Forums >General Running>Question: Training Plan Pacing Adjustments
So I did my speed test, as planned, and feel pretty good about these results - new PR for a 5K! Ok, well actually anything would have been a PR, since I've never raced, but I'm pretty proud of the time: 5Km in 18:39.95. Sweet! So apparently running slow lots does make you faster. Thanks Nobby MTA: Thanks Lydiard (via Nobby)
So I did my speed test, as planned, and feel pretty good about these results - new PR for a 5K! Ok, well actually anything would have been a PR, since I've never raced, but I'm pretty proud of the time: 5Km in 18:39.95. Sweet!
So apparently running slow lots does make you faster. Thanks Nobby
MTA: Thanks Lydiard (via Nobby)
Very impressive. Was that a real race, or a solo time trial?
Runners run
Tomorrow will be worse
Just a solo test - I did an out and back in case there was a net advantage from wind/slope in one direction or the other. I don't think I had much left in the tank at the end, though a real race's adrenaline might shave a little time off
if you're like me and perhaps many others, being in a real race situation (somewhat rested, properly warmed up, competition, and all the other factors), will shave off more than just a few seconds over a 5K. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised! Nice race, er um, time trial!!
There is the speed you set your training paces at
There is the pace you actually try and run your marathon at
I would be conservative in your actual marathon you run.
I am a by feel person ~ So I tend to run a few different workouts ~ but all based on feel
I will run 3-4 miles at the end of a run (I like 4) at a pace I feel like I could run for 1 hour (LAT = Lactic acid threshhold pace)
I will run 5 minutes hard and then 5 minute easy x 4-5 reps at a pace I feel like I could hold for a 30 minute race
I will run 3-4 x 4 minutes at a pace I feel I could run in a 5k race
I will run long runs that I run the last 5-10 miles at marathon pace effort.
I do not own a garmin - None of these are pre-determined paces - Just effort levels.
Most people look up charts and plod their paces instead of by feel.
Striders are good - Fartleks are good. If you pick any of the above workouts - Be conservative ~ Pick a pace you think is right and slow down 5 seconds per mile and just relax and run (No strain) It always takes me 3-4 workouts before I run a workout well.
I would agree with your approach to the actual marathon - I ran my 1st at an easy long run pace for the 1st 20 miles ~ chatting it up with someone. If I felt any strain, I backed off. I ran the 1st 20 in 7:25 pace and finished it up in 6:41 pace the last 10k. This gave me 2 benefits ~ 1) Being conservative gave me more room for error ~ No death march and 2) It was a blast to be banging out fast miles - blowing past people at the end ... no death march.
I am fuller bodied than Dopplebock
I will run long runs that I run the last 5-10 miles at marathon pace effort. I do not own a garmin - None of these are pre-determined paces - Just effort levels.
I go by effort, not pace. My Garmin is a tracking device and provides feedback only after I run. BUT I'm trying to figure out a realistic goal MP and translate that into a MP training run.
You say you run at marathon pace effort. Pfitz says run goal MP, not your current MP. So, am I missing something? I have a 17 mile w/10 @ goal MP training run tomorrow. Either my goal (<3:15, so ~7:24 pace) is too aggressive or there's more wiggle room to run my training run a little slower. I ran one MP run so far; a 16 miler w/8 @ goal MP. I hit the pace but it took an effort. More effort than I could maintain for 26.2. May need to lower my expectations.
MTA: to the OP, in only 4 months of training you dropped your 5K time from 24-something to sub 19. I hate you very much.
to be fair, I spent my childhood playing soccer so stamina work is more natural than the longer distance paces - they're still foreign to me. That's also why I don't run speed workouts by feel - I "feel" like I should be trying harder because we were always encouraged as kids to squeeze every last ounce of effort out in a workout, which doesn't mesh well sometimes with the purposes during distance training.