I am happy to say that I have reached a few training firsts over the last couple of weeks. - First time running 40+ MPW for 2 consecutive weeks - Most miles in one week: 42 - 6 Mile PR set during a tempo run; My longest race effort until this point has been 4 miles. I ran the 4 miles back in February of this year at 6:45/Mile. This 6 Mile tempo run was in 6:49/Mile and felt hard but comfortable. Although I am in a base building phase, I am anxious to see what 5K performance I will have this coming weekend. I am hoping that the added miles will pay off. I can say that I do feel alot stronger.

So much for all my training bliss. I pretty much tanked in the race today. I ended up finishing in 20:47, which is a minute and 15 seconds slower than the race I ran three weeks ago (19:30). There was nothing special about the course, some small hills, but I will mention that there was some strong winds today. I went out too fast in the first mile at 6:04 and then slowed to 6:35 for the 2nd mile. I had to walk several times to get through the last mile. Honestly, at about a mile and a half, I felt like calling it quits and going home. In that regards, I am happy that I finished the race at all. I did feel a little sluggish even during the warmup run this morning though. Also, I kind of struggled through a tempo run on Thursday that I thought would be comfortably hard. Does anyone have any tips here? I thought that with all the work I was putting in that I would expect to run a better race. At least close to the time I ran 3 weeks ago. Am I overtraining? Am I running my easy runs too fast (I noticed I am getting quicker than the time from Mcmillan calculator based on my 19:30 effort)? Is this because I am in a base building phase of training? Did I just go out too fast? Any other thoughts?

a hard tempo run 2 days before a key race is probably not a good idea?

I'd say it was mostly the first mile too fast. In a 5K, you pretty much can't recover from it if it's really too fast for your fitness.

Thanks for the advice. Based on my last run, I probably should have went out in about 6:20 at the fastest but instead I came through at 6:04. I guess I got caught up in the excitement of the race. I remember looking at my watch about a half mile in and noticing that I was running at 5:50/mile pace. I tried to slow up but I think the damage may have been done at that point. Most of my previous running experience was in 800m and 1600m which I could pretty much guts out even if I went a little too fast. The 5K is a little more unforgiving because I lost my mental drive when I was getting very tired at the halfway point. Even though I tried to slow, it gave little relief.

I am so with you guys too. I did a x country 5k, and went out in the first mile in sub 6 pace, Felt so easy. SLowed it down and completed mile 1 in 6:09, but it was too late, the damage was done, as I suffered over the hard terrain to come. Consequently completed mile 2 in 6:30 and 3 in 7:02. THe good thing about it is that it will be on again for the next 2 months, so I am going to go out with a better strategy next time. First mile will be in 6:30 and then hopefully I should be able to hold on to the pace for the rest of the race.

I think you answered your own question.....you started out too fast. Try to have your first mile be your slowest and your last mile your fastest It 's tough to hold back on the first mile....but my goal is to hold my place/pace for first mile and then pick people off one at a time....not letting anyone pass me.

I know this is the theory, and I strongly advocate this approach. I used it in my previous 4 mile race, and was very happy with the splits: 6:23, 6:13, 6:05, 6:07 Yet for the last 5k I just wanted to try the going out faster approach, and I can say I will never be doing it again!!

I have a 2 Mile race coming up this weekend. I would like to break the 11:59 mark that I set last year on the same course. I feel like I am in better shape this year and I have put alot more miles in. Any suggestions on first mile split (or even half mile splits)?