One of our participants commented that he learned an important lesson during a Tuesday workout: “Do not overdo (as in miss your pace on the fast side) the first 2k repeats of a very tough Tuesday workout…you will pay for it the rest of the workout, especially if it’s very hot and humid.”
Coach Rick Hellard agrees: “The key is to start just a bit on the slow side (5sec/km can make the difference) and speed up as the end of the workout gets near. If you are going to make a mistake in pacing, go too easy, not too hard. It is much more enjoyable and productive that way. This same theory goes for races as well.”
The truth is, you’re going to blow up every now and then with these workouts, especially if you are new to speed work – but that’s part of how we learn to pace ourselves.
For the speed work veterans who are reading, have you ever blown up during a workout? How did you learn to gauge your pace during your repeats?
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When I go out for a training session, I start off slow for about the first two kilometers gradually building up to a faster pace. From there I will do a lot of hill training at a faster pace. One thing I do that really helps me stay in control, is to see how many steps I can take between the cracks in a sidewalk. This way, my running is controlled therefore reducing possible injury.
My workouts end with a slower pace for the last kilometer or two to wind down properly.