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How to pace my 10k/15k/20k to prep for half? (Read 694 times)


Mmmmm...beer

    This Saturday is the first race in a distance series that my local running club puts on to prep for the Shamrock half/full.  I'm doing the 10k/15k/20k series to prep for the half and wondering how I should pace it?

     

    Should I pace it based off of the 5k that I ran on Monday?  Or should I run it based off of my goal for the half?  There's a pretty big difference.  Based off of my 20:30 5k (which was very poorly paced), McMillan says I should be able do the 10k at 6:51/mile.  But based off my goal of sub 1:30 for the half, it says I should be able to run it at 6:29/mile.

     

    Do I try for 6:29 and see how it goes, or shoot somewhere in the middle and then up the pace for the next two races if it goes well?

    -Dave

    My running blog

    Goals | sub-18 5k | sub-3 marathon 2:56:46!!

    CalBears


      So, what you are saying is that after you ran 5K at 6:36 pace, you think it's a wise thing to run 10K at 6:29, right? Smile.

      On a more serious note, it's commonly recommended to pace based on your current fitness, not on a desired one. Means, you should probably use your latest 5K result as a pace recommendation. The whole point of your training is to better your fitness and endurance. After spending 16-18 weeks in training you supposed to be in a better shape than you are at the start of the training. A good thing to do is to have a half marathon 3-4 weeks before the full. Ideally, your fitness/endurance improves by then and the HM result will reflect it and help you to decide on pace for your first marathon.

      paces PRs - 5K - 5:48  /  10K - 6:05  /  HM - 6:14  /  FM - 6:26 per mile


      Mmmmm...beer

        Good point calbearsfan. Smile

         

        I think that I am capable of running a 6:26 pace for a 5k, if I can manage to control myself out of the gate.  So maybe I should shoot for a 6:40 pace for the 10k.  That would put me currently at around a 1:32 half, then see if I can shave off those last two minutes over the next two months.

        -Dave

        My running blog

        Goals | sub-18 5k | sub-3 marathon 2:56:46!!

          Good point calbearsfan. Smile

           

          I think that I am capable of running a 6:26 pace for a 5k, if I can manage to control myself out of the gate.  So maybe I should shoot for a 6:40 pace for the 10k.  That would put me currently at around a 1:32 half, then see if I can shave off those last two minutes over the next two months.

           

          If you hold a 6:50 pace for the half it will give you ~1:29:35 which will meet your goal. So keep in mind that the Half is your goal race, not the 10k, the 15k or the 20k.

           

          "I'm doing the 10k/15k/20k series to prep for the half and wondering how I should pace it?"

           

          I'd go out at 6:50 for the 10k. If you can pick it up at the 5k mark and hold a stronger pace through the finish then go for it. Take that 6:50 pace into the 15k as well and if you're strong at 5 miles, pick it up for the last ~4.3. At the 20km try to run a steady 6:50 through 10 miles and then either hold on or try to pick it up for the last ~2.4.

           

          Knowing what your goal HM pace feels like over these distances will serve you better at the HM than trying to hit a 10k time that a calculator says will let you hit your HM goal.


          Mmmmm...beer

             

            If you hold a 6:50 pace for the half it will give you ~1:29:35 which will meet your goal. So keep in mind that the Half is your goal race, not the 10k, the 15k or the 20k.

             

            "I'm doing the 10k/15k/20k series to prep for the half and wondering how I should pace it?"

             

            I'd go out at 6:50 for the 10k. If you can pick it up at the 5k mark and hold a stronger pace through the finish then go for it. Take that 6:50 pace into the 15k as well and if you're strong at 5 miles, pick it up for the last ~4.3. At the 20km try to run a steady 6:50 through 10 miles and then either hold on or try to pick it up for the last ~2.4.

             

            Knowing what your goal HM pace feels like over these distances will serve you better at the HM than trying to hit a 10k time that a calculator says will let you hit your HM goal.

