| When you are seriously working towards a key | | | | Suppose you want to do a 10K in 40 minutes. |
| race, you are using a focused running | | | | If you have severe troubles when performing a |
| program. | | | | 5K in 20 minutes in your training, then you |
| | | | have got to wonder... |
| You do your long runs, easy runs, tempo runs | | | | |
| and intervals. Great ! But something is | | | | A race usually brings out a little extra in |
| missing in this picture : Goal Pace Running ! | | | | you. But when you can't run half the distance |
| | | | in goal pace your goal is probably a bit too |
| Why you need to run at goal pace during your | | | | ambitious. |
| training | | | | |
| | | | So the second reason for goal pace running is |
| Running a race is exciting. I always get | | | | to find out whether you are ready for your |
| nervous in the last half an hour before a | | | | goal race or not. |
| race. Does not matter what race I am running. | | | | |
| I need to run to the bathroom and feel uneasy | | | | Goal pace sessions for different distances |
| about the race. Have I trained enough ? | | | | |
| | | | When you are training for shorter distances |
| Suddenly I feel a little pain in my left knee | | | | upto 10K, your goal pace sessions are |
| or my right achilles. I stretch a bit more. | | | | different from when you are training for |
| Do a few strides. Run to the bathroom again. | | | | longer distances (half or full marathon). |
| | | | |
| After the race has started this uneasy | | | | Intervals, Time Trials and Test Races at goal |
| feeling is gone almost immediately. I then | | | | pace are all great for races upto 10K. |
| focus on my pace. I know exactly how fast to | | | | |
| go. Why ? Because I incorporated goal pace | | | | When you are training for the half or the |
| runs in my running schedule, of course ! | | | | full marathon, you are better off doing a |
| | | | prolonged effort of part of the race distance |
| As you know, it pays off to run even splits | | | | at goal pace. |
| (= run at a steady pace per mile throughout | | | | |
| the race). You know those runners as well, | | | | A variation to this is to first do a part at |
| who start off too fast and burn out well | | | | easy pace and then do a number of miles at |
| before the finish line. I know them too and I | | | | goal pace. |
| am certain of one thing : they should have | | | | |
| done goal pace runs in their training ! | | | | Goal pace running is an important part of |
| | | | your running program. Yes, you focus pretty |
| So, one reason of doing goal pace runs is to | | | | much all your training on the traditional |
| make sure that you are able to run even | | | | running training; your long runs, easy runs, |
| splits during the race. So you know how fast | | | | tempo runs, and intervals. |
| to go and don't burn out early. Or that you | | | | |
| realize afterwards that you should have | | | | But you will want to put at least four to six |
| pushed it a bit more. | | | | workouts in your running schedule which are |
| | | | focused on running at goal pace. |
| There is another good reason for goal pace | | | | |
| sessions. If you are uncertain about whether | | | | After all, running at goal pace is a very |
| you'll be able to hold your pace until the | | | | good way to make sure that you find your |
| end, then you can test yourself during | | | | right pace when race day comes and that |
| training. | | | | you'll be able to hold on that pace for the |
| | | | whole race ! |