Question about race training

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hapa11
hapa11 Posts: 182 Member
edited November 2015 in Fitness and Exercise
I am starting a 12 week training program to run a half marathon. The instructions say to run at "race pace" one day a week, which should be the goal pace per mile. My goal pace per mile for the 1/2 marathon is around 11 minutes but normally I run about 3 miles a day at about a 9 or 10 minute mile, and when I run at race pace when training for a 5k, it's around 8 minutes per mile. Should race pace actually be slower that what I run on an average day? It seems like it should be faster.

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  • Stoshew71
    Stoshew71 Posts: 6,553 Member
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    5K race pace is normally below lactate threshold while 1/2 M race pace is usually slower than your Lactate Threshold. Lactate Threshold is estimated to be the race pace that you can sustain for 50-60 minutes.

    It's all about your aerobic capability (how fast can you run and still remain pretty much aerobic). You run any faster and you spike your aerobic threshold and exponetially increase the amount of lactate your blood is accumulating which is what causes you to fatigue first.

    How do you normally figure your 5K and 1/2M race paces?
  • hapa11
    hapa11 Posts: 182 Member
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    Thank you. My method for figuring my pace is completely unscientific--just based on what I've run in the past, and trying to improve slightly. I have run a dozen 5ks but never a half. My typical 5k is around 27 minutes--any recommendations on pace goal for the half?
  • lyttlewon
    lyttlewon Posts: 1,118 Member
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    What is your overall goal, completion or time? Have you ever run a half marathon before? Your pace over a long distance like that is likely going to be slower than your 5k pace.

    I have run three half marathons and never targeted a race pace during my training. I trained for distance, and ran by feel during my long runs vs. running by pace.
  • Stoshew71
    Stoshew71 Posts: 6,553 Member
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    Plug your most recent 5K PR into this calculator:
    https://mcmillanrunning.com/

    it will then estimate your race finish (and pace) for other race distances including the HM.
    it will even give you your Velocity for LT and VO2Max and other training paces.

  • Stoshew71
    Stoshew71 Posts: 6,553 Member
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    Based upon the calculator and a 27:00 5K finish:
    1/2 Mar- 2:05:01 or 9:33 pace.

    vLT= 9:05 (your Threshold pace)
  • hapa11
    hapa11 Posts: 182 Member
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    Wow, that is extremely helpful. Thank you!
  • lyttlewon
    lyttlewon Posts: 1,118 Member
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    Stoshew71 wrote: »
    Plug your most recent 5K PR into this calculator:
    https://mcmillanrunning.com/

    it will then estimate your race finish (and pace) for other race distances including the HM.
    it will even give you your Velocity for LT and VO2Max and other training paces.

    I plugged in my 5k and 10k times, and my 10k time is what I have actually run my half marathon's at. My 5k pace was way too fast.
  • hapa11
    hapa11 Posts: 182 Member
    edited November 2015
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    [/quote]

    I plugged in my 5k and 10k times, and my 10k time is what I have actually run my half marathon's at. My 5k pace was way too fast.[/quote]

    Will be interesting to see. My goal is to complete without dying, so I will go by feel, like you recommend, rather than needing to adhere to a rigid training pace. Thank you!
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
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    Keep in mind that pace estimators are just that, estimators. Most of them assume that you have run the specified distance before. In my experience, and in talking with fellow runners, pace estimators tend to be a little biased fast for longer distances. They tend to be closer for people with high mileage training loads.

    That said, you are unlikely to deplete your glycogen stores during a half marathon, so there is not a lot of risk at going out too fast. Run at a pace that feels sustainable and see how long you can hang on. Race day adrenaline helps a lot too. But most importantly, since it is your first HM, just go out and enjoy it. I'm sure you will be happy with your results!
  • dewd2
    dewd2 Posts: 2,449 Member
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    I just plugged in my last 5k time and omitted my last HM time to see what it would come up with. It missed by 20 minutes. Not sure how much faith I'd put into an algorithm...

    FWIW - I use a heart rate monitor to judge effort. I know from experience where I need to be for easy runs, tempo runs, and races. I only look at my pace when I'm purposely trying to target a speed (like when I am running with a group). Otherwise I look at the results after my run is complete.
  • hapa11
    hapa11 Posts: 182 Member
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    I will keep all this advice in mind. Thank you everyone!
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    I use my own perceived effort for that- my program (hal's)- and really how I felt- I just did the best I could running a little above my "comfort" pace.

    Turns out most of my paces are about the same- so I didn't get terribly worked about it.
  • glevinso
    glevinso Posts: 1,895 Member
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    The algorithm is fairly accurate assuming you train appropriately. What "appropriate training" means is honestly probably quite a bit more work than most beginner half (or full) marathon plans have you doing. I know at least for me those numbers tend to line up pretty well based on my calculated vDOT
  • gdyment
    gdyment Posts: 299 Member
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    dewd2 wrote: »
    I just plugged in my last 5k time and omitted my last HM time to see what it would come up with. It missed by 20 minutes. Not sure how much faith I'd put into an algorithm...

    Assuming it was 20 mins faster, it means your 5k shows your potential for the half assuming you ran an intermediate/advanced program. The full marathon estimation is especially tough - he expects you to be hitting around 70+ miles/week.

    It's also counter-intuitive since the distance is more than double, but the HM pace is not much slower than 10k pace - a matter of 10-20 seconds.

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