             

            Ok, now that definitely makes sense.  My fastest pace to date for over six miles was 7:11/mile on a 10 miler, so 6:50 for the 10k sounds much more reasonable, and I should be able to pick it up a lil on the backside.

             

            I think I was looking at the 10k as too much of a race, instead of a training tool, which is what it's intended to be.  Thanks.

            -Dave

            My running blog

            Goals | sub-18 5k | sub-3 marathon 2:56:46!!


            No more marathons

              Dave, I'm going to just shoot some random thoughts out there.

              Is there any reason you feel the need to do this as a half marathon pacing run?  The Half is 7 weeks away.

              You shot out of the gates with a 5:30 or so half mile and still managed to bring the 5K in at 20:23.  Better pacing would have seen the 20:00 barrier fall - do you really think you can go a full minute and 20 slower at the start of this 10K?

              Compared to Nov and Dec you are in full taper mode.  You are ready to race (an EASY 5 mile training run at 7:30 pace?).

               

              FWIW - I'd say your training and recent 5K point to a sub 42 (or better) 10K.  With 7 weeks before the half there is no reason not to race this 10K, and based on your charging to the front at the 5K I doubt that you would really be able to hold back anyway. Big grin

              It will be critical for you to go slow the first mile (and really that first half mile) - but by slow I would suggest 6:40.  My guess is that you can hold that pace, or even pick it up by 5 seconds or so after that.  If you can run 10 miles in training at 7:11 pace it's no big stretch to take 30 seconds per mile off for a 10K.

              Boston 2014 - a 33 year journey

              Lordy,  I hope there are tapes. 

              He's a leaker!


              Mmmmm...beer

                Dave, I'm going to just shoot some random thoughts out there.

                Is there any reason you feel the need to do this as a half marathon pacing run?  The Half is 7 weeks away.

                You shot out of the gates with a 5:30 or so half mile and still managed to bring the 5K in at 20:23.  Better pacing would have seen the 20:00 barrier fall - do you really think you can go a full minute and 20 slower at the start of this 10K?

                Compared to Nov and Dec you are in full taper mode.  You are ready to race (an EASY 5 mile training run at 7:30 pace?).

                 

                FWIW - I'd say your training and recent 5K point to a sub 42 (or better) 10K.  With 7 weeks before the half there is no reason not to race this 10K, and based on your charging to the front at the 5K I doubt that you would really be able to hold back anyway. Big grin

                It will be critical for you to go slow the first mile (and really that first half mile) - but by slow I would suggest 6:40.  My guess is that you can hold that pace, or even pick it up by 5 seconds or so after that.  If you can run 10 miles in training at 7:11 pace it's no big stretch to take 30 seconds per mile off for a 10K.

                 

                Cause delucj suggested it. Smile  I'm very open to suggestions, but I have to admit that I do want to challenge myself and see what I can do at the 10k.  At this point, it's hard for me to gauge where I should be, still being new and still improving fairly rapidly.  So maybe racing the 10k would be a better gauge of where I'm at and will then help me pace the rest of the distance series and the half.

                -Dave

                My running blog

                Goals | sub-18 5k | sub-3 marathon 2:56:46!!

                  I didn't mean to suggest that you needed to use the 10k to prep for the half rather than as a goal race Smile I just got that impression from your original post. How you pace it is going to depend on what you want to get out of it.

                   

                  If you want to race it as fast as you can, then you should go out about 10 seconds per mile slower than you think you can race the 5k. If the race is about prepping for the half marathon, then you should go out at about your goal half marathon pace. How you run each of these races will have very little impact on your fitness on race day; that's all up to the rest of your training.

                  Julia1971


                    I would agree with going out at 6:50 pace and trying to negative split.  But, I tend to start races conservatively anyway.  Still, I think the 10K is one of the hardest distances to pace well (which is why I kinda love the distance).  And, you have two more races to gauge where you might be for the half, so it's not like you really have to nail this first one.

                     

                    Good luck!

                    xhristopher


                      I would agree with going out at 6:50 pace and trying to negative split.  But, I tend to start races conservatively anyway.  Still, I think the 10K is one of the hardest distances to pace well (which is why I kinda love the distance).  And, you have two more races to gauge where you might be for the half, so it's not like you really have to nail this first one.

