Forums >General Running>How hard do you push yourself in races and how do you know what your limits are?
RIP Milkman
For me, it actually is nausea. I don't get that feeling when training, but I would throw up in every single race if I didn't take anti-nausea pills. Now, that's totally individual and not something I would say EVERY runner should feel, but it's true for me.
The true test for me is if I'm at some point during the race saying "I can't do this anymore." If I have that feeling WITHOUT slowing down because of it, I know I've pushed as hard as I can. If I'm feeling great 90% through the race and really able to push at the end, I didn't run hard enough. The other thought I'll often have is "why am I pushing this hard, it's just a stupid race, nobody will care if you slow down." In a HM, if I'm not feeling like this by mile 8, I know I'm not pushing hard enough.
I will say that the majority of people I know that causally run have never felt this during a race. Sure, they feel tired, or don't want to do it anymore. But in my HM example, they have never thought that early that it was over for them. You definitely should be passing the talking test after mile 6 of a half. On the other hand though, I've heard people breathing in a 1-1 pattern at mile 2. That is also a terribly awful idea.
5K: 16:37 (11/20) | 10K: 34:49 (10/19) | HM: 1:14:57 (5/22) | FM: 2:36:31 (12/19)
Are you doing much speed work in your weekly training sessions? If you want to be able to push yourself to the max in races, you need to train your body and brain to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Incorporating tempo runs into your training not only helps you make the physiological adaptations you need to run faster but it allows your brain to realize that you pushed yourself and didn't hurt yourself, so each time you can push a little harder. If you only do this when you race, it won't be very effective. You need a weekly dose of discomfort.
If I'm training for a half I like to do race pace miles during every other long run. I'll start with something fairly modest like 3 most at race pace at the end of the run. By the end of my training cycle I'll work my way up to 8 miles at HMP out of a 15 miles run. This is a big confidence booster.
I generally know that I pushed to my limits because I'm counting down the seconds until I can stop running and making deals with myself that I will stop and take a walk break at a certain spot, even though I never do. In my last marathon I told myself I was going to drop out at mile 20, then 21, then the next aid station, etc. I ended up finishing the race with a PR.
The throwing up and or nausea thing is most definitely individual. There's never been a race that I felt like throwing up afterwards or during. The worst I've ever felt racing (other than a few deathmarches at the end of poorly-paced marathons) is the last 60m of a 400m race. A itty-bitty quarter mile race can bring me to my knees in a way that a marathon or 50K can't even touch. Black spots blur my vision, my arms and shoulders hurt and I feel like I'm going to pass out before crossing the finish line (but I was never in danger of puking!). It still amazes me to see how well open class 400m runners appear to handle the end of a 400. I am certainly no sprinter and never trained as one so I guess it makes sense that that race would be my worst.
I just push myself as hard as possible on race day and I never know what my limits are until the race is over, and then I question why I couldn't have run just a bit faster - so I guess even then I don't know my limits. That's a good thing, regardless of what Clint Eastwood had to say about it - "A man's got to know his limitations".
Rick
I don't. Guess you would call me a recreational runner or hobby jogger. I tried but ended up with injury or down time, so I guess I found my limits. Running every day is more important than finish times to me. That being said, I do enjoy the occasional fast mile to add variety.
12-22 Last One Standing - dnf 37 miles
1-23 Sun Marathon - 3:53
3-4-23 Red Mountain 55k - 7:02
4-15-23 Zion 100 - 27:59
If you are looking for individual responses on how pushing oneself feel to each of us
In marathons I usually make it to mile 18-20 comfortably hard ... I can talk to someone, but I am a man of few words because I am running hard enough it's hard to speak more than a couple of words. At this effort level somewhere between mile 18-22 it becomes all I can do to hold the pace I have chosen.
The last 4-8 miles focus on holding pace no matter the effort level usually leads to complete focus on stride, keeping shoulders back and a constant struggle to get enough oxygen to continue. It then leads to varying levels of tunnel vision and being light headed. I tell myself 2 things: 1) If I can take another step at this pace, I can take 100, I can do a mile and I can finish the race ... I usually am focussing on the next mile, but times it is the next minute and 2) You can back off when you pass out ... although it is possible to pass out and hit your head and die, I am assuming I would wake back up and be fine. I have never passed out - yet.
Although I have dry heaved a few times after a race ... it is not typical.
I only remember one marathon where I thought my legs were the limiting factor directly - It has always been my ability to process enough oxygen at the pace I am forcing my legs to go.
Long dead ... But my stench lingers !
The Nirvana of racing for me is to test your mental limits more than testing you physical limits. Being in complete control of your pain and discomforts and to continue to demand more pain.
So the original poster (OP) asked "How do you know your limits"
* We all have physical limits
* But I believe we all put a mental restriction on those physical limits
* Some of us restrict them more than others
To the my question back
1) What are your mental limits you are currently putting on your physical limits
2) How do you challenge those mental limits to reduce them
3) How do you reduce your physical limits - A lot of good training advice here
Here is my matrix of mental commitment for fully committed to your race performance to not committed. I have only races in the top 3 categories. The 1st one is very selfish and I have only races there once. But when you are fully committed - thoughts of weird or scary pains or body conditions mean nothing.
* I know people that are so mentally committed to a race they do not care if they die (That is stupid and selfish)
* Some people do not care if they injure themselves
* Some do not care if they blow up and have to drop out
* Some do not care if they will sore the days after the race
* Some want to feel good the whole race and enjoy it
* Some just want to ensure they finish the race
There is not a right or wrong answer in your mental commitment level - That is your personal choice.
Waltons ThreadLord
Well said.
5k 23:48.45 (3/22); 4M 31:26 (2/22); 5M 38:55 (11/23); 10k 49:24 (10/22); 10M 1:29:33 (2/24); Half 1:48:32 (10/22); Marathon 4:29:58 (11/23)Upcoming races: Clinton Country Run 15k, 4/27; Spring Distance Classic 5k, 4/28
The Nirvana of racing for me is to test your mental limits more than testing you physical limits. Being in complete control of your pain and discomforts and to continue to demand more pain. So the original poster (OP) asked "How do you know your limits" * We all have physical limits * But I believe we all put a mental restriction on those physical limits * Some of us restrict them more than others To the my question back 1) What are your mental limits you are currently putting on your physical limits 2) How do you challenge those mental limits to reduce them 3) How do you reduce your physical limits - A lot of good training advice here Here is my matrix of mental commitment for fully committed to your race performance to not committed. I have only races in the top 3 categories. The 1st one is very selfish and I have only races there once. But when you are fully committed - thoughts of weird or scary pains or body conditions mean nothing. * I know people that are so mentally committed to a race they do not care if they die (That is stupid and selfish) * Some people do not care if they injure themselves * Some do not care if they blow up and have to drop out * Some do not care if they will sore the days after the race * Some want to feel good the whole race and enjoy it * Some just want to ensure they finish the race There is not a right or wrong answer in your mental commitment level - That is your personal choice.
Great comment.
If you're trained, I feel like after any race you should be done! so you should push yourself to your limit! with the possible exception that you're just training through a race...
I wouldn't go from 0 to heart attack though, but once you've been running a while and ready, you should have no more in you after a race.
listen to your body, if you twist something, or feel something abnormal, I'm always in favor of shutting it down, live to race another day.
300m- 37 sec.