Managing Pace

The short part:

How does one manage a pace in order to stay as close to it as possible? Is it part art, part experience and part science? When I desire a certain pace, should I aim for 13 minutes +/- 2?, 3?, or 5 seconds?

The long part:

I ran my last 20 mile LR, this past Friday. My goal was to run it at marathon pace of 13 minutes/mile in order to see how close to 13 I could stay and how I handled it.

I seemed to start to tire at mile 18, but I was able to stay just under pace. So, I finished the run at a 12:54 pace with the first half at 13 and the second half at 12:48. Like most things, the devil is in the details.

After mile 3, my average pace was 13:07 and it took me 7 miles to get it back to 13. Stated another way, I ran the first 3 miles in a total time of 39:38, instead of 39:00, so I made up the 38 seconds over the next 7 miles to get back to a 13 minute pace.

On race day, I know I'll have to pee a couple of times, so that'll be some time I'll need to make up to get back to pace. I will take steps before the race to maybe only pee 1 time.

Aside from not over-analyzing, how else can I manage the pace?

I can't blame this on Taper Madness because I have been thinking about this for a couple of months. Thanks for your time.

I usually end up falling about 90-100 seconds behind in the first 4 miles of a marathon. Then I try to be caught up by mile 16 and ride the last 10 exactly at pace. Not sure if it's the best idea, but it's how my body works.

It takes me a couple of miles to get going, too. And that's without the crowd of a race.

I usually take my goal pace and try to stay within 5 seconds either side of it. At the start of the race I just aim not to go faster than it and toward the end I fight to not drop slower than it.

If you lose 38 seconds during a marathon, will that even be a bid deal? If that is all that you are talking about, I would just get back on your desired pace after you settle in. As far as a potty break - again, you might not be talking about that much time overall that you lose - if you feel you're dialed in at a running pace, then it seems to make sense to stick at that pace and let the other minute thirty or so go.

Oh, regarding peeing... If you're going for a PR, just pee. Don't stop.

Mike MacLellan wrote:Oh, regarding peeing... If you're going for a PR, just pee. Don't stop.

This is what I do. Haven't had it come up while running though.

So, what is the affect on shoes? Are they squishy for a few miles? Thanks.