                       

                      Good luck!

                       

                      I'm with delucj and Julia on this. Run the first mile at 6:51 and then try to run each a little faster. If you have energy left in the tank you'll have plenty of time to burn it. You might learn a lot more about your current fitness this way too.

                       

                      Yeah, 10Ks can be tough. It's like running two 5Ks back to back. Wait, it is running two 5Ks back to back. Have fun.


                      Mmmmm...beer

                        I didn't mean to suggest that you needed to use the 10k to prep for the half rather than as a goal race Smile I just got that impression from your original post. How you pace it is going to depend on what you want to get out of it.

                         

                        If you want to race it as fast as you can, then you should go out about 10 seconds per mile slower than you think you can race the 5k. If the race is about prepping for the half marathon, then you should go out at about your goal half marathon pace. How you run each of these races will have very little impact on your fitness on race day; that's all up to the rest of your training.

                         

                        No worries, the truth is I'm not sure what to do. Smile  I don't really know what kind of goal I should be shooting for with the half, my original goal was sub-1:40, but I've already surpassed that in training, so sub-1:30 seemed logical.  That's why I was thinking of racing the distance series, so I can come out of the 20k with a better idea of what my half race pace should be.

                         

                        I was thinking along the lines of what Julia said.  If I blow up and bomb it, not a huge deal, since I can readjust for the 15k and try again.

                        -Dave

                        My running blog

                        Goals | sub-18 5k | sub-3 marathon 2:56:46!!


                        No more marathons

                           

                          I was thinking along the lines of what Julia said.  If I blow up and bomb it, not a huge deal, since I can readjust for the 15k and try again.

                           

                          I agree, this wou:ld be a good plan.  I don't think there is any great risk of bombing, as long as you really focus on that first mile - keep it at the 645 to 6:50 pace and you should be able to hold that.  Your challenge will come in the middle miles - four and five, that's where you will start to feel some fatigue at this pace, but it will be more mental than physical.  An overall sub 42 is not unexpected.

                          Boston 2014 - a 33 year journey

                          Lordy,  I hope there are tapes. 

                          He's a leaker!


                          Resident Historian

                             

                            I agree, this wou:ld be a good plan.  I don't think there is any great risk of bombing, as long as you really focus on that first mile - keep it at the 645 to 6:50 pace and you should be able to hold that.  Your challenge will come in the middle miles - four and five, that's where you will start to feel some fatigue at this pace, but it will be more mental than physical.  An overall sub 42 is not unexpected.

                             

                             

                            ^ This exactly

                            Neil

                            --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            “Some people will tell you that slow is good – but I'm here to tell you that fast is better. I've always believed this, in spite of the trouble it's caused me. - Hunter S. Thompson


                            Mmmmm...beer

                              Thanks so much everyone, I feel much better having a plan.  I'll let you know how it goes.

                              -Dave

                              My running blog

                              Goals | sub-18 5k | sub-3 marathon 2:56:46!!

                                Good Luck Dave.

                                 

                                It looks like we are on the same level but you have a higher weekly mileage than me. I am supposed to run a 10K tomorrow but the trail is still covered with snow. I am not going to risk it. So I will race on my treadmill to check my fitness. I am going to try 40, going out at 6:40. If it fails, no harm.  My only concern is the indoor temperature is 68F (20C).

                                 

                                MTA: My result is FAILED. After 2 miles warm up, started at 6:40 for a mile, then went for 6:31 for the second mile, and 6:27 for the third, but gave up at 5K. Mentally I didn't believe that I could run at that pace for the next 5K.

                                5k - 20:56 (09/12), 7k - 28:40 (11/12), 10k trial - 43:08  (03/13), 42:05 (05/13), FM - 3:09:28 (05/13), HM - 1:28:20 (05/14), Failed 10K trial - 6:10/mi for 4mi (08/14), FM - 3:03 (09/14)

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