pacing?

C. Dorr said:

I'm fairly new to running (2.5 months so far) and have really been enjoying myself. I run about 3
times a week and bike on a trainer between 2 and 3 times a week, although this week I only biked
once. I've signed up for a 5K race, to get a baseline for my training, in a few weeks. I'm trying
to get under 25 minutes in this race. Whats the best way to work on pacing? I suspect that track
workouts will probably be whats recommended, but I thought I'd ask anyways.

Thanks CD

CD - Looking at your training week report, you ran 4.6 miles at 7:46 pace. To run your sub-25 5k,
you need an 8min/mile pace, so it shouldn't be a problem. In fact, with the added adrenaline of a
race, not to mention your 1st race, you could surprise yourself!

Track workouts *are* a good idea. You get the exact distance, and get a good feel for race pace. Try
running some 400m or 800m repeats at your planned race pace (8:00/mile = 5:00/km = 2:00/400m or
4:00/800m), with light jogging rest in between.

Good luck!

Anthony.

"C. Dorr" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I'm fairly new to running (2.5 months so far) and have really been enjoying myself. I run about 3
times a week and bike on a trainer between 2 and 3 times a week, although this week I only biked
once. I've signed up for a 5K race, to get a baseline for my training, in a few weeks. I'm trying
to get under 25 minutes in this race. Whats the best way to work on pacing? I suspect that track
workouts will probably be whats recommended, but I thought I'd ask anyways.

Thanks CD

You will learn pacing through experience. Track workouts will give you an idea of what a particular
pace feels like.

But the best method I've discovered for learning pace is guessing my finishing time for a training
run. Time yourself on certain routes that you run regularly. As you are going estimate your
finishing time whitout looking at your watch. It may take a few months or years but I've been able
to learn to predict my finishing time to within 5 or 10 seconds over 6 miles based on how I feel.

You may need to start off by paying close attention to your watch and note the times as you pass
landmarks. But there is no "easy" way to simply acquire the skill of pacing without practice.

good luck, Andy

Thanks for the tips Anthony. I'm going to try and get in one track workout before this race to see
how I do on pacing.

Thanks again. Chris D.

"Anthony" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

C. Dorr said:

I'm fairly new to running (2.5 months so far) and have really been

enjoying

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

myself. I run about 3 times a week and bike on a trainer between 2 and

3

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

times a week, although this week I only biked once. I've signed up for

a 5K

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

race, to get a baseline for my training, in a few weeks. I'm trying to

get

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

under 25 minutes in this race. Whats the best way to work on pacing? I suspect that track
workouts will probably be whats recommended, but I thought I'd ask anyways.

Thanks CD

CD - Looking at your training week report, you ran 4.6 miles at 7:46 pace.

To

Quoted message said:

run your sub-25 5k, you need an 8min/mile pace, so it shouldn't be a

problem.

Quoted message said:

In fact, with the added adrenaline of a race, not to mention your 1st

race, you

Quoted message said:

could surprise yourself!

Track workouts *are* a good idea. You get the exact distance, and get a

good

Quoted message said:

feel for race pace. Try running some 400m or 800m repeats at your planned

race

Quoted message said:

pace (8:00/mile = 5:00/km = 2:00/400m or 4:00/800m), with light jogging

rest in

Quoted message said:

between.

Good luck!

Anthony.

You don't have to do speed training on a track, tho'; you can use the road or a trail, and use time
instead of distance for your reps. Say instead of 800 metres you run for 3½ minutes at your
perceived race speed, recover, do it again ... etc. There are lots of articles on the web about
speed training and the paces you should aim for. You can also do fartlek - choosing an object some
way off to sprint to, jogging after, and then choosing another object etc. Jonathan "Anthony"
<[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

C. Dorr said:

I'm fairly new to running (2.5 months so far) and have really been

enjoying

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

myself. I run about 3 times a week and bike on a trainer between 2 and

3

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

times a week, although this week I only biked once. I've signed up for

a 5K

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

race, to get a baseline for my training, in a few weeks. I'm trying to

get

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

under 25 minutes in this race. Whats the best way to work on pacing? I suspect that track
workouts will probably be whats recommended, but I thought I'd ask anyways.

Thanks CD

CD - Looking at your training week report, you ran 4.6 miles at 7:46 pace.

To

Quoted message said:

run your sub-25 5k, you need an 8min/mile pace, so it shouldn't be a

problem.

Quoted message said:

In fact, with the added adrenaline of a race, not to mention your 1st

race, you

Quoted message said:

could surprise yourself!

Track workouts *are* a good idea. You get the exact distance, and get a

good

Quoted message said:

feel for race pace. Try running some 400m or 800m repeats at your planned

race

Quoted message said:

pace (8:00/mile = 5:00/km = 2:00/400m or 4:00/800m), with light jogging

rest in

Quoted message said:

between.

Good luck!

Anthony.

In article said:

Thanks for the tips Anthony. I'm going to try and get in one track workout before this race to see
how I do on pacing.

A comment about the race setting: the fact that you're surrounded by runners who are also racing
presents an illusion -- you will always underestimate your pace near the start of the race. It will
require a lot of restraint to hold yourself back to an 8:00 pace for the first mile. If your body is
screaming "FASTER! FASTER!", it's a good sign.

The track work will help a little bit, but pacing when you're on your own is a very different game
to pacing when you're in a crowded race.

In something as short as a 5k, the first mile will be pure chaos. You will get some people who don't
even do the first 800m at an even place. There will be people dropping back and moving forward, and
the best thing you can do is ignore what everyone else is doing, and focus on getting to the first
mile marker at an easy pace. Maintain your momentum through the start of the second mile, or pick up
a bit if your first split was slow. About 4 minutes into the second mile, make your move, start
looking to overtake other competitors. When you hit the 2 mile mark, treat it as a 1 mile race and
just go for it.

Based on your other race time, my prediction is that you will break 25 minutes for 5k, regardless of
the race strategy you use. Also, if you hold back enough to do the first mile in about 8 minutes,
I'd predict that you will surprise yourself with your pace on the second and third miles.

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi pegasus.rutgers.edu~elflordOpen ↗