the season.
It’s a busy start to the season, but one that lays the foundation for World Rugby’s top-ranked side.
“We went the 12x100m route because there are fewer turns,” said Ethan Kinney, the Red Roses’ director of athletics performance. RugbyPass.
“We look at it purely from a physiological assessment, as opposed to ‘this is a rugby test,’ which is where Bronco came from. We’ve always looked at it as a maximal aerobic test, so we wanted it to be as clean as possible.
“So, how do you do that? Limit the noise by slowing down, speeding up again over and over again. If you want even more of the gold standard than that, we’d put it on a treadmill and fold it over. But we’re trying to replicate that by putting it on grass and wearing boots.
“Because it’s a physiological test in pure form. It’s your foundational test. It’s your entry into rugby. Let’s see how good you are aerobically, and then you can layer other assessments on top of that.”
Kinney believes that the buy-in of the players and the wider coaching staff is a big reason why the 1,200m has become such an important part of life for the Red Roses.
Because, after a relatively short period of discomfort, a player’s entire season can be mapped out.
“As a simplistic data tool, it’s going to give you a lot,” Kinney said. “It’s a good simple tool that will give you a lot of bang for your buck. That level of individualisation, especially on the international stage, I think players appreciate.
“It’s the same across the board; with the way we want to play — how can you maximize the positional requirements for each group without generalizing everything?”
“The players see the value in having an individualized program. It would be very easy for me to leave; you all run exactly the same. A loose prop will need a different type of running program compared to a fullback.”
“Their management is probably really good,” Kinney continued. “When they see it as, it’s something I’m just going to work on as an athlete, they understand that.
“It doesn’t mean if you haven’t performed to the best of your ability, it doesn’t mean I’m going to kick you out at the end of every session when you’re running shuttles, they know that’s one of their jobs in the season. And it’s going to be something we hold them accountable for.
“They almost want them, what do I work on? Is that something I need to work on? How am I going to work on it?”
“The more you run (1200m), you may not get better at doing the test over and over again, but the interventions that come with it don’t have to be barbaric.”
I ran the test myself at The Lensbury in Teddington, next to the same ground England prepared before them WXV Global Series opening win against the Wallaroos.
Unlike the world champions, who had some of the best support workers in the world following their progress, I had a bunch of geese following.
Running 100 meters, 12 times in a row, is pretty unforgiving. Who knew? Doing it alone with only geese for company is, as Kinney later described, “a pretty lonely place.”
“These players can do it in their position groups as guards and forwards,” he said. “They’re running it with 20 other people. You’re all trying to do your best as individuals, but you’re also trying to do your best – which they all put in as a team.”
The entire 12 lengths of the rugby field are physical and mental torture. Your body is in a battle with itself to keep one foot in front of the other. Your mind flies from belief to doubt in less than a millisecond without warning.
My first stage was completed in 23 seconds. Which, to be honest, is quite pleasant. In hindsight, it may have been part of my fall in the 10th stage when I was walking, somewhat abruptly.
“You’re going to have something where, as soon as the whistle goes, the handbrake is going to be pulled and they’re going to try to get through it as fast as they can,” Kinney said. “Sometimes it works. Sometimes it might not.”
Coming out as strong as the opening gambit didn’t give my body a chance. Especially when most of my ‘runs’ in everyday life end with crossing the road.
For the first 10 lengths, my times got progressively longer – with that 70 second monster. The last two stages, on the contrary, lasted a total of 70 seconds.
Now the big question is how did I do?
7:39.
Personally, it was quite a pleasant time. But it’s put into sharp perspective when you hear the times of the Red Roses. I was a full three minutes slower than England’s fastest player. About 90 seconds behind the 40th Red Rose that performed the test at the beginning of August.
I won’t be in the squad of any rugby team particularly soon.