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OvercastThis episode discusses how to determine your race pace for distances you haven’t done before or haven’t done in a long time. The method described involves doing fast finish long runs in the weeks leading up to the race.
For a 10K, the last 15 minutes of the long run are done at race pace. For a half marathon, the last 30 minutes are done at race pace. And for a marathon, the last 30 minutes of the long run are done at race pace.
The average pace during these fast finish portions is used to estimate the race pace. The episode also emphasizes the importance of pacing during the race and making a decision on whether to speed up or slow down at three-quarters of the race distance.
Takeaways
- To determine your race pace for a new distance, do fast finish long runs in the weeks leading up to the race.
- For a 10K, do the last 15 minutes of the long run at race pace.
- For a half marathon, do the last 30 minutes of the long run at race pace.
- For a marathon, do the last 30 minutes of the long run at race pace.
- Use the average pace during the fast finish portion to estimate your race pace.
- During the race, aim for an even split or a negative split, running the same pace or faster in the second half of the race.
- Make a decision on whether to speed up or slow down at three-quarters of the race distance.
If you’d like some help preparing for and planning your race strategy for your first race, we can help! Just click the link below to book a free call.