Race Strategy

J

jsobo119

0
ok I ran a 5k in 25:00 in august. I have trained well for a 15k this weekend. I have been running consistently since the 5k and the last 4 weekends in a row I have run 9,9.3,10,10 miles... and running 18-23 miles a week.

according to



I should run the race in 1:20:29 which is an 8:38 pace.

In your experience how good is the mcmillian predictor?

I am just nervous... I estimated I would run the 5k in 28:00 and bashed it by 3 minutes...

I ran the 9.3 in 1:26:16 as a training run and took it easy for a good portion of that run ... but to cut 6 minutes?


What do you think? should I go after the 1:20:00 and go out at 8:30 pace (and risk running 8:15 the first mile) or should I be conservative and go out 8:45-9:00?
 
I'd go for the 8:30 pace and see how you feel after each mile. You may have to slow down for a few miles in the middle if you feel like you are loosing it. It's hard to judge since its your first race at that distance, but it would suck to start out at a slow pace and get to the end and feel like you could have done much better, but it would also suck to get to mile 6 or 7 and not be able to finish because you pushed too hard. I always found that the adrenaline rush and the other runners around me in a race always motivated me to do better than I expected. I always just focus on the runner right in front of me and catching up with and passing them, one at a time as the race goes on. There will always be people who went out too fast in the beginning, trying to keep up with the leaders, who will be falling back as the race proceeds, and you get a new adrenaline rush as you pass each one to keep you going.
 
That definitely happened in my 5k... I went out smooth...what I thought was taking it easy... and went out a a 7:30 pace for the first 1/2 mile.... but really settled in and passes a bunch of people in the next mile and a half... because they all started fading... I think that gave me the rush I needed to maintain my pace... because I didn't pass them by speeding up... I passed them because they were slowing... and I was sucking it up and pushing on...

I checked the race participant list... and funny... the 5k only has 1 person in my age group... temps me to race that and try to win it... lol... 5 poeple in my group for the 15k... not that I am racing to win or anything... I am racing to try to run under 1:21:00

ok I'm going to go for it... I'll try to go out and hold back just a bit the first mile... and probably will run an 8:30... I'll try to settle in there... I will finish... and going out that fast may just cause me to run 9:45's the last 3 miles... But I think I trained well and I like your strategy... I rather fade and know I gave it a chance than give up at the starting line... if it was a marathon... well... ok... I would start slow to make sure I can finish...

BUT 9.3... I know I can finish this... I did it the last 4 weeks in a row... week 1 & 2 were tough... but the last 2 weeks I did 10 and last weeks 10 I felt good the whole way...
 
Yeah I'd go out the 8:30 pace too. Guranteed you will go out faster than you think you are because of the adrenaline rush. Make sure that first mile is KICKIN it. Even feeling like you're loafing, you'll be going out probably just right. Its better to build on a slower start than die because of overzealousness. Have you written down a formal race strategy?? I think its VERY helpful. I read it over and over until its my map to my race. Its worked PERFECTLY the past 2 races. Do some visualizing of the course if you know it and in your mind decide where you will pick up the pace or hold steady. Have a back up plan. As in, go out 8:30 and try to maintain between 8:30-8:40 if it begins to just be too much then decide that 8:45 or 8:50 is an OK pace and then STICK with that. Don't compromise your paces unless you have to. Be very wise about how you're feeling and what you think you can do. You've been running long enough at these distances now to know what you can and cannot handle. One more piece of advice. DO get water at every single aid station. Walk only 10 steps to drink it down and then chuck it and start running again. Even the top ranked endurance athletes do this, and they still win :) Good luck!!
 
ok sparrow here is my plan... I'll base it on what I did in training... I (not the smartest thing) ran the course... got excited and turned it into a tempo run...

