Stupidest running question ever

Bluesquare

As somebody that's be running for a long time it's probably an odd question. I thought when I joined a club all would be revealed ! But no such luck!

What does race pace fee like ? For 5k, 10k, half marathon, marathon! Everywhere paces are explained , steady,easy, tempo etc but no one explains race pace . Is it like a hard tempo , is it tempo intervals without the intervals ? How do you know your pushing yourself enough ? Or too much ? I know the feel your pace etc thing but what is race pace supposed to feel like!!!!!

For the record with 5k and 10k for me it's unpleasant and the end I'm heaving for twenty mins!

Enduro

Bluesquare wrote: »

As somebody that's be running for a long time it's probably an odd question. I thought when I joined a club all would be revealed ! But no such luck!

What does race pace fee like ? For 5k, 10k, half marathon, marathon! Everywhere paces are explained , steady,easy, tempo etc but no one explains race pace . Is it like a hard tempo , is it tempo intervals without the intervals ? How do you know your pushing yourself enough ? Or too much ? I know the feel your pace etc thing but what is race pace supposed to feel like!!!!!

For the record with 5k and 10k for me it's unpleasant and the end I'm heaving for twenty mins!

Racing is an art best learned through practice. The best way to hone in on what is your best race pace over a given distance is to race that distance as often as is practical and learn from each race. Learning to feel what your race pace should be is a valuable skill/art, not something easily explained IMHO.

Race pace will feel completely different in different races based on multiple factors, such as distance, hillyness, terain, weather etc, even if you were in the same form for each (which of course is unlikely).

Peterx

Enduro has it there in fairness.

Over reaching is one way of finding out if you not pushing hard enough.

For instance if you are targeting 5k races and think 4 minutes/kilometre is your race pace maybe try running at 3.30 minutes/km pace and see how far you get.

You will either have to slow down before the finish or surprise yourself with a massive pb

Either way you will have had an experience and hopefully learn from it.

TFBubendorfer

Bluesquare wrote: »

What does race pace fee like ? For 5k, 10k, half marathon, marathon! Everywhere paces are explained , steady,easy, tempo etc but no one explains race pace . Is it like a hard tempo , is it tempo intervals without the intervals ? How do you know your pushing yourself enough ? Or too much ? I know the feel your pace etc thing but what is race pace supposed to feel like!!!!!

5k race pace feels very different to marathon race pace; there is no one "race pace". As for how do you know if it was correct? Well, if you cannot hold your pace and slow down before the finish it was too hard - try to hold back a bit next time. That's where experience helps.

If you're not exhausted at the finish you didn't push hard enough.

In a well paced race you'll probably spend the last third of the race very much looking forward to the finish for the torture to stop.

For the record with 5k and 10k for me it's unpleasant and the end I'm heaving for twenty mins!

Sounds like you got it right

average_runner

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

5k race pace feels very different to marathon race pace; there is no one "race pace". As for how do you know if it was correct? Well, if you cannot hold your pace and slow down before the finish it was too hard - try to hold back a bit next time. That's where experience helps.

If you're not exhausted at the finish you didn't push hard enough.

In a well paced race you'll probably spend the last third of the race very much looking forward to the finish for the torture to stop.



Sounds like you got it right

Also something else to note, is that you might not hit your same race pace in every race over the same distance, as you could be tired or some other facters. But still should be wrecked after it.

Murph_D

What is the definition of "Wrecked" though? It's quite a subjective term. Maybe paying attention to heart rate data can add some objectivity?

robinph

Murph_D wrote: »

What is the definition of "Wrecked" though? It's quite a subjective term. Maybe paying attention to heart rate data can add some objectivity?

But by experience of racing more you are also training yourself to be able to handle being on the limit for longer so the definition of "wrecked" changes over time as you can handle the pain better.

demfad

Just somethings to note:

A: A runner who is well trained generally and well trained for a particular event (say 5k) will go out at race pace and be able to hold it for the entire race distance .

B: The same runner (in a parallel universe) who is generally well trained but not as well trained for the particular event might be able to go out at the same 'race pace' but only be able to hold it for 3k. This 3k would 'feel' the same in both cases but the last 2k would most likely 'feel' very different.

Runner (B) could hold an even pace for the entire 5k but it would be a steadier pace to the 'race pace' described and 'feel' relatively easy.

IMO To improve (and find and hold true race pace) the runner should first and foremost be able to run 5k at a strong even pace. Then they could experiment going out harder (and fading/dying). If there was only a small drop in pace during the fade: next time go out at the same pace and further. If there was a big drop in pace and the runner 'died' then another round at even effort is necessary. (This can be done by training sessions too of course, esp. for longer races)

IMO this lack of endurance at potential race pace will punish the runner more in longer races and the gap between the 'even' race pace and the 'potential race pace' will be bigger for the runner not specifically prepared. (more emphasis on endurance necessary)

How should optimum race pace feel? IMO Depends on the race and depends on how well you're prepared for the particular race.

