Pacing vs. Racing
Just to start, I think that I may have unintentionally given some the impression that I am fast or something when I listed the splits for the "slow and steady" 6K I did yesterday. Just so we are all clear, my splits are based on kilometres and not miles, and no, I CANNOT do repeat miles in and around 6 minutes!
OK, now that we've established that my pacing for "slow and steady" is somewhere in the 9:30/mile range (using my somewhat unscientific, but reasonably accurate pace converter on the right hand side of the blog... scroll a little down, and BANG, there it is!) I am soliciting help with how I should prepare for my first ever race this coming weekend. Let me say that again: FIRST EVER RACE this coming weekend.
I am coming into this thing with no experience running with/against other people, and I have only my imagination to guide me. Specifically I am wondering about how to pace myself. Do I go blind and just run on feel, or do I strap on the Garmin and come up with a goal pace and try and hold it as long as possible? This is only a 10k mind you, and for a longer race I think the answer might be more clear to me. Also, I am getting advice from other runners I know, and those who used to run, to do it one way or the other and am a bit confused. Also, if Garmin is the way should the heart rate monitor be brought along for the ride?
My tendency is to use the Garmin since I have been training with it and am comfortable with glancing at it now and then, adjusting my pace, etc... However, I am concerned that it may be a source of negative thoughts if I fail to hold the pace I set for myself, or if I realize that my goal pace is too easy and I start kicking myself for not going out harder.
As far as how my day went, I pretty much was too busy to do much of anything other than work today. I did sneak out for a lunchtime swim, though I cut it down to 1500m partly because of time and partly because I am trying to save energy this week. It took me 23:00 to finish, and I am not doing weights tonight.
And lastly, it is SNOWING here! Not much, but definitely white stuff falling from the sky. It was so cold this morning that my fingers froze inside my biking gloves on the way down to work, and the wind was so strong it nearly blew me off my bike at one point. Either it was that strong, or I've lost too much weight... The weather forecast said it would be windy, but nothing about snow.
I fired up the furnace tonight...
Summer is officially over...
OK, now that we've established that my pacing for "slow and steady" is somewhere in the 9:30/mile range (using my somewhat unscientific, but reasonably accurate pace converter on the right hand side of the blog... scroll a little down, and BANG, there it is!) I am soliciting help with how I should prepare for my first ever race this coming weekend. Let me say that again: FIRST EVER RACE this coming weekend.
I am coming into this thing with no experience running with/against other people, and I have only my imagination to guide me. Specifically I am wondering about how to pace myself. Do I go blind and just run on feel, or do I strap on the Garmin and come up with a goal pace and try and hold it as long as possible? This is only a 10k mind you, and for a longer race I think the answer might be more clear to me. Also, I am getting advice from other runners I know, and those who used to run, to do it one way or the other and am a bit confused. Also, if Garmin is the way should the heart rate monitor be brought along for the ride?
My tendency is to use the Garmin since I have been training with it and am comfortable with glancing at it now and then, adjusting my pace, etc... However, I am concerned that it may be a source of negative thoughts if I fail to hold the pace I set for myself, or if I realize that my goal pace is too easy and I start kicking myself for not going out harder.
As far as how my day went, I pretty much was too busy to do much of anything other than work today. I did sneak out for a lunchtime swim, though I cut it down to 1500m partly because of time and partly because I am trying to save energy this week. It took me 23:00 to finish, and I am not doing weights tonight.
And lastly, it is SNOWING here! Not much, but definitely white stuff falling from the sky. It was so cold this morning that my fingers froze inside my biking gloves on the way down to work, and the wind was so strong it nearly blew me off my bike at one point. Either it was that strong, or I've lost too much weight... The weather forecast said it would be windy, but nothing about snow.
I fired up the furnace tonight...
Summer is officially over...
posted by Vava at
8:58 PM
3 Comments:
Well, as a veteran of 3 - count 'em! THREE! - 5k races in a year (can anybody out there top that? Didn't THINK so!), I'd say:
1. Race in kilometers. They're shorter. [grumbling] Lucky Canadians! Allowed to run in kilometers! Here in America, we're only allowed to race in miles ... have it so easy up there ...[/grumbling]
2. Take the Great Gazoo Garmin if it will be more comfort than hindrance. In my first race, I gave some thought to not strapping on my iPod - you know, to gain that extra 10th of a second advantage. Then I thought, "Pfft! What am I gonna do for 5 whole k? Listen to my thoughts? Running can be painful at times, but there's no reason it should be torture." So ask yourself: In terms of psychological comfort, will the Garmin be better for you or worse?
3. This is the most important. For god's sake, don't listen to anything I say. I mean, geez. Use your head. You wanna do well, right?
Seriously, for your first race - for all races, IMHO - do everthing you can to make it fun. As long as you don't spontaneously combust at some point along the route, you'll be happy at the end, I can just about guarantee it. The fact that you'll inevitably think you coulda done better will be part of what drives you to training for the next one.
Holy crap the weather turned cold, eh? Have fun in your race. I have run a whopping total of one race (5k) so far in my life, but the best advice I received, and will share with you, is to be careful not go out too fast. That's all I've got. Enjoy it.
I've NEVER done a 10k race LMAO. I was supposed to last year but got injured. It's one that I need to do. For me? I'd probably negative split because that's what works best for me. BUT I've also heard of peeps running a slightly faster 1st and 2nd mile (5-10 seconds faster than goal pace) and then settling into their goal pace. Other peeps like to do the even splits. It's all about finding out what works for YOU!
Here's a quicky link to 10K pacing strategies:
www.nyrr.org/resources/training/10K_strategy.asp
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