Ran 9.3 miles

1) 8:39 8:39
2) 17:28 8:49
3) 26:11 8:43
4) 36:28 10:16 (uphill)
5) 46:13 9:44
6) 55:53 9:40
7) 1:00:04 8:06 ***
8) 1:13:42 9:42 (left glut cramping)
9) 1:23:06 9:23
FINISH 1:26:16 3:10 (I really died the last .3 after the uphill at the end of mile 9)

*** got an adrenaline rush when some suv almost hit me... ***

ok so my plan would be to try to go out like this...

1.) 8:30 -0:08
2.) 8:30 -0:16
3.) 8:30 -0:24
4.) 9:45 +0:43 (Relax)
5.) 8:40 +0:45 ((( this is them mile I don't know... )))
6.) 8:30 +0:37
7.) 8:20 +0:19
8.) 8:30 +0:11
9.) 8:30 +0:3
.3 2:32 +0:00. final pace 8:38


ok that is a bit ambitious... But I am going to try that... I will put the times I need to be where down and slip it in my armband... If I die it will be at mile 8 and then I'll just 10 minute mile it in... I am fairly certain I can finish the first 7 on pace... I am pretty sure I ran a 7:58 mile at mile 4 yesterday... when I clicked off my time I did a double take and backed it down... but the point is... I know I am faster than before... I know this is a bit ambitious but I am going for it... if I fail... well the worst that will happen is I have to run 10 minute miles the rest of the way in... or walk for 30 seconds... and then 10 minute mile it home...

ok so I am shaving 8 seconds a mile off what my pace should be... perhaps a bit ambitious... ok... here is the thing... maybe I should concede that hill and give myself the 1:00 or so... ok when I finish mile 7...

Mile 5 will be a big one... I will see how I feel when I get to the top of that hill... I am going to try to will my legs to turn over when I get to the top of that hill... I did alot of hill work the last 3 weeks (except this week) to see if I can get past the dead legs at the top of that hill... mile 4 I am going to concentrate on not pushing to much... but making sure my legs don't get fatigued climbing the hill...

OK THE SHORT PLAN... (the one I will follow race day)

Miles 1-3 steady and in control... not breathing hard... still able to breath through the nose... (slow down if going faster than 8:10 speed up if going slower than 8:50)...

Mile 4... relax... don't over do it on the hill

mile 5... try to get the legs turning over again... gradually pick up the pace.

mile 6 settle in... try to relax and get breath completely back

mile 7 this is the fastest section of the course... let it out a bit...

Mile 8 ... ease up a bit... this is actually a slight incline despite how fast you are going coming out of mile 7... remember to pace down a bit at the sun flower house...

Mile 9... steady... (remember the middle 1/2 is downhill) but the 1st quarter and last are uphill

the last .3... let it all hang out...

OK that is my plan...
 
That looks awesome! Really thats great. Keep looking at that plan and commit it to memory. Sounds like miles 4-6 will be the key to making or breaking the race. Take some deep breaths during mile 4 to really relax before that hill and then really psych yourself up as you start to climb it and feed yourself positive stuff. Don't let doubt creep in during the race. We are our worst enemies. And for the record, no matter what happens in this race you have already succeeded. There is no failure here.
 
Results: 1:18:25

They changed the course because the sherrif never showed up to control traffic on the road so they kept us on the 5k loop and made us run 3 laps... ok so that course didn't have any major hills just a few slight up hills and slight downhills...

I ran the first mile right on the pace I picked of 8:30...

1 mile: 8:27
2 miles 8:52 didn't worry about it I had found a good pace and felt great... I was checking myself as I was getting passed by 5k folks...

1st 3.1 in 27:03 (probably low 26's but I marked it after the turn around...
2nd 3.1 in 52.45 (25:39 again probably 26 something because I gave some time the the first 3.1...

last 3.1 1:18:25 (25:35)...

I am pretty sure I ran negative 3.1's... but it is hard to tell as I marked the 1st 3.1 late.. but it was probably about 15 seconds late... so it was probably

26:47
25:54
25:35

Considering I ran 25:00 5k... in august.. .I am certain I could have run a 23:00 5k...

:)
 
CONGRATULATIONS! You blew that goal time right out of the water! Well done!!
 
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