Beginners and Beyond

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My personal 5k pacing strategy. What's yours? (Read 114 times)

thekl0wn


Pigtail Connoisseur

    ok here's my deal. I'm so vain (even though i look like a middle school gym teacher when i race) that the last thing i want to do is puke at the finish line. I don't even want to look like i'm dying or anything like that. One reason is that I look bad enough when i run and another is that as an old guy, i don't want people to think I'm having or about to have a heart attack.  So i play it cool. I probably leave 30 seconds to a minute on the field as a result but for me, it's worth it,

     

    1 st mile -  let all the people who are starting out too fast pass me.

     

    2nd mile - I actually practice passing people when I'm training (really, I'm good at it) so I pass a lot of people.

     

    3rd mile - I pass even more people. (Alright, keep in mind that the people that are actually faster than me are people i never even see, so I'm just passing all the people who started out too fast, and there are a lot of them)

     

    last .15 mile (or whatever that last fraction is) I always have a good kick left so I pass people like 20 yard before the finish line. I'm sure this pisses a few people off and makes for really bad finish line pics, but that's how i roll.

     

    Yes I'm an ass. I'm trying to work on being less of one though, but so far that's my style.

     

    My ego trumps my vanity...  I don't care that I look like holy hell...  I just don't want anyone to pass me.  I have the same issue when driving.

    Something witty

    daisymae25


    Squidward Bike Rider

      Mile 1:  Holy shit, that was way too fast!  I better ease up a bit.

      Mile 1.25 of an out-and-back course:  Where the FUCK is the turnaround already?

      Mile 1.5:  At the turnaround, yes!  But damn turnaround made me slow down because I'm not that coordinated to keep running fast through said turnaround.

      Mile 2:  Aw, crap, I slowed down way too much in that last mile.

      Mile 2.35:  Okay, if I hold this pace/effort, I should be fine!  Gotta save some for the finish
      Mile 2.75:  DO. NOT. WALK.

      Mile 2.90:  Just don't think about it, it will be over soon.

      Mile 3:  WTF, I can't even see the damn finish line yet, but I'm going to give it the old college try!

      Last 0.1:  UUUUUUUUUGH!

      And try not to puke after I cross the finish line.

      kristin10185


      Skirt Runner

        Mile 1:  Holy shit, that was way too fast!  I better ease up a bit.

        Mile 1.25 of an out-and-back course:  Where the FUCK is the turnaround already?

        Mile 1.5:  At the turnaround, yes!  But damn turnaround made me slow down because I'm not that coordinated to keep running fast through said turnaround.

        Mile 2:  Aw, crap, I slowed down way too much in that last mile.

        Mile 2.35:  Okay, if I hold this pace/effort, I should be fine!  Gotta save some for the finish
        Mile 2.75:  DO. NOT. WALK.

        Mile 2.90:  Just don't think about it, it will be over soon.

        Mile 3:  WTF, I can't even see the damn finish line yet, but I'm going to give it the old college try!

        Last 0.1:  UUUUUUUUUGH!

        And try not to puke after I cross the finish line.

        HAHA I like this!!

        PRs:   5K- 28:16 (5/5/13)      10K- 1:00:13 (10/27/13)    4M- 41:43 (9/7/13)   15K- 1:34:25  (8/17/13)    10M- 1:56:30 (4/6/14)     HM- 2:20:16 (4/13/14)     Full- 5:55:33 (11/1/15)

         

        I started a blog about running :) Check it out if you care to

        scappodaqui


        rather be sprinting

          LOL daisymae!

           

          I love that we can curse on this forum, it's awesome. That was also a fantastic description.  I haaaate the 10k, it is so hard!  It's way too long to go that hard.  The sole 10k I've ever run was slower than my HM because I blew up like crazy.

          PRs: 5k 19:25, mile 5:38, HM 1:30:56

          Lifting PRs: bench press 125lb, back squat 205 lb, deadlift 245lb

          sheepla


            If I haven't thought, "I hate 5Ks" by the end of the first mile I'm not running fast enough.  

             

            This.


            Hip Redux

               

               

              I love that we can curse on this forum, it's awesome.

               

              There is no other way to explain the pain of a 5k without swears, for sure. lol

               

              RSX


                Usually my startegy is to either go as fast as I can, or follow someone capable of running the time I want. I never had a GPS watch until this year, so I love knowing how much is left. I ran 23:40 2 weeks ago because I kept my former running partner in sight the whole way. I was almost as happy when I ran 28:22 a few days ago as I was using it as a recovery run (ran 12.5 the day before) and didn't get hurt pushing like I have done in the past.

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