Pacer for 10km

gypsylee

Looking for some advice please. I am doing the Gingerbread 10 km Run on Sunday week. This is only my second 10km. I did the last one in 75 mins. I am hoping to do this one in 70 mins. There are pacers and the slowest one is 65 minutes.

Do you think I should try and stay with this pacer at the start and see how I get on? If I do fall back later in the race I might still do it in the 70 minutes.

You will more than likely blow up and get disappointed. Unless you were hitting that speed comfortably in training, and perhaps just not extending it the full 10km. One minute difference per km on your last outing is a big big step up. But maybe go for it and chalk it down to experience, just don't treat this as a target race and be disappointed by finding you just blow the engine early on.

gypsylee

Thanks Conor. You just confirmed what I knew. I thought I was being a bit ambitious alright. I had to walk a kilometre in my first 10km which I am hoping will not happen this time around as I have done a lot of 10km LSRs. I will start out slow and hopefully pick up the speed in the second half.

ariana`

Hi gypsylee. Have you a watch that you can use to pace yourself? You're aiming for 7mins a km and i'm sure there will be a sign at each km so it would be quite easy to pace yourself if you have a watch, practice your 7 times tables;) I usually quite enjoy doing mathes while i'm running, keeps my brain busy (the nerd in me)

Edited to add best of luck in the 10k race.

partyguinness

Have you done any training since your last 10k?

As mentioned above, if you try to stay with a pacer you will blow up mentally and physically.

Instead of concentrating on your own pace and expectation, you are letting someone else take charge. This will not work mentally or physically.

Instead pick a realistic goal and stick with it. Of course we all know the temptation to bomb out the first 1-2k and then crash and burn.

You ain't going to just rock and roll up and knock off 1 min per mile just to keep pace with the slowest pacer with no training behind you.

gypsylee

Thanks Ariana. Will keep an eye on the time per km myself.

Hi partyguinness, I have been training. Started running in February this year and have been running three or four times a week since then. I have done several 5km races with a PB of 31 minutes. My realistic goal is 70 minutes for the 10km. The last 10km was in August. I have been doing 5-6 km twice a week and a slow run of 10 km each weekend since then. Can run 6km or so at splits of 6.20 average per km. Running the lsr at average splits of 8.30 so I do feel I will be able for a 70 minute finish.

ariana`

gypsylee wrote: »

Thanks Ariana. Will keep an eye on the time per km myself.

Hi partyguinness, I have been training. Started running in February this year and have been running three or four times a week since then. I have done several 5km races with a PB of 31 minutes. My realistic goal is 70 minutes for the 10km. The last 10km was in August. I have been doing 5-6 km twice a week and a slow run of 10 km each weekend since then. Can run 6km or so at splits of 6.20 average per km. Running the lsr at average splits of 8.30 so I do feel I will be able for a 70 minute finish.

That's brilliant progress since Feb, well done.

If you use a race predictor such as the one below, 70 mins should be easily achievable. You might feel more confident starting off conservatively and see how you feel after 3-4 km and pick it up a little if you're feeling good. The weather and course might come into play too.

http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/general/rws-race-time-predictor/1681.html

partyguinness

gypsylee wrote: »

Thanks Ariana. Will keep an eye on the time per km myself.

Hi partyguinness, I have been training. Started running in February this year and have been running three or four times a week since then. I have done several 5km races with a PB of 31 minutes. My realistic goal is 70 minutes for the 10km. The last 10km was in August. I have been doing 5-6 km twice a week and a slow run of 10 km each weekend since then. Can run 6km or so at splits of 6.20 average per km. Running the lsr at average splits of 8.30 so I do feel I will be able for a 70 minute finish.

Personally I think you need to up the mileage. Instead of doing 5-6km x 2 every week. I would make at least one of those runs at least a 7-8km.

Gradually this will make the 10km slow run easier and quicker as you build up endurance.

By having a steady 5-6k run twice a week and then a slow 10k you are not actually going to improve your time. Endurance perhaps but not pace unless you mix it up. You should get to the stage that 7-8.5km is relatively comfortable and normal.

Like you I started running in January and did my first 10k in March (54:32). Last month it is down to 45:52 (5k is 21:52)

But I will run with a running club 3 times a week
1. 8-9k @8min mile pace (road running)
2. Speed work on a 400m track (pyramids, 8x 800m; 6x 1200 at a 1:35m pace per 400m lap)
3. Weekend will usually enter a 10k event or half marathon or a cheeky Parkrun.

Throw in some hills, gym work, trail running for good measure.

As you can tell I am no expert and very new to it (BTW am 38yrs). In less that 10 months I have gone from never running in my life to 2 half marathons (PB 1:45:12) and more lined up and 2 full marathons next year.

The key to bringing down times is consistency and a varied training regime. If you keep doing the same thing over an over you will keep getting the same result.

Variety is key...

Good luck.

HigginsJ

ariana` wrote: »

Hi gypsylee. Have you a watch that you can use to pace yourself? You're aiming for 7mins a km and i'm sure there will be a sign at each km so it would be quite easy to pace yourself if you have a watch, practice your 7 times tables;) I usually quite enjoy doing mathes while i'm running, keeps my brain busy (the nerd in me)

Edited to add best of luck in the 10k race.

I actually found this tactic really helpful in my last 10km. I knew at the 5km mark that I was going to hit my goal if I could complete the 2nd 5km in a specific , I was struggling a little though so compartmentalised each of the remaining KM on their own trying to knock each one off in a specific time.

partyguinness

TBH...I didn't realise some 10k runs had pacers. I have never seen one.

ariana`

partyguinness wrote: »

TBH...I didn't realise some 10k runs had pacers. I have never seen one.

I've never seen them in a 10 km either but I've seen them at an 8 km race, it was a big one 3,000 entries.

nhunter100

ariana` wrote:

I've never seen them in a 10 km either but I've seen them at an 8 km race, it was a big one 3,000 entries.

Thought pacers were a regular feature of 'mini' marathons aka 10k's.

Gavlor

You're meant to be more or less eyeballs out in a 10k. Go for it and if you blow up it's no big deal.

You probably haven't tested yourself property yet after just one 10k race so use this one as an opportunity to see how hard you can really go.

gypsylee

Thanks for all the advice above.

I did the 10km run yesterday and I nailed it in 65.57 minutes. A PB by 10 minutes on my last (and only other) 10 km race. Thrilled.

ariana`

gypsylee wrote: »

Thanks for all the advice above.

I did the 10km run yesterday and I nailed it in 65.57 minutes. A PB by 10 minutes on my last (and only other) 10 km race. Thrilled.

Well done gypsylee, congrats on the shiny new PB, and what a bit improvement on your last PB

Just read back and your last PB was only in Aug, 10 minutes in 3 months, wowser!

gypsylee

Thanks Ariana. Delighted with the PB. It might never happen again but I know that I can do it!

That half-marathon next June is looking like a possibility now.

ariana`

gypsylee wrote: »

Thanks Ariana. Delighted with the PB. It might never happen again but I know that I can do it!

That half-marathon next June is looking like a possibility now.

Absolutely you can do it and you are still improving For sure a half marathon is very doable. You could do one in 3 months if you increase your long run at the weekend by 1 km every week with a step-back every 4th week and a last LSR of 18 km

Wk 1 - 10
Wk 2- 11
Wk 3 - 12
Wk 4 - 8
Wk 5 - 13
Wk 6 - 14
Wk 7 - 15
Wk 8 - 10
Wk 9 - 16
Wk 10 -17
Wk 11 - 18
Wk 12 - 8
Wk 13 - 1/2 Marathon

Maybe March/April time