One of the most effective strategies for improving your race times at endurance events is mastering the art of pacing. There are a few key factors that come into play in order to effectively execute a strong pacing strategy, which include your: fitness, emotions, fueling/hydrating, race day elements, and mental drive. I've been racing for almost 30 years over 650 races with most of them being in the last 2 decades post graduate school. With 84 Boston Qualifying times out of my 163 marathons, here are my five strategies to help execute a strong pacing strategy, while targeting the coveted negative split.
1. Craft a Solid Pacing Strategy
If the course is relatively flat and/or evenly distributed in its course profile, the goal is to run even splits or finish 1-2 minutes faster in the second half than the first. In a meta analysis of personal records for professionals, elites, age-groupers, and recreational runners, it is often times even splits or 1-2 minutes positive or negative splits. If you find yourself finishing more than 2 minutes faster in the second half, it may be a sign that you left too much left in the tank in the first half—meaning you could have pushed yourself a bit earlier in the race.
Create realistic Time Goals A, B, and C for your race that are based on your current fitness by analyzing your training log carefully. Don't let your emotions overreach what time goals realistically are. Working with a run coach can help do this for you with a trained eye to develop a pacing strategy based on these goals by analyzing your key run sessions and test races during your specificity phase of your training program. The key insights are in your training log.
2. Take into Account Weather, Course, and Environment
Once your time goals are created and you have an idea of your pacing strategy, you must factor in: heat, humidity, altitude, course profile, race dynamics that will all come into play in your pacing strategy and overall race day execution. If you don't make the right adjustments, the second half of your race will adjust it for you. Again, remove emotion of what you wishfully want, and realistically take into account your fitness with the elements presented on race day. If you do, I promise you will pass several runners in the second half.
A well-executed fueling strategy contributes to the success of your pacing strategy. During training, pay attention to what works best for your body—experiment with different gels, chews, and hydration methods during your long runs and key intensity sessions. Once you find what works, continue to repeat it again, and again, and again. This is why marathon training should have a few months of training cycles to properly fine tune these strategies in different weather, course profiles, emotional states, fatigue levels, distances, and intensities. Your training serves as a window to every scenario possible that can be presented to you on race day. A run coach or nutrition coach can help provide tailored advice based on your unique needs, ensuring your fueling plan is solid in training. On race day, stick to your fueling and hydrating strategy. Make adjustments on the fly if needed. Stay engaged to stay on top of it, even if and when things don't go as planned because often times they don't.
4. Drawing Strength From Yourself / Check Your Emotions
Training for your personal best is hard, whatever the distance. Aiming for your best on race day is hard. You are aiming to find the stronger version of yourself. You are aiming to make your own breakthrough and explore what is possible. This is empowering. However, it is very easy to allow ourselves to fall into self-doubt either telling ourselves: we are not ready or being too unrealistic of what the finish time could be. This is where the practice of mindful visualization, breath work, and inner dialogue each help check your emotions to what is realistic but also empower yourself to unleash. A coach can help you reflect on the progress you’ve made, providing mental reinforcement that can offer a significant boost during the tough moments of the race. My athletes very often tell me after their goal races: "Coach, I heard you in my head out there." I did my job because they know I am invested in them reaching their goals.
5. How Bad Do You Want It
Why did you choose to run this marathon? Whether it’s to challenge yourself, honor a loved one, or achieve a personal best, remind yourself of your purpose to ignite your drive and determination. As fatigue sets in and it gets painful, this powerful reason can serve as the motivator propelling you forward to push through the discomfort to finish faster than you started.
Negative splitting a marathon is not just about pacing strategy. It is about mindset, preparation, and self-awareness. With a solid pacing plan, proper fueling and hydration strategies, and a reminder of your deep connection to your why, you can conquer the marathon and finish stronger than you started. Let me know if you are looking for an endurance run coach to help you reach your goals this next upcoming marathon season. Allow me to guide you to unlocking what is possible within you.
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