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Running a steady pace is a good general race strategy, but if you want to PR, you may want to mix things up.
By Matt Fitzgerald
PUBLISHED 08/28/2008
Exercise scientist Ross Tucker, Ph.D, has studied world-record performances at various distances and has found that certain pacing patterns lead to faster times. Follow these guidelines to break your own times.
5-K and 10-K: Fast-"Slow"-Fast
In world-record performances at these distances, the first and last miles are almost always faster than the middle miles. To emulate this pattern, aim to run your first mile five seconds faster than your goal pace for the full race, then find a steady groove for the next few miles, and finally put everything you have left into the last mile.
Half-Marathon: Steady As You Go
World-record performances in the half-marathon usually result from very even pacing from start to finish. Some runners start out too fast so that they are just hanging on in the last mile, making a final surge impossible. In your next half-marathon, try to run the first mile at precisely your goal pace and then continue like a metronome.
Marathon: Positively Negative
The most common pacing pattern for marathon world records is a slight negative split, where the second half is run roughly 30 seconds faster than the first. To run your optimal marathon, run the first half at two to four seconds per mile slower than your goal pace, then run the second half by feel—which, if all goes well, will be a little faster.
Pace Training
By testing your limits, you will develop a better feel for them so your brain can better guide you to a truly maximal performance. Workouts that simulate the challenges of a race do the best job of calibrating your internal pacing guide. Start with a speed and distance that is challenging but not overtaxing. Repeat the workout every seven to 10 days, each time increasing your pace or distance or both slightly. Ten days before your race, complete your toughest workout. Below are suggested workouts.
5-K
• 1-mile easy warmup
• 5 x 1-K at 5-K race pace with 400-meter recoveries
• 1-mile easy cooldown
10-K
• 1-mile easy warmup
• 5 x 2-K at 10-K race pace with 400-meter recoveries
• 1-mile easy cooldown
Half-Marathon
• 1-mile easy warmup
• 4 x 2 miles at half-marathon race pace with half-mile recoveries
• 1-mile easy cooldown
Marathon
• 1-mile easy warmup
• 13.1 miles at marathon race pace
• 1-mile easy cooldown |
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发表于 2009-10-28 17:34:03
