In Running metric (2), I mentioned the use of easy training pace as a metric for running progress, that, based on my 5K PR, the optimal easy long run pace is between 9:14 and 10:42, and that my current long run pace is at the fast end of that range (including walking water/fuel breaks); which is within about 15 seconds of my Boston qualifying (BQ) pace or goal marathon pace (GMP) of 8:58. Easy pace is generally about 1-2 minutes slower than one's goal race pace. For my GMP, that'd be at around the slow end of the above optimal range.
More and more, I'm thinking that the slow end is too slow. That's just too big a time gap (between training and racing) to make up. Training at the slow end means conditions have to be ideal for everything during a race. And, that's risky in the case of a BQ GMP, which is the slowest qualifying pace. It'd be better to set a GMP at faster than the qualifying GMP; I'll call it "training GMP," which, in my case, I'm setting at between 8:00 and 8:30. Relative to the latter, my current long run pace would be about 0:45 to 1:15 slower. In recent long runs, the last miles (up to 4 now) have been 8:30 or faster. Come race day, I want my mind to be used to holding that pace to the finish!.
Though it may be "training GMP," a pace between 8:00 and 8:30, corresponding to finishing times of between 3:30 and 3:43, is actually realistic; the top finishers of the Pocono Marathon in my age group were all in the 3:30's.
No comments:
Post a Comment