Services For Runners
  • Home
  • About
  • Services
  • Associates
  • Testimonials
  • Q&A
  • News
  • Library
  • Audios
  • Links
  • Contact

How to Pace a 5 km.

4/1/2011

3 Comments

 
Q – How do you teach 5K runners to pace themselves from start to finish. Or what pace starting results in best 5K finish time?

A – Yep....many folks are like a beagle just let off the leash, adrenaline glands a wailing with the unique excitement associated with the crowds, the pomp and the pageantry at the many of the race start lines nowadays. Away they tear, with powerful strides, manufacturing copious amounts of carbon dioxide with every bound....tall and proud !! 

Then it happens... other natural laws starting imposing their particular rules and regulations.....mainly, a severe need to supply and use the adequate amounts of oxygen that  their magnificent running muscles are demanding for such intensity... but alas they cannot....and so they “turn in to pretzels” and fall far below their early pace and end up posting performances that are not doing themselves justice and feeling quite embarrassed...and  moping in a corner at the post race reception...... so common.

So what to do.

You need to train the runner’s intuitive clock....his or her sense of pace. They have to learn what effort levels are associated with particular paces (e.g., running 8:30 per km. is easy, while running 5:30 per km. is full out, and so on...) ...They have to learn pace: a skill that can definitely be trained.

And a recommended way to accomplish this is to introduce repeated opportunities for the athlete to practise specific paces. This is why interval training can be so beneficial, as the athlete, over and over again in a given workout session, runs interval distances (e.g., repeat 800 metres), timing each one. It’s a biofeedback bonanza!

Also, particular designs of interval workouts are an excellent tool in revealing what a reasonable goal pace should be. For example, whatever you can average for 5 x 1000 metres, taking a 2:00 recovery, gives a good indication of what the runner might best try (within 5 or 10 sec.) as a race pace.

Such sessions can of course be conducted on 400 metre tracks, where the runner/coach can easily monitor the pace, even at intermediate points while doing an interval. For example, if the runner is wishing to do 800 m. repeats in 4:00, then pace at every 200 m. (60 sec.) can be checked to see if a speed up or a slowdown is in order.

With the advent of Garmin watches and the accuracy of Google Earth (my preference) you can conveniently do the timed session on accurately measured roads which is especially advisable for anyone road racing.

If you want to get to Juilliard, PRACTISE ! 
3 Comments


    Have a question?... then send it along.


    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Alcohol And Athletes
    Basic Speed Vs. Performance
    Best Squats For Speed
    Black Toe
    Chocolate Milk
    Comparing Ellipticals Vs. Treadmills For Runners
    Course Certification
    Cross Training
    Dealing With Aches
    Downhill Marathons
    Hill Training
    Hot Weather Running
    How Much Of A Performance Is Mental?
    Interval Training
    Kenyan Dominance
    Leg Strength Balance
    Lower Back Strengthening
    Marathon Recovery
    Pacing A 5 Km. Race
    Race Day Nerves
    Resting Heart Rate
    Rhabdomyolysis
    Running Drills
    Running Efficiency
    Running On Grass
    Shivering After Run
    Smelling-salts
    Stride Length
    Treadmill Pace Converter
    Treadmill Vs Land Running
    Warmup For 5 & 10 Km
    Weighted-blanket
    Weight Training For Arms
    World-records


    Picture

    Archives

    August 2022
    June 2022
    February 2022
    October 2020
    March 2018
    February 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    July 2017
    February 2017
    June 2016
    May 2014
    April 2014
    April 2013
    March 2013
    September 2012
    March 2012
    April 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    August 2010
    June 2010