I ran a race today and the course profile was like this.
Mile 1 - Very slight downhill drop of 10-15 feet.
Mile 2 - Brutal climb of 300+ feet
Mile 3 - Rollers. None long but a couple kind of steep.
Mile 4 - Back down the Mile 2 climb.
Mile 5 - Same route as Mile 1 although, of course, slight rise of 10-15 feet.
I had a very definite strategy about how to run this race and I executed about as well as I could have given my current fitness level. I'm curious as to how others would have run it.
Short term goal: 17:59 5K
Mid term goal: 2:54:59 marathon
Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life. (I started running at age 45).
Don't blow up during mile 2 and forget running even splits.
Is that 300ft in elevation gain or is the hill 300 ft long?
It's a 300 foot elevation gain. It starts at Mile 1.17 and ends at Mile 1.97 according to Jeepus. It's a steady climb with no break at all. That's not actually the top but you can catch your breath for a hundred yards or so before the rollers start.
So yea, don't die in miles 2 and 3. Assuming no shade & summer like conditions, I'd probably be overly conservative those 2 miles, try to keep things steady and don't fall coming down the hill and then hard effort on the last mile.
Hip Redux
Mile 1 - Very slight downhill drop of 10-15 feet. Mile 2 - Brutal climb of 300+ feet Mile 3 - Rollers. None long but a couple kind of steep. Mile 4 - Back down the Mile 2 climb. Mile 5 - Same route as Mile 1 although, of course, slight rise of 10-15 feet.
Likely:
1) Way too fast
2) Suck wind
3) Recover and bit and curse myself for miles 1 and 2
4) Regret signing up for this race
5) Cruise in, thankful for some flat roads
I'm guessing that's not what you were looking for lol
uʍop ǝpᴉsdn sǝʇᴉɹʍ ʇI
Killer hill. I would start on the slower side, maybe a slow 10k pace, then pick it up at mile 3, and at mile 4 put the hammer down.
This.
20,000 miles behind me, the world still to see.
I would run on pace until I hit the hill run by effort back on pace thru the rollers then hammer the downhill.
Youth Has No Age. ~ Picasso / 1st road race: Charleston Distance Run 15 Miler - 1974 / profile
delicate flower
Congrats!
<3
Pretty much this, but after cresting the big hill in good shape, I'd be looking to pick off any fools who ran it too hard.
Mmmmm...beer
After dying on the hill, I would crawl the rest of the way.
-Dave
My running blog
Goals | sub-18 5k | sub-3 marathon 2:56:46!!