Bluesquare

demfad wrote: »

Just somethings to note:

A: A runner who is well trained generally and well trained for a particular event (say 5k) will go out at race pace and be able to hold it for the entire race distance .

B: The same runner (in a parallel universe) who is generally well trained but not as well trained for the particular event might be able to go out at the same 'race pace' but only be able to hold it for 3k. This 3k would 'feel' the same in both cases but the last 2k would most likely 'feel' very different.

Runner (B) could hold an even pace for the entire 5k but it would be a steadier pace to the 'race pace' described and 'feel' relatively easy.

IMO To improve (and find and hold true race pace) the runner should first and foremost be able to run 5k at a strong even pace. Then they could experiment going out harder (and fading/dying). If there was only a small drop in pace during the fade: next time go out at the same pace and further. If there was a big drop in pace and the runner 'died' then another round at even effort is necessary. (This can be done by training sessions too of course, esp. for longer races)

IMO this lack of endurance at potential race pace will punish the runner more in longer races and the gap between the 'even' race pace and the 'potential race pace' will be bigger for the runner not specifically prepared. (more emphasis on endurance necessary)

How should optimum race pace feel? IMO Depends on the race and depends on how well you're prepared for the particular race.

So if you feel a fade and a struggle at the end - but the watch says the pace was even throughout - is this what would be the norm for most people . I think folk descriptions - I felt strong throughout and really enjoy it , at no time did I find it a struggle - this always makes me wonder were they actually racing at all ? The enjoyment for me is at the end and it's done - I'm always just about breathing ! Maybe I just always over aim.

average_runner

Murph_D wrote: »

What is the definition of "Wrecked" though? It's quite a subjective term. Maybe paying attention to heart rate data can add some objectivity?

For me, its when I get across the finish line and the stewart is telling me to move on and I feel like shouting at them. They are only doing their job though.

average_runner

Bluesquare wrote: »

So if you feel a fade and a struggle at the end - but the watch says the pace was even throughout - is this what would be the norm for most people . I think folk descriptions - I felt strong throughout and really enjoy it , at no time did I find it a struggle - this always makes me wonder were they actually racing at all ? The enjoyment for me is at the end and it's done - I'm always just about breathing ! Maybe I just always over aim.

Enjoyment has to be the main thing, cause if you don't enjoy it you won' train. But it must be hurtful at the same time
There is not better than that feeling when you cross the line.

SausageDogDave

For me, race pace feels way harder when training (solo) than in a race

Tombo2001

Race pace surely is your fastest for a given distance.

Race pace will always feel harder in training as (I) you don't have the adrenaline surge and (ii) you haven't tapered.

Obviously race pace differs for the distance; but that doesn't mean you don't know what race pace is; because you know starting out how far it is to the finish line.

El Caballo

Marathon:

Miles 1-10: This is too easy.
Miles 10-18: This is about right.
Miles 18-22: This is too hard.
Miles 22-26: There is no god

5k:

Miles 0-.75: This is too easy.
Miles .75-1.5: This is about right.
Miles 1.5-2: This is too hard.
Miles 2-3: There is no god

Something like that based on my experience.

adrian522

Maybe I'm not doing it right but I skip right to "This is too hard" when running a 5K.

CR 7

adrian522 wrote: »

Maybe I'm not doing it right but I skip right to "This is too hard" when running a 5K.

Sounds about right to me too. There's no time to make up for lost time in a 5k.:)

El Caballo

CR 7 wrote: »

Sounds about right to me too. There's no time to make up for lost time in a 5k.:)

Ah lads, ye really have to get out and run the middle distances:p, even the first 1/3rd of a 400m or 1500m race is a breeze in terms of effort and pain, holding that pace gets increasingly tougher as the race goes on.

Anytime I run a good 5k and after the first mile I always feel like if I wanted to, I could've run the first mile 30-40 seconds quicker than the pace I could hold for 5k so am absolutely nowhere near my limit in terms of effort for a mile so it feels easy but gets progressively harder as the race goes on but maybe I've just got sh*tty endurance but I think that any race that involves pacing, the first part should feel easy but effort levels to hold that pace increase as the race goes on.

dna_leri

Definition of Fast Twitch Runner:

El Caballo wrote: »

5k:

Miles 0-.75: This is too easy.
Miles .75-1.5: This is about right.
Miles 1.5-2: This is too hard.
Miles 2-3: There is no god

Something like that based on my experience.

Definition of Slow Twitch Runner:

adrian522 wrote: »

Maybe I'm not doing it right but I skip right to "This is too hard" when running a 5K.