Do these 3 things so you don’t ruin your next race
It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement and adrenaline of a race and start off too quickly. But just like soldiers charging ahead in war, runners who don’t pace themselves can find themselves in dangerous situations.
So how can you stop running too fast in your races and get the best time possible? Let me share some tips and tricks with you.
The Dangers of Starting Too Fast
When you start a race too fast, you are using up your anaerobic energy system, which burns up carbohydrates without the presence of oxygen. This system gives you about two minutes worth of energy, so if you use it all up at the beginning of the race, you’ll find yourself slowing down quickly as lactate builds up in your muscles and blocks your aerobic pathways. This means you won’t be able to get enough oxygen to your muscles, and you’ll have to slow down. To avoid this, you need to learn how to pace yourself correctly from the start.
How to Pace Yourself Correctly
One way to pace yourself correctly is to work out your realistic goal pace and use interval training to get your body used to running at that pace. For example, if you want to run a 10K in 60 minutes, you can run one kilometer reps on the track at six minutes per kilometer pace. This will help your muscles get used to that pace so that when you hit race day, you can maintain that pace and not go off too fast.
Another strategy is to do time trials and aim to get quicker with each subsequent kilometer. For example, you can do a 5K time trial and aim to get quicker with each subsequent kilometer. This will help you get used to running at race pace and help you avoid going off too fast.
The Importance of Aerobic Running
While it’s important to do some speed work, the most important thing for marathon runners is time on your feet. You need to get your body used to running for the amount of time it will take you to finish the race. This means you need to build up your aerobic base by doing mostly aerobic running. This will help you build up your capillary development, mitochondria development, and wider arteries, making it easier for your body to get oxygen to your muscles.
The Bottom Line
As a beginner runner, it’s important to learn how to pace yourself correctly from the start. You don’t want to use up all your energy at the beginning of the race and find yourself slowing down fast. Instead, work on building up your aerobic base and use interval training to get your body used to running at race pace. Remember, slow and steady wins the race!
What You Will Learn & Highlights
02:28 Starting a race too fast
06:45 Anaerobic System Limitations
07:23 Pacing in distance running
10:42 Marathon pacing strategies
13:52 Strengthening the chassis for running
17:04 Marathon training tips
And more!
Notable Quotables
Links
- Watch us on YouTube
- Everything you need to know about run energy systems
- How to pace a 5km perfectly
- Why building a run base is so important (and how to do it)
- DLake Runs Instagram
- Mike Trees Instagram
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