Chapter 53: Positioning Training
Originally, Makoto hadn't planned to say much about these matters. When it came to Kitasan Black investigation notebook, he had intended to just skim through things, give a few compliments, and leave it at that.
But now, sensing the girl's warmth and concern, he felt like being more sincere.
Besides, even though the contents of her notebook weren't exactly professional, every stroke was written with care. It was also clear that she had mimicked his training style.
This showed that Kitasan Black didn't just put effort into this investigation—she had been attentive and dedicated in her daily training as well.
It made the notes genuinely valuable.
Every Umamusume reaches her full potential at a different time, but for most, it happens sometime after the age of ten.
In terms of human development, that would be around puberty. And Umamusume goes through similar psychological changes.
During this phase, not only do they become aware of the physical changes in their bodies, but their increasingly mature understanding of the world leads them to see things in a new light.
Noticing the stress and pressure a trainer might be under—perhaps that was how this shift manifested in Kitasan Black.
In the industry, this particular developmental period could be studied as a major topic on its own.
But in truth, there isn't a single trainer, not even among the veterans at the top of the field, who has fully figured it out or successfully applied that knowledge in training and competition.
Even many long-established, top-tier trainers have failed to recognize the psychological shifts in their Umamusume. That failure has led to conflicts, disruptions in training and races, and in some cases, even terminated contracts.
Makoto had heard stories and rumors like that before. After coming to Tokyo, he'd even seen it happen with his own eyes.
That's why, early on, he had made it a goal to explore suitable methods of psychological guidance.
Fortunately for him, the black-haired girl under his care was especially obedient and considerate.
If he didn't have to worry about conflicts, then maybe—just maybe—he could observe and learn about the everyday psychology of Umamusume through her.
"So it was just something you happened to see, huh…"
The blush on Kitasan Black's cheeks gradually faded as she curiously looked toward the railing.
"So that machine's working now?"
The drone came with a stand, which allowed it to be fixed in place. Makoto had already mounted it on the track fence earlier.
"It's been working. The only problem is, I haven't resolved a few issues yet—right now it can only film from a fixed position."
He gave a simple explanation, and after that brief interlude, he realized it was time to get back to training. Makoto said seriously:
"But for now, it's good enough."
"Let's move on with the scheduled plan. You two will start with six sets of opening-positioning drills."
Upon hearing the command, both Kitasan Black and Vodka straightened up.
They didn't say anything else. After replying with a loud "Yes, sir!", the two Umamusume jogged to the starting point.
With Makoto's shout, two sharp shadows tore forward across the field, joining the ranks of those already in training.
"Positioning training" was a standard part of racing drills, especially important for front runners.
In Kitasan Black's case, she was gradually mastering the art of leading the pack from the front. That meant she had to seize first position right from the start—so a strong sense of positioning was critical.
In real races, all participants start from the gate.
Each gate is the same width.
However, depending on the number of racers, the distance from the innermost to the outermost lanes varies, and this affects how front runners approach the start.
If you're already near the inside lane, you need to drift slightly outward at the start.
Otherwise, if the outside runners push inward, it's easy to get boxed in at the back right from the beginning.
If you start from the outside lane, the opposite applies. You'll need to dash inward at a sharper angle, covering more distance. That means your initial burst has to be even faster—to both secure first place and grab the coveted inside track.
In theory, the middle gates offer the most advantage. You can burst straight out and accelerate without worrying too much about positioning.
Many races saw their first curve a mere 200 meters after the gates opened. That meant whoever shot forward fastest from the middle gate could adjust their position in the bend just in time—turning initial explosiveness into tactical advantage.
Similarly, each phase of the race—whether it be the early corners, cruising midsections, or the final sprint—had its own ideal positioning strategy.
And that was precisely what Kitasan Black was training today: post-gate positioning.
The training session was structured meticulously. Each set consisted of four 400-meter sprints, simulating the explosive start of a race. She would run a total of six sets, each mimicking a different scenario.
Horizontally, the simulations covered three categories: inner gate, middle gate, and outer gate.
Vertically, they were divided into two: one with two Umamusume starting side-by-side, the other with deliberate spacing between them.
That latter variation wasn't just for randomness—it was specifically for marking tactics.
In real races, if a particularly formidable rival was competing, the entire tactical plan might pivot around that opponent's presence. Even the usual positioning would be fine-tuned accordingly, to either tail them or avoid them.
After all six sets had been completed—
"Alright, take a break."
With those words, Makoto stepped forward, holding two chilled energy drinks in his hands. He handed them to the two girls who had just finished their runs, their shoulders still rising and falling from exertion.
"You did great out there, Kitasan."
He turned with a nod. "And thank you too, Vodka."
Kitasan Black's ears perked up with joy as she took her bottle, her cheeks still a little flushed.
"Mm-hmm! Thank you, Trainer!"
Beside her, Vodka took a deep gulp from her drink before chuckling aloud.
"Oh, come on, Makoto. You don't need to thank me. I already told you—it's a joy to come back here and run again. This track's like home turf for me."
Then she turned to Kitasan, her grin softening.
"And you've really improved, you know? It's hard to believe you've only been racing for two months."
"Ehh? Really?"
Kitasan's eyes widened. She took a sip of her drink, then looked down shyly.
"Vodka-senpai… you're not just trying to make me feel better, right?"
"Do I look like the type to sugarcoat things?"
Vodka gave an exaggerated shake of her head, chuckling before her tone shifted—more sincere now, more thoughtful.
"I mean it, Kita-chan. If we'd debuted in the same year, you might've been the one I watched out for the most—besides Scarlet, of course."
"D-Daiwa-senpai…?"
Kitasan blinked in surprise.
Vodka nodded, arms crossed.
"But listen. Don't try to copy her too much. It's okay to learn from her, sure—but don't try to be her."
She hesitated for a moment, then spoke more honestly.
"If I'm being blunt… you don't have her raw talent."
"Eh…?"
Kitasan's shoulders slumped a little, but Vodka raised a hand.
"Wait, wait. Don't get me wrong. That's not an insult. Scarlet is absurdly gifted. Her speed, strength, stamina—it's all obvious the moment you see her run. And especially her race intuition…"
She let out a small, incredulous laugh.
"She's a completely different person on the track."
"What do you mean…?" Kitasan tilted her head. "Outside of racing, she's super smart and always organized, right? I heard she gets top marks in school…"
"Yup. Off the track, she's all brains and elegance—patient, careful, even a little too meticulous sometimes. But once the race starts…"
Vodka paused dramatically.
"She stops thinking."
"…Huh?"
Kitasan was so taken aback she nearly dropped her bottle.
"N-no way. She just stops thinking? But how can she run then?"
Vodka shrugged with a crooked grin.
"Pure instinct. That's what I meant by 'race intuition'. The stuff you're doing now—positioning drills, timing your acceleration, calculating angles into turns—I can see your thought process. I can see your training in your racing."
Kitasan nodded slowly.
"And Daiwa-senpai… doesn't train like that?"
"She trains hard," Vodka admitted. "But she doesn't calculate. She feels the race. You've run against her before, right? But I bet she wasn't using her full skills. Not the one from back when we were just starting out."
Her expression turned a bit wistful, maybe even nostalgic.
"If you ever see her go all out, you'll get what I mean. The way she controls the lead, the way she manages spacing—it's completely counterintuitive. Stuff that shouldn't work… somehow just does."
Kitasan furrowed her brow. She couldn't say she understood, not fully. The way Vodka described it made Daiwa Scarlet sound like some kind of racing savant—or a magician.
But before she could dwell too long on it, Vodka turned back to Makoto with a half-smile.
"That said, Kita-chan's front running is coming along nicely. She doesn't need to stress over this kind of thing just yet."
She gestured with her drink.
"Don't you think so, Makoto?"