After giving out the training instructions, Chiya shifted his full attention back to Shirayuki.
No matter what, he only had one brain. Trying to control two bodies at once without slipping was nearly impossible. Even speaking required careful timing, making sure one spoke while the other stayed silent. Running was far more complex, so if he wanted to do this properly, he had to let everything else go.
Fortunately, Uma Musume's warm-ups took time, giving him a window to fully focus on the joint training. Yesterday had been interrupted, but today he planned to go all out.
"1800 meters. You'll give the start signal, right?" Rudolf said, already back in training mode.
"No problem," Chiya replied.
"1800, huh… fine by me," Brian added casually.
For someone who had run 3200 meters in the Tenno Sho, this distance was barely a warm-up. Still, this was training, and considering Shirayuki's stamina, it was the most appropriate choice.
"Then here's the plan," Chiya continued. "This run focuses on acceleration. I'll signal from the sidelines, and when you see it, Shirayuki, try to overtake. As for you two, run like you would in a race. Block the lane, control the front."
Rudolf nodded with a faint smile. "Understood."
"Works for me."
"Alright. Get ready."
Chiya stepped off the track, stopwatch in hand.
What he had just said was for them. For himself, he was doing something entirely different. He emptied his thoughts and let Shirayuki take over completely as a runner, while he observed from the outside, like a camera.
A trainer's experience could tell her when to accelerate and when to hold back, but a racer couldn't always see herself clearly. The one inside the race is blind to the bigger picture, while the one outside sees everything. Chiya filled that gap. Through him, Shirayuki could see her own movements, her opponents, even blind spots she should never be able to perceive.
Like looking down at a game.
A perfect fusion of trainer and racer.
Let's see what you can really do.
Chiya raised his hand.
"Ready… go!"
The moment he gave the signal, three figures shot forward like bullets.
Shirayuki's body responded instantly. Her flexible ankles released explosive force, propelling her forward like a white arrow. Only now did Chiya fully understand what had been said earlier. The more flexible the body, the more power it could release. The softer the ankle, the longer the force traveled. It was a difference invisible to the naked eye, yet enough to change the outcome of a race.
Rudolf and Brian both glanced sideways.
They had expected to pull ahead at the start, to take control of the race naturally. Instead, Shirayuki was right there with them, matching their acceleration.
Of course, they weren't running at full power. This wasn't a real race. But even so, this wasn't something a complete beginner should be able to do, especially not someone from a regular school.
It could only be one thing.
Talent.
The two exchanged a brief look. They were thinking the same thing.
This girl had serious potential.
Shirayuki's mind raced just as fast as her body.
Through Chiya's perspective, she could clearly see everything. For now, her speed matched theirs, but it didn't take long for the difference to show.
Stride frequency.
Stronger Uma Musume had more developed tendons, allowing them to cycle their steps faster. A normal runner might manage four steps per second, but they could push five. That single step difference created a gap.
Chiya saw it clearly.
Shirayuki could manage about three and a half steps per second, while Rudolf and Brian were holding steady at four, even while restraining themselves. The distance between them was gradually increasing.
She could force it and push harder, but that would break her rhythm. And this wasn't the moment to accelerate yet. They hadn't even reached halfway.
So what now?
How do you compensate for a physical disadvantage?
Chiya clenched his jaw, and then something surfaced in his mind.
Advice from a senior trainer.
A runner has to use her strengths. Cover weaknesses with what she does best. It's your job as a trainer to help her understand that.
Use your strengths.
Shirayuki's gaze sharpened, and her posture shifted. Her body leaned forward, her center of gravity dropping lower and lower.
This was a running form every trainee had studied. Rare, difficult, almost impossible to replicate.
Only two runners had ever truly mastered it.
One was right in front of her.
Narita Brian.
The other was Oguri Cap, the Grey Monster.
Because of them, this form has been included in trainer certification exams. And yet, no one actually taught it in practice. It demanded too much.
It required strength. It required flexibility. And the third condition… Chiya couldn't remember.
But that didn't matter.
Shirayuki already had the first two.
Her body dropped to nearly half the height of a normal running posture, her head aligning around Rudolf's waist.
From the corner of her eye, Rudolf noticed the shift and turned.
For a split second, she froze.
Shirayuki's posture looked unstable, almost as if she might collapse at any moment.
And yet—
She pushed off.
Hard.
In an instant, her body surged forward, closing an entire length in one movement.
Brian's eyes narrowed.
"…You've got to be kidding."
Rudolf's expression changed as well.
That posture. That explosive forward drive.
This girl…
Why does she run just like that Grey Monster?