Pace Strategy for Mile

So I have a local mile track race tonight that I'm not ready for. My training's going "OK," I'd say that I'm about 20 seconds off per mile from where I should be in terms of HRs being turned / perceived effort at the paces I'm running.

My mile PR is 5:10 (Dec 2009). I'd say I would be ecstatic with a sub-5:30 tonight, but I should be able to do sub-6. So I'm thinking, run the first lap in 1:30, which I know I can do without really much sweat, because I've done those in my interval training. 2nd would be 1:25, then 1:20, then 1:15. That gives me a 5:30. I don't know that I can do those paces, certainly not back-to-back, but I think it gives me the highest likelihood of maximizing my result tonight.

My typical short race strategy woud be to run harder out of the gate, under the premise that those seconds I take off the beginning get "banked." Then I fight like hell to not fall off a cliff. But with the finess levell I have right now, I think I have no shot if I do that - I'll die in the middle of Lap 2.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Billy's running too. I'm going to see if I can guide him to sub-8. He ran an 8:20 first mile in his last 5K so I know physically he can do it, but mentally can he push himself through the pain? Tbink I'll try to guide him to a 2:00 / 1:55 / 1:50 / 1:45. The 3rd lap will be the killer.

Well you already stated it towards the end that your normal strategy is to go hard out of the gate!

So why not do that again tonight? I know you said that you are not in perfect condition but I why change this strategy of going like hell from the start and then letting the rest of the race fall were it may.

Now I know that I don't run very many short races and I haven't ran the mile but I would think that even at your fitness level you would benefit more by going hard from the start, little fade in the middle and then pick it back up for the finishing kick. I thought I read some where were the article said runners were running faster shorter races times by going faster then race pace at the start.

I would also throw out there that if you really feel fitness is an issue and you want to run 5:30 why not do it as a even split race?

Sweet Billy is running!!! Tell him the Bull says good luck and I will pass on my meatball powers to him

I think that's too big of a spread between splits. Dropping 15 seconds from the 1st to 4th lap seems highly unlikely, regardless of how easy the 1:30 feels. I just don't think such a negative split in the mile is a good one, though I'm not exactly experienced in the mile. But in my experience, there isn't much "pacing" going on in the last two laps; its more like holding on for dear life.

Assuming 5:30 is a reasonable goal, that's 1:22 per lap. I wouldn't start slower than 1:25 or I fear you won't get the seconds back. Even if you're in 5:45 shap, 1:25 isn't an unreasonable start. Then I'd drop to 1:20 on the second lap. That puts you at 2:45. From there, its balls to the wall and see what happens.

My recent experience is people way overestimate their capability to choose the heat and go out way too fast. I am thinking, if I am going again next Tuesday, I will stick to a "faster" heat, start at the 1st lane, and hang around the end to curb me going out too fast. I am thinking it may yield better result.

But what do I know? I am just 5'3.

Thanks guys. Because I lack speed and endurance (other than that I'm fine ) if I go out too hard, whatever I gain in the 1st and 2nd I fear I will give back x 2 in the 3rd 1/4. I can "guppy face" through the 4th 1/4.

I agree that 15 seconds is too big a drop and if I can do a 1:15 final quarter that I probably underestimated my fitness and should have gone out harder. I think I'm likely to get to 1:25 and maybe even 1:20 but then fall back off in the 4th 1/4.

Did I mention this is a test race for another mile race next weekend as part of a 26 x 1 mile relay? So, I'm really using tonight to see where I'm at so I can "dial in" my strategy for next weekend. Yes, two mile races in a week. Then the inaugural BAA 10K next Sunday.

It may not be the ideal strategy, but the 3rd lap was almost always my slowest when I was running the mile in high school. Honestly, the one thing you don't want to do is go out too fast. I'd try to go out that 1st 400 at whatever your goal finish pace would be. So, like Dave said, if it's 5:30, 1:22 would be perfect and anything faster than 1:20 would probably be a bad idea.

Thanks Jim, i don't have a high level of confidence that I'm in 5:30 shape.

