Pacing - the most fascinating physiological phenomenon (Read 1366 times)

Pacing is truly the most interesting, unexplained physiological phenomenon. We generally don't run to complete and utter exhaustion, reaching the end of the race and collapsing to the ground unable to move even another step. Instead we reach the end of the race, if paced correctly, completely unable to continue at that pace but clearly able to continue at a slower pace. Paced correctly you run the race distance at the maximum pace you can sustain for that distance. You can't run any further at that pace, but you can run further at a slower pace. Hey, you can always slow down and go further. Which means you selected the maximum pace you could run for that distance, but the maximum pace you could run for that distance did not result in complete exhaustion, just specific fatigue at that pace and distance. Which means fatigue is specific to a pace & distance. So, what determines the max pace you can run for a set distance? And, why is max pace for one distance different than the max pace for another distance? Fascinating questions. Solve the riddle of pacing and you make a giant step in solving the riddle of performance. Science has been busy, working on the riddle of pacing. Some new research is now available. But, even before we go there, a little logical consideration of the problem will shed quite a bit of light on the answer...

Oh Boy, here we go again.......

Who's going to take his bait this time?

There are physiological phenomena that are far more fascinating than pacing. Just ask Scout's mom.

There are physiological phenomena that are far more fascinating than pacing. Just ask Scout's mom.

Trent put you up to this or just being a jerk?

I know after my second Marathon I couldn't have run another 1km at any pace. I could barely walk to the first tree in the park where I had to sit for close to half an hour before attempting the very slow walk to the parking lot. After my first, yeah I probably could have went further at a slower pace. My conclusion is I paced myself properly in the 2nd and messedup the pace in the first.

Your post illustrates a very interesting point - the longer the race distance, the more difficult it becomes for the runner to slow down and continue running. It is rare to finish a short race, say 5K, and find large numbers of competitors sitting on the ground right near the finish line, barely able to walk. Most runners at the end of a 5k could, if required, continue to run, albeit at a slower pace. On the other hand, you are much more likely to see runners at the finish line of a marathon reduced to a walk, unable to continue running. Physiologically speaking, what is different about the fatigue at the end of a 5k different vs. the fatigue at the end of a marathon? Why could a runner continue running at a slower pace at the end of a 5k but be able to barely walk at the end of a marathon? Clearly, there is a difference in the nature of fatigue at these 2 distances - something that strongly influences the likelihood that the runner can or cannot continue on at a slower pace. Solve the riddle of pacing and the explanation for the difference in the nature of fatigue at different distances becomes clear.

I like cheese.

I wonder if this mysterious secret riddle of pacing might also explain what could possibly be the fatigue difference between running a sprint triathlon and running an ironman, a riddle that perplexes many...