The First Mile - How Fast To Go
How you set-off is really a matter of personal preference. You may be the hare or you may be the tortoise. Unlike the famous story, I know that both can result in a successful race.
So, to the Half Marathon and my most successful race to date...
I went out about 20% faster than my target pace. This would be race suicide for some people but I felt strong and had two serious runners out front to spur me on. Yes - it was probably the fastest mile of the 13 but I have read studies which show the same 5km runner finishes with a better time when they who go out fastest in the first km - I liked this claim and applied it to a half marathon, which worked for me!
Had I burnt out due to starting too fast, it would have been a different story. I was however overtaken at mile 10 by a runner who adopted more of the tortoise philosophy - a clear demonstration of both approaches working...
The best way for you to be sure of how fast to start your race is to try this out in a timed training session for a set distance. Go out 10-20% faster than your race pace for one session and at race pace in the other, trying to get the best overall time. See which yields the best time - you may be surprised!
Race Nutrition
Pages could be written about this topic alone but given its importance to a successful race, I want to cover some key points.
The most important thing to be said - whatever nutrition you are thinking of for your race, try it out in a training race environment. Not only is it important to try exactly the same nutrition but preferably replicate as many race conditions as you can, including time of day.
The Half Marathon - My race nutrition was....nothing! As Crazzzy as it may sound, I took on no fluid or food during the entire 13.2 mile race. This is not really advisable and only worked for me because I completed the race fairly quickly and got my pre-race nutrition correct. Just for an example, pre-race I made sure I was well hydrated and my energy levels were topped up (by eating my usual pre-race bowl of porridge with banana 3 hours before and drinking 500ml of water/sports drink up to 2 hours before the race).
Race nutrition is specific to the individual. Only you can decide. Of course loose rules can be put in place because we are all human. Dehydration will jeopardise your performance!
Setting Defined Goals
We enter races for a variety of reasons - charity, personal achievement, sacrifice...
These will always be great motivators but as I once read in a book by Sir Ranulph Fiennes, the great thing about races is that they immediately give your training (and maybe even life!) clarity and structure. Once you have entered, you have your defined goal! The race is the primary goal, time and speed of racing would be a sub-category of that goal and the reasons for entering would be your motivators.
It can be a very powerful (and tactical) tool to keep a brief list of your goal, sub-category goals and motivators any time you enter a race. That way you have a constant reminder and easy way of benchmarking your training. So your list may appear:
Goal: Run the London Marathon
Sub-goals: Complete race in under 4 hours / Maintain 7 minute per mile pace for this first 10 miles / Do not stop to walk
Motivations: Running for Charity X... In memory of.../ To improve weight loss and become fitter / To improve confidence
Races can go by like a flash but if you can recall your list during your race, you may be in for a mental boost!
During the Race
Decide before the race whether starting position is important to you and try to ask a marshall how crowded/narrow the start is likely to be. Personally, I have learnt to get myself close to the front because I aim to finish in the top 20% of runners and working my way through slower runners for the first few miles will slow me down! A massive race like the London Marathon of course makes this harder to do.
Once you have settled into your race, you may consider using other competitors as your own pace-makers. This can be very effective but also a bit dangerous. You need to remain controlled should they take you too far out of your comfort zone.
Good luck in any forthcoming event you may have and let me know if you have any great tips from personal experience!
Luke M-Davies - I am fitness enthusiast who has trained for over 14 years and I believe everyone should take ownership of their health and achieve their fitness goals - no excuses! By making healthy living more realistic, and for me that means 'rule free', I know how to stay lean and fit for life not just for summer!
By 'rule free', I do not mean, training without structure or not tracking progress of your gains. Instead, I mean being free from fitness rules that constrict your lifestyle and happiness. Go to LMD Fitness http://www.lmdfitness.com/welcome where I share all of these ideas - please keep reading and commenting because there is so much power in sharing with others, so don't hold back!
The views expressed in this article are my own and are intended for information purposes only. I only speak from personal experience and do not hold any health or fitness qualifications. Before putting into practice any exercise or nutrition tips or plans you should always consult the relevant qualified medical practitioner.
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