I think what I'll try to do is run a little more even splits, maybe 1:25s, and then if I'm "feeling it" on the last two try to drop down. I just don't think I've got the stamina to follow the typical short race strategy of going out hard and then trying to hang on.

I'll post results later.

I ran the perfect mile race way back in HS in 1978. Went 63, 64, 65, 64 for a 4:16. I'm a believer in even pacing. Use the same strategy; Go 81, 82, 83, 82 and come in at 5:28.

Looking forward to hearing about how you and Billy did tonight.

Schuey wrote:Looking forward to hearing about how you and Billy did tonight.

Well, I guess i had a pretty good feel for where I'm at after all. Felt like crap by the middle of Lap 1 so it was a struggle to come in at 5:45. Splits of 1:23 / 1:28 / 1:29 / 1:25.

I know I didn't run that well, because I finished 15 seconds behind a guy I beat by 45 seconds in a 5K a month ago. I also finished 15 seconds behind my running partner, and I know I'm faster than he is when I'm fully trained, but he's coming off a Boston training cycle so he's ahead of me right now.

But I'm happy with that time. Lots to build on.

Billy did awesome, coming in at 7:15 (unofficially). He also made a move on a girl that ran in his heat. Got a name but no digits.

Martin VW wrote:

Schuey wrote:Looking forward to hearing about how you and Billy did tonight.

Well, I guess i had a pretty good feel for where I'm at after all. Felt like crap by the middle of Lap 1 so it was a struggle to come in at 5:45. Splits of 1:23 / 1:28 / 1:29 / 1:25.

I know I didn't run that well, because I finished 15 seconds behind a guy I beat by 45 seconds in a 5K a month ago. I also finished 15 seconds behind my running partner, and I know I'm faster than he is when I'm fully trained, but he's coming off a Boston training cycle so he's ahead of me right now.

But I'm happy with that time. Lots to build on.

Billy did awesome, coming in at 7:15 (unofficially). He also made a move on a girl that ran in his heat. Got a name but no digits.

Not bad for the training you have put in so far. I think that this gives a good bases to work off and move forward with. Just like you said "lots to build on."

I know that you are competitive and I know that you are worried about but to compare yourself to others right now should not be something to look at. You know that these guys might or are putting in more training right now therefore the reason they finished ahead of you.

Again I think you have your focus in the right place knowing were you are at now and what you have to do to build on it.

Awesome to read how great Willem wait I mean Billy did today! What only a name an no digits? So did he like racing the mile?

Schuey wrote:

Martin VW wrote:

Schuey wrote:Looking forward to hearing about how you and Billy did tonight.

Well, I guess i had a pretty good feel for where I'm at after all. Felt like crap by the middle of Lap 1 so it was a struggle to come in at 5:45. Splits of 1:23 / 1:28 / 1:29 / 1:25.

I know I didn't run that well, because I finished 15 seconds behind a guy I beat by 45 seconds in a 5K a month ago. I also finished 15 seconds behind my running partner, and I know I'm faster than he is when I'm fully trained, but he's coming off a Boston training cycle so he's ahead of me right now.

But I'm happy with that time. Lots to build on.

Billy did awesome, coming in at 7:15 (unofficially). He also made a move on a girl that ran in his heat. Got a name but no digits.

Not bad for the training you have put in so far. I think that this gives a good bases to work off and move forward with. Just like you said "lots to build on."

I know that you are competitive and I know that you are worried about but to compare yourself to others right now should not be something to look at. You know that these guys might or are putting in more training right now therefore the reason they finished ahead of you.

Again I think you have your focus in the right place knowing were you are at now and what you have to do to build on it.

Awesome to read how great Willem wait I mean Billy did today! What only a name an no digits? So did he like racing the mile?

Thanks, Martin. Not really looking at whwere those guys finished from a competitiveness perspective as much as from a litmus test perspective. The guy I beat easily a month ago I'm sure didn't get that much faster in a month. Maybe he did. He looked good at the track the other night.

Billy liked the mile, I could definitely see he was hurting two laps in. I asked him tonight which he liked better, the mile or the 5K, he said the 5K, because you get to see more running through town than running around a track.

Cool race, old man and young Billy.

Uh oh, Billy's